Ohio State Basketball Official Thread

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centralbucksfan

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Jan 17, 2014 9:54 AM
vball10set;1568190 wrote:Tough game to watch, but as said in other posts, it's not panic mode time...yet. I knew we'd miss DT, but I didn't think it'd be this bad. We seem to be out of synch, still searching for an identity, and I'm not sure what that's going to be. Defense is our strength, but we'velooked tentative and out of position in the last two games there as well. Coach Matta's going to have to really coach these kids up to get a decent seed, but I'm confident he can do so. Right now I'd go with Craft, Q, Amir, Sammy and Smith, Jr (on a short string), with Scott and Loving (yes, he didn't look good last night, but being a freshman gives him a temporary pass) being first in.
The two players really hurting OSU right now, from an offensive standpoint are Scott and Smith. Neither one is giving OSU anything. Teams are playing mostly zone, and both are in a bad, bad funk shooting the ball. Scott isn't a big surprise. But Smith has been pretty decent up until the past few games. I agree about Loving. He has been really good up until last nite.
I wonder why Della Valle didn't play last nite? A shooter that I thought OSU could have used...??
Jan 17, 2014 9:54am
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wildcats20

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Jan 17, 2014 9:59 AM
I saw Della Valle was hurt in the Iowa game. Can't remember what exactly the tweet said, but he was out for last night because of it.
Jan 17, 2014 9:59am
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Prescott

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Jan 17, 2014 10:36 AM
I think Matta has to cut Scott's minutes and maybe Craft.Put people on the floor that have the potential to score. Smith, Ross,Thompson, Loving ,and Della Valle fit this description. Craft and Scott are reluctant shooters, which makes it easy to zone OSU effectively. Minny's zone at the top was more concerned about the wings than the top, so they dropped to the free throw line and extended from there.

Matta tried to get more offense on the floor when he went small, but to Minny's credit they attacked Ross and then Loving.

Scott and Craft have not become better shooters while at OSU. I am sure they worked on it and it should be a part of Scott's DNA, but the proof is there for all to see.I love the defense they play and the effort they give, but it is a bottom line game that requires shots to be made and these two are just terrible shooters.
Jan 17, 2014 10:36am
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vball10set

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Jan 17, 2014 10:39 AM
^^^absolutely not. You need one or the other on the floor at all times--who in the hell's going to help Smith, Jr. handle the ball if these two are out???
Jan 17, 2014 10:39am
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Heretic

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Jan 17, 2014 10:44 AM
Right now, the team's probably playing at a level where (at home) they could beat Penn State, Nebraska and Northwestern. Maybe. Teams of that level probably'd throw on a zone to make up for physical talent and shit'd be wack then.

Guess we'll find out next week...
Jan 17, 2014 10:44am
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wildcats20

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Jan 17, 2014 10:50 AM
vball10set;1568246 wrote:^^^absolutely not. You need one or the other on the floor at all times--who in the hell's going to help Smith, Jr. handle the ball if these two are out???
Yeah, I would say cut Scott's minutes. Craft can go all 40 and he doesn't need(although something offensively would be great) to score.

It was said before, but this literally has no identity on the offensive side of the ball. None. They players have the ability, none(pretty much) are doing anything.

They go to Nebraska on Monday. It needs to be an all out slaughter. Playing a bad team needs to be used as a confidence booster. They can't go in expecting to win easily, but they have to play with their backs against the wall and come out and dominate.
Jan 17, 2014 10:50am
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wildcats20

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Jan 17, 2014 10:51 AM
Heretic;1568250 wrote:Right now, the team's probably playing at a level where (at home) they could beat Penn State, Nebraska and Northwestern. Maybe. Teams of that level probably'd throw on a zone to make up for physical talent and shit'd be wack then.

Guess we'll find out next week...
Any team would be smart to throw a zone on the Bucks.
Jan 17, 2014 10:51am
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Prescott

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Jan 17, 2014 10:59 AM
vball10set;1568246 wrote:^^^absolutely not. You need one or the other on the floor at all times--who in the hell's going to help Smith, Jr. handle the ball if these two are out???
I did not say that both need to benched at the same time. One or the other works for me.
Jan 17, 2014 10:59am
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vball10set

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Jan 17, 2014 11:17 AM
Prescott;1568255 wrote:I did not say that both need to benched at the same time. One or the other works for me.
Sorry, I misunderstood you then...when I read this I thought you were inferring they both should sit...
I think Matta has to cut Scott's minutes and maybe Craft.Put people on the floor that have the potential to score. Smith, Ross,Thompson, Loving ,and Della Valle fit this description
Jan 17, 2014 11:17am
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Mulva

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Jan 17, 2014 11:22 AM
This team is not built to win games with offense, regardless of who's on the court.

Do you sacrifice some of what this team is great at (#2 kenpom adjusted defense nationally) to marginally improve a weakness? It's going to be a weakness either way.


Do you go with a 10/10 d and a 3/10 o, or an 8/10 d and a 5/10 o. Tough situation.
Jan 17, 2014 11:22am
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centralbucksfan

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Jan 17, 2014 11:37 AM
wildcats20;1568253 wrote:Any team would be smart to throw a zone on the Bucks.
Uh, most teams have been doing that since Big Ten started. I think all but MSU. And OSU had success vs them and the MM. OSU has enough athletes to do well vs MM.
Jan 17, 2014 11:37am
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centralbucksfan

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Jan 17, 2014 11:40 AM
Prescott;1568255 wrote:I did not say that both need to benched at the same time. One or the other works for me.
Craft is at least aggressive and creates things. Scott plays tentative. Has careless turnovers. Gets into the paint and then dribbles out. I don't think his vision is all that great. Craft has a better nack at finding open shots for players. I am highly disappointed in Scott lately. All the talk about how much he improve and how he was the best player in the off season. Came out of gates on fire in first game. Its been downhill since IMO. And Smith has been pretty inconsistant and bad the past few games as well.
And although Ross is giving OSU some scoring, he has mental lapses as crucial times with turnovers and missed easy shots, missed FT's. Last nite, all the bad came together and it was just ugly. Actually pretty amazing they kept it as close as they did if you think about it.
Jan 17, 2014 11:40am
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sleeper

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Jan 17, 2014 11:43 AM
Not sure why people are saying Craft is overrated. He's the best defender in college basketball, maybe one of the best ever. His offensive game has never been that strong.
Jan 17, 2014 11:43am
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Heretic

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Jan 17, 2014 11:53 AM
sleeper;1568286 wrote:Not sure why people are saying Craft is overrated. He's the best defender in college basketball, maybe one of the best ever. His offensive game has never been that strong.
Because announcers and analysts seem to make the mental leap that great defender + always hustling = super-great player. He's great at some things and limited at others. And right now, it seems like he is forcing stuff way too much, in part because of other people on the team not being very helpful offensively, which is making his questionable offensive game look putrid at times.
Jan 17, 2014 11:53am
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centralbucksfan

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Jan 17, 2014 12:24 PM
Heretic;1568298 wrote:Because announcers and analysts seem to make the mental leap that great defender + always hustling = super-great player. He's great at some things and limited at others. And right now, it seems like he is forcing stuff way too much, in part because of other people on the team not being very helpful offensively, which is making his questionable offensive game look putrid at times.
Its more teams playing a zone. He can't shoot. And against a good zone, its tough to penetrate. Its neutralizing him basically. Both he and Scott. Neither can shoot. Both live off of penetrating and kicking it out to open player. Craft is pretty good around the basket as well. But isn't able to vs zone. Its not brain science for other teams to play the zone vs OSU.

And lets not go overboard on people saying Craft is a "great player". I doubt that has EVER been said about Craft. The kid deserves the praise he gets. He is a quality young man, plays his ass of every second, every game and plays defense like every coach wants their players to play it. And is exceptional at it. Why shouldn't he get the praise? How many players do we watch on any given nite who give half ass efforts? Don't play any defense? Quite a few. Craft walks off the court every game knowing he gave everything. The kid is a flat out winner. Thats the bottom line.
Jan 17, 2014 12:24pm
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Prescott

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Jan 17, 2014 12:57 PM
Hate to disagree about Craft and the pundits. Most go way overboard in their praise of Craft.One of them said that if he were starting a team Craft would be his 1st pick.Really!!! It has reached Tebowesque levels as Coach Pitino was cited as saying.This is not a knock on Craft.
Jan 17, 2014 12:57pm
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Heretic

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Jan 17, 2014 1:05 PM
Prescott;1568366 wrote:Hate to disagree about Craft and the pundits. Most go way overboard in their praise of Craft.One of them said that if he were starting a team Craft would be his 1st pick.Really!!! It has reached Tebowesque levels as Coach Pitino was cited as saying.This is not a knock on Craft.
Every single game that Dakich does, you can count on him verbally blowing Craft at least once.
Jan 17, 2014 1:05pm
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centralbucksfan

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Jan 17, 2014 1:10 PM
Prescott;1568366 wrote:Hate to disagree about Craft and the pundits. Most go way overboard in their praise of Craft.One of them said that if he were starting a team Craft would be his 1st pick.Really!!! It has reached Tebowesque levels as Coach Pitino was cited as saying.This is not a knock on Craft.
But its ok to put a lazy ass player like Wiggins on SI cover and compare him to the likes of Lebron? But when we have a quality young man like Craft, getting more out of the limited ability he was given, its ridiciulous?
Jan 17, 2014 1:10pm
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SportsAndLady

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Jan 17, 2014 1:12 PM
centralbucksfan;1568377 wrote:But its ok to put a lazy ass player like Wiggins on SI cover and compare him to the likes of Lebron? But when we have a quality young man like Craft, getting more out of the limited ability he was given, its ridiciulous?
Haha. You're a lame ass fucking joke cbf.
Jan 17, 2014 1:12pm
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vball10set

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Jan 17, 2014 1:18 PM
Heretic;1568374 wrote:Every single game that Dakich does, you can count on him verbally blowing Craft at least once.
lol, indeed!
Jan 17, 2014 1:18pm
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Automatik

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Jan 17, 2014 1:22 PM
People still getting salty over the Craft hype make me laugh. Its the media...wtf do you expect?

If OSU had that one go to guy and a serviceable offense Craft's faults would be minimal. He can't be depended on for offense.
Jan 17, 2014 1:22pm
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centralbucksfan

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Jan 17, 2014 1:27 PM
SportsAndLady;1568381 wrote:Haha. You're a lame ass fucking joke cbf.
Truth hurt asswipe?
Jan 17, 2014 1:27pm
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Prescott

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Jan 17, 2014 1:45 PM
centralbucksfan;1568377 wrote:But its ok to put a lazy ass player like Wiggins on SI cover and compare him to the likes of Lebron? But when we have a quality young man like Craft, getting more out of the limited ability he was given, its ridiciulous?
Wiggins has nothing to do with this nor does the quality of Craft's character, which by all accounts is exemplary.The discussion is about how Craft is treated by the media.
Jan 17, 2014 1:45pm
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Laley23

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Jan 17, 2014 1:53 PM
Heretic;1568374 wrote:Every single game that Dakich does, you can count on him verbally blowing Craft at least once.
Cause all Dakich could do was play defense lol.
Jan 17, 2014 1:53pm
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Laley23

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Jan 17, 2014 1:56 PM
centralbucksfan;1568387 wrote:Truth hurt asswipe?
Why are you taking a shot at Wiggins, and to call him lazy? Have you watched him play? And his character, for how good he is, is amazing. Probably the most humble "superstar" I've ever seen at the college level.
Jan 17, 2014 1:56pm