Wiscy +9.5 at tOSU (ov/un 120.5) Sun 4 ET, CBS

[Jake]

From what I have seen, that is not the case. Our shooters are covered very well from beyond the three point line. Wisconsin had a lot more open three point shots. That makes me wonder if our offense is designed to get the shooters open beyond the three point line? I need to watch to see how many off ball screens we do to try to get the shooters open.

Regardless of how "open" we are the fact is:

Three point shooting this year: 33.3% (218th in the nation)*
Three point shooting last year: 42.3% (1st in the nation)

That is a significant difference.

I know that you are comparing one year to the next, but the numbers still are not good. Indiana is shooting 75.5%. 70.1% puts Ohio State tied with 10 others at 121. If you look into the numbers, you will see that Ohio State has attempted about 100 less free throws than Indiana and made 110 less. That adds up. If Ohio State made two more free throw yesterday they would not have had to put up a three at the end of the game.

I wasn't suggesting our FT numbers were good. I was pointing out that they are almost identical to last year, demonstrating it is unlikely that is the difference between last year's team and this year's team. In fact, we are attempting 21.8 FTs per game this year, versus 20.6 last year.

Again, the difference is the three point shooting. It's not a feeling or a hunch, it's a statistically verifiable fact.

* = updated this morning after yesterday's stats

 

[Oh8ch]

So the alternative is to keep doing what we're doing, and beat mediocre to horrible teams, but lose to good teams that we still have way more talent than? It just seems that you always criticize any post that proposes any alternative to what the coaches are currently doing. No offense meant by my post but I really don't think that posts suggesting alternative approaches are all bad, considering the disappointing Big Ten season.

No. I agree that this team is broke. They are throwing up bad shots and not running their O at critical times. They may be well coached, but it doesn't always look that way.

I am simply responding to those who suggest we have the wrong pieces on the floor. Changing players at this point is not going to lead to a NC run.

 

[Best Buckeye]

I think we can all agree that they are not playing as a great team. the question is: is that the players or the coaches?

 

[OHSportsFan]

They'll have to put in a zone defense, which is something they've been reluctant to do.

LQRoss's length should be able to cause problems in a zone defense.

But alas...I'll dream on.

 

[PlanetFrnd]

FT shooting this year: 70.3%
FT shooting last year: 70.1%

Virtually the same.

Three point shooting this year: 33.2%
Three point shooting last year: 42.3%

THAT is the difference. Defenses are collapsing on Sully because we don't scare them from the outside.

Regardless of how "open" we are the fact is:

Three point shooting this year: 33.3% (218th in the nation)*
Three point shooting last year: 42.3% (1st in the nation)

That is a significant difference.



I wasn't suggesting our FT numbers were good. I was pointing out that they are almost identical to last year, demonstrating it is unlikely that is the difference between last year's team and this year's team. In fact, we are attempting 21.8 FTs per game this year, versus 20.6 last year.

Again, the difference is the three point shooting. It's not a feeling or a hunch, it's a statistically verifiable fact.

* = updated this morning after yesterday's stats

Excellent work, this.

 

[Archg2h]

Guards that can't score is tOSU biggest problem.

Guards that can't score is tOSU biggest problem.

Craft, 8.4 per game, 70% from the FT line.(He seems to be worse in crunch time.) 2 big misses late against Wisc.

Smith Jr. 5.8 per game (throw out the fluke 28 pts. in the IU win, and it's a lot less)
He shoots about 55% from the FT line. 5 of the 6 losses he has scored a total of 10 points. He did have 12 at IU, in that loss.

Scott 16-58, 27.5 FG% 1-15 from the 3 & 2-7 from the FT line. 1.3 pts/game.

 

[LitlBuck]

The last shot

Too depressed to talk about my thoughts about the team and the game. I said earlier on this season that foul shooting would eventually hurt this team but that was pooh-poohed by a lot of other guys. Unfortunately, it is easier to shoot foul shots against inferior competition and earlier in the games. Not saying this is the reason we lost the game because there is something wrong with this team and I don't think many of us know what that is. Guys looking ahead... very possible.

Down by two with 25 seconds left, the Buckeyes called on Deshaun Thomas, their most effective offensive player Sunday. The plan was to free Thomas with a screen by Aaron Craft, after seeing that defender Reggie Evans had been sagging down on Jared Sullinger inside.

The screen was set, Thomas got the ball, thought he was open, went up for the 3-pointer with 16 seconds to play ... and when Evans flew at him he forced a shot that wasn't close.

"I thought I was wide open," Thomas said. "He got off the screen quick and I was in my shooting range, and it was great defense by him. He made me change my shot up. But I can't let one bad shot affect me."
It would be unfair to blame Thomas when he was otherwise effective, making nine of 15 shots for 23 points, grabbing seven rebounds and committing just one turnover. But the shot was indicative of a team that at times plays without a feel for the game, that would just shoot a shot because it was drawn up without gauging what was needed in the moment.

It's fair to wonder about putting the ball, with that much time on the clock, in the hands of Thomas, who is a shooter and rebounder, but not a playmaker.

Coach Thad Matta said he didn't like the shot -- "obviously" -- and wished that Thomas would have pump-faked with Evans flying at him and looked to create something for himself or a teammate.

"Just lift him up. We had him," Matta said of Evans. "The guy was underneath the basket. He was running full-speed to get him. He had a long closeout."

http://www.cleveland.com/osu/index.ssf/2012/02/late-game_decisions_told_the_t.html

 

[colobuck79]

This is maybe stating the obvious, but I think a team can afford to only have one "defensive specialist" on the court at any given time. When there are two or more it is too easy for the other team to play off those guys and shut us down. :( At this point I think our only hope is to have a couple of guys catch fire during tourney time. Any game with Wisconsin is painful to watch. Losing to them is torture.

 

[Buckeyefrankmp]

Regardless of how "open" we are the fact is:

Three point shooting this year: 33.3% (218th in the nation)*
Three point shooting last year: 42.3% (1st in the nation)

That is a significant difference.

I agree that there is a difference. Last year we attempted 18.2 3s a game, making 7.7 of them. This year we are attempting 14.6 3s a game and making 4.89. Are we not attempting as much because we are not making them or are we not getting good looks?

 

[bkochmc]

This is maybe stating the obvious, but I think a team can afford to only have one "defensive specialist" on the court at any given time. When there are two or more it is too easy for the other team to play off those guys and shut us down. :( At this point I think our only hope is to have a couple of guys catch fire during tourney time. Any game with Wisconsin is painful to watch. Losing to them is torture.

I would agree... if this team had more than 3 scorers. Who else looks to consistently score besides Sully, Buford and Thomas? Maybe Craft on occasion, but no one else seems to want to look at the rim. That's one of the glaring holes in this team. So with the current offensive mental state of the team, Matta might as well keep two "defensive specialists" on the floor at all times. Good defense will at least keep the Bucks in games.