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Men's Basketball Buckeye Tidbits 2007-08 Season

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ABJ

Left out of NCAA field, Buckeyes settle for NIT bid A year after playing for NCAA title, OSU to host UNC-Asheville
By Rusty Miller
Associated Press

Published on Monday, Mar 17, 2008
COLUMBUS: A year after finishing second in the nation, Ohio State isn't even in the top 65.
Last year's national runner-up, the Buckeyes were overlooked when the NCAA Tournament bracket was announced Sunday night and had to settle for a National Invitation Tournament home game against UNC-Asheville on Tuesday night.
Coach Thad Matta said the slight will serve as an educational tool for his young team.


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CPD

Two-time champ Florida, runner-up Ohio St. fail to make NCAAs

3/16/2008, 10:05 p.m. EDTBy MARK LONG
The Associated Press
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) ? If Florida and Ohio State meet again this season, it will be in the NIT title game.
The Gators and Buckeyes, finalists in last year's national championship game, missed getting back into the NCAA tournament Sunday.
It marked the first time the two finalists from the previous year have not made the tournament since 1980 when Michigan State and Indiana State did not qualify. Magic Johnson led Michigan State to 75-64 victory over Larry Bird and Indiana State in the 1979 title game, then both stars turned pro.
"It shows you about how much things change," Buckeyes coach Thad Matta said.
Two-time defending national champion Florida (21-11) lost eight of its final 11 games, including the last four, and was clearly out of the NCAA tournament picture before the brackets were announced.



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Canton

Ohio State, Akron get NIT bids
Monday, March 17, 2008
FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

Ohio State could play three more games at home, while Akron heads south as both men's college basketball teams received NIT bids Sunday.

The Buckeyes (19-13) host UNC Asheville (23-9) at 7 p.m. Tuesday. The Zips tip off at Florida State at 9 p.m. the same night.

As the No. 1 seed in its region, Ohio State would be the host site through the first three rounds of the 32-team field as long as the Buckeyes remain alive. Akron, a No. 6 seed, likely will need to win three times on the road to reach the NIT final four April 1 and 3 at Madison Square Garden.

Last year's national runner-up, the Buckeyes had hoped that their record, a decent RPI (49), two late wins over ranked opponents (Purdue, Michigan State) and a 10-8 Big Ten record was enough to get them into the tournament.

But costly losses at Iowa and at Michigan, a four-game losing skid and upsets in other conference tournaments hurt the Buckeyes' chances of making it back into the NCAA field.

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Dispatch

Bob Hunter commentary: Hard to blame NCAA committee for excluding OSU

Monday, March 17, 2008 3:11 AM
By Bob Hunter


THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH



When the bubble bursts the way it did on Ohio State, it never feels good. Bubble teams can offer sound arguments for why they should be in the 65-team NCAA Tournament, so when the brackets fill up and your bubble finally pops, the "whys" and "hows" usually pour out like sweat on a torrid August day. In your private moments, you may wonder why the Big East got eight bids and the Big Ten got only four, why a second- or third-place team from a league like the West Coast Conference is in there when you're not or even why so many leagues with names you have never heard of have automatic bids.
It can get pretty ugly if you let it, and a lot of players and coaches let it, because their rationalizations seem so valid. But the sad, simple truth is that when you're riding the bubble and you don't get in, you almost always have no one to blame but yourself.



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Dispatch

Buckeyes learn every game counts
Postseason offers chance to end year on positive note
Tuesday, March 18, 2008 3:18 AM
By Bob Baptist


THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH



A month and a half ago, coach Thad Matta said he asked his Ohio State men's basketball players if they knew what it took to get in the NCAA Tournament. It was not a rhetorical question. "I asked them, 'What is an automatic bid?' and they didn't know," he said. "I asked them 'What is an at-large team?' and they didn't know.
"Then I said, jokingly, 'Well, do you think it's possible that if you just put the scarlet and gray on, you'd get in the NCAA Tournament?' They all kind of laughed.
"I think they know now there's a lot more that goes into it."
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Throwback...love it.

Dispatch
Second round would shift to St. John

Tuesday, March 18, 2008 2:59 AM
By Bob Baptist


THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
If Ohio State beats North Carolina Asheville tonight, the Buckeyes' second-round game in the National Invitation Tournament will be played in St. John Arena, probably Saturday or Monday, athletic department spokesman Dan Wallenberg said yesterday.

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Canton

OSU changes NIT site
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
BY Mike Popovich
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

COLUMBUS The Buckeyes are being bumped by "The Boss."

No problem. All they have to do is head down the street to their old home.

A Bruce Springsteen concert at Value City Arena will force Ohio State to play Monday's second-round NIT game at St. John Arena. The Buckeyes will face California or New Mexico at a time to be determined.

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Dispatch

March 19, 2008

What a difference a "basketball crowd" makes

The black curtain that concealed the upper bowl in Value City Arena for Ohio State women?s basketball and men?s ice hockey games this season made its debut for men?s basketball last night. It makes for a more intimate setting when there aren?t enough fans in attendance to fill the lower bowl.
Ohio State sold 7,117 tickets for its first-round game in the National Invitation Tournament against North Carolina Asheville. That was about 2,000 less than the lower bowl holds.
And you know what? It was one of the best crowds of the season in an arena that holds more than 19,000.


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