#7 Ohio State 52, Indiana 51 (Final)

[jimotis4heisman]

td, jj sullinger and matt sylvester need lots of credit for todays game. all of those guys played one of their better games of the year.

its not about deserving to win it, or winning pretty in big ten basketball. its about the w. that being said though, you cant be 100% satisfied with todays performance, but what good team is ever happy about any win?

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

I would have to disagree with that. They played hard, open looks from three didn't drop, kept the game close. Dials may have played his most physical game in his OSU career. What can you say about JJ, he simply played the best game in his career.

To say we didn't deserve to win, is just a little to harsh in my opinion, they battled Indiana for 40 minutes against a hostile crowd, a team with nothing to lose. They may not have played smart in stretches but they played hard and tough.

Playing "hard and tough" can quickly get negated by not playing "smart". It may not sound like I'm happy we won--I'm estatic--but we need work for better shots more than we did today. You say "open looks from three didn't drop"...well, some may have dropped if they weren't launched so quickly. We simply need to work for better shots...we can't rely on our opponents shooting so poorly every game.

 

[smitty03]

WE ARE IN THE FINALS OF THE BIG 10 TOURNAMENT. HOW CAN PEOPLE COMPLAIN AND SAY WE DIDNT DESERVE TO WIN, WHO CARES, WE WON.

Sylvester struggled on the offensive end today, but did play admirable defense on Killingsworth when Dials went out. Marco probably had almost 40 lbs on him and a couple of inches, but Matt held his own and pushed him out of the paint whenever he could.

 

[BrutusMaximus]

You say "open looks from three didn't drop"...well, some may have dropped if they weren't launched so quickly. We simply need to work for better shots...we can't rely on our opponents shooting so poorly every game.

While I cant argue that totally, I will say that about 80% of those 3's that we launched were wide open shots, and no way we shoulda missed em all. I mean you cant expect them to completely change their gameplan, that is the way this team plays. And you are right that we cannot expect the opponents to shoot poorly, but you have to credit the D for that

 

[jimotis4heisman]

to me shooting 50% from the floor and 6 boards and a couple of assists isnt exactly struggling. matt gave up his offensive game to play defense...

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Playing "hard and tough" can quickly get negated by not playing "smart". It may not sound like I'm happy we won--I'm estatic--but we need work for better shots more than we did today. You say "open looks from three didn't drop"...well, some may have dropped if they weren't launched so quickly. We simply need to work for better shots...

Don't get me wrong, I agree they rushed some shots late in the game, I 100% agree with you that we should work for better shots. Personally, I think Dials should at least touch it once everytime down and feed off of him. We have lived and died by that three and today was no different, I am just glad we found a way to win a very physical contest.

Here are some pics from the game....

Ohio State forward Matt Sylvester goes up for the game-winning basket in the semifinal game against Indiana Saturday, March 11, 2006 during the Big Ten Conference men's basketball tournament in Indianapolis. Ohio State beat Indiana, 52-51.
(AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Ohio State's J.J. Sullinger celebrates on the court after beating Indiana 52-1 in a semifinal game during the Big Ten Conference men's basketball tournament Saturday, March 11, 2006 in Indianapolis.
(AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Indiana guard Roderick Wilmont reacts on the floor after missing the game deciding shot in the the semifinal game against Ohio State Saturday, March 11, 2006 during the Big Ten Conference men's basketball tournament in Indianapolis. Ohio State beat Indiana, 52-51. Talking to Wilmont is Sean Kline.

Indiana guard Roderick Wilmont (10) reacts on the floor after missing the game deciding shot in the the semifinal game against Ohio State Saturday, March 11, 2006 during the Big Ten Conference men's basketball tournament in Indianapolis. Ohio State beat Indiana, 52-51. Talking to Wilmont is Sean Kline.

Ohio State's Ron Lewis, Je'Kel Foster and Matt Sylvester celebrate on the court after beating Indiana in the semifinal game, 52-51, Saturday, March 11, 2006 during the Big Ten Conference men's basketball tournament in Indianapolis. At left is Ohio State's J.J. Sullinger. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

INDIANAPOLIS - MARCH 11: Marco Killingsworth #5 of the Indiana Hoosiers attempts a layup over Terence Dials #34 of the Ohio State Buckeyes during Day 3 of the Big 10 Tournament on March 11, 2006 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. Ohio State defeated Indiana 52-51 to advance to the Big 10 final. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

Ohio State head coach Thad Matta celebrates on the court after beating Indiana in the semifinal game, 52-51, Saturday, March 11, 2006 during the Big Ten Conference men's basketball tournament in Indianapolis.
(AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

INDIANAPOLIS - MARCH 11: Roderick Wilmont #10 of the Indiana Hoosiers sits on the ground after Wilmont missed a short jumper in the games finals seconds that just missed as the Hoosiers fell to the Ohio State Buckeyes 52-51 during Day 3 of the Big 10 Tournament on March 11, 2006 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

INDIANAPOLIS - MARCH 11: Je'Kel Foster#23 of the Ohio State Buckeyes hugs Matt Sylvester #40 after the Buckeyes won 52-51 in the games final seconds against the Indiana Hoosiers during Day 3 of the Big 10 Tournament on March 11, 2006 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

INDIANAPOLIS - MARCH 11: Head coach Thad Matta of the Ohio State Buckeyes leans over and smiles in the second half against the Indiana Hoosiers during Day 3 of the Big 10 Tournament on March 11, 2006 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

INDIANAPOLIS - MARCH 11: Marco Killingsworth #5 of the Indiana Hoosiers shoots a short hook in the games finals seconds that just misses as the Hoosiers fell to the Ohio State Buckeyes 52-51 during Day 3 of the Big 10 Tournament on March 11, 2006 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

INDIANAPOLIS - MARCH 11: Marco Killingsworth #5 of the Indiana Hoosiers attempts a layup in the second half against the Ohio State Buckeyes during Day 3 of the Big 10 Tournament on March 11, 2006 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

INDIANAPOLIS - MARCH 11: Roderick Wilmont #10 of the Indiana Hoosiers shoots a short jumper in the games finals seconds that just misses as the Hoosiers fell to the Ohio State Buckeyes 52-51 during Day 3 of the Big 10 Tournament on March 11, 2006 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

INDIANAPOLIS - MARCH 11: Roderick Wilmont #10 of the Indiana Hoosiers moves the ball up court alongside Jamar Butler #14 of the Ohio State Buckeyes during Day 3 of the Big 10 Tournament on March 11, 2006 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

Ohio State guard J. J. Sullinger plays with a bandage on his face after getting cut on his eye lid in the second half of the semifinal game against Indiana Saturday, March 11, 2006 during the Big Ten Conference men's basketball tournament in Indianapolis.
(AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

INDIANAPOLIS - MARCH 11: Earl Calloway #51 of the Indiana Hoosiers lays the ball up against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the second half during Day 3 of the Big 10 Tournament on March 11, 2006 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

Indiana forward Marco Killingsworth (5), right, and Matt Sylvester (40) battle for control of the basketball in the second half of the semifinal game Saturday, March 11, 2006 during the Big Ten Conference men's basketball tournament in Indianapolis.
(AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Indiana forward Marco Killingsworth (5) shoots against Ohio State forward Terence Dials (34) in the second half of the semifinal game Saturday, March 11, 2006, during the Big Ten Conference men's basketball tournament in Indianapolis.
(AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

INDIANAPOLIS - MARCH 11: Marshall Strickland #22 of the Indiana Hoosiers lays the ball up over Je'Kel Foster #23 of the Ohio State Buckeyes during Day 3 of the Big 10 Tournament on March 11, 2006 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

INDIANAPOLIS - MARCH 11: Brutus, the mascot of the Ohio State Buckeyes, claps in the second half against the Indiana Hoosiers during Day 3 of the Big 10 Tournament on March 11, 2006 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

INDIANAPOLIS - MARCH 11: J.J. Sullinger #0 of the Ohio State Buckeyes shoots in the lane over Robert Vaden #24 of the Indiana Hoosiers during Day 3 of the Big 10 Tournament on March 11, 2006 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

INDIANAPOLIS - MARCH 11: Terence Dials #34 of the Ohio State Buckeyes is blocked by Marco Killingsworth #5 of the Indiana Hoosiers and a jump ball was called during Day 3 of the Big 10 Tournament on March 11, 2006 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

INDIANAPOLIS - MARCH 11: Terence Dials #34 of the Ohio State Buckeyes shoots over Marco Killingsworth #5 of the Indiana Hoosiers during Day 3 of the Big 10 Tournament on March 11, 2006 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

Indiana forward Marco Killingsworth, left, wrestles Ohio State forward Terence Dials as Dials grabs a rebound in the first half of the semifinal game Saturday, March 11, 2006 during the Big Ten Conference men's basketball tournament in Indianapolis.

Ohio State guard J.J. Sullinger (0) shoots against Indiana guard Roderick Wilmont (10) in the first half of the semifinal game Saturday, March 11, 2006 during the Big Ten Conference men's basketball tournament in Indianapolis.

INDIANAPOLIS - MARCH 11: J.J. Sullinger #0 of the Ohio State Buckeyes knocks down the hand of A.J. Ratliff #20 of the Indiana Hoosiers during Day 3 of the Big 10 Tournament on March 11, 2006 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

INDIANAPOLIS - MARCH 11: Je'Kel Foster #23 of the Ohio State Buckeyes moves the ball in the first half against the Indiana Hoosiers during Day 3 of the Big 10 Tournament on March 11, 2006 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

INDIANAPOLIS - MARCH 11: Roderick Wilmont #10 of the Indiana Hoosiers lies on the ground as Eerek Suhr #11 checks him after Je'Kel Foster #23 of the Ohio State Buckeyes crashed into Wilmont in the first half during Day 3 of the Big 10 Tournament on March 11, 2006 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

Ohio State forward Terence Dials (34) shoots against Indiana center Ben Allen (21) in the first half of the semifinal game Saturday, March 11, 2006 during the Big Ten Conference men's basketball tournament in Indianapolis.
(AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

scout.com (free)

3/11/06

Game wrap-up by Steve Helwagen....

OSU won without a strong scoring contribution from guard Je’Kel Foster. Foster’s shooting woes continued as he was 0 for 11 from the floor – 0 for 9 on three-point tries – and only scored on two foul shots.

rivals.com (free)

3/11/06

Game wrap-up by Adam Jardy.

"I don't care if he (Foster) goes 0 for 100 tomorrow, I'm going to ride him all the way," Matta said. "We were getting incredibly open shots and they weren't going down for us."

 

[Golferdow01]

A couple things on the pictures:

A couple great pictures of Matta

Any idea why Sullinger's fingers are taped?

Killingsworth was "killing" Dials in that pic.

 

[CrabMan]

"I don't care if he (Foster) goes 0 for 100 tomorrow, I'm going to ride him all the way," Matta said. "We were getting incredibly open shots and they weren't going down for us."

Is it any wonder why Thad is as successful as he is? Who wouldn't want to play for a coach like that?

 

[Steve19]

Geez, if those weren't called fouls on Killingsworth, then we were getting homered big time.

 

[CrabMan]

Uh, isn't it going on 4 am where you're at? Still can't sleep?

 

[jwinslow]

We got assaulted inside during the first half. Every time we drove inside, they hit us from three sides, with ZERO calls for the majority of the first half. Dials is out with foul trouble, we can't buy a three, and they foul us on almost every drive inside. What else is there to do? We played through it, and found a way to make it work. Sullinger managed score despite the heavy contact, and a few of our perimeter shots began to fall.

Did sylvester make a few mistakes? Sure. But he played way above himself on a number of series. To step in for dials and defend Killingsworth (with no twigs available) was remarkable.

Sullinger played out of his mind. He stepped up in a huge way.

 

[Steve19]

Uh, isn't it going on 4 am where you're at? Still can't sleep?

Yep. Went to bed and woke up. Took a quick look to see if our coach of the year opponent lost his game (Williams did) and I'm going back to sleep.

 

[crazybuckfan40]

Obviously I am not going to read through all 18 pages, but I just want to say another gutsy performance by our guys that will go along way in teh tourney.

I would love for Jekel to get it turned around, but his Defense is so great that he has to be on the floor.

All of our guys played great, I love it, lets go get the big one late on today.

O and by the way I hate IU and them stupid looking candy cane pants. And Dials took it to Killingsworth.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

WE ARE IN THE FINALS OF THE BIG 10 TOURNAMENT. HOW CAN PEOPLE COMPLAIN AND SAY WE DIDNT DESERVE TO WIN, WHO CARES, WE WON.

It's a good thing our coaching staff doesn't take that attitude, lest we be sitting at home right now. You have to address shortcomings, even those that surface in a close win.

While I cant argue that totally, I will say that about 80% of those 3's that we launched were wide open shots, and no way we shoulda missed em all.

That stretch I'm talking about was in the middle part of the second half where we had 3-4 trips in a row where we heaved up three-point shots almost as soon as we crossed midcourt. The shooters didn't even wait for the rest of the team to catch up, it was "ready, fire, aim" as soon as they got within a semblance of three-point range. They were technically "open" in that no one else was close, yet they shouldn't just heave the ball up as soon as they are within the same zip code as the basket.