Eleven Warriors

Don't be surprised to see 20 points soon. (D.Harker: The O-Zone)

Ohio State 11-3, 1-2 Big Ten Roster | Schedule

January 13, 2009 7:00 PM ET - ESPN —— The Schott Columbus, OH

Indiana 5-10, 0-3 Big Ten Roster | Schedule

What a difference a year makes. Just a season ago, Indiana was on top of the Big Ten cruising towards a title and I took some heat for calling out Kelvin Sampson in the first preview.

Two weeks later Sampson was fired and Dan Dakich came in to oversee the season-ending-drug-induced-FAIL that lead to Tom Crean being hired to turn things around. Crean was a great choice and there is little doubt he will have the Hoosiers back in the next couple of years.

Indiana took both games from Ohio State last year and lead the all-time series 99-68, but OSU holds a 47-34 in Columbus. This will be the first time both teams come in unranked since the 2004-2005 season.

Opponent

Indiana comes in scoring 60.9 points a game on 42.8% shooting, both good for last in the B10. With all the defections from last year the Hoosiers start 4 freshmen and a senior and making matters worse, their leading scorer Devan Dumes may be out with an ankle injury. If you'll recall, Dumes was offered a scholarship by Thad, but decided to stay close to home, opening up the spot for Jeremie Simmons. I was looking forward to comparing the two tonight.

If Dumes doesn't play, the Hoosiers may go only 7 deep, 6 of which are freshmen. Malik Story, a 6'5" freshmen will lead Indiana off the bench, scoring 5.9 points and grabbing almost 3 boards a game.

They have lost 8 of their last 9, including 6 straight, but had Michigan on the ropes last week before blowing a 20 point lead. Other recent losses include Kentucky, Northeastern and Lipscomb.

Buckeye Breakdown:

Unfortunately, I didn't get to see the Houston Baptist game due to a combo of traveling and being a dumb-ass with the DVR, but it sound like the Huskies were so bad, it would be hard to determine anything good or bad from the tape.

A couple recent trends have been encouraging though. I think the Bucks have started to make a better effort of getting the ball toBJ Mullens, as he hit 13 of 21 shots in the last two games. Also, Will Buford has scored 36 in his last two, creeping his per game average to almost 10.

The negative trends continue to be the lack of three point defense and Diebler's streaky shooting. The Bucks have fallen to 9th in the conference in 3-point FG defense, allowing 43 over the last 4 games. Diebler's scoring the last eight games is: 14, 16, 3, 5, 27, 15, 7 and 5. He would be guaranteed double figures every game, if he would give a shot fake and drive on a threeball every now and then. It was good to see him lead the team with 8 assists against Houston Baptist.

Etc

• Evan Turner is fourth in scoring and fifth in boards amongst B10 players.
• OSU doesn't have a player ranked in the top 15 for assists in the conference.

Thaddeus Maximus is back

As a quick update to the question on juniors that might be considering an early departure, Ken Gordon spoke with Hartline Sunday afternoon:

I just spoke with him, and he's still in the process of making up his mind. He said he has a few things he needs to bounce off his family and his fiancee before making a decision.

Not much to take away from that, but he is approaching a couple of events that may tip his decision:

In any case, the man redshirted in 2005, so he's been at OSU for four years. He is getting married in May and will graduate in June, so he may view this as a logical stepping-off point for the next phase of his life.

For what it's worth, Hartline is the only one of the juniors that Gordon thinks will opt for the draft.

Assuming he's correct, let's take a look at what the 2009 Buckeye defense might look like¹.

Line: Wilson, Heyward, Worthington & Gibson

The only loss in this group is Nader Abdallah and on paper, it appears to be the saltiest unit Tressel's had since 2002. If these guys put in the work, they could even eclipse that fabled group.

Gibson should be damn near unblockable and once teams realize that, the doubles he'll get will only help the rest of the line. Lawrence Wilson (knock on wood) will play opposite Thaddeus with Nathan Williams and Rob Rose providing depth. With four very capable ends, the Buckeyes should have no issues getting pressure late into games all next season.

The interior of the line is in the same boat. Heyward, Worthington, Larimore and Denlinger, all guys that have been in town for what seems like 10 years, are all back for another go. Add the experience with some more time spent in the weight room and you can see why I'm probably more excited for this group than any other heading into 2009.

Linebackers: Homan, Sabino & Spitler

With Laurinaitis and Freeman graduating, the Buckeyes will need to replace two starting linebackers to play alongside Homan, who saw considerable time this season and proved effective as a run-eater.

Etienne Sabino and Austin Spitler look to be the most likely to step into those huge shoes, but luckily, having incredible size and instincts is often enough to make a great backer. Sabino should be a lot of fun to watch I can't wait to see what another year of the strength program will do to him. Spitler is still best remembered for his roughing call on a punt block last January, but he'll be a senior with good size. Look forward to a Schlegel-like season out of him with anything better as a bonus.

Other possibilities include Brian Rolle and Andrew Sweat. Don't rule out Hines or Moeller could grow into one of the outside spots as well.

Secondary: Chekwa, Washington*, Coleman* & Russell*

There are a lot of question marks with this group as the three noted above with asterisks are still making decisions about whether to move on to the NFL. Assuming they all stick around, that's a very veteran group that should be one of the better units in the nation next season.

However, I still think there's a chance Ohio State loses both Washington and Coleman and if that happens, the secondary will be a little green -- especially at corner/nickel. Coleman would certainly be missed, but Hines or maybe even Moeller are ready to step into the strong safety spot.

When you start thinking about who would replace Washington or who would step into the nickel against vertical teams (Hines/Moeller assuming that role against spreadish types), things get a little scary. Andre Amos and Travis Howard would probably battle for the open cornerback slot with the loser of said battle moving into the nickel. Other names to keep in mind are Donnie Evege, Orhian Johnson and Nate Oliver.

Outlook

The line is going to be fantastic -- best we've seen in years and the linebackers should be fine, but if the secondary gets ravaged by early departures, the defense may have to lean on a fierce pass rush for a while. The flip side is that the rush should put the Buckeyes into more man coverage situations and that's easier for younger defensive backs to pick up at this level.

It may be crazy optimism, but I actually think the defense will be better next season assuming no more than one of the three juniors in the secondary leave. Jenkins, Laurinaitis and Freeman are huge losses, but the line overcomes that and then some and the talent in the wings is pretty solid.

¹ The forecasted lineup doesn't include any of the incoming freshman because, technically, none of them have even signed.

Remember when D-Wash was but a pup?

Thursday's deadline is fast approaching and six Buckeye juniors that filed evaluation paperwork have likely been very busy weighing that heaviest of decisions: do you make a run at captain and one final year of college football and the special atmosphere (and perks) that it provides, or do you get paid?

Though none are likely to be first day selections -- that junior declared last week -- you can make a case for each of them being drafted, which means guaranteed cash and a step up from the grub of the training table.

When Tressel first revealed the names of the juniors that had filed paperwork, I thought that Hartline was the only real risk to leave, but word is starting to swirl about others. Based on what I've heard and some hunches, here's what I think happens:

Gone: Washington, Coleman & Hartline

Washington has been in town for four years and has three years of significant playing time under his belt already. Though he didn't do much to distinguish himself this year, he should still go in the middle rounds. Coleman, on the other hand, probably did the most of any of the juniors to improve his stock this season. He led the team in interceptions and will likely be one of those guys that moves favorably after the combine.

Out of those two, a Washington departure hurts the worst. With Jenkins graduating, the returning corners would be Chekwa, Andre Amos, Donnie Evege, Travis Howard and Orhian Johnson. Or a guy that plays, a guy that's always hurt and three guys that haven't sniffed the field. Not exactly what you want to see with USC coming to town in nine months.

The loss of Hartline would be less of a blow as the team is stacked at wide receiver for the next decade or so. I'm not ruling his return out, but based on the chemistry rumors that were floated earlier in the season and the fact that he's best buds with Todd, I'll be surprised if he sticks around for another year. He didn't have a good season by any stretch, but then again, no receiver did with Pryor cutting his teeth.

Staying: Russell, Ballard & Cordle

Russell could bolt -- he's another guy that's already been with the program for four seasons, but I think he comes back to try to improve his stock. The last play of the Fiesta Bowl certainly won't define where he's taken, but it doesn't exactly help that much either.

Ballard, with great size and hands, would probably get taken in the middle rounds, and NFL scouts are smart enough to know when a guy is underutilized, but I think he comes back for his senior season. Cordle would probably be the only one of the six that wouldn't be a lock to be drafted and settling for the free agency route when you don't have to yet makes little sense. It wouldn't be a surprise to see him have an excellent senior season that could possibly push him up into the 3rd round or so next year.

Wildcards: Small, Taurian Washington & Bauserman

Though Small didn't turn in paperwork to be evaluated, he could still declare for the draft and given the amount of trouble that seems to follow him, you kind of have to wonder whether or not he'll take off. I'd love to see him stick around and put it all together next year. After all, the guy quietly led the Big Ten in punt returns this year.

Taurian Washington and Joe Bauserman aren't draft eligible, but both are prime transfer risks. Washington has somehow mastered the art of catching bombs for six when the coaches aren't looking. That has to be frustrating. Depending on what Hartline and Small do, he could get a shot next season, however. Bauserman, on the other hand, is looking at two more seasons of backing Pryor up before finally getting a crack as a 26 year-old senior in the fall of 2011. And that's assuming Tajh Boyd or some other dual-threat wonder doesn't sign.

What about you? Who do you have leaving early?

You know it's bad when you lose by 24 and improve your RPI ranking from 318 to 294.

That's exactly what happened tonight as Ohio State got a much needed layup with an 89-65 paddling of Houston Baptist.

Wil Buford's career high 19 points (6/13 FG) complemented Evan Turner's stat stuffer special featuring 15 points by way of a perfect shooting night (6/6 FG, 3/3 FT), seven boards, three assists, three steals and a donut in the turnover column.

The Buckeyes also got a career high eight assists from Jon Diebler. Miraculously, OSU assisted on 25 of 32 field goals, easily the most unselfish night of the season, helping 10 guys register at least one bucket.

As Matta mentioned in the post game, a home cupcake also served as a great time to get Nikola Kecman's feet wet.

In his first action as a Buckeye, Kecman scored six points and pulled down five boards albeit against a decidely NAIA-ish defense. He looked fairly fluid and comfortable facing the basket but we'll have to see him against some conference teams before getting a feel for if he can help at all and I'm not sure Matta plans to do that. I mean, whose minutes could he possibly take?

This one was over at halftime after the Buckeyes used a 31-11 burst to take a 55-26 lead in to the locker room.

The big first half was useful in that it allowed Matta to give 10 guys at least 11 minutes. It was nice to see Walter Offutt get some time but he still doesn't likely figure into the rotation any time soon with the wings clogged and the the Artist Formerly Known as the Predator providing serviceable minutes at the point since Crater decided South Florida was the best place to showcase his skeelz.

The lopsided affair also gave Matta a chance to rest iron men Diebler (27 min) and Turner (29 min) though I'm a little frustrated with the fact Thad played them as much as he did considering they're both averaging over 34 minutes a game as true sophomores.

The victory moved Ohio State to 11-3 with a very winnable home game against Indiana slated for Tuesday.

The game was not without a bit of bad news as the Trillion Man March learned Mark Titus will be out roughly six weeks after Lauderdale stomped him out in practice. In his absence, Peters made a run at a two trillion but he selfishly took a shot with 69 seconds left.

Glitches carrying over from the final regular season ballot have the delta's out of whack once again but I'm sure you'll live.

Florida and USC are without a doubt the two best teams in our minds but it gets a little cloudy after that.

Since the final poll is obviously more important than the previous versions, please submit your feedback before Sunday so we can submit the final ballot Monday morning.

1		Tebow and Harvin lead Florida to the Blogpoll Title.	NR
2		We thought before the bowls USC deserved to be in the title game and their first half demolition of Penn State only reinforced our opinion.	NR
3		I'm just the messenger on this one since it goes against our season long criteria of ranking based on who we think would win straight up on a neutral field especially in the top 10 but I think this is more about making a statement regarding the need for a playoff.	NR
4		Colt McCoy's 411 yards passing and late game magic were just enough for Texas to prevent an upset by a game Ohio State team.	NR
5		The Sooners hung in there but couldn't upend the Gators.	NR
6		Because we Buckeye fans have been there, done that, we knew a Rose Bowl whipping was in order but that doesn't overly diminish what a great season Joe Pa's crew had in an inferior conference	NR
7		'Bama was ranked higher than they deserved all season by us and we knew it well before Saban's bunch choked on the last two games of the season.	NR
8		The Red Raiders were clearly a team not happy with their bowl destination and Ole Miss made them pay for it 47-34.	NR
9		The Buckeyes were in it to win it but they scored with too much time left then got caught gambling with no safeties extending the BCS Bowl slide to three.	NR
10		The Horned Frogs finished at 11-2 while ending Boise State's bid for an undefeated season in a 17-16 victory.	NR

11		Georgia awoke from a first half slumber to beat Sparty 24-12 in the Capital One. Dawgs finish 10-3, Sparty 9-4.	NR
12		The Ducks scored 35 second half points to run away from Oklahoma State to finish 10-3.	NR
13		Boise fell short of perfection (12-1) thanks to a 17-16 loss to TCU in the most awesome San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl. I would kill for a commerative t-shirt from this one. Anybody knows where to find such a gem?	NR
14		Big Brother turned it over four times in a 20-7 Orange Bowl loss to Virginia Tech to finish 11-3.	NR
15		The Hokies improved to 10-4 with a 20-7 win over Cincy.	NR
16		The Cowboys couldn't slow down the Ducks in a 42-31 Holiday Bowl defeat. Dez Bryant caught 13 for 168 in the loss.	NR
17		Ole Miss moved to 9-4 beating Texas Tech 47-34 in the Cotton Bowl.	NR
18		Mizzou needed OT to dispatch Northwestern 30-23 in the Alamo.	NR
19		BYU lost to Arizona in the Las Vegas Bowl to finish 10-3.	NR
20		Michigan State hung tough before wilting in the second half. Seems like the story of the program over the last however many years.	NR
21		The purple team almost pulled the upset of Mizzou before falling in OT 30-23.	NR
22		Tulsa blitzed Ball State 45-13 in the GMAC to finish at 11-3.	NR
23		The lone Big Ten bowl game winner. Props!	NR
24		The Wildcats won only 8 games but lost to USC by 7 and Oregon State by 2.	NR
25		HaHa! Why not? That was one sweet 7-6 season capped by the first bowl win in 15 years. So weak.	NR

DROPPED OUT:

Mullens should have another big game. (D. Harker: The O-Zone)

Ohio State 10-3, 1-2 Big Ten Roster | Schedule

January 9, 2009 7:00 PM ET - BTN —— The Schott Columbus, OH

Houston Baptist 1-15, 0-0 Indep. Roster | Schedule

The mighty Huskies of Houston Baptist, in only their second year of D1 hoops, roll into Columbus to round out Ohio State's non-conference schedule.

This game was a late addition to the schedule, after the season opening tournament Thad wanted, fell through.

Houston Baptist will join the newly created Great West conference starting next year. They lost their first 14 games of the season, before beating Howard on NYE. Against their two ranked opponents this year, they were beat by an average of 33 points while giving up 93 and 95.

Opponent

The Huskies are scoring 68.6 points a game, on 40 percent shooting, while giving up 83.9 points and 48.6 percent from the floor. This team has 11 seniors on their roster and rely on Sauls and Watt to lead them. It looks like they will run 8-10 players into the lineup, none taller than 6'9".

The only thing that is potentially scary about the Huskies, is their experience. They shoot 33 percent from deep and the three ball is the great equalizer for underdogs and we all know how much OSU has loved giving up three's lately. If the Bucks come out flat for an extended period, this team may just hang around long enough.

For those of you interested, Houston Baptist was founded in 1960 and has an enrollment of 2300 students.

Buckeye Breakdown:

Obviously, Ohio State should dominate this game and it couldn't have come at a more perfect time. Losers in 3 of their last 4, they showed some fight in Tuesday's loss against Michigan State, but are still searching for the right chemistry on both ends.

The Bucks are still struggling with their rotation in the zone, giving up 30 three pointers in the last 3 games, including an 8 of 17 performance Tuesday. Rebounding woes also continue, as OSU has been beaten on the boards in 4 of their last 5, giving up almost 13 offensive caroms in that span.

Offensively, the Bucks discovered the post entry pass late in the game Tuesday and must continue that effort tonight. BJ took a team high 14 shots, converting 8 of them in his best outing this season. I thought he did a better job of holding his post position and wanting the ball against the conference's best front court. Following Thad's lead over the last few weeks, don't be surprised to see Mullens in the starting lineup tonight, as Dallas continues his offensive struggles.

We should get to see the debut of Nikola Kecman tonight and I would also like to see Walter Offutt get some good minutes, giving Diebler and Turner some needed rest.

Etc

• Tom Hamilton and Bill Hosket will call the game on BTN.
• The Bucks are scoring 65.5 points a game and shooting 44.1 percent.

Hmm... (Source)

Florida took care of business Thursday night and Herban now how has 2nd "title" in four years.

We're not here to say that the Gators aren't a fine team. There's no question they'd open as double-digit favorites against the Buckeyes (and justifiably so). But the finest? Who knows?

In the BCS's little over a decade of existence, you can say it probably got it right four times or so. And even then, it's just nothing more than a good hunch.

Please write your congressman. Jam up the AM airwaves. Bankroll a phone bank. Do your part to bring us a playoff system of some kind.

And for all of Tressel's struggles in the big one-and-overs, he's that much better of a coach in a playoff system.

We have a feeling the Sooners are in for a world of hurt based off of the performances of Big 12 teams in bowl games to date. Besides, Tebow of Nazareth won't allow an upset.

We're not exactly ruling the Sooners out, but there is that Heisman curse. And Bob Stoops.

One thing is for certain: perhaps more so than any other edition of the BCS, this year's champion won't quite be recognized as the best team in the country once all of the dust settles.

Feel free to chime in with your witty takes on the game -- the first championship in three years where you won't be subjected to the humiliating defeat of your favorite team.

Not that this really surprises anyone, but it was fun holding on to that half a percent chance he'd be back.

So, where do you think he'll end up?

We love tradition, but not these pants

Two tough losses in two men’s sports may have ruined the start of 2009, but look on the bright side: Ohio State is sure to beat Houston Baptist (who?), and that means one thing and one thing only.

Indiana’s looming, and they look thoroughly beatable.

God, how I despise Indiana basketball. Let’s take a happy look at one of Ohio State’s best basketball victories against Indiana – February 17th, 1991.

The Matchup

Indiana came to Columbus having lost to Ohio State almost a month earlier in Bloomington, 93-85. Bob Knight’s Hoosiers were young, quick and athletic, and boasted rising stars like Eric Anderson, Damon Bailey and Calbert Cheaney. The Hoosiers were riding a six-game winning streak and had climbed to #4 in the polls.

Ohio State started the 1990 season with 17 straight wins, took a four-game winning streak into the matchup, and was ranked #3 in the polls. Randy Ayers’ Buckeyes had a talented, deep team. Mark Baker handled point duties, and was supported by Freshman of the Year 6’6” swingman Jim Jackson. Perry Carter took the center spot, Jamaal Brown was a potent shooting guard, and forward Chris Jent set Ohio State records for floor burns in a career.

Showdown

The first half was a back-and-forth affair between the two teams, but Ohio State was crippled badly – literally – when Mark Baker stepped on a player’s foot and sprained his ankle with 11:14 left. Baker was sidelined for all but one minute of the second half, Ohio State stumbled, and Indiana took a five-point lead with just a minute left in the game.

Undaunted, Ohio State rallied with four clutch free throws – two from Jamaal Brown and two from Treg Lee, and closed the lead to 77-76 with 20 seconds left in the game. Indiana’s Bailey – a player with eerie parallels to Jon Diebler¹ – was fouled with 12 seconds to go, but hit only the first of his free throws. That gave Ohio State the ball with 7 seconds left.

Jim Jackson took the inbounds pass at midcourt, drove the lane and hit a beautiful, floating shot over Eric Anderson with just a second to spare, thus setting the stage for overtime.

Round One

The first overtime saw Indiana again get some breathing room. The Hoosiers had a four-point lead with 2:06 left, and led 87-83, but the Buckeyes refused to die. Back-to-back defensive stops, followed by key baskets from Perry Carter and Treg Lee tied the game. A Chris Reynolds shot at the buzzer failed to give Indiana the edge, and the teams went to a second overtime.

Round Two – Treg Lee from the Baseline

The two exhausted teams played excellent defense, resulting in a 95-95 tie with just 26 seconds left in the game. Indiana failed to take the lead when Eric Anderson’s short turnaround failed to drop, and Ohio State set up for another Jim Jackson drive to the lane. Not wanting a repeat of the ending to the regulation period, Indiana double-teamed Jackson, forcing him to look elsewhere. Sure enough, Treg Lee had slipped to the baseline, where he took a pass from Jackson and set up for a game-winning 10-foot jumper.

“That play at the end of the second overtime was designed for me,” Jackson later explained. “I got double-teamed and Treg made a smart move and cut backdoor. I saw him and hit him.”

Lee delivered, and his shot hit nothing but net. Indiana’s Pat Graham missed a desperation 40-foot heave at the buzzer, giving Ohio State a 97-95 (2OT) victory over Indiana in one of the best games ever played at St. John Arena.

“I shoot that shot every day in practice,” Lee said. “It’s a layup. Eric Anderson came over and I had to get it up there. It felt good going off the back of my hand, but they all do.”

Damon Bailey led the Hoosiers with 30 points, outscored only by Jim Jackson, who dropped 32. Perry Carter added 22 clutch points, followed by Jamaal Brown with 17 and Treg Lee with 14. Hoosier freshman Calbert Cheaney racked up 26 points before he fouled out.

Ohio State ended the year with a 27-4 record (15-3 in the Big Ten), and with a perfect 15-0 mark in Columbus. The Buckeyes ended up losing to St. John’s in the Elite 8.

¹ Damon Bailey was roundly praised by Bob Knight during the recruiting process. He has a reputation for having had trouble adjusting to the college game after having been lionized as a high school legend, and was a poor pro player, but still ended up as Indiana’s sixth all-time scorer. We’ll see how Diebler pans out.