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MBB: Ohio State Dominates Grambling State in 82-55 Win
Joe Dexter via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The city of Columbus did not feel the drizzle coming down on Tuesday night, but in Value City Arena — The Grambling State defense felt three pointers pouring down on them all night in a 82-55 win for Ohio State.
Keita Bates-Diop and Marc Loving scored 17 of the Buckeyes first twenty points as Thad Matta’s young guns nailed tree of their first four treys to set the tone in the second game of the season.
After a 2:24 minute scoreless streak midway through the first, Kam Williams stole the basketball near the far side baseline and took it up the floor for the slam and score to start an 14-0 run that took the Tigers out of the game for good.
Williams had a great night off the bench, nailing jumpers, draining second chance dunks, and skying over taller defenders to grab rebounds. He tied a career high by scoring 22 points. He also brought down 5 rebounds and swiped four steals.
Loving finished with 14 points. Bates-Diop also added 14 in limited playing time throughout the second half.
Sophomore leader Jae’Sean Tate flashed the five-tool ability that he has brought to the table since becoming a Buckeyes. He finished with 4 points and 4 rebounds.
Trevor Thompson, who sat out a year ago after transferring from Virginia Tech, took over at points in the second half. He had 8 points on 4/4 shooting.
Thad Matta’s freshman guards played well in spurts on Tuesday, but battled with foul trouble and turnovers.
Overall, the Buckeyes shot 30/51 (58% )from the field and 9/25 (36%) from three point territory. They held the Tigers to just 34% shooting from the field.
Up next for the Buckeyes is a match up with the University of Texas-Arlington Mavericks on Friday. The game is part of the National Basketball Hall of Fame Invitational.
Tip-off is set for 7 PM ET on ESPN 3.
Five Quick Takeaways
The post MBB: Ohio State Dominates Grambling State in 82-55 Win appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
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Joe Dexter via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The city of Columbus did not feel the drizzle coming down on Tuesday night, but in Value City Arena — The Grambling State defense felt three pointers pouring down on them all night in a 82-55 win for Ohio State.
Keita Bates-Diop and Marc Loving scored 17 of the Buckeyes first twenty points as Thad Matta’s young guns nailed tree of their first four treys to set the tone in the second game of the season.
After a 2:24 minute scoreless streak midway through the first, Kam Williams stole the basketball near the far side baseline and took it up the floor for the slam and score to start an 14-0 run that took the Tigers out of the game for good.
Williams had a great night off the bench, nailing jumpers, draining second chance dunks, and skying over taller defenders to grab rebounds. He tied a career high by scoring 22 points. He also brought down 5 rebounds and swiped four steals.
Loving finished with 14 points. Bates-Diop also added 14 in limited playing time throughout the second half.
Sophomore leader Jae’Sean Tate flashed the five-tool ability that he has brought to the table since becoming a Buckeyes. He finished with 4 points and 4 rebounds.
Trevor Thompson, who sat out a year ago after transferring from Virginia Tech, took over at points in the second half. He had 8 points on 4/4 shooting.
Thad Matta’s freshman guards played well in spurts on Tuesday, but battled with foul trouble and turnovers.
Overall, the Buckeyes shot 30/51 (58% )from the field and 9/25 (36%) from three point territory. They held the Tigers to just 34% shooting from the field.
Up next for the Buckeyes is a match up with the University of Texas-Arlington Mavericks on Friday. The game is part of the National Basketball Hall of Fame Invitational.
Tip-off is set for 7 PM ET on ESPN 3.
Five Quick Takeaways
- Daniel Giddens is going to be a special player in his due time. I love what I’ve seen so far this season when it comes to athletic ability, intangibles and floor spacing. He has a lot to work on and that will come with experience, but it is instantly clear that he has a bright future under Thad Matta’s tutelage. The interior combination of Trevor Thompson and Daniel Giddens will bring a physical presence that we haven’t seen at Ohio State since Dallas Lauderdale and Jared Sullinger patrolled the frontcourt for Ohio State. The other thing they bring to the table is two athletic post players that can wreak havoc on high screen pick and rolls. That was on display in the second half against Grambling State.
- Jae’Sean Tate asked Thad Matta at the end of last season what was most important for him to work on in the off-season. The Buckeye head man told him it was his shooting touch and situation shooting that needed to improve to compliment his unbelievable tenacity on both ends of the floor. After watching him the first two games, there is no doubt he has improved his shooting stoke. Besides being more selective to start the season, Tate has also slowed down his shooting mechanics just enough to control his touch.
- The freshman on this roster are going to make a lot of mistakes. It’s the nature of the beast at this level, but you have to love the intensity that has carried over to them. Numerous times when either JaQuan Lyle, Austin Grandstaff, or A.J. Harris made mistakes, you could tell how upset they were in themselves. This group expects a lot from themselves on the court and I love that.
- The Ohio State offense has a weapon in A.J. Harris that they didn’t have last year. When he was out there tonight he brought a different level of transition basketball to the floor. Last year, the only player that could get the Bucks up and down the floor was D’Angelo Russell. It’s hard to dominate transition basketball when your top scorer is directing the transition game. With A.J. Harris out there it’s going to be a lot of fun seeing the interior athletes dominate in the paint on slips and rolls to the basket. I expect a lot of Amare Stoudamire and Carmelo Anthony type dunks inside from Giddens and Thompson. As we saw on Tuesday night, Harris is also great at finding his spot up shooters in transition as well.
- The biggest weakness on paper for this team heading into B1G play will be it’s lack of experience in the interior. If the first two games are any indication on how the Buckeyes will play in the paint throughout the season, there is no reason to believe that intensity and strength could erase a lack of experience. I’m not saying that they will have a lot to prove against the best post players in the conference, but it’s too early to write them off as inadequate. Their scrappiness alone could win them games they shouldn’t early in the season.
The post MBB: Ohio State Dominates Grambling State in 82-55 Win appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
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