tOSU +3.5 at Wiscy (ov/un 119.5) Sun 1 CBS

[ArmyVet83]

Program took a major step back from changing that perception today. Thus, the complaining.

Agreed. However, I feel OUR own expectations, in most cases, have led to our reactions. The current sophmore class has not matured in ways we had hoped and that has bit this team in the bottom. In addition, this team is very thin in the front court, lacks good shooting on the perimeter, and it shows. If this team can make the tourney and make it to the round of 16, I will say they have had a very good season.

This team needs to get their act together and quick or they will end up in the NIT.

 

[NFBuck]

We expect better then what we got today. I know it's harder on the road but we beat these guys before. This game is inexcusable.

Yes, it is. But, fact is, pretty much every program has a clunker like this now and then. It happens all the time. Dook got blown out by Cryami a couple of weeks ago. Kansas lost to friggin' TCU. Fortunately, they're pretty few and far between under Matta.

I just think there's some serious over reacting going on here.

 

[Oh8ch]

Five Big Ten titles and two Final Four's in eight years. What's broke?

No, OSU is not an elite basketball program. We are not Kentucky, Kansas, Duke, UNC or even Indiana. But we have a fine program which, like most schools, will have down years. This is a relative down year. But we will still make the tourney (something Kentucky and UNC are struggling to do) and finish in the top half of the conference.

And I have never understood the concept that football has anything to do with how good our basketball team is. We are an elite football school. Failure to match that status on the hard-court neither subtracts from one or adds to the other.

We create our own expectations and I see no reason that OSU should be criticized for achieving a level of excellence the past eight years that may not be in evidence now.

All that said - season isn't over yet.

 

[OH10]

We expect better then what we got today. I know it's harder on the road but we beat these guys before. This game is inexcusable.

Exactly. If we can't bitch about getting housed by 20-plus by Wisconsin, then we might as well be Penn State's basketball program.

 

[NFBuck]

No, OSU is not an elite basketball program. We are not Kentucky, Kansas, Duke, UNC or even Indiana. But we have a fine program which, like most schools, will have down years. This is a relative down year. But we will still make the tourney (something Kentucky and UNC are struggling to do) and finish in the top half of the conference.

Worth noting that UNC may miss the tourney for the second time in four years.

 

[NFBuck]

Exactly. If we can't bitch about getting housed by 20-plus by Wisconsin, then we might as well be Penn State's basketball program.

Bitching is fine, but acting like this is going to knock the program on its ass is going overboard, IMO.

Like I said, every program has losses like this from time to time. I can't recall very many under Matta. At least not relative to other programs nationally.

This program is going to reach 20 wins for the 9th straight season. I never thought I'd see that prior to Matta.

 

[MaxBuck]

football school? Is that all we are? That's the mentality that keeps the Buckeye basketball program from elevating to elite status.

The "mentality" of the fans has very little to do with whether the hoop program "elevates to elite status." It's all about the on-court talent and the coaching. We'll get back there in terms of talent within the next few years, I feel certain, and our coaches are fine.

 

[Systems_id]

No reason why we shouldn't expect better than we've been given this year, especially considering that the outlook for next is probably worse (if DT leaves).

This isn't like football where Ohio State is far and away the most talented team in the B1G. The B1G in basketball has been at least the second best basketball conference in the country yet Thad's found a way to consistently dominate or at least stay competitive in this league. I don't give a shit what anyone says, Ohio State isn't a basketball school and probably never will be unless we get lucky and find a coach just as good as Thad. Yeah it sucks this team might not get back to the Final Four but I think Thad's earned the right to have a down year every once in awhile.

 

[buckeyesin07]

They lost a game at the Kohl Center and they're 18-7. This is hardly a tragedy.

The complaining is a result of people not being able to come to terms with the fact that a team that won 94 games the past 3 seasons isn't that good this year.

Not trying to nitpick, but I think the bold above understates what happened today and thus misses the mark on attacking the complaints you see here on BP today. The Kohl Center is a tough place to play, no doubt. However, this game wasn't just a loss--the team today came out with little fight and got trucked. Worse, OSU didn't show much interest in trying to come back after getting down early--was the deficit ever below double digits after about the first four minutes of the game? I think that's what people are upset about--another roll over and die routine, a reprise of the Illinois game, in a lot of ways.

A hard-fought loss to a team like UW on the road everyone but the most out of touch with reality fans can handle. But today wasn't a hard-fought loss.

 

[DZ83CK]

There aren't any dynasties in college basketball. There are great programs, but it is so volatile at the top because the top players turn pro early every year - you can only be consistent if you're like Bo Ryan and never get any NBA prospects that will leave early, but that limits your upside in the tournament. The loss of Sullinger was so huge for this team - nobody else in the B1G is suffering from an early entry like OSU, because they replaced an All-American star with below average Big Ten big men.

A meh season like this is the price you pay for having an F4 caliber team the past couple of years - nobody's going to be able to take the 2012 Final Four away from OSU, and it's highly doubtful that Bo Ryan will ever take Wisconsin to an F4. As long as Matta is able to continue at OSU, in the fairly near future OSU will be back to the F4, and Wisconsin will not get there - which would you rather have?

 

[ORD_Buckeye]

Five Big Ten titles and two Final Four's in eight years. What's broke?

No, OSU is not an elite basketball program. We are not Kentucky, Kansas, Duke, UNC or even Indiana. But we have a fine program which, like most schools, will have down years. This is a relative down year. But we will still make the tourney (something Kentucky and UNC are struggling to do) and finish in the top half of the conference.

And I have never understood the concept that football has anything to do with how good our basketball team is. We are an elite football school. Failure to match that status on the hard-court neither subtracts from one or adds to the other.

We create our own expectations and I see no reason that OSU should be criticized for achieving a level of excellence the past eight years that may not be in evidence now.

All that said - season isn't over yet.

I don't think anyone expects Ohio State to be a basketball school or make the jump into Necktucky-UNC-IU realm. I think a lot of the frustration can be linked to your first sentence in the context of the program's failure to close historically. 10 Final Fours and one title is a pretty dismal record if championships are the ultimate basis of success.

I could take a frustrating season like this a lot better had the program not been to 6 Final Fours and counting without bringing home the bacon.

 

[Oh8ch]

Not trying to nitpick, but I think the bold above understates what happened today and thus misses the mark on attacking the complaints you see here on BP today. The Kohl Center is a tough place to play, no doubt. However, this game wasn't just a loss--the team today came out with little fight and got trucked. Worse, OSU didn't show much interest in trying to come back after getting down early--was the deficit ever below double digits after about the first four minutes of the game? I think that's what people are upset about--another roll over and die routine, a reprise of the Illinois game, in a lot of ways.

A hard-fought loss to a team like UW on the road everyone but the most out of touch with reality fans can handle. But today wasn't a hard-fought loss.

Totally agree. We sucked today. Flat. No energy. No fight.

But lets leave it at what happened today. Arguing that it is a reflection of where the program is or implying that the program might be in trouble in the future is silly.


The defending national champs - after taking their pick of the entire incoming recruiting class - lost to a 13-10 team by 30 yesterday.

 

[cincibuck]

I don't think anyone expects Ohio State to be a basketball school or make the jump into Necktucky-UNC-IU realm. I think a lot of the frustration can be linked to your first sentence in the context of the program's failure to close historically. 10 Final Fours and one title is a pretty dismal record if championships are the ultimate basis of success.

I could take a frustrating season like this a lot better had the program not been to 6 Final Fours and counting without bringing home the bacon.

IU realm?
03 - 04: 14 - 15
04 - 05: 15 - 14
04 - 06: 19 - 12
06 - 07: 21 - 11
07 - 08: 25 - 8
08 - 09: 06 - 25
09 - 10: 10 - 21
10 - 11: 12 - 20
11 - 12: 27 - 9 11 - 7 in conference play, finished 5th

I think I'll stick with Thad.

 

[ORD_Buckeye]

IU realm?
03 - 04: 14 - 15
04 - 05: 15 - 14
04 - 06: 19 - 12
06 - 07: 21 - 11
07 - 08: 25 - 8
08 - 09: 06 - 25
09 - 10: 10 - 21
10 - 11: 12 - 20
11 - 12: 27 - 9 11 - 7 in conference play, finished 5th

I think I'll stick with Thad.

One could look at Ohio State football from 80 to 92 and make the same snapshot judgment.

That's a pretty selective time frame and one framed by the abrupt dismissal of a legendary coach followed by two sub-par replacement hires.. I don't think anybody disputes that IU is a top 6 all-time program and deserves to be included with the likes of KY, UNC, KU, UCLA and PUKE.

 

[Mike80]

One could look at Ohio State football from 80 to 92 and make the same snapshot judgment.

That's a pretty selective time frame and one framed by the abrupt dismissal of a legendary coach followed by two sub-par replacement hires.. I don't think anybody disputes that IU is a top 6 all-time program and deserves to be included with the likes of KY, UNC, KU, UCLA and PUKE.

And if Kelvin Sampson had been able to maintain his level of success without cheating his ass off, Crean never gets the job at Indiana. The program wasn't dormant that long....