February 22, 2012

Buckeyes Rediscover Their Offense, Thump Illini

February 22, 2012 By 1 Comment

It was a typical Tuesday night of late for the Ohio State Buckeyes. The scarlet and gray won their third straight Tuesday night game in as many weeks, following up 87 points against Purdue at home in a three point win and 78 at Minnesota last week in a blowout with 83 last night. The Bucks shot 65% from the field, their second best clip of the season, as they flattened the already deflating Illinois Fighting Illini 83-67, who have now lost 9 of their last 10 games. The win, if anything, slows the bleeding on the Buckeyes’ fall from grace as a result of their pair of losses to the state of Michigan.  The problem for the Buckeyes following their last two Tuesdays? It’s been carrying that offensive efficiency into the weekend.

From the tip, the gameplan was different for Matta’s guys. The ball wasn’t sticking and there was not a reliance on forced and contested jump shots. Instead, there was dribble penetration from Aaron Craft that fueled it all. One of my biggest criticisms of the Buckeye offense in recent games has been their lack of attacking the defense via the dribble drive. Tonight, Craft gave a flashback to late last season when he was consistently in double figure scoring and probing the defense regularly. The sophomore point posted 11 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals. OSU jumped out to a 28-8 lead in the game’s first nine minutes, hitting 11 of their first 12 shots, and the game was never in doubt after that. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Buckeyes Tagged With: , , , , ,

Box Score: (9) Ohio State 83, Illinois 67

February 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment

In a game that was needed to stabilize the team and keep pace in the Big Ten, the Buckeyes shot the lights out on their home floor, controlling the reeling Illini from the very start. OSU, led by Deshaun Thomas’s 19 points and William Buford’s 17, shot 65% as a team and smashed Illinois 83-67. The lone bright spot for Illinois was sophomore center Meyers Leonard’s 21 point, 5 rebound effort. Buckeye big man Jared Sullinger was held to single digits with 9 points while taking just 7 shots, though the Buckeyes didn’t truly need his presence in this one nor did they force much down low. The Buckeyes improve to 11-4 in the Big Ten and remain one game behind the Spartans in the loss column. They take on the Badgers next in the Schott on Sunday afternoon.

 

 Illinois

Name FG 3Pt FT Off Reb Ast PF Pts
Tracy Abrams 3-9 0-0 0-0 3 3 0 3 6
Joseph Bertrand 1-4 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 2
Ibby Djimde 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 1 0
Nnanna Egwu 3-4 0-0 0-0 0 1 0 1 6
Tyler Griffey 1-2 0-1 0-0 1 2 1 2 2
Myke Henry 3-5 0-1 0-0 1 1 0 1 6
Meyers Leonard 7-12 0-0 7-9 1 5 2 3 21
Sam Maniscalco 1-5 1-4 0-0 0 0 2 2 3
Brandon Paul 2-11 0-4 5-6 0 3 3 4 9
D.J. Richardson 4-12 2-8 2-2 2 5 1 1 12
Mike Shaw 0-2 0-1 0-0 0 0 2 1 0
Totals 25-66 3-19 14-17 8 20 11 19 67
Percentages .379 .158 .824

 Ohio St.

Name FG 3Pt FT Off Reb Ast PF Pts
William Buford 7-9 2-3 1-1 0 2 1 2 17
Aaron Craft 4-5 2-3 1-1 0 5 5 1 11
Evan Ravenel 2-2 0-0 2-2 1 2 1 2 6
LaQuinton Ross 2-3 0-0 1-1 0 1 1 1 5
Shannon Scott 0-6 0-1 0-0 0 3 4 1 0
Jordan Sibert 1-2 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 0 2
Lenzelle Smith Jr. 3-4 1-2 0-1 1 3 3 1 7
Jared Sullinger 4-7 0-1 1-4 0 6 1 4 9
Deshaun Thomas 6-8 2-2 5-6 1 4 0 0 19
Sam Thompson 2-2 0-0 0-0 1 1 0 1 4
J.D. Weatherspoon 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 1 0 1 0
Amir Williams 1-2 0-0 1-2 1 3 0 2 3
Totals 32-50 7-13 12-18 5 31 16 16 83
Percentages .640 .538 .667

Game Info

Technical Fouls:
None
Arena:
Value City Arena, Columbus, OH

Filed Under: Headlines

Box Score: Cavaliers 93, Kings 92

February 19, 2012 By 8 Comments

Kyrie Irving did it again, folks. This time, it was two free throws with 0.4 seconds remaining after a bone-headed foul by the Kings’ Tyreke Evans, but Irving put the Cavaliers ahead in the waning moments, as he led the team with 23 points in the wine and gold’s 93-92 victory in The Q. The Cavs won this game despite shooting just 36% as a team and scoring 18 fourth quarter points. Tristan Thompson stepped up out of the crowd of big men for his first career double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. For the Kings, the last pick of the 2011 NBA Draft, 5’8″ point Isaiah Thomas, battled Irving all game, matching his 23 points and adding 8 rebounds and 11 assists. Antawn Jamison and Marcus Thornton added 21 points each for their respective teams. Cleveland is now 12-17 and faces Detroit at home on Tuesday night.

Sacramento

Starters Pos Min FG 3Pt FT +/- Off Reb Ast TO Stl BS BA PF Pts
I. Thomas G 42:55 8-16 3-7 4-5 +11 4 8 11 2 0 1 2 3 23
T. Evans G 34:24 5-17 0-1 0-0 -11 2 5 2 3 1 2 1 1 10
D. Cousins C 25:48 6-17 0-0 7-11 -7 5 9 3 4 2 0 2 5 19
M. Thornton F 45:25 8-20 1-6 4-5 +7 1 10 2 3 1 2 1 2 21
J. Thompson F 16:27 1-4 0-0 1-2 +5 3 9 0 0 0 0 1 3 3
Bench Min FG 3Pt FT +/- Off Reb Ast TO Stl BS BA PF Pts
Totals 35-93 4-19 18-25 18 53 21 12 6 7 7 25 92
Percentages .376 .211 .720 Team Rebounds: 11
J. Salmons 19:53 3-7 0-3 0-0 -3 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 6
C. Hayes 18:44 1-2 0-0 0-0 +3 0 5 1 0 1 1 0 4 2
J.J. Hickson 16:00 0-3 0-0 0-0 +6 2 4 1 0 0 0 0 2 0
D. Greene 15:53 2-4 0-1 2-2 -9 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 6
J. Fredette 4:31 1-3 0-1 0-0 -7 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 2
F. Garcia DNP – Coach’s Decision
T. Honeycutt DNP – Inactive
T. Outlaw DNP – Coach’s Decision
H. Whiteside DNP – Coach’s Decision

Cleveland

Starters Pos Min FG 3Pt FT +/- Off Reb Ast TO Stl BS BA PF Pts
A. Gee G 41:52 3-10 2-5 1-2 +5 2 9 1 1 3 0 1 1 9
K. Irving G 38:38 8-21 2-4 5-5 -4 0 3 1 4 0 2 2 4 23
S. Erden C 16:06 0-1 0-0 0-0 -13 1 3 3 0 0 1 0 4 0
A. Jamison F 38:42 7-21 2-6 5-7 +11 3 8 3 2 0 1 0 3 21
O. Casspi F 27:08 3-12 0-5 0-0 -5 3 12 1 0 1 0 1 3 6
Bench Min FG 3Pt FT +/- Off Reb Ast TO Stl BS BA PF Pts
Totals 32-89 7-22 22-30 19 56 15 11 6 7 7 23 93
Percentages .360 .318 .733 Team Rebounds: 10
R. Sessions 36:22 5-14 1-2 3-4 +7 1 6 5 1 1 0 2 2 14
T. Thompson 29:55 6-10 0-0 3-6 +4 7 12 1 2 1 3 1 2 15
R. Hollins 11:17 0-0 0-0 5-6 0 2 3 0 1 0 0 0 4 5
C. Eyenga DNP – Coach’s Decision
D. Gibson DNP – Inactive
L. Harangody DNP – Coach’s Decision
A. Parker DNP – Inactive
S. Samuels DNP – Coach’s Decision
B. Uzoh DNP – Coach’s Decision
A. Varejao DNP – Right Wrist Fracture

Game Info

Technical Fouls:
None
Arena:
Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, OH
Attendance:
16,812
Officials:
Eddie F. Rush, Kevin Cutler, Bennie Adams
Duration:
2:25

Filed Under: Headlines

Michigan Stuns OSU, Knocks Buckeyes Out Of First Place

February 19, 2012 By 8 Comments

The Ohio State Buckeyes are in the midst of an identity crisis right now. So, in an effort to help my alma mater, I’m going to tell them exactly what they are.

They’re an offensively anemic team that relies on streaky three point shooting and contested fadeaways in the post all too much. They don’t drive, they don’t use high-low post action against zone defenses, and they don’t feed their big man and best player on this team half as much as they should. They’re a very good defensive team, but that defense is prone to giving up some star performances to mediocre players because of its complexity. They’re also a team that is playing bad basketball at the wrong time down the stretch and is heading for a first weekend upset at this point. They cannot win on the road consistently, and they’ve struggled against other top opponents in the conference.  All of that fire in my belly comes after watching Michigan dominate the first half, despite what the scoreboard said, and hold off the Buckeyes with a little help from Ted Valentine and the men in stripes. The Wolverines won 56-51, and Michigan State stands alone atop the Big Ten standings, with Ohio State and Michigan now tied for second, one-half game behind them. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Buckeyes

Box Score: (19) Michigan 56, (6) Ohio State 51

February 18, 2012 By 4 Comments

This Michigan biting back sensation is still a relatively new one for yours truly. The Buckeyes are an offensively confused team right now, and other than Deshaun Thomas, Thad Matta’s guys looked lost and intimidated in a hostile Ann Arbor environment. Trey Burke’s 17 points led the Wolverines to a 56-51 victory in Crisler Arena, which snaps OSU’s six-game win streak over their rivals. Jordan Morgan also battled Sullinger all game, while posting 11 points and 11 boards of his own. Thomas led OSU with 25 points and a career-high 13 rebounds, while Jared Sullinger bounced back a bit in the second half to finish with 14 points and 8 rebounds.  Ohio State is now out of first place in the Big Ten, and they sit one game back in the loss column, along with the Wolverines, behind Michigan State. I’ll have more on this tomorrow, but for now, let’s just say it’s time to sound the alarm in Columbus.

 

 Ohio St.

Name Min FG 3Pt FT Off Reb Ast TO Stl Blk PF Pts
J. Sullinger 35 6-14 0-3 2-2 3 8 1 3 1 0 2 14
D. Thomas 40 8-13 3-6 6-7 6 13 1 1 0 0 1 25
L. Smith Jr. 28 1-3 0-2 0-0 0 1 2 3 2 0 1 2
A. Craft 36 1-6 0-2 2-2 0 2 3 2 2 0 4 4
W. Buford 40 3-12 0-3 0-2 1 6 2 2 1 0 2 6
S. Scott 4 0-0 0-0 0-2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
S. Thompson 12 0-0 0-0 0-0 1 2 0 1 1 0 2 0
A. Williams 3 0-1 0-0 0-0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0
E. Ravenel 2 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals 19-49 3-16 10-15 12 34 9 14 7 0 13 51
Percentages .388 .188 .667 Team Rebounds: None

 Michigan

Name Min FG 3Pt FT Off Reb Ast TO Stl Blk PF Pts
Z. Novak 28 3-7 0-3 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 6
S. Douglass 38 3-9 1-5 0-0 0 2 1 0 1 0 1 7
J. Morgan 35 5-8 0-0 1-1 2 11 1 0 2 0 2 11
T. Burke 37 6-14 0-1 5-8 1 2 5 3 0 0 2 17
T. Hardaway Jr. 38 4-5 2-2 3-5 0 3 0 4 0 0 2 13
C. Christian 1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
E. Smotrycz 18 1-4 0-2 0-0 1 5 1 1 0 0 3 2
M. Vogrich 5 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0
Totals 22-47 3-13 9-14 4 24 8 8 3 0 15 56
Percentages .468 .231 .643 Team Rebounds: 1

Game Info

Technical Fouls:
None
Arena:
Crisler Center, Ann Arbor, MI
Attendance:
12,721
Officials:
Mike Kitts, Ted Valentine, Tom Eades

Filed Under: Headlines

Running Blog: Buckeyes Use 20-0 First Half Run To Outlast Gophers

February 15, 2012 By Leave a Comment

It wasn’t the most convincing way to finish out a game, but the Ohio State Buckeyes used a 20-0 first half run to lead them to a 78-68 victory in The Barn last night. The Buckeyes amassed 15 offensive rebounds in the game and forced 11 first-half Minnesota turnovers as their defense fueled their offense. William Buford led the team with 24 points on 10-of-17 shooting, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists, and Jared Sullinger had 23 points, 8 rebounds, and just 1 turnover. But, it was the little things that got this one in the win column, including Aaron Craft’s 6 steals and Lenzelle Smith Jr.’s 7 rebounds, just to name a couple.

Below is my minute-by-minute reaction while watching what was a must-have game for the Bucks.

**

9:08 PM: Tipoff! The dropoff on this floor scares the heck out of me. Ed Hightower tossing it up… oh joy! First OSU offensive possession off a Minnesota score, and it’s a three for William Buford off the right wing. Good!

9:09 Buford again; this time with a floater on the left on the block, and the goal is clear here. Ditto, William Buford from the right again. 7 points, all Buford.

9:13 Sully sets a screen for Craft then floats to the left wing and pulls a jumper that’s nothing but net. This could be a key to diversity in OSU’s offense and a game-changer for Sullinger at the next level. I’d like to see more of it, not necessarily stretched out to the three point arc all the time.
[Read more...]

Filed Under: Buckeyes Tagged With: ,

Box Score: (6) Ohio State 78, Minnesota 68

February 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The Buckeyes haven’t lost back-to-back games since the end of 2009, and that streak continues. The sixth-ranked Bucks bounced back from their loss to Michigan State Saturday night and came out surging, using a 20-0 first half run to key their road victory over the Minnesota Golden Gophers 78-68 in The Barn. William Buford bounced back from a putrid showing versus MSU to lead the team with 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists. Jared Sullinger added 23 points and 8 rebounds with just 1 turnover. Minnesota was led by Rodney Williams’s 21-point, 9 rebound effort. The Buckeyes improve to 10-3 in conference play and 22-4 on the season. They face the Wolverines next on Saturday night in Ann Arbor.

 

 Ohio St.

Name Min FG 3Pt FT Off Reb Ast TO Stl Blk PF Pts
L. Smith Jr. 32 1-7 0-3 5-8 3 7 2 2 1 1 2 7
D. Thomas 35 5-13 1-4 1-1 3 4 0 0 0 0 1 12
J. Sullinger 37 6-11 1-1 10-12 3 8 2 1 1 1 4 23
A. Craft 27 1-3 0-1 4-5 1 1 5 2 6 0 3 6
W. Buford 37 10-17 4-10 0-0 0 8 5 2 0 1 3 24
A. Williams 3 0-0 0-0 2-2 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 2
J. Sibert 1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
S. Thompson 10 2-4 0-0 0-0 0 1 0 1 1 0 3 4
S. Scott 13 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 1 1 1 0 2 0
E. Ravenel 5 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0
Totals 25-56 6-19 22-28 11 31 15 9 10 4 21 78
Percentages .446 .316 .786 Team Rebounds: 6

 Minnesota

Name Min FG 3Pt FT Off Reb Ast TO Stl Blk PF Pts
R. Sampson III 12 2-5 0-1 0-0 0 2 1 0 0 0 4 4
J. Welch 33 2-6 0-2 7-8 2 5 9 1 1 0 4 11
R. Williams 37 8-11 0-2 5-7 1 9 1 3 1 2 3 21
A. Hollins 25 4-10 2-6 0-0 2 3 1 3 1 0 2 10
A. Hollins 29 3-5 2-4 0-0 0 1 3 4 0 0 0 8
A. Ingram 4 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
C. Armelin 3 0-1 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
O. Osenieks 26 3-6 1-3 3-5 1 4 0 2 0 0 4 10
J. Coleman 6 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
E. Eliason 23 2-6 0-0 0-3 2 4 1 0 1 1 3 4
M. Ahanmisi 2 0-1 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals 24-52 5-20 15-23 8 28 16 14 4 3 21 68
Percentages .462 .250 .652 Team Rebounds: 4

Game Info

Technical Fouls:
None
Arena:
Williams Arena, Minneapolis, MN
Attendance:
13,245
Officials:
Ed Hightower, Pat Driscoll, Bert Smith

Filed Under: Headlines

Buckeye Basketball Brief: Michigan State stands in Bucks’ way to Big Ten Title

February 14, 2012 By 1 Comment

On Saturday, the Buckeyes suffered through their worst offensive display in the Thad Matta era, shooting just 26% as they stumbled on their way to a 58-48 loss to the Michigan State Spartans at Value City Arena. With their home winning streak of 39 straight history, what the Buckeyes are doing offensively is increasingly fooling no one, and what they’re doing on defense is now being dissected. In short, despite their talent and potential, the cracks are starting to show, and the Bucks are in danger of coming away with nothing in the Big Ten hardware category.

Former walk-on cult hero Mark Titus provided great inside information at Grantland into Thad Matta’s strategy when it comes to defending the pick-and-roll, and if there’s anything to take away, it’s that the Buckeyes change it up an awful lot on the defensive end. It’s no wonder that the communication required, the personnel on those high ball screens changing, and the opponents’ scouting reports are all mashing together inside some of the Buckeyes’ heads. The true weak spot for the Buckeyes is the four spot, because Deshaun Thomas does not defend the ball screens particularly well, and when he gets in foul trouble, Evan Ravenel has an even more difficult time because he is often guarding a smaller, more perimeter-oriented player. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Buckeyes Tagged With: , , , ,

Box Score: (12) Michigan State 58, (3) Ohio State 48

February 11, 2012 By 3 Comments

The Buckeyes could have placed themselves in the driver’s seat of the Big Ten regular season title race with a home victory against Michigan State this evening. But, the Spartans, led by Adreian Payne’s inspired play, had other ideas in mind. The Spartans were superior physically, poked and prodded Sullinger on the defensive end, and forced him to turn the ball over 10 times as the Buckeyes shot just 26% as a team as they fell tonight to Michigan State 58-48. The loss ends the team’s 39-game home win streak, their last previous home loss coming at the hands of Purdue on February 17th, 2010.

Jared Sullinger led the team with 17 points and 16 rebounds, but he shot just 5-of-16 and had the aforementioned 10 turnovers. William Buford and Deshaun Thomas were each 2-of-12 from the field, and all of that spelled disaster for Ohio State. Aaron Craft added 15 points for the Bucks in the lone strong offensive effort. For the Spartans, Payne led them with 15 points and 4 rebounds, while Keith Appling added 14 of his own. The Bucks and Sparty now share the Big Ten lead at 9-3, one game in the loss column ahead of Wisconsin and Michigan, with a meeting up in East Lansing at season’s end that could determine the conference champion. Ohio State’s next game is Tuesday at 9pm in Minnesota.

 Michigan St.

Name FG 3Pt FT Off Reb Ast PF Pts
Keith Appling 4-11 1-4 5-6 0 1 0 1 14
Branden Dawson 1-3 0-0 1-2 4 7 1 1 3
Alex Gauna 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 1 0
Draymond Green 5-17 1-5 1-2 1 8 2 3 12
Brandan Kearney 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 1 0
Derrick Nix 3-10 0-0 0-0 0 1 2 2 6
Adreian Payne 6-6 0-0 3-4 3 4 0 4 15
Austin Thornton 1-2 1-2 2-2 0 1 0 2 5
Travis Trice 0-3 0-3 0-0 0 2 2 2 0
Brandon Wood 1-5 1-4 0-0 1 5 1 0 3
Totals 21-57 4-18 12-16 9 29 8 17 58
Percentages .368 .222 .750

 Ohio St.

Name FG 3Pt FT Off Reb Ast PF Pts
William Buford 2-12 0-2 0-0 0 1 1 1 4
Aaron Craft 3-8 1-3 8-8 1 3 2 3 15
Evan Ravenel 0-1 0-0 0-0 1 2 0 2 0
Shannon Scott 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0
Lenzelle Smith Jr. 1-4 0-2 0-0 1 7 2 2 2
Jared Sullinger 5-15 1-2 6-8 8 12 0 4 17
Deshaun Thomas 2-12 0-5 4-6 2 2 0 1 8
Sam Thompson 1-2 0-1 0-0 0 1 1 0 2
Totals 14-53 2-15 18-22 13 28 6 13 48
Percentages .264 .133 .818

Game Info

Technical Fouls:
None
Arena:
Value City Arena, Columbus, OH

Filed Under: Headlines

Big Buford: Buckeyes Top Boilers In A Fast-Paced Thriller

February 8, 2012 By Leave a Comment

William Buford is one of the most maddening players that I’ve ever had on the teams that I closely follow. In some of the biggest games of his career, he has failed to rise to the occasion with some hideous shooting performances. Overshadowed by other guards and forwards throughout most of his career, the lone senior on the team is often unfairly the scapegoat for some of the Buckeyes’ less than outstanding play. But, where the frustration enters is with a performances like last night’s against Purdue. Buford had a great shooting game, scoring a career-high 29 points on 10-of-17 shooting. More than the raw numbers, it was the fact that he was practically indefensible in the second half, piling up 21 of those 29 and carrying the offense with both Jared Sullinger and Aaron Craft on the bench due to foul trouble. Often a secondary headliner, Buford was the star in Ohio State’s up-tempo seesaw 87-84 victory.

For a good chunk of the game, it looked like the takeaway from this one would be another Jordan Taylor, E’Twaun Moore, Brandon Paul-type performance from a role player who got red hot and carried his team to victory, coming in the form of Purdue junior guard D.J. Byrd. Byrd, who averages around 7 points a game, had career highs with 24 points and 7 three pointers made. In fact, for a while, I was preparing myself to write about how a team could shoot above 60% against one of the best defensive teams in the nation in their own building. Throughout the game, Ohio State’s defense was simply not clicking. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Buckeyes

Buckeye Basketball Checkup: Halfway Through Big Ten, Buckeyes In Good Shape

February 3, 2012 By Leave a Comment

When the Ohio State Buckeyes take the floor tomorrow afternoon in Madison, Wisconsin against their newest and freshest rival, the Wisconsin Badgers, they’ll do so with a one-half game lead over the Badgers and Wolverines, fighting to hold onto first place. That’s often how it is in the Big Ten conference, but the number of B1G title contenders this season is greater than most, with seven and maybe even eight teams having a shot at the NCAA tournament. So, at 7-2 and 19-3 overall, the third-ranked Buckeyes are in great shape for a run at the Big Ten title and a number one seed, but there are certain issues that have plagued them in their losses and could surface again as the schedule gets even more difficult down the back stretch.

Let’s start with what has gone right, and there’s plenty of it. It has to start at the defensive end of the floor, where the Buckeyes have made life tough for opponents this season in many ways. In eye popping fashion, the Bucks have held opponents to 39.1% on field goals this season (shockingly, it’s even lower in conference play at 37.7%). Teams are scoring under 56 points per game against Ohio State, and with them averaging over 77 per contest (still over 75 for B1G play), it’s not a matter of pace. Quite simply put, the Buckeyes have been winning quite often via blowout.

The team lost great defenders last season in Lighty and Lauderdale, but what they lost in individual defense, the Buckeyes have picked up in a unified team effort. It starts with Aaron Craft, who is averaging 2.4 steals on the season. But, the incoming freshmen have picked up on how important defense is when it comes to playing time as Shannon Scott has proved he is worthy to give Craft a breather on that end of the floor for short spurts. Sam Thompson has replaced incumbent bench guard Jordan Sibert mainly because of his defensive effort, and Amir Williams has the ability to rattle off multiple blocked shots. Truly though, the commitment to defense has been picked up by Smith Jr., Sullinger, Thomas, and Buford, who have all become better defenders. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Buckeyes

Buckeyes Secure First Place With Rebounding Effort vs. Michigan

January 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment

In a battle for sole possession of first place in the Big Ten, the Buckeyes faced some adversity against a worthy foe in rival Michigan. A well-executed gameplan kept Jared Sullinger from dominating the low post, but the Bucks kept their home winning streak alive thanks in large part to the 38-29 rebounding margin in their favor, led by Lenzelle Smith Jr.’s team-high 17 points and 12 rebounds, as OSU pulled away late for a 64-49 victory in The Schott.

Michigan came out strong in a hostile environment, and the first half was played entirely at their pace. Defensively, Michigan threw a couple variations of zone at the Buckeyes, all based upon keeping the ball out of Jared Sullinger’s hands. In that respect, for the first half and really most of the game, it was a resounding success. Sullinger was held to 5 points on just 2-of-5 shooting at the half. Jordan Morgan, Evan Smotrycz, and Zack Novak all played a role in keeping tight tabs on Sully. Morgan made a difference on the other end too, slipping on screen-and-roll situations for three first-half buckets to lead Michigan in scoring. Sullinger picked up one early foul, so he was hesitant to be physical on that end of the floor, which we’ve seen in the past. Sully did pick up that second foul off the ball with just under six minutes remaining, so he was relegated to the bench. With just a 24-21 lead at the half for Ohio State, Michigan had to feel pretty good about how things were going.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Buckeyes

Box Score: Cavaliers 88, Celtics 87

January 29, 2012 By 7 Comments

There you have it: Kyrie Irving’s first game-winner, and it was a thing of beauty. Irving took a screen at the top of the key from Anderson Varejao as the clock ticked down, slid around Avery Bradley into a 360, finishing off balance with his left hand in a beautiful swish over a swatting Brandon Bass. The Cavaliers needed one more defensive stop, but they got it and held on for a 88-87 victory in Boston. Irving led the team in scoring 23 points and 6 assists, but Varejao fought for key second chance possessions in the final minute, and Andy finished with 18 points and 9 rebounds. Ray Allen led the Celtics with 22, but the Celtics came up short as they blew a 11-point lead with 4 minutes remaining. The Cavaliers improve to 8-11 and face these same Celtics on Tuesday night in The Q.

 

Cleveland

Starters Pos Min FG 3Pt FT +/- Off Reb Ast TO Stl BS BA PF Pts
K. Irving G 33:29 10-14 1-2 2-3 +8 1 4 6 3 1 0 0 2 23
A. Parker G 14:00 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 1 1 0 2 0 0 0 0
A. Varejao C 31:05 8-12 0-0 2-2 +3 3 9 2 1 2 0 0 3 18
O. Casspi F 32:30 3-9 1-4 0-0 -1 1 3 0 2 0 1 1 1 7
A. Jamison F 30:47 3-13 1-4 3-3 +6 1 3 1 2 0 0 1 4 10
Bench Min FG 3Pt FT +/- Off Reb Ast TO Stl BS BA PF Pts
Totals 34-79 3-13 17-20 11 37 12 13 11 4 3 17 88
Percentages .430 .231 .850 Team Rebounds: 8
A. Gee 29:24 3-7 0-1 8-9 -6 1 6 0 2 4 0 0 4 14
R. Sessions 22:48 3-10 0-2 1-1 -7 0 1 2 1 1 0 1 1 7
T. Thompson 17:02 1-6 0-0 1-2 -5 3 4 0 2 0 2 0 0 3
S. Samuels 16:55 1-4 0-0 0-0 -2 1 4 0 0 0 1 0 1 2
M. Thompson 12:00 2-3 0-0 0-0 +9 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 1 4
S. Erden DNP – Coach’s Decision
C. Eyenga DNP – Coach’s Decision
D. Gibson DNP – Inactive
L. Harangody DNP – Inactive
R. Hollins DNP – Coach’s Decision

Boston

Starters Pos Min FG 3Pt FT +/- Off Reb Ast TO Stl BS BA PF Pts
R. Allen G 35:38 9-14 4-6 0-0 +2 0 3 3 1 1 0 1 1 22
A. Bradley G 27:57 2-5 0-0 2-2 -4 1 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 6
K. Garnett C 30:06 5-10 0-0 4-4 -3 2 7 3 4 1 1 1 0 14
B. Bass F 38:01 5-11 0-0 3-4 -6 0 4 2 2 1 1 0 4 13
P. Pierce F 34:43 8-12 1-1 1-2 -1 0 6 5 7 0 0 0 2 18
Bench Min FG 3Pt FT +/- Off Reb Ast TO Stl BS BA PF Pts
Totals 36-69 5-11 10-14 5 33 21 16 6 3 4 16 87
Percentages .522 .455 .714 Team Rebounds: 7
C. Wilcox 22:36 2-3 0-0 0-2 +15 1 6 1 0 1 1 0 3 4
E. Moore 20:01 2-5 0-0 0-0 +3 0 2 3 0 0 0 1 4 4
M. Pietrus 15:15 1-5 0-3 0-0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 2
S. Pavlovic 8:18 2-3 0-1 0-0 -1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4
G. Stiemsma 4:38 0-1 0-0 0-0 -8 1 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
M. Daniels 2:48 0-0 0-0 0-0 -2 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 0
K. Dooling DNP – Inactive
J. Johnson DNP – Coach’s Decision
J. O’Neal DNP – Sore Left Knee
R. Rondo DNP – Inactive

Game Info

Technical Fouls:
None
Arena:
TD Garden, Boston, MA
Attendance:
18,624
Officials:
Marc Davis, Scott Wall, Eric Lewis
Duration:
2:09

Filed Under: Headlines

Box Score: (3) Ohio State 64, (22) Michigan 49

January 29, 2012 By 1 Comment

Ahh, sole possession of first place in the Big Ten Conference by beating Michigan. As far as the regular season goes, it doesn’t get much better than that. The Buckeyes faced some adversity in this one and Michigan’s zone slowed the Buckeye attack. However, the Buckeyes were a little bigger and a lot tougher on the boards, and it propelled them to a 64-49 victory at The Schott this afternoon. Lenzelle Smith Jr. was the star for the second conference game this season, posting 17 points and a team-high 12 rebounds. Jared Sullinger was held to just 5 first half points, but he finished with 13 points and 4 boards as he scored a couple crucial buckets late. The Buckeyes are now 7-2 in conference play and hold a one-half game lead over Michigan State, who doesn’t play until Tuesday.

Michigan

Name FG 3Pt FT Off Reb Ast PF Pts
Trey Burke 5-11 3-6 0-0 0 1 5 1 13
Colton Christian 0-2 0-0 0-0 1 1 0 0 0
Stu Douglass 3-9 1-5 0-0 0 2 1 1 7
Tim Hardaway Jr. 5-13 2-7 3-4 0 3 3 1 15
Blake McLimans 1-2 1-2 0-0 0 0 0 1 3
Jordan Morgan 4-7 0-0 0-0 2 5 0 4 8
Zack Novak 0-4 0-1 0-0 2 4 0 4 0
Evan Smotrycz 1-6 1-4 0-0 0 1 1 4 3
Matt Vogrich 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 1 0 0 0
Totals 19-54 8-25 3-4 5 18 10 16 49
Percentages .352 .320 .750

Ohio St.

Name FG 3Pt FT Off Reb Ast PF Pts
William Buford 5-14 1-5 1-1 1 5 2 1 12
Aaron Craft 3-4 1-1 0-1 0 2 4 2 7
Evan Ravenel 0-4 0-0 3-4 1 3 0 1 3
Shannon Scott 0-2 0-0 0-0 0 2 0 0 0
Lenzelle Smith Jr. 6-14 0-2 5-5 6 10 1 2 17
Jared Sullinger 5-12 0-1 3-3 1 5 1 4 13
Deshaun Thomas 4-9 1-5 3-4 2 5 1 3 12
Sam Thompson 0-2 0-1 0-0 0 2 0 0 0
J.D. Weatherspoon 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 1 0 0
Totals 23-61 3-15 15-18 11 34 10 13 64
Percentages .377 .200 .833

Game Info

Technical Fouls:
None
Arena:
Value City Arena, Columbus, OH

Filed Under: Headlines

Report: Keith Butler heading to Indianapolis

January 29, 2012 By 1 Comment

 

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Indianapolis Colts are pairing new head coach Chuck Pagano with Bruce Arians and Keith Butler as offensive and defensive coordinators respectively. Pagano was the Browns’ secondary coach from 2001-2004 and had been Baltimore’s defensive coordinator this past season, Arians was the Browns’ offensive coordinator from 2001-2003 and had been with the Steelers ever since (in the coordinator position since 2007), and Butler, who was the Steelers’ linebackers coach, was the Browns’ linebackers coach from 1999-2002, the lone holdover from the Chris Palmer era. So, that’s three coaches from Butch Davis’s staff in Cleveland. Indy’s hoping it turns out a little better for them than it did here with the Browns. We’re hoping it takes away some of the Steelers’ thunder.

Filed Under: Headlines
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