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Cornerback6
Optimism Lover
If we win this game without Oden...the Final Four should be a given, but of course nothing is guaranteed.
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Cornerback6;672654; said:
I would have to agree.... Although I really like Othello Hunter and Matt Terwilliger's play so far!
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
OSUBasketballJunkie;672629; said:
The odds are North Carolina (-7.5) or Ohio State (+7.5).
Wed 11/29
Ohio State +7.5
North Carolina -7.5
http://www32.pinnaclesports.com/vwg...Type=NCAA&descr=NCAA (College)&StartNumber=16
This could be a great vBet!!!
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HailToMichigan
Maize and Blue Wahoo
Real shame we won't get to see Oden vs. Hansbrough. Hansbrough is a monster. I don't see UNC losing this one.
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fourteenandoh
My swing feels like an unfolding lawn chair.
lvbuckeye;671744; said:what do you think she looks like when she gets the Shocker?
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DDN
Tar Heel country awaits the Buckeyes
Matta knows playing North Carolina in Chapel Hill tonight will be a huge test for his Ohio St. team.
By Mark Gokavi
Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
The final buzzer. That's what Ohio State men's basketball coach Thad Matta said he's looking forward to about today's game at North Carolina.
Matta knows he couldn't fully prepare OSU for the crowd and noise at the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, but his players can learn from that atmosphere.
"That's what I like about a game like this ? if there's anything to like about going to North Carolina," Matta said. "When we leave there, I know we're one step closer to being prepared to play in the Big Ten and really play in any environment we want to go into."
The Buckeyes (6-0) are ranked No. 1 in the USA Today/ESPN coaches poll and No. 3 by the Associated Press.
But Matta doesn't feel like a favorite (the Buckeyes are 7.5-point underdogs) against Roy Williams' No. 6/7 Tar Heels (4-1). After all, the Atlantic Coast Conference was 22-4 as the home team in the first seven years of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
The game is a battle of the top two 2006 recruiting classes.
"The great thing is our kids, our incoming players, have played against and played with the guys at North Carolina," Matta said. "I think there's really no secrets in that regard."
Matta knows Tyler Hansbrough and Co. have the talent to match Ohio State. "I think you kind of pick your poison," Matta said. "And hope guys don't have a breakout night on you."
Even for a 30-year coach, games like tonight aren't just another November contest.
"These are the kind of games that I do get excited about," Williams said. "I think that's what the kids work every day for. ... The coaches ? we think about when you're sitting there in the summer trying to decide which guys can play for us and which guys can't ? because you're trying to determine who can do a good job for you in a big game."
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-6951 or [email protected].
ACC/Big Ten Challenge hoops
Tonight's games
Michigan St. at Boston College, 7 p.m., ESPN
Iowa at Virginia Tech, 7 p.m., ESPNU
Virginia at Purdue, 7:30 p.m., ESPN2
Ohio State at North Carolina, 9 p.m., ESPN
Clemson at Minnesota, 9:30 p.m., ESPN2
Monday/Tuesday results:
The ACC leads 4-2
(N.C. State 74, Michigan 69 ... Maryland 72, Illinois 66 ... Duke 54, Indiana 51 ... Georgia Tech 77, Penn State 73 ... Wisconsin 81, Florida State 66 ... Northwestern 61, Miami 59)
1999-05:
The ACC led the series 40-23.
Tonight's OSU game
Who: No. 3 Ohio State (6-0) at No. 7 North Carolina Tar Heels (4-1)
Time, TV: 9 p.m., ESPN
Tar Heel country awaits the Buckeyes
Matta knows playing North Carolina in Chapel Hill tonight will be a huge test for his Ohio St. team.
By Mark Gokavi
Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
The final buzzer. That's what Ohio State men's basketball coach Thad Matta said he's looking forward to about today's game at North Carolina.
Matta knows he couldn't fully prepare OSU for the crowd and noise at the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, but his players can learn from that atmosphere.
"That's what I like about a game like this ? if there's anything to like about going to North Carolina," Matta said. "When we leave there, I know we're one step closer to being prepared to play in the Big Ten and really play in any environment we want to go into."
The Buckeyes (6-0) are ranked No. 1 in the USA Today/ESPN coaches poll and No. 3 by the Associated Press.
But Matta doesn't feel like a favorite (the Buckeyes are 7.5-point underdogs) against Roy Williams' No. 6/7 Tar Heels (4-1). After all, the Atlantic Coast Conference was 22-4 as the home team in the first seven years of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
The game is a battle of the top two 2006 recruiting classes.
"The great thing is our kids, our incoming players, have played against and played with the guys at North Carolina," Matta said. "I think there's really no secrets in that regard."
Matta knows Tyler Hansbrough and Co. have the talent to match Ohio State. "I think you kind of pick your poison," Matta said. "And hope guys don't have a breakout night on you."
Even for a 30-year coach, games like tonight aren't just another November contest.
"These are the kind of games that I do get excited about," Williams said. "I think that's what the kids work every day for. ... The coaches ? we think about when you're sitting there in the summer trying to decide which guys can play for us and which guys can't ? because you're trying to determine who can do a good job for you in a big game."
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-6951 or [email protected].
ACC/Big Ten Challenge hoops
Tonight's games
Michigan St. at Boston College, 7 p.m., ESPN
Iowa at Virginia Tech, 7 p.m., ESPNU
Virginia at Purdue, 7:30 p.m., ESPN2
Ohio State at North Carolina, 9 p.m., ESPN
Clemson at Minnesota, 9:30 p.m., ESPN2
Monday/Tuesday results:
The ACC leads 4-2
(N.C. State 74, Michigan 69 ... Maryland 72, Illinois 66 ... Duke 54, Indiana 51 ... Georgia Tech 77, Penn State 73 ... Wisconsin 81, Florida State 66 ... Northwestern 61, Miami 59)
1999-05:
The ACC led the series 40-23.
Tonight's OSU game
Who: No. 3 Ohio State (6-0) at No. 7 North Carolina Tar Heels (4-1)
Time, TV: 9 p.m., ESPN
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CPD
No. 3 Ohio State men at No. 7 North Carolina
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Tipoff: 9 p.m., Dean E. Smith Center, Chapel Hill, N.C.
TV/radio: ESPN; WKNR AM/850.
Notable: The Buckeyes (6-0), ranked No. 1 in the coaches' poll and No. 3 by the AP, said they won't feel like favorites on the road against the Tar Heels (4-1), ranked No. 6 and No. 7. "Playing a team like North Carolina on their home floor, you are an underdog," OSU guard Jamar Butler said. "A lot of people think we can't do it, but I think we'll be all right." The Tar Heels have a huge edge inside but have made just 34 percent of their 3-pointers. The Buckeyes are making 42 percent of their 3s.
No. 3 Ohio State men at No. 7 North Carolina
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Tipoff: 9 p.m., Dean E. Smith Center, Chapel Hill, N.C.
TV/radio: ESPN; WKNR AM/850.
Notable: The Buckeyes (6-0), ranked No. 1 in the coaches' poll and No. 3 by the AP, said they won't feel like favorites on the road against the Tar Heels (4-1), ranked No. 6 and No. 7. "Playing a team like North Carolina on their home floor, you are an underdog," OSU guard Jamar Butler said. "A lot of people think we can't do it, but I think we'll be all right." The Tar Heels have a huge edge inside but have made just 34 percent of their 3-pointers. The Buckeyes are making 42 percent of their 3s.
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CPD
Freshmen face off
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Ohio State and North Carolina had the two highest-rated recruiting classes of 2006. Here's how the freshmen at each school have fared so far. The players are listed by their individual recruiting rating in their class according to rivals.com.
OHIO STATE
1. Greg Oden, C
Has not yet returned from injured right wrist.
13. Daequan Cook, G
Off bench, leading team averaging 17.8 points and 58 percent shooting.
18. Mike Conley, PG
Started all six games, leads team with 6.3 assists per game and scoring 9.5 points.
36. David Lighty, F
Started all six games, scoring 8.3 points per game, but strength is defense.
NR. Othello Hunter, F
Junior college transfer, started all six games, leads team with 7.2 rebounds per game and scoring 7.7 points.
NORTH CAROLINA
3. Brandan Wright, F
Started all five games, his 16.6 points and 7.4 rebounds per game both rank second on team.
8. Wayne Ellington, G
Started all five games, his 12.2 points rank third, 8 3-pointers lead team.
9. Ty Lawson, G
Off bench, 10.6 points rank fourth on team.
41. Alex Stepheson, F
Averaging 2 points and 5 minutes per game.
77. Deon Thompson, F
Averaging 3 points and 8 minutes per game.
105. William Graves, F
Sitting out the season as redshirt.
- Doug Lesmerises
Freshmen face off
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Ohio State and North Carolina had the two highest-rated recruiting classes of 2006. Here's how the freshmen at each school have fared so far. The players are listed by their individual recruiting rating in their class according to rivals.com.
OHIO STATE
1. Greg Oden, C
Has not yet returned from injured right wrist.
13. Daequan Cook, G
Off bench, leading team averaging 17.8 points and 58 percent shooting.
18. Mike Conley, PG
Started all six games, leads team with 6.3 assists per game and scoring 9.5 points.
36. David Lighty, F
Started all six games, scoring 8.3 points per game, but strength is defense.
NR. Othello Hunter, F
Junior college transfer, started all six games, leads team with 7.2 rebounds per game and scoring 7.7 points.
NORTH CAROLINA
3. Brandan Wright, F
Started all five games, his 16.6 points and 7.4 rebounds per game both rank second on team.
8. Wayne Ellington, G
Started all five games, his 12.2 points rank third, 8 3-pointers lead team.
9. Ty Lawson, G
Off bench, 10.6 points rank fourth on team.
41. Alex Stepheson, F
Averaging 2 points and 5 minutes per game.
77. Deon Thompson, F
Averaging 3 points and 8 minutes per game.
105. William Graves, F
Sitting out the season as redshirt.
- Doug Lesmerises
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Fresh looks, not new
OSU freshmen are familiar with Heels
Wednesday, November 29, 2006 Doug Lesmerises
Plain Dealer Reporter
Columbus- Ohio State's freshmen never have played a road game in college, never faced North Carolina, never set foot in the Dean Dome. That doesn't mean they won't know what to expect when the Buckeyes visit the Tar Heels as part of the ACC-Big Ten Challenge tonight.
Thanks to the nationalization of big-time high school basketball and the cross-country travels of AAU basketball, the best players already know each other before they get to college.
Buckeyes freshman point guard Mike Conley, who's from Indianapolis, said he's played against nearly every top Tar Heels player, from Pennsylvania guard Wayne Ellington, to Tennessee forward Brandan Wright, from Virginia guard Ty Lawson to New York guard Danny Green. When Conley was a high school junior, he and Greg Oden faced current Carolina sophomore big man Tyler Hansbrough's high school team in a nationally televised game.
"We played against them before, so we're not as intimidated as maybe we would be," Conley said.
Though OSU coach Thad Matta is trying his best to keep his high-flying freshmen grounded, not even mentioning their new No. 1 ranking in the coaches' poll during practice Tuesday, he doesn't expect them to be shaking in their shorts. Conley, Oden and forward Daequan Cook are especially familiar with the pressure, having been teammates on one of the best AAU teams in the country.
"I think they're as prepared as they can possibly be for this," Matta said. "Is that enough? We'll find out. But Greg and Mike and Daequan's AAU team, every time they took the court, it was a sold-out show. The target was on them. Because of that, I think these guys are prepared. But you can't simulate what it's like to actually go on the road."
And the 6-0 Buckeyes, ranked first by the coaches and No. 3 in the AP, can't simulate what the 4-1 Tar Heels, ranked No. 6 by the coaches and No. 7 by the AP, will try to do to them inside. Wright, a 6-9 freshman, and Hansbrough, a 6-9 sophomore, are averaging a combined 37.2 points and 16.2 rebounds per game. With 7-footer Oden still sidelined by a wrist injury, the Buckeyes will pack their defense in the paint, but that may not be enough.
As soon as the Tar Heels and Buckeyes signed the top two recruiting classes in the country last season, Matta knew this matchup would be arranged by the conferences. But the showdown was supposed to be Hansbrough vs. Oden, and that won't be happening, even if Matta asked trainer Vince O'Brien about Oden on Monday.
"I told Vince, 'I'm ready for my surprise,' and he said, 'I don't have one,' " Matta said. "What the heck, I thought I may as well ask for it."
Matta said an X-ray last week showed the broken bone in Oden's right wrist hasn't completely healed, and though Oden's continuing to practice, no game action is on the horizon.
"He's down," Matta said. "When I say down, I don't mean down. He's anxious. I think he's tired of watching his teammates play and not being able to contribute. He's an intelligent kid, and he understands it, but it doesn't justify it in his mind."
His teammates won their first six games by an average of 26 points without him, but tonight is a much tougher test, no matter how familiar the opponents.
"I had this game marked on my schedule since last year," OSU junior guard Jamar Butler said.
Butler also said that unlike last year, the Buckeyes believe they can win a game like this early in the season. When it comes to proving which team has the better freshmen, Butler doesn't have a doubt.
"Look what Cook's doing and what Mike's doing running the team, and Greg hasn't even played yet," Butler said. "So I would take our class over theirs any day."
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
[email protected], 216-999-4479
Fresh looks, not new
OSU freshmen are familiar with Heels
Wednesday, November 29, 2006 Doug Lesmerises
Plain Dealer Reporter
Columbus- Ohio State's freshmen never have played a road game in college, never faced North Carolina, never set foot in the Dean Dome. That doesn't mean they won't know what to expect when the Buckeyes visit the Tar Heels as part of the ACC-Big Ten Challenge tonight.
Thanks to the nationalization of big-time high school basketball and the cross-country travels of AAU basketball, the best players already know each other before they get to college.
Buckeyes freshman point guard Mike Conley, who's from Indianapolis, said he's played against nearly every top Tar Heels player, from Pennsylvania guard Wayne Ellington, to Tennessee forward Brandan Wright, from Virginia guard Ty Lawson to New York guard Danny Green. When Conley was a high school junior, he and Greg Oden faced current Carolina sophomore big man Tyler Hansbrough's high school team in a nationally televised game.
"We played against them before, so we're not as intimidated as maybe we would be," Conley said.
Though OSU coach Thad Matta is trying his best to keep his high-flying freshmen grounded, not even mentioning their new No. 1 ranking in the coaches' poll during practice Tuesday, he doesn't expect them to be shaking in their shorts. Conley, Oden and forward Daequan Cook are especially familiar with the pressure, having been teammates on one of the best AAU teams in the country.
"I think they're as prepared as they can possibly be for this," Matta said. "Is that enough? We'll find out. But Greg and Mike and Daequan's AAU team, every time they took the court, it was a sold-out show. The target was on them. Because of that, I think these guys are prepared. But you can't simulate what it's like to actually go on the road."
And the 6-0 Buckeyes, ranked first by the coaches and No. 3 in the AP, can't simulate what the 4-1 Tar Heels, ranked No. 6 by the coaches and No. 7 by the AP, will try to do to them inside. Wright, a 6-9 freshman, and Hansbrough, a 6-9 sophomore, are averaging a combined 37.2 points and 16.2 rebounds per game. With 7-footer Oden still sidelined by a wrist injury, the Buckeyes will pack their defense in the paint, but that may not be enough.
As soon as the Tar Heels and Buckeyes signed the top two recruiting classes in the country last season, Matta knew this matchup would be arranged by the conferences. But the showdown was supposed to be Hansbrough vs. Oden, and that won't be happening, even if Matta asked trainer Vince O'Brien about Oden on Monday.
"I told Vince, 'I'm ready for my surprise,' and he said, 'I don't have one,' " Matta said. "What the heck, I thought I may as well ask for it."
Matta said an X-ray last week showed the broken bone in Oden's right wrist hasn't completely healed, and though Oden's continuing to practice, no game action is on the horizon.
"He's down," Matta said. "When I say down, I don't mean down. He's anxious. I think he's tired of watching his teammates play and not being able to contribute. He's an intelligent kid, and he understands it, but it doesn't justify it in his mind."
His teammates won their first six games by an average of 26 points without him, but tonight is a much tougher test, no matter how familiar the opponents.
"I had this game marked on my schedule since last year," OSU junior guard Jamar Butler said.
Butler also said that unlike last year, the Buckeyes believe they can win a game like this early in the season. When it comes to proving which team has the better freshmen, Butler doesn't have a doubt.
"Look what Cook's doing and what Mike's doing running the team, and Greg hasn't even played yet," Butler said. "So I would take our class over theirs any day."
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
[email protected], 216-999-4479
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Ohio St. Meets North Carolina in Marquee Matchup
Two of the nation's most heralded freshman classes will go head to head
Nov. 28, 2006
Ohio State coach Thad Matta has kept his wits about him as his heralded freshman class has started strong despite missing its centerpiece. Roy Williams, though, is at his wit's end hoping for consistency from his highly regarded first-year class at North Carolina.
In perhaps the most anticipated game of the ACC-Big Ten Challenge, the seventh-ranked Tar Heels host the third-ranked Buckeyes at the Smith Center with a wealth of first-year talent on display from both teams.
Ohio State (6-0) was picked as a NCAA title contender after Matta successfully recruited the "Thad 5" of Daequan Cook, Mike Conley, David Lighty, Mark Titus and Greg Oden, and junior college transfer Othello Hunter. But Oden - who almost certainly would have been the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft last summer had the league not instituted a moratorium on high school players entering the draft - has yet to play a minute this season as he rehabilitates from offseason surgery on his right wrist.
Despite the absence of the 7-footer, Matta has seen the other five newcomers make successful transitions to college basketball, combining to average 44.3 points, 20.8 rebounds and 9.7 assists.
"Going into the season, there were so many unknowns. We were apprehensive and quite honestly we still are a little bit," Matta noted. "The guys have done a nice job of adapting to how we want to play offensively and defensively. I give our veterans credit for the job they have done and the new guys for keeping their eyes and ears open and trying to learn."
Cook leads Ohio State in scoring with 17.8 points per game despite coming off the bench. He is shooting 58.1 percent from the field and 48 percent from 3-point range. Conley has averaged 9.5 points and 6.3 assists, but also has an assist-to-turnover ratio of nearly 3-to-1 and has a team-best 19 steals.
"I have been pleased with their progress," Matta said of Cook and Conley. "As a coach, it is enjoyable to watch guys get better over time. Cook has made the effort to learn the defense and Michael is growing into the point guard position at the college level."
Lighty is averaging 8.3 points and 3.2 rebounds. Titus, meanwhile, is the only freshman not seeing significant playing time. Hunter is averaging 7.7 points and a team-high 7.2 rebounds despite playing just 22 minutes per game.
The arrival of Wayne Ellington, William Graves, Ty Lawson, Alex Stepheson, Deon Thompson and Brandan Wright at Chapel Hill was met with equally high expectations for Williams and the Tar Heels (4-1). Wright has been the best of the bunch so far, averaging 16.6 points and 7.4 rebounds while shooting 61.8 percent, with Ellington (12.2 points per game) and Lawson (10.6 ppg) also averaging in double figures as the three follow the lead of sophomore forward Tyler Hansbrough, who is averaging team highs of 20.6 points and 8.8 rebounds.
Williams has been exasperated at times, though, with his team's inconsistent play. After a surprising loss to Gonzaga in the semifinals of the NIT Season Tip-Off, the veteran coach was still miffed at his team's sloppy play following Friday's 101-87 win over then-No. 22 Tennessee in the consolation game.
"I told them to go home and for Christmas ask for some brains," Williams said. "One of the parents heard me say that and said, `Good. That doesn't cost very much."'
The Tar Heels shot 57.4 percent from the field, but also committed a season-high 26 turnovers and 23 personal fouls and allowed the Volunteers to make 15 3-pointers.
"It's still really early and I've got a really young team, "Williams said. "Two freshmen, two sophomores and one senior start. It's a work in progress and I've got a lot of talent to work with."
Hansbrough bounced back from a poor outing in Friday's consolation contest, finishing with 27 points, nine rebounds and six assists. He was held to nine points in the loss to Gonzaga, just the second time in 36 collegiate games he failed to reach double digits.
North Carolina is just 2-5 all-time in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge and lost 68-64 last season to Illinois in a rematch of the 2005 NCAA tournament title game won by the Tar Heels.
The Tar Heels have won seven of nine all-time games against the Buckeyes. This is the first game between the schools since an 81-68 North Carolina win Dec. 18, 1993.
Ohio St. Meets North Carolina in Marquee Matchup
Two of the nation's most heralded freshman classes will go head to head
Nov. 28, 2006
Ohio State coach Thad Matta has kept his wits about him as his heralded freshman class has started strong despite missing its centerpiece. Roy Williams, though, is at his wit's end hoping for consistency from his highly regarded first-year class at North Carolina.
In perhaps the most anticipated game of the ACC-Big Ten Challenge, the seventh-ranked Tar Heels host the third-ranked Buckeyes at the Smith Center with a wealth of first-year talent on display from both teams.
Ohio State (6-0) was picked as a NCAA title contender after Matta successfully recruited the "Thad 5" of Daequan Cook, Mike Conley, David Lighty, Mark Titus and Greg Oden, and junior college transfer Othello Hunter. But Oden - who almost certainly would have been the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft last summer had the league not instituted a moratorium on high school players entering the draft - has yet to play a minute this season as he rehabilitates from offseason surgery on his right wrist.
Despite the absence of the 7-footer, Matta has seen the other five newcomers make successful transitions to college basketball, combining to average 44.3 points, 20.8 rebounds and 9.7 assists.
"Going into the season, there were so many unknowns. We were apprehensive and quite honestly we still are a little bit," Matta noted. "The guys have done a nice job of adapting to how we want to play offensively and defensively. I give our veterans credit for the job they have done and the new guys for keeping their eyes and ears open and trying to learn."
Cook leads Ohio State in scoring with 17.8 points per game despite coming off the bench. He is shooting 58.1 percent from the field and 48 percent from 3-point range. Conley has averaged 9.5 points and 6.3 assists, but also has an assist-to-turnover ratio of nearly 3-to-1 and has a team-best 19 steals.
"I have been pleased with their progress," Matta said of Cook and Conley. "As a coach, it is enjoyable to watch guys get better over time. Cook has made the effort to learn the defense and Michael is growing into the point guard position at the college level."
Lighty is averaging 8.3 points and 3.2 rebounds. Titus, meanwhile, is the only freshman not seeing significant playing time. Hunter is averaging 7.7 points and a team-high 7.2 rebounds despite playing just 22 minutes per game.
The arrival of Wayne Ellington, William Graves, Ty Lawson, Alex Stepheson, Deon Thompson and Brandan Wright at Chapel Hill was met with equally high expectations for Williams and the Tar Heels (4-1). Wright has been the best of the bunch so far, averaging 16.6 points and 7.4 rebounds while shooting 61.8 percent, with Ellington (12.2 points per game) and Lawson (10.6 ppg) also averaging in double figures as the three follow the lead of sophomore forward Tyler Hansbrough, who is averaging team highs of 20.6 points and 8.8 rebounds.
Williams has been exasperated at times, though, with his team's inconsistent play. After a surprising loss to Gonzaga in the semifinals of the NIT Season Tip-Off, the veteran coach was still miffed at his team's sloppy play following Friday's 101-87 win over then-No. 22 Tennessee in the consolation game.
"I told them to go home and for Christmas ask for some brains," Williams said. "One of the parents heard me say that and said, `Good. That doesn't cost very much."'
The Tar Heels shot 57.4 percent from the field, but also committed a season-high 26 turnovers and 23 personal fouls and allowed the Volunteers to make 15 3-pointers.
"It's still really early and I've got a really young team, "Williams said. "Two freshmen, two sophomores and one senior start. It's a work in progress and I've got a lot of talent to work with."
Hansbrough bounced back from a poor outing in Friday's consolation contest, finishing with 27 points, nine rebounds and six assists. He was held to nine points in the loss to Gonzaga, just the second time in 36 collegiate games he failed to reach double digits.
North Carolina is just 2-5 all-time in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge and lost 68-64 last season to Illinois in a rematch of the 2005 NCAA tournament title game won by the Tar Heels.
The Tar Heels have won seven of nine all-time games against the Buckeyes. This is the first game between the schools since an 81-68 North Carolina win Dec. 18, 1993.
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Buckeyes challenge Tar Heels
Robbi Pickeral, Staff Writer
CHAPEL HILL - North Carolina coach Roy Williams said he never thought the NBA would pass a rule requiring its players to be 19 and a year removed from high school, so he only recruited high school star Greg Oden "a little bit."Can you imagine if Williams had snagged him, too?
Even with Ohio State's 7-footer sidelined while rehabilitating his right wrist, tonight's ACC-Big Ten Challenge, pitting the No. 3 Buckeyes (6-0) at No. 7 UNC (4-1), will feature one of the largest collections of rookie talent on any floor this season.
Without Oden, Ohio State's second-ranked recruiting class has thrived thanks to the scoring of wing guard Daequan Cook and the assists of point guard Mike Conley. Only UNC's six-man class, which includes starters Brandan Wright and Wayne Ellington, was rated higher by recruiting experts.
Credit that NBA rule, which went into effect last summer, with guaranteeing that the likes of Oden and Wright would be playing in college this season.
"The NBA restriction, I think definitely makes a game like this more possible," Buckeyes coach Thad Matta said. "... And I think it helps college basketball."
Not only because of the added talent, but the added drama.
Once the recruiting rankings were released, both Matta and Williams predicted their teams would be matched up for the made-for-ESPN event.
After all, many of the freshmen facing off tonight have either teamed together or competed against each other before. UNC point guard Ty Lawson, Ellington and Wright teamed with Conley and Oden in the McDonald's All-American Game. Meanwhile, Lawson said he has known Cook -- who played for the opposing team in the McDonald's game -- since he was in the eighth grade.
"It's going to be tough competition on the court tomorrow, but afterwards, when we see them at Nike camp or something like that, somebody will have bragging rights afterwards, talking about who did what," Lawson said. "That makes it even more fun."
The only thing missing will be Oden, a two-time national high school player of the year who had wrist surgery last June. He is expected to make his college debut in early January.
Williams, who considers the Indiana big man one of the best prospects he's ever seen -- up there with Patrick Ewing, Alonzo Mourning and Ralph Sampson, he said -- sat down with Oden and his mom during the recruiting process and also watched him play a couple of times during Oden's junior year.
But the coach knew Oden widely was considered a No. 1 draft pick out of high school, and he was skeptical the NBA would would set an age requirement.
"At the same time, we were in a position where we had to have some size," Williams said. "And if we go out and spend all our time on Greg and don't get him or the rule doesn't change or something. ...
"[So] we chose to recruit the heck out of the other guys that we thought we would have a better chance of getting, and we thought would have a better chance of going to college."
Meanwhile, Matta said Oden always told him that he planned to go to college -- NBA rule or no NBA rule.
"People questioned when we took a guy like Greg, 'Why would you take him for one year?' And I said, 'Well, I don't want to play against him for that one year.' "
THOMAS OUT: UNC reserve point guard Quentin Thomas will be sidelined three to four weeks with a stress fracture in his left foot; he will be in a cast for the next 10 days, Williams said.
Meanwhile, starting point guard Bobby Frasor has a sore right foot but will play.
Buckeyes challenge Tar Heels
Robbi Pickeral, Staff Writer
CHAPEL HILL - North Carolina coach Roy Williams said he never thought the NBA would pass a rule requiring its players to be 19 and a year removed from high school, so he only recruited high school star Greg Oden "a little bit."Can you imagine if Williams had snagged him, too?
Even with Ohio State's 7-footer sidelined while rehabilitating his right wrist, tonight's ACC-Big Ten Challenge, pitting the No. 3 Buckeyes (6-0) at No. 7 UNC (4-1), will feature one of the largest collections of rookie talent on any floor this season.
Without Oden, Ohio State's second-ranked recruiting class has thrived thanks to the scoring of wing guard Daequan Cook and the assists of point guard Mike Conley. Only UNC's six-man class, which includes starters Brandan Wright and Wayne Ellington, was rated higher by recruiting experts.
Credit that NBA rule, which went into effect last summer, with guaranteeing that the likes of Oden and Wright would be playing in college this season.
"The NBA restriction, I think definitely makes a game like this more possible," Buckeyes coach Thad Matta said. "... And I think it helps college basketball."
Not only because of the added talent, but the added drama.
Once the recruiting rankings were released, both Matta and Williams predicted their teams would be matched up for the made-for-ESPN event.
After all, many of the freshmen facing off tonight have either teamed together or competed against each other before. UNC point guard Ty Lawson, Ellington and Wright teamed with Conley and Oden in the McDonald's All-American Game. Meanwhile, Lawson said he has known Cook -- who played for the opposing team in the McDonald's game -- since he was in the eighth grade.
"It's going to be tough competition on the court tomorrow, but afterwards, when we see them at Nike camp or something like that, somebody will have bragging rights afterwards, talking about who did what," Lawson said. "That makes it even more fun."
The only thing missing will be Oden, a two-time national high school player of the year who had wrist surgery last June. He is expected to make his college debut in early January.
Williams, who considers the Indiana big man one of the best prospects he's ever seen -- up there with Patrick Ewing, Alonzo Mourning and Ralph Sampson, he said -- sat down with Oden and his mom during the recruiting process and also watched him play a couple of times during Oden's junior year.
But the coach knew Oden widely was considered a No. 1 draft pick out of high school, and he was skeptical the NBA would would set an age requirement.
"At the same time, we were in a position where we had to have some size," Williams said. "And if we go out and spend all our time on Greg and don't get him or the rule doesn't change or something. ...
"[So] we chose to recruit the heck out of the other guys that we thought we would have a better chance of getting, and we thought would have a better chance of going to college."
Meanwhile, Matta said Oden always told him that he planned to go to college -- NBA rule or no NBA rule.
"People questioned when we took a guy like Greg, 'Why would you take him for one year?' And I said, 'Well, I don't want to play against him for that one year.' "
THOMAS OUT: UNC reserve point guard Quentin Thomas will be sidelined three to four weeks with a stress fracture in his left foot; he will be in a cast for the next 10 days, Williams said.
Meanwhile, starting point guard Bobby Frasor has a sore right foot but will play.
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