Iona: Beating Ohio State not an "upset"

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/college/basketball/gaels_got_gall_49e4eib...

Iona appears to be coming in with plenty of confidence. Nothing wrong with that of course - but I think "Momo" and company need to prepare for 40 minutes of being uncomfortably close with that handsome man Mr. Craft and the rest of the Buckeyes smothering defense. I'm guessing the defenses they've faced in the MAAC this year aren't quite the same...

UrbzRenewal on 20 Mar 2013 - 1:42pm #

Momo is pretty much their only offense (besides the big man that averages a double double at six foot, eight). I think it'll be a long day when Craft/Scott shut him down.

Hovenaut on 20 Mar 2013 - 1:50pm #

Go home NY Post, you're drunk.

"Success - it's what you do with what you got" - Woody Hayes

OSUStu on 21 Mar 2013 - 8:45am #

Personally, I get the impression the NY Post actually has a meth problem.

buck-I.8 on 21 Mar 2013 - 8:59am #

Was this article published in a legitimate publication anywhere? There has to be a better link to the same content.

IBLEEDSCARLETANDGRAY on 20 Mar 2013 - 1:52pm #

Iona won't beat OSU. The only way OSU loses this game is if OSU beats itself, which could happen, but i don't think it will. If Coach Matta turns purple again it's lights out.

"Sherman ran an option play right through the south" - Greatest.Civil.War.Analogy.Ever

ATT2121 on 20 Mar 2013 - 1:53pm #

Well now...... The only thing sweeter than a win is a win over a cocky team.

"It all goes so fast, and character makes the difference when it's close."
Jesse Owens

andyb on 20 Mar 2013 - 2:00pm #

Good...I'm glad they are cocky and thinking they belong..just means they will play frustrated the whole game. It will probably make the outcome more lopsided if anything. They are going to take shots they shouldn't and make bad decisions.

Ohio State just needs to play their normal suffocating defense and their offense generates from that...prediction...OSU-85,Iona - 63

Citrus on 20 Mar 2013 - 5:32pm #

I am going to read that as Iona negative 63. I think you're dead on.

bhartman13 on 20 Mar 2013 - 2:06pm #

Iona needs to be as confident as possible if they have any chance of beating tOSU. The Buckeyes are 13.5 point favorites so I would say that is a pretty big upset if Iona can pull it off. I think the defense will be way too much and if this team relies on MoMo and outside shooting then it could be a long day for them. Iona may score a lot but they also give up plenty of points which means tOSU should get out on fast breaks that lead to easy buckets. I just don't see the Buckeyes dropping any games this weekend with how well their defense has been playing, and the offense hasn't even been stellar yet. I'm still waiting for DT to get hot and if/when that happens not many teams can beat the Buckeyes.

AllDay028 on 20 Mar 2013 - 2:12pm #

What else are they going to say?

andyb on 20 Mar 2013 - 2:42pm #

I will say I actually found it refreshing to hear them say what's actually on their minds instead of the PC answer "Ohio State's a great team..blah blah blah"

Hopefully Thad shows them this article for bulletin board material cause I really want Ohio State to come out and play like the 2 seed and get after them right away.

The TresselMeyer on 20 Mar 2013 - 3:06pm #

I mean, I get where you're coming from for sure. If I were coaching Iona, of course I want my team to be confident going into the game. There's a difference in confidence and cockiness though, and it just seems like there are better ways to say, "Hey, we believe we can compete with Ohio State!"

Brady Hoke's reaction to the Urban Meyer hire: "Not good."

AJBor41 on 20 Mar 2013 - 2:32pm #

Momo turns the ball over more than 3 times a game against defenders not named Craft. Sorry buddy, you're in for a long 40 minutes.

Oh, and “We played against great teams, we played against big conferences and we’ve won, so it’s no different from going to the NCAA Tournament and winning." What great teams did you beat exactly? Denver?

brandonbauer87 on 20 Mar 2013 - 2:38pm #

There's a reason they're a 15 seed. I'll take comfort in watching the suffer.

One Bad Buckeye on 20 Mar 2013 - 2:48pm #

This is the best visual representation I can think of...

"I'm One Bad Buckeye, and I approve this message."

Boom777 on 20 Mar 2013 - 7:25pm #

I think he can take him!

Wherever you are, there you be!

RBuck Mod on 20 Mar 2013 - 2:49pm #

Pure bulletin board material. Bring it on.

"It's just another case of there you are". ~ Doc (1918-2012)

buck4 on 20 Mar 2013 - 2:50pm #

I wonder if they will call ticky-tack fouls on Craft. He is a very aggressive defender and a lot of non B1G refs tend to call those cheap on the body fouls. Should be interesting to see if the refs will let us play Big Boy basketball

bigbadbuck on 20 Mar 2013 - 2:57pm #

the players on Iona are delusional if they think they are going to beat Ohio State

Battles are sometimes won by generals; wars are nearly always won by sergeants and privates. Football is no different, the guys down in the trenches win the games, not the coach.

Joe4 on 20 Mar 2013 - 3:21pm #

Yeah, I'm glad they said these things. My only worry was that OSU would come out flat and entitled. Now, I think they'll come out annoyed and ready to play.

toad1204 on 20 Mar 2013 - 3:25pm #

Good for them. Shows the coach is doing his job and keeping them in the game. Wonder if he'll measure rims in Dayton ala Gene Hackman.

As for the writer, just another troll looking for his spot in the sun.

Everybody loves the Buckeyes. I think every analyst on ESPN has Thad Matta’s team reaching the Final Four. Well, they’re not getting past Iona, so everyone’s going to be wrong. Iona is one of the most talented 15 seeds in recent memory, led by star guard LaMont “MoMo” Jones, impressive forward David Laury and sharpshooter Sean Armand. While the Gaels’ defense is subpar, Ohio State isn’t a big-time offensive team, aside from high-scoring wing Deshaun Thomas, and Iona scores points in bunches. Look for the Gaels to race out to an early lead and hold on.

Nothing like dancing on the field in 02...

andyb on 20 Mar 2013 - 3:38pm #

He made 8 predictions in that article...I think it was more of a "tongue in cheek" piece. If he really thinks the 8 teams he picked are really going to lose then yes..Troll

IBLEEDSCARLETANDGRAY on 20 Mar 2013 - 3:46pm #

^ According to the logic behind this NY Post prediction the B1G is the worst conference in the country and OSU's strength of schedule ranking is in the 100s while the MAAC is the greatest thing since sliced bread. How are they a No. 15 seed? OSU shouldn't even be on the same court with these guys. The Easter Bunny is real and leprechauns fart fairy dust out their kiesters. Doesn't mean it's true.

OSU 82, Iona 59

Edit: One of that Braziller guy's predictions was Middle Tennessee beating Memphis...ummm, MTU lost last night in the First Four. Stellar prognostication there dude.

"Sherman ran an option play right through the south" - Greatest.Civil.War.Analogy.Ever

Smanpoint10 on 20 Mar 2013 - 8:17pm #

I have Memphis losing to St. Mary's

tennbuckeye19 on 20 Mar 2013 - 3:38pm #

All I can say is, there have only been six #15 seeds to beat #2 seeds, and two of those happened last year (Lehigh over Duke, Norfolk St. over Missouri). I sure as heck don't want OSU to be added to that list.

HolyBuckeye1093 on 20 Mar 2013 - 3:58pm #

I always get a chuckle out of every year the home town writers saying "Team A is one of the most impressive, dangerous 14,15,16 seeds ever"

Larryp713 on 20 Mar 2013 - 4:05pm #

Good, I usually don't hate weaker teams. Iona sounds more than confident, they sound cocky. I don't think they appreciate the talent on this team, and they are about to get a very big lesson that this team is deep. I think we can beat them in four ways... plans a, b,c, and d. And Matta will find the proper option.

Respectfully,

Larryp713

BUCKfutter on 20 Mar 2013 - 4:06pm #

i hope jones comes out jawing at craft a la appling and AC doesn't say a word to him the entire game while holding him to under 30%. and i love the "they lost X amount of games by a combined 11 points" argument...LOOK AT THE TEAMS THE LOSSES WERE AGAINST. also, every 15 that's lost to a 2 was given no chance. when a 15 gets talked up like iona is, they usually get blasted because the 2 is pissed off. sorry NY post, not worried.

the kids are playing their tail off, and the coaches are screwing it up! - JLS

gobucks96 on 20 Mar 2013 - 4:13pm #

ticky tack fouls are what raises the blood pressure here. Not Iona. If the refs call everything in question, the defensive pressure will suffer and open up a possible window...

Run_Fido_Run on 20 Mar 2013 - 4:44pm #

Statistically, Iona has a very good offense (although not as good as the top Big Ten teams' offenses) and a terrible defense.

Basically, it's like the Buckeyes are playing against Minnesota's offense and UMKC's defense. In their 5th game this season, Ohio State scored 91 points and shot over 60 percent against UMKC.

If the Buckeyes are geared up to play, they beat Iona something like 85 - 65; if they're intensity is lacking a bit, they win 85 - 75.

The hardest part of the game might be convincing DT to rest on the bench.

Adam21 on 20 Mar 2013 - 9:56pm #

I'm a numbers guy, so I am just going to add onto your theory (and truth) to the Iona-UMKC comparison.

-Iona is ranked #331 in team opponent points per game with 74.8

-UMKC is #262 with 70.6

-Iona is ##264 at 1.027-Iona is ##264 at 1.027-Iona is #264 at 1.027

-UMKC is #326 in defensive efficiency at 1.069

I don't know why, but I just have a funny feeling tOSU won't have a problem scoring...

tennbuckeye19 on 20 Mar 2013 - 5:21pm #

From looking at their schedule, the major conference teams they faced were a bad Wake Forest which they drubbed by 26, a below .500 Rutgers team that finished 12th in the Big East - who they lost to by 8, and a double OT win by 3 over a below .500 Georgia team.

Smanpoint10 on 20 Mar 2013 - 8:18pm #

Kentucky couldn't even beat Georgia

cajunbuckeye on 20 Mar 2013 - 7:11pm #

I'll make a prediction that MoMo say's No Mo' and the Buckeye's win by 18.

An angry fan...rooting for an angry team...led by angry coaches

Dayton Buckeye on 20 Mar 2013 - 8:18pm #

Thomas is going to light them up.

BuckeyeChief Mod on 20 Mar 2013 - 8:38pm #

Meh, the Post is crazy; I had a conversation on the ship this year with a buddy who is a 'Skins fan (I am a Giants fan) regarding the Post. They either over hype or rip all NY area teams. I remember back in 04/05 or so, there was an article destroying all NY/NJ teams because they sucked and no championships were on the horizon.

You can also find out were every NJ/NY player hung out the night before and who they were with, what Lilo and Biebs were doing and who Leona Helmsly fired. In short, it is a rag with decent, but sometimes crazy sports coverage.

"Don't put syrup on shit, and tell me it's pancakes"

No matter how sh*tty the tour is, it's always tough to leave.

FitzBuck on 20 Mar 2013 - 10:06pm #

It's cool. Enjoy your 15 mins of fame now, we'll enjoy the next 40 of the game.

Fitzbuck
Toledo - Ohio's right armpit
"A troll by any other name is still a troll".

OurHonorDefend09 on 20 Mar 2013 - 10:24pm #

I mean that's the mentality you have to have coming into a game like this, so I don't blame them. It's the same reason I don't have any problem with NFL QB's saying they belong in the "elite" status. It's not really being cocky or bragging, it's not showing your opponents that you know they're better than you.

Either way, Bucks are gonna roll with some tough D and hopefully, the resurgence of DT.

Don't give up... Don't ever give up.

Squirrel Master on 20 Mar 2013 - 10:27pm #

Eh, many people think OSU's offense is inept but what they don't actually realize is that the offense is actually very efficient and has a very nice scoring rate. The reason their scoring is so low is due to the best defenses in the NCAAs and the style of play they use. Early on they were struggling to find scoring and it was hurting them, but then Thompson, Craft and Ross started to turn it on offensively and the can actually score pretty easily when they are clicking.

Plus even if the refs get foul happy on Craft, Scott has proven now that he can step in and pick up the slack pretty decently.

I wouldn't be surprised if we have a decent amount of Della Valle PT.

but I wouldn't go so high on the scoring guys, think great defense by the buckeyes and they shut them down.

69-42.

Adam21 on 20 Mar 2013 - 11:14pm #

Eh, many people think OSU's offense is inept but what they don't actually realize is that the offense is actually very efficient and has a very nice scoring rate.

In fact, we do have the 29th offensive efficiency rating in the country. We are 3rd in the Big Ten (IU and TTUN) and Iona is 16th, so they aren't ahead of us by a large margin. If you look at my earlier post above about Iona's defensive efficiency, it's horrible. tOSU also has the 17th ranked defensive efficiency.

ATXbucknut on 20 Mar 2013 - 11:27pm #

FYI, here is Thad's and Craft's comments on Iona and other stuff. They are appropriately respectful of Iona's talent.

The TresselMeyer on 21 Mar 2013 - 11:32am #

Nice find, thanks for sharing.

Brady Hoke's reaction to the Urban Meyer hire: "Not good."

actionstanleyjackson on 21 Mar 2013 - 8:18am #

There is a reason you are a 15 seed Iona....

Stay golden, Ponyboy.

captain obvious on 21 Mar 2013 - 1:48pm #

FAIL

I'm a friend of thunder is it any wonder lightning strikes me

ATXbucknut on 22 Mar 2013 - 12:42am #

Here's a good video about Iona's year. I would probably root for them if they weren't playing Ohio State.

bigbadbuck on 22 Mar 2013 - 1:03am #

Delusions, delusions Ive come to this conclusion , what the Gaels chase after is just an illusion

Battles are sometimes won by generals; wars are nearly always won by sergeants and privates. Football is no different, the guys down in the trenches win the games, not the coach.