2009-2010 Men's Basketball (Big Ten Regular Season and Tournament Champions)

[DZ83CK]

The new style is whatever guard/wing gets the defensive rebound takes it upcourt and starts the break - we'll see how true to that they stay, but if that's what they do, then ET won't be bringing the ball upcourt all the time, just when taking it out of bounds. And of course Hill is going to get his share of PT, and he'll certainly take some of the weight off ET when he's out there.

I'll be interested in seeing how they allocate minutes to Simmons and Offutt. Given that Hill is going to play quite a bit, there might only be room for 1 more guard to get decent minutes. Maybe it'll depend on the game, I don't know, but Matta has some options with the bench. I think all three of Hill, Simmons and Offutt will be able to put some points on the board this season - with Hill and Offutt being able to score significantly more than last year - so I wouldn't say that there would be no offense coming off the bench from those 3 guys. OSU will have guards that can score coming off the bench no matter who starts.

 

[LitlBuck]

My Opinion...

Turner is not a pg. He is our best player, he needs to be the guy with the ball in his hands the most, he needs to be our point forward, playing off the bounce, creating for teammates, much like LBJ in Cleveland...I have said it many times...

The reason Matta would put Turner at the PG is to get our 5 best players on the floor...But bringing a guy like Buford or Diebler off the bench is not a horrible thing IMO...Brings scoring off the bench in a big way, probably about 10pts or so...
.

I understand where you're coming from but I don't think that Turner has to bring the ball up the court all of the time even against pressure. There are ways to get around that and leaving Buford or JD on the bench is not a good idea because they bring too much scoring ability to the table. With more guys being able to play the fresher the guys will be no matter who is playing those four positions.

 

[buckeydoptimist]

I understand where you're coming from but I don't think that Turner has to bring the ball up the court all of the time even against pressure. There are ways to get around that and leaving Buford or JD on the bench is not a good idea because they bring too much scoring ability to the table. With more guys being able to play the fresher the guys will be no matter who is playing those four positions.

+1 You make some great points here Litl!

I do wonder how they are going to get what looks to be seven viable Gs all enough PT, even in a 4G lineup. You have to think that the starting guys ( Lighty, Buford, Diebler, Turner ) will all get 30+ minutes. That only leaves around 30-35 tops for Hill, Simmons, Offutt and PFs Madsen and Kecman ( who should play some once his knee heals a bit more ) to fight over. Even if you relegate the PFs to the bench ( and have ET back up Lighty at the 4 ), you still have 3 guards and not a lot of PT left to go around. Either Hill/Simmons/Offutt play a lot less than many think, or someone is going to be squeezed out of PT somewhere.

 

[Buckskin86]

Men's basketball: Ohio State will play Walsh in exhibition game Nov. 4
Wednesday, September 9, 2009

The Ohio State men's basketball team will play an exhibition game against Walsh University on Nov. 4 in Value City Arena. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

It is likely the only exhibition the Buckeyes will play before the start of the regular season Nov. 9 against Alcorn State in the 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer.

BuckeyeXtra - The Columbus Dispatch : Men's basketball: Ohio State will play Walsh in exhibition game Nov. 4

 

[Buckskin86]

Men's Basketball Buckeyes Spend Time with Senior Citizens
Courtesy: OhioStateBuckeyes.com
Release: 09/28/2009

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Members of the Ohio State men's basketball team traveled to a LifeCare Alliance center in Columbus Friday to spend part of the day with senior citizens. While there, the players took a tour of the facility located on Harmon Ave., ate lunch in "Carrie's Caf?" and then played board games, video games, cornhole and swapped dance moves with the older set of Buckeye fans.

Some of the highlights of the day included the junior forward Dallas Lauderdale-led serenade to the tune of "My Girl," as well as the dance stylings of Lauderdale, junior guard David Lighty and senior guard P.J. Hill. Senior Danny Peters and sophomore William Buford played cards with a small group and everyone posed for photos and signed autographs until the last patron left smiling.

LifeCare Alliance, a program designed around "nourishing the human spirit," is the largest Meals on Wheels provider in central Ohio. The group currently prepares and delivers approximately 6,000 meals a day, 365 days a year for older adults, and the chronically ill or disabled residents in local counties. The Harmon Ave. location opened in 2008 and is a distribution center for the area, as well as the location for wellness programs and Carrie's Caf?, a public eating establishment.

Men's Basketball Buckeyes Spend Time with Senior Citizens - The Ohio State Buckeyes Official Athletics Site - OhioStateBuckeyes.com

Photo Gallery: Men's Basketball at LifeCare Alliance - The Ohio State Buckeyes Official Athletics Site - OhioStateBuckeyes.com

 

[Buckskin86]

My very early take on the Buckeyes

The blog UMHoops.com asked for some of my opinions on the 2009-10 team and I answered (while watching UMH's favorite baseball team die a slow death last night). No news flashes here for you loyal readers, really, just more of the same stuff I wrote in Canada.

Posted by Bob Baptist on October 7, 2009

My very early take on the Buckeyes (Hoops & Scoops: an OSU basketball blog)

Around the Big Ten ?09: Ohio State
PublishedbyDylan
on October 7, 2009

Bob Baptist is one of the best beat writers in the Big Ten. Baptist covers the Buckeyes for the Columbus Dispatch, on his blog Hoops & Scoops, as well as on his Twitter account. Baptist graciously agreed to answer some questions about this year?s Buckeyes team.

Ohio State had a mildly disappointing season last year in my opinion, although they were obviously limited by the David Lighty injury. What are the expectations in Columbus for the basketball team this year?

Very hard to gauge expectations at this point because all a vast majority of Buckeye fans care about right now is football. But I will those who stay attuned to hoops year-round are optimistic that Ohio State will be good enough and experienced enough to contend in a strong league. Michigan State and Purdue return a lot, but fans are eager to see what Ohio State can do with David Lighty back in the lineup. Biggest question on everyone?s mind is how the point and post positions will perform.

evan-turnerIn my mind, Evan Turner is the best player in the conference. But I am very curious to see how he adapts to playing the point guard position. I have no doubt that he can play it but I?m not sure it?s best for him or the Buckeyes. What are your thoughts on Turner playing the one?

All I can go off is what I saw during the three exhibition games in Canada, and the Buckeyes ran very little half-court offense there because they were rebounding and running at will most possessions. When they did run sets, Turner was giving up the ball quickly (24-second clock) and using screens to get it back at the end of the possession so he could finish. So I wouldn?t necessarily look for him to be breaking down his man to get in the lane if that man is a true point; not to initiate the offense, anyway. It may not be the best position for him, but it is best for the team. No one else in the starting five can play the position, and Jeremie Simmons and P.J. Hill aren?t 30-minute guys, either.

Around the Big Ten ‘09: Ohio State | UM Hoops.com

 

[LitlBuck]

he shot what, 42% from 3land last year? that being said on your statement i still dont see it. a good team, sure. a tough "out", sure. im just not convinced about the point or the post.

I know that there is a lack of experience at both of the positions that you mentioned but I think that Turner is going to play quite a bit at the PG which eliminates my concern there. I am also hearing some good things about P J and not just from 40 I think Dallas just has to rebound and play defense and we will be fine in the middle.

 

[Buckskin86]

ozone pics

The-Ozone, Ohio State Football, Basketball, Hockey, Baseball and More

 

[Buckskin86]

OSU lacks 7-foot phenoms, but still needs scoring from inside
Friday, October 16, 2009
Doug Lesmerises
Plain Dealer Reporter

Columbus- There were no 7-foot studs as the Ohio State men's basketball team posed for photographs and talked with reporters Thursday in advance of today's first official practice of the season. No Greg Oden, Kosta Koufos or B.J. Mullens - all 7-foot NBA first-round draft picks after their freshman seasons the past three years.

Just a guy with a broken finger (6-8 Dallas Lauderdale, Solon) and two transfers, one who hasn't played yet (7-foot Zisis Sarikopoulos) and a senior who has been around but earned little time (6-9 Kyle Madsen).

Expected to start no true point guard but four wing players capable of scoring in Evan Turner, David Lighty (Villa Angela-St. Joseph), William Buford and Jon Diebler, the Buckeyes don't need scouts to drool over their centers. But they need their big men to provide some kind of threat.

"We have a lot of guys who can score, so we've got to get them the ball," Madsen said. "But they will be locked on those guys, so we've got to have some guys inside that are going to put up some points and make people guard us."

According to their teammates, Madsen can do that with a baseline jumper he drains whenever he's open. Sarikopoulos is said to be a good passer from the post, which hasn't always been the case with some of the other recent big men.

"I try to create, whether that's scoring or passing the ball," Sarikopoulos said. "I want to know where everybody is."

OSU lacks 7-foot phenoms, but still needs scoring from inside - Cleveland.com

 

[Buckskin86]

Practice afterthoughts

I got my first look at practice and probably my last when the Agonis Club held its annual fund-raiser for the team tonight in the Schottenstein Center.

The first thing I noticed was the two guys standing courtside in street clothes. Walk-ons. When Dallas Lauderdale gets healthy and is back in the lineup, that will make 15 on the roster, good for three separate units in practice.

The newcomers are Dustin Reynolds of Bloomdale Elmwood, brother of former OSU women's basketball player DiDi Reynolds, and Eddie Days of Richmond Heights. Days is a nephew of former Linden, OSU and NBA standout Jim Cleamons.

Practice afterthoughts (Hoops & Scoops: an OSU basketball blog)

 

[LitlBuck]

Practice afterthoughts (Hoops & Scoops: an OSU basketball blog)

For you basketball junkies, this is a very good read about the first practice.

 

[Ttown]

15 days to this years opener against Walsh. GO BUCKS.

 

[OHSportsFan]

15 days to this years opener against Walsh. GO BUCKS.

 

[majorpayne27]

Practice afterthoughts (Hoops & Scoops: an OSU basketball blog)

Slightly troubling to hear Zisis is out of shape. With Dallas potentially out for the beginning of the year, we're probably going to need some minutes from him.

It will be nice to see some man-to-man this year. I still think we'll see the zone look for the majority of the time, but it's nice to have the option.

 

[Oh8ch]

Did somebody say -

MAN TO MAN DEFENSE!