Kenny G in da houseWith the NCAA tourney in the rearview, will the Buckeyes have enough interest to 'justify' their #1 seed in the 2008 MasterCard NIT Tournament? We'll find out starting Tuesday night at 7pm when Ohio State takes on #8 seed UNC-Asheville.
If you're sitting there thinking there's something unique about the Bulldogs, you are right. They're the squad with Kenny George, the 7'7" star of the "Messin' With Sasquatch" commercials. Not really but dude is large although he averages just 19.5 minutes per game due to some brittle knees likely caused by Gigantism.
The Bulldogs are more than just a pretty face, however, winning the Big South regular season crown. Stay tuned for Corey's breakdown. We know you're pumped.
Syracuse, Arizona State and Virginia Tech grabbed the other #1 seeds while Florida was tabbed a 2 seed making this the first time since 1980 that the previous year's NCAA finalists failed to make the real tournament.
Comments
they better be in it to win it, I want to buy a postseason championship t-shirt of some kind, dammit.
Buckeyes and Gators for another championship?
$10 says the guy on the left still got the rebound in the picture above
I'd like to congratulate Jamar Butler for single handedly getting his team a #1 seed.
Don't look for much effort out of him on Tuesday.
Were expectations too high for this group? It's hard to compare to last year's team.
Can I just say that I am jealous of your first round match-up. Can you all imagine that monstrosity playing against Spencer Tollackson. It'd be amazing.
here's the real bracket
http://sportsline.com/collegeb...
"Were expectations too high for this group? It’s hard to compare to last year’s team."
I've probably had expectations that were too high for David Lighty. Since he came in with Oden, Conley and Cook, I assumed he was a talent on par with the former two. He isn't. He's going to be a role player, good for six points a game, a few rebounds, and (hopefully) some stingy defense.
I won't go into Diebler's expectations. Geez.
Next year is going to be a tough one, too - Matta's probably two years away from having a seasoned team with sufficient talent to make a little noise in the big tournament. With luck, OSU should be able to make the tournament, but I think they're a fourth-place team, at best. We're not a Carolina or Duke. A mass exodus of NBA-caliber talent leaves our cupboards bare. OSU doesn't yet reload - it rebuilds.
any interest in a NIT pool? just throwing it out there?
I’d like to congratulate Jamar Butler for single handedly getting his team a #1 seed.
Don’t look for much effort out of him on Tuesday.
TLB - March 16th, 2008 at 9:28 pm
I wouldn't say they got a #1 seed, more like a #66 Seed. There are 65 other teams playing for the big game.
Im boycotting the NCAA pool, lets start a NIT pool if thats possible.
I don’t get how someone could think next year will be a tough one for the buckeyes. If kosta comes back, which if he didn’t then Va. Tech's coach Greenberg would have to certify him insane like he did the selection committee, and you add a real 7-foot center to that in Mullens, not a center in height only. Throw William Buford another 5 star into the mix with an Evan turner who definitely had his moments this year, and maybe a T-Pryor will give the bucks one year of services. Really I don’t see how the buckeyes with a little seasoning and experience at the start of next year won’t be ranked. Matta will definitely challenge for the big ten next year, keep some pieces together and rebuild in 09 and then in 2010 be nothing less than a top 5 team (have you seen that three of the top 10 in the country already verbaled?) So all in all expectations were way to high for the buckeyes this year but it isn’t the end of an era in buckeye basketball yet, they will be strong next year, and for many to come.
John,
While I largely agree with you, we have a big hole to fill at point guard. Noopy is a blue-chipper, but it is tough to ask a frosh to carry the rock and the team. Mike Conley was special and had the luxury of having Jamar to lean on. Noopy has... PJ Hill. I'm not sure if anybody else on the current roster can play the point. At times Evan Turner has looked good, but his ball handling is pretty shaky.
And that big hole is why they will not be one of the best in the country, but to say next year will be a tough year again, i just can not agree with that, they will bounce back and be in the tourney.