Ohio St

Ohio St vs UCSB: Preview & Predicton

Shawn Siegel — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:54:57 -0400

Start: Mar 19 2010 - 9:45pm

Team Previews: #2 Ohio St -- #15 UCSB

Vegas Odds: Ohio St -17 Bet at bodog

Why UCSB will win: The Big West always produces pesky teams in the tournament, and UCSB's overall season makeup is similar to Montana, who gave UNM a good fight yesterday. Forwards Orlando Johnson and James Nunnally are high-level talents that happen to be at a mid-major school.

Gaucho to Watch:

G James Powell - 9 ppg, 2 rpg, 1 apg

UCSB is certainly going to need a 3rd player to step up, and Powell has the ability to pour in 20 points.. the problem is he only does it randomly, so you never know what you'll get.

Why Ohio St will win: The country's best player, a Big Ten title, a Top 10 ranking, 13 wins in 14 tries.. that about sums it up.

Buckeye to Watch:

G Jon Diebler - 13 ppg, 3 rpg, 2 apg

Ohio St always has the ace in the hole with Turner, but they're really at their best when Diebler is bombing from three. Often times, OSU's losses coincide with Diebler's bad games.

How it will go down: The only question here is how many Ohio St will win by. UCSB has gotten blown out by 20+ in their three hardest road games..at Cal, ASU, and LBSU. Ohio St will win big.

Betting Pick: Ohio St -17

Real Pick: Ohio St

Ohio St 2010 NCAA Tournament Preview

Joel Welser — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 23:04:22 -0400

Ohio State Buckeyes

Big Ten Conference (27-7, 14-4)

Seed: #2

Midwest Region

Big Wins: 11/20 vs California (76-70), 1/12 at Purdue (70-66), 1/16 Wisconsin (60-51)

Bad Losses: 11/19 vs North Carolina (73-77), 1/3 at Michigan (64-73), 1/9 at Minnesota (62-73)

Last NCAA Appearance: 2009, First Round loss to Siena

Coach: Thad Matta (12-7 in 7 NCAA appearances)

Why They Can Surprise:

The Buckeyes sport one of the most talented starting fives in the nation. Evan Tuner is a superstar and just about everybody’s national player of the year, William Buford can explode for 25 points on any given night, Jon Diebler is a lights out shooter from long range and David Lighty does a little bit of everything. And all those guys are at least 6-5. That is one heck of a backcourt.

Buford has been relatively inconsistent as a sophomore, but he is certainly capable of scoring in a variety of ways. He is also a pretty good passer and the ball is safe in his hands. Like any shooter, Diebler is also streaky. He has had some slow stretches, but Diebler has connected on 3.1 three-pointers per game and connects on about 42 percent of his attempts. And even if those two are struggling to score, Lighty and Turner will take over. Lighty can do it all and is averaging an impressive 12.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.6 steals per contest.

Why They Can Disappoint:

With so much size on the perimeter, one would expect the Buckeyes to dominate on the glass. However, that has not been the case. Turner is a beast on the boards, but Lighty’s numbers are a little disappointing and starting big man Dallas Lauderdale averages 5.0 boards per contest. Despite the somewhat disappointing rebounding numbers, Lauderdale does plenty of other things to help out this team. He is averaging 6.7 points per game and is a beast on the defensive end, blocking 2.1 shots per contest. There is really no easy way to stop this team, especially when Diebler is hitting the outside shot, so the best way to beat the Buckeyes is to outscore them. And the best way to do that is to shoot the three-pointer that Ohio State does not defend very well.

Who To Watch:

When Turner was out for six games with a back injury, Ohio State was not the same team. Three of their losses came during that stretch. Before the injury, Turner tallied two triple-doubles in the first five games of the season. Back at full strength, the point forward is the superstar of this team and will simply take over a game whenever he feels the need. However, his brief absence gave the guys on the bench a little more playing time. Guards P.J. Hill and Jeremie Simmons are experienced players and center Kyle Madsen can at least give Lauderdale a break, but he does not help out on the glass very much and that remains the Buckeyes biggest problem.

Probable Starters:

William Buford, Sophomore, Guard, 14.3 ppg, 3.3 apg, 5.6 rpg

Jon Diebler, Junior, Guard, 12.8 ppg, 1.5 apg

Evan Turner, Junior, Forward, 20.3 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 6.0 apg

David Lighty, Junior, Forward, 12.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.6 spg

Dallas Lauderdale, Junior, Forward, 6.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.1 bpg

Key Roleplayers:

P.J. Hill, Senior, Guard, 3.1 ppg, 1.2 apg

Kyle Madsen, Senior, Center, 2.6 ppg, 1.9 rpg

Jeremie Simmons, Senior, Guard, 4.8 ppg

By the Numbers:

Scoring Offense: 73.5 (80^th in nation, 1^st in conference)

Scoring Defense: 60.4 (20, 2)

Field-Goal Percentage: 49.3 (7, 1)

Field-Goal Defense: 40.8 (59, 5)

Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 7.1 (72, 4)

Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 37.9 (37, 2)

Free-Throw Percentage: 68.9 (170, 11)

Rebound Margin: 2.2 (110, 4)

Assists Per Game: 14.7 (54, 5)

Turnovers Per Game: 11.2 (18, 5)

Joel’s Bracket Says: Sweet Sixteen loss to Georgetown

Follow Joel Welser's Postseason Capsules & College Basketball Previews on Twitter @Joel_Welser and on his Facebook page. Joel will be back in June for his annual Top 144 Teams in 144 Days preview on CollegeHoops.net

+ NCAA Basketball Tournament

• 2010 NCAA Tournament Coverage

• NCAA Tournament Capsules

• NIT Capsules

• NCAA Tournament Schedule

• Venue Info & Tickets

• Bracketology

Poll: Who Will Win the 2010 NCAA Tournament?

Shawn Siegel — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 20:52:52 -0400

2010 CollegeHoops.net College Basketball All-Americans

CHN — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:53:10 -0500

Player of the Year Evan Turner and super-freshman John Wall highlight CollegeHoops.net's 2010 All-America teams. Turner averaged 19.5 ppg, 9.4 rpg, and 5.8 apg while helping Ohio St finish tied atop the Big Ten standings. Wall averaged 16.8 ppg and 6.2 apg, helping lead Kentucky to an impressive 29-2 record and an SEC title. They are joined on the First Team by Wall's teammate DeMarcus Cousins, Villanova leader Scottie Reynolds, and Big 12 Player of the Year James Anderson.

Besides Kentucky, other schools to have multiple players selected include Duke (John Scheyer 2nd Team & Kyle Singler 4th) and Kansas (Sherron Collins & Cole Aldrich 3rd Team). Purdue has three players on the Honorable Mention list, while Baylor has two. Returnees from the 2009 list include Turner, Singler, Collins & Aldrich, Luke Harangody, Kalin Lucas, and Patrick Patterson.

CollegeHoops.net Player of the Year:

Evan Turner, Jr, Ohio St

CollegeHoops.net First-Team All-America
G John Wall, Kentucky, Fr

G Scottie Reynolds, Villanova, Sr
G/F James Anderson, Oklahoma St, Jr
G/F Evan Turner, Ohio St, So
C DeMarcus Cousins, Kentucky, Fr

CollegeHoops.net Second-Team All-America
G Greivis Vasquez, Maryland, Sr
G Jon Scheyer, Duke, Sr

F Wesley Johnson, Syracuse, Jr
F Luke Harangody, Notre Dame, Sr
C Greg Monroe, Georgetown, So

CollegeHoops.net Third-Team All-America
G Sherron Collins, Kansas, Sr
G Jacob Pullen, Kansas St, Jr
G/F Da'Sean Butler, West Virginia, Sr
F Damion James, Texas, Sr
C Cole Aldrich, Kansas, Jr

CollegeHoops.net Fourth-Team All-America
G Jerome Randle, California, Sr
G Malcolm Delaney, Virginia Tech, Jr
G Jordan Crawford, Xavier, So
F Darington Hobson, New Mexico, Jr
F Kyle Singler, Duke, Jr

Honorable Mention
Al-Farouq Aminu, Wake Forest
Luke Babitt, Nevada
Trevor Booker, Clemson
Matt Bouldin, Gonzaga
Devan Downey, South Carolina

LaceDarius Dunn, Baylor
Jimmer Fredette, BYU
Austin Freeman, Georgetown
Lazar Hayward, Marquette
Darington Hobson, New Mexico
Trevon Hughes, Wisconsin
Robbie Hummel, Purdue
JaJuan Johnson, Purdue
Dominique Jones, South Florida
Kalin Lucas, Michigan St
E'Twaun Moore, Purdue
Patrick Patterson, Kentucky
Quincy Pondexter, Washington
Omar Samhan, Saint Mary's
Donald Sloan, Texas A&M
Ekpe Udoh, Baylor

Check back tomorrow for our High-Major & Mid-Major All-America Teams.

Big Ten Tournament: Predictions & Preview

Paul Elkins — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:14:02 -0500

With four clear-cut big-dancers, the Big Ten oozes front-end quality. But with lower-seeded teams providing late season scares to perennial powers – see Michigan State barely escaping Penn State in East Lansing last week - look for some drama to unfold this Thursday thru Sunday in Indianapolis.

Round 1

#8 Michigan vs. #9 Iowa: Coming off a spanking from Michigan State, look for the Wolverines to bounce back and rally around their two stars, Manny Harris and DeShawn Sims. Too much talent for the Hawkeyes, as Michigan triumphs.

PICK: Michigan.

#7 Northwestern vs. #10 Indiana: After falling in overtime to a team that had not won in 11 games, look for the Wildcats to avenge their recent road loss to Indiana, and win their 20^th game of the season for the first time in school history.

PICK: Northwestern.

#6 Minnesota vs. #11 Penn State: After losing by 2 at Michigan State and by 4 to Purdue in the same week, Penn State is ripe for a big game to fall their way. Look for Chris Babb, who scored 16 against Michigan State and 17 against Purdue, to combine with Talor Battle to spearhead the upset of the Gophers.

PICK: Penn State

Round 2

#8 Michigan vs. #1 Ohio State: Unanimous Big Ten Player of the Year Evan Turner and company will be too much to handle for Michigan.

PICK: Ohio State.

#4 Wisconsin vs. #5 Illinois: Wisconsin avenged their only home loss of the season with a convincing win last weekend in Champaign. Look for Wisconsin’s stingy defense and combination of veteran leadership dismantle the Illini, who appear ready to implode on their own.

PICK: Wisconsin.

#2 Purdue vs. #7 Northwestern: The Wildcats are fighting for their tournament lives, and have a good opportunity for an upset in a second-round game with Robbie-Hummel-less Purdue. Look for the ‘Cats, who have already beaten Purdue once, to rally behind senior Jeremy Nash for the win.

PICK: Northwestern.

#3 Michigan State vs. #11 Penn State: The Spartans got a scare from Penn State last week – you can bet they will be ready for the Nittany Lions this time around. Look for Kalin Lucas to point the way to victory for Izzo’s crew.

PICK: Michigan State.

Semi-Finals

#1 Ohio State vs. #4 Wisconsin: Look for Turner to help the Buckeyes avenge a thrashing the Badgers applied to them when they were without their then-injured star. Look for Jon Diebler, William Buford, and David Lighty to pull their weight in the Buckeyes victory.

PICK: Ohio State.

#7 Northwestern vs. #3 Michigan State: The Wildcats luck runs out as the Spartans frontline proves too deep and tough to overcome.

PICK: Michigan State

Finals

#1 Ohio State vs. #3 Michigan State: While the Spartans don’t have one player who matches up with Turner (who does), look for them to come together at the right time in typical Michigan State fashion. Izzo’s tactics – publicly criticizing his captain Lucas in the middle of the season – always have a purpose, and his latest move – benching guard Chris Allen for undisclosed reasons – will likely spur the team forward. Look for the Spartans to beat the only team they failed to in the regular season, and build momentum heading into the Big Dance.

PICK: Michigan State.

Poll: Who Do You Think Will Win the Big Ten Tournament?

Paul's Predictions:

Round 1, Thu Round 2, Fri Round 3, Sat Round 4, Sun

	#1 Ohio State

	VS	#1 Ohio State
#8 Michigan
VS	#8 Michigan
#9 Iowa
		VS	#1 Ohio State

	#4 Wisconsin

	VS	#4 Wisconsin

	#5 Illinois

			CHAMPION!	#3 Michigan State

	#2 Purdue

	VS	#7 Northwestern
#7 Northwestern
VS	#7 Northwestern
#10 Indiana
		VS	#3 Michigan State

	#3 Michigan State

	VS	#3 Michigan State
#6 Minnesota
VS	#11 Penn State
#11 Penn State

Poll: Who Will Win the Big Ten Tournament?

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:14:18 -0500

National Player of the Year: Evan Turner Leads the Pack

John P. Wise — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 10:04:28 -0500

It's March and everyone's talking about college basketball. Is your team on the bubble?

While all the talk is about teams and brackets and seeds, let's not forget about some of the top individual players who hope to lead those squads deep into the NCAA Tournament.

So let's get started with my five leading candidates to win the coveted Naismith Award, which honors the best player in men's college basketball:

+ Evan Turner, Jr, G, Ohio State
No one has as well-rounded a game as Turner, and his effort has been so consistent this year that even a six-game absence in midseason shouldn't keep him from winning this honor. Once he returned from breaking his back, he picked up where he left off, chasing down double-doubles each night out and even recording many near triple-doubles.

Turner leads the Big Ten in scoring (19.5 points per game) and rebounding (9.4), and is second in assists (5.8) and steals (1.8), but did you know he's also fifth in field-goal percentage (.538) and even ninth in blocks (0.9)? Before only playing 39 minutes the last two games, Turner had played all 40 minutes in each of Ohio State's previous three games and has turned the trick nine times overall this year. He is carried the Buckeyes towards a first-place tie in the Big Ten and maybe even a No. 2 NCAA Tournament seed. No player in the country means more to his team than Turner.

The funny thing about Turner is that he seems more of a lock for national player of the year than Big Ten player of the year, as Michigan State's Kalin Lucas continues to get support for the league honor.

+ Sherron Collins, Sr, G, Kansas
Collins is KU's undisputed leader and obviously means a great deal to his team, but if you take him away, the Jayhawks are still dangerous, whereas the Buckeyes wouldn't even be an NIT squad without Turner.

But that shouldn't diminish Collins' candidacy for national honors. He leads the Jayhawks with 15.3 points per game and 4.3 assists, and also, despite playing for a deep team that plays eight guys at least 15 minutes, and another three players about seven minutes each, averages a team-best 32.8 minutes per game.

Late in a tight game, you want Collins on the line. He makes 84 percent of his free throws and is a proven winner. Kansas is 119-18 in Collins' four years at point guard.

+ John Wall, Fr, G, Kentucky
No one in the country is more electrifying than Wall, and many expect him to be the first player taken in the NBA draft in June. But he still has some work to do before leaving Lexington, like lead the Wildcats to their first national championship since 1998.

Wall leads the team in scoring (16.8), assists (6.2) and minutes (34.4), and is third in rebounding (4.0). With the exception of Derrick Rose, no college basketball player in recent memory has shown his kind of explosiveness. He's also a defensive witch, averaging nearly two steals per game. He saved the day with a late gem at Vanderbilt on Feb. 20, preserving a narrow win over the ranked Commodores.

But even John Wall might have hit the wall. A slightly less-then-stellar February, perhaps due to his youth, might have taken him out of the top spot as Evan Turner continues his relentless push.

+ John Scheyer, Sr, G, Duke
Before he even stepped foot on the Durham campus, Scheyer was a Youtube legend after having scored 21 points in 75 seconds in an Illinois high school playoff game.

And he's been Mr. Steady in his four outstanding years at Duke. No doubt he's the ACC Player of the Year and he'll get some consideration for national POY honors, but he doesn't have the all-around game that Turner has.

+ Scottie Reynolds, Sr, G, Villanova
Much like Scheyer, Reynolds has been a key contributor since the first days he stepped on campus, seemingly seven or eight years ago.

It didn't take long for Reynolds to assert himself as a team leader, and now that his career is winding down, he's got his Wildcats poised to make a deep tournament run.

Reynolds is among Big East leaders in scoring, steals, field-goal percentage, free-throw percentage and three-point percentage. He might be the league's top player and could take a few votes away from Turner on any national ballot.

Also receiving consideration:

+ DeMarcus Cousins, Fr, C, Kentucky
+ James Anderson, Jr, G, Oklahoma State
+ Wesley Johnson, Jr, F, Syracuse

John P. Wise is the editor of OneGreatSeason.com. He can be reached at jpwise3@hotmail.com.

Counter Opinion

John Wall The Leader of the Player of the Year Chase

Evan Turner vs John Wall: Player of the Year Debate

Jason Brubaker — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 09:49:57 -0500

Last year, the debate for the 2008-09 Naismith National Player of the Year was effectively ended sometime in mid-January 9 (or maybe even sooner), when it became clear that Oklahoma's Blake Griffin was far and away the best player in the country. He was a double-double machine who became a nightly fixture on “Sportscenter's Top 10” for his rim-rattling dunks, and he led the Sooners to a 30-6 record and the Elite Eight. Although they would fall short of a championship, there was no question that he was the most dominant player in the nation.

This year- things figure to be a little tighter in the voting, as Kentucky's John Wall and Ohio State's Evan Turner seem to have separated themselves from the pack, but not from each other. Both players enter every game knowing they'll be the focal point of the defense, yet they still continue to put up great numbers, and more importantly, lead their team to wins. The Cats and the Buckeyes both figure to hang around in March for a while this season, and both Wall and Turner will be cashing NBA paychecks at this time next year.

But only one of them can take home the Player of the Year award. So who will it be? Let's take a look at the case for each player.

Evan Turner

19.5 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 5.8 apg

54% FG, 29% 3FG, 73% FT

Few players can stuff a stat sheet like Turner, who has 14 double-doubles and two triple-doubles this year while leading the Buckeyes to a 24-7 record and the Big 10 regular season title. Although his 6'7” frame would seem to place him on the wings, Turner is most comfortable running the point for Ohio State, where he uses his height and terrific court vision to set up his teammates. Turner is also a terrific scorer, and his rebounding numbers are absurd for a guy who spends most of his time on the perimeter. Furthermore, his importance to the Buckeyes was underlined when they went just 3-3 in a six-game stretch when Turner was out with two broken vertebra in his back following a nasty fall after a dunk. Turner is, quite simply, a match-up nightmare for most teams, who don't have anyone with the combination of speed and size to check him. His versatility allows Coach Thad Matta a lot of freedom with his lineups, as Turner can guard four positions and take advantage of almost any match-up thrown his way.

Turner also lacks the same quality of teammates as Wall has in Lexington. Wings Jon Diebler and William Buford are solid, but hardly the same caliber of player as Patrick Patterson and DeMarcus Cousins, who take the heat off of Wall. That means Turner isn't afforded the luxury of an off night, and if the Buckeyes want to win, he has to shoulder the load. Teams have been focusing on shutting down Turner all year, and he often sees multiple defenders every game as teams look to wear him down. But despite that pressure, Turner has responded nearly every night, demonstrating that he has leadership abilities and a high basketball IQ in addition to his tremendous physical gifts. Turner has the Buckeyes peaking at the right time, and there's no doubt that he means as much to his team as any player in the country.

John Wall

16.8 ppg, 4 rpg, 6.2 apg

46% FG, 33% 3FG, 78% FT

It's always an interesting conundrum when someone enters the college game accompanied by an enormous amount of hype, and they manage to live up to it. If they don't, they're often labeled a bust or a disappointment. If they do, it's because it's what they were expected to do, and the shock value is often lost. So when we look at what Wall has done this season, there's a lingering thought that “Yeah- this is pretty much what we thought he would do – what's the big deal?” But that being said, the impact Wall has had on Kentucky has been remarkable, especially for a true freshman who is only 19 years old.

Everyone knows about his physical gifts. He's blessed with insane athletic ability, which gives him the ability to not only speed by opposing guards in the open court, but also the hops to finish at the basket over and around bigger players. He has good court vision, is a willing defender, and plays with a flair that sets him apart from his peers. He's also shown, on more than one occasion, that he will make the big play when it's needed. In his first-ever college game, he buried a game-winning jumper against Miami (Oh). A couple weeks later, his clutch free throws sent the Cats into overtime against Stanford, a game they would eventually win. Against Louisville, in one of the most anticipated games of the season, Wall scored six straight points in the second half to spark UK, ignoring the physical play of the upset-minded Cards. He had five points in overtime at Mississippi State to help stave off a potential Bulldogs upset. And four nights later, it was his key lay-up and blocked shot that sealed a tough road win over Vanderbilt as he shrugged off a poor shooting night to step up in crunch time. Wall has shown time and time again that while he be capable of making the highlight-reel play at any time, he also knows how to make the winning play at the right time.

And the award goes to...

While Turner is one of the most well-rounded and versatile players in the college game in quite some time, the nod has to go to Wall for POY. Wall has not only put up remarkable stats, but he's been the difference in every close game the Cats have had, making clutch play after clutch play. While he admittedly has a better supporting cast than Turner, he's also been the one who has stepped up at crunch time, and it's not a stretch to say the Cats could have five or six losses without those clutch plays. Instead, UK will enter the NCAA Tournament as one of the favorites to win it all, and they'll be in that position because of Wall. It would be hard to argue against Turner if he is ultimately selected, but UK's record and Wall's history of game-changing and game-saving plays should give him the edge.

Counter Opinion

Evan Turner leads the National Player of the Year Chase

Thursday Hoops Notebook: Girls Gone Wild

John P. Wise — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:46:15 -0500

Turns out female thuggery isn't reserved for college soccer. Check out this gem from Wednesday night, when Baylor's Brittney Griner, already a Youtube sensation for her dunking, clocks Texas Tech's Jordan Barncastle.

One thing I never get about cry-baby athletes is the rage-fueled quest to retaliate. Moments before the punch, Barncastle certainly fouled the hell out of Griner, but the refs made the call. Quit acting like a 2-year-old and go to the line and sink the free throws. Or, if you really have problems managing your hate, wait until you're at the other end of the court and return the favor with a hack across the mouth.

Remember the in-game conduct last fall of New Mexico soccer player Elizabeth Lambert?

SEEDING MADNESS: Ohio State has worked its way into the conversation about NCAA Tournament top seeds. The Buckeyes have won 10 of their last 11 games, and despite a complete absence of a bench, they're well coached and their starting five is among the best in the country. I'd like to know the last team to earn a top seed with seven losses.

And don't forget the Bucks have the best player in the country, do-everything Evan Turner, who's more than capable of carrying OSU to a championship a la Danny Manning in 1988.

IF IFS AND BUTS: Speaking of Ohio State's starting five, imagine this lineup if no Buckeye would have left school early in 2007 or 2008:

+ PG Mike Conley Sr
+ SG Daequan Cook Sr
+ SF Evan Turner Jr
+ PF Kosta Koufos Jr
+ C Greg Oden Sr
+ 6th man - Jon Diebler Jr

THAT FINAL TOP SEED: Duke is more likely to win the ACC Tournament than Kansas State is to win the Big 12 Tournament, so expect the Blue Devils to grab that top honor out West. But then the question becomes, "Who's more deserving of the first No. 2 seed? Ohio State or Kansas State?" That does make a difference because the team that doesn't get it will be squared up with Kansas, Syracuse or Kentucky. Good luck getting past that trio.

FINAL THOUGHT: I hope the brackets line up in a way that will give us Kansas, the best team in the country, and Syracuse, the most complete team in the country, in the championship game on April 5 in Indianapolis.

John P. Wise is the editor of OneGreatSeason.com. He can be reached at jpwise3@hotmail.com.

Poll: Who Will Win the Naismith Award?

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 10:16:10 -0500