OHIO STATE--68 TENNESSEE--66 (Final)

[crazybuckfan40]

This team bothers me. Discipline on both sides of the ball is a BIG PROBLEM. And I'm not so certain it can be attributed simply to inexperience anymore.

In the first half, Conley throws the ball away, and Lewis gets an intentional foul. But if you watch the replay, Conley just stands there and holds his head after the turnover. He was in the best position to force a difficult shot in transition if he just runs back on defense. Instead, he just stood there like this was AAU ball.

Matta leaves Conley in, doesn't say a word to him about it. Conley comes back and hits 2 three-pointers, and it's like it never happened. But that's bullshit. It's one thing to make a mental error... but it's an entirely different thing to not put out the effort to make up for the error. Conley should have been benched at that point to teach the team that effort errors are inexcusable.

And that's why this team couldn't put away a clearly inferior Tennessee team. Because they're undisciplined. Matta's "cool guy" character landed Ohio State an unbelievable class. But I wonder whether he's a very good teacher for these kids.

On the play you were talking about the guy stepped into the passing lane and was ahead of Conley. Not saying he shouldnt get back, but he looked for the foul b/c the guy clearly grabbed his arm to force the TO. Lewis was the closest one to getting back and instead of trying to foul the guy from getting the break away layup he put a shoulder into him instead.

Also as the UT guy stepped up to the line Matta was right in Conley's ear. Not yelling at him, but I bet he was telling him that he needs to take care of the ball and get back on D.

I think that Matta is doing his best he can do to get the team to pull together, but there are problems out of the coaches hands that come with team chemistry that need to be worked out.

Matta can only do so much...

 

[ohiovol]

Yes, they are.

No they aren't. We aren't quite as good, but inferior is a very strong word for this situation.

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

Tennessee is not inferior.

I agree. UT missed a ton of open shots in the second half. 7-31 from three is terrible. I would expect them to make at least 10, maybe 12-13, in a typical game. They had every chance to win the game and very easily could have. I don't see any need to demean a team that could (maybe should) have beat us at home.

 

[OregonBuckeye]

No they aren't. We aren't quite as good, but inferior is a very strong word for this situation.

I think we have different understandings of the word inferior. I didn't interpret it to mean Tennessee is nowhere near our level. I think they're a good team who's just slightly below Ohio St. but it is a noticeable difference.

I don't see any need to demean a team that could (maybe should) have beat us at home.

And who's "demeaning" Tennessee?

 

[ohiovol]

Sorry if I misinterpreted you. I guess you are right, but inferior isn't usually used in close comparisons, but it could be, and you would be right. I agree, Tennessee isn't as good as OSU, but we are a good team.

 

[osugrad21]

I think we have different understandings of the word inferior. I didn't interpret it to mean Tennessee is nowhere near our level. I think they're a good team who's just slightly below Ohio St. but it is a noticeable difference.



And who's "demeaning" Tennessee?

The word "inferior" is not a typical choice when describing a slight difference...

 

[OregonBuckeye]

Sorry if I misinterpreted you. I guess you are right, but inferior isn't usually used in close comparisons, but it could be, and you would be right. I agree, Tennessee isn't as good as OSU, but we are a good team.

I can see why it came off as pretty harsh. Tennessee reminds me a wee bit of Ohio St. last year. When the perimeter game is on UT can compete with anyone.

 

[OH10]

Well, since I caused quite a stir... I won't respond to everything specific to my comments on the Conley play, because it would take all night.

The biggest problem with this team is discipline. And no, Conley is not the one I would point to as a poster boy for that mentality. But that play yesterday was the worst example I had seen among a number of poor effort plays all year. Don't cry about a non-call. Don't give up on a play. And don't pause to reflect on a mistake - do what you can that moment to make up for it.

The teaching opportunity was presented to Matta not just for Conley. But for this entire team which struggles to do even the little things that would result in putting teams like Tennessee away. You have to send a message to the ENTIRE team that effort is the most important thing.

I'm not asking that Matta turn into Bobby Knight. But some discipline would be nice. This team has the potential to be a title contender. And to say that about Ohio State in basketall is amazing. But it's just 'potential'. And this team isn't a title contender right now... They have all the pieces. Talent, veteran leadership, size, shooting. It's not youth that's going to hold this team back in March. It's discipline. They don't have any right now.

I can see why it came off as pretty harsh. Tennessee reminds me a wee bit of Ohio St. last year. When the perimeter game is on UT can compete with anyone.

They remind me a lot of last year's Ohio State team, minus the Big Ten MVP Terrence Dials. But this Ohio State team should have blown that Tennessee team off the court yesterday.

 

[jwinslow]

Well, since I caused quite a stir... I won't respond to everything specific to my comments on the Conley play, because it would take all night.
...
The teaching opportunity was presented to Matta not just for Conley. But for this entire team which struggles to do even the little things that would result in putting teams like Tennessee away. You have to send a message to the ENTIRE team that effort is the most important thing.

How about addressing cbf40's observation that Matta DID use it as a teaching opportunity before the FT?

 

[OH10]

How about addressing cbf40's observation that Matta DID use it as a teaching opportunity before the FT?

Didn't see it. So I'd have to take CB40's word for it. I would have taken Conley out for the rest of the half. It was an inexcusable play. That's a strong message to send to the team.

We'll see in the upcoming games against lesser opponents how much this team has learned about being lazy. But I don't think they get it.

 

[crazybuckfan40]

Didn't see it. So I'd have to take CB40's word for it. I would have taken Conley out for the rest of the half. It was an inexcusable play. That's a strong message to send to the team.

We'll see in the upcoming games against lesser opponents how much this team has learned about being lazy. But I don't think they get it.

Yeah I know what you are trying to say. I was right there when Conley lost the ball and put both of his hands up to the ref to say where is the foul. Then the guy went the other way. Honestly Conley was goint to be able to get back and make the defensive play, but it looked bad b/c he didnt get back.

I watched Matta and at first he went straight to the ref. Then as the UT guy stepped to the line he was right there talking to Conley. Not yelling but coaching. I was upset at first kinda like you but then I thought about it.

Coaches know their players better than anyone of us combined X's 100. The coaches know how to handle each individual player. So Matta's take on the situation was to let him know that he needs to get back, and not do what he did. I am sure he heard about it again in film study the next day as well. As we saw Conley responded well to the coaching and came back and hit those 2 big 3's right after that happened. If Matta yells at him leaves him on the floor he might have his head down and we don't get those 2 big 3's and obviously if Matta benches him, we obviously don't get those 2 3's. I think

We also saw that Matta got kinda fed up with Harris and some of his shots and defense in the second half and we didnt see Harris for very much of the second half. Also we have saw that Matta will not put up with Cook's bad defense as he puts him on the bench quite often b/c of it even tho he brings a lot to the offense end. We also saw that later in the game Conley got back and took a huge charge.

 

[daveeb]

Lewis's shot late in the game was clutch. Big game by Conley.

Turnovers really hurt this Buckeyes team. To be expected from a young team, especially since Conley and Oden combined for more than the entire Tennessee team.

 

[lvbuckeye]

Didn't see it. So I'd have to take CB40's word for it. I would have taken Conley out for the rest of the half. It was an inexcusable play. That's a strong message to send to the team.

We'll see in the upcoming games against lesser opponents how much this team has learned about being lazy. But I don't think they get it.

if he's benched for the rest of the half, he doesn't hit those two key 3's and we likely end up on the losing side of the column. is that what you would prefer? look, this team is young. very young. they're only 17 games into a 30+ game season. they have been improving, and will continue to improve. Oden STILL isn't 100% and he's growing by leaps and bounds, not to mention the fact that it's a little difficult to transition from a perimeter-only mindset into one that runs the plays inside-out over night. give them some time.

and for someone to question Matta's teaching ability after he took that moribund group of sad sacks, beat undefeated Illinois, won 20 games, then parlayed that into winning the Big Ten last year with a team that was essentially 7 deep, then pulled in one of the best classes (probably THE best) in Ohio State history is so shortsighted as to be laughable.

or is it just that you are THAT spoiled already?

seriously...

 

[coastalbuck]

if he's benched for the rest of the half, he doesn't hit those two key 3's and we likely end up on the losing side of the column. is that what you would prefer? look, this team is young. very young. they're only 17 games into a 30+ game season. they have been improving, and will continue to improve. Oden STILL isn't 100% and he's growing by leaps and bounds, not to mention the fact that it's a little difficult to transition from a perimeter-only mindset into one that runs the plays inside-out over night. give them some time.

and for someone to question Matta's teaching ability after he took that moribund group of sad sacks, beat undefeated Illinois, won 20 games, then parlayed that into winning the Big Ten last year with a team that was essentially 7 deep, then pulled in one of the best classes (probably THE best) in Ohio State history is so shortsighted as to be laughable.

or is it just that you are THAT spoiled already?

seriously...

I agree. Let me add this. You can't always use what happens in a BB game as a learning experience WHEN it happens. You can use everything that happens as a learning experience at some point. Whether during a dead ball, time out, halftime, or on film, you can examine and learn from it all. I'm positive Coach has had the not getting back on D discussion with Conley about the play you've been referencing. Maybe even soon after it occurred. I think I remember him getting back a couple of times in the second half to make plays. Also, I don't see a discipline or desire problem with this team, I simply see a young team with a ton of talent learning how to play the game, and a coach looking for a way to mesh the skills of a lot of kids whose talents frequently overlap.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

I don't have much to add that hasn't already been posted in this thread, but I will say that this team needs their players to accept their individual roles and then you will see them play well down the stretch during close games....they are still trying to figure that out and until Lewis and Butler start leading on the court and off the court, we will continue to struggle in games we should win comfortably.