While We’re Waiting… Top Buckeye Moments, Seneca Wallace, and final NFL weekend talk
January 1, 2012Week 17 Open Thread: Browns-Steelers
January 1, 2012The Indiana Hoosiers are proving to be very difficult to beat on their home floor as they defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes 74-70 last night, three weeks after upsetting the #1 team in the country at the time, the Kentucky Wildcats. This game had absolutely no flow to it, and the classic adage that a disjointed disarray of a game favors the underdog couldn’t have rung more true in this one. Foul trouble hit the Buckeyes’ top three players, and a game the Buckeyes had early control over went to pieces quickly. The officiating was some of the worst I’ve ever witnessed in college basketball, and that’s saying something. Indiana played a good game, but on a level playing field, they would not have come away with the victory.
The Buckeyes surged out to a 19-9 lead in the early going thanks to the Buckeye guards taking control with Aaron Craft and Lenzelle Smith Jr. leading the way and OSU hitting the offensive glass. Just four minutes into the game, however, Deshaun Thomas exited with his second personal foul without scoring a first-half bucket as he did not return. That started the trail of whistles from Terry Wymer, Mike Sanzere, and Scott Thornley with several fouls on the perimeter for the Bucks that aren’t fouls in the other 30 games the Buckeyes will play this season.
The real turning point, though, was Jared Sullinger’s second personal foul, which came at the 10:38 mark in the first half. On a fastbreak, Sullinger caught a pass as the defender slid underneath him. By rule, the offensive player is supposed to be allowed to land, and not only was that not the case, but the defender had his heel on the block/charge circle. That play shifted the momentum and brought OSU’s offense to a grinding halt. Ohio State had a nearly seven minute field goal drought, and Indiana went on a 24-13 run to close the half with a one-point lead. The turning point may have been Aaron Craft’s back-to-back turnovers to end the half that came as a pair of steals by IU forward Victor Oladipo. Craft had six turnovers in all, out of character for him and completely unacceptable in a high-profile game such as this. Granted, Craft was out there for stretches as the only proven scorer on the team, but he forced far too much on this day.
Thad Matta had no choice but to dig deep into his bench in the first half as Scott, Sibert, Ravenel, Weatherspoon, Thompson, and Williams all saw playing time. In the second half, Thompson got more time as he took Sibert’s minutes and was actually on the floor for the final minutes instead of Smith Jr. Thompson (6 points in 17 minutes) had perhaps the two brightest plays for OSU in the game with two alley-oop slams, one coming off an out of bounds toss over the backboard from Aaron Craft with full extension, throwing it through the hoop with authority.
To the casual observer, a 22-20 OSU foul count doesn’t look like any sort of homerism taking place in favor of Indiana. But, if you think that, you aren’t watching the Buckeyes all season. The Buckeyes pride themselves on playing tough defense without fouling. They DON’T foul. In the 14 games prior, opponents outfouled the Bucks 275-218. That means opponents on average commit 4 more fouls per game than OSU (19.6-15.6 fouls per game). 42 fouls in 40 minutes; that’s not a game with any tempo, just disjointed set after disjointed set. Sullinger, Thomas, and Buford played just 76 out of a possible 120 minutes. With Matta’s tendency to play these guys 32-35 minutes, that’s quite a loss to overcome.
In the second half things improved with Sullinger back on the floor, and he returned the favor for IU as Cody Zeller picked up his 3rd personal foul at the start of the second half. He would also eventually draw Zeller’s fourth and fifth fouls, dispatching him with 2:24 left. Sullinger posted 15 points and 9 rebounds, but he was just 9-of-13 from the line, not exactly the lights out free throw shooting Sully has flashed for most of this season. Lenzelle Smith provided some key buckets, posting a career-high 12 points to go with 6 rebounds. After all that talk a few days ago from me about the concern over Craft’s offense must’ve inspired the sophomore. He led the team in scoring with 16 points, adding 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals. Craft got several layups and was forced to take a very aggressive approach with the personnel on the floor.
The fouls killed the Buckeyes for the first 35 minutes of the game as Buford picked up his 4th foul at the 16:48 mark and Sullinger picked up his fourth on a mind-boggling blocking foul with just under 4 minutes to go. But, down the stretch, OSU had all of the players available, and they didn’t execute like the second best team in the nation.
The final possessions tell the tale of OSU forgetting who they are. The Buckeyes last scored on a Deshaun Thomas jumper with 1:53 remaining to take a 70-69 lead. The next four possessions for the Buckeyes with the game still in reach were atrocious: Buford turnover, Craft turnover, Craft turnover, and Buford’s missed three pointer. On both of Craft’s turnovers, he tried to penetrate and kick back, the second one was a speedball that bounced off Sam Thompson’s hands out of bounds. Down two, Buford took a deep and contested three pointer, going for the win. Given how the game was going, I don’t blame him for wanting the three, but it wasn’t even a good look and it was rushed. Did you notice something with this sequence? Not once did I mention Jared Sullinger’s name. You HAVE to get your All-American the ball in a one possession game in the final two minutes when Indiana had no one who could stop him without fouling. The Buckeyes didn’t, and because of it, their guards did them in.
The Buckeyes didn’t play like the best team in the conference, but it was an off night that they would have survived by pulling out a close, hard-fought road win if they didn’t have one hand tied behind their back for most of the game, courtesy of the black and white stripes.
The Buckeyes, now 1-1 in conference play, take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers in The Schott on Tuesday night.
(Photo:Darron Cummings/AP)
27 Comments
I remember watching the women’s game a while ago – Baylor vs. UCONN…after the game, Baylor’s coach Kim Mulkey said that the ball has to go into Griner every possession – she doesn’t have to score every possession – but it has to go to her every single time on half-court offense.
It’s completely understandable why that is true…and I wish we had the same philosophy with Sullinger.
He makes tough shots, he draws fouls, and he is a good passer out of double-teams.
Maybe it’s the downfall of such good recruiting, where our guards are used to being stars with the ball most of the time???
But Matta needs to get the ball to Sullinger 100% on half-court possessions.
Lopsided fouls or not this game was lost by Buford….
On what planet is it a good idea for a team down by two with 12 seconds left to hoist a heavily contested three ball without even a look inside.
My jaw literally dropped open when I saw him trigger that shot.
Best article yet written on this game. Indiana coach Tom Crean’s style is to contest each opponents possession with relentless pressure, Matta didn’t have an answer getting out coached even disappearing at the end of a very winnable game. Matta’s Indiana recruiting pipline was just shutdown. Crean is considered one of the best talent evaluators in college ball, recruited the MSU Spartans 2000 championship team for his buddy Tom Isso. This game was a huge win for the Indiana program.
@Jay
I agree that this was a HUGE win for the Indiana program, but don’t forget OSU’s recent dominance over Indiana. One win doesn’t change the landscape if OSU goes and throttles Indiana in Columbus. Indiana has to actually win a conference title or tournament before I get too concerned, but it will indeed be a little harder to pull the Odens, Conleys, and Thomases out of Indiana.
@ Jay
I think your comments are extremely premature.
It’s unfair to call Matta out coached when 1. his hands were tied with bad officiating – meaning that if there wasn’t the Buckeyes looked like they were going to blow the Hoosiers out of the gym…and 2. The Buckeyes had only 1 timeout in second half, and when they did use it, Buford fumbled to dribble and could not get the ball inside to Sully.
I’m glad you are excited for the resurgence of Indiana – I am too as a Ohio State fan because it makes B1G basketball better (same argument can be used for michigan and football)…but Matta’s record at 6-1 vs. Crean means that Crean has a LONG way to go before he can declare the pipeline “shutdown”.
And not to pile on, but let’s be honest here. Indiana is a good team, but Ohio State lost the game through unforced errors at the end. None of those turnovers were a result of unstoppable Indiana defensive pressure.
We play those final two minutes again today…or the proverbial 9 times out of 10 – Buckeyes win in a cake walk.
@chris – easy there, son. one possession doesn’t lose a game. even if it was as ugly as that one.
in regards to the article: even the announcers seemed frustrated by the officiating. i actually had to turn the game off for a bit because it was just too much stop and go.
Indiana was on the worst end of the officiating..I was there..Crean doesn’t cry like Thad Matta,Izzo and Bo Ryan..maybe he should have…we would have beaten the “Nuts” by 10..
Better get used to losing to IU in Basketball..
tell Sparty..Boilers and Badgers..
@Saggy
I respectfully disagree due to the fact to win an NCAA regulated collegiate basketball game your team requires 1 more point than TE opposing team at the end of gameplay. 🙂
Trust me, I get that every play equals a compete game a la’ a math equation; it was just a bonehead play that cost us the best chance at the critical moment to tie or take a lead.
@ Dee
“extremely premature” just wanted to emphasize how Indiana’s fortunes can dramatically change right here with these two big wins and with it the dynamics of the B1G. Just today Crean got a verbal from Wisconsin’s best prospect (Fischer). In four years Zeller’s senior leadership with superstar recruit Lyles along with a top rated 2012 class takes them to the final four. Ha! Could easily happen.
Regarding Matta, your right a bit unfair, the officiating & timeout situation stunk but not the first time Thad’s been exposed, I first noticed it against Tennessee some years back, trouble adjusting a failing strategy, in that game his zone being picked apart. Questions remain, can the Buckeyes mature as the season progresses & does Buford provide enough senior leadership for this team to be considered top five????
Best article yet? I have the opposite opinion.
How can you complain about the fouls called against osu without acknowledging the fact that IU’s zeller fouled out of the game and played fewer minutes than Jared? Jared’s 4th foul was no different than that called for Cody’s 2nd or 5th personals.
Oh and you fail to mention the fact that IU was without its sixth man will sheehey who averages about 11 points per game.
“He would also eventually draw Zeller’s fourth and fifth fouls, dispatching him with 2:24 left.”
Hmmmmm, looks like I acknowledged it there.
It’s not my job to report from IU’s perspective. I watch OSU and my expertise is with them. I was aware of Sheehey being out, but it did not make the cut in my plethora of thoughts from this one.
Also, Zeller was in for a good chunk of the first half when Indiana closed the gap because OSU’s THREE best players were sitting on the bench. Zeller’s good, but he’s not better than Sullinger, and him being out is certainly not more impactful than having Sully, Thomas, and Buford all out for OSU. Sorry.
@8
Well, if you were there, you must have had a better vantage point of everything.
Give me a break, Crean’s a whining, sniveling little rodent. I’ve seen THAT in person from ten feet behind him in The Nuthouse.
Blow-by handshakes are the classiest!
It’s easy to blame Matta for memorable losses…people always like to bring up the Tennessee game.
However, no one ever gives credit to him when Ohio State pulls out a close win….or for long time success.
How about the Terrance Dials years? No. 2 seed out of nowhere…he doesn’t get credit for that.
The Northwestern game last year – great calls down to stretch to pull out the win.
Or the Penn State game last year…putting Craft on Battle in the last 4:30 to shut them down.
Is he the best Xs and Os guy out there? No, of course not. But the whole package (recruiting, and game plan) I will take…I love the 25-30 win seasons as a routine.
From Andy Glockner’s article:
“Yes, the Buckeyes had some guys in foul trouble, but OSU’s main guys (Jared Sullinger and William Buford) weren’t very far off their season averages for minutes and none of the Buckeyes fouled out of the game, unlike IU center Cody Zeller, who watched the final 2:27 from the pine. That’s the same 2:27 where Ohio State, with all its players at its disposal, turned a one-point lead into a four-point loss by kicking the ball around late. Maybe blame Aaron Craft’s 38 minutes in the game, in which he had a career-high tying six turnovers and his first game this season in which he had more turnovers than assists. Bottom line: The game was there to be won by Ohio State, and the Buckeyes fell short.”
The Indiana crowd was livid at the referees, that’s as bad a officiating job as I’ve ever seen AGAINST Indiana. I’m willing to believe it wasn’t any better towards OSU, I’m obviously biased and was happy at any call we got.
The game was nearly ruined, coins were thrown on the court after 3 straight fouls on 3 defensive trips, the two that cost us Zeller for most of the 2nd half and one on Pritchard. That we won without Zeller for so long was the real story.
Sour grapes from OSU fans. Fact is the officiating was bad for both sides. However the OSU starters minutes played were up to or very close to what they normally play. Indiana actually lost their star frosh and best inside presence as Zeller fouled out with over 2 minutes left. All of the OSU starters were still available and OSU still lost. Fact is, OSU’s Thomas plays no defense whatsoever, and Indiana is good. Give them a little credit. They have now beaten the #1 and #2 teams in the country. But it must have been due to bad calls, right?
NCAA INSTITUTION CONTROLS ????
Having just witnessed the most aggregious performance by a team of NCAA basketball officials in my 50 years of viewing i.e. the IU-OSU basketball event, it presents the ideal opportunity for the NCAA to examine their pricipal of “institutional controls”. Afterall, NCAA officiating represents the single most important element of fairness in NCAA sports under the direct control of the organization.
When the court TV announcer (I understand is also a former IU coach)repeatedly mentions the “hometown happy whistle”; exclaims “how could that no be a foul” when an OSU player is virtually tackled during a perimeter jump shot and knocked off the court (a foul any official should not only call, but most would consider a flagrant foul; and also addressing the numerous ticky-tack fouls throughout the game (I saw no ligitmacy to the 4 phantom fouls called on William Buford); it certainly brings the calibur of the officating during this game into serious question.
If the NCAA fails to closely examine this officating debackle, and institute appropriate corrective action, it will do a dis-service to the BTC, fans, players and coaches alike. The players and coached all deserve much better performance by officials.
Such an investigation does NOT require months of research to authenticate bogus claims by SI reports suffering from chronic rectal cephalic dysplasia. It does NOT require complex assessments of the economic value of work by student athletes. It does NOT require examination of several years of automobile purchases to determine if a customer somehow got a better deal (Note, I negotiated a 39% discount off list on the last new car I purchased, what would the NCAA say about that if I had been a student athlete at the time.). It does NOT require a examination of years of high grade reports.
It simply requires the NCAA to honestly examine itself. The video recording of game readily facilitates an honest assessment of the officials performance. Such an examination could validate the ethics the NCAA markets to the sporting world.
I and many others are watching to see if the NCAA”s image of fairness is genuine or pretentious.
The ball is in your court, will the real NCAA please stand up.
Despite the poor refereeing, the Bucks are to blame. In the last five minutes, they didn’t play as a team and Buford’s failed (and unnecessary) three-pointer capped it off. If they can swallow this, it’ll make them better prepared for the NCAA tournament–
The officiating was atrocious, the players weren’t allowed to play ball, the officials were cowards at letting them play, they were calling stuff that wasn’t even close to a foul, was it the national TV exposure? BB is a physical sport, with contact, it wasn’t a matter of getting out of control, it was a matter of placing needless controls on the normal flow of a game, let the players play.
The foul differential may have only been 22-20, but most of Ohio States fould were in the FIRST half which resulted in their top 3 scorers sitting and Indiana able to take a halftime lead after a double digit deficit. The “makeup calls” in the second half may have been what got the IU fans “livid” as a previous poster pointed out. It was a HORRIBLY officiated game in which by the end neither team knew what was a foul and what wasn’t…the difference in the game and deciding factor IMHO being that OSU’s early foul trouble made their foul-laden players play tenatively on defense the remainded of the game in order not to foul out with 10+ minutes to go. And as anyone that watches OSU knows, their offense is predicated off their defense a majority of the time; even Matta says and acknowledges that
Indiana is much improved from last year, no doubt about that. And I don’t expect to get many calls in the oppositions’ arena, but the officiating was absolutely horrible and took OSU right out of the game. At the half time report, the one announcer made it a point to call the charge against Sullinger as “not a bad call but a horrible call, a game changer”, that pretty much sums it up. We’ll see how good Indiana is when they set foot in Columbus, I’ll be surprised beyond belief if the game is even remotely close.
Good to see indiana make a resurgence. OSU/ indiana is the best basketball rivalry in the Big Ten. However, Watching this game was like watching rush hour traffic in manhattan. My hats off to indiana for doing what they needed to when they needed to to win. But in a fluid, smoothly officiated game, where the players are allowed to play, OSU runs away with it. Luckily we get to see this matchup again later on.
Hoosiers are good but season is long and the officiating was a big factor…we will meet again
This has to be the worst officiating I’ve ever seen.
It was so bad that I thought these officials should be banned to HS … errr, no these games are too important also.
I would recommend middle school games, but I would probably be criminally liable for causing child abuse against these players.
@dave @steve @ pete @matt@ekso
Indiana will send terror into the bucknut ohio fans in the Schott, count on it Hoosiers are back,
get use to being owned
jimmyj – Please send me whatever you’re on because I’d like to live in your fantasy world. The game in Columbus will NOT be close and all you have to go back to would be last years home and home between Wisconsin and OSU, upset on the road and a 30 point win at home. See you in a couple of weeks in the Shott and you should prepare yourself for a beating.