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What if... (Buckeye Basketball Edition)

fanaticbuckeye

Rule number one, I'm number one.
NCAA14 PS3 Champ
During my 4 hour drive yesterday, I was reminiscing on some of the recent basketball teams and was pondering the "what if they would have stayed" scenarios. I'm sure this has been discussed and dreamed about, but the talent this program has had since 2006 is pretty awesome.

The '06-07 team was the beginning of the run so let's assume that all of the players stayed their 4 years and we were able to get the same talent over the subsequent years. I know a rational argument can be made for certain players may have not came to tOSU due to the talent amassed or the talent may not have progressed the same. But this is a message board and I don't have to face those possibilities. I'm just dreaming...

Here would have been the roster of key contributors in 07-08 (The Shark is on their just because)...
FR
Diebler
Koufos
Turner

SO
Oden
Conley
Cook
Lighty
Shark

SR
Butler
Terwilliger
Hunter

Lineup (Not definitively starters, just the rotations)
1 - Conley/Butler
2 - Cook/Diebler
3 - Lighty/Turner
4 - Koufos/Terwilliger
5 - Oden/Hunter

The 2/3 position is essentially a rotation of 4 players; and likely Butler included in there too. My guess is Cook would have started versus a Frosh Turner. Koufos at the 4 with Oden at the 5 would have been a nightmare for other teams.

2008 NCAA Champs: - Jayhawks led by Chalmers (Heat), Arthur( Grizzlies), and Rush.

Head to head: the Jayhawks were a nice squad but I'd take the Buckeyes by 5. Conley vs Chalmers is the matchup here, but I like Conley in that matchup and especially like the rest of the Buckeye matchups.

08-09
FR
Buford
Mullens

SO
Diebler
Koufos
Turner

JR
Oden
Conley
Cook
Lighty
Shark

1 - Conley/Turner
2 - Turner/Cook
3 - Diebler/Buford
4 - Koufos/Mullens
5 - Oden/Mullens

The phenom class are now Juniors. The guards trade Butler for Buford and the bigs trade Hunter and Terwilliger for Mullens. Buford likely doesn't play much and the guard spots are a 5 man split. The bigs turn into a 3 man rotation between the 4 & 5. This is the year Lighty was hurt and since I'm in fantasy world and have ignored Oden's injuries I've decided to do the same for Lighty.

2009 NCAA Champs: Tarheels led by Basketball Tebow (Hansborough - Pacers), Lawson(Nuggets), and Ellington (Cavs)

I would have loved to watch a Conley vs Lawson and Oden vs Hansborough matchup. Both would have been titanic matchups. However I think Ellington/Green vs the remaining supporting cast of the Buckeyes is a tOSU lean.

'09-10
SO
Buford
Mullens

JR
Diebler
Koufos
Turner

SR
Oden
Conley
Cook
Lighty
Shark

1 - Conley/Turner
2 - Turner/Cook/Buford
3 - Lighty/Diebler
4 - Koufos/Mullens
5 - Oden/Mullens

The team simply matures a year and no major roster additions this year. This was Turners dominant year in real life and Buford likely extends his scoring role off the bench. This is likely the best team of the Matta dynasty based on maturity and talent.

2010 NCAA Champs: Duke led by Singler, Scheyer, Smith, and Zoubek.

I feel almost overly homerish now, but I don't see this Duke team staying with the Buckeyes. I feel like this game is in control at the under 8 timeout.

'10-11
FR
Jared Sullinger
Deshaun Thomas
Aaron Craft

JR
Buford
Mullens

SR
Diebler
Koufos
Turner

1 - Turner/Craft
2 - Buford
3 - Diebler/Thomas
4 - Mullens/Sullinger
5 - Koufos/Lauderdale

Mullens, Turner, and Koufos make a big difference against UK and Harrelson. Having such a formidable frontline pays huge dividends for Diebler and Buford's outside shooting. Along with Turner's play,asking ability this is a continuation of a Buckeye dynasty.

2011 NCAA Champs: UConn and the fighting Kemba Walker's (Lamb is there too). I feel this is the weakest champion of this timeframe. The Buckeye team lost in an ugly fashion to UK without two more strong post players and ET. I think you know where I'm leaning here: Buckeyes beat UK, UNC, and then handle UConn.

Concession number one; I have my scarlet colored glasses on. Yup, I sure do.

Concession number two; I assume tOSU doesn't lose any early entrants to the NBA, but don't consider what other programs were impacted by early enrollees. I don't have the energy to resource the other programs, but obviously that will change things too.

Concession number three; college kids will be college kids and motivations and egos will most assuredly impact the outcomes of several games/seasons.

Having said all of that... Holy hell what a run of elite talent Thad has had. Some bad luck, early departures, bad draws, and getting outplayed has prevented a championship (or four). The what if game can be argued any number of ways and I get that. I'm sure there are several variables I've missed or errors in my timing, but I think based on the elite college talent that was amassed, a multi year championship run is absolutely feasible.
 
youra6;2298950; said:
Would that make him be on the same team as Dials?

He would have been a freshman in the 03-04 season. Had he stayed 4 years, he would have been a senior for the runner up year.

I'd hazard a guess that had he been on our team, not only would we have beaten Florida in the 07 championship game, but we would have won at least one more before that.
 
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Buckeye Maniac;2298967; said:
He would have been a freshman in the 03-04 season. Had he stayed 4 years, he would have been a senior for the runner up year.

I'd hazard a guess that had he been on our team, not only would we have beaten Florida in the 07 championship game, but we would have won at least one more before that.

Nah - he would have transferred to Florida after his sophomore season.
 
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A different "what if" I thought about tonight.

The way things are going in NCAA this year, what if OSU wins out against NW, IU and Illinois... then some way win the B1G tournament, do they get a #1 seed? Could arguably be considered the hottest team if so. One at a time, great wins against MSU and the Golden Gophs.


One can dream.
 
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After watching how Minnesota upset Indiana last night - I think you have a good argument here and ya have to wonder if the Buckeyes are really coming together as we would like to think. But nobody knows what teams in the BIG10 are primed to upset one another. I think its safe to say that Ohio State will be seeded maybe in the 4th or 5th position overall. Coming into the last 4 games of the season, the stretch run maybe brutal but you have to pace yourself and not get burned out. And like you said "Ohio State" could be the hottest team right now - especially coming into preparation for March Madness. Then we can start dreaming for a run to the Final Four.
 
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starBUCKS;2309246; said:
A different "what if" I thought about tonight.

The way things are going in NCAA this year, what if OSU wins out against NW, IU and Illinois... then some way win the B1G tournament, do they get a #1 seed? Could arguably be considered the hottest team if so. One at a time, great wins against MSU and the Golden Gophs.


One can dream.

I don't think there is any chance of that. Our record against the top 50 is too poor. Also other than for allowing a team to play their way in or out of the NCAA tournament, the committee generally doesn't use conference tourneys to change seeding, at least significantly. I think right now we are a 5 seed. I think if we win our last 3 games we end up as a borderline 3/4 seed (NW and Ill wins don't really help us). IF we would win the conference tourney, it would lock up a 3 seed with maybe an outside chance at a 2 seed if other top teams close out the season poorly.
 
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wigmon;2309337; said:
I don't think there is any chance of that. Our record against the top 50 is too poor. Also other than for allowing a team to play their way in or out of the NCAA tournament, the committee generally doesn't use conference tourneys to change seeding, at least significantly. I think right now we are a 5 seed. I think if we win our last 3 games we end up as a borderline 3/4 seed (NW and Ill wins don't really help us). IF we would win the conference tourney, it would lock up a 3 seed with maybe an outside chance at a 2 seed if other top teams close out the season poorly.

I don't know, if they win out then that would probably add at least 4 more victories against top 50 teams, to go with the recent wins over MSU and Minnesota. That would be at least 6 wins versus tournament teams, including a win at Indiana. Also, they are only 2 games back now, so this also could put them in play for a co-B1G Championship... not sure the current combos.

I don't feel there are enough strong teams out there to not put them into consideration for a #1 seed if they some how won out.

All hypothetical of course.
 
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wigmon;2309337; said:
I don't think there is any chance of that. Our record against the top 50 is too poor. Also other than for allowing a team to play their way in or out of the NCAA tournament, the committee generally doesn't use conference tourneys to change seeding, at least significantly. I think right now we are a 5 seed. I think if we win our last 3 games we end up as a borderline 3/4 seed (NW and Ill wins don't really help us). IF we would win the conference tourney, it would lock up a 3 seed with maybe an outside chance at a 2 seed if other top teams close out the season poorly.

Win out and, before the tournament, the Bucks will have split with TSUN (incl overtime loss away), MSU (incl heartbreaker away), Indiana (winning away after being pummelled at home), Wisconsin (bad loss away), Illinois (bad loss away). The only other losses will bea close one at Duke and the loss at home to Kansas. Five of those teams are in the top 10 in RPI. Minny is #15, we're #20 and the Illini are the weakest at #33.

They would beat three of those teams to win the B10 Tourney, making them 10-7 against Sagarin's top50.

And, they will have played an SOS ranked about #7 to #9.

That is a pretty damn impressive resume and they would have ended the season with a 7-0 run against the top 30 or so.

Top seed? Probably not. Top 2 seed, hard to doubt.
 
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starBUCKS;2309246; said:
A different "what if" I thought about tonight.

The way things are going in NCAA this year, what if OSU wins out against NW, IU and Illinois... then some way win the B1G tournament, do they get a #1 seed? Could arguably be considered the hottest team if so. One at a time, great wins against MSU and the Golden Gophs.


One can dream.

Jerry Palm didn't have tOSU or Wiscy in his top 16 seeds on a list I saw this morning on BTN. I've gotta believe that a #2 seed is the best case scenario even if the Buckeyes win out, and that a #4/#5 seed is more likely.

I was surprised that neither Wiscy nor tOSU was a #4 seed for him as of now, however.
 
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What if Shannon Scott started instead of Lenzelle....man I would like to see that potential.
I really don't see that much of a difference between the two. Both of them are extremely athletic and very good defensive players. Both of them need to improve their outside shooting. Smith, Jr. brings a little extra rebounding and Scott might bring a little more pressure defense. I would not change the starting rotation this late in the season. Actually, Smith, Jr. is a much better rebounder than Thompson.
 
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