G/F Evan "The Villain" Turner (2010 Naismith Winner)

[MaxBuck]

Triple double! Monster line for Turner: 14 pt, 17 boards (), 10 dimes. This team will go about as far as Turner takes them; he's clearly the best player in the B11.

 

[OregonBuckeye]

Eh, not bad.

 

[buckeyes_rock]

Way to go Evan...the triple double is amazing!

 

[Buckskin86]

Bob Hunter commentary: Turner's triple-double a really big deal
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
By Bob Hunter
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

KYLE ROBERTSON | DISPATCH
Evan Turner scores two of his 14 points the easy way.

The word was out by halftime.

Evan Turner had 12 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists -- two assists from a triple-double -- and Ohio State basketball junkies, about the only people who come to Value City Arena for an early November game against Alcorn State, knew what that meant. The Buckeyes had only one triple-double -- one -- in school history.

So with OSU leading by anywhere from 36 to 42 points in a game that otherwise would have been a major snooze-fest, the focus was on Turner's passes, particularly after he fed Jeremie Simmons for a layup with 11:58 left for assist No. 9.

Not quite a minute later, Turner fed Nikola Kecman, who dropped the pass but was fouled. No one cared about the foul shots. Turner fed Kecman again for an open three-pointer 20 seconds later, and Kecman missed. There was an audible sigh from the crowd. He fed Simmons for an open three-pointer 40 seconds later, and Simmons passed.

"No!" screamed Turner's father, James, who was grinning like a kid at his first circus. Walter Offutt hit the shot. Assist Simmons. Gasps.

Turner fed Jon Diebler. Diebler missed. He fed Diebler again with 7:03 remaining -- only this time Diebler nailed the three-pointer, giving the Buckeyes an inconsequential 85-44 lead and Turner a place in school history. Only Dennis Hopson, who had 27 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists against Ohio University in 1986, had a triple-double before last night.

"It's real cool," said Turner, who finished with 14 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists.

BuckeyeXtra - Bob Hunter commentary: Turner's triple-double a really big deal

Evan Turner, All-American: The Associated Press' preseason All-America first-team picks weren't bad, with Kansas' Sherron Collins and Duke's Kyle Singler on the perimeter,and KU's Cole Aldrich, Notre Dame's Luke Harangody and Kentucky's Patrick Patterson up front. All nice players. And yet I think by season's end, room will have to be made for Ohio State's 6-foot-7 junior point guard, because he's going to be a Terrence Williams-style floor general (with better numbers than T-Will had last season) for the Buckeyes.

In Monday's 100-60 win over Alcorn State, Turner had just the second triple-double in OSU history (Dennis Hopson has the other), with 14 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists. Turner was just two assists short of the triple-double at halftime -- and even while acknowledging the fact that Alcorn State is not a good team, Turner still looks like he might be the most complete player in the country.

He can do everything on a stat sheet other than make threes, and his ability to clean the defensive glass and start fastbreaks without an outlet should generate a ton of points for the Buckeyes. Their third basket on Monday came after he grabbed a board, took one dribble upcourt and hit teammate David Lighty with a deep pass for a layup. (And their first bucket was a Turner breakaway dunk off a steal, which happened about a minute after Thompson sunk his free throw in Chapel Hill. That was unfortunate -- the dunk would have been a more satisfying opener.)

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/luke_winn/11/10/opening.night/#ixzz0WSPOwWOS

 

[bkochmc]

Way to go Evan! He, and the fans, have come a long way since "Evan turnover". Here's to bigger and better things this year!

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

His dedication to rebounding this year is ridiculous. The best thing about it? A defensive rebound to him turns into a fast break.

I wouldn't be at all shocked if he got another triple-double or two before the end of the season.

If he can get back to knocking down those mid-range jumpers that he's missing right now.....wow....

Anyone care to predict season averages for ET?

16 points, 8 boards, 6 assists?

 

[LitlBuck]

Turner will have many many double doubles this season and maybe another triple double is on the horizon. Those 3 averages seem about right to me

 

[Buckskin86]

Three storylines to really tip off the season with
Nov. 10, 2009
By Gary Parrish
CBSSports.com Senior Writer

People kept asking if I was going to the FIU-North Carolina opener.

I'd say no.

They'd ask why.

And that question was answered Monday night.

Evan Turner recorded just the second triple-double in Ohio State history on Monday. (AP)

Sure, Isiah Thomas coaching at Florida International is a nice storyline, but I had no desire to watch UNC destroy his team on a random Monday in November. As I assured you in the blog late Sunday, it was "fun until tipoff" and then "we had a blowout." Still, that's the best we could do on Opening Day, thus the mismatch got a lot of attention. But now it's in the record books, a part of the past. So it's time to turn the page and focus on some meaningful storylines in this first week of college basketball.

Here are three of those storylines:

Storyline No. 1: Is Evan Turner really this awesome?

Turner isn't a natural point guard, and I wasn't sure playing him there would be the best thing for Ohio State. But now I'm as sure as I could be after watching Turner finish with 14 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists in Monday's 100-60 season-opening victory over Alcorn State.

Yep, Turner got a triple-double.

It was just the second in school history.

And it would be easy to dismiss if not for the fact that Turner got 15 points, 14 rebounds and six assists in OSU's exhibition, meaning he's had back-to-back statistically incredible performances.

"That's an amazing stat line when you really look at it," Ohio State coach Thad Matta told reporters after Monday's triple-double. Added Turner: "I just try to do my job."

He'll be a serious Player of the Year candidate if he keeps doing it like that.

Turner takes the court again Thursday against James Madison.

Three storylines to really tip off the season with - NCAA Division I Mens Basketball - CBSSports.com

 

[Buckskin86]

What We Learned: Buckeyes' Turner shows he's an effective point guard
Mike DeCourcy
Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009

Sporting News' Mike DeCourcy analyzes what Tuesday's buzz means to college basketball.

Turner construction

There's nothing wrong with getting all excited about the very fact of Evan Turner's triple-double in Ohio State's opener. That it was only the second on record in a program this historically successful demonstrates how rare this feat can be.

What's most important about Turner's achievement, though, is the evidence that not only can Turner be an effective point guard for the Buckeyes, he still can be Evan Turner while he plays there.

The greatest concern for Ohio State in moving Turner to the point is not whether he can play the position adequately. We've seen others struggle initially with the transition -- for instance, D.J. Strawberry at Maryland in the 2006-07 season -- but Turner was an established playmaker from other positions before coach Thad Matta decided to switch him.

No, the issue in moving Turner was whether he could both run the Buckeyes' offense and serve as their primary option. So far, he's a smash. He got 12 shots against Alcorn State and made half. And he got six offensive rebounds. So he's still valuable as a scorer and still available to hit the offensive boards. This just might work.

What We Learned: Buckeyes' Turner shows he's an effective point guard - Mike DeCourcy - College Basketball - Sporting News

Versatile Turner: I had Ohio State's Evan Turner as a first team All-American this season because I think he is the best all-around player in the country. Turner proved it right out of the gate with a triple-double against Alcorn State. Actually, Turner almost had a triple-double in the first half. He finished with 14 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists, and he played a magnificent floor game. And for those who say that it was only against Alcorn State, there are tons of games played against lesser opponents, and very few triple-doubles. Turner reminds me of former Washington star Brandon Roy, who I called the best all-around player in the country in his senior season. Turner is like the queen on a chessboard, and Thad Matta can move him anywhere to take advantage of his all-around skills.

http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=4640917&name=bilas_jay

 

[LitlBuck]

There seems to be quite a few differing opinions when it comes to whether Ohio State a better team with Turner playing the point. I am fine with him offensively but it will be interesting to see what he has to defend smaller and quicker point guards as the season progresses. I am also somewhat concerned as to how much wear and tear this will take on him depending upon the number of minutes he plays PG.

 

[MaxBuck]

There seems to be quite a few differing opinions when it comes to whether Ohio State a better team with Turner playing the point. I am fine with him offensively but it will be interesting to see what he has to defend smaller and quicker point guards.

You know, there is no law that says your point guard is statutorily obligated to guard the opposing point guard.

Turner can guard whoever Matta tells him to.

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

You know, there is no law that says your point guard is statutorily obligated to guard the opposing point guard.

Turner can guard whoever Matta tells him to.

Except that OSU will need Lighty to guard the opposing 4 and Buford or Diebler would be even worse off against a quick PG.

 

[Buckskin86]

Can Turner get 20 rebounds?

The 20-rebound club at Ohio State is exclusive. Eight players collected that many or more in a game a total of 45 times. Jerry Lucas did it 20 times himself.

But the club hasn't had a new member in nearly 42 years. The last to grab 20 was Bill Hosket in March 1968. Greg Oden got close, with 19, three years ago.

Now it's Evan Turner's chance.

The Buckeyes' 6-foot-7 point guard had 17 for the second time in as many games tonight in a win over James Madison.

Asked afterward whether he can expect Turner to get 17 every game, coach Thad Matta said, "Jerry Lucas did."

And chuckled.

Lucas averaged 17.2 rebounds per game for his three-year career.

"I don?t know," Matta added. "I hope he does. But that?s a lot of rebounds.

"But I?ve said this all along, he?s got a great knack for finding the basketball when it goes up. I think he reads the shot and gets in position.

"One of the things we talked about with him in the off-season was his legs, and I think he?s added a lot of spring to his legs. He?s getting up and getting (rebounds) above the rim, which is good."

Turner doesn't know if he's capable of prolonging this rate of rebounding, either. But he's not concerned about it.

"I?m going to get as many as I need to to help my team win," he said. "If the ball?s there, I?m going to go get it. If it happens four times or it happens 17 times, I?m going to keep hunting for the ball and try to start a (fast) break or something."

Can Turner get 20 rebounds? (Hoops & Scoops: an OSU basketball blog)

 

[Buckskin86]

Turner's board games from a historical perspective

Good work today by Dan Wallenberg, who's in charge of communications for the Ohio State men's basketball program.

Wallenberg hit the record book, and enlisted the help of Stats Inc., to find out how long it's been since a Big Ten player or another Buckeye had as many or more rebounds in back-to-back games as Evan Turner's 17 against Alcorn State and James Madison this week. Here's what he found:

-- Last Big Ten player to have at least 17 rebounds in back-to-back games: Penn State wide-body Jarrett Stephens in December 1999.

-- Last Buckeye to do it: Brad Sellers, who actually had three consecutive monster games in December 1985 with 17 against Dayton and 18 apiece on back-to-back nights against Texas-El Paso and Nebraska.

Turner's board games from a historical perspective (Hoops & Scoops: an OSU basketball blog)

 

[Buckskin86]

Tuesday November 17, 2009
Seth Davis
Ohio State's Evan Turner adds new position to supersized game

Ohio State point guard Evan Turner produced the school's second triple-double in history against Alcorn State.
AP

There were certain parts of Chicago where it was not safe to be a squirrel last summer. That's because Evan Turner, Ohio State's 6-foot-7 junior forward, could often be found dribbling a basketball around his neighborhood and stopping at certain points to fire the ball at a variety of targets -- walls, street signs and yes, the occasional unsuspecting mammal. "I'd do the same thing while walking around on campus in Columbus," Turner says. "It's so beautiful at night. Sometimes I'd get bored, walk around, dribble down the street and try to hit targets."

There was a purpose to this strange exercise. Turner was preparing to do something he had not done since grade school: Play point guard fulltime. Ohio State coach Thad Matta had been telling Turner since his freshman year that he might someday take over the position, but it wasn't until last August, as the Buckeyes were practicing for an exhibition tour to Canada, that Matta officially handed Turner the keys to his offense. "I told him after last season was over, 'Hey, you need to be ready,'" Matta says. "I think that was the first time he realized I wasn't messing around."

When the season began on Nov. 9, Turner was ready. During Ohio State's 40-point drubbing of Alcorn State, he posted the second triple-double in school history by putting up 14 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists. Turner followed that up with 24 points, 17 rebounds and four assists in a win over James Madison. On Thursday night the stakes get higher as Turner and the Buckeyes will play North Carolina in the first of two nights in Madison Square Garden, site of the 2K Sports Classic to benefit Coaches Versus Cancer. The reigning NCAA champs are in the field along with Syracuse and California, but this is New York City, where people know their hoops and value their stars. There is no doubt the biggest star in town will be Turner -- and he's not coming for the squirrels.

"I'm pumped," Turner says. "That's something you really dream about when you're a little kid is to play in one of the best basketball arenas in the world. Everybody is going to be watching."

Read more: Evan Turner leads Ohio St. to 2K Classic at Madison Square Garden - Seth Davis - SI.com