Sam Thompson might already be my favorite player on the team. Love players with the number 12, mainly Scoonie Penn, but his hops are insane. Can't wait to see how many blocks he gets when he starts playing 30 minutes a game. Shannon Scott has a ton of potential as well, and saw some flashes from LQR. I really hope Matta starts playing Scott and Thompson more to get them comfortable, because I really think having them as a change of pace could really benefit this team. Playing the starting 5 so much seems to make the offense stale, so bringing in Scott, Thompson, and Williams is a nice change with the athleticism they bring. Would love to see Ross start getting a few minutes a game, but that's obviously not going to happen.

BTW, I think this game proves that scoring ability is obviously the last thing Matta looks for in a PG and why he didn't go after Burke.

Terry_Tate;1092533 wrote:Sam Thompson might already be my favorite player on the team. Love players with the number 12, mainly Scoonie Penn, but his hops are insane. Can't wait to see how many blocks he gets when he starts playing 30 minutes a game. Shannon Scott has a ton of potential as well, and saw some flashes from LQR. I really hope Matta starts playing Scott and Thompson more to get them comfortable, because I really think having them as a change of pace could really benefit this team. Playing the starting 5 so much seems to make the offense stale, so bringing in Scott, Thompson, and Williams is a nice change with the athleticism they bring. Would love to see Ross start getting a few minutes a game, but that's obviously not going to happen.

I agree with about everything you said except for Scott, until he learns to make a shot he will not play much and I don't like him and Craft together ( but I don't have to , I'm not the coach). I would also like to see Ross get some meaningful minutes to see if he could bring some offense to a team that most nights can't shoot. I like Thompson, when Buford is clanking his shots, then Thonpson should play more. Craft shot well tonight but as with Buford I want to see him do it against a Michigan State or any good team. Smith looked decent but the 0 he threw up at Michigan is a big concern and Sullinger was just bad tonight never really got into any flow. Ravenel, someone should take his jersey and shoes so Matta can't put him in the game (waste of time and space). Overall I still have the same questions about the team as I had before the game, yes they can blow out an inferior opponent but let's wait until they play someone to declare the drought over. By the eye test this team still doesn't look that good, I can't put my finger on why but something is missing.

0311sdp;1092781 wrote:I agree with about everything you said except for Scott, until he learns to make a shot he will not play much and I don't like him and Craft together ( but I don't have to , I'm not the coach). I would also like to see Ross get some meaningful minutes to see if he could bring some offense to a team that most nights can't shoot. I like Thompson, when Buford is clanking his shots, then Thonpson should play more. Craft shot well tonight but as with Buford I want to see him do it against a Michigan State or any good team. Smith looked decent but the 0 he threw up at Michigan is a big concern and Sullinger was just bad tonight never really got into any flow. Ravenel, someone should take his jersey and shoes so Matta can't put him in the game (waste of time and space). Overall I still have the same questions about the team as I had before the game, yes they can blow out an inferior opponent but let's wait until they play someone to declare the drought over. By the eye test this team still doesn't look that good, I can't put my finger on why but something is missing.

Scott will play, and has. I personally liked the addition of Scott in lineup with Craft. It was as I thought, as Matta said in postgame it was to pickup the pace of the game. It gives OSU another dimension. No, he can't shoot outside. But he can penetrate and break a defense down, which will create better looks for others.
It was also obvious that Ross and Williams are not ready to contribute many minutes. Both have no freaking clue how to play defense at all. I know it was scrap time. But they made errors that HS players shouldn't make defensively. Other than that, again, I saw a lot of positives last nite.

Hopefully all of our games in the tournament will be played during the week, and on Tuesdays in particular

Williams was dreadful in his minutes, especially early. Got abused a couple times. Ross just wants to prove he should get minutes, which I understand but damn son, calm down lol. I won't be punching a ticket for the FF after that win, Illi was pretty bad defensively, but the Bucks needed a 65% shooting night. Hopefully it came in a nick of time.

Like Laley said, OSU is more talented than 95% of the teams they play. I'd be willing to say they are more talented than everyone in the B1G, they have to push the pace like they did last night. Scott and Craft on the floor together doesn't give them great shooting from the perimeter, but neither do any of the other guards they currently play. Matta may as well try to push the tempo any way he can, their best chance to score the basketball is with an open/scattered floor. When the defense can set up, they can just load up on Sully and take their chances that Buford and Thomas don't scorch the nets.

http://www.elevenwarriors.com/2012/02/wednesday-skull-session-2#more

One adjustment he made was substituting Shannon Scott, not Sam Thompson, for Lenzelle Smith Jr. during the first timeout. That move put Craft and Scott on the floor together and kept the contest going at a quick pace. Although the freshman PG missed on all of his five field goal attempts, he did tally four assists, three rebounds, and a steal in his 22 minutes.
In turn, Matta replaced William Buford with Thompson, which gave the senior more rest than he has been getting during games. Weekday Buford responded with 17 points on 7/9 shooting. He also started for the 126th time, an Ohio State record he currently shares with Jamar Butler and Jerry Francis, and one that he will own outright this Sunday against Wisconsin. Hopefully, Weekend Buford, the evil one who shoots 2/12, does not make an appearance on Senior Day.

lol--see post #53