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#15 Michigan State 62, #16 Ohio State 59 (final, 2OT)

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bucknuts44820 said:
A win today will put the rest of the Big Ten on notice that we are for real and a contender for the league crown.

:oh: :io:
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Very true. I think a win today puts us right around 10 in the polls.

I hope those that are going got plenty of rest last night, let's fucking rock that place out today. I want it to be the loudest that the Schott has ever been. I don't see why it won't be.
 
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1/15/06

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Ohio State facing week of reckoning
Spartans, Badgers good measuring stick for Buckeyes’ growth

Sunday, January 15, 2006

Bob Baptist
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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Only one player on the Ohio State men’s basketball team knows how it feels to beat Michigan State.

Matt Sylvester was on the floor three years ago in the United Center in Chicago when Charles Bass banked in a free throw with 6.1 seconds left — "Charles Bass, off the glass" — to give the Buckeyes a one-point upset of the Spartans in the Big Ten tournament.

Other than that one precious moment, though, Sylvester has experienced nothing but disappointment against the Spartans. As have his teammates. No wins in the Breslin Center since 1992. No wins in Value City Arena since 2001.

"This (team) and Wisconsin have kind of been the ones that have eluded me my whole career," said Sylvester, whose only win against the Badgers also came in the 2003 Big Ten tournament.

Coincidentally, Michigan State and Wisconsin are up next on Ohio State’s schedule — the Spartans today and the Badgers on Wednesday. Both games are in Value City Arena, where Ohio State is 9-0 this season, and Sylvester, for one, is looking forward to them.

"If the game comes down to five seconds left," he said with a smile, "I hope I have the ball."

Sylvester made the winning shot against LSU with 5.5 seconds remaining two weeks ago. He also made the shot with 5.1 seconds left that upset No. 1-ranked and previously unbeaten Illinois last March.

The win over the Fighting Illini sparked new excitement in the OSU program. Coach Thad Matta poured gas on it with a spectacular off-season of recruiting. The Buckeyes (12-1, 2-1) have justified the optimism with their start to the season. The home games against Michigan State and Wisconsin, both on national television, are opportunities for the program to take another step in its climb back to prominence.

"I don’t know that people doubt that we are a contender this year, or that we’re for real," Sylvester said. "But these are two games that would really in a way put us on the map as far as the national rankings and the Big Ten. It would put us in a position to really get going and take the season in the right direction."

Ohio State is ranked No. 19. Michigan State (13-4, 1-2) is No. 14. Wisconsin (14-2, 4-0) is No. 21.

While Ohio State has endured three seasons without an NCAA Tournament trip and a year and a half of an NCAA investigation since sharing the Big Ten championship in 2002, Michigan State and Wisconsin have remained among the nation’s elite. The Spartans reached the Final Four last season for the fourth time in seven years. Wisconsin made it to the final eight.

What Michigan State has accomplished in the past decade is "the bar for hopefully what we can do here at Ohio State," Matta said.

Publicly, Matta has played down the broad significance of the next two games because he does not want his players making more of them than any other game. "You don’t want to put all your eggs in one basket this week and say, ‘Hey, this is (going to) make or break our season,’ " he said.

Behind the scenes, though, Matta has circled today’s game on the calendar. As many as a dozen blue-chip prospects in the next three OSU recruiting classes — some signed, some committed, some still being wooed — plan to attend. They include 2006 signees Greg Oden, Mike Conley, Daequan Cook and David Lighty, underclass commitments Jon Diebler, B.J. Mullens and Walter Offutt and 2007 targets Kosta Koufos and Dallas Lauderdale.

Value City Arena is expected to be sold out for the first time since the Illinois game. Cook watched that game from behind the OSU bench. When he committed a few weeks later, he said the fans swarming the court in celebration after the game influenced his decision.

Cook was the first recruiting domino to fall. Lighty, Conley and the much-coveted Oden, rated the best high-school player in the country, soon followed.

Matta said he hopes the arena rocks again today.

"Our fans have been tremendous so far this year," he said, "and make no mistake about it, we’re going to need all (of them) to help us pull this off."
A win over Michigan State, he meant. Whatever edge he might also gain in recruiting, he’ll take that, too.

[email protected]
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Looking at the lineup we matchup very well with MSU.

Dials >= Davis
Syl = Trannon (both have their stregths and weaknesses.
Sully <= Brown
Foster = Ager
Butler >= Neitzel

This game is going to come down to who stays out of foul trouble and which bench can come in and put up some pts.
 
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Michigan State aims for first Big Ten road win at Ohio State

 No. 15 Michigan St (13-4) at No. 16 Ohio St (12-1) 4:30 pm EST

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Ticker) -- Seemingly back on track after a slow start to Big Ten Conference play, No. 15 Michigan State attempts for a first league road victory when it meets Ohio State on Sunday.

One of the favorites to claim the conference crown, the Spartans rebounded from an 0-2 start in Big Ten action with Wednesday's 87-73 victory over No. 8 Indiana.

Maurice Ager scored 28 points and Paul Davis added 23 and 10 rebounds for Michigan State, which is playing its fourth straight ranked opponent to start league play.

Davis' return to form was critical for the Spartans. During their two-game slide, the 6-11 senior scored just 14 total points on a combined 4-of-15 shooting. He entered Big Ten play leading the conference with a 19.9 scoring average but had just two in an 82-63 loss at then-No. 24 Wisconsin on January 8.

While Michigan State was able to handle Indiana, Ohio State was not and its 81-79 loss to the Hoosiers on January 7 stands in the way of a perfect start.

The Buckeyes were able to rebound from that setback by posting an 80-64 victory over Purdue on Wednesday. J.J. Sullinger scored 17 points, Terence Dials added 13 and Je'Kel Foster had 10 and a career high-tying six steals.

The Spartans have won 18 of the last 21 meetings with the Buckeyes to claim a 58-46 series advantage.
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1/15/04

Walton, Izzo glad to see Buckeyes return to prominence

Sunday, January 15, 2006

By Steve Grinczel

EAST LANSING -- A resurgent Ohio State basketball team is just what Michigan State doesn't need on the schedule at this point.

The 14th-ranked Spartans (13-4, 1-2 Big Ten) know they can't afford a third loss so early in conference play, and beating the Buckeyes at the Value City Arena in Columbus today at 4:30 p.m. (CBS) won't be easy.

And yet, from freshman backup point guard Travis Walton to head coach Tom Izzo, the Spartans are pleased to see another powerhouse forming in the Big Ten under second-year Ohio State coach Thad Matta.

"That's great because it's bringing the Big Ten up (in national stature)," said Walton, an Ohio native. "It lets people know that we're a better league than people think. That makes it tougher for us, but that's why I came here -- to play the good teams and (get) the exposure."

Izzo has long considered Ohio State to be a plum coaching job because it's the only major university in a talent-rich state and has outstanding facilities. But, the Buckeyes have been the league's most up-and-down team since 1995-96.

Ohio State finished in the lower division six times, and were dead last with a 1-15 record in '98, during that 10-year span. But, they ended up third or higher four times while winning league championships in 2000 and '02.

Matta debuted with an 8-8 record and sixth-place finish last season, and No. 19 Ohio State (12-1, 2-1) has turned heads this season.

And with the No. 1-ranked high school prospect -- 7-foot Greg Oden of Indianapolis Lawrence North -- ushering in one of the nation's best recruiting classes next season, the Buckeyes could become another consistent force along with Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and MSU.

"With that recruiting class, I don't think there's any question it should be a great rivalry," Izzo said. "It's only three hours away and brings a lot of good things with it. But the only way it's a good rivalry is if both teams are doing well."

Izzo recalled how Ohio State and Michigan being dominant in Ten football wasn't necessarily good for the conference as a whole.

"I'm so sick of everybody recruiting against this conference (in basketball) and if the Big Ten has good teams, that's fine with me," Izzo said. "We've got to win our games, there's no question about that. But I don't want to play in a Big Two, Little Eight league.

"I want to play in league where every game's going to be competitive. That's what we've got and the strong will survive."

Michigan State's suspect perimeter defense will be challenged by Buckeye senior guard Je'Kel Foster, who leads the Big Ten in 3-point baskets (2.7 per game) and steals (2.6) while averaging 15.2 points per game.

And, the Spartans' porous low-post defense will be challenged by 6-foot-9 senior center Terence Dials, who's injury-free for the first time in his career and averages 14.5 points and seven rebounds per game.

Walton, the former Northwest Ohio Player of the Year, considered going to Ohio State until his final season at Lima High.

"They were real big on me until my junior year, and after that, not really," Walton said. "I actually rooted for Ohio State and my dad was an Ohio State fan. But this is a big-time program so I elected to go (to MSU) and I love it."

Walton wouldn't speculate how things might have been different had he been asked to be a part of the Buckeye resurgence and wasn't making his first game against Ohio State personal even though he may guard former Lima teammate Jamar Butler.

"It's mostly a team thing, and we're going for a win," he said
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1/15/06

Spartans' abilities, track record awe, inspire Matta

12-1 Ohio State to host 13-4 Michigan State today

By Doug Harris
Dayton Daily News

COLUMBUS | Second-year Ohio State coach Thad Matta can only shake his head in wonder at Michigan State's propensity for collecting Final Four berths.

The Spartans have reached college-basketball utopia four times in the last seven years — Duke with three appearances and North Carolina, Maryland, Kansas and UConn with two each are the only other schools to make multiple trips in that span — while also capturing the 2000 national championship.

"Four in seven years," Matta said before letting out an audible sigh, "sheesh, that's unbelievable.

"What they've been able to do over the years in building that program, they've kind of set the bar, hopefully, for what we want to do here at Ohio State."

The 19th-ranked Buckeyes (12-1, 2-1) should be able to gauge their progress toward those lofty objectives this week during games against a pair of Big Ten titans.

They host No. 15 MSU (13-4, 1-2), the preseason conference favorite, at 4:30 p.m. today before a national CBS-TV audience in sold-out Value City Arena and then entertain perennial contender Wisconsin (13-2, 3-0) at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday on ESPN2.

Aside from upsets over the Spartans and Badgers in the 2003 Big Ten tournament, the Buckeyes haven't beaten either team in the regular season in five years. But Matta is keeping the big picture in view while trying to end the 12-game slide.

"I don't ever put a ton of stock in one game," he said. "Where we are is, we're trying to establish this program. We're bringing in two of the premier college basketball teams, and these games are very important. But I don't want to put all my eggs in one basket this week and say it's going to make or break our season. We're just striving to get better."

Senior forward Matt Sylvester, though, doesn't share Matta's perspective. While the overachieving Buckeyes have become one of the surprise stories of the season — they even merited a few pages in Sports Illustrated last week —he knows the team ultimately will be measured by how it fares against marquee programs.

"I don't think people doubted that we'd be a contender, but we know these two games could put us on the map in the national rankings," Sylvester said.

"It would be unbelievable to get a win over these guys (today). ... The place will be packed, and it'll be a big one — for me at least."

The Buckeyes are bidding for their first NCAA tourney appearance in four years, and they've racked up RPI-building wins over St. Joseph's, LSU, Iowa State and Virginia Tech through tenacious defense, sizzling 3-point shooting (43.5 percent) and a deep enough bench to field almost two equally competitive starting fives.

Although they have much of the same cast that produced a 20-12 record and a win over No. 1 Illinois last year, the Buckeyes have exceeded even Matta's expectations.

"I didn't know we'd be sitting 12-1 — that's a little bit of a surprise," he said. "I thought we'd go through growing pains early. I think last year we went through that and weren't ready to win the early games. These guys, to their credit, have laid it on the line every time we've stepped on the court."

Contact Doug Harris at (937) 225-2125.
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I woke up about an hour ago with a screaming hangover, so no game preview from me this time. But then, I don't think we really need one this time. As important as the Indiana game was, this one trumps it easily. We win, and we're a legit top ten squad. We lose...well, screw that. We're not going to lose. Dials must contain Davis, and we cannot let their fourth and fifth options (Trannon and Neitzel) score on us. If, er, when we shut those guys down one-on-one and focus on disrupting Ager and Brown, we're golden. Anyway, yeah. It'll be a nice win for us.
 
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