Tag: ohio state basketball

Rebounding is the big key for Wisconsin vs Ohio State

Wisconsin – Ohio State preview

When looking at the Ohio State Buckeyes in advance of Friday’s Big Ten game against the Wisconsin Badgers, I wrote that I have no clue what to expect. College basketball is a muddled mystery right now. Ohio State and Wisconsin are both ping-ponging all over the place in their results and in the way their lineups perform. Wisconsin was very impressive against Tennessee, and yet Micah Potter barely played and didn’t make a big dent in the stat sheet. If you thought Potter would be a transformative figure for Wisconsin, we haven’t really seen that yet. It doesn’t mean he won’t be that person. It doesn’t mean he can’t be that person. However, he wasn’t a meaningful participant in the win over Tennessee.

This leaves me with a lack of clarity as I attempt to predict what will happen against Ohio State. I have no feel for this game in terms of making a prediction. The fact that Ohio State has crushed North Carolina and Penn State but lost to Minnesota and West Virginia in its last six games makes me wonder what the Buckeyes will do in this game. If you’re looking for a game prediction, don’t look here. I got nothing.

What I can offer, however, is an assessment of what is most likely to win this game. It doesn’t represent a guarantee, but it is my best sense of what will probably decide the outcome in Columbus. Yes, one team could find a blowtorch and get really hot from 3-point range, but if you want to know where — and how — Badgers-Buckeyes is likely to be decided, look in the painted area, part of the cover image for this piece.

Remember Wisconsin’s previous — and, to date, only — Big Ten road game this season? The Badgers shot near 50 percent from the field, but because they were bludgeoned on the glass, Rutgers got a ton of second-chance points and used those hustle stats to defeat Wisconsin. Rutgers plainly wanted 50-50 balls a lot more than UW did. In a conference game — with its familiar matchups and substantial emotional energy — Rutgers felt more comfortable in the matchup and displayed more energy when (and where) it mattered most.

Maybe Wisconsin or Ohio State will shoot the cover off the ball, making rebounding a relatively unimportant key, but unless we get an amazing shooting display from one side, rebounds should represent a central aspect of Friday’s game. Wisconsin can’t get bullied on the backboard. The Badgers have to stand up to Kaleb Wesson, but they also have to gang-rebound against Ohio State’s wings and guards. Everyone has to chip in, and everyone has to fight with the tenacity a Big Ten game requires.

The win over Tennessee was great. Yet, it came on a day when the Vols were without senior point guard Lamonte Turner, who was knocked out for the season with an injury earlier in December. Ohio State doesn’t have the same limitation to its roster. Wisconsin has to be aware of the depth and pervasiveness of effort which will be required to win this game… and then put forth that effort on the court.

If the Tennessee game suggested Wisconsin can evolve into a good team, a win at Ohio State will declare, quite powerfully, that the Badgers are capable of greatness. The task isn’t easy, but a victory will give this team an enormous boost — not just in its NCAA Tournament resume, but in its sense of itself. To achieve a grand triumph, Wisconsin has to scratch and scrap on the boards as though everything is at stake.

Ohio State, like the rest of college hoops, is a mystery

A look at Wisconsin’s next opponent

Nobody knows anything in college basketball this season. As the Wisconsin Badgers and all other non-independent teams across the country prepare for the heart of conference play, the Ohio State Buckeyes are as much of a mystery as anyone in this sport. The Badgers have no way of knowing which team will show up when Wisconsin visits Columbus this Friday night.

Neither does anyone else, the Buckeyes included.

Ohio State’s last six games have embodied the craziness and the lack of linear logic in the 2019-2020 college hoops campaign. If you claim to know what to expect on Friday, go to Las Vegas and make bank. I’m going to say that I have no clue.

You tell me what to make of the Buckeyes in their last six games. They went into Chapel Hill and crushed North Carolina by 25 points. Yes, North Carolina is injured and thin, but Cole Anthony played for a good portion of that game. It still didn’t matter. Ohio State looked like the No. 1 team in the country on that night. The Buckeyes then beat Penn State by 32 points. Penn State still has to prove itself, but the Nittany Lions certainly aren’t terrible this season, and Ohio State tossed around PSU like a rag doll.

Then came the swerve off the road. The Buckeyes were unrecognizable in a 13-point loss to Minnesota. Ohio State had been clamping down on opponents left and right, but the Golden Gophers hung 84 points on them in Williams Arena. After being burned in The Barn, Ohio State won a cupcake game against Southeast Missouri and then defeated Kentucky in Las Vegas on national television. The Buckeyes offered the appearance that the Minnesota game was an aberration.

Then came this past Sunday. The Buckeyes lost in Cleveland to West Virginia. If their defense let them down against Minnesota, their offense died against the Mountaineers, managing only 59 points. West Virginia basically beat Ohio State with as much comfort as it defeated Youngstown State a few weeks earlier.

So, will the real Buckeyes stand up? That’s a fair question. A better question: Are the real Buckeyes good or bad. In a season which has not revealed a single dominant team, Ohio State is one of many faces in a crowd which could get on a run or go bust in March. As we begin the heart of the Big Ten season after the two conference games played in December, Wisconsin and the rest of us are wondering if Ohio State — or any other team in the Big Ten — is ready to be consistently good.

Ohio State basketball is beginning to show a troubling trend

The Ohio State basketball team has been great in 2019, but when it does struggle, there’s one stat that continues to plague the team.

The Ohio State basketball team has had a fantastic start to the 2019-2020 campaign, but there are some signs of cracks in all the fun here as of late. The Buckeyes have lost two of the last four games, and have come back down to Earth just a wee-bit.

But why? Both losses were to teams that Ohio State has more talent than and should have no problem beating by simply taking care of business. The problem is that OSU hasn’t taken care of business at times, and there’s one troubling stat that seems to continue to cause issues.

It’s the turnover bug.

It was something the Buckeyes had issues with last year too, but that was thought to be because they lacked a true point guard. With two true point guards on the squad this year — and good ones at that — it was supposed to be a much improved area this year.

And at times it has been, but in spots in other games, and in contests OSU hasn’t been able to pull out, there have been a significant lack of focus on taking care of the basketball.

The issue arose again on Sunday when Ohio State lost to a rough and tumble West Virginia squad. It had 22 total turnovers, far too many to expect to win against teams that have close to, equal, or perceived more talent.

There have been other times too. The Buckeyes were extremely careless with the ball against North Carolina in the first half and led by only one point going into the locker room. Once they clamped down on making careless errors, OSU pulled away easily.

Ohio State has the talent and pieces to do big things this season. It can score from multiple spots, plays outstanding defense, can shoot, and has a great coaching staff.

But, if the turnovers don’t get better, we could see a season of promise derailed at the most inopportune time, like say — March.

Ohio State basketball falls to No. 5 in latest AP Poll

The Ohio State basketball team fell to No. 5 in the latest release of the AP Top 25 College Basketball Poll.

It was a weekend to forget for Ohio State athletics.

First, the football team lost the Fiesta Bowl to Clemson in a truly bizarre and frustrating game that it probably should have won. Then, on Sunday, the Buckeye athletic program doubled down on despair when its men’s basketball team lost a bruising game to West Virginia.

The Buckeye hoops team has some of the most quality wins of any team in the nation to date, but it has now dropped two of its last four games. Twice it was on the doorstep of taking over as college basketball’s No. 1 team, and twice it fell on the way to the waiting room.

Because of that loss on Sunday, Ohio State fell from No. 2 to No. 5 in the latest AP Poll that was released Monday.

Gonzaga stayed at No. 1, followed by Duke (2), Kansas (3), and Oregon (4)  all just ahead of OSU. Baylor (6), Louisville (7), Auburn (8), Memphis (9), and Villanova (10) round out the top ten.

You can get a complete look at the top 25 by clicking on the below.

Ohio State basketball forward Kyle Young to potentially undergo appendix surgery

Ohio State basketball forward Kyle Young fell ill before and after the contest with West Virginia and is being evaluated for appendicitis.

According to a report by Adam Jardy of the Columbus Dispatch, Ohio State basketball forward Kyle Young is being evaluated for appendicitis and may have to undergo surgery.

Young started for the Buckeyes Sunday in Cleveland against West Virginia, but according to the report from BuckeyeXtra (subscription may be required) he vomited prior and after the game OSU eventually lost 67-59. The Ohio State staff believed him to be in the early stages of the flu and continued to monitor him.

“It was touch and go with him,” Holtmann said according to Jardy.

Young has added a much needed presence for the Buckeye basketball team this year. He’s been the glue that does a little bit of everything on the court, from grabbing rebounds, making crucial passes, or even adding some much scoring (8.3 per contest) at times.

Young missed a few games with a stress fracture in his leg last spring but has been healthy so far this year. There is no timetable on when he will return if he does have to have surgery, but we’ll stay on top of it.

Registration for Ohio State men’s basketball 2020 Youth Development Camp now open

Registration is now open for the 2020 Ohio State men’s basketball Youth Camp for boys entering grades 4 through 9 in the fall of 2020.

Lost in all the hubbub of the football team’s preparations for the Fiesta Bowl, and the success of the men’s basketball team is the fact that registration is now open for OSU basketball’s 2020 Youth Development Camp.

The annual camp is “conducted to give campers an inside view into to the Men’s Basketball program.” It is designed any and all boys entering grades 4-9 in Fall 2020. Also, kids will be grouped according to age and ability.

The camp is set to take place from June 22-25 at the Jerome Schottenstein Center each day from 9 AM – 4 PM. Check in will begin on day one at 8:15 AM, and the cost of the camp is $325 for all four days.

According to the camp details on OhioStateBuckeyes.com, campers can expect to experience the following:

• *NEW* Individual Photo With Coach Holtmann (via Email download)

• 28 Hours Of Supervised Instruction
• Exclusive Facility Tours (Including Renovated Locker Room)
• Special Guest Speakers From Ohio State Basketball Alumni
• On Court Demonstrations With Current Players & Staff
• Daily Lunch Provided
• Nike Camp Tee-Shirt
• Team Autograph Session

For further details, or to register, you can visit the online camp details..

Nike is now selling an Ohio State LeBron James “alumni” jersey

Although LeBron James didn’t attend college, Nike has released an Ohio State “alumni” jersey for one of the greatest player of all-time.

Although NBA superstar LeBron James didn’t attend college, Nike is releasing an Ohio State “alumni” jersey for one of the greatest basketball players of all-time.

James, who grew up in Akron, Ohio, has been a life-long Buckeye fan. He’s been in attendance at games, seen wearing apparel, and oftentimes calls out Buckeyes after outstanding performances on social media.

He’s even gone on record stating that he would have gone to Ohio State if he wasn’t able to go straight to the NBA. Heck, he even has his own locker at the Schottenstein Center to this day (and a wall full of LeBron shoes).

Why wouldn’t Nike want to capitalize on the likeness of one of the world’s most popular athletes? With the name and “23” jersey number, the company is now selling the product with the swoosh and all.

It’s interesting they went with the “23” instead of the “6,” a number James has also worn throughout his career. Here’s a preview of the jersey thanks to Andrew Lind of Buckeye Sports Bulletin.

But, hey, they’re a company, and James will certainly get some royalties from this operation. At the end of the day, the bottom line matters, and even if James didn’t attend OSU, there’s no reason the company cannot capitalize on the idea.

Plus, if you’re Ohio State, you love this for exposure and recruiting. And for Buckeye fans, it has to be pretty appealing to go out and get an Ohio State ‘Bron jersey.

Latest AP Basketball Poll is out. Where is Ohio State?

The Ohio State basketball team has made a significant jump in the latest AP Top 25 Basketball Poll. Find out where it’s ranked.

The latest AP Basketball Poll is out, and the Ohio State basketball team has jumped all the way up to No. 2 in the country.

The Buckeyes would most likely have already been No. 1 if not for a loss last week to Minnesota just before the poll was released. Since then, Ohio State has blown away a Southeast Missouri State team, and then took care of business against a very good top ten Kentucky squad on the national stage.

The jump comes after Ohio State had fallen down to No. 5 in last week’s release.

The only team sitting on top of the Buckeyes now is a talented 13-1 Gonzaga club. Just behind OSU and rounding out the top ten is Louisville (3), Duke (4), Kansas (5), Oregon (6), Baylor (7), Auburn (8), Memphis (9), and Villanova (10).

Ohio State is currently on a bit of a break for the holidays, but will next be in action on a so-called neutral court against West Virginia on Sunday in Cleveland.

Where is Ohio State basketball in Andy Katz’s updated college basketball power rankings?

Ohio State receives high ranking in Andy Katz’s latest college basketball power rankings.

If the Ohio State basketball team isn’t the most pleasant surprise of the 2019-2020 season so far, I don’t know what program is. The Buckeyes have already put together a very impressive resume that includes wins over four of the last eight national champions — including Villanova, North Carolina, and Kentucky.

In fact, you literally can’t find a better body of work anywhere in the country, and when it comes time to select teams to be a high seed in the NCAA Tournament in March, these wins will likely hold up against anyone’s even throughout the rest of the season.

March Madness’ and the Big Ten Network’s Andy Katz has taken notice as have other analysts across the country. He has moved Ohio State up to No. 2 in his latest Power 36 college basketball rankings behind only Gonzaga.

Auburn, Oregon and Duke round out the top five, with the rest below.

As good as Ohio State has been, we must all remember that there’s still a long way to go in the season, and the Big Ten is a deep, tough, and a hard conference to navigate. There will be other losses on the schedule, but right now OSU has sent a message to the entire college basketball universe that it’s a team to reckon with this year.

After six years, Ohio State basketball held its own in the CBS Sports Classic

The Ohio State basketball program held its own against other blue-bloods of college basketball during the history of the CBS Sports Classic

When the CBS Sports Classic was first announced as a three-year run from 2014 through 2016, many asked which of these things don’t belong. The deal with the whole event was to pit some of the most dominant programs in college basketball history against one another in a round robin, three-year tournament.

But many asked why Ohio State was put among blue bloods Kentucky, UCLA, and North Carolina. I mean, the Buckeyes are a football school right, and lack the pedigree of those three dominant programs?

Well, yes, and no.

We’ve said it before, and we’ll continue to say it until we’re blue (but not Carolina or Kentucky blue) in the face. If it weren’t for football, Ohio State might be known as a basketball school.

The Buckeyes only have one national title to their credit, but they have as many Big Ten championships as any team in the conference when adding together regular season and Big Ten Tournament titles. Ohio Sate is also tied for sixth in Final Fours in the history of the sport, and have a slew of NCAA appearances and wins — even some national players of the year to boast about.

So, it should be no surprise then that Ohio State backed up that history with a respectable showing against those three other schools after the CBS Sports Classic was extended to six years, the last of which just ended this past weekend.

[lawrence-related id=19517]

[lawrence-related id=19493]

It was an up and down affair to be sure over that time, but with the win over Kentucky on Saturday, OSU finished with a 3-3 record, second only to North Carolina who went 4-2. The Wildcats tied Ohio State with a 3-3 record, while UCLA had the worst showing of the four schools with a 2-4 record over the six years.

Here’s how the Buckeyes fared against each:

Kentucky: OSU went 2-0 (wins in 2015 and 2019)
UCLA: OSU went 1-1 (lost in 2016, won in 2018)
North Carolina: OSU went 0-2 (lost in 2014 and 2017)

And what about Chris Holtmann? He’s done well for himself going 2-1, with the lone loss coming to North Carolina in 2017.

There’s been no news about extending the event for another three years, but it sure was a fun tournament to showcase Ohio State over the last six years. We’ll have to see if CBS liked it enough, and if the four programs believe it fits into their scheduling philosophy going forward.

Not bad for a football school eh?