Preview: Ohio State vs. Michigan
Buford likes the anti-Michigan songs.(Tony Ding: AP Photo)
 Ohio State 13-5, 3-4 Big Ten Roster | Schedule |
January 28, 2009 6:30 PM ET – BTn —— The Schott Columbus, OH |
 Michigan 14-6, 4-4 Big Ten Roster | Schedule |
With the whacky B10 schedule, the Buckeyes and Wolverines face off for the second time in four games tonight in Columbus. While it is Michigan, something tells me the local weather and early start time won’t bode well for any home court advantage.
This battle is for sixth place in the conference and the winner will be closer to a potential tourney berth, as both teams already have quality wins on their resume.
Each team has struggled in the last couple of weeks, with Michigan losing 3 of 4, including the first meeting 65-58, while Ohio State has lost 2 straight to ranked opponents.
| # | Name | PTS | REB | ASST | POS | # | Name | PTS | REB | ASST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Jeremie Simmons | 7.3 | 1.8 | 3.1 | G | 44 | Kelvin Grady | 5.8 | 1.9 | 2.4 |
| 33 | Jon Diebler | 10.6 | 3.3 | 2.6 | G | 0 | Zack Novak | 6.7 | 3.3 | 1.4 |
| 21 | Evan Turner | 15.4 | 7.1 | 3.0 | F | 31 | Laval Lucas-Perry | 9.5 | 2.1 | 1.6 |
| 44 | William Buford | 10.8 | 3.5 | 1.0 | F | 44 | Manny Harris | 17.6 | 7.6 | 4.6 |
| 52 | Dallas Lauderdale | 5.8 | 4.4 | 0.3 | C | 34 | DeShawn Sims | 15.8 | 8.0 | 0.7 |
Opponent
Michigan faces an uphill battle the remainder of this season, playing 7 of their last 11 on the road, including games at Purdue, UConn, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The Wolverines come in scoring 63 points a game in conference play and sit next to last in FG percentage at 39.9, just ahead of Indiana.
In typical Beilein fashion, Michigan has chucked up more threes than any other team in conference play, hitting 69 of 225, which equates to a 30.7 percent clip or 10th in the league. Unfortunately for UM, they also rank 10th in 3PT defense at 38 percent. In the first meeting, Michigan attempted 29 of their 56 shots from behind the arc.
Like Ohio State, Michigan is young and not too deep, starting 2 freshmen, 2 sophomores and a junior. CJ Lee, Stu Douglass and Zack Gibson will lead them off the bench, combining for about 12 points and 6 rebounds.
Buckeye Breakdown:
This is the time of the season it gets tough for me to write previews. As with last season, I feel like I become a broken record when it comes to what Ohio State has to do in order to win consistently. A negative effect of recruiting one and done players is how young it can make your team from season to season, raising the frustration level of fans and coaches.
The raging debate right now is the choice between continuing the match-up zone or trying out some man defense. Of course the zone leads to a rebounding deficit EVERY game and poor rotation can allow shooters to get open, but the zone also allows Thad to keep his young centers out of foul trouble by not having to hedge on ball screens.
“You know how many ball screens B.J. Mullens has had to hedge 30 feet from the basket this year?” Matta asked. He then held up a hand with his thumb and index finger connected in the shape of a zero… Remember when we had Greg (Oden)? We went zone at the end of that year. Why? Because of that right there — he was picking up fouls . . . on the hedge.”
With the depleted roster Thad is dealing with right now, it looks as if the zone is here to stay.
Simmons has scored just 15 points and dished out 6 dimes in the last two games, while Diebler has 18 points and 2 assists over that span. Both have been more selective with their shots, but neither one consistently looks to get the ball inside either by dribbling or passing. They have a combined 5 free throws over the last three games.
In the first meeting with Michigan, Turner, Buford and Mullens combined 49 points and 19 boards. All three have been carrying the scoring load for the Bucks recently and I expect them to do the same tonight. Something tells me Diebler and Simmons are also going to have comeback games tonight, helping OSU to the 69-59 victory.
Kudos to Bob Baptist for his vent on Eddie Hightower and his annoying antics. IMO, Ted Valentine and him account for the two worst referees in the conference.
Etc
- Simmons and Diebler have made a 3-pointer in all but 1 game this year.
- It doesn’t look like Lighty will be back anytime soon.
What sucks is there would be people that would brave the weather to go to this game, but the whine and cheese crowd that own the club seats won’t.
Yes I whine is spelled that way for a reason.
How true. Sad but very true. I, for the life of me, will never understand why our fans can be so passionate (minus the AARP crowd and the corporate jetset) about football but so blase about basketball. I think we could lose Thad because of that.
I agree 100% Kyle, to me that may be a reason why Thad would leave, the crowd is too quiet and inconsistent.
The problem is the PSL’s they sold to help build the arena. I think they were in 30 year blocks, so those blue hairs aren’t going any where soon.
wha? thad would leave? i guess i’ve been out of the loop for too long.
a lot of big ten arenas are strangely quiet, has anyone else noticed this? i don’t think that it is a problem of lack of history, we have some really good basketball schools….
Ohio was and never will be considered as a basketball state even though Ohio State has always had a decent basketball program.
When I think basketball I think New York, Chicago, L.A., not Columbus.
And let’s hope Thad doesn’t leave anytime soon. I am one that thinks he has brought some credibility back into the Ohio State basketball program.
I cant see Thad leaving unless a big-timer comes calling like Kansas, North Carolina, Kentucky,etc..
Kentucky probably being the most likely, but Gillespie seems to be getting things turned around.
Besides history and fan support, OSU is second to none as far as money,facilities, and exposure. Ohio and surrounding states have some of the best high school talent anywhwere.
you know how you don’t have oden and bj get fouls on the hedge matta? You have the guard fight past the screen. Good coaches would do that. Not say oh well lets go zone 24/7.
Ohio has some great basketball players ever heard of L. James?
Ahhhh, nice prediction on the final score, you’re the man Corey.
Yeah, I was pretty disgusted with all the fans who were heading for the exit Sunday, when we were down 10 with 2 minutes left. This has got to stop. They really need to let students sit in the first 10 or 15 rows all the way around the court. Not to mention the seats that nobody sat in.
Now I’ll just wait for Pogue to come and rip my comment to shreds. Thank you.
Mr. Football wants to wear the Scarlet and Grey
http://www.daytondailynews.com/o/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/buckeyes/entries/2009/01/27/mr_football_looking_hard_at_oh.html
Go to Breslin … best environment in the B10 for basketball. Much the same feel that Jenison had up there. I love that place.
And the big thing is the proximity of students. There needs to be something done about this at the Schott.
Agreed. This is why i LOVE when they have games at old St. John. It is cozy in there. The Schott is an ARENA, like NBA arenas, multi-purpose. St John was a gym. That is the difference now, we play in an arena, not a gym.
Having the studends sit closer to the floor would help a tremendous amount, but the decibels would still be lost, just due to the sheer size of the Schott. It will never be like Cameron Indoor….as much as I absolutely HATE Duke, their gym/fans are a thing of beauty to watch
Just heard they are letting students in for free tonight, if they show their ID
i dont think home court advantage will be such an issue. the students have an off day and get free admission to the game tonight…
They still aren’t very loud.
PG, Ohio isn’t considered a basketball state? I don’t think anyone considers states as either “basketball,” “football,” or whatever as you describe, but I don’t agree with you at all. Miami, Dayton, Cincinnati, Xavier, Akron, Toledo, Wright State, Ohio State, plus Cleveland has an NBA team…it’s certainly as much a basketball state as any other state. Maybe you don’t get that because you’re not from the greater-Cincinnati/Dayton area, but college basketball is a major, major, major deal in that part of the state.
Ohio State’s basketball tradition doesn’t dictate how the entire state is viewed, and I think it’s pretentious for you to suggest so. When I went to Ohio State, I never rooted for Buckeye basketball (not just because it was lousy, but because if you’re from Cincinnati, you always thought Ohio State was too chicken-shit to make the 100 mile trek down I-75 to play a real team). Maybe I’m reading you wrong, but Ohio State certainly is never going to be considered a basketball school due to its football program, but the state of Ohio as a whole has a very long and pride-filled basketball tradition, starting with the UC Bearcats, and going down the line.
I will take tOSU’s basketball history over UC’s anytime. 26 tourney apperances to 24. 1 championship to 2 for UC, all three in early 60’s.
10 final 4’s to 6.
Freeman,Lucas, Siegfried, Havlicek, Bradds, Hosket Jr., Cleamons, Witte, Hornyak, Ransey, Williams, Kellogg, Campbell, Sellars, Hopson, Jackson, Redd, Conley Jr., Oden……………..vs. Twyman, Robertson, Dierkin, Davis, Wiesenhahn, Hogue, Thacker, Yates, Bonham, Wilson, Fortson, Van Exel, Patterson, Levett, Logan, Martin, Mickeal.
Huggins did a good job of getting the city kid with a little baggage, which is about all UC is able to recruit. He (Huggy) brought the school into the national spotlight, brought in lots of money, got them to build a new arena and then was quickly shown the door by a president who thinks they can be like Duke. They can’t. And now, they are back in the doldrums at the bottom of the Big East, just like the entire decade of the 80’s. It will be another decade, if not longer, before they are competative again.
As to not playing them, there was no need. They were not recruiting the same kids and the Cincinnati market is more UK and IU than tOSU for basketball. They needed us more than we needed them and it will always be that way.
UC has nothing on Ohio State and never will.
Wow, you’re wrong. No way, no how is Ohio State’s basketball tradition more prestigious than UC’s. At best, it’s a push, but certainly not better. No need to play UC??? UC needed Ohio State more than Ohio State needed UC??? What planet are you on? Did Ohio State not schedule Miami, Dayton, Xavier, and other Ohio teams during the Huggins era…the same non-conference teams UC played year-to-year? UC would have slaughtered any Ohio State team between the years 1990 and 2004…it’s that simple. Cincinnati actually beat Duke in 1998. You also forget to mention that the 2 national titles Cincinnati has were won over Ohio State in the championship game in back-to-back years…both were after Robertson was no longer there. They didn’t play again until two years AFTER Huggins was gone….over 40 years.
UC dominated the C-USA while Marquette and Louisville were still there. UC is the only C-USA team not to have followed suit in competing in the Big East…which is not a knock on the program – it’s a knock on the dismissal of Huggins at the most inappropriate time. You’re right, it will take an unfortunate amount of time to reach prominence…but it will happen.
C-USA was a 3 team league don’t compare that to the Big 10.
Huggins is a great coach, but his only Final 4 was in ‘92. He did a heck of a job with what he was able to recruit to that school.
Dominated between 1990 and ‘04? Perhaps……..but both teams had a total of 1 Final Four appearance during that span.
2nd is nothing to be ashamed of.
If it was a 3-team league, how come they used to put 5 or more teams in the NCAA tournament? Cincy, Louisville, Memphis, Charlotte, Depaul…it was a pretty strong conference, much to your dismay, back in the days where there was more parity.
your wrong the jimmy jackson teams would have rolled them and so would the final 4 team that went to st pete. Thats why they were in the final 4. Please think before you type.
I do think before I type. The 1992 Final 4 team would demolish any Ohio State team. The 1961 and 1962 team would do pretty much the same thing (and actually did). Think before you type, fellow Buckeye.
Apologies, Steve. These guys aren’t repping us very well.
All-time, UC kicks Ohio State’s ass on the hardwood. Just taking off the scarlet-tinted classes for a while. The last few years have been rough for UC, but they were consistently great-to-dominant for the better part of the 20th century.
The disparity is even greater in football, though.
sorry…60 and 61
all time osu would kill all time cincy no question
I didn’t know the Dean of The University of Cincinnati was named Steve.
Blah Blah the Nati is trashy.
For the record, McKnoe…I know this is anecdotal, but I just went up to a colleague of mine from Los Angeles (in a “basketball” state)…big Lakers fan…asked him this question word for word: “I’m going to name 2 college programs, you tell me which one’s more prestigious over the course of history….Ohio State or Cincinnati?”
He said emphatically Cincinnati, and that Ohio State is more up-start. He said if you combine football, Ohio State would kill anybody, but that Cincinnati had basketball in the bag.
How old is your friend? Under 40, I suspect. 15 years does not a progam make.
Well, we could go back farther, if you wish. And we’ll have to in order to find when either team won a national championship. Again, Cincinnati beat Ohio State in back-to-back years in the NCAA final. They didn’t play again for 44 years.
I lived in cali and cali my friend is not a basketball state. For that matter it is not a sports state. It is a flake state. I take with a grain of salt whatever one of those kids from cali says about anything. Bottom line is all time Ohio State would kill, I mean killlllllllll all time cincy. I give them big O but that is it. Other than Oscar the top 8 are buckeyes. So end of story.
tampa, first, get with the debate. I put “basketball” in quotations relating to Cali because that’s what PG said it was, and I disagreed with him. I was simply being sarcastic, but it supported my point.
And Ohio State all time would not kill all-time Cincinnati. You’d have to provide proof, of which there is none. It’d be a speculative debate at best, but general sentiment nationwide is not in line with what you’re saying.
Is it on localy? No luck in ACC land.
BTN only
Up 9 with 8 to play. Lauderdale just had one of the nastier swats you’ll ever see.
i was really pi553d when i couldn’t find the game on when i got home. what gives? not even on the big ten (suc)? *sigh*
thank you for everyone giving me all the ideas on tOSU’s basketball tradition. now to try to convince my old man… (also a tOSU grad, woody’s era)
Thanks.
Novak must die
DEATH TO NOVAK
good, they ejected his dumb ass
WTF happened?
Elbow to the Predator’s face – flagrant ejection
novak from michigan elbowed peej hill in the face during a turner free throw. he tried to play it off like it was an accident, but unless he thought pj was like 7 and a half feet tall, he was clearly going high on purpose
Did the refs just eject a retarded kid? There’s no other way to explain him.
Gamecast stopped updating so I figured something happened. Thanks.
That was definitely Alien vs Predator.
Will someone please give me a score. I’m just tuning in and BTN is showing IU-NU. ESPiN doesn’t have the score either. Did we really play? I can’t find any info.
Agreed. Did we win?
Never mind, I finally found it. I guess this one was over at halftime.
72-54, good guys. It was 36-18 at the half. scUM didn’t show up.
Caused a lot of turnovers tonight. That’s a sign of improvement, right?
I know I’m late to this conversion now…
Steve, I’ve heard many times a state considered “basketball” or “football”; New York “the mecca of basketball” for example. And I’m sure if you went around the country and polled people, the majority would agree that Ohio is not a “basketball state” and there’s nothing wrong with that. This also has nothing to do with Ohio State’s basketball tradition, but simply just basketball tradition in general. It’s only because of the impact of LeBron James are people now starting to notice Ohio basketball (primarily the Cavs though). We’ve had some great players before him that came out of this state, but you can’t say any of them put Ohio on the map like he did. And for the record I hate Prince James so there’s no bias here on my part.
Even if you throw in some of the prestigious college basketball programs of Ohio like UC, it’s still no where the likes of UCLA, UNC or Duke. Also, if you look back at some of the best basketball prospects that went on to star in college then the NBA, most aren’t even from the state of Ohio with the exception of a few.
Now do I wish basketball was more relevant here in Ohio? YES, because I’m a huge basketball junkie. But I also don’t mind that we’re known more for our football than anything.
And I also think culture has a lot to do with a state deemed “basketball”; the way people dress, the music, etc. I can almost guarantee if you’re out around NYC, Chicago and L.A. people there are mostly talkin about basketball and not some other sport. Here in Ohio it’s most likely talks of football.
I grew up in L.A. and it was all basketball when I was there. Honestly, I didn’t really get into football until I moved to Columbus.
ohio IS a football state, but has always produced good athletes in basketball as well as baseball, not to mention golf. a good indicator of this is how many d1 prospects the state turns out each year. more for football than michigan, although michigan turns out more basketball prospects than ohio. much has to do with the prevailing culture in the state. michigan has been basketball crazy for some time, especially since magic johnson played in hs & college. ohio has had a pretty good run of late in basketball though. the state is producing a lot of talent.
my all-time ohio hs bb team:
jerry lucas, lebron james, jim jackson, clark kellogg and maybe gus johnson or o.j. mayo.