SPOTLIGHT GAME
The #3 Ohio State Buckeyes (10-1)
vs.
The #5 Florida Gators (10-2)
___
Stephen C. O'Connell Center - Gainesville, Fla.
December 23, 2006
4:00 pm EST
Paint your face, break out the pom-poms, do whatever you need to do. Tomorrow's showdown in Gainesville features two teams that, in many people's opinions, are the class of nation. Whether you are a dedicated, die-hard hoops fan or just the newest member of the Greg Oden fan club, you really need to watch this game. Each season, there are a handful of games (outside of the tournament) that draw the attention of the entire sports-watching community, and this is one of them. For Ohio State, a win means probably means another 15-20 first-place votes and an shot of confidence strong enough to last the rest of the year. For Florida...well, let's just say they wouldn't have to hear about the Florida State game for a while. Suffice it to say that this game doesn't need to be hyped any further. The only thing else that needs to be said is that Horford, who Billy Donovan had previously said had "no chance" of playing, is now being called a game-time decision. Assuming he does not play, here are the match-ups:
FRONTCOURT
32 CHRIS RICHARD - SR (6-9, 255)
vs.
20 GREG ODEN - FR (7-0, 280)
Al Horford's absence takes something away from the game. There is no denying it. But don't tell Richard that he's a non-entity. Named Florida's Mr. Basketball in his senior season, this guy is a natural talent who's just been buried under bodies through four years' worth of stacked Gator frontcourts. Nobody will say with a straight face that he creates the same problems for the opposition that Horford does, but Richard is a big, experienced player who knows his role and operates efficiently in Florida's offense. Key Point: Richard has never finished a season at under .600 from the field (.634 in 41 shots this year). The fact that he waits for good shots may - in a small way - neutralize Oden's shot blocking ability.
13 JOAKIM NOAH - JR (6-11, 230)
vs.
3 IVAN HARRIS - SR (6-7, 220)
Final Four MVP, First Team All-Conference as a sophomore, AP All-American honorable mention, and so on, and so forth. Noah really needs no introduction. He is the screaming, fist-pumping face of the Florida squad, and he stuffs the stat sheet every night out. Noah's last three games: 13.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and four assists per game, with five steals and nine blocks. He has picked up right where he left off last year, and often finds himself without equal on the court. When you look at the match-ups, you have to believe that Oden will be in the picture when Noah has the ball, but everyone is more than aware that #13 is far more agile than your average near-seven-foot forward. Oden may be (not surprisingly) best served to camp out in the paint on defense. Key Point: Noah has 37 dimes through 12 games, and gets plenty of love for his passing chops--doubling him could get the Buckeyes into trouble.
2 COREY BREWER - JR (6-9, 185)
vs.
12 RON LEWIS - SR (6-4, 200)
The fact that Corey Brewer is the third scoring option is just another testament to this team's singular collection of talent. The Oregon product is freakishly long, and has fantastic instincts at both ends of the floor. He has the strength to play with his back to the basket, the range to be a threat on the perimeter, and even holds the record for the the most triple-doubles in school history (1). Size-wise, there's some cause for concern for Ohio State on defense, but the coin's got two sides. Brewer has a nose for the ball (logged six steals versus Western Kentucky), and Lewis has NBA-caliber quicks. Should be very fun to watch. Key Point: Brewer is an energy guy, so if Ohio State can keep him out of rhythm, they might be able to keep him out of the game.
BACKCOURT
12 LEE HUMPHREY - SR (6-2, 192)
vs.
14 JAMAR BUTLER - JR (6-2, 200)
One of just two seniors in the regular rotation, Humphrey is the Gators' first option from long range. Not just a great shooter, Humphrey is also smart--he makes good decision with the basketball which not only leads to high shooting percentages (career .428 from three point range), but keeps his turnovers to a minimum. Now, there has been a lot of talk about Butler's lack of offensive production of late. The bad news for the Buckeyes is that Humphrey is a tremendous on-ball defender--one of the best in his conference. The good news is that even with Butler only taking about four shots per game, Ohio State continues to win games. Key Point: With so much star power on the floor, it might be easy to overlook Humphrey. Left alone, he can and will rain threes.
11 TAUREAN GREEN - JR (6-0, 177)
vs.
1 MIKE CONLEY JR. - FR (6-1, 175)
Green doesn't have the same kind of speed that Ohio State faced in UNC's Ty Lawson but he's a more versatile scorer, he's more experienced, and he will very likely give Conley Jr. all he can handle. He comes up big in big games, and has plenty of accolades to his credit (Final Four All-Tournament Team, consensus Second Team All-Conference as a sophomore). There's a reason why this team is defending a title--there just isn't much drop-off in talent. Key Point: Both Green and Conley Jr. have pure point skills and are natural leaders. Each of them has their hand in nearly every possession. Even with Oden and Noah in the game, this may be the most important match-up.
BENCH
31 DAEQUAN COOK - FR (6-5, 210)
23 DAVID LIGHTY - FR (6-5, 220)
45 OTHELLO HUNTER - JR (6-9, 225)
42 MATT TERWILLIGER - JR (6-8, 230)
vs.
15 WALTER HODGE - SO (6-0, 170)
34 MARREESE SPEIGHTS - FR (6-10, 250)
21 DAN WERNER - FR (6-7, 235)
23 JONATHAN MITCHELL - FR (6-7, 243)
Your head still shakes when you realize that Daequan Cook has not started a game this season, yet leads his team in both scoring and three point percentage. Briefly dormant against Cleveland State and Cincinnati, Cook re-emerged against Iowa State with a 21 point performance. Hunter's numbers have been down since his double-double versus CSU, but he is learning to play beside Oden and seems to be improving every game. Terwilliger (groin) may be limited, which is less frightening for Buckeye fans without Horford on the floor, but not much. The Gator bench is highlighted by Walter Hodge, a sophomore lefty two-guard who has been lights out so far this season. He's scored in double figures in his last four games, and is a ridiculous 21-for-30 from long range. Beyond Hodge, there's a lot of size and a lot of talent. Perhaps the most intriguing player is freshman forward Marreese Speights, who - in roughly nine minutes per game - is averaging 6.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and just over a block each time out. Should Chris Richard get into foul trouble, keep an eye on Speights, who also boasts two double-doubles in extremely limited action.
Everything about this game screams marquee match-up. Matta and Donovan are at the top of their field. Florida's roster, even without Horford, features two or three potential All-Americans. Everyone in their starting line-up has serious experience, and not one of them will be easily rattled. As a Buckeye fan, you have to hope that Oden, even at 80%, is just too much for anyone in the college ranks to handle. If he truly becomes the focal point of the Buckeye offense, then the opportunity for the Scarlet and Gray to dictate the pace of the game just gets greater. It will be absolutely crucial, considering Florida's length and defensive talent, for Ohio State's ball handlers to find a way to dump the ball into the post without creating turnovers. Both teams come in shooting well over 50% from the field, so it's difficult to visualize a defensive battle. Either way, like the UNC game, Ohio State will come out of Gainesville Saturday evening a stronger team whether they win or not. If they can squeak it out, though, watch out--they might not lose another one.
Prediction: tOSU 94 - UF 90 (OT)
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