#4 Florida 86, #3 Ohio State 60 (Final)

[OSU_Buckguy]

Though the outcome of this game is disappointing, it is far from unexpected.

i have to disagree. a 26-point loss is both disappointing and far from expected. sure, the loss is far from unexpected, but the type of loss undoubtedly is.

Reminder, what was Florida's record at one point last year in the SEC - just before their tournament? 5-6, in an 11-game stretch. How did they finish? Hoisting the trophy.

though true and comforting, no loss was by greater than 6 points.

This is not the end, it is not the beginning of the end, it is still very much the beginning for this team.

absolutely.

 

[crazybuckfan40]

My breakdown:

1.) The bitching about the refs does nothing...You have to expect to get the shaft on the road. It happens everywhere, and you just have to adjust and deal with it.

2.) The youth caught up with us today. We looked lost when they started hitting all their shots and ours werent falling.

3.) Upperclassmen??? Where have they gone? Lewis had a great game against UNC, dissapeared since. Butler while he looked more confident today than he has all season is still struggling some. Twig, why no minutes? Is he really that bad. I thought he would get some good pt playing at the 4 alongside Oden. Harris, while he started the season great can't hit the broadside of the barn, and is still a liability on defense. The 2 seniors and Twig were the ones that stepped up and played tremendously well against UNC on the road. We need them to show up in big games and to lead the freshmen. Hopefully Harris, Butler, and Lewis can find their stroke.

4.) Conley showed youth and great ability today. He forced some, but also made some great plays.

5.) I think the reason Cook isnt seeing the major minutes yet is his inability to guard on the defensive end. While it is better than it was, he still has a ways togo.

6.) Hunter, what happened today?

7.) Oden, struggled when he saw double teams as the guys were as big and strong as him. Him being limited in terms of passing, shooting played right into the hands of Florida today.

8.) Substitutions - This is the first time and probably one of the very few times that I will ever question Matta and his subsitutions, but it looked like Oden was going to fall over and for some reason he didnt sit him and bring some fresh legs in. I think once the momentum shifted towards UF we needed some fresh legs to stall the momentum, but we didnt get it. Hunter played poorly, but not very many minutes, Twig played the last 2 or 3 minutes, Lighty didnt see the court in the second half till 7 minutes to go.

9.) 3 point shooting - hopefully it comes back. We have deadly shooters and if we shoot well today we are right in that game.

10.) Learning experience - This game is only going to help us more than a 5-10 pt loss or even a win. The fact they got the shit kicked out of them should keep them grounded for the rest of the season, if they start to put some wins together and also show them they have a ton of shit to work on.

11.) Combinations - I still don't think Matta has found the right combinations to use on the floor. The scoring is nowhere near what it was b4 Oden came back and some guys are struggling compared to where they were at early in the season. The only person that has been consistent is Conley. Everyone else has had their ups and downs.

12.) Defense - I saved this one for last. This is becoming a concern of mine, I think that it will be corrected sooner rather than later, but just an overview of what I have seen. We have 2 very very good on ball defenders in Lighty and Butler and Conley is pretty damn good himself. Then we have 1 great shot blocker and 1 very good shot blocker in Oden and Hunter. The thing that I dont like is how easy good teams are scoring against us. UNC while without Oden put up 90+ and Florida was in the 80's. I realize that UF shot the damn shit out of the ball, but was that due to being open, not contested enough or just due to lucky shooting day for them? The reason I think it will be corrected sooner rather than later is b/c Thad will not stand for it.

13.) Overall it was pretty sad game to watch after the 17 minute mark in the second half, but it is December and a beat down was not a bad thing, and could honestly turn into a very good thing for us. UF had the crowd, got about every bounce and roll of the ball, and shot damn good.

 

[OSU_Buckguy]

8.) Substitutions - This is the first time and probably one of the very few times that I will ever question Matta and his subsitutions, but it looked like Oden was going to fall over and for some reason he didnt sit him and bring some fresh legs in.

i feel like i'm beating a dead horse here, but anyway... greg should not be extended to the 3-point line on defense. heck, greg has been extending himself paces past the arc. it's not as though this is something that matta doesn't want. coach has stated that he wants greg to be tenacious in this regard, and greg's been covering high picks since his first game. the only time that this was called for was against iowa state. the guy he was guarding in that game could hit the three. otherwise, extending greg that far out wears him down, invites fouls, weakens the post, and creates mismatches/imbalances. i just don't get it.

 

[crazybuckfan40]

i feel like i'm beating a dead horse here, but anyway... greg should not be extended to the 3-point line on defense. heck, greg has been extending himself paces past the arc. it's not as though this is something that matta doesn't want. coach has stated that he wants greg to be tenacious in this regard, and greg's been covering high picks since his first game. the only time that this was called for was against iowa state. the guy he was guarding in that game could hit the three. otherwise, extending greg that far out wears him down, invites fouls, weakens the post, and creates mismatches/imbalances. i just don't get it.

THe fact is that Matta wants full out pressure and always will. Greg is capable of playing out there and he is going to have be there to hedge on the screens. or else the guy coming off of them is going to get open looks. The only way to limit him strictly to the paint is zone which Matta doesnt like to play.

 

[Best Buckeye]

Though the outcome of this game is disappointing, it is far from unexpected.

Florida came in as the reigning champs, carrying with them pretty much everyone from the championship team of March 2006.

Ohio State came in with a high ranking based largely on the promise of Oden and the rest of the Thad Five.

Florida showed why they won last year, and why they will play a significant role this year. Ohio State showed that a freshman heavy team has a good deal to learn. They have a season in which to do that if noise is what they wish to make in the NCAA tourney.

The Gators made a great case for grabbing the #3 or better ranking, Ohio State will drop, probably top 10, perhaps worse. Does it matter though, at this time in the season? No!

If this were football this game would have end-of-season written all over it. Basketball has a playoff (the type of crutch Meyer wants to borrow) and an early loss does not kill a season, it merely steels the team for later contests. Reminder, what was Florida's record at one point last year in the SEC - just before their tournament? 5-6, in an 11-game stretch. How did they finish? Hoisting the trophy.

This is not the end, it is not the beginning of the end, it is still very much the beginning for this team.

This post is almost everything that I would have said. As I stated earlier, we would have our mettle tested, Oden would have to play against talented players as big as he is, and we would have to play as a team. Florida won on experience and teamwork. Oden not being 100% in game condition hurt too
We have a long way to go. We can do this.
I am still expecting you to go a long way Buckeyes!

 

[OSU_Buckguy]

THe fact is that Matta wants full out pressure and always will. Greg is capable of playing out there and he is going to have be there to hedge on the screens. or else the guy coming off of them is going to get open looks. The only way to limit him strictly to the paint is zone which Matta doesnt like to play.

full-out pressure is one thing. pressure unnecessarily stretched beyond the arc that then creates defensive imbalance is another. sure, greg has to come up to keep the player rolling off the pick from getting an open look or drive; however, there is a difference between stepping out to stall the screen and having both players attempt to collapse on the ball, which has too often resulted in wide open shots and defenders scrambling to account for the undefended player.

i don't doubt that greg is capable of playing out there. what has yet to be seen is whether the other players can cover the resulting open shooter.

 

[akronbuck]

Just when I thought I disliked everything related to the Gators...

Well, her and Taz are cool...

I got a great idea after the GATORS GET KILLED BY OSU ON JAN 8TH.
OSU TRADES OUR MALE CHEERLEADERS FOR THESE TRUE CHEERLEADERS

 

[akronbuck]

Don't know if anyone noticed, but during the shot of Urban Meyer talking to someone in the crowd, you could make out that it was Cris Carter with whom he was chatting. Just a couple quick shots of his face...announcers didn't notice.

BINGO. I posted that to. At least we have PITTMANS VISION.:)

 

[dingyibvs]

You guys don't need to be too stressed about this game. Florida gave similar beatings to every team they played in the NCAA tournament last year except one, including the championship game. When the Gators are at or near full strength and are clicking, they're almost unstoppable. Part of the reason we lost the 2 games this year and went 5-6 last year in an 11 game stretch last year was because we weren't near our full strength. Brewer was basically out for both of the 2 games we lost this year(high fever in one, sat out another), and that 5-6 stretch had, incidentally, Brewer out as well and Humphrey out for a while too. They were completely healthy for the SEC and the NCAA tournament, and you saw what happened.

 

[OSU_Buckguy]

we don't need to be stressed because other teams have been beaten as badly? go to hell.

 

[BUCKYLE]

You guys don't need to be too stressed about this game. Florida gave similar beatings to every team they played in the NCAA tournament last year except one, including the championship game. When the Gators are at or near full strength and are clicking, they're almost unstoppable. Part of the reason we lost the 2 games this year and went 5-6 last year in an 11 game stretch last year was because we weren't near our full strength. Brewer was basically out for both of the 2 games we lost this year(high fever in one, sat out another), and that 5-6 stretch had, incidentally, Brewer out as well and Humphrey out for a while too. They were completely healthy for the SEC and the NCAA tournament, and you saw what happened.

Quit talking shit.

 

[Jeffcat]

I am....

Urban works the refs like no other coach in the country...

See last years game against Iowa. Worst officiated game ever.

i dunno last year was the worst officiated bowl season ever. id put the UCF and michigan-nebraska bowl game as worse officiated games but yes the iowa-fla game was horrific as well.

 

[Steve19]

full-out pressure is one thing. pressure unnecessarily stretched beyond the arc that then creates defensive imbalance is another. sure, greg has to come up to keep the player rolling off the pick from getting an open look or drive; however, there is a difference between stepping out to stall the screen and having both players attempt to collapse on the ball, which has too often resulted in wide open shots and defenders scrambling to account for the undefended player.

i don't doubt that greg is capable of playing out there. what has yet to be seen is whether the other players can cover the resulting open shooter.

Jimmy DeFlippo-US PRESSWIRE

Thank goodness, at least, that the game was fairly officiated and Oden wasn't getting hacked or anything.

 

[OSU_Buckguy]

i'm not sure what i've posted and what you've quoted have to do with the picture and your comment. yes, the officiating was poor, but it had virtually nothing to do with the loss. a margin of 26 negates officiating as being a valid excuse... not that i'm stating that you or anyone else here has stated that officiating was the cause of the loss.

 

[Steve19]

I just hope that Troy and Co. heard the "over-rated - just like football" chants.