#6 Tennessee +4.5 vs #2 tOSU (ov/un 134.5 ) Fri 7:07 ET, CBS

[Deety]

So I've watched Tennessee Basketball all season, since my GF loves them. Well first off, they are a poor foul shooting team. Probably the best one's are Chism, and Bobby Maze. Maze isn't one to take lightly, he can be lights out from the three and also bring the ball inside. J.P. Prince is one that isn't too good at the three, but he is good at defense and can steal the ball at the opportune time. He also makes alot of bad decisions. He throws the ball away out of bounds alot, tries to take over the game rather than play team ball, and tries to get into the other teams head. Scotty Hopson, he has range, but is very streaking. Can score alot, and is so so on defense. Brian Williams is a big guy, literally. He knows how to move people to get into position, but can get into foul trouble easy. Wayne Chism. The guy loses his head band tons of times, alright jokes aside, Best rebounder on the team. Gutsy on his three point shot he has developed, forces it alot of times, but has limited in his past two games. Not amazing under the rim shooting, or moving people under the rim. Can get to the foul line, and make them! Cameron Tatum, and Steven Pearl are their wild cards. Tatum for his offense, Pearl for his defense. Pearl is a great defensive man. Can collect charges, but isn't good at generating points. Cameron Tatum, great at 3 pointers, but is very streaky at making them. He can drive to the basket though. Isn't good at defenders. Lets the opposing team past him alot of times. All the other players I wouldn't worry about so much, they are mediocre at best. Kenny Hall is tall and pulls rebounds down, but isn't stunning on the defensive end. I can see them putting Prince on E.T. because that truly is there best defensive guard. Scotty Hopson will probably square off on Dieb, because both are similar in size, and well both can hit the long range shots. Can't wait till Friday!

 

[Ron Lewis]

Whose place can I crash Friday night to watch the ball game?

My crew back at Brookhaven would love to spend some quality time with you.

 

[Buckskin86]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W82Wq08rtuU"]YouTube- Ohio State vs. Tennessee[/ame]

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

Replace second with decade and you might be in business.

My crew back at Brookhaven would love to spend some quality time with you.

I do not believe our definitions of "quality time" coincide in this particular instance.

 

[BlufftonBuckeye]

I find it interesting that all the major news outlets are completely ignoring the Buckeyes outside of ET.

ESPN had their preview thing, and mention ET as most important player in the tourney, then go one to talk about everyone BUT tOSU and what it would take to win the championship.

Obviously that isn't important, but those of us who have been watching this team know that they are something special, and when its all clicking they can beat anyone in the country. Sunday's supposed "impossible" matchup with GaTech's big men? Not a problem. At the end of the day, the Bucks are winning games, and thats all that matters. And lets not forget that the Big 10 has had a great showing thus far, and maybe, just maybe, it was a tougher conference than people gave it credit for? And as the champion of the Big 10, I say the Buckeyes have a better chance than ANYONE to win it all. Go Bucks!!

OH

 

[Buckskin86]

TENNESSEE VS. OHIO STATE

It's a rematch of the 2007 NCAA tournament thriller won by the Buckeyes. Jon Diebler has been hot for Ohio State, totaling 43 points in the first two games of the tourney. Diebler has hit 11 trifectas in those wins. After scoring just nine points against UCSB, Evan Turner had a solid showing in Round 2.

JP Prince has been key for the Vols, averaging 16.5 points per game in the first two tourney outings. Remember, the Vols have bounced back from the Tyler Smith off-court issues and a 29-point loss to Kentucky in the SEC tournament. This is a resilient team, and Bruce Pearl's club will battle, scrap and claw. I just feel that Turner, Diebler, William Buford & Co. will have too much for the Vols to handle.

Prediction? Yes, my friends, I see an all-Big Ten regional final. Ohio State beat Michigan State 74-67 in East Lansing in their lone meeting during the regular season.

Dick Vitale: Who will dance into the Elite Eight? - ESPN

 

[Captain Hindsight]

I find it interesting that all the major news outlets are completely ignoring the Buckeyes outside of ET.

ESPN had their preview thing, and mention ET as most important player in the tourney, then go one to talk about everyone BUT tOSU and what it would take to win the championship.

Obviously that isn't important, but those of us who have been watching this team know that they are something special, and when its all clicking they can beat anyone in the country. Sunday's supposed "impossible" matchup with GaTech's big men? Not a problem. At the end of the day, the Bucks are winning games, and thats all that matters. And lets not forget that the Big 10 has had a great showing thus far, and maybe, just maybe, it was a tougher conference than people gave it credit for? And as the champion of the Big 10, I say the Buckeyes have a better chance than ANYONE to win it all. Go Bucks!!

OH

I see exactly where you're coming from, man. Although I don't know if we have a "better" chance than anyone else to win it all. Aside from being a little smaller in the post and being a mediocre FT shooting team (at best), the only other knock I have on our boys is that they always seem to play to the opponents' level. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that they're not trying. I'm just pointing out that they tend to take a four point lead to a fifteen point lead, and then cut it back down to two, all in a matter of minutes.

Yes, I realize it's college basketball, and the games are built on runs, but we have to capitalize and go in for the kill as soon as we have the chance. I'm a realist, so I understand that Tennessee could very well win, but I just can't see it happening. Turner has yet to play an outstanding game this tournament, and Buford still hasn't been contributing (in the Tournament), the way we know he's capable of. I see OSU winning this game by 8, and getting one step closer to the ultimate goal.

 

[UpNorthBuckeye]

I find it interesting that all the major news outlets are completely ignoring the Buckeyes outside of ET.

ESPN had their preview thing, and mention ET as most important player in the tourney, then go one to talk about everyone BUT tOSU and what it would take to win the championship.

Obviously that isn't important, but those of us who have been watching this team know that they are something special, and when its all clicking they can beat anyone in the country. Sunday's supposed "impossible" matchup with GaTech's big men? Not a problem. At the end of the day, the Bucks are winning games, and thats all that matters. And lets not forget that the Big 10 has had a great showing thus far, and maybe, just maybe, it was a tougher conference than people gave it credit for? And as the champion of the Big 10, I say the Buckeyes have a better chance than ANYONE to win it all. Go Bucks!!

OH

First off, welcome to the board. I won't even ding you for cliche use : "at the end of the day". Along with "robust" and "reach out" they need to be banned. But I digress...

 

[BlufftonBuckeye]

Thanks for not dinging :)

The reason I feel the Bucks have a better, if not just as good, a chance to win is this:

We can play suffocating defense, even against a "bigger" opponent. We have incredible composure throughout any given game, nothing rattles these guys, at least not for long. We have one, possibly two elite perimeter shooters. Diebs is the best left in the tourney, and when Buford is on, he is as good as they come. We have two of the best "slashers" in the tourney in ET and Lighty. Obviously ET is a gamechanger, but Lighty has the quickness and strength to make about any play inside.

Add incredible coaching to the above, and if the boys are clicking I don't see who is going to beat them. Now, I understand that teams can be hot/cold, so this point is moot if the Bucks come out ice cold and get behind by 25 in the first half. But, when we are playing well, I don't know that any of these teams could/would beat us.

Also, its worth noting that I'm pretty biased towards my Buckeyes

 

[UpNorthBuckeye]

I don't think these guys have any fear left in them.

Of course.... most of the 16 left have all the nerves settled down, and/or they are playing on "house money". I mean, what does Northern Iowa have to fear?? Why should Cornell be worried??

I'm hoping that all the team's composures (except the 1-seeds left) will be about the same, and so the talent of OSU can flow and be the difference.

Tennessee worries me some, mostly because they have a fairly big-name coach, who shouldn't get rattled.

But more than any other team, the Bucks are finishers. They do not rattle and they do not panic and they do not give up on each other.

And none of them are saying, "well we made it pretty far". Led by Lighty's experience going to the NC game against Florida, they KNOW they can go all the way if they are tough and play to their potential.

Friday night should be great.

 

[Pimpinnati]

Midwest Region Sweet 16 matchup: No. 6 Tennessee (27-8) vs. No. 2 Ohio State (29-7) - Dan Blank - College Basketball - Sporting News

3 reasons either team could win.

Here is what I think is the most important point:

Turner is obviously the first option, and Dallas Lauderdale is mostly a defensive force -- he hasn't scored more than four points in any of the last six games -- but the other three starters are all capable of exploding. William Buford, Jon Diebler and Lighty average between 12.8 and 14.4 points and each has scored at least 16 points in a tournament game. Most teams can put a good defender on a second option -- few can handle four of them.

 

[MaxBuck]

First off, welcome to the board. I won't even ding you for cliche use : "at the end of the day". Along with "robust" and "reach out" they need to be banned.

Well, at the end of the day, your opinion is worth what we paid for it, being your own two cents worth. The rest of us just need to give 110% and realize that we'll live or die by the three.

Oh, and we need to play for the name on the front of the jersey rather than the one on the back. (This one is being shot all to heck in the NIT, where both Texas Tech and UAB have the bright idea of putting their school names on the back. Go figure.)

 

[buckeyefan_1]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeVca9MwDX8"]YouTube - Bull Durham - Cliches[/ame]

 

[BlufftonBuckeye]

Finally got around to finishing my SI Tourney Preview magazine...and yep, Buckeyes are ignored. The mag talks about Purdue, Maryland, Tennesse, Kentucky, Duke, Syracuse (Basically the entire Big East...I'm shocked there wasn't an article on why Notre Dame was going to win the Championship...) but no Buckeyes.

I love it, sliding in under the radar, it fits with our style. This is a good sign for us...by the way, we are at approximately 50 hrs until tipoff. Fuck yeah.

 

[Cornerback6]

I can't remember if it was Katz or Gottlieb earlier I listened to on ESPN Radio and whichever one it was, they were practically gargling the sweat off of Chism & Williams' scrotum. Basically saying they're a powerful team and they're going to do what it takes to shut Turner down and then we're essentially done for. It was as if they didn't watch the GT game to see what we did to a potential top 5 pick in the draft and big man in Favors. Ah well.