2015-2016 Ohio State Men's Basketball (Official Thread)

[MaxBuck]

For all the naysaying about the talent on this team, there sure looks like a lot of skill to me. It needs time to come together, for sure, but there's the potential still to finish in the top half of the B1G and more league wins than losses. Certainly helps to have two games against Rutgers.

I don't recall a single season of Buckeye hoop since the 1980s in which I felt like we had as much big-man capability as we do this season. A bit more time for the frontcourt to gel and we could have a pretty good squad by tournament time. Don't see the NCAA happening with 13+ losses, but NIT is a definite possibility.

 

[Systems_id]

I never thought the team was as bad as their 5-5 record indicated and today proved it. People will say that this Kentucky team is garbage but I still think UK is a Top 10 team, but that's mostly because the field is mediocre as fuck this year. Outside of Sparty no team looks all that dominant. These young Bucks are still going to drive us nuts but this is going to be a team that no one wants any part of at the end of the year once they start to gel. I also have to say that I'm a big, big fan of the tough OOC scheduling even though it can result in some ugly losses like the one at UCONN. Gives the team confidence that they can hang with anyone in the country, which will be huge going forward.

 

[Bestbuck36]

The problem is, now we have seen the talent put together like we all hoped it would be. If they poop the bed after this, we have proof that they are much better than said pooping.

That said, I can't wait to see how Mitchell meshes with the team on the court. There are guys showing where they belong on the court, such as Harris and the bigs. If guys really learn their roles and embrace them, they have a pretty high ceiling imo.

 

[LitlBuck]

That's about the nicest possible way of saying that this is the least talented Buckeye team of the Matta era and they're going to lose a lot of games. There probably aren't any future pros on the team but maybe with a lot of work one or two of them might manage to become "serviceable."

Lot of lipstick on that pig.

You might want to ask John Cal about the Ohio State team and its athleticism.

 

[Hetuck]

You might want to ask John Cal about the Ohio State team and its athleticism.

Is that why you think OSU won? Because they had better athletes?

 

[Jake]

For all the naysaying about the talent on this team, there sure looks like a lot of skill to me. It needs time to come together, for sure, but there's the potential still to finish in the top half of the B1G and more league wins than losses. Certainly helps to have two games against Rutgers.

I don't recall a single season of Buckeye hoop since the 1980s in which I felt like we had as much big-man capability as we do this season. A bit more time for the frontcourt to gel and we could have a pretty good squad by tournament time. Don't see the NCAA happening with 13+ losses, but NIT is a definite possibility.

I hadn't noticed much naysaying about the talent level. I think it was obvious to most sensible people. The problem has been sloppy play, which I attribute to youth and inexperience. I just hope some fans don't suddenly expect the team that showed up against Kentucky to be the norm, or better, each game now. I expect we'll still see some growing pains along the way this season.

 

[Jake]

Is that why you think OSU won? Because they had better athletes?

I think he's saying this team is more talented than Calipari, and you, gave them credit for before the UK game.

 

[Buckeye737]

I hadn't noticed much naysaying about the talent level. I think it was obvious to most sensible people. The problem has been sloppy play, which I attribute to youth and inexperience. I just hope some fans don't suddenly expect the team that showed up against Kentucky to be the norm, or better, each game now. I expect we'll still see some growing pains along the way this season.

This. They'll still probably have a few bad losses this year, and there will probably be at least one big win in the conference over an MSU/MD/Purdue. It's going to be interesting to see how things go against the Minnesota & Illinois level teams of the BIG.

 

[Hetuck]

I think he's saying this team is more talented than Calipari, and you, gave them credit for before the UK game.

I think the game was won because OSU was motivated and because they got hot shooting the ball in the first half. That coupled with what I think was an overconfident UK team that didn't take them seriously gave the Bucks confidence and that was huge. It's a good thing they didn't give up the lead late in the game because I'm not sure if they could have recovered. Recent Buckeye teams haven't more often than not.

The Bucks had a stretch in the first half where everything was going in. Maybe things have suddenly changed and that's the new normal. If so I'll eat my hat. But chances are they won't have another half of shooting like that. This was a huge confidence boost and step forward in terms of finding an identity. Let's wait and see what happens the next time shots aren't falling and they're getting the other team's best game before we get too excited.

 

[jwinslow]

I think the game was won because OSU was motivated and because they got hot shooting the ball in the first half. That coupled with what I think was an overconfident UK team that didn't take them seriously gave the Bucks confidence and that was huge. It's a good thing they didn't give up the lead late in the game because I'm not sure if they could have recovered. Recent Buckeye teams haven't more often than not.

The Bucks had a stretch in the first half where everything was going in. Maybe things have suddenly changed and that's the new normal. If so I'll eat my hat. But chances are they won't have another half of shooting like that. This was a huge confidence boost and step forward in terms of finding an identity. Let's wait and see what happens the next time shots aren't falling and they're getting the other team's best game before we get too excited.

You could enjoy the terrific performance and just admit that you were way off with your pig slop minutes beforehand. No one is asking you to crown them. They are simply handing you your well deserved crow.

Or you could stick with denying that the crow exists at all.

 

[Hetuck]

You could enjoy the terrific performance and just admit that you were way off with your pig slop minutes beforehand. No one is asking you to crown them. They are simply handing you your well deserved crow.

Or you could stick with denying that the crow exists at all.

"Crow" for what? Go back and read what Kellogg said. I stand by my analysis.

When you look at the reality, and objectively look at it, forget about Ohio State being what they've been in the past. Look at this season and this group for who they and what they are, you have to be able to temper your expectations if you're gonna deal in reality. The reality is this team is a notch or two below based on youth and talent right now than teams in the past, so that means they're gonna have different struggles. You want to see progress, and you want to see guys continue to stay together and compete, not get blown out or embarrassed.

You don't see that as a nice way of saying this team isn't very good and that you're going to have to look beyond the w/l record in order to see progress? Just not getting blown out or it embarrassed is a goal. He's not talking about this team competing for a championship.

Maybe they will. I still think they won't. I still think they're probably bound for a middle-of-the-pack finish in the B1G and the NIT. Time will tell. I'm less worried about them finishing at the bottom of the conference, though, so the UK game brightened my outlook some. Sorry if I don't think it suddenly means they're a top 10 team.

 

[Mike80]

Just enjoy the goddamn win....

 

[jwinslow]

"Crow" for what? Go back and read what Kellogg said. I stand by my analysis.



You don't see that as a nice way of saying this team isn't very good and that you're going to have to look beyond the w/l record in order to see progress? Just not getting blown out or it embarrassed is a goal. He's not talking about this team competing for a championship.

Maybe they will. I still think they won't. I still think they're probably bound for a middle-of-the-pack finish in the B1G and the NIT. Time will tell. I'm less worried about them finishing at the bottom of the conference, though, so the UK game brightened my outlook some. Sorry if I don't think it suddenly means they're a top 10 team.

You said they were the worst team in years (edit: mixing my meltdown posts) and that with tons of work a few might be serviceable. Closed out with a classless line about putting lipstick on the pig that is the team. Then they went out and put on an absolute show against the most star studded program in the country.

I made it crystal clear that I don't want you to crown them. I want you to own your extreme words and how offbase they were less than 30 minutes after they were spewed.

But hey, if you want to keep on making sure we realize how bad this team is after a performance like that, I guess there's not much that can be said to convince you how sad that is.

Your outlook was pig slop and mockery during the warmup for a tremendous performance. That's why you're getting called out, for what you're now barely admitting was an outlook that has been revised.

 

[Bestbuck36]

Actually if you really look at it, the only "bad" loss at this point is Memphis. Should have had that game 100%. Really could have won them all except UCONN which is silver lining I guess. We've played a lot of teams that would make the tournament in a lot of years. The parody in college hoops right now is ridiculous so who knows what it is going to take to get into the dance. Win tonight at Mercer and it'll be a good direction they are heading.

Crazy huh, Mercer is probably a decent win! LaTech, UTArlington, UVA and UCONN are probably all tournament teams. A win away from home against the probably SEC champion Kentucky is definitely a quality win. BiG is going to be brutal but the boys could grow and gut out some wins along the way and make this season more positive than negative.

 

[LitlBuck]

Actually if you really look at it, the only "bad" loss at this point is Memphis. Should have had that game 100%. Really could have won them all except UCONN which is silver lining I guess. We've played a lot of teams that would make the tournament in a lot of years. The parody in college hoops right now is ridiculous so who knows what it is going to take to get into the dance. Win tonight at Mercer and it'll be a good direction they are heading.

Crazy huh, Mercer is probably a decent win! LaTech, UTArlington, UVA and UCONN are probably all tournament teams. A win away from home against the probably SEC champion Kentucky is definitely a quality win. BiG is going to be brutal but the boys could grow and gut out some wins along the way and make this season more positive than negative.

Thoroughly agree but I did not like losing at home to Louisiana Tech and UT-Arlington. Should have never lost at home to those two but they will be in the tournament. Virginia and Connecticut are very good teams.