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#17 Ohio State 69 ,#9 Illinois 53 (Final)

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buckeyeinfla said:
down goes MSU...tomorrow's game just got even bigger!!
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Yes it did indeed. We could be playing for the #1 tie - or possibly the lead with Iowa's upcomming schedule in min. The Hawks still have to go and play Indy in Bloomington, then MSU, at Minny, and at Illinois. No way do they stay #1 or undefeated after those games.

This Bib Ten parity is actually helping us this year.
 
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Bestbuck36 said:
So what state are you from again!???
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I actually live in Columbus and I'm on campus about 4 days a week.

It's just ridiculous that the basketball team is about to play its biggest game in years tomorrow and 4 posts into the thread about the game, someone has already put a football angle on the game...Don't get me wrong, I am as big of a Buckeye football fan as anyone, but we have a basketball team playing here that is 17-3 and the only thing that is apparently good for is helping recruiting for the football team...That was before anyone even mentioned the fact that w/ a win:

-Ohio State could find themselves in the top 10 after the road win vs. Michigan
-Would dramatically improve their seed in the NCAA tourney
-Have a very good chance to win the Big 10 regular season title
 
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Don't get me wrong, I am as big of a Buckeye football fan as anyone, but we have a basketball team playing here that is 17-3
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I understand your frustration about the BB team being overlooked and honestly its to be expected, but with that said, with Matta in control of the program I expect BB to get more exposure and reach more people on campus. It takes time to change the atmosphere around the program.
 
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it is just a mind set..Florida fights it also..the label of a football
school and all..i love the way this team plays this year and would love nothing more than to see Sully, Dials, Sly and Foster go out with a
Big Ten title and a nice run in the dance..esp. the way they handled last year as they played their guts out knowing they wouldn't be going...i hope the tomb..errrr...Schott wakes the F up tomorrow and gives this team its due..
 
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Link

2/11/06

Are the underdog Illini seeking revenge at OSU?

By Jeff Mason


Sat, Feb 11, 2006


Next year is expected to be a big one for the Ohio State Buckeyes.

After upsetting the Illinois Fighting Illini to finish the 2005 regular season, ending the Illini’s 29-game win streak, OSU got commitments from high school star Greg Oden, his teammate Mike Conley and top rated swingman Daequan Cook. Their presence on next year’s team has experts predicting big things from the Buckeyes in the future.

But Ohio State’s surprising play this season has cooled both immediate thoughts of the future and reflections on the past. Illinois is also trying to rid itself of the latter.

“I think it’s more about our season this year,” senior forward James Augustine told the Belleville News Democrat. “Last year is in the past. We don’t really think about it too much.

“If we go (to Ohio State) not ready to play basketball ... We’re more focused on this week – coming off a loss, coming off a bye week and staying in the race for the Big Ten championship.”

That race includes the Buckeyes, who stormed out of the gate with 11 straight wins. They now sit 17-3 straight up, 9-5-1 against the spread and tied with the Illini, among others, in a tight race for the Big Ten title.

“This is uncharted waters for these guys,” OSU coach Thad Matta told the Dayton Daily News. “We haven’t had a lot of guys who have been in this situation before. I tell them, ‘Enjoy the ride.’

“People get caught up in the end result in January, but it’s not about that. You have to enjoy the journey.”

The journey continues Sunday with a home date against Illinois as a 3 ½-point favorite. It’s certainly a journey the Illini have been on before. They won eight straight games after last year’s defeat in Columbus before ultimately falling to North Carolina in the national championship game.

Illinois entered this season with plenty of questions and just two starters from last season’s team. Those questions haven’t fully been answered.

Illinois has looked unbeatable in many of its 20 wins, but its resume includes a 15-point loss at Iowa and a 1-point loss at 19 ½-point underdogs in their last game – at home to Penn State – all the way back on Feb. 4.

Now rested, reeling and eager, do the Illini – even though they won’t admit it – have revenge on their minds?

“I don’t know if revenge is the end-all reason to play this game,” says Covers Expert Larry Ness, “But I don’t think there’s any doubt they’ll be focused on the game. Sometimes people overstate revenge as a reason to play a game, but in the right spot, it can provide some value.”

Covers Expert Ted Sevransky employs a similar approach. While he feels revenge can at times be a useful handicapping tool, this game may not be the ideal spot.

“These are two top notch teams playing an important game,” says Sevransky. “I don’t know if one team will have an emotional advantage over the other.
“If you’re looking for any advantage for the Illini, I like that they’ve had a week to prepare and enter off a loss to a team they should have beat. It may provide them with some extra motivation.”
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This should be a great match-up. All season, I've felt that our perimeter play was key. We have limitations on the interior, but:

1) A strong perimeter offense (1st half against Michigan) can open up the interior as the opposition adjusts (2nd half against Michigan).

2) A strong perimeter defense can protect the post play by denying easy entry passes, allowing the opposition "bigs" to operate at will.

I like the evolution of our offense. When the outside shots are falling, we have the three pointers, drive and dump to Dials and drive-penetration shots by Foster, Butler and Lewis. We get the occasional baseline drives by Sullinger and Sylvester.

Like other posters, I hope the Schott is loud and enthusiastic tomorrow. We need to create emotion, not count on the team to fire us up.
 
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