08-09 Big Ten Basketball Season

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

I realize that Simmons and Crater are not Mike Conley but even he struggled a little at beginning of the season. I have no doubts that whoever starts at the PG position will not struggle a little early in the season but I think when the Big 10 season begins we will be fine. Maybe I am too optimistic and maybe I not giving the PG position enough credit. Maybe that's because that's the position that I played well in high school

Mike Conley was special and even he had a transition period.....Crater and Simmons are not close to the player Conley was as a freshman......be prepared for some bumps in the road............the sooner we get solid PG play the better we will be...........

We are replacing are top three scorers with Turner, Lighty and a whole bunch of unproven players..........we have some questions........

 

[crazybuckfan40]

Mike Conley was special and even he had a transition period.....Crater and Simmons are not close to the player Conley was as a freshman......be prepared for some bumps in the road............the sooner we get solid PG play the better we will be...........

We are replacing are top three scorers with Turner, Lighty and a whole bunch of unproven players..........we have some questions........

Hopefully we find answers to those questions when the season starts...

Guys Bern is a great fan and welcome here at any time...obviously he is going to have a little bias towards Wisky, but his points are very valid...Wisky has been a great program under Ryan, doesn't matter than they are landing mcdonalds all-americans, Ryan's system produces great results and they are a team to be reckoned with...

I don't think I could say that Wisky for sure will finish in the top 3...I think there is obviously a good chance, but I also think that anyone of Purdue, MSU, Wisky, or tOSU could finish in 4th...

Remember Purdue was the benifactor of a couple close wins, homer officials, and surprising teams last year...

MSU has talent, but how will all fit together...Will Roe get fully healthy, Morgan stay healthy, someone step up on the wing...Big guys be able to score?

Wisky has problems, which Bern already hit on, in terms of their big guys, they have guards back, but can Bohanon match up defensively as well as a guy like Flowers did...Also what kind of depth do they have in the backcourt...will Ryan be able to go with a 7 man rotation and be effecient, unless they have some other guys stepping up...

And we all know our question marks...Obviously it will come down to who find their answers, but to say for sure that a team will finish somewhere is kinda hard to do at the time being...

 

[LitlBuck]

Guys Bern is a great fan and welcome here at any time...obviously he is going to have a little bias towards Wisky, but his points are very valid...Wisky has been a great program under Ryan, doesn't matter than they are landing mcdonalds all-americans, Ryan's system produces great results and they are a team to be reckoned with...

I realize that and I think he is the good contributor to the site both in basketball and football. I have no problem with him sticking up for Wisconsin but I just don't understand where he was coming from. I have said all along that I think Ohio State will finish 4th in the Big 10 behind Purdue, MSU, and Wisconsin. Ryan is a good coach and since he has been there they have always had quality teams but let's call a win a win and not give excuses for a loss.

be prepared for some bumps in the road............the sooner we get solid PG play the better we will be...........

We are replacing are top three scorers with Turner, Lighty and a whole bunch of unproven players..........we have some questions........

I am prepared for some "bumps in the road" but I just don't think they will be that bad. I realize that as soon as we get our PG position straightened out the better we will be. However, I do think we have some guys who will be able to fill that role and it won't be that bad.
I really don't understand your second paragraph. Both Turner and Lighty were starters last year and I really don't think we will miss KK that much because I think Mullens will do a lot of things that Kosta could/would not do. In addition, we will be able to play more man-to-man defense which were help us out with our rebounding. The one guy that I think we will miss at the beginning of the season will be Butler because he did provide some leadership. Hunter really didn't come on until midway through the season and I think by then we will have guys who will be able to help fill his role. Maybe not on defense but certainly in scoring.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

I really don't understand your second paragraph.

We are replacing our top three scorers and bringing in 6 new players to the program..........I am not as optimistic as some about how good we will be......Hunter did a ton of things for us.......he will be missed.......Butler took the tough shots.......who is going to be that guy.........and Mullens while he has great potential but will need to transiton just as KK did last year.......We have potential but I will reserve judgement until we actually play a game......I am just being realistic and cautious and not expecting to much to early........

addition, we will be able to play more man-to-man defense which were help us out with our rebounding.

It remains to be seen what our defensive philosophy will be this year.......do not be suprised to see zone............more than man.....especially early in the season........

 

[LitlBuck]

I am just being realistic and cautious and not expecting to much to early

Early is the keyword. I am just as cautious as you when it comes to the big games in the preconference schedule but as I said in my post I believe we will be fine by the time the Big 10 season comes around. You also stated that we lost 3 of our top scorers. Well, I would take BJ over kk in a heart beat and, if need be, I think Lauderdale will bring the same things to the table that Hunter brought and that is no disrespect to Hunter. I guess I am just a little more optimistic than you

 

[SilverBuckeye]

I think we can win the Big Ten if Mullens, Buford, and the others get it together

 

[crazybuckfan40]

Lauderdale is going to be a huge key to us this season...Hear that he is pushing Mullens around some in practice and making it very tough on him...

I don't see any way we don't start out with Mullens and Lauderdale on the court...

Junkie brings up a good point of who is going to take the big shot...I would turn to Lighty, but he really isn't a creator off the dribble so to speak...i would see us either going Crater to create for the other guys, or Turner creating for himself...Maybe by the end of the season you go with Buford if he is comfortable by then...

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Link

Big Tens's key: Rebounding

Purdue, MSU class of league full of teams still rebuilding

November 9, 2008
BY HERB GOULD [email protected]

Last year was not the best of seasons for the Big Ten. For the first time in four years, only four teams reached the NCAA tournament. Only two made it to the Sweet 16, where Wisconsin was upset by Davidson and Michigan State was hammered by Memphis.
On top of that, one traditional power, Indiana, was torn asunder by the Kelvin Sampson recruiting scandal, and another, Illinois, limped through its first losing season in nine years. And except for Purdue and Wisconsin, the rest of the league was downright sleepy.

Continued................

 

[LitlBuck]

Link

Very interesting article with a small synopsis of each team. Predicts the usual top four but then it starts to get interesting. Poor Indiana:!

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Link

Young team looks to learn on the fly

By Mark Stewart of the Journal Sentinel
Posted: Nov. 15, 2008

Madison - All you have to do is look at the rosters of Purdue and Michigan State to realize the challenge that lies ahead for the University of Wisconsin men's basketball team.
The Boilermakers, who have all five starters back, return 94% of their scoring, 97% of their rebounds and, perhaps most important, 94% of their minutes played. The Spartans, another popular choice to win the Big Ten Conference, have 75% of their scoring back, 82% of their rebounding and 74% of their minutes played.
In comparison, the Badgers have 66% of their minutes, 62% of their scoring and 62% of their rebounds.
Those are solid numbers, especially considering the team has five freshmen on its roster, but it puts them a few steps behind the supposed league favorites in three key areas.

Continued.............

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

espn.com

Spartans roll Vandals behind Allen's career-high 21


EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Chris Allen picked up where he left off last season.
This time, though, Michigan State won.

Allen scored a career-high 21 points, leading the Spartans (No. 7 ESPN/USA Today, No. 6 AP) to a 100-62 win over Idaho on Sunday night, giving them a 32nd straight win in their home opener.

The sophomore guard had 20 points in his previous game, when Memphis routed Michigan State in the NCAA tournament.

Continued.........

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

espn.com

Landry does it all in No. 21 Wisconsin's defeat of Long Beach State


MADISON, Wis. -- Marcus Landry is being asked to do a lot for the Wisconsin men's basketball team this season.
On Sunday, he had all the answers.

Landry had a block and a bucket on consecutive possessions at two crucial moments, and scored 23 points as the Badgers (No. 21 ESPN/USA Today, No. 25 AP) survived a scare from Long Beach State with a 68-61 victory at the Kohl Center.

The senior forward made a 3-pointer with 29.9 seconds left to give Wisconsin a four-point lead, then swatted Maurice Clady's layup attempt into the seats at the other end to keep the 49ers at bay.

Continued...............

 

[crazybuckfan40]

Really like the Allen kid for MSU...He is going to have a big year...

 

[osugrad21]

Link

The Grand Rapids Press
CHICAGO -- Tom Izzo would rather not talk about the rough-and-tumble Big Ten Conference's 18-game league schedule.
"Why ruin a good day?" the 14-year Michigan State coach said when asked to discuss the 10-week league slate.
Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan also isn't a proponent of the 18-game grind.
"Eighteen-game schedule? Yeah, I love it," Ryan said sarcastically.
The Big Ten played an 18-game league schedule from 1974-75 to 1996-97. The 104-year-old basketball conference then went to 16-game schedules for 10 years before going back to the 18-game lineup last season.
Since none of the men's coaches polled are thrilled with an 18-game conference schedule, then I say the eventual regular-season champion should be rewarded with more than just a gold, metal basketball.
In order to sweeten the pot, how about the survivor of the Big Ten's regular season be rewarded with the automatic NCAA tournament bid that is annually handed out to the league tournament champion?
Why not compensate the winner of the conference's 18-game marathon rather than bestow the automatic berth on the school that simply captures the four-day Big Ten tournament sprint?
"I don't want to get in trouble, but hell, yes, you're right," Ohio State coach Thad Matta said.
"To go through a 2 1/2-month stretch and come out the outright champion after nine games on the road and nine games at home ... to me, that's the Big Ten champion. Hands down. Without a doubt.

Cont...

 

[LitlBuck]

Totally agree with Thad and I think that should be true of all conferences. The only reason conference tournaments are even play is because of the almighty dollar. Maybe the team that wins a conference tournament would get a stronger look by the Committee but I think that the winner of the regular season should get the automatic bid to the NCAA and that is not just true of the Big 10.