cincibuck said:

Confession: I've been in London since January 3 so I can only speak from the little bit of the final game I've been able to see here. I remain convinced that Ohio State had enough talent to play with any of the teams contending for the NC, too include UCF. BUT, the Buckeyes were not the team we collectively thought they could/should/ought to have been. They did nothing in the second half of their Cotton Bowl game to make me believe that the committee got it wrong outside the possible choice of UCF over Clemson, and while UCF might have won a game against one of the remaining teams, I seriously doubt they would have had the depth to beat two teams of that quality.

Geography was an issue in the finals in that Clemson did not have to venture very far, but Alabama traveled well and so it didn't matter.

In the end, Saban's recruiting and coaching staff paid dividends and they once again prevailed.

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Two words: DUKE'S BAR

Ohio State ranked in AP poll for first time in three years: Buckeyes basketball news - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State ranked in AP poll for first time in three years: Buckeyes basketball news
cleveland.com
The Buckeyes checked in at No. 22 this week, their first appearance in the AP top 25 since the final week of the 2014-15 regular season. So Ohio State went nearly three years between top-25 appearances. Ohio State, which has won five straight and 10 of ...
College basketball rankings: Ohio State, Michigan enter coaches poll top 25CBSSports.com

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Ohio State cracks AP Poll for first time in three years
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Chris Holtmann has the Buckeyes back in the AP Poll for the first time since the end of the 2014-15 season.

After an impressive, undefeated run through the early Big Ten slate, including an upset over the then-No. 1 Michigan State Spartans, the Ohio State Buckeyes have joined the ranks of the AP Poll for the first time since the end of the 2014-15 seasons.

Following yesterday’s 68-46 victory over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, OSU men’s basketball comes in ranked No. 22 by the Associated Press. They join three other Big Ten schools in the rankings, Purdue (No. 3), Michigan State (No. 9), and Michigan (No. 23).

Also represented in the poll are two other teams from the state of Ohio: Xavier (No. 11) and Cincinnati (No. 12). The Buckeyes will open up the next two seasons against the Bearcats.

Chris Holtmann’s squad has won five straight games, and 10 of 11; the only loss coming to No. 15 North Carolina. The Buckeyes are also tied atop the Big Ten standings with Purdue, and the two squads will face off in West Lafayette, Ind. on Feb. 7.

OSU will next travel to Rosemont, Ill. to take on the Northwestern Wildcats on Wed., Jan. 17. The game will tip at 9 p.m. ET on BTN.

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Ohio State football: How does Demario McCall fit into Buckeyes' plans in 2018? - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football: How does Demario McCall fit into Buckeyes' plans in 2018?
Landof10.com
All week long, our Land of 10 reporters following the Buckeyes address pressing questions on the minds of the Ohio State fan base with our daily feature. To ask Austin Ward a question, follow along on Twitter and suggest a topic right here. Check back ...

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Keita Bates-Diop named Big Ten Player of the Week ... again: Buckeyes basketball news - cleveland.com
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Keita Bates-Diop named Big Ten Player of the Week ... again: Buckeyes basketball news
cleveland.com
Keita Bates-Diop named Big Ten Player of the Week ... again: Buckeyes basketball news. Updated January 15, 2018 at 1:09 PM ; Posted January 15, 2018 at 1:00 PM. Ohio State junior forward Keita Bates-Diop picked up his third Big Ten Player of the Week ...
Keita Bates-Diop wins second straight Big Ten Player of the Week247Sports
Michigan State, Ohio State Earn Weekly Men's Basketball HonorsBig Ten Conference
Big Ten Power Rankings: Michigan moves up, but contenders are chasing two teamsThe Athletic
Eleven Warriors
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No. 22 Ohio State, No. 23 Michigan enter latest AP poll
BTN.com staff via Big Ten Network

Michigan (No. 23) and Ohio State (No. 22) debut in the latest AP poll, released Monday, giving the Big Ten four ranked teams. No. 3 Purdue, up two spots, paces the Big Ten for the first time this season, while Michigan State falls five spots to No. 9.

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Keita Bates-Diop, Jaren Jackson Jr. claim weekly Big Ten honors
Brent Yarina, BTN.com Senior Editor via Big Ten Network

The Big Ten office released its latest weekly Big Ten men's basketball honors, and the winners were familiar names. Keita Bates-Diop claimed his third player of the week honor of the season, and his second straight, while Jaren Jackson Jr. took home his third freshman laurel.

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Ohio State football: How does Demario McCall fit into Buckeyes' plans in 2018? - Atlanta Journal Constitution
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State football: How does Demario McCall fit into Buckeyes' plans in 2018?
Atlanta Journal Constitution
All week long, our Land of 10 reporters following the Buckeyes address pressing questions on the minds of the Ohio State fan base with our daily feature. To ask Austin Ward a question, follow along on Twitter and suggest a topic right here. Check back ...


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I know, or at least think I know, that the BIG is hot garbage this year, but I'm still starting to drink the kool aid. Watching a Buckeye basketball team that's getting the coaching that it needs to largely reach its potential, whatever that is (and with Keita being special and the possibility of Kam and Kaleb continuing to raise their games a bit more as the season progresses, it might be higher than any of us had imagined) is really refreshing, exciting, and fun. Also, while I know that they're getting better shots, it still seems clear that someone on staff knows how to teach shooting, which is helping a lot.

Ohio State men's basketball | Former Buckeye D'Angelo Russell reaches out from courtside - The Columbus Dispatch
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Ohio State men's basketball | Former Buckeye D'Angelo Russell reaches out from courtside
The Columbus Dispatch
After saying on a podcast that he didn't think he'd ever go back, Russell was seated courtside to watch the Buckeyes move to 6-0 in the Big Ten with a 68-46 win against Rutgers. With the Buckeyes leading 28-15 at halftime, he told The Dispatch that he ...
D'Angelo Russell attends Ohio State at Rutgers247Sports

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Ohio State football podcast: Basketball Buckeyes win again, becoming a juggernaut - Landof10.com
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Ohio State football podcast: Basketball Buckeyes win again, becoming a juggernaut
Landof10.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Get insight and reaction to Ohio State sports on the Inside the Shoe podcast brought to you by Land of 10. On the latest edition, Kyle Lamb recaps the Buckeyes' latest Big Ten basketball victory, a 68-46 suffocation of Rutgers on ...
Ohio State men's basketball | Postgame blog: Buckeyes turn tables on Rutgers with stingy defenseThe Columbus Dispatch
Buckeyes rout Rutgers for 6-0 Big Ten startWDTN
College basketball: Buckeyes pummel Rutgers, improve to 6-0 in Big TenThe Courier
cleveland.com -NJ.com -247Sports
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BM5: Latest on Friday, Jean-Baptiste, Walker, Petit-Frere - 247Sports
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BM5: Latest on Friday, Jean-Baptiste, Walker, Petit-Frere
247Sports
BM5: Latest on Friday, Jean-Baptiste, Walker, Petit-Frere. We have an extended version of the 5ish for you on MLK Day. The show is mostly about football recruiting, and we also discuss Greg Schiano, plus Buckeye basketball. Dave Biddle - 15 minutes ago ...

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Buckeyes play key roles in NFL's Divisional Playoff weekend - Gridiron Now
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Buckeyes play key roles in NFL's Divisional Playoff weekend
Gridiron Now
On the weekend of the NFL's divisional games, some former Buckeyes were among those turning in the most prolific performances. There was only one game which did not feature a former Ohio State player. That was the result of Nate Ebner's knee injury ...


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Ohio State offers 5 top 2019 prospects
Charles Doss via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes had a busy weekend on the recruiting trail.

While the Ohio State coaching staff still has a few 2018 scholarships to play with before signing day next month, Urban Meyer and crew shifted their attention on the class of 2019 over the weekend.

Dishing out scholarship offers to some of the best junior recruits in the country, five class of 2019 standouts walked away with a chance to suit up in the Scarlet and Gray.

Who did the Buckeyes offer? Land-Grant Holy Land has your back.

4-star OT Ryan Jacoby


Class: 2019

Town: Mentor,OH/Mentor

Size: 6’4/260

Offers: Ohio State, Oregon, West Virginia, Iowa State, Toledo, Etc

Thoughts: “I was on the phone with Coach Meyer and he told me (about the offer). They said they are looking forward to building a great relationship and getting to know me and my family and get us on campus. It means a lot; I grew up watching and loving the team. They are definitely going to be up high on the list.”

4-star OT Xavier Truss


Class: 2019

Town: Warwick,RI/Bishop Hendricken

Size: 6’7/325

Offers: Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Florida, Boston College, Etc

Thoughts: “I was in class and Coach Pantoni shot me a text asking if I could give him a call and speak to coach Meyer. When I got a minute I gave him a call and Coach Meyer talked with me for a minute confirming some things and then he pulled the trigger. I don’t think it honestly has even hit me yet. He said he was looking forward to having me out there and to send coaches down to Rhode Island to see me. Success and consistency come to mind when thinking of OSU football. I think that this offer will definitely open some eyes in the recruiting world.”

4-star S Demani Richardson


Class: 2019

Town: Waxahachie,TX/Waxahachie

Size: 6’1/190

Offers: Ohio State, Texas, Baylor, Georgia, Missouri, Etc

Thoughts: “Coach Grinch told me he wanted me to be a part of that team. He wants us to make sure we stay in touch. Considering they are a consistent winning program, it feels great. When I think about Ohio State, I think of winning.”

4-star QB Sam Howell


Class: 2019

Town: Monroe,NC/Sun Valley

Size: 6’1/217

Offers: Ohio State, Clemson, Arkansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Etc

5-star RB Trey Sanders


Class: 2019

Town: Bradenton,FL/IMG Academy

Size: 5’11/216

Offers: Ohio State, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Texas A&M, Etc


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Ohio State: Buckeyes basketball beats Rutgers; Michael Thomas catches 2 TDs in Saints' heartbreaking loss - Landof10.com
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Ohio State: Buckeyes basketball beats Rutgers; Michael Thomas catches 2 TDs in Saints' heartbreaking loss
Landof10.com
Ohio State football is the No. 1 topic in Wake Up every day — but we cover news, notes and analysis from across Buckeyes sports. Join us each morning to get caught up on everything you missed in the world of Ohio State football, recruiting, basketball ...
Ohio State men's basketball | Postgame blog: Buckeyes turn tables on Rutgers with stingy defenseThe Columbus Dispatch
Buckeyes rout Rutgers for 6-0 Big Ten startWDTN
Ohio State basketball stays unbeaten in Big Ten play, beats Rutgers 68-46cleveland.com
The Courier -NJ.com -247Sports
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Cavaliers, Browns, Indians, Buckeyes among Greater Cleveland Sports Awards finalists (photos) - cleveland.com (blog)
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Cavaliers, Browns, Indians, Buckeyes among Greater Cleveland Sports Awards finalists (photos)
cleveland.com (blog)
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The 18th annual Greater Cleveland Sports Awards will take place at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Renaissance Hotel grand ballroom in downtown Cleveland. Nineteen area amateur and professional athletes will receive awards in a night that ...

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Buckeyes rout Rutgers for 6-0 Big Ten start - WDTN
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Buckeyes rout Rutgers for 6-0 Big Ten start
WDTN
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Keita Bates-Diop scored 20 points, grabbed nine rebounds and Ohio State beat Rutgers 68-46 to remain undefeated in Big Ten play this season and tied atop the conference standings. Ohio State (15-4, 6-0) built up a 30-point lead ...
Ohio State men's basketball | Postgame blog: Buckeyes turn tables on Rutgers with stingy defenseThe Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State basketball stays unbeaten in Big Ten play, beats Rutgers 68-46cleveland.com
College basketball: Buckeyes pummel Rutgers, improve to 6-0 in Big TenThe Courier
NJ.com -247Sports -Land-Grant Holy Land
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Ohio State men's basketball | Postgame blog: Buckeyes turn tables on Rutgers with stingy defense - The Columbus Dispatch
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Ohio State men's basketball | Postgame blog: Buckeyes turn tables on Rutgers with stingy defense
The Columbus Dispatch
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – For nearly three-quarters of Sunday night's game, the events on the court at the Rutgers Athletic Center looked like a broken video game. Rutgers, known equally for its stout defense and ugly offense, found itself without important ...
Ohio State basketball stays unbeaten in Big Ten play, beats Rutgers 68-46cleveland.com
Can Rutgers take 'one step forward' vs. surging Ohio State? | NJ.comNJ.com
Buckeyes rout Rutgers for 6-0 Big Ten startWDTN
247Sports -Land-Grant Holy Land -Scout
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Ohio State routs Rutgers, moves to 6-0 in Big Ten play
Brent Yarina, BTN.com Senior Editor via Big Ten Network

Keita Bates-Diop scored 20 points, grabbed nine rebounds and Ohio State beat Rutgers 68-46 to remain undefeated in Big Ten play this season and tied atop the conference standings.

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Ohio State basketball stays unbeaten in Big Ten play, beats Rutgers 68-46 - cleveland.com
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Ohio State basketball stays unbeaten in Big Ten play, beats Rutgers 68-46
cleveland.com
If you want to call what happened on Sunday night that, then the Buckeyes passed. Again. After a slow start, Ohio State found its way offensively while Rutgers remained mostly lost, and the Buckeyes left Piscataway, N.J., with a 68-46 win to stay ...
Ohio State men's basketball | Buckeyes 68, Rutgers 46The Columbus Dispatch
Can Rutgers take 'one step forward' vs. surging Ohio State? | NJ.comNJ.com
Ohio State continues roll with win over cold shooting Rutgers247Sports
Lima Ohio -Land-Grant Holy Land -Scout
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Ohio State Basketball: Post-Game Overreaction by Jesse M. Brake
Richard Tongohan via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

It has been mere moments since Andre Wesson put the nail in the coffin against a solid Rutgers defense (not so much with the offense), and it’s occurred to me that there may be a good metaphor for this Buckeyes team. Early in the broadcast, the commentators were talking about Jae’Sean Tate and how he is a do-everything type of player, a Swiss Army Knife, and, while that is a good description of what Jae’Sean does for Ohio State, it is an even better metaphor for the Basketball Buckeyes as a whole.

This team is a Swiss Army Knife.

Now, I obviously don’t expect you to believe me without any evidence, so to prove it to you, so let me give you some numbers. (Prepare yourself for Too Much Information.) The Buckeyes’ offense is the 28th rated team in KenPom Adjusted Efficiency and their defense is rated 30th in Adjusted Efficiency. There are only 9 teams in the country— including Ohio State— that are rated in the Top 30 nationally in both categories.

According to teamrankings.com, the Buckeyes are 19th in Shooting%, 28th in Effective Field Goal % and 32nd in True Shooting % while remaining in the Top 75 in all defensive Shooting categories. They are in the Top 30% of all teams in Block Percentage, Top 20% in Rebound Rate, Assists per Game and Assist/Turnover Ratio and they are among the best in the nation at not allowing opposing teams to get easy points in the paint.

What all of those statistics mean is that this is an adaptable team. Against Michigan State, we saw this Buckeyes team not allow Sparty to penetrate the lane or get anything inside, forcing a team that was struggling shooting from the field to take a lot of outside shots. OSU also took advantage of Michigan State’s tendency to turn the ball over, forcing 12 TOs and making the most of transition scoring opportunities. They did all this while still playing their basic, high-effort man-to-man defense.

The next game, against a Maryland team missing important playmakers, they held firm on defense through a slow start shooting until they were able to get better, more open looks. From there, they scored and scored while the undermanned Terrapins had no offensive response. The Buckeyes tied the school record for most 3 Pointers made in a game with 17, and 8 different players made at least one shot from beyond the arc.

Tonight, against this stingy and plodding Rutgers defense, the Buckeyes slowed everything up and locked down the inside, forcing one of the worst shooting teams in the country to dribble around for 25 seconds and then throw up deep 2s and 3s all night.

With three unique victories against three completely different teams, Ohio State is showing itself to be a matchup nightmare. This team is showing itself to be a Swiss Army Knife that can find your weakness and take advantage of it, or that can beat you at your own game. They have CJ Jackson, who is just like the tiny knife on the backside of the tool, swooping in for layups, assists, and rebounds. They also have Keita Bates-Diop, the big main knife that will cut you to the bone if you’re not paying attention and can be used for many things. Not to mention they’ve got Micah Potter; he’s that curvy thing that looks like a bottle opener, but it can’t be because there’s already another bottle opener, so you just use it to pry things.

There’s a little something for every situation with these Basketball Buckeyes, and the more I see of this team, the more credit I give to the Coach. Holtmann has molded this team into something competitive and fun to watch, which brings me to my overreaction: Ohio State is not just a tournament team, they are a good tournament team, and they are a dark horse to make it to the Final Four THIS SEASON. If they can get past Purdue, they might even be able to win the Big Ten too.




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Ohio State rolls past Rutgers, 68-46
Geoff Hammersley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes remain unbeaten in the Big Ten, and have now won 5-straight contests.

The Ohio State Buckeyes (15-4, 6-0) continued their winning ways against Big Ten competition on Sunday night, as they defeated the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, 68-46, at The RAC in Piscataway, New Jersey.

Once again, Keita Bates-Diop led the way for the Buckeyes. KBD put together a 20-point scoring output, while also grabbing down nine rebounds. His scoring and rebound total was the leader amongst both teams.

On top of Bates-Diop going off for double figures, two other Buckeyes broke that threshold, too. Kaleb Wesson put up 10 points, and had, like KBD, a nine rebound outing on the road. Kam Williams put up 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field, while playing for 22 minutes.

By holding Rutgers to 46 points, Ohio State set their new season low for points allowed. However, two Scarlet Knights broke a 10-point output. Geo Baker tallied 14 points off of 5-of-15 shooting, while Corey Sanders put together a 13-point night off of a 6-of-14 evening from the field.

Knocking down shots were a constant theme for OSU in the second half. The Buckeyes ended the night with a 46.6 percent mark from the field, carried by a 55.2 percent field goal make percentage in the final 20 minutes of play. On the other side, however, Rutgers struggled from all points on the court. In the first half, the home team nailed an eye-opening 19.4 percent of their shots; of the 31 shots attempted, Rutgers hit just six of them. From three-point range, they went 1-of-10 in the first 20 minutes against the Buckeyes.

In the second half, Rutgers made 39.3 percent of their attempts, bringing their average for the game up to 28.8 percent. Even though they made more shots from inside and downtown, the Buckeyes pulled away without much trouble.

The win paces OSU to a 6-0 start in conference play, and a share of the lead atop the Big Ten standings with Purdue.

Here’s a quick breakdown on how this one went down.

The first half didn’t have a lot of thrills. In the first 10 minutes of action, the Buckeyes held a slim 11-9 lead over the Scarlet Knights. A few more minutes of play later, and the score was stuck in the low teens, as OSU lead 15-11 with a little over six minutes left in the first half.

By halftime, though, the Bucks pulled away courtesy of a 10-point half from Keita Bates-Diop. On the road, Chris Holtmann’s squad was well on their way to another Big Ten conference win, as they went into intermission with a 28-15 lead.

Whatever momentum they were riding in the first half, they cranked the meter all the way to maximum overdrive, as the Buckeyes pulled away in a hurry. The visitors scored the first 10 points, behind a combination of layups, dunks and jumpers from Kaleb Wesson, Jae’Sean Tate and Bates-Diop.

After a free throw by Souf Mensah broke up the 10-0 scoring run, the Bucks went back and scored four more points via Wesson and KBD. Issa Thiam did his part to knockdown a jumper to break up the OSU mini-run, however, that just allowed for another run to start off. Kam Williams went on a 6-point run by himself. Williams knocked down a jumper and a three-pointer—while also knocking down the and-1 off the three-point make.

Rutgers, though, was about to get something to go their way: a scoring run of their own. The home team went on a 14-0 break, making four three-point shots across their next five makes. A hot-hand against the Bucks brought the deficit down, but OSU still had command of the scoreboard, 48-32, with 10:45 left to play.

Baskets were then traded amongst the Buckeyes and Scarlet Knights, as Wesson and Corey Sanders put points on the board for their respective squads. C.J. Jackson then went to work by putting in a basket, and followed that up with a couple free throws over the next minute of action. With Jackson putting the free throws away, OSU held on to an insurmountable 60-37 lead.

Rutgers would close the gap by just a hair, but by the time the clock hit all zeros, Ohio State walked out of New Jersey with a 22-point road victory.

Up next for Ohio State will be Northwestern on Wednesday night. That one will once again be on the road, and will take place at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill. Tip Off is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET, and will be broadcast on Big Ten Network.

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Best of the week that was: Ohio State’s Keita Bates-Diop, Michigan shine
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

As winter sets in, this much has become clear: Purdue is the Big Ten favorite. But don’t count out Michigan State. And it looks like Michigan and Ohio State will be factors. Here is the best of the week in Big Ten action.

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LitlBuck said:

You mean Dakich heard @OSU_Buckguy

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i will certainly admit that i was -- to put it lightly -- not so optimistic about dakich's impact and importance. to be precise, i'm pretty sure i said that i didn't think that dakich was good enough to be the back-up at any high-major (and most mid-majors). yeah, his limitations are still obvious and i do worry about him guarding a speedy point guard, but dakich has absolutely provided needed stability behind jackson.

i was surprised to find out that dakich was 7/10 from three this season before the last game. though expecting anything close to .700 going forward would be a mistake, i do wonder just how reliable he is from deep when no one is around. i mean, if he can be a .400-shooter behind the arc when completely uncontested, that would be huge.

Ohio State men's basketball | Pregame Reading: Buckeyes travel to face stingy Rutgers - The Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State men's basketball | Pregame Reading: Buckeyes travel to face stingy Rutgers
The Columbus Dispatch
Rutgers remains the Big Ten's lowest-ranked team, but there are reasons to believe the Scarlet Knights could present significant problems for the streaking Buckeyes. Aside from the earned impression that Rutgers is simply playing harder than in the ...
Can Rutgers take 'one step forward' vs. surging Ohio State?NJ.com
How to watch Ohio State vs. Rutgers: Preview, game time, live streaming onlineLand-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State Refuses To Take Rutgers LightlyScout
isportsweb.com (blog) -Scarlet and Game -247Sports
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