2009-2010 Men's Basketball

[MaxBuck]

-- Presbyterian is back on the schedule ...

[Buckskin86]

Coach Thad Matta recently confirmed what we reported a month ago, that the Ohio State men's basketball team is planning a trip to Canada in late August for a series of exhibitions against Ontario schools.

The Buckeyes are hoping to schedule four games in as many days near Windsor, Ontario, just across the river from Detroit, and will depart after players complete summer classes the last week in August.

More important than the games will be the 10 bonus days of practice the Buckeyes get before they leave. Evan Turner and Zisis Sarikopoulos will be back from their international commitments by then, so the full squad will get a jump start on preseason practice, which begins Oct. 16.

The Columbus Dispatch : Bob Hunter commentary: Rumblings

[Buckskin86]

Add Eastern Michigan to schedule
Eastern Michigan will play at Ohio State on Dec.5, according to FoxSports.com. The Eagles were 8-24 last season.

That gives the Buckeyes non-conference home games against Florida International, James Madison, Lipscomb, Florida State, Eastern Michigan, Presbyterian, Cleveland State and two teams yet to be identified.

Road games are at Butler and West Virginia.

Ohio State also will play games in Madison Square Garden in New York against two of the following three teams -- North Carolina, Syracuse and California -- in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic.

Add Eastern Michigan to schedule (Hoops & Scoops: an OSU basketball blog)

Bob Hunter commentary: Rumblings
Friday, July 3, 2009
By Bob Hunter
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Could Kentucky become a fixture on the Ohio State men's basketball schedule?

New Wildcats coach John Calipari likes the idea. This week, he said he covets high-profile, neutral-court games and that he has already talked to Ohio State.

"I've talked to Kansas about playing in St. Louis in the big stadium," Calipari said. "I think we could get 20,000 fans to go up there to watch us play, and I think they'd get about the same. I talked to Memphis about playing in Nashville and playing that game in multiple years. I talked to Ohio State about playing in Louisville in (years when the Indiana game is in Indiana), and then playing the other year in Cincinnati."

Ohio State and Kentucky last played in men's basketball in 1993 -- in Maui.

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content...S.html?sid=101

[Buckskin86]

Updated: July 9, 2009
Isiah Thomas' FIU debut likely at Ohio State
Associated Press

MIAMI -- The next chapter of Isiah Thomas' coaching career will start amid familiar territory for the Hall of Famer: the Big 10.

FIU's new coach is prepping to debut Nov. 9 at Ohio State in the opening round of a Coaches vs. Cancer tournament. The matchup has been in the works for months and is expected to be formally announced later this summer. Thomas -- a Chicago native who grew up watching and eventually playing in the Big 10 -- says it'll add extra significance to his first night with the Golden Panthers.

"Big 10 country," Thomas said Thursday, as he played in a charity golf tournament hosted by Alonzo Mourning and Dwyane Wade, taking a rare break from his FIU workload. "If at some point and time you're going to be able to compete with the big boys, you might as well just jump right into the fire and get started.

"We'll take our lumps during the season," Thomas added. "But if we can be ready by March, that's what you're really peaking for."

Thomas went 1-1 at Columbus during his two seasons playing for Indiana. He knows that record probably won't improve this fall, not with the Buckeyes widely expected to start the season as contenders for a Big 10 championship and FIU simply looking for a new beginning after three 20-loss seasons in the last four years.

"It could be a bad night," Thomas said. "But it's good to go back and start there."

Isiah Thomas' FIU debut likely at Ohio State - Men's College Basketball - ESPN

[Buckskin86]

OSU-NC, the rubber match?

Andy Katz wrote in his blog a couple of days ago that the Coaches vs. Cancer semifinals in New York on Nov.19 likely will match California-Syracuse in one game and Ohio State-North Carolina in the other.

Katz likely is privy for the pairings. He works for ESPN, which has broadcast rights to the event.

Ohio State and North Carolina played in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge in 2006 and 2007. The Tar Heels won both games, 98-89 in Chapel Hill, N.C., and 66-55 in Columbus.

OSU-NC, the rubber match? (Hoops & Scoops: an OSU basketball blog)

[jwinslow]

The Tar Heels won both games, 98-89 in Chapel Hill, N.C., and 66-55 in Columbus.

OSU-NC, the rubber match?

That's what happens when old fogies try to use jive talk

[Gatorubet]

Excuse me Mr. Moderator...I speak Jive.

[crazybuckfan40]

Even if we don't win, It is good to get game like that in early in the season to test these guys...They are a year older, so it will be a good measuring stick to see where they are at....

[Buckskin86]

Add St. Francis to the slate
St. Francis (Pa.) has released its schedule and will play at Ohio State on Nov.28. The Red Flash was 6-23 last season, including 3-15 in the Northeast Conference.

So here's the schedule as we know it so far, with last season's records in parentheses and one opponent remaining a mystery:

Nov. 9 - Florida International (13-20) (Coaches vs. Cancer)

Nov. 12 - James Madison (21-15) (Coaches vs. Cancer)

Nov. 19 - vs. North Carolina (34-4), Syracuse (28-10) or California (22-11) in New York (Coaches vs. Cancer)

Nov. 20 - vs. North Carolina, Syracuse or California in New York (Coaches vs. Cancer)

Nov. 24 - Lipscomb (17-14)

Nov. 28 - St. Francis (6-23)

Dec. 2 - Florida State (25-10)

Dec. 5 - Eastern Michigan (8-24)

Dec. 22 - Cleveland State (26-11)

Jan. 23 - at West Virginia (23-12)

TBA - at Butler (26-6)

TBA - Presbyterian (12-17)

TBA - To be revealed.

Add St. Francis to the slate (Hoops & Scoops: an OSU basketball blog)

[Yertle]

Originally Posted by Buckskin86

Add St. Francis to the slate (Hoops & Scoops: an OSU basketball blog)

They prefer to be called "St. Psycho"

[Buckskin86]

No visit from Sparty next season
I asked the Big Ten office for a list of next season's "one-plays" before I went on vacation and hadn't gotten around to posting them.

Until now.

Ohio State will play Michigan State (in East Lansing) and Northwestern (in Columbus) only once during the 2009-10 Big Ten season. I think that's a good break for the Buckeyes. Michigan State always plays them tough in Value City Arena, as does Northwestern in Welsh-Ryan Arena.

Ohio State is 2-2 at home against Michigan State during Thad Matta's coaching tenure and the margins have been 3 (two overtimes), 2, 9 and 11 points. The Buckeyes are 4-1 at Northwestern and the margins have been 13, 3, 9, 18 and 3 points. They lost in Evanston last season for the first time in 11 years.

Following is the full list of "one-plays" for the 2009-10 season. Reverse the games for 2010-11.

Ohio State at Michigan State
Northwestern at Ohio State
Illinois at Michigan
Minnesota at Illinois
Indiana at Penn State
Michigan State at Indiana
Iowa at Wisconsin
Penn State at Iowa
Michigan at Purdue
Purdue at Northwestern
Wisconsin at Minnesota

No visit from Sparty next season (Hoops & Scoops: an OSU basketball blog)

[Buckskin86]

So here's the schedule as we know it (with opponents' 2008-09 record in parentheses) -- 30 games that equal the maximum 28 in NCAA math because the four-game Coaches vs. Cancer tournament counts as one:


Nov. 9 - Florida International (13-20) (Coaches vs. Cancer)

Nov. 12 - James Madison (21-15) (Coaches vs. Cancer)

Nov. 19 - vs. North Carolina (34-4), Syracuse (28-10) or California (22-11) in New York (Coaches vs. Cancer)

Nov. 20 - vs. North Carolina, Syracuse or California in New York (Coaches vs. Cancer)

Nov. 24 - Lipscomb (17-14)

Nov. 28 - St. Francis (6-23)

Dec. 2 - Florida State (25-10)

Dec. 5 - Eastern Michigan (8-24)

TBA - at Butler (26-6)

TBA - Presbyterian (12-17)

TBA - Delaware State (8-24)

Dec. 22 - Cleveland State (26-11)

Jan. 23 - at West Virginia (23-12)

Dates are not known for the Butler, Presbyterian and Delaware State games, but I'm guessing Dec. 12 (Saturday), 16 (Wednesday) and 19 (Saturday). The official schedule, with tip times and TV coverage, is expected to be released in August.

Schedule appears to be complete (Hoops & Scoops: an OSU basketball blog)

[Buckskin86]

Exhibition games in Canada announced
The University of Windsor announced today that it will play exhibition games against Ohio State on Aug.28 and 29. Each game is scheduled for 6 p.m. in the school's St. Denis Centre in downtown Windsor, just across the river from Detroit.

The Buckeyes are scheduled to play three games across the border, with the third against Western Ontario University. But Western also lists its game for Aug.29 in Windsor, so one of them is mistaken. It'll get sorted out eventually.

More important for coach Thad Matta is that the Buckeyes get 10 practices before the games are played. They will be under way in a few weeks.

Exhibition games in Canada announced (Hoops & Scoops: an OSU basketball blog)

[Buckskin86]

FUTURE IN COLUMBUS; FONTAN RETURNING TO FORDHAM
Wednesday, July 29, 2009

How about this scenario for Ohio State?

If Evan Turner and William Buford both return to Columbus after this year, the Buckeyes will be the favorite to win the national title in 2010-11.

I know I'm getting ahead of myself ? especially since I think it's a bit far-fetched that Turner will return for another year ? but after watching big man Jared Sullinger dominate game after game in July, it's hard not to think about the lineup that Thad Matta could put out there down the road.

SF ? David Lighty
PF ? DeShaun Thomas
C ? Jared Sullinger
PG ? Evan Turner
SG ? William Buford

That's a scary starting five that can match up with anyone, and the bench would include shooter Jon Diebler, Greek big man Zisis Sarikopoulos, Dallas Lauderdale and freshmen guards Jordan Sibert, Lenzelle Smith and Aaron Craft.

Ohio State coach Thad Matta told me earlier this month that Turner will see plenty of time at point guard this season in an effort to get his best five players on the floor as often as possible.

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[lord vegas]

Matta better start his recruiting pitch on Buford and Turner. He better start selling it now and laying it on extra thick because those two are likely gone. I would love for them to stay and make a run at the title.