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- Thread starter ScriptOhio
- Start date
They didn't do what they really wanted to this season but they definitely didn't embarrass themselves and fought their asses off. Villanova is a great team and just played better.
Really wish EJ could have gotten more recognition for what he's accomplished here and he gets remembered well in the future.
Really wish EJ could have gotten more recognition for what he's accomplished here and he gets remembered well in the future.
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
What was great about the season?
Anyone who followed the Buckeyes this year knows that two players stood out: E.J. Liddell and Malaki Branham. Liddell was third-team All American on several of the lists and made first-team All-Big Ten. Branham was Freshman of the Year in the conference and was third team All-Big Ten.
Liddell started all 32 of the Buckeye games and led the team in most categories: scoring with a 19.4 points average, rebounding with 7.9 per game, and blocked shots with 83 (Key was second with 24). Liddell shot 49% overall and 37.4% from three-point range. He was consistently good throughout the year and improved considerably on his 2020-21 stats.
Malaki Branham didn’t start in the opening game against Akron and scored only seven points. He did start against Niagara in the second game of the season – and all of the rest of them. Branham’s development as a player was a joy to watch. He ended up averaging 13.7 points per game (16.3 in Big Ten-play) and shot at nearly 50% (49.8), including 41.6% from beyond the arc.
No one else on the Buckeye squad, besides Liddell and Branham, averaged in double figures. Early in the season, I complained that Liddell couldn’t win championships by himself. Someone had to step up. Branham did. And then we found out that Liddell and Branham couldn’t win championships alone.
Conclusion
This Buckeye team fell short of not only our dreams, but our expectations. Injuries and cancellations are beyond anyone’s control, and they hurt Ohio State more than they hurt most teams. But if, in the end, you have only two players to boast about and struggle in both the frontcourt and the backcourt, you’re in trouble. Next year’s another season. We’ll see who’s back and we’ll see whether the four top-100 recruits live up to their billing.
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calibuck
Too soon old, too late smart
Well, there's always next year. One can always judge in hindsight, so believe Holtmann and whomever is still left on his staff, need to be more selective on who they take from the portal. Saying that, everyone that was picked up did well, but only at certain times, not always. Maybe that's why they were in the portal in the first place, um? Believe we lose at least seven to eligibility or NBA, eight if Malichi goes pro. Bring in what, five-six, so there's one or two schollies available. More if the two hurt forwards hang it up. Cannot really count on the freshmen being contributors, at least before January, so will need someone to replace KY, EJ, and a slasher like Malichi (probably). Actually, am more interested in who Holtmann picks to fill the two assistant slots that are available. Recruiters, or X's and O's type. Here's hoping that the Buckeyes can be 'in the hunt' next year. Go Bucks!
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buckeyeintn
Legend
In the hunt? We deserve to be in the hunt at a minimum every year, Sweet 16 every year, B1G champs 2 out of 3 years, Elite 8 every other year, Final Four every third year, and National Champs every 4th year. WE DESERVE THAT AND SHOULD SETTLE FOR NOTHING LESS. We should fire Holtmann and keep firing coaches until we find one that gives us that (in other words, be prepared to fire the coach every other year). With our resources we should accept nothing less. (I'll stop my rant now).
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cincibuck
You kids stay off my lawn!
Kentucky. Duke, UNC, and Kansas all do it. Now, do you want to change OSU's focus from football to basketball? That seems to me to be the answer to their success - a long history of basketball being king and football being something to fill the time between the end of the NCAAs and the first tip-off of the next season. Bear Bryant led Kentucky to their only SEC football championship and was rewarded with a gold watch. At the same Awards Dinner, Rupp, who had a good season, drove off in a brand new Caddilac. Bear got the message and took off for Texas A&M.
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buckeyeintn
Legend
Actually not even Kentucky, Duke, UNC and Kansas come close to the bar I set for every year achievement. No one does. It is an intentionally ridiculous bar. Yet some on this board seem to think it is where tOSU should be (even though we have never been there before). Some post as though winning in that manner is something we deserve. Something we have a right to expect. We don't. No one does (not even the blue bloods).
Sorry if I wasn't clear that my post was meant as sarcasm (where's that sarcasm font when you need it?)
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The Buckeyes should try like hell to emulate the 89-91 Runnin Rebels. There won't be any expectations of a Larry Johnson for the roster but there could definitely be one of each of the other starters for that squad but they have to be willing to sell out every minute of every game to play Defense like their lives depended on it. The "Amoeba Defense" by those Rebels was a thing of beauty and it started all the runnin they did. They also had plenty of talent on the perimeter that could shoot but it has to be secondary to the defense. You can be in every single game playing great defense.
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calibuck
Too soon old, too late smart
Don't disagree with the D part of bball. Most of the players that are signed to D-1 powerhouses come in as the top score on their team and/or leagues. It takes a single-mindedness to become a defensive stopper. AND sacrificing some offensive output along the way. Not certain many of the players want that, as noted earlier, their "O" gets them into the league, not their "D". EJ happened to be both, which endeared him to Buckeye Nation. Malichi has the "O", but didn't see much D. KY more of a D player, with some spots of great O. Since I'm an old guy, I'll reference tOSU's one and only John 'Hondo" Havlicek. He performed as a stopper on the other team's scorer, and got 8-10 points a game. However, someone saw something in him, and the Celtics drafted him, and lo and behold, Hondo became what, the tenth (?) all-time scorer in the NBA (am certain his place has dropped, but I'm making a point here). Hard to do. What plays in the college scenario, may in fact not play well at the pro level. In football, O wins games, D wins championships. Except in football, each side of the ball are specialists, and unlike basketball, are not expected to play both sides of the ball. Go Bucks!
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