2010-2011 Men's Basketball (Outright Big Ten & BTT Champs)

[osubusman]

i was unaware that people think of him only as a recruiter... Thad is a great coach, plain and simple - the doubters should take note of his halftime adjustments tonight...

 

[OSU_Buckguy]

i was unaware that people think of him only as a recruiter...

even some of our own "fans" think that.

 

[GeorgiaBuck2]

While recruiting certainly helps a program, it takes great coaching to develop that talent into a team based machine atop of the rankings year after year. Thad has shown that he is all of this and more. He also doesn't cheat, like some other coaches that I know of.

 

[Bill Lucas]

The man has never won less than 20 games as a head coach. You don't achieve that by just recruiting.

 

[Dryden]

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/18160/sullinger-buckeyes-make-a-statement

Sullinger, Buckeyes make a statement
By Andy Katz

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Evan Turner had prepared Jared Sullinger for what was to come at Ohio State.

He publicly said at the NBA draft that the Buckeyes would have a Big Ten freshman of the year and even possibly a Big Ten player of the year. He didn't hesitate to say that even without him -- last season's national player of the year -- the Buckeyes could be a better team.

Privately, according to Sullinger, he was prepping OSU's highly touted forward on how to handle his stardom.

"He helped me manage everything," said Sullinger, who noted he has known Turner for a while, even though he never played with him. "He told me about how to deal with the hype, the local celebrity stuff and to understand who I am and what I have to do to be successful in the game of basketball."

Sullinger said Turner's words were direct: listen to coach Thad Matta.

"He's been there, he's coached in a national championship and had a whole bunch of NBA basketball players," Sullinger said.

Turner knows of what he speaks.

Cont'd ...

 

[BuckTwenty]

Haven't gotten on the BBall forums recently, but wanted to come on here and give a shout out Gene Smith and his decision to move the students around. The house was louder than usual for a sub par opponent in NC A&T. The students really help create the atmosphere that has been lacking. The Big Ten season should be insane.

Disagree. The students showed up in full-force, which was a HUGE change for a non-conference game (where it was common last year to see 20-40 students out of 1,400 show up to a game), but after the first TV timeout in the first half, they were unorganized in their chants and weren't vocal.

We still don't have a home court advantage at the Schott. There wasn't an atmosphere at that game. It's a full Block O, which is AWESOME, but same old, same old outside of that.

NOW just have to get the rest of the seats in that arena filled. That part is a marketing problem that oughta get resolved.

 

[dragurd]

Disagree. The students showed up in full-force, which was a HUGE change for a non-conference game (where it was common last year to see 20-40 students out of 1,400 show up to a game), but after the first TV timeout in the first half, they were unorganized in their chants and weren't vocal.

We still don't have a home court advantage at the Schott. There wasn't an atmosphere at that game. It's a full Block O, which is AWESOME, but same old, same old outside of that.

NOW just have to get the rest of the seats in that arena filled. That part is a marketing problem that oughta get resolved.

This point I don't get. Maybe it's just me and why I avoided Block O like the plague while at OSU but I have never had any aspirations to be a cheerleader with organized chants and choreographed routines. As a fan you should be loud but honestly most student section choreographed chants are pretty bad.

 

[Dryden]

This point I don't get. Maybe it's just me and why I avoided Block O like the plague while at OSU but I have never had any aspirations to be a cheerleader with organized chants and choreographed routines. As a fan you should be loud but honestly most student section choreographed chants are pretty bad.

Then it's the students' job to make them 'not bad.' It may seem silly, but intimidating student sections can certainly effect the outcome of a basketball game. If the Cameron Crazies are good for altering the trajectory of just one free throw per game, they may single-handedly give Duke a win a year.

That's not insignificant.

 

[dragurd]

I would say the noise is more distracting then any specific cheer though unless you you have someone who is pretty thin skinned you are playing against.

 

[Dryden]

I would say the noise is more distracting then any specific cheer though unless you you have someone who is pretty thin skinned you are playing against.

I'm just saying, if an "airball" chant causes the opponents' stud three-point marksman to miss just one shot, that 3-point swing could be a win or a loss. That win could mean a tourny cut, or the difference between a 5-seed and a 4, which is huge.

I'm sure Coach K isn't sitting around thinking, "Man, our students are way too obnoxious. How can we quiet them down and make them more polite and gracious for our opponents?"

 

[Oh8ch]

NOW just have to get the rest of the seats in that arena filled. That part is a marketing problem that oughta get resolved.

I wish it were that easily fixed. The problem is the design of the facility - not the marketing.

Andy Geiger's one big mistake.

 

[Buckskin86]

Craft, Sullinger Shine vs. Gators, Make Ohio State National Contenders
By Brandon Castel

They aren?t supposed to be able to tune out a hostile crowd or break a tough full-court press like it didn?t exist.

They aren?t supposed to grab double-digit rebounds or throw down monstrous two-handed dunks against a trio of senior forwards.

They aren?t supposed to be this good this early, unless of course they are this good.

It?s only the beginning for Ohio State freshmen Jared Sullinger and Aaron Craft, but already they have the 4th-ranked Buckeyes looking like true national contenders after just two games.

?I think Ohio State has a better chance of being a better team this year than they did a year ago,? Florida coach Billy Donovan said.

?Evan Turner is a great player, was the player of the year in the country, and they won 29 games and did a great job, but when you have that kind of player you become a little more one-dimensional. They're a complete team who probably has chance to do a little bit more this season because there's going to be more balance to their team.?

http://www.the-ozone.net/hoops/10-11Mens/Florida/gamer_alt.html

 

[Padraig]

I got to see the guys play for the first time this year last night:


Man! I like Aaron Craft! Did not expect that this early and in that type of environment.

Buford & Diebler still don't seem to create their own shot as much as I'd like, but I don't think it's paramount on this team for us to still be really good. Craft can beat his man.....Lighty is obviously the slash & score master, and Sully can beat double teams & still score.

When Sullinger learns to pass (better) out of his double teams to a slashing man or kick it to the open shooter, we're going to be silly good on offense.

Defense will improve as the players become more comfortable with each other. We have too much length, athleticism and depth for Matta to not turn that side of the ball into a big strength.

Great win last night for the good guys!

:osu:

 

[Dryden]

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/18171/already-a-reassessment-of-osu-uf

Already a reassessment of OSU, Florida?
By Doug Gottlieb

After an 18-point road win against a top-10 team, THE Ohio State may be THE team to beat in the Big Ten. Yes, I know, I have been hyping Illinois the whole preseason. I am not totally jumping ship, but I just never expected Aaron Craft to be so ready to lead or for this team to be so cohesive so soon.

I saw Jared Sullinger in high school several times. Every AAU guy and college coach raved about how he was/is the real deal. Perfect big man, the anti-Renardo Sidney (big man who floats to shoot 3s). The Buckeyes team I saw tonight was a balanced, prepared, well-coached machine -- and one that has everything needed to win the national championship.

Every time Florida pressed it seemed, the Bucks broke it to score and got a layup, a 3-pointer (at times still too quick), or even a put back off the 3. Man, is the Big Ten going to be a war or what? I struggle to find a member of the Illini who can/will be able to handle Sully in the low block. And if you double, they have shooters to make you pay and Dallas Lauderdale to dunk a rebound on the weak side. Wow.

Look, Sully is a beast. And I mean that in a good way. It is the highest compliment you can give to a post. He has soft hands, a great set of moves and he can pass. William Buford, who was very selfish at times last year, played well at the point and David Lighty just looked like the game was in slow motion.

Cont'd ...

 

[Buckskin86]

Buckeyes don't miss a beat minus Turner
Jeff Goodman
Updated Nov 17, 2010

Ohio State is better without Evan Turner.

It sounds nuts, but hear me out. I?m not saying Thad Matta would be worse off if Turner, last year?s National Player of the Year, had opted to return to Columbus instead of departing a year early for the NBA.

However, I?ll take the swap of Turner and whoever else departed a year ago ? Walter Offutt, Jeremie Simmons, P.J. Hill, Kyle Madsen and even Mark Titus ? for a freshman class that includes Jared Sullinger, Aaron Craft and Deshaun Thomas.

That was clear on Tuesday night when the Buckeyes pulled away in the second half for an easy victory against Florida.

In Gainesville.

It was built up as the elite non-conference matchup in November.

Two top-10 teams.

But it wasn?t even a game after the break, as the Buckeyes made the Gators look like the NIT team they were the two seasons after the back-to-back national titles in 2006 and 2007.

"They?re a great team," Florida senior Chandler Parsons said after the 93-75 loss. "Really good."

Sullinger was dominant in his debut on the big stage with 26 points and 10 rebounds.

"He?s legit," Parsons added of the 6-foot-9, 280-pound big man. "He?s a monster."

http://msn.foxsports.com/collegebasketball/story/buckeyes-don't-miss-a-beat-minus-turner