Second Best Scorer Rides the Pine all Year

[BayBuck]

OSU has lost to a underdog every year in the tourney except possibly the title game vs UF. While its flattering that Thad has OSU in that great position, its also a bit concerning because the sample size isn't small.

There have been a few disappointing early exits along the way, but sorry, including the last two years in your blanket statement takes it over the top, considering Kentucky and Kansas were #2/4 seeds who made the Final Four and championship game. And only six of anything is a very small sample size.

 

[matcar]

Again tonight I think we saw reasons why Ross doesn't see more playing time. However, in spite of some painful moments in the second half, Bucks win.

 

[Best Buckeye]

Ross is improving just about like Williams is but Williams gets the start and Ross doesnt because Thomas is the main scorer this year and Thad needs to get Williams ready for next year.

 

[scott91575]

Ross is improving just about like Williams is but Williams gets the start and Ross doesnt because Thomas is the main scorer this year and Thad needs to get Williams ready for next year.

I disagree with this. With Williams, there really isn't any better alternative. With Ross, there are players that are better defensively and not as prone to mistakes.

 

[Fremont Buckeye]

I disagree with this. With Williams, there really isn't any better alternative. With Ross, there are players that are better defensively and not as prone to mistakes.

Being at the game and watching Ross tonight I got the impression that he is thinking to much and not just playing. Like if he makes one mistake Thad is going to pull him.

And to Thad's credit it seemed that he left Ross in there longer than normal to maybe help him learn and gain experience from making those mistakes.

But overall he just seems timid out there, which leads to some of the mistakes he makes instead of just playing the game. But he has to play better defense than in the past to get that chance.

He has the tools to be a good player at this level now its up to the coaches to put him in positions to succeed and for Ross to properly execute. Hopefully he can do that and he can become the player he thought he would be coiming out of high school.

 

[LitlBuck]

Ross is improving just about like Williams is but Williams gets the start and Ross doesnt because Thomas is the main scorer this year and Thad needs to get Williams ready for next year.

What! Ross to start rather than Williams. You want Ross and Thomas on the floor together without a big man. I mean we don't have much shotblocking capability as it is and you want to put Ross in the middle or would it be Thomas. I can see starting Ross over Thompson because Sam is not a very good rebounder and that is putting it mildly. I sure hope I misunderstood your post.

 

[614]

Last time we played Ross in a tight game he made some major mistakes.

I'm late to the party & I haven't read through all the responses. But he has to go through these things. What player doesn't make mistakes? Didn't we go through the same thing with DT? Only difference Is he had Sully , Buford , Lighty & Diebler to cover for him.

Lezelle , Craft & Sam can't take on the 2nd option scoring load. It's not their game. Lenzelle's been struggling all year because he feels It's his job

What's a loss In January opposed to March. Throw the kid In the fire

 

[LitlBuck]

I'm late to the party & I haven't read through all the responses. But he has to go through these things. What player doesn't make mistakes? Didn't we go through the same thing with DT? Only difference Is he had Sully , Buford , Lighty & Diebler to cover for him.

Lezelle , Craft & Sam can't take on the 2nd option scoring load. It's not their game. Lenzelle's been struggling all year because he feels It's his job

What's a loss In January opposed to March. Throw the kid In the fire

Yeah, the hell with the rest of the team. You really need to read the entire thread before making a post like that.

 

[614]

Yeah, the hell with the rest of the team. You really need to read the entire thread before making a post like that.

So the rest of the team doesn't want what's best for the team? Craft wouldn't mind coming off the bench because Shannon runs this team , With these type of players better than him?

So let's just ignore the obvious struggles and weak spots with this team. I would have said November but we're a little passed that and still have question marks with the team

Zelle wouldn't mind taking some of the load off of him and resorting back to his natural role?

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

Ross is improving just about like Williams is but Williams gets the start and Ross doesnt because Thomas is the main scorer this year and Thad needs to get Williams ready for next year.

What! Ross to start rather than Williams. You want Ross and Thomas on the floor together without a big man. I mean we don't have much shotblocking capability as it is and you want to put Ross in the middle or would it be Thomas. I can see starting Ross over Thompson because Sam is not a very good rebounder and that is putting it mildly. I sure hope I misunderstood your post.

I think you misunderstood Best's post. What he was saying is that Matta can afford to start Williams over Ravenal because he isn't losing too much by making that change, whereas he cannot afford to start Ross over Thomas because Thomas is the most important guy on the team.

At least I think that's what he meant.

 

[LitlBuck]

I think you misunderstood Best's post. What he was saying is that Matta can afford to start Williams over Ravenal because he isn't losing too much by making that change, whereas he cannot afford to start Ross over Thomas because Thomas is the most important guy on the team.

At least I think that's what he meant.

I think you are correct. I reread the post a few more times and I think that is what he was referring to... I think and hope:)

 

[Best Buckeye]

I think you are correct. I reread the post a few more times and I think that is what he was referring to... I think and hope:)

Exactly right this time.

 

[DZ83CK]

There have been a few disappointing early exits along the way, but sorry, including the last two years in your blanket statement takes it over the top, considering Kentucky and Kansas were #2/4 seeds who made the Final Four and championship game. And only six of anything is a very small sample size.

It's like trying to argue with a rock to try to get Davey to understand he doesn't see the forest for the trees. It's hard to win in the tournament, and almost infinitely fairer to compare coaches based on how far their teams have advanced and how often they have advanced to those levels.

Let's look at a coach who has a large sample size to point out the ludicrous nature of trying to rag on a coach with comparing seeds in the tournament and ignoring the success of the team in advancing. Let's go with Coach K, also known as the winningest coach in college basketball history and apply the "Davey analysis" to his Duke teams.

Number of times Coach K's teams have lost to a lower seed in the tournament (starting with '85): 18
Number of times Coach K's teams have neither lost to a lower seed nor beaten a higher seed: 6
Number of times Coach K's teams haven't lost to a lower seed in the tourney & beat a higher seed: 3

Lost to a lower seeded team in:
1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012

Did not lose to a lower seeded team and did not beat a higher seeded team: 1986, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2010

Did not lose to a lower seeded team and beat a higher seeded team:
1990, 1991, 1994

No tourney appearance: 1995

Obviously Coach K doesn't know how to coach since his teams have only beaten a higher seed without losing to a lower seed 3 times over nearly 30 years. But beating a higher seed without losing to a lower seed is exactly what Matta's OSU team did last year.

 

[LitlBuck]

Dan Dakich, ESPN agrees with some of you

?Where I think Ohio State is going to be inconsistent all year is scoring. I was looking (during the loss Saturday at Michigan State) and Thomas has 25 (points) and the next guy has five. OK, that happens in a game. But, realistically, something like that could happen more often than not against good teams, and that?s hard (to win when it does).

?I think Thad?s a really good coach. Everybody gives (Wisconsin?s) Bo Ryan great credit for playing to a certain pace, but I think Thad has always done that with his teams very well. Because of that, and because they have a culture of winning, I think they?ll be in the race. But in my opinion, they?ve got to find somebody other than Thomas to go get some buckets against good teams.

?I?ve got to believe a guy like (LaQuinton) Ross is going to be a factor down the stretch against good teams. (Former Indiana teammate) Ted Kitchel told me when I was a freshman, ?Hey, man, all coach (Bob) Knight?s toughness and defense stuff, that?s all bull----. If you can score, you can play.? I?ve always kind of kept that in the back of my mind as seasons (pass) and scouting gets better and teams get more familiar (with each other). If you can score, you?re going to play.?

http://buckeyextra.dispatch.com/content/stories/2013/01/25/scoring-will-settle-osus-fate.html

 

[LitlBuck]

Clark Kellogg weighs in on the possibility of Ohio State winning a Big Ten championship without more scoring.

“It’s certainly possible (they can win), but it’s going to take close to perfection. They just don’t have the margin for error they’ve had in the past.

“They don’t have, in my opinion, the offensive firepower to be able to work through the kind of competition they’ll face in a Big Ten title quest. Indiana and Michigan can play through bad spells easier than Ohio State because they have offensive firepower.

“That’s the one thing that separates not only conference champions but national champions. Everybody talks about the defense you have to play to be a championship-caliber team, and that’s true. But to get all the way to the top, you have to be able to score multiple ways. Defense alone will not win you any championships in basketball.”

http://buckeyextra.dispatch.com/content/stories/2013/01/25/scoring-will-settle-osus-fate.html