2012-13 Men's Basketball (B1G Tourney Champs, NCAA Elite Eight)

[Oh8ch]

The question wasn't whether Thompson could, or even would, improve. I think he will. The question was why the love for Q, and it's because he has been a proven scorer at every level he's played until now.

Defense wins championships - assuming you also can put the ball in the hole every now and then. And it's true that a high-scoring team with no D can't be champions.

For the record, I think Sam Thompson is one of the better freshman defenders I've seen in scarlet and gray. Great athleticism, great attitude, great effort.

The MOP of the Final Four was 1 of 10 in the championship game (not that Thompson is the next Davis - just sayin').

 

[billmac91]

The MOP of the Final Four was 1 of 10 in the championship game (not that Thompson is the next Davis - just sayin').

The line-up of Craft, Smith Jr., and Thompson in the backcourt has offensive ineptitude written all over it.

It isn't so much that Ross is that much better than Thompson, it's just the lack of scoring ability from the perimeter you out on the court when you start those three together.

Anthony Davis certainly benefitted from guys like MKG, Terrence Jones, Teague, and Doran Lamb who could all put the ball in the bucket.

You start Thompson with Smith and Craft and you just have major issues. Q has the ability to create from the top of the key as well as stretch defenses with his shot.

By the way, Sam Thompsons high school field % is a lot different than Q's. Sam had the ability to abuse high school players and take them to the hole for easy dunks and lay-ups. Q floated in high school like he did in camps and will at Ohio State. The 54% from Q came from the outside as much as anywhere else on the court. I'd argue his shooting % is more impressive for that reason...Q can score in a lot more ways than Sam can provide.

 

[BuckTwenty]

The line-up of Craft, Smith Jr., and Thompson in the backcourt has offensive ineptitude written all over it.

...but defensively very solid. Would be one of the best defensive backcourts in the country next year. Add Q in there as is instead of Thompson, you've got a problem other teams are going to exploit the shit out of, unless Q really starts working on his D and gets good at it.

Matta doesn't just hand out starting nods because it might upset someone if they don't start. Argue all you want about Q being a starter instead of Thompson, but its all moot if Q doesn't work his ass off this off-season. If he's not willing to, he's better off transferring or leaving for the NBA/Europe this off-season.

 

[neilmj]

It'll be weird to see how the rotation works out. If I had a choice for our lineup I would say, Craft, Scott (Assuming an offensive improvement), Ross, DT, Amir. And that would put Smith on the bench! The problem is Scott, Thompson, Ross, and Smith are kind of all interchangeable. I mean they all do different things but depending on what type of game Thad wants to run, any combination of those guys should be in the 2/3 position. Actually I don't know what I want, I can agree with putting out these two starting lineups and they're completely different:
Craft, Smith, Thompson, DT, Ravenel.
Craft, Scott, Ross, DT, Amir.
I hope the saying "when you have 2 quarterbacks, you don't have any" doesn't apply to starting lineups for basketball. Hopefully it just means we'll have a solid 8 or so man rotation.

 

[Bill Lucas]

Unless Lenzells Smith, Jr suffers an injury he will be a starter...period. Scott will come off the bench.

I see 7-8 guys getting significant minutes next year. Thomas and Craft will play huge minutes just as they did this year.

Thomas has stated that he wants to take the year to prepare himself to play the 3 spot. If this is what happens I see a 4 around 1 offense in the works because Ross and Thompson aren't playing the 4.

 

[korchiki]

Could see a starting line up of...

Craft
Smith Jr.
Thompson
Thomas
Williams

Also look for Ross to play big time minutes as the scorer that Matta loves to bring off the bench as a spark. Would expect Ross to get 20-25 minutes/game in that role. This would be similar to the role Thomas played his freshmen year and Miller played for UK last year.

Would also love to see us use our athleticism more. Specifically to full court press and sprinkle in an um-tempo offense with Scott, Smith Jr., Thompson, Ross, and Thomas/Craft depending on the opposing line up.

 

[Onebuckfan]

Could see a starting line up of...

Craft
Smith Jr.
Thompson
Thomas
Williams

Also look for Ross to play big time minutes as the scorer that Matta loves to bring off the bench as a spark. Would expect Ross to get 20-25 minutes/game in that role. This would be similar to the role Thomas played his freshmen year and Miller played for UK last year.

Would also love to see us use our athleticism more. Specifically to full court press and sprinkle in an um-tempo offense with Scott, Smith Jr., Thompson, Ross, and Thomas/Craft depending on the opposing line up.

This is the way I see it ..If Ross works his a-- off I still don't see him starting over Thompson. Matta is old-school he won't kick Smith to the curb either. That being said Scott and Ross can earn significant minutes.

 

[Buckskin86]

Alex Kline ‏ @TheRecruitScoop

Drexel, Hofstra, Iona, Auburn, Cincinnati, Ohio State, Syracuse & others are looking at former Loyola Marymount signee Tobe Okafor, he says.

http://www.boards2go.com/boards/board.cgi?user=Mabee

http://recruitsnationwide.com/meet-loyola-marymount-commit-tobe-okafor/

 

[OHSportsFan]

Bring on the Dookies!

Ohio State vs. Duke again

Ohio State and Duke will meet for the second consecutive year in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge, it was announced today by ESPN, which televises the event on its family of networks.

The game will be Nov. 28, a Wednesday, at Cameron Indoor Stadium, where the Buckeyes have not played previously. The tipoff time and network carrying the game will be announced later.

The complete lineup of games:

Nov. 27
North Carolina at Indiana
North Carolina State at Michigan
Minnesota at Florida State
Maryland at Northwestern
Iowa at Virginia Tech
Nebraska at Wake Forest

Nov. 28
Ohio State at Duke
Virginia at No. 22 Wisconsin
Michigan State at Miami
Purdue at Clemson
Georgia Tech at Illinois
Boston College at Penn State

 

[LitlBuck]

Duke at their place

Bring it on Dookies :tongue2:

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The 14th annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge Presented by DICK?S Sporting Goods will be played on Nov. 27-28.

Ohio State's Buckeyes will viist the Duke Blue Devils on Wednesday, Nov. 28.

The Ohio State-Duke game, with the Nov. 27 North Carolina at Indiana and North Carolina State at Michigan games, feature six programs expected to be highly ranked entering the 2012-13 season.

more
http://www.cleveland.com/ohio-sports-blog/index.ssf/2012/05/ohio_state_buckeyes_basketball_18.html

 

[MaxBuck]

No place better to see a college basketball game than Cameron Indoor Stadium. It'll be good to see the Buckeyes hand defeat to the Blue Devils on their home court.

 

[korchiki]

Just saw this...

1. Ohio State and Marquette are in negotiations to play on a naval ship in Charleston, S.C., on or around Veteran’s Day, according to multiple sources familiar with their scheduling. The game would be organized by Morale Entertainment, the same group that set up the USS Carl Vinson game on 11-11-11 between North Carolina and Michigan State. Ohio State’s other marquee games are at Duke in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge, while also hosting Kansas in a return game. Marquette is in the Maui Invitational with North Carolina, Texas, Butler, Illinois, Mississippi State, USC and host Chaminade. The Golden Eagles are waiting to see who they will play in the SEC-Big East Challenge. But they have games against LSU in a return situation, host rival Wisconsin, and are at Green Bay in what overall should be the toughest nonconference slate under Buzz Williams.

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/59424/3-point-shot-another-naval-ship-game

 

[colobuck79]

I would like to see us play more of these tough non-conference games on the road and on neutral sites. These types of games seem to toughen up Izzo's teams every year come tourney time.

 

[LitlBuck]

Both the Men's and Women's team on aircraft

The Ohio State men?s and women?s basketball teams plan to open their seasons on the same night and at the same site ? the deck of a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier in Charleston, S.C.

A contract has been signed for the women?s team to play Notre Dame on Nov. 9 in the Carrier Classic, according to Mike Whalen, founder and managing partner of the nonprofit Morale Entertainment Foundation, the event promoter.

An agreement to match the Ohio State men the same night against Marquette, also on the deck of the USS Yorktown, is close to being completed, said Miechelle Willis, an executive associate athletic director at Ohio State who oversees both basketball programs.

?Our legal counsel has the contract and is looking over it. I?m pretty confident it?s a go,? she said.
​

The games will be televised by ESPN networks, Willis added. ESPN.com first reported yesterday that Ohio State and Marquette were negotiating to play the game.

The Carrier Classic made its debut last season when the Michigan State and North Carolina men squared off aboard the USS Carl Vinson in San Diego. This will be the first such women?s game promoted by Morale Entertainment, which conducts overseas tours for American armed forces.

more
http://www.buckeyextra.com/content/stories/2012/05/26/buckeyes-are-tapped-for-games-on-carrier.html

 

[neilmj]

Hopefully that game has tickets available to the public!