NW'ern +16.5 at tOSU (ov/un 134.5) Wed 5:30 ET, BTN

[BB73]

The B1G opener.

 

[Bestbuck36]

Perimeter defense needs to get better or Shurna will score 30. The rest of their team though, probably cant keep up.

 

[LitlBuck]

- The Big Ten schedule starts Wednesday for the Buckeyes when they play host to Northwestern at 5:30 p.m. in Value City Arena.
"The concerns probably outweigh what I?m pleased with" coming out of nonconference play, Matta said.

"I think we?ve got so far to go just in terms of continuing to mature, continuing to understand the importance of all the little things that make us a better basketball team. I think that, as we all do, we forget how young this team is still."

William Buford said the Buckeyes can do "a lot better than we're doing right now by putting more points on the board and by valuing every possession on defense. When we play great defense, it leads to great offense for us. I think we need to pick that up a little bit.

"If everybody had the same intensity Aaron Craft has on defense, we?d be a tremendous basketball team. Not everybody has it. But we just need to pick it up and match his intensity."

http://www.buckeyextra.com/content/blogs/hoops-and-scoops/2011/12/postgame-miami.html

 

[LitlBuck]

The players returned to campus last night from a near-72-hour Christmas break to get down to the business of preparing for Northwestern?s maddeningly patient offense and seldom-seen 1-3-1 zone defense. The first time against the Wildcats is always an adventure, so it will be interesting to see how many freshmen, if any, coach Thad Matta is comfortable using.

http://www.buckeyextra.com/content/stories/2011/12/26/osu-mbk-insider-12-26-gvkfd96k-1.html

 

[Bestbuck36]

I would like to see Sam Thompson get some time on Shurna. He played the part of defensive stopper before and he has the athletic ability to lock him up.

Sam has a definite shop at becoming the next Dave Lighty type player if he puts his mind to it. Lighty never had the hops Sam brings to the table though for sure.

 

[Mike80]

If the Bucks are patient and hit the open shots, this shouldn't be too close.

If they struggle on offense and then don't cover the perimeter as closely as they have to, NW will give them fits.

 

[ScriptOhio]

The Wildcats have lost their past 30 times they've played in Columbus.

Re: You may not bet on this event. You have placed 0 bet(s) on this Event.

WTF. for whatever reason I can't make a vbet. Am I in vGamblers Anonymous? :tongue2:

 

[Saw31]

The Wildcats have lost their past 30 times they've played in Columbus.

Re: You may not bet on this event. You have placed 0 bet(s) on this Event.

WTF. for whatever reason I can't make a vbet. Am I in vGamblers Anonymous? :tongue2:

Since you're vBroke, you may want to look into it...:p

 

[darbypitcher22]

Something tells me this one will be closer than it needs to be for far too long, but ultimately we'll pull away...

Now when we go to Evanston it'll probably be another heart stopper like it has been the past couple of times

 

[Archg2h]

Hate the start time. Hope we come out with a little fire!

 

[BB73]

The Wildcats have lost their past 30 times they've played in Columbus.

Re: You may not bet on this event. You have placed 0 bet(s) on this Event.

WTF. for whatever reason I can't make a vbet. Am I in vGamblers Anonymous? :tongue2:

You'll get v$10k when I create a new vBet tomorrow.

 

[buckeyeintn]

You'll get v$10k when I create a new vBet tomorrow.

In other words when your welfare check comes in.

 

[Archg2h]

I would like to see Sam Thompson get some time on Shurna. He played the part of defensive stopper before and he has the athletic ability to lock him up.

Sam has a definite shop at becoming the next Dave Lighty type player if he puts his mind to it. Lighty never had the hops Sam brings to the table though for sure.

No doubt the kid has unreal hops, but he's not physical at all.
Needs some Craft type toughness.
But he's built like a Wippet, I doubt he ever becomes a tough defender.

 

[OHSportsFan]

A lot of points for a Big Ten game over the Winter/Holiday break, especially against Northwestern and their pesky style.

 

[LitlBuck]

I would like to see Sam Thompson get some time on Shurna. He played the part of defensive stopper before and he has the athletic ability to lock him up.

Sam has a definite shop at becoming the next Dave Lighty type player if he puts his mind to it. Lighty never had the hops Sam brings to the table though for sure.

It also will be interesting to see who takes on Crawford when Smith goes to the bench. I assume it will be Sibert but he will have to play with a little more intensity on defense than he has in past games.

No doubt the kid has unreal hops, but he's not physical at all.
Needs some Craft type toughness.
But he's built like a Wippet, I doubt he ever becomes a tough defender.

Totally disagree. In addition to his "hops", he has length which helps him be a good defender. You really can't compare him to Craft because there are not many guys out there that play defense with the intensity of Craft.