#4 Ohio State 80, Findlay 57 (Final)

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

BSB$ (Adam Jardy)

More game coverage.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

TheLantern

Basketball Bucks start new era off right



Scott Woods

Issue date: 11/2/06 Section: Sports

Media Credit: David Heasley
Freshman Daequan Cook flies to the basket for two points.


And so it began.

The days of lawsuits, Serbian paychecks and sub-.500 seasons have disappeared like so many banners from the rafters of the Schottenstein Center.

As the 2006 version of Ohio State basketball made its entrance into the arena Wednesday night to tangle with the Division II Findlay Oilers, the problems of the past seemed a distant memory as the Thad Five took layup drills for the first time in uniform. Unfortunately for OSU coach Thad Matta, even an 80-57 exhibition victory can leave a college basktball coach looking for answers.

"I think you can see we have a long way to go," said Matta, his face considerably less fiery red than it was during a game in which the Buckeyes were out rebounded 39-30 by a team that features a starting frontcourt that runs 6'4", 6'4", 6'8". "Now we need to set a practice plan of our glowing weaknesses," he said.

The Bucks' weaknesses were glowing their brightest early in the first half as the Oilers built a quick 8-3 lead after three consecutive OSU misses from three point range. With a starting backcourt that included freshman guard Mike Conley playing alongside grizzled vets Jamar Butler and Ron Lewis, fourth-ranked OSU settled down for good after Matta peppered his Buckeye stew with fresh-faced talent off the bench.

A soaring putback by juco tranfer Othello Hunter five minutes in gave the Buckeyes their first lead of the game, and after the scrappy Oilers answered on their next posession, freshman David Lighty converted his first shot in scarlet and gray from beyond the arc.

Led by the slashing, lightning-quick attack of Conley and the downright scary athleticism of Hunter, the Bucks rolled off 14 consecutive points en route to a 43-33 halftime lead that left the highly-ranked D-II Oilers confident for the second half.

Media Credit: David Heasley
David Lighty brings the ball down court against Findlay on Wednesday night.


The OSU backcourt duo of junior Matt Terwilliger and Hunter combined for 20 points and 8 rebounds, holding their own together but looking a bit confused individually at times. The 14,173 fans in attendance were aware, however, that the seven-foot man-child sporting the scarlet and gray brace on the OSU sideline could provide an immediate answer for the Bucks' woes in the paint.

"I got an answer coming" Matta said when asked about his concern for his team's depth inside, his answer being the 18-year-old legend known as Greg Oden.

The players felt the same as the coach.

"We're gonna be a lot better team come the second half of he season," Conley said. "Especially when we get Greg back."

Despite the scripted, cliched "We need to get better" responses from both players and coach, it was clear these Buckeyes, raw as they might be at the time, are bubbling over with talent. Hunter played above the rim on a consistant basis, Lighty shadowed opponents on the defensive end, Cook showed an uncanny ability to get to the basket and create shots and Conley, at times, looked like an upperclassman.

"I think they know we've got a long way to go, which makes our job that much easier," Matta said, refering to the progress of his five fresh faces.

A long way to go to make those missing banners reappear.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Official Site

Postgame Quotes From No. 4 Ohio State vs. Findlay


No. 4 Ohio State - 80, Findlay - 57





Daequan Cook, freshman guard
On the difference between college and high school basketball
"The difference between college and high school is the tempo. It was an upbeat pace and had more picks. We just listened to the captains and it was easier."
On having "butterflies"
"There was no question about it. It was my first college game. I had them for more than a couple of minutes. After my first dunk, I felt better."
On defense
"In high school I slacked on defense. Here coach said that if I want to play then I had to play defense. I play with defense now and work on it in practice harder and harder each day. The offense is not a problem but after we score then we need to be back on defense."

Mike Conley Jr., freshman guard
On Oden's return
"We really don't know when he'll be back. He doesn't have a goal or any team he wants to be back for. He just wants to be back to help the team out."
On being up to their ability
"We are not half way to where we want to be. I think we will be a lot better the second half especially with Greg back and playing games. We can be the greatest team that we want to be. The coaches are on us everyday so that we can get there." On his role for the team
"I am not the scorer. We have lots of shooters on the team. I have the easy job. I just dish the ball to them and know that they can throw down the shot. I'm comfortable with that and glad to help the team."
On pregame words
"They told us to play hard and don't worry about anything else. They said don't worry about scoring, stealing or assists-- if we gave 100 percent it would work out for us. That is what we did."


Ron Lewis, senior forward
On his role this season
"It's a different role and it's hard because I have to lead by example. It was really hard today because practice is different than games. We settled down in the second half and started to play like we do in practice. The game feels similar to last year, but it is different because it's different people. The pace is fine because we've been playing together in practice."
On the freshmen
"What surprised me is how hard they played. A main thing in basketball is to conserve your energy, but they came out and played hard. I know what he (Greg Oden) is going through sitting on the bench because I've been there before, and I know it's hard. When he's ready he'll get out there and help us."

Othello Hunter, junior forward
On the game
"Basically tonight I focused on rebounding and boxing out. I think we need to come together as a team."
On the incentive of a Big Ten championship ring
"I know when I saw the rings I knew we had to go out there and win. We're not halfway where we need to be but we will get there."

David Lightly, freshman guard
On practice
"From the beginning of practices, coach and the older players instilled the basics of basketball. There's no yelling at practice unless we give coach (Matta) a reason. We want to do the right thing so he doesn't have to yell and so it can translate to the court in games."

Coach Thad Matta
On tonight's game
"We have a long way to go. I was ready but not ready for this game. I wanted to get a lot of questions in my mind answered and I did. We did some good things and some really bad things. The defense was not as tough and resilient as we needed to be."
On the offense
"We didn't have a lot in so we weren't as fluent as we needed to be. We knew going in that it wasn't going to be pretty."
On team bond
"I think they do have a good bond. Every team you saw on the floor tonight we had set up through the past 21 practices. They spend a lot of time together." On the defense
"We were not seeing things before they happened. At one point, an opponent drove from the three point line and shot a lay-up right in front of our bench and we never saw him. Those are the things we have to get better at."

 

[Best Buckeye]

From what I have read this probably was a pretty good game for the Bucks considering we had a lot of new players to get a look at.
It appears that all the new players played well for a first college game. Matta just has to put the lineups together to achieve what he wants done.
GO BUCKS!!

 

[jimotis4heisman]

1. Charles Barkley speaking on rebounding is not "garbage;" he knows more about rebounding than anyone posting here.

2. The comment about "best rebounders not getting many rebounds" is as counterintuitive a comment as I have read on these boards.

All this being said, rebounding is not a strength of this team. I think we safely can agree on that. But Cook will, I think, be a very good rebounder for his size, much like Sullinger was last year.

1 i see your point, but that being said you need to box out, he boxed out when he played.

2 i disagree, but we will see.

ask anyone here, more than anything i love a great basketball conversation. i think you can ask 40 we spent a couple of nights literally nights in heated debates/discussion

 

[coastalbuck]

Charles blocked out just by being in position. That's the key. Get to where you need to be, put your butt there, and BAM!!! you are blocking out. Now, there are times when it is necessary to block your guy, allowing a team mate to get the rebound, that is very important and overlooked. But, Charles did block out, even if he didn't think he did.

 

[MaxBuck]

Not to get to far off the game last night, but I have to chime in with my opinion.....Obviously, Barkley has grabbed enough rebounds to know what it takes, but to just discount "blocking out" and say it is a waste of time, is flat out wrong, maybe in the NBA where they play no defense. In the college game, "blocking out" or "boxing out" is essential to rebounding and team defense. If it is a "waste of time" like Sir Charles states, why does every coach in basketball stress this fundamental? I find his comment comical and I wish I knew the context in which it was said.

Best rebounders I have ever seen: Barkley, Jerry Lucas, Wes Unseld, Shaun Stonerook (at the collegiate and Europro levels), Clark Kellogg, Kevin Garnett, and Dennis Rodman. Only Unseld really spent much energy boxing out. Again, wanting the ball fanatically, more than anyone else on the floor, is the most important element of successful rebounding. Boxing out helps if you don't have that quality.

(Hops helps, too!:tongue2: )

BTW, if you watch Twig, he spends much energy boxing out. And he is not a very good rebounder.

 

[Oh8ch]

"In high school I slacked on defense. Here coach said that if I want to play then I had to play defense. I play with defense now and work on it in practice harder and harder each day. The offense is not a problem but after we score then we need to be back on defense."

This explains why Cook was not in the starting lineup. Message from Matta.

 

[Bestbuck36]

I didn't get to see the game but a couple of things are in the forefront of my thoughts at this point.

1. Hunter- Outstanding game. He was the only presence on the inside and he should only get better. When Oden joins him, watch out! The only part I didn't like about his stat sheet are the 4 fouls. Anyone who seen the game were the fouls ticky-tack or legitimate hard fouls? Overall I'm excited about him.

2. Ron Lewis - He has taken to his role with vigor and will only help the freshmen, who are unbelievable already.

3. 2-16. Findlay shot just 2-16 from the arc. Were we defending the 3 that well or are they just bad shooters? A good team shooting would have been closer to 7-16 which is a 15 point difference. If Findlay was 15 points closer on the scoreboard I would be very worried right now.

4. Could we be any happier with the freshmen?!?! No f'in way! I've seen Cook in high school and I knew he was phenomenal but the other 3 thus far were perfect, imho. I was worried about Lighty's injury- no problem. Great defense. I had a feeling Matta would allow Conley to play more early on with Butler and it is going to work wonders for this team.

Not bad for a first performance. Play D and let your athletes win the game.


My midseason lineup:

PG Conley
SG Butler
SG Cook
PF Hunter
C Oden

Lewis and Lighty will ge a lot of playing time. If Twig doesn't assert himself more and often early in the season, the splinters could get very uncomfortable. Same with Harris.

My best friend is a UNC fan. He'll get the best of me early on but we'll see who laughs last.

 

[crazybuckfan40]

1. Hunter- Outstanding game. He was the only presence on the inside and he should only get better. When Oden joins him, watch out! The only part I didn't like about his stat sheet are the 4 fouls. Anyone who seen the game were the fouls ticky-tack or legitimate hard fouls? Overall I'm excited about him.

Yes Hunter had a very nice game with his put back dunks and some of his rebounds, but his lack of stregth inside is going to hurt us at times on interiior defense.

 

[Bucknut2010]

Does anyone know where I can get video highlights of the game? Maybe of Othello Hunters oop?