BJ: Double figures in four straight (15)The trio of Evan Turner, Wil Buford and B.J. Mullens combined to score Ohio State's final 27 points and the Buckeyes used a 17-3 run to turn a 44-40 deficit into a 57-47 lead with just over a minute to play before Turner hit 6/6 free throws in the final :27 to secure a 65-58 victory tonight in Crisler Arena.
Though he shot a sketchy 4/12 from the floor and committed an insane five turnovers, Turner scored a team high 19 points thanks to an 11/14 night from the stripe. The sophomore also posted game highs with eight rebounds and six assists in 39 minutes of action.
Supporting Turner, Buford and Mullens added 15 apiece on a combined 13/19 from the field with Mullens adding six boards and three blocks while Buford chipped in five boards and four steals.
Big nights from the emerging freshmen helped offset a relative no-show from Jon Diebler (3 pts, 1/4 FG) who has now failed to score more than seven points in three of the last four games.
As usual in the Big Ten, this one was a game of runs. Besides the 17-3 dagger, the Buckeyes started the game on a 7-0 burst thanks to five points from Buford and built the lead to 27-16 before Michigan closed the half on a 9-2 run to cut the Buckeye lead to 29-25 at intermission.
The Buckeye defense was large in the first half holding Michigan to 3/13 from deep and 7/26 overall but the Wolverines exploited the Buckeye zone in the second half shooting 7/16 (43%) from beyond the arc.
Manny Harrris did his thing scoring a game high 21 points including nine in the first seven minutes of the second half while Stu Douglas was the prime benefactor of poor defensive rotations on the wings hitting two straight triples to give Michigan the 44-40 lead just before Turner, Mullens and Buford took over.
Except for a stretch in the second half the Buckeyes again looked focused on making the extra pass and involving the bigs. The focus was especially evident early as the they built a 16-4 points in the paint advantage in before halftime.
Jeremie Simmons played a significant role in that approach during the first half registering four points and three assists in limited minutes due to foul trouble.
In his absence, P.J. Hill was his high energy self recording a nasty block erroneously called a goal tend though he did struggle handling ball pressure leading to a few second half miscues which Michigan promptly turned in to points. I still say Hill looks like he's doing a lot with his hair flopping all over but the stat line shows he really isn't doing much at all in comparison to Simmons.
The bottom line continues to be this team needs Simmons to continue to grow because he is clearly the more complete player. Even tonight, while playing only five more minutes he outscored Hill seven to zero and out assisted him four to zero. At least with Simmons on the floor the other team has to at least account for him at the offensive end whereas when Hill is running the offense it's almost like the defense is playing five on four.
The good news is Hill is proving himself a serviceable safety net because Simmons has been anything but consistent thus far.
With a trip to Illinois scheduled for Tuesday followed by a home tilt with Michigan State it would be a great time for Simmons to show some consistency though both games figure to be losses as I gaze into the crystal ball.
Even with two potential losses looming, tonight's win is big as the team moves to 3-2 in conference and 13-3 overall with four resume enhancers already in hand.
Comments
Nifty little box score at the end. I like.
Again, Mullens is coming along nicely. Do people still think he's a one-and-done?
I don't think there's any doubt he's one a done. Draft Express has him at #12 which is probably a pretty fair representation of where he averages out as I scan various mock drafts.
He's really impressed me with his growth the past month. He has lapses but he's gotten tougher mentally and appears so much more confident. I think the game is slowing down for him big time.
How sick is Buford going to be? He's easily my favorite player on this team. He's a born scorer and you can see the game slowing down for him too, offensively at least. Defensively, we all know he still gets lost in his zone rotations but he's rebounding every game. Did I mention I love this kid?...Looks like he could possibly be the best pro out of he, BJ and Turner.
I probably should pay more attention to B-ball recruiting, is Buford a one-and-done too? I know he was a five star on Scout.
I hope Thad can keep some of these guys around.
I think Buford will be here next year but who knows. I mean, if he were to blow up the rest of the season anything could happen.
Draft Express ranks him the 92nd best prospect at the moment but most 'experts' out there project his ceiling as a legit pro.
Still, I'd bet he stays, blows up next year then gets picked in the first round.
No BTN couldn't catch the game...I've missed alot this season, which sucks.
great win. this is just what they needed. mullens & buford growing each week, and turner establishing himself as the star/leader. the more experience the freshman get, the better. get lighty back and add his leadership to the mix and the bucks will be a tough out at the end of the year. the nba is all about upside, and mullens has a big upside. remember koufus?
also, anyone know why offut is not playing? he plays hard, has good size and is a good defender. why p.j.? energy?
I would like to see Diebler slash to the basket more often than he does. If he missed two outside shots, then take it to the rim. I think he wouldn't go into droughts if he mixed up his game.
I pray Lighty gets back to action this season ... if he does this team will be a very tough out for most squads. Right now this team is too streaky/runny to sustain any long winning streak in B10 play.
It would be so nice to have everybody back next year. You can see this team starting to come together and figure out how to play together. I think Thad might have to start either playing Lauderdale and Mullens together or start Mullens. He is really starting to show why he was so highly touted.
Offutt is still trying to get back to full strength from his knee injury last year, plus he is stuck behind Buford, Diebler and Turner.
Is your name really "Ohio State Basketball"?
Is your name really "Anonymous"?
I think Buford will be one and done, given economic considerations; if you are from Toledo, and know where Libbey high school is located, and know the socioeconomic status of the students that attend that school, you will understand. Buford has my blessing to go onto the next level, given his family's financial situation. However, I think he would benefit from another year at OSU, in order to position himself as a lottery pick, because I do think he has the sort of explosive slasher talent that will translate well into the next level.
This is an extremely light year as far as pro talent, there is a very good chance Buford goes.
Mullens is absolutely going pro, barring injury.
Right now Thad has the No.2 and No.6 players in the country for 2010.
Is your name really "flipbuckeye"?
My birth certificate says so.
I'm pretty sure I would cry if someone ever made me enter a pro football game. Hope Wilis is okay.
I certainly hope he's okay in the LARGER sense of that word, Chris, but I've gotta confess to never being sad when Willis McGahee is being carted off the field. I had a Jan '03 flashback there for a minute.
Whoops Jason
Can we get a Santonio picture today? God I miss that guy.
He was huge yesterday.
Will this picture do?
http://deadspin.com/382005/sir...
Any chance Chris Carter's boy could suit up for Thad next year and pull double duty a la Ricky Dudley?
Ricky Dudley?? Did he play b-ball?
I know Lumpkin did.
Does anyone think Tress is going to make any changes with the coaching staff??
its crazy to say he's on the hot seat, but anything short of a title in the next 3 years puts him there, in my opinion.
The talent is there. The speed is there. The schedule is there. No more excuses.
I am 99% sure Ricky Dudley attended tOSU on a basketball scholarship, and tried football when the first few years...
Edit: Confirmed from this article written in 2004 by everyone's favorite or second favorite windbag at sportsline.com, Gregg Doyel.
"Longtime NFL tight end Ricky Dudley went to Ohio State on a basketball scholarship, averaging 13.3 points and 7.5 rebounds, before joining the football team after his junior year of hoops. Two years later, Dudley was the Oakland Raiders' No. 1 pick in 1996."
The article was about basketball players, like Dudley and Antonio Gates, making the jump from hoops to football.
Full article: http://www.cbssports.com/colle...
so idiot, if we don't win national titles fire the coach. what an ass you are
no longer a fan of you or santonio.
It's looking less and less likely that JT will be getting rid of Bollman. That hurts. I was really thinking the guy was primed for a firing, but the farther away we get from the season the less likely it looks.
I'm not offering any guarantees, but Berry, Jackson, Posey, Stoneburner, Herron and yes, even Pryor, run the risk of having their considerable talents wasted due to Jim Tressel's absurd nepotism, perhaps even arrogance.
jask,
what world are you living in? Cooper got fired for alot less, and sported a .900+ career win percentage.
You probably cried when Boeckman got benched.
Now Im an idiot for asking a question?
You obviously don't read this blog, and I for one, am glad you dont.
Its your kind of backward thinking, complacent, low brow reasoning that lets great programs slip into mediocraty every year.
Welcome to the real world, bud!! Im a proud Buckeye that expects NOTHING but excellence, and Im not alone.
Excellence =/= winning a national championship at any point in the next three years
However, I will agree that
Excellence = winning the occasional "big" game
Setting your sights on championships every season is only going to end in tears, especially in the BCS era. It's pointless, and will only leave you pissed off.
I realize winning every game is only a dream. However, doing everything in your power to win every game isn't.
Obviously, we won't fire a coach who has a loss on his record every now and then. But, we will depending on the loss.
Getting blownout in big games is unacceptable. But playing like we did vs. Texas is acceptable. A game only comes down to one tackle or one catch,etc.,etc.
I have lost all confidence in some people on this blog if you had to ask that question. Seriously.Dudley was a hellof a ball player in basketball who just happened to try football.
Unacceptable?
Well, have fun not accepting it I guess. It happened.