How do we match up against OSU?

[mantonio]

I remember how awesome both Oka and Texas looked before we played them to get to the FF. That's how OHS looked tonight .. pretty much on another level .. buts that why they play the game. This may be the toughest game we've played in several years .. I think our boys are ready.

Our biggest advantage was our specialty in the zone defense. Those teams in the Big 12 could not figure out how to beat us in our zone, & we just confounded them to perfection, & I loved every minute of it...

I am hoping we can provide the same confusion to Ohio State, & send them packing.

Most of the time, the better team wins at this stage of the tournament, & we are considered the better team. As good as OSU can be, I can't see any reason why we don't finally score a decisive victory over a worthy opponent. I think we are due for a game like this...

P.S. It always seems like the sweet 16 game is tougher than the regional final... (See - Georgia 1996, Auburn 2003)

 

[kingtidge]

Craft will be tough for scoop hes small and fast someone like Edelin could cause some trouble. I actually Like brandon with speed momentum maybe around a screen against him. Or Dion if he can get a long two. I hope Scoop brings it and gets the best of him though. Brandon Reese and Craft are alot alike I imagine.

Scoop is going to need to play within himself and I think that means working closely with Dion on sharing the ball handling strategically in this one.

Craft is as fast as Siva and a better pocket-picker... We know Scoop isn't the fastest PG, and the more he dribbles, the more he could be a liability.

Dion will need to do some heavy lifting here on ball handling to keep our turnovers down I think when not in transition.

 

[qdawgg]

Ohio state is a good team but I think people are giving them way too much credit. It's not like we've only played crappy teams all year and they've only played tough competition. They lost 7 games this year. Every step of the way we were forced to hear how great of a team they were, then they would lose a game, and they were still a great team. 7 freakin' times.

At the end of the day, they are a really good team. So are we, we don't lose - they do. We should win, we are better.

 

[mantonio]

I think we have more speed, skill, & height.

They have more bulk in the front court.

We probably both shoot about the same from 15 feet out...

Our speed will be the difference...

 

['72 Orange]

The early line I saw was tOSU -2.5

 

[SmilinBob]

Another tough game but obviously that's what is expected at this stage of the tournament.

We need to get turnovers, box out, hit our open shots and and play good defense. The refs will once again play a part like they did in a small way in the Wisconsin game, they took away the stupid charges and that helped us. In the OSU game I'm hoping they call the over the backs, pushes and slap fouls. OSU's inside game scares me scoring wise and rebounding wise. If we have to collapse, it gives them open J's and when you play a zone an open j is different than an open j vs man so if they hit those at a 40% or even 35 we will have a lot of problems depending of course on the flow of the game.

I agree with those who said Fab is needed for this game. X has to keep his feet and not jump at every pumpfake. Baye has to move his feet better, as does X, and be able to fight for position without fouling and no stupid reach fouls.

Mega pet peeve...why in hell do players not go to the body and box out on free throws. Don't drift towards the rim because if we do that tomorrow it could make the difference in winning and losing. There is just nothing more frustrating than playing great D for 33 seconds, foul, they miss the free throw and use another 33 seconds and then hit a 3.

How patient is OSU? I'm hoping that they rush and get frustrated on O.

 

[ElwoodJBlues]

Double sullinger when he gets the ball at the block and he'll turn the ball over, he can't distribute cross court to the open shooter

 

[osullfam]

2 more thoughts:
1) Sullinger's range forces big men out of the lane. Our zone negates that.
2) Craft is the real deal as on on ball defender. That said, he can't cover all our guards at the same time. Use the Derrel Revis strategy, throw to the other guy.