http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/preview?gid=201001030357

I'll take Ohio State by 18

OSU will get blown out unless Buford and Lighty are lights out.

This team just isn't very good when you take one of the top players in the NCAA off of it.

Michigan isn't good. This is a game OSU can absolutely win without Turner. Probably a 1-4 conference start if we don't get this one today.

Mulva wrote: Michigan isn't good. This is a game OSU can absolutely win without Turner. Probably a 1-4 conference start if we don't get this one today.

Mulva, OSU isn't very good either that is without an AA.

Leonardo wrote: http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/preview?gid=201001030357

I'll take Ohio State by 18

I will have whatever you are drinking! It could happen I suppose but I don't see it being that easy.

With the way that Michigan has played this year, this is certainly a game OSU can win. But, I don't expect a runaway. I will be elated with a 1 point win.

is this on BTN?

Yes.

Michigan 34
OSU 32

Halftime.

Diebs found his stroke

Madsen is so freaking soft.

nice to at least see them competing a little better than they did in Madison.

They need this one, then need the home opener against Indiana. 2-3 is a lot better than 1-4.... and maybe if they get 2 in a row here they'll have some confidence heading up to the Barn in Minneapolis

Michigan wins by 9, 73-64.

I'll take Michigan by 9.

Leonardo wrote: I'll take Ohio State by 18

You're crazy!!

Web, your a genius. Want to play the lottery together?

I know we miss Turner - Badly!! Still, the Bucks should have been able to put a 6-6 Michigan team away today. Gotta think that it comes down to mental and physical toughness - one team has it and the other doesn't. Lay this at the feet of whoever does OSU's weak preseason schedule - this is when you establish whether you're a tough team or a pussy team. I hope that's not meowing from the Lane Avenue area that I hear!

North Carolina, Cal, Butler, Florida State....that's 4 tough games out of 12 pre-conference games. I don't know exactly what other teams do, but I would say that's normal for a major college basketball team.

doggydee wrote: North Carolina, Cal, Butler, Florida State....that's 4 tough games out of 12 pre-conference games. I don't know exactly what other teams do, but I would say that's normal for a major college basketball team.

thats 4 ok games. Its 1 TOUGH game.

Cal, Butler and FSU are all possible tourney teams, but UNC is the only Final Four shot team.
Its not bad scheduling, but the really elite teams usually have 3 teams that have aspirations for the FF on their schedule.

Why does anyone think OSU is a good team without Turner? They are not.

I'll be really surprised if they are able to beat Indiana.

I have a feeling the Buckeyes will drop out of the top 25 after this one.

Why do you think OSU should have beaten UM today?

OSU isn't a deep team and you are taking their Mr. Everything away. He sets up everyone and the guys play relaxed. You can tell their trying to do too much and not playing well.

Take any team like OSU who isn't deep, remove their best scorer, rebounder, PG, defender, passer etc and see how good they are.

This is a sub .500 team without Turner and their lack of depth.

The Big Ten is really separating itself in half.

Iowa is terrible. Penn State, Indiana and Michigan are competitive to some degree, but barring a very surprising Big Ten season, they won't be in the NCAA Tournament discussion. I also see Northwestern struggling in conference play, and the same goes for Illinois to a lesser extent. Ohio State right now isn't an NCAA team in my mind until we see Evan Turner back out there.

Purdue, Michigan State, Minnesota and Wisconsin are probably the 4 NCAA locks at this point.

I then see 2 or 3 more coming from a group of teams including Illinois, Ohio State, Northwestern and Michigan (a long shot, probably need 11 conference wins at least).

Laley23 wrote:

doggydee wrote: North Carolina, Cal, Butler, Florida State....that's 4 tough games out of 12 pre-conference games. I don't know exactly what other teams do, but I would say that's normal for a major college basketball team.

thats 4 ok games. Its 1 TOUGH game.

Cal, Butler and FSU are all possible tourney teams, but UNC is the only Final Four shot team.
Its not bad scheduling, but the really elite teams usually have 3 teams that have aspirations for the FF on their schedule.

They also travel to Morgantown in a couple of weeks to play West Virginia. That's two TOUGH games, neither on their home court. I can't completely defend Matta's scheduling as a Buckeye fan because I wish he would replace a couple of the patsies with tough in-state schools, but I think your assessment is a little harsh. I think Cal, Butler, and FSU are a little better than ok, but I'm not sure what you mean by that exactly. Butler and Cal were in the preseason Top 20. Though they have both mildly disappointed so far, I think it is a pretty good bet they will be in the tourney come March. And I wouldn't be surprised, if FSU wasn't joining them.

To me, there is only about 8-10 legitimate Final Four contenders, and two of them are within the Big Ten conference (MSU, Purdue). So out of the remaining 6-8 schools (UNC, Duke, Kansas, Texas, Kentucky, Nova, West Virginia), OSU plays two of those schools. I suppose there are some schools from major conferences that have three of those schools on their non-conference schedule, but none of them come to mind.

I'm still not completely satisfied with Matta's schedule, but I think it is more than respectable this year and his toughest one to date at OSU

Butler will roll in a down Horizon League. California should do very well in a very, very weak PAC-10. Florida State is a wild card, but they will be in the hunt for an at-large bid. I counted it as a quality win for Florida, and as of now, it IS. The problem for Ohio State, is that they will have lost to 4 of those 5 teams, assuming they lose in Morgantown. That is more of the issue. SOS doesn't mean much outside of it being a variable in RPI unless you are an NCAA worthy team. As I said, until we see something from Turner, OSU is going to be fighting for their NCAA lives regardless.

^ OSU beat Cal as well as Florida State. I don't think 2-3 in those games would be frowned upon too much, since 4 were away or at a neutral court.

thedynasty1998 wrote: Why does anyone think OSU is a good team without Turner? They are not.

I'll be really surprised if they are able to beat Indiana.

But Indiana just lost it's best player too. That would definitely be a very disappointing loss at home.