#2 Ohio State 85, Minnesota 67 (Final)

[Mike80]

I still am not certain if I like TM's substitution pattern. It seemed like we were on a pretty good roll in the first half when he did his usual substitutions. I don't think the guys were tired and I think they could have extended the lead a little more before he substituted. I am still uncertain as to whether he is trying to keep guys happy or not. I don't like him substituting for Oden if he is not winded or is in foul trouble. When he is not on the floor, we are an entirely different team and I think we get out of the habit of not going through him when he comes back in.

When you are playing this many freshmen, it's important to keep them fresh this late into the season....I think that may be driving his sub patterns more than anything, especially when OSU has a lead.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

Since both Ohio State and Florida now have 3 losses and Florida beat us (pretty bad) earlier in the season, I will be surprised if we are ranked #1 when the new polls come out.

Folks here should now by now that that's not how polls operate. While I agree we don't deserve the #1 spot, keep in mind that when we got our asses handed to us at Florida, we played them dead even for over a half and had just got our "real" lineup back. We were essentially a brand new team playing against a totally intact defending national champion on their floor.

 

[PlanetFrnd]

Folks here should now by now that that's not how polls operate. While I agree we don't deserve the #1 spot, keep in mind that when we got our asses handed to us at Florida, we played them dead even for over a half and had just got our "real" lineup back. We were essentially a brand new team playing against a totally intact defending national champion on their floor.

I agree with that point.

But why couldn't Wisconsin be #1? Don't they have a better claim than tOSU and the same argument as Florida (i.e. beating tOSU).

I'd always love to see the Bucks on top, but a few more weeks of not being #1 might be healthy for the team too. Just saying...

 

[ScriptOhio]

Folks here should now by now that that's not how polls operate. While I agree we don't deserve the #1 spot, keep in mind that when we got our asses handed to us at Florida, we played them dead even for over a half and had just got our "real" lineup back. We were essentially a brand new team playing against a totally intact defending national champion on their floor.

Looks like you could be right:

Buckeyes poised to claim No. 1 ranking

MINNEAPOLIS - The last time Ohio State was No. 1 in the AP men's basketball poll, John Havlicek, Jerry Lucas and a sub named Bob Knight were leading the Buckeyes to the NCAA championship game. That was 45 years ago, but after Greg Oden and No. 2 Ohio State breezed to an 85-67 victory over Minnesota on Sunday, Hondo and the General might finally have some company.

Oden had 19 points nine rebounds and two blocks, Ron Lewis scored 16 points and Mike Conley Jr. finished with 10 assists and five steals for Ohio State, which is looking for its first No. 1 ranking since 1962.
"Right now it doesn't mean as much as it would at the end of March in the tournament," Conley said. "Regardless of what ranking we are ? 1, 2, 3, 4 ? it doesn't matter to us. We're trying to get better as a team and hopefully make a run."

Fifth-ranked UCLA (23-3) also could make the jump to No. 1 after soundly beating No. 19 Arizona 81-66 on Saturday.
Being ranked No. 1 heading into selection day would give Ohio State the inside track on the top seed in the St. Louis bracket. Coach Thad Matta was asked after the game about the advantages of staying close to home as opposed to being seeded in, say, the Meadowlands.
"You just named sites and I didn't even know there were sites," Matta said. "Maybe it's superstitious of me, but if we start thinking about a seeding, my mind is not on this team and getting better."

Entire article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070218/ap_on_sp_co_ga_su/bkc_t25_ohio_st_minnesota_2

 

[Taosman]

We are over rated at this point.
But, what does it matter if it gives us a advantage?

 

[crazybuckfan40]

We finally didnt fall asleep for that long period of time and actually put a team away.

I know Matta said in his press conference that hopefully we don't need a loss for the wakeup call and the PSU game woudl do the trick. Well it looks like it did pretty good, but the measuring stick is still next weekend. If we go thru this next week unscathed we might deserve that #1 ranking, but until then I don't see it.

I believe it was litlbuck that said he would like to see Lewis off the bench after the PSU game and I disagreed, said that it would mess up chemistry, well it looks like Lewis took it in stride today, and played one of his best games all season. Some guys are just not meant to start and if he can bring that leadership and experience off the bench I am all for playing him off the bench.

Also it was great to really just about everyone play great today. We still took some dumb shots, but not too many, and we locked down on the defensive end in the second half...

 

[ScriptOhio]

We are over rated at this point.
But, what does it matter if it gives us a advantage?

I think the perception that we might be over rated comes from the fact that there really isn't a clear dominate #1 team like there has been in most years past. There are several teams with 3 or 4 losses (Florida, Ohio State, Wisconsin, UCLA, Pittsburgh, North Carolina, Texas A&M, Kansas, Memphis, and Washington State, etc.) who are all fairly close in ability and could probably beat anyone of the other teams on a given night. Somebody has to be #1 so it might as well be us.

 

[MaxBuck]

I think the perception that we might be over rated comes from the fact that there really isn't a clear dominate #1 team like there has been in most years past. There are several teams with 3 or 4 losses (Florida, Ohio State, Wisconsin, UCLA, Pittsburgh, North Carolina, Texas A&M, Kansas, Memphis, and Washington State, etc.) who are all fairly close in ability and could probably beat anyone of the other teams on a given night. Somebody has to be #1 so it might as well be us.

I agree that there is not one single dominant #1 team. With that being said, I still see tOSU, Florida, North Carolina and UCLA as heing head and shoulders above the other teams you mention.

And yes, that includes Bucky the Badger.

 

[Jaxbuck]

I've been clamoring for them to come out and destroy an inferior team, to not let up once they opened up a lead and to play hard for 40 minutes. Well they finally did it and on the road to boot. I'm not going to nitpick about the opponent, this is all about our teams mental toughness and its a step in the right direction at just the right time of the year imo.

Now, go do it twice in a row and we may have a trend.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

I agree that there is not one single dominant #1 team. With that being said, I still see tOSU, Florida, North Carolina and UCLA as heing head and shoulders above the other teams you mention.

And yes, that includes Bucky the Badger.

Sorry, but I don't see us as "head and shoulders" above a team with a markedly better record than us and who beat us in our only meeting (which, by the way, is our most recent loss).

 

[BuckeyeTillIDie]

I don't agree that Ohio State is overrated. I think it's a young team that is probably just now really finding its stride.

I disagree that we are head and shoulders above Wisconsin. Wiscy is a really good basketball team, and I believe that they and OSU are about even. We'll find out next weekend when we play Wiscy again how much progress we have made. Should be a great game, I can't wait.

 

[OH10]

I agree that there is not one single dominant #1 team. With that being said, I still see tOSU, Florida, North Carolina and UCLA as heing head and shoulders above the other teams you mention.

And yes, that includes Bucky the Badger.

We'll see next Sunday. I'm not buying that Ohio State can beat a solid team like Wisconsin until I see it.

 

[crazybuckfan40]

One thing that I am hoping to see a little more of is when Oden gets the ball in the post and is either to far off the block or doesnt have good position for him to pass out and repost and then get better position or hit an open guy for a 3.

We need to start playing inside out a little more and then we can get cuts to the basket when Oden gets the ball and they send a double team.

This will all come with experience, I just hope that it comes to some extent b4 the season is over and Oden is all but out the door...

 

[Mike80]

This will all come with experience, I just hope that it comes to some extent b4 the season is over and Oden is all but out the door...

Actually the one I'm most sure of leaving early is Cook, especially if he has a good stretch in the Big 10 Tourney and in the NCAAs.

Oden might go, but everything he's shown so far is that he's a different type of guy, one that **MIGHT** stay for another year.

 

[OSU_Buckguy]

Actually the one I'm most sure of leaving early is Cook, especially if he has a good stretch in the Big 10 Tourney and in the NCAAs.

cpd

"You want to enjoy college," Cook said Tuesday. "It'll be a year or two more. There's a lot I have to work on, especially getting bigger and stronger and getting more mature on both ends."

bucknuts

Freshman guard Daequan Cook told the Cleveland Plain Dealer earlier in the week that he is also planning on returning for at least one more season of college ball.

"Yeah," Cook confirmed on Friday. "That's how I always felt. It wasn't that I wasn't coming back next year, it was just all the time and the hard work that I've put in was going to decide whether I was going to stay or not."