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- Thread starter brodybuck21
- Start date
MARVYMARV14
Hall of Fame
Feel like it's gonna be a dog fight, very physical at times hard to watch game. It's crazy how Holtmann has changed the Identity of the basketball team... Although I loved Thad and he had some great teams...whenever we played Michigan St I always felt like toughness was a part of the game that always went to Izzo's teams even some of his less talented squads. But the culture for OSU basketball is changing to the point where I feel ok about games like this, also have to give coach Johnson some credit as he seems to be more vocal than Holtmann at times on the sidelines in tough games really feel like some team is going to come after him when the season ends.
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nomatta
Hall of Fame
We need to come out much stronger in the first half than we have been lately or we could be in for a severe reality check.
This is the first ranked team we've played this season, and not only that, they're a Top 10 team. Can't afford a 50/50 game of bad stretch/good stretch. MSU's starters are basically as good or better than us at every position and they also have a very solid bench with Tillman, Ahrens, and Henry. As is typical for MSU/Izzo, they are an excellent rebounding team so I'm concerned that we are going to get slaughtered on the glass.
If we play good D for most of the 40 then we should be able to keep it close enough that it will come down to whichever team makes more plays at the end. But if we have some of these lapses we've been having, I think this one could get away from us (unless MSU is really off their game, too).
This is the first ranked team we've played this season, and not only that, they're a Top 10 team. Can't afford a 50/50 game of bad stretch/good stretch. MSU's starters are basically as good or better than us at every position and they also have a very solid bench with Tillman, Ahrens, and Henry. As is typical for MSU/Izzo, they are an excellent rebounding team so I'm concerned that we are going to get slaughtered on the glass.
If we play good D for most of the 40 then we should be able to keep it close enough that it will come down to whichever team makes more plays at the end. But if we have some of these lapses we've been having, I think this one could get away from us (unless MSU is really off their game, too).
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OSU_Buckguy
Head Coach
looks like langford (15 ppg; 40% from 3) probably won't play saturday.
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I see this one going 1 of 2 ways. Either:
1. Someone from Sparty has the shooting game of his life and hits something >70% of his shots from 3 and Ohio State can't match it
or
2. This is an ugly rock fight type game where both teams shoot below 35% and the game ends up in the 50s somewhere.
I don't see much in between those two extremes simply because history has shown us that is repeatedly what happens.
1. Someone from Sparty has the shooting game of his life and hits something >70% of his shots from 3 and Ohio State can't match it
or
2. This is an ugly rock fight type game where both teams shoot below 35% and the game ends up in the 50s somewhere.
I don't see much in between those two extremes simply because history has shown us that is repeatedly what happens.
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OSU_Buckguy
Head Coach
with this game being in three days, i was hoping that northwestern would wear out the spartans with a closely contested game. yeah... that ain't happening.
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nomatta
Hall of Fame
MSU looks quicker than us and far more dominant on the boards. They have the top transition offense in the conference. Now, we have a pretty good transition defense but Northwestern's transition defense was supposed to be even better than ours and they just got beat by 26, and that was with Sparty without Langford. It could turn into a rock fight but only if we bring max intensity for 40 minutes. If MSU has a good shooting night I don't know how we can keep up.
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yes I know sparty is talented and the match ups aren't great but fuck that noise. this is our 12-1 squad led by 
and I know they aren't going to lay down tomm. they may lose but they will play their asses off and i will be watching the entire thing. fuck sparty! GO BUCKS!!!
and I know they aren't going to lay down tomm. they may lose but they will play their asses off and i will be watching the entire thing. fuck sparty! GO BUCKS!!!
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MSU's Kyle Ahrens looking forward to facing brother, Buckeyes
(Photo: Mike Carter, USA TODAY Sports)
Plans for shirts that were half Michigan State, half Ohio State were scrapped, so the sizable contingent of friends and relatives of the Ahrens family will settle for mix-and-match Spartan and Buckeye gear this weekend in Columbus.
The return of Kyle, a redshirt junior wing at MSU, to his home state to take on his brother Justin and the Buckeyes is a big deal in the Versailles, Ohio, community. So much that Versailles High School tried to reschedule a tripleheader on Saturday, Kyle Ahrens said, to allow supporters the chance to drive an hour and 45 minutes over to Value City Arena.
“It’s gonna be something else,” Ahrens said. “Our little town sold like a bunch of tickets from what I hear. A lot of people are going to the game. We’ve been talking about this game for a long time, for actually a couple years now, so it’s kind of surreal that it’s about to happen.”
Ahrens is projected to start in place of Joshua Langford again on Saturday, adding to the significance of the day.
It’ll be the first time he’s squared off against Justin in a competitive setting. Whenever they played against their siblings — Kyle is one of six Ahrens children — Justin and Kyle were always on the same side. Later, they’d team together during Kyle’s senior year at Versailles.
Justin, a 6-foot-5 freshman guard, has appeared in seven games for the Buckeyes this season, tallying eight points and two rebounds in 38 total minutes. When Kyle was home for Christmas, the brothers had extensive conversations about adjusting to college basketball and staying grounded.
“He’s just doing basically exactly what I did – and he’s getting even more time than I did my freshman year,” Ahrens said. “But he’s just going through the time where he’s just working out, working out, working out. He’s not getting much time right now, but they said his role is gonna start getting bigger as time goes on. He needs to spend more time in the weight room, but he’s on the right track.”
The communication between the Ahrens brothers hasn’t slowed in the leadup to the game. Kyle’s knowledge of Ohio State’s roster, specifically third-leading scorer Luther Muhammad, Justin’s roommate and Kyle’s matchup, could be an advantage for the Spartans.
“We’ve been texting actually a lot lately. It’s just kind of crazy that it’s all about to happen,” Ahrens said. “We’ve been waiting for this moment for years, just to be on the same court at two big-time Big Ten schools. Just kind of a surreal moment for us and our family.”
https://247sports.com/college/michi...forward-to-facing-brother-Buckeyes-127274168/
(Photo: Mike Carter, USA TODAY Sports)
Plans for shirts that were half Michigan State, half Ohio State were scrapped, so the sizable contingent of friends and relatives of the Ahrens family will settle for mix-and-match Spartan and Buckeye gear this weekend in Columbus.
The return of Kyle, a redshirt junior wing at MSU, to his home state to take on his brother Justin and the Buckeyes is a big deal in the Versailles, Ohio, community. So much that Versailles High School tried to reschedule a tripleheader on Saturday, Kyle Ahrens said, to allow supporters the chance to drive an hour and 45 minutes over to Value City Arena.
“It’s gonna be something else,” Ahrens said. “Our little town sold like a bunch of tickets from what I hear. A lot of people are going to the game. We’ve been talking about this game for a long time, for actually a couple years now, so it’s kind of surreal that it’s about to happen.”
Ahrens is projected to start in place of Joshua Langford again on Saturday, adding to the significance of the day.
It’ll be the first time he’s squared off against Justin in a competitive setting. Whenever they played against their siblings — Kyle is one of six Ahrens children — Justin and Kyle were always on the same side. Later, they’d team together during Kyle’s senior year at Versailles.
Justin, a 6-foot-5 freshman guard, has appeared in seven games for the Buckeyes this season, tallying eight points and two rebounds in 38 total minutes. When Kyle was home for Christmas, the brothers had extensive conversations about adjusting to college basketball and staying grounded.
“He’s just doing basically exactly what I did – and he’s getting even more time than I did my freshman year,” Ahrens said. “But he’s just going through the time where he’s just working out, working out, working out. He’s not getting much time right now, but they said his role is gonna start getting bigger as time goes on. He needs to spend more time in the weight room, but he’s on the right track.”
The communication between the Ahrens brothers hasn’t slowed in the leadup to the game. Kyle’s knowledge of Ohio State’s roster, specifically third-leading scorer Luther Muhammad, Justin’s roommate and Kyle’s matchup, could be an advantage for the Spartans.
“We’ve been texting actually a lot lately. It’s just kind of crazy that it’s all about to happen,” Ahrens said. “We’ve been waiting for this moment for years, just to be on the same court at two big-time Big Ten schools. Just kind of a surreal moment for us and our family.”
https://247sports.com/college/michi...forward-to-facing-brother-Buckeyes-127274168/
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Two-Minute Drill: Holtmann, Buckeyes Preview Michigan State
January 4, 2019by Tony Gerdeman0 comments
COLUMBUS — Ohio State men’s basketball coach Chris Holtmann and players CJ Jackson and Kaleb Wesson met with reporters on Friday to preview Saturday’s home game against No. 8 Michigan State. Holtmann talked about the challenge ahead of the Buckeyes and his players didn’t disagree. Here are the highlights of everything that was said. (Videos of both sessions are below as well.)
Chris Holtmann
+ The Buckeyes are in the middle of their preparation for an elite team. Michigan State is playing as well as any team he’s seen in the Big Ten in his short time here.
+ They’re a veteran team that is well coached. They play hard and physical.
+ Michigan State is top five or top three and four of pretty much every category that is out there. They are elite offensively and defensively. They are efficient on both sides of the ball. That is a byproduct of great players, great coach, great system, and being a year older than they were last year.
+ Michigan State is great at sharing the ball because they have a great understanding of what they are trying to do offensively. They are really unselfish.
+ Holtmann thinks they’ll learn something in this game, but they’ll learn more over the next three or four weeks. You can never draw too many conclusions from one game, but they will be playing as good a team as there is in the country, so that will tell them a lot about this Ohio State team.
+ You’re always trying to evaluate what you’re doing poorly so that you can get better as a team. The turnover percentage has been a consistent issue. Rebounding can get exposed against a team like Michigan State. Those are the two biggest areas of concern for Saturday.
+ Holtmann is still learning about this team and learning what combinations work best. They are still trying to figure out their best lineup late in the game.
+ They are working on eliminating the extended stretches of poor play offensively and ineffective defense. Having said that, Holtmann doesn’t know that this is the kind of team that can steamroll somebody in the first half. More often, this will be a slow drip. “I think that’s the nature of this team.”
+ There will be scoring droughts that this team has to manage.
+ The Big Ten was better than it was credited with last year, but the Buckeyes probably benefited from some teams being in a transition. This program isn’t where it needs to be in order to have a W/L mark like it has over the last 12 months (26-6). Those numbers aren’t realistic this year with this team and the quality of the Big Ten. The non-conference schedule looked good on paper, but there were teams who probably didn’t perform as well as anticipated.
+ Maybe the mark of some of Tom Izzo’s genius is his consistency. “It is amazing how consistently they perform year in and year out, and we know how hard that is to do.” Their style is a little bit of a throwback maybe in today’s game.
+ Holtmann’s preference is to have a lineup that can play both big and physical, as well as skilled and quick.
+ In order to have a consistent program you have to recruit really well year after year after year. You have to be committed to playing your style so that your system matches you recruits. “That’s the only answer.”
+ Holtmann modeled his programs early on after many coaches, including Tom Izzo. He appreciated the competitive spirit of his teams and how coachable Izzo’s teams were. He coaches them hard and they embraces that aspect.
+ There are no glaring weaknesses with this Michigan State team. “I wish I could tell you, ‘They stink in this area.’ But they don’t.”
+ These kinds of games are a better test of leadership than games against lesser-known teams. The pressure is greater. There are more struggles throughout the game and more opportunities for confidence to wane.
+ Interior defense will be a big concern against Michigan State. OSU isn’t as big and long as they were last year and they’re not quite as physical. Losing Jae’Sean Tate hurts them in the physicality aspect. MSU likes to post up as much as any team in the country. That aspect and the pace at which MSU plays will be difficult to handle.
+ We’ll see how much more prepared Kyle Young is for a game like this than he was a year ago. “It’s going to be a great test for a lot of our new guys.”
CJ Jackson and Kaleb Wesson
+ Wesson is looking forward to the physicality of the game tomorrow and the focus will be in the paint. Jackson is excited for the atmosphere.
+ Wesson is second in the nation in fouls drawn and MSU’s Nick Ward is first. It’s always fun to play against somebody you know like Ward.
+ Wesson said talking to veterans last year helped him grow as a player in knowing what to expect from the physicality of the Big Ten. The biggest challenge for him this year is playing through adjustments to the referees.
+ Wesson’s earliest memories of Nick Ward were when they were “way young.” Fifth or sixth grade. They played at one of the churches. He was always told that Ward was the best big man in the city, then as they got older they always played against each other and grew closer.
+ Wesson said this is what it’s like looking at Nick Ward.
+ Jackson said the team has been working on defensive assignments and rebounding.
+ Jackson has been focused on turnovers and not putting himself in positions where a turnover is likely. He still needs to remain aggressive, but he has to be more careful where he takes the ball.
+ MSU guard Cassius Winston does it all for his team. Jackson calls him the head of the snake.
+ OSU needs to be “connected as one” in order to limit Michigan State’s passing game, which leads to easy baskets for the Spartans.
+ The young Buckeyes don’t get too up or too down. Luther Muhammad and Duane Washington are always level headed.
+ Last year’s win over Michigan State will always be remembered by the players who helped make it happen. “That game kind of turned our season around,” Jackson said.
+ Wesson likes that Holtmann is honest with them when he tells them how far they still have to go to be great. He doesn’t blow smoke at them. He keeps it real and that drives the team.
https://theozone.net/2019/01/two-mi...Hhc82qZx0Z7sEgxHR-bqUbOzTK909ypST3rco56oC3tHM
January 4, 2019by Tony Gerdeman0 comments
COLUMBUS — Ohio State men’s basketball coach Chris Holtmann and players CJ Jackson and Kaleb Wesson met with reporters on Friday to preview Saturday’s home game against No. 8 Michigan State. Holtmann talked about the challenge ahead of the Buckeyes and his players didn’t disagree. Here are the highlights of everything that was said. (Videos of both sessions are below as well.)
Chris Holtmann
+ The Buckeyes are in the middle of their preparation for an elite team. Michigan State is playing as well as any team he’s seen in the Big Ten in his short time here.
+ They’re a veteran team that is well coached. They play hard and physical.
+ Michigan State is top five or top three and four of pretty much every category that is out there. They are elite offensively and defensively. They are efficient on both sides of the ball. That is a byproduct of great players, great coach, great system, and being a year older than they were last year.
+ Michigan State is great at sharing the ball because they have a great understanding of what they are trying to do offensively. They are really unselfish.
+ Holtmann thinks they’ll learn something in this game, but they’ll learn more over the next three or four weeks. You can never draw too many conclusions from one game, but they will be playing as good a team as there is in the country, so that will tell them a lot about this Ohio State team.
+ You’re always trying to evaluate what you’re doing poorly so that you can get better as a team. The turnover percentage has been a consistent issue. Rebounding can get exposed against a team like Michigan State. Those are the two biggest areas of concern for Saturday.
+ Holtmann is still learning about this team and learning what combinations work best. They are still trying to figure out their best lineup late in the game.
+ They are working on eliminating the extended stretches of poor play offensively and ineffective defense. Having said that, Holtmann doesn’t know that this is the kind of team that can steamroll somebody in the first half. More often, this will be a slow drip. “I think that’s the nature of this team.”
+ There will be scoring droughts that this team has to manage.
+ The Big Ten was better than it was credited with last year, but the Buckeyes probably benefited from some teams being in a transition. This program isn’t where it needs to be in order to have a W/L mark like it has over the last 12 months (26-6). Those numbers aren’t realistic this year with this team and the quality of the Big Ten. The non-conference schedule looked good on paper, but there were teams who probably didn’t perform as well as anticipated.
+ Maybe the mark of some of Tom Izzo’s genius is his consistency. “It is amazing how consistently they perform year in and year out, and we know how hard that is to do.” Their style is a little bit of a throwback maybe in today’s game.
+ Holtmann’s preference is to have a lineup that can play both big and physical, as well as skilled and quick.
+ In order to have a consistent program you have to recruit really well year after year after year. You have to be committed to playing your style so that your system matches you recruits. “That’s the only answer.”
+ Holtmann modeled his programs early on after many coaches, including Tom Izzo. He appreciated the competitive spirit of his teams and how coachable Izzo’s teams were. He coaches them hard and they embraces that aspect.
+ There are no glaring weaknesses with this Michigan State team. “I wish I could tell you, ‘They stink in this area.’ But they don’t.”
+ These kinds of games are a better test of leadership than games against lesser-known teams. The pressure is greater. There are more struggles throughout the game and more opportunities for confidence to wane.
+ Interior defense will be a big concern against Michigan State. OSU isn’t as big and long as they were last year and they’re not quite as physical. Losing Jae’Sean Tate hurts them in the physicality aspect. MSU likes to post up as much as any team in the country. That aspect and the pace at which MSU plays will be difficult to handle.
+ We’ll see how much more prepared Kyle Young is for a game like this than he was a year ago. “It’s going to be a great test for a lot of our new guys.”
CJ Jackson and Kaleb Wesson
+ Wesson is looking forward to the physicality of the game tomorrow and the focus will be in the paint. Jackson is excited for the atmosphere.
+ Wesson is second in the nation in fouls drawn and MSU’s Nick Ward is first. It’s always fun to play against somebody you know like Ward.
+ Wesson said talking to veterans last year helped him grow as a player in knowing what to expect from the physicality of the Big Ten. The biggest challenge for him this year is playing through adjustments to the referees.
+ Wesson’s earliest memories of Nick Ward were when they were “way young.” Fifth or sixth grade. They played at one of the churches. He was always told that Ward was the best big man in the city, then as they got older they always played against each other and grew closer.
+ Wesson said this is what it’s like looking at Nick Ward.
+ Jackson said the team has been working on defensive assignments and rebounding.
+ Jackson has been focused on turnovers and not putting himself in positions where a turnover is likely. He still needs to remain aggressive, but he has to be more careful where he takes the ball.
+ MSU guard Cassius Winston does it all for his team. Jackson calls him the head of the snake.
+ OSU needs to be “connected as one” in order to limit Michigan State’s passing game, which leads to easy baskets for the Spartans.
+ The young Buckeyes don’t get too up or too down. Luther Muhammad and Duane Washington are always level headed.
+ Last year’s win over Michigan State will always be remembered by the players who helped make it happen. “That game kind of turned our season around,” Jackson said.
+ Wesson likes that Holtmann is honest with them when he tells them how far they still have to go to be great. He doesn’t blow smoke at them. He keeps it real and that drives the team.
https://theozone.net/2019/01/two-mi...Hhc82qZx0Z7sEgxHR-bqUbOzTK909ypST3rco56oC3tHM
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Jake
Once a Buckeye, always a Buckeye
‘17 The Deuce Champ
Fantasy Baseball Champ
'18 The Deuce Champ
Bucks are getting 2.5 points at home. Sparty shoots a higher percentage from the field but, surprisingly, the Buckeyes have the better FT% (and take more of them). Sparty has the edge on the glass, which seems to always be the case when we play them.
http://statfox.com/cbb/expanded.asp?sportid=cbb&gameid=20190105OHIOST
http://statfox.com/cbb/expanded.asp?sportid=cbb&gameid=20190105OHIOST
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