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SF Eric Wallace (Official Thread)

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Why doesn't Eric Wallace get more PT
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I have been asking this question for awhile now.......I think he could help on the boards and give us more athletic ability in the paint......what is the issue.....practice habits?


11-29-2007 01:49 PMOSUBasketballJunkieI am trying to figure out why this kid is not playing more......I just love his upside........I hope to see him get more minutes soon.
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from what ive seen, limited gametime, inconsistent play, lack of defensive consistency and effort, doesnt play a team game, doesnt flow with the offense, has a tendency not to play within the sets...

all that being said it appears the entire team goes through stretches of this. if ive learned one thing about thad matta, players earn time, they arenot given time. if eric earns it, hell play. the pressure is on eric to contribute, not on thad to toss him in and see what happens...
 
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Dispatch

January 24, 2008

Is Wallace's time coming?

As Jon Diebler struggles with his shot and Evan Turner begins taking some of his minutes, coach Thad Matta has been asked a couple times in the past week whether a third rangy freshman, 6-foot-5 Eric Wallace, could begin to get some minutes on the wing as well.
?Most definitely,? Matta said this past Monday on his WBNS-AM radio call-in show. ?There?s a very good chance we could start to work him in. He?s been playing very well in practice.?
The next night, Wallace didn?t play against Illinois in a game in which the Buckeyes had a double-figure lead for much of the second half. So don?t hold your breath.
Eric%20Wallace.jpg

Whenever Matta has been asked this season about the likelihood of Wallace seeing more playing time, he has answered in optimistic terms. Meanwhile, Wallace has continued to sit. His only appearances in the last nine games were for the last 16 minutes in the rout of Iowa -- he had 10 points and eight rebounds -- and for a few seconds at the end of the loss at Purdue.
Wallace has been productive whenever he?s been given the time to be, but that time has come in runaway wins over Iowa, Presbyterian and VMI, a clear indication that Matta doesn?t think he?s ready for prime time.
For his part, Wallace said he doesn?t have a problem with it.
?It?s coach Matta?s say,? he said before practice recently. ?I?m in the gym working hard every day and whenever he calls my name, I?ll be ready to come in and perform to my highest level.?

Continued......
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I'd actually like to see us use Wallace to go really small for stretches of a game. Put him at Power forward, Koufus/Hunter at Center, then Diebler, Turner, and Butler in the backcourt. If you have Hunter at Center, this line-up could be deadly doing a full court press defense and playing the passing lanes looking for transition baskets on offense.
 
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A problem for Wallace isn't his alone, some of the other new recruits suffered the same fate. Being in a class this big. Matta had to find a starting lineup from what he had leftover and the new guys.
Then he had to get them playing like a team. I think the benchies will get more time as the game permits but there is no way that we are ready to take on all comers as a team. But we might be by the end of the season. In order to get there matta has to get his starters hitting on all cylinders and that is what keeps the benchies from getting pt.
Deibs was the lucky ? one, he got a chance at least to start at least.
I do like the way Wallace plays and what he brings to the table but is he consistant enough? guess not or there just isn't room for a 6th man on the floor.
 
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I'd like to see Wallace get a little time in some of these games, but the coaches know a whole lot more than I. Turner is playing so well (munus a few too many turnovers) and we know what we have in Lighty, that there are not a lot of minutes left. Deibler gets most of these in the hopes of his shooting coming around, and even when he is not shooting, he plays pretty good fundamental BBall.

Wallace may not be getting minutes, but Matta does seem to be positive about him, which is obviously a good thing.
 
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One thing I will say, is that if he was only going to play very little then we should of just redshirted him and not wasted this season...

I think Wallace has the game and I do agree with Best buckeye that Thad has to get the guys he is playing clicking together before going to other guys...

Another thing to think of is, that we really haven't had anyone get into foul trouble all year so he hasn't had to play him due to foul trouble...

I don't remember anyone fouling out all year...

I would like to see us run the lineup of 4 smalls a little more and have Lighty, Turner, or Wallace man the 4 position...
 
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I personally would love to see Eric Wallace get the minutes that Jon Diebler currently gets. Wallace has hit 53% of his shots; Diebler is at 28%. ???

That said, Matta has proven himself to be an outstanding coach, and I need to trust his judgment.
 
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MaxBuck;1076838; said:
I personally would love to see Eric Wallace get the minutes that Jon Diebler currently gets. Wallace has hit 53% of his shots; Diebler is at 28%. ???

That said, Matta has proven himself to a crappy coach, and I need to trust his judgment.
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How did I know you would be over here:biggrin:

Everybody loves Wallace because of his athletic ability but he really hasn't, and it isn't his fault, played against quality competition yet this season. I will agree his shooting percentage is greater than JD but I think we also know where Diebler's shots are coming from and he has got to find his stroke. I am sure Thad is putting the best five out on the court and I am sure he has nothing against Wallace. Perhaps Wallace does not show that well in practice on both offense and defense. I really don't know how good of a ballhandler he is and would be hesitant to play him at the 3 spot right now.
 
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