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Ohio State 81, St. Joe's 74 (Final)

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Davidson's actually a very good mid major program. Dwayne Lee is a very good defender for them, and Chet can stroke it from outside. I think the key to this game is how we handle St. Joes screens and physical brand of play. This would be a very good win if we can pull it off.
 
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12/10/05

Saturday, December 10, 2005
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12/10/05

Buckeyes turn focus on turnover problem
Progress by Dials would aid road effort
Saturday, December 10, 2005
Bob Baptist
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH


As Terence Dials took his seat in the postgame interview room, he spied the box score from the just-completed game against Virginia Tech.

"I only got credit for three turnovers," he muttered to no one in particular. "That’s cool."

He could afford to joke about it. The Ohio State men’s basketball team had withstood Virginia Tech’s second-half comeback and won Nov. 28 in Value City Arena despite 11 second-half turnovers. The total could have been higher had several of Dials’ other fumbles not been recaptured by him or his teammates.

"I thought he had like 15," Matt Sylvester said with a smile. "I was done passing him the ball."

The issue has been addressed less lightly the past 11 days. Ohio State is averaging more steals than any other Big Ten team but still turning the ball over more than its opponent.

"We’ve got to do a better job of taking care of the basketball," coach Thad Matta said.

Dials, for one, has been working on not only being stronger with the ball but avoiding foul trouble, finishing a higher percentage of his scoring chances and finding open teammates on the perimeter when defenses collapse on him.

His progress in all areas, and how well his teammates help him, figure to factor heavily today when the Buckeyes (3-0) come off a long break for final exams and take their first road test of the season against St. Joseph’s (4-1) in the Palestra in Philadelphia.

"Terence is so important to what we’re about," Matta said.

But the 6-foot-9 center has not started the season as solidly as one would expect of a fifth-year senior who was voted second-team All-Big Ten last season and is the hub of the Buckeyes’ four-out, one-in offense. He leads the team in scoring (15.3 points per game) but has been prone to fouls, fumbles and off-balance shots. He had one assist and eight turnovers in the first three games — one assist and 14 turnovers if you count the two exhibition games.

"Taking care of the ball, that’s been a problem for me," Dials said. "A lot of silly turnovers and fouls and stuff."

Dials said teams "bait me" to move into the key after he catches the ball in the low post "because that’s where all the (defensive) help is. That’s when I got most of my turnovers against Virginia Tech. I’ve got to be patient and not force anything."

He also has to spin the opposite way more, toward the baseline, instead of taking the bait.

"You go middle so many times, they’re going to start playing you that way.

You’re going to have to counter," Dials said. "I’ve been working on that."

When Dials has attracted a crowd, he at times has fallen back into a habit of putting up awkward shots instead of making strong moves to the rim.
"It’s balance," Matta said. "(He has) to play lower, keep the ball tighter, extend up on his shot right around the basket and see it all the way through the basket."

But his teammates can give him more help in double-team situations, also, and Sylvester said they will be in better position to beginning today.

"The last 12 days we’ve focused a lot on our half-court sets and our offense," Sylvester said. "We’ve really worked on what we call ‘squaring the floor,’ where when Terence gets the ball (and is doubled), anywhere he looks, there should be an open perimeter player for him to make an easy pass out."

Dials said the Buckeyes had not worked on squaring the floor before the last game.
"Having that in, having guys know where to be when I get double-teamed, is going to help us," he said. "We put that in last year towards the end (of the season) and it was helpful."
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The espn anchors (second tier guys) just said to watch out for Dials, who is a slasher. :roll1:

edit: now that same "expert" is surprised to see that OSU's record is 4-0 (they haven't played since they were on national TV on your show). And when forced to repeat the line about dials, he forgot Dials' name. I think Keith Jackson knows more about basketball than these guys.

Now I'm waiting to hear him talk about how OSU has an advantage with a great X's and O's coach like O'Brien.
 
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