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NIT: #1 Ohio State 84, #8 UNC-Asheville 66

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DDN

Giant George getting some big attention

By Rusty Miller
Associated Press

Tuesday, March 18, 2008
COLUMBUS, Ohio ? To get an idea of what Ohio State is up against in the first round of the NIT today, March 18, consider that 7-footer Kosta Koufos will look like a point guard next to the opposing center.
"I've played against a couple of guys 7-3, 7-4, but not 7-7," Koufos said. "I saw a couple of YouTube videos of him last night. He's a pretty big guy."
When UNC-Asheville comes to town for the NIT game against the Buckeyes, the Bulldogs will feature 7-7, 360-pound center Kenny George, the tallest college player in the nation.
Asked if George can jump, Buckeyes coach Thad Matta responded, "He doesn't need to."
The Buckeyes are scheming over how to play against a guy who can dunk the ball without leaving his feet.



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CPD

North Carolina-Asheville center Kenny George catches attention of Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball team

Giant motivation: 7-7 George catches Bucks' eye
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
by Doug Lesmerises
Plain Dealer Reporter


Columbus- Playing in the National Invitation Tournament won't help Ohio State all that much for next season, and the Buckeyes won't be the most motivated men's basketball team in the bracket of 32.
So why pay attention to their NIT opener against North Carolina-Asheville on ESPN2 tonight?



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Canton

NIT preview: UNC Asheville at Ohio State
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
BY Mike Popovich
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

WHEN Tonight, 7

WHERE Value City Arena, Columbus

TV ESPN2

RADIO WHBC-AM 1480, WQKT-FM 104.5, WJER-AM 1450

RECORDS UNC Asheville 23-9, Ohio State 19-13

ALL-TIME SERIES Ohio State won the only other meeting, 93-59, during the 1993-94 season.

NIT HISTORY UNC Asheville is appearing in the NIT for the first time. Ohio State has been selected to play eight times, the last coming in 2003. The Buckeyes won the NIT in 1986 and reached the final in 1988.


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Blade

NIT spot excites OSU opponent
UNC Asheville presents tall order for Buckeyes with its 7-7 center
​


UNC Asheville's Kenny George, the nation's tallest player at 7-7, dwarfs North Carolina All-American Tyler Hansbrough.
( ASSOCIATED PRESS )


By MATT MARKEY
BLADE SPORTS WRITER

COLUMBUS - The two combatants here for tonight's first round game of the National Invitation Tournament come to the center circle of Value City Arena draped in starkly contrasting demeanors. One - North Carolina at Asheville - is giddy, almost euphoric, over the opportunity to play in the historic event, and face a team from one of the traditional power conferences. The Bulldogs (23-9) threw a party Sunday night at the Wild Wing Caf in Asheville, just to watch the NIT selection show and celebrate their good fortune. At the other end of the emotional spectrum we find Ohio State, deflated over missing out on a third straight trip to the more prestigious NCAA Tournament, where the Buckeyes advanced all the way to the national championship game last year.

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Dispatch
7-7 George makes giant improvement

Tuesday, March 18, 2008 2:59 AM
By Mike Cranston





ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- North Carolina Asheville guard Bryan Smithson drove too far into the lane and picked up his dribble. Facing away from the basket with no other options in an early season game, Smithson flicked the ball behind his head toward the basket and yelled "Kenny!" Then 7-foot-7 Kenny George, towering over everyone else, reached up, caught the ball and dunked it -- without leaving the floor.
"It's the greatest option I've ever had," Smithson said with a grin while recalling the play.
No other school in the nation has that kind of fallback plan. Standing about 7 feet 9 with his shoes on -- size 26 shoes, by the way -- the tallest player in college or the NBA has gone from an awkward-looking YouTube cult figure who played little last season to a soft-handed, sometimes-dominating inside player.
"He has only scratched the surface of how good he can be," Asheville coach Eddie Biedenbach said.
But because of his enormous size, nothing has been easy for the 360-pound George, from everyday life to getting back into condition after two major knee injuries robbed him of nearly three full seasons.



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OSUBasketballJunkie;1118248; said:
They have two very good guards who can score....they are a bit undersized for the Big Ten but they are effective. They reportedly have 5 guys that average double figures.
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Smithson is a senior guard who averages 16 pts a game and shoots 41% from 3 pt land.

Garland is another senior guard and he averages 13 pts and almost 6 assts a game.

They look solid on paper...need the zone to be active...but that goes without saying...:biggrin:
 
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Link

UNCA prepares for its second trip to Ohio for postseason play


by Jason McGill
published March 18, 2008 12:15 am
ASHEVILLE

Five years ago today, the UNC Asheville men?s basketball team made its first NCAA Division I postseason appearance. The Bulldogs won the NCAA tournament play-in game against Texas Southern held in Dayton, Ohio.
Tonight in Columbus, Ohio ? just 75 miles east of Dayton via I-70 ? Asheville will make its second postseason appearance, just not in the tournament the Bulldogs had hoped for.
No. 8 seed Asheville (23-9) will play top seed Ohio State in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. (ESPN2).

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3074326;1117443; said:
You know, for as big as the guy is, I'm thinking that he doesn't dominate the boards like you'd think.
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MaxBuck;1118053; said:
I'd say averaging nearly 7 rebounds in less than 20 minutes is pretty dominating.
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The biggest number might be the 3.4 blocked shots per game. That's basically the same number that Oden averaged last year, and while I'd imagine George doesn't have the defensive range that Oden had, I wouldn't be surprised if OSU struggles to get off decent shots from within 7 feet or so when George is in (with the caveat that I haven't actually seen him play).
 
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