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tBBC Preview: MBB OSU vs. Wisconsin Game Preview
jcollingsworth via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
This coming Thursday (Feb., 4th) at 7:00 p.m. The Ohio State University meets up with The Wisconsin Badgers in Madison, Wisconsin.
The Buckeyes are coming off a defeat that had mustered some hope in the faithful, 66-61 against Maryland.
This brings the Buckeyes record to 14-9 overall while posting a 6-4 record in the Big 10.
The Buckeyes, as I have been saying all year, is a team that has many highs and lows. One moment they will catch you off guard and have hope soaring. Then when the hope is all high and mighty – boom – they will bring you back down to the low you just do not have any desire to accept – certainly, as it is happening. Nevertheless, as I see it, this team is built for the future. Whatever we get this year is a bonus.
Marc Loving currently leads all Buckeyes with an average of 13.5 points thus far this season. Keita Bates-Diop is holding down the fort in rebounds with 6.2 on the season. Assists belong to JaQuan Lyle with 4.8 per game. Jae’Sean Tate leads all Buckeyes with 1.4 steals per game. And our block-shot leader belongs to Daniel Giddens with a 2.0 average.
Do you notice anything in those statistics? The Buckeyes have five different players leading in five different categories. There is not one player leading in at least two categories. This shows balance. The Buckeyes are a good solid team (regardless of their current record).
Wisconsin beat Illinois on Sunday January 31st 65-63 in an absolute thriller. Nigel Hayes nailed 17 points while Ethan Happ pulled down 9 rebounds. What is notable of recent for the Badgers is their victory against the Indiana Hoosiers on January 26 – 82-79, slowing them down after a run of 12 wins. In that “huge” victory, Nigel Hayes was good for 31 points. Ethan Happ hit for another 25. And Jordan Hill sank 13. The Badgers have not lost since January 12th. On that day, Northwestern bested them 70-65.
The Badgers are not the team they were from last year’s 36-3 group that made it to the NCAA Championship Game, only to lose to Duke 68-63. There is no longer a Frank Kaminsky on the court for them. Of the names that showed a face in playtime during that Championship loss, only Nigel Hayes and Bronson Koenig have returned.
Do not be misinformed by this microscopic fact. Badgers basketball built by Bo Ryan is a ‘solid’ program, as his 747 wins proved. Just as the Buckeyes are in a rebuilding mode, so are the Badgers.
Nigel Hayes a 6’8” Forward, JR, leads all Badgers in points with a 17 average. Ethan Happ a 6’9” Forward Freshmen leads in rebounds per game with an 8.2 average. Nigel Hayes also is the assist leader averaging 3.6 per game. Ethan Happ holds down the steals – averaging 1.5 and Ethan Happ blocks 1.1 times thus far per game this year.
Notice something?
Unlike the Buckeyes who had five different leaders in five different categories – the Badgers rely on Nigel Hayes and Ethan Happ tremendously. The Buckeyes appear to have more flexibility.
In that final summation I will go out on a limb and say that if the Buckeyes follow through with their intensity that they offered against a much more superior Maryland team they will produce the makings of a thriller. But – shall I? With the fact that they have five players leading individually in five different categories – if they step up, repeating Sunday’s performance, or even Kentucky’s win, and delivering the extensive damage that they “truly” can – then I must say “Hmmmmm!”
Let’s not get crazy and spray an actual score, or who will do what. If the Buckeyes simmer their young selves I suspect we as Buckeye Nation will be quite pleased with the outcome.
The post tBBC Preview: MBB OSU vs. Wisconsin Game Preview appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
Continue reading...
jcollingsworth via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
This coming Thursday (Feb., 4th) at 7:00 p.m. The Ohio State University meets up with The Wisconsin Badgers in Madison, Wisconsin.
The Buckeyes are coming off a defeat that had mustered some hope in the faithful, 66-61 against Maryland.
This brings the Buckeyes record to 14-9 overall while posting a 6-4 record in the Big 10.
The Buckeyes, as I have been saying all year, is a team that has many highs and lows. One moment they will catch you off guard and have hope soaring. Then when the hope is all high and mighty – boom – they will bring you back down to the low you just do not have any desire to accept – certainly, as it is happening. Nevertheless, as I see it, this team is built for the future. Whatever we get this year is a bonus.
Marc Loving currently leads all Buckeyes with an average of 13.5 points thus far this season. Keita Bates-Diop is holding down the fort in rebounds with 6.2 on the season. Assists belong to JaQuan Lyle with 4.8 per game. Jae’Sean Tate leads all Buckeyes with 1.4 steals per game. And our block-shot leader belongs to Daniel Giddens with a 2.0 average.
Do you notice anything in those statistics? The Buckeyes have five different players leading in five different categories. There is not one player leading in at least two categories. This shows balance. The Buckeyes are a good solid team (regardless of their current record).
Wisconsin beat Illinois on Sunday January 31st 65-63 in an absolute thriller. Nigel Hayes nailed 17 points while Ethan Happ pulled down 9 rebounds. What is notable of recent for the Badgers is their victory against the Indiana Hoosiers on January 26 – 82-79, slowing them down after a run of 12 wins. In that “huge” victory, Nigel Hayes was good for 31 points. Ethan Happ hit for another 25. And Jordan Hill sank 13. The Badgers have not lost since January 12th. On that day, Northwestern bested them 70-65.
The Badgers are not the team they were from last year’s 36-3 group that made it to the NCAA Championship Game, only to lose to Duke 68-63. There is no longer a Frank Kaminsky on the court for them. Of the names that showed a face in playtime during that Championship loss, only Nigel Hayes and Bronson Koenig have returned.
Do not be misinformed by this microscopic fact. Badgers basketball built by Bo Ryan is a ‘solid’ program, as his 747 wins proved. Just as the Buckeyes are in a rebuilding mode, so are the Badgers.
Nigel Hayes a 6’8” Forward, JR, leads all Badgers in points with a 17 average. Ethan Happ a 6’9” Forward Freshmen leads in rebounds per game with an 8.2 average. Nigel Hayes also is the assist leader averaging 3.6 per game. Ethan Happ holds down the steals – averaging 1.5 and Ethan Happ blocks 1.1 times thus far per game this year.
Notice something?
Unlike the Buckeyes who had five different leaders in five different categories – the Badgers rely on Nigel Hayes and Ethan Happ tremendously. The Buckeyes appear to have more flexibility.
In that final summation I will go out on a limb and say that if the Buckeyes follow through with their intensity that they offered against a much more superior Maryland team they will produce the makings of a thriller. But – shall I? With the fact that they have five players leading individually in five different categories – if they step up, repeating Sunday’s performance, or even Kentucky’s win, and delivering the extensive damage that they “truly” can – then I must say “Hmmmmm!”
Let’s not get crazy and spray an actual score, or who will do what. If the Buckeyes simmer their young selves I suspect we as Buckeye Nation will be quite pleased with the outcome.
The post tBBC Preview: MBB OSU vs. Wisconsin Game Preview appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
Continue reading...