Just in case you forgot the beauty...
#25 Ohio State
14-5, 4-3 Big Ten
Roster | Schedule
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January 23, 2009 2:00 PM ET - CBS —— WVU Coliseum Morgantown, WV |
#12 West Virginia
14-3, 4-2 Big East
Roster | Schedule
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Before we start talking hoops, I must acknowledge the significance of this particular post, as it becomes the 2000th post in 11W history. While our 7th grade writing levels still exist, we must thank you the reader for coming back each day and making this place a great platform to express our Buckeye passion.
Now for the hoops. OSU takes their 3 game winning streak east to Morgantown, as they look to revenge last year's 76-48 ass whooping in Columbus and closing out their OOC schedule against the Huggy Bear lead Moutaineers.
Before the season started this game was chalked up as a potential loss and with the rumored arrival of a fresh batch of moonshine in the pre-game parking lot, it doesn't help spell that concern. But the Buckeyes have been playing good ball over the last 3 and if they can show a bit of toughness in M-town, they have a chance of pulling off the upset.
Meanwhile, WVU is 3-3 over their last 6, losing at Purdue, at Notre Dame and home against Syracuse, with the 2 Big East games being decided by a combined 3 points. Regardless of how they have played lately, this is the one team that scared me the most before the season. They essentially return their entire team from last year and play a super physical type of defense, perhaps the best D the Bucks will see all season.
| # | Name | PTS | REB | ASST | POS | # | Name | PTS | REB | ASST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | Evan Turner | 18.6 | 9.7 | 5.5 | G | 25 | Darryl Bryant | 10.5 | 1.9 | 3.4 |
| 33 | Jon Diebler | 13.5 | 2.8 | 1.9 | G | 1 | Da'Sean Butler | 15.8 | 6.4 | 3.4 |
| 44 | William Buford | 13.1 | 5.1 | 3.2 | F | 35 | Wellington Smith | 4.8 | 3.5 | 1.1 |
| 23 | David Lighty | 13.0 | 4.8 | 2.8 | F | 5 | Kevin Jones | 14.9 | 7.7 | 1.4 |
| 52 | Dallas Lauderdale | 7.3 | 4.9 | 0.3 | C | 3 | Devin Ebanks | 11.6 | 7.9 | 2.7 |
Opponent
Don't let the fact Huggins still lives in a hotel with a lower level bar (true story) cloud your judgment of his coaching abilities. The guy can flat out coach and you can bet that he will have something planned for stopping Evan Turner and forcing the other Buckeyes to beat them in his place.
The Moutaineers don't have that impressive of an OOC schedule, but they have played at Purdue and lost by 15 points. WVU comes in scoring 74.4 points a game on 44.8 percent shooting overall and 34.9 percent from deep. Amongst the regulars, only Kevin Jones is shooting above 50 percent. WV ranks 14th nationally with 16.8 assists per contest and pull down an average of 38.5 boards.
Huggins could go as many as 10 deep, but Jones, Butler and Ebanks should go at least 30 minutes a piece. The leading subs are John Flowers and Joe Mizzoula, who combine to play 29 minutes, score 6 points and grab 5 boards.
Buckeye Breakdown:
The one problem on the road that has plagued Ohio State is long scoring droughts, so if they can avoid one of those today in Morgantown, they could pull it off. WVU is surprisingly one of the worst shooting teams OSU has seen in a while and if they don't get over taken by WVU's length on the boards, they have a better chance. And finally, if they can come out of the gates like they did Tuesday against NW, then I think they definitely pull off the upset.
That's quite a few "if's", but Ohio State has the best player in the country who has shown the ability to put the team on his back and carry them for a game. Since his return, the defensive intensity has gone back up and so has the rebounding. There also hasn't been a long stretch without scoring and OSU is back up to 49.8 percent shooting, good for 7th in the league.
As I mentioned, I haven't felt good about this game all year, but I like the way the Bucks are playing right now. If Diebler and Buford can get off some quality shots and not get pushed around by taller defenders, it's going to help the cause. I think it is a much better game than last year, but the Bucks fall a little short and leave Morgantown with a 65-68 loss.
Etc
- Turner averages 24.2 points and 9.6 boards in 5 games against ranked teams this year.
- The Bucks have shot better than 50% from the floor and 75% from the line over their last 3.
Comments
Just glad that WVU doesn't have kevin pittsnoggle anymore. That guy could play!
Congrats on 2000!
As for the game, let's hope for a better one than last year. I always had a ton of respect for Huggins, controversial or not. I guess the brass was scared of him back when both Ayers and Obrien where cannned.
Congrats on 2000. I've read every one and look forward to the thousands more to come.
I've been looking forward to this game all week, and freaking CBS blacked it out in MS for Ole Miss vs. LSU. Looks like I'll be cheering from my computer.
This national TV game could this be the game that vaults The Villain to the top of the POY charts. ESPN is doing a masterful job of supporting their SEC favorite but if ET can show the rest of the country what we all know he can do, the 4letter will not be able t ignore him any longer.
Corey, no need to apologize for 7th grade writing levels. It seems that all us readers have 7th grade reading and comprehension skills, so it's a nice match.
I agree with BuckeyeChief, Huggins is one helluva coach. Side note, my brother was on the same H.S. team as Bobby (Go IVS Rebels! Rah!). Bobby learned at the knee of his father, Charlie. The ol' man was a pretty goddamn good coach in his own right.
That suit on Huggy Bear is Pimptastic. Bishop Don Magic Juan would be proud. I wonder who his tailor is?
11w IS Good Shizzy!!!
ESPN predictions for the next decade in CFB. Suggests Mizzou will join the B10. Also, plenty of dirty shots at the B10.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/...
Adam Rittenbergs predictions for the B10:
http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten...
1. congrats on 2K. awesomeness that is not out of hound.
2. if your suit matches your shoes and you're not wearing a black suit no good thing can happen.
3. it's all us today. ET will have a big game but you watch - someone will come on with a breakthrough and support him and it'll be more than enough. big surprise today for the Mountainqueers.
Ugh, this one is awful:
"5. 3-D TV will become the rage
College football fans will be captivated by much-improved 3-D technology, which will make them feel like part of the action. To almost no one's surprise, Big Ten players will look even slower in 3-D."
Does this guy even watch football? Or does he only read about it on ESPN.com?
Shlahbach is like so many other ESPNers - he doesn't write what is true, or what he even necessarily believes or thinks. he just writes what he thinks will create controversy, and drive people to the site.
and you'll notice it is working....
that suit and only a few comments! lol.. wonder what he is gonna bust out in today maybe a matching hat with feather inserted.
go bucks ET for 20-13-10 and Player of the Year
also scum 2254 days Bitchez!!!!
Wow. 2000, that's awesome guys. Congrats.
And he was stylin'
It's not the pleasure suit (which is laughable enough), it's the gold shoes. Makes him look like a pimp from the cheap part of the ghetto. Hell, the suit makes him look like a pimp from the 70's.
On a Lane Kiffin Note:
As the Derek Dooley era begins at the University of Tennessee , one Volunteer fan is offering up a lasting parting shot to Coach Lane Kiffin.
Knoxville attorney Drew McElroy has filed paperwork with the Knoxville City Council's Public Properties and Facilities Naming Committee to rename a waste water treatment plant the "Lane Kiffin Sewage Center."
"At first I was offended that he would sneak out in the middle of the night, like a one night stand," McElroy said.
But now, he's over it.
The University of Tennessee has a lot of tradition on campus naming buildings and streets after former greats. Neyland Stadium, Peyton Manning Pass, and Phillip Fulmer Way are examples.
McElroy said after driving down Neyland Drive and seeing all the history, it hit him. Renaming the Kuwahee Wastewater Treatment Plant would be the best way to let Kiffin know he understands why the coach left.
"It dawned on me--Lane Kiffin told us that he hoped the fans would understand. I thought 'Well, naming the wastewater plant for him would let him know, I think very clearly, we do understand,'" McElroy, an off-and-on season ticket holder said. "We want to memorialize his stay here, and I think this would be doing it appropriately."
McElroy says he wrote the $262 check for the application fee and mailed it to the City Council's Clerk last week.
Besides a high tollerance for booze, Huggins must have a time machine, because there is no way that suit was made in the last 35 years.
These guys have never heard the saying "if you're always trying to get even with someone you'll never get ahead of them".http://www.blackshoediaries.com/2010/1/22/1265201/which-road-win-do-you-want-more
Just read the comment section on this article,its worth a laugh.
I see Ted Valentine doing the Mich St game. Guess the means we get Ed Hightower and Jim Burr. Ugh.
Love this site. Some of these guys work 6 day per week.
http://statsheet.com/mcb/referees
That is hilarious.
I almost rode that link. Silly me, I've got better things to do (such as not leaving this site).
Why can't people spell players names right? It drives me nuts. All you have to do is look up the name..Sorry, just reading the comments section on that. Someone said Claret, Maurice. Bothered me.
I do my best to avoid ESPN and their agenda. They are going to promote the teams and conferences they have the most money invested in, which at this point is the SEC.
Plenty of other places to get reals sports news.