2009-2010 Men's Basketball

[CHU]

Coach Matta speaking in regards to agent runners, player's families and college players during the coach Boals press conference April 28 seemed like he is very frustrated with the process.

Happy and understanding for his players but frustrated at the same time.

[Buckskin86]

The final news on Academic Progress Rate scores and ramifications should be released next week, and Matta confirmed that OSU could lose two scholarships.

Former University of Akron men's basketball assistant Jeff Boals happy to be at Ohio State - Cleveland.com

[Buckskin86]

An opener against Isiah?
James Madison coach Matt Brady revealed in March that, although no contract had been signed, he expected his team to open next season at Ohio State in the first round of the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic in Value City Arena.

Not so fast, Matt.

Jeff Goodman of FoxSports.com reported today that the Buckeyes will host Florida International in their opener Nov.9. Florida International recently hired former NBA coach and Indiana star Isiah Thomas as its new coach.

Tournament officials have not announced the field, but James Madison, which has three Columbus natives on its roster, still could be in the four-team pod and play Ohio State in a second-round game. Devon Moore of Northland, Eric Beard of Reynoldsburg and Trevon Flores of Eastmoor Academy are on the Dukes' roster.

The first- and second-round games at four regional sites are Nov.9-13. Ohio State, North Carolina, Syracuse and California will host the regionals and, regardless of the outcomes of their games, advance to New York for the semifinals Nov.19 and the championship and consolation games Nov.20 in Madison Square Garden.

An opener against Isiah? (Hoops & Scoops: an OSU basketball blog)

[buckeydoptimist]

"regardless of the outcomes of their games, advance to New York for the semifinals Nov.19"

Do they really have a tournament for which the first two rounds results DON'T MATTER as to who advances? That is some dumb azz setup.

[Buckskin86]

Bob Hunter commentary: Rumblings
Friday, May 15, 2009
By Bob Hunter
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

With the Ohio State men's basketball team reportedly tipping off the first permissible night of the season -- Nov. 9 in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic against Florida International and new coach Isiah Thomas -- coach Thad Matta apparently is planning some extra practice time.

We hear that the Buckeyes will head to Canada in August for games against Canadian college and/or club teams. Besides the competition, the trip allows NCAA Division I teams 10 additional days of practice before the official start of preseason drills Oct. 16.

Teams are allowed to take a trip to a foreign country once every four years. Ohio State's last excursion was in 2001 to Italy, France and the Netherlands.

The Columbus Dispatch : Bob Hunter commentary: Rumblings

More on the schedule
Ohio State's rematch with West Virginia next season in Morgantown, W.Va., will be Jan.23, a Saturday, according to The Charleston Gazette. The game will be televised by CBS.

So here's the schedule as we know it so far:

Nov.9-10 ..... Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, Value City Arena (Florida International, James Madison reportedly two of the other three teams in the pod);

Nov.19-20 ..... Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, New York City (California, North Carolina, Syracuse are the other three teams);

Dec. 2 ..... Florida State in ACC-Big Ten Challenge, Value City Arena;

Jan. 23 ..... at West Virginia;

Dates TBA ..... Cleveland State, at Butler.

According to NCAA rules, the Buckeyes can play 27 regular-season games besides the four they will play in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic. With 18 to play in the Big Ten, that leaves five opponents unaccounted for.

http://blog.dispatch.com/hoopsscoops...schedule.shtml

[LitlBuck]

take a trip to a foreign country once every four years.

It is sort of funny when you think of a foreign country and college basketball teams playing exhibitions, Canada is not the first country that usually comes to my mind but at least they won't be jet leery when they come back.

[itownbuckeye]

Originally Posted by LitlBuck

It is sort of funny when you think of a foreign country and college basketball teams playing exhibitions, Canada is not the first country that usually comes to my mind but at least they won't be jet leery when they come back.

Why is it that they have not taken a trip since 2001 when one can be taken every four years? Seems like these trips can help you in a number of ways so I don't understand why they wouldn't take advantage.

[Buckskin86]

Basketball, eh?
Some of you may read one but not the other, so I wanted to make you aware of Bob Hunter's "rumbling" this morning about Ohio State planning a trip to Canada in August for some games against Canadian competition and, more important, 10 extra days of practice before the official start of preseason drills in October.

Hunter mentioned that Ohio State?s last such excursion was in 2001 to Italy, France and the Netherlands. What wasn't mentioned was that assistant coach Dave Spiller had his pocket picked during the trip and that someone elicited the wrath of then-coach Jim O'Brien when he tried to do the same to the fiesty O'Brien.

Originally conceived by the NCAA as a cultural experience for student-athletes _ besides Europe, the Buckeyes visited South Africa in 1996 _ such tours in recent years have devolved into little more than excuses to play more basketball.

Basketball, eh? (Hoops & Scoops: an OSU basketball blog)

[MaxBuck]

How cynical to suggest there is only a basketball objective during a trip to culturally-rich Sherbrooke, Que.

[LitlBuck]

Originally Posted by MaxBuck

How cynical to suggest there is only a basketball objective during a trip to culturally-rich Sherbrooke, Que.

but Cory Joseph plays basketball in Nevada

[Buckskin86]

Peters moves to Akron
Dan Peters, who was Thad Matta's highest-paid assistant coaching hire when Matta came to Ohio State in 2004, then demoted to a lower-paying, non-coaching position three years later, has left the program to join the staff at Akron.

Peters, 54 and a Canton native, has been looking to return to coaching since he was reassigned in 2007. He will be Akron's director of basketball operations next season but has been told by coach Keith Dambrot that he would be considered for a coaching position when there is an opening in the future.

Matta has had two coaching openings on his staff since reassigning Peters but rehired Brandon Miller to replace John Groce last year and Jeff Boals to replace Archie Miller this year. Boals was hired off the Akron staff.

Peters moves to Akron (Hoops & Scoops: an OSU basketball blog)

[LitlBuck]

Peters was a good man. Hate to see him go but wish him the best of luck at Akron.

[Buckskin86]

Never fear, Findlay won't be here
The 2009-10 schedule continues to trickle in, drip by drip.

In an update on Lipscomb University of the Atlantic Sun Conference this week, Jeff Goodman of FoxSports.com mentioned that the Bisons will play at Ohio State on Nov. 24.

Also, having knocked off Ohio State and won a Division II national championship in back-to-back seasons, Findlay is looking to conquer other worlds and won't be back on the exhibition schedule this year. We're hearing that, like last year, the Buckeyes will play only one public exhibition and use its second opportunity for a closed scrimmage against another Division I team.

And when I spoke with coach Thad Matta last week, he told me that the Coaches vs. Cancer format will bring only two teams to Columbus for separate games against Ohio State. It won't be a four-team format with games on back-to-back nights, as other tournaments have been in the past.

So here's the schedule as we know it so far:

Nov.9 ..... Florida International (Coaches vs. Cancer)

Nov.11 or 12 ..... James Madison (Coaches vs. Cancer)

Nov.19-20 ..... Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, New York City (California, North Carolina, Syracuse are the other three teams)

Nov.24 ..... Lipscomb

Dec. 2 ..... Florida State (ACC-Big Ten Challenge)

Jan. 23 ..... at West Virginia

TBA ..... Cleveland State, at Butler.

According to NCAA rules, the Buckeyes can play 27 regular-season games besides the four they will play in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic. With 18 to play in the Big Ten, that leaves four opponents unaccounted for.

Never fear, Findlay won't be here (Hoops & Scoops: an OSU basketball blog)

[buckeyemania11]

Top 25 (and one): Meeks' UK departure leaves KU No. 1 - NCAA Division I Mens Basketball - CBSSports.com News, Fantasy, Video

20. Ohio State
Top two returning players: Evan Turner and William Buford
Top newcomer: None
Comment: The Buckeyes don't have their usual great recruiting class, but they didn't need one with Turner, Buford, Jon Diebler and David Lighty set to return. Those four players are OSU's top four scorers. They won't miss B.J. Mullens too much.

[Buckskin86]

Catchin' up
I took a few days off from the computer. News waits for no one. Here are a few items you may or may not know about:

-- Presbyterian is back on the schedule after a one-year hiatus, according to FoxSports.com. That leaves three nonconference opponents unaccounted for.

Catchin' up (Hoops & Scoops: an OSU basketball blog)