Congrats to Michigan on a much needed win. They need to get a run in the next 3 games to have a chance to make the tournament. They are going to have to beat UCONN or have a very, very good big ten record with a couple of wins in the big ten tournament. It is doable, but they need to have Harris and Sims play like today. Stu Douglas is also playing much better and Novak needs to make his shots too.

The thing I noticed was they shot quite a few less of balance shots. No need to shoot tough off balance looks early in the shot clock. Sims was a nightmare against Indiana with the fadeaway shots. He attacked much more today. I know he can knock down the outside shot, but when he shot from 15 feet and out, Michigan has nobody on the glass.

The rotation of players is much better as well. I won't be surprised if they start playing up to expectations, but it could be too little too late with the gauntlet of teams coming.

mward31 wrote:

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

I know they get WVU. I actually think OSU has a decent schedule this year, usually I think its pretty bad.

What I meant by "ok" is does the team have a chance at the FF. OK in my eyes for scheduling OOC is a tourney team and not much else. A TOUGH OOC is a team that has high aspirations towards the Final Four.

A team like Butler, is good, but the ONLY mid majors I can think of year in year out who have FF aspirations are Gonzaga and Xavier, and those two havent even made it.

OSU this year plays 2 of those teams OOC in UNC and West Virginia. That is good. I think the best type of schedule is to get that 2 up to around 4. Get the ok games up to around 6 (do this by playing mid-majors who should finish top 3-4 in their conference) and the rest cupcakes.

Now, this is only when you expect your team to be solid, which OSU did this year. A team like Indiana this year cant schedule like that. But in a few years I would hope they do. I personally think IU over scheduled this year before the season started, but they are doing quite well with it.

NOTE: your list of FF contenders is a little off for teams I would include. You have to through in teams like UCONN, Syracuse, G'Town, etc.

Laley23 wrote: 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.

Kansas has Cal, Tennessee and Temple. (0)
Texas has UNC, MSU and UConn. That's a schedule. (3)
UConn has Duke and UK. (2)
Duke has UConn, Georgetown and Gonzaga. (1)
UNC has OSU, Syracuse, MSU, UK and Texas. (3)
UK has UNC and UConn. (2)
MSU has UNC and Texas. (2)
Purdue has Tennessee and WVU. (1)

No, most elite teams don't have 3 teams with aspirations of the FF on their schedule. I see UNC and Texas as the only teams with 3.