jcollingsworth
Guest
TBBC MBB Pregame Glance: Ohio State vs. Kentucky
jcollingsworth via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
On December 19th at 3:30 pm The Ohio State Buckeyes (5-5) take on the Kentucky Wildcats (9-1) at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn in The CBS Sports Classic.
The Buckeyes most recent win came Wednesday against Northern Illinois at Value City Arena 67-54. Bringing them to the .500 mark once again for this season.
The Wildcats brought their record up to 9-1 against Arizona State 72-58 on December 12th.
Normally this wouldn’t be such a preview. In most minds this would be a Wildcats victory – open and shut. But I shall be bold here and say “…wooo – let’s hold up a minute.”
The record we see of the Wildcats is great. But this is not the normal Wildcats team of the past.
The Buckeyes record reflect disappointment but this is a fantastic recruitment group – trying to jell.
Let’s take a look:
The Buckeyes
As I mentioned a review of the Buckeyes record (5-5) mirror frustration. Contrary to what the “experts” splattered throughout the sporting news world of the Buckeyes failures seemingly ignore a nonentity issue – which is the Buckeyes losses to two very specific teams – Texas-Arlington and Louisiana Tech. should not have happened. But it did. So the only way out of these destructive-ways is to move on – working hard on the errors generated. This is what Thad Matta has his Buckeyes doing.
The Buckeyes need to work on four important areas:
1) Assists. In the Big 10 so far this season they are 11th out of 14 teams.
2) Points: In the Big 10 they are listed 11th of 14 teams again.
3) Rebounds: ORPG – 10.4.
4) Rebounds: DRPG – 26.7.
In Rebounds they are 9th in Big 10 play.
Marc Loving currently leads the Buckeyes in both points per game and rebounds – 16.8 & 6.9 respectively. JaQuan Lyle is the current leader for OSU in assists with 5.0. In the early season this is respectable. But the Buckeyes have not jelled. This is a talented team patched together with High School stars or players who waited to shine after playing with stars of Buckeye past.
At some point the jelling will happen. When this happens watch for an entirely different team from what we have been witnessing. This team can be “major” spoilers in this current season. And for next year …. Just thinking out loud!
The Wildcats
The Kentucky Wildcats are … the Kentucky Wildcats. Since John Calipari’s arrival in Lexington back in 2009 Kentucky has carried on their storied tradition. In 2009-10 they went 35-3 and would make it to the Elite Eight. In 2010-11 @ 29-9 they would reach the Final Four. In 2011-12 @ 38-2 the Wildcats were crowned NCAA Champions. In 2012-13 they finished @ 21-12 and would be eliminated in the NIT First Round. In 2013-14 they wound up the season @ 29-11 and would be the NCAA Runner-up. And last year – 2014-15 they’d end the year at 38-1 and make the Final Four.
My breath is short after reading those amazing accomplishments. Buckeye Nation would absolutely love such a recent world. I know I would.
This year, as I mentioned above, contrary to typical Wildcats reality past this is not a similar group. By no means is this a diss of John Calipari’s current group. Kentucky basketball is …well, Kentucky basketball.
In the SEC they are not faring any better than the Buckeyes:
In assists they are 9th of 14 teams.
In points they roll in at 8th of 14 teams.
And in rebounds – ORPG they rake in an average of 14.5. DRPG they sit at 26.3. This puts them at 3rd out of 14 teams.
That last statistic though is essential and takes focus. But look at the numbers again. Defensively their numbers are similar to the Buckeyes (OSU: 26.7. KY: 26.3). It is offensive rebounding they take a better step – OSU: 10.4. KY: 14.5.
One player that shines for the Wildcats is Freshman Jamal Murray who averages 15.5 points per game and from the 3-point mark hits .333 of the time. There is also 6-11 Port-au-Prince, Haiti native Skal Labissiere in an average of 21.6 minutes per game play time is hitting with an average of 10.6 points and 3.5 rebounds. Isaiah Briscoe in 29.9 minutes of average play is hitting 12.4 points. And one player that is a joy to watch is Alex Poythress who in 21.6 minutes of average play hits 9.6 points but has 7.3 rebounds.
Kentucky is playing well in their nine wins they have beaten the likes of:
Albany – 78-65
NJIT 87-57
Duke 74-63 (ranked 5th at the time)
Wright State 78-63
Boston University 82-62
USF 84-63
Illinois State 75-63
Eastern KY 88-67
AZ ST 72-58
Their lone loss came at the hands of UCLA: 87-77.
Against some of the Wildcats wins we must ask how would have the Buckeyes fared?
I don’t know if I want to ponder on that.
Final Summation
Often numbers and schedule results are varied in a final analysis. Just as important as they are – it too represents not a whole lot. The Buckeyes as we have discussed and witnessed thus far this year have been disappointing. But Buckeye Nation appears to be taking this in full stride. We grasp the talent level in Scarlet and Gray uniforms today – just as we comprehend the need for patience as progression evolves for this young team.
Brooklyn is a great neutral place for these two teams to play. A National spot-light as well plays nicely in the drama that will unfold come this Saturday. The Buckeyes and Wildcats series has been favored towards the Blue side 11-8 overall. Their last meeting was in 2011 when the top-seeded Buckeyes fell to Kentucky in the Eastern Semifinals of the NCAA Championship Tournament. Kentucky would win that match 62-60 in a thriller.
When I began this piece I fell victim to what I feel we all have. And that was that Kentucky will win. But as I researched this Kentucky team more, the more I looked over the untested talent of the Buckeyes I actually developed hope.
Perhaps some may call it insanity – specifically because the way things are panning out for the Buckeyes thus far this year. But I see the stage for Saturday’s game to be big enough for Thad Matta to have all his ducks in a row. I see the OSU team ready to make a statement – primarily towards the nonbelievers.
I also see Kentucky under Calipari looking ahead towards Louisville. Does this ultimately state that I think Kentucky is better, but will fail to a lesser team? I am hardly saying that.
I simply see a matchup that will boost the Buckeyes in the right direction – win or lose.
The post TBBC MBB Pregame Glance: Ohio State vs. Kentucky appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
Continue reading...
jcollingsworth via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
On December 19th at 3:30 pm The Ohio State Buckeyes (5-5) take on the Kentucky Wildcats (9-1) at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn in The CBS Sports Classic.
The Buckeyes most recent win came Wednesday against Northern Illinois at Value City Arena 67-54. Bringing them to the .500 mark once again for this season.
The Wildcats brought their record up to 9-1 against Arizona State 72-58 on December 12th.
Normally this wouldn’t be such a preview. In most minds this would be a Wildcats victory – open and shut. But I shall be bold here and say “…wooo – let’s hold up a minute.”
The record we see of the Wildcats is great. But this is not the normal Wildcats team of the past.
The Buckeyes record reflect disappointment but this is a fantastic recruitment group – trying to jell.
Let’s take a look:
The Buckeyes
As I mentioned a review of the Buckeyes record (5-5) mirror frustration. Contrary to what the “experts” splattered throughout the sporting news world of the Buckeyes failures seemingly ignore a nonentity issue – which is the Buckeyes losses to two very specific teams – Texas-Arlington and Louisiana Tech. should not have happened. But it did. So the only way out of these destructive-ways is to move on – working hard on the errors generated. This is what Thad Matta has his Buckeyes doing.
The Buckeyes need to work on four important areas:
1) Assists. In the Big 10 so far this season they are 11th out of 14 teams.
2) Points: In the Big 10 they are listed 11th of 14 teams again.
3) Rebounds: ORPG – 10.4.
4) Rebounds: DRPG – 26.7.
In Rebounds they are 9th in Big 10 play.
Marc Loving currently leads the Buckeyes in both points per game and rebounds – 16.8 & 6.9 respectively. JaQuan Lyle is the current leader for OSU in assists with 5.0. In the early season this is respectable. But the Buckeyes have not jelled. This is a talented team patched together with High School stars or players who waited to shine after playing with stars of Buckeye past.
At some point the jelling will happen. When this happens watch for an entirely different team from what we have been witnessing. This team can be “major” spoilers in this current season. And for next year …. Just thinking out loud!
The Wildcats
The Kentucky Wildcats are … the Kentucky Wildcats. Since John Calipari’s arrival in Lexington back in 2009 Kentucky has carried on their storied tradition. In 2009-10 they went 35-3 and would make it to the Elite Eight. In 2010-11 @ 29-9 they would reach the Final Four. In 2011-12 @ 38-2 the Wildcats were crowned NCAA Champions. In 2012-13 they finished @ 21-12 and would be eliminated in the NIT First Round. In 2013-14 they wound up the season @ 29-11 and would be the NCAA Runner-up. And last year – 2014-15 they’d end the year at 38-1 and make the Final Four.
My breath is short after reading those amazing accomplishments. Buckeye Nation would absolutely love such a recent world. I know I would.
This year, as I mentioned above, contrary to typical Wildcats reality past this is not a similar group. By no means is this a diss of John Calipari’s current group. Kentucky basketball is …well, Kentucky basketball.
In the SEC they are not faring any better than the Buckeyes:
In assists they are 9th of 14 teams.
In points they roll in at 8th of 14 teams.
And in rebounds – ORPG they rake in an average of 14.5. DRPG they sit at 26.3. This puts them at 3rd out of 14 teams.
That last statistic though is essential and takes focus. But look at the numbers again. Defensively their numbers are similar to the Buckeyes (OSU: 26.7. KY: 26.3). It is offensive rebounding they take a better step – OSU: 10.4. KY: 14.5.
One player that shines for the Wildcats is Freshman Jamal Murray who averages 15.5 points per game and from the 3-point mark hits .333 of the time. There is also 6-11 Port-au-Prince, Haiti native Skal Labissiere in an average of 21.6 minutes per game play time is hitting with an average of 10.6 points and 3.5 rebounds. Isaiah Briscoe in 29.9 minutes of average play is hitting 12.4 points. And one player that is a joy to watch is Alex Poythress who in 21.6 minutes of average play hits 9.6 points but has 7.3 rebounds.
Kentucky is playing well in their nine wins they have beaten the likes of:
Albany – 78-65
NJIT 87-57
Duke 74-63 (ranked 5th at the time)
Wright State 78-63
Boston University 82-62
USF 84-63
Illinois State 75-63
Eastern KY 88-67
AZ ST 72-58
Their lone loss came at the hands of UCLA: 87-77.
Against some of the Wildcats wins we must ask how would have the Buckeyes fared?
I don’t know if I want to ponder on that.
Final Summation
Often numbers and schedule results are varied in a final analysis. Just as important as they are – it too represents not a whole lot. The Buckeyes as we have discussed and witnessed thus far this year have been disappointing. But Buckeye Nation appears to be taking this in full stride. We grasp the talent level in Scarlet and Gray uniforms today – just as we comprehend the need for patience as progression evolves for this young team.
Brooklyn is a great neutral place for these two teams to play. A National spot-light as well plays nicely in the drama that will unfold come this Saturday. The Buckeyes and Wildcats series has been favored towards the Blue side 11-8 overall. Their last meeting was in 2011 when the top-seeded Buckeyes fell to Kentucky in the Eastern Semifinals of the NCAA Championship Tournament. Kentucky would win that match 62-60 in a thriller.
When I began this piece I fell victim to what I feel we all have. And that was that Kentucky will win. But as I researched this Kentucky team more, the more I looked over the untested talent of the Buckeyes I actually developed hope.
Perhaps some may call it insanity – specifically because the way things are panning out for the Buckeyes thus far this year. But I see the stage for Saturday’s game to be big enough for Thad Matta to have all his ducks in a row. I see the OSU team ready to make a statement – primarily towards the nonbelievers.
I also see Kentucky under Calipari looking ahead towards Louisville. Does this ultimately state that I think Kentucky is better, but will fail to a lesser team? I am hardly saying that.
I simply see a matchup that will boost the Buckeyes in the right direction – win or lose.
The post TBBC MBB Pregame Glance: Ohio State vs. Kentucky appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
Continue reading...