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Ohio State II Pre Game Thread


IUFLA

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When: Monday, February 21, 7 PM EST

Where: Value City Arena, Columbus, Ohi0

TV: FS1

Record: 16-6 (9-4, 4th in Big Ten)

Ohio State is coming off 2 straight wins (@Michigan and at home VS Minnesota). They had Rutgers beat a little over a week ago in Piscataway but frittered away an 8 point lead in the last 3:48. They also played Purdue tough in West Lafayette. They do have a game in between now and IU...At home vs Iowa on Saturday. Iowa likes track meets, so that may work in our favor.

Here are the players' conference stats...

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We won the game in Bloomington for two reasons...TJD had a big game (27 points, 12 boards) and withering defense. We held a team that normally shoots 54% overall and 35% from 3 to 30% for both in the first game. We held Big 10 POY candidate EJ Liddell to 11 points (9 points below his conference average). The only other player in double figures for the Buckeyes was freshman Malaki Branham with 11...

The Bucks have been without part time starter guard Meechie Johnson (leg injury), and sharpshooter Justin Ahrens has struggled shooting 15-56 from 3 (27%) over his last 13 games. Eugene Brown has been in the starting lineup the last 2 games for Ahrens.(Brown, Branham, Key, Liddell, and Wheeler have been their starters the last 2).

We have to have another strong effort on Liddell. Race did a great job on him last time. We were physical and played decently on the offensive end (41% overall, and only 2 3s, but 83% from the line) and out boarded the Buckeyes by 8 and forced 15 turnovers while only committing 9. Along with Trayce, Galloway had a big game with 9 points and providing a huge spark off of the bench.

They are 11-0 at Value City arena this year...

 

Edited by IUFLA
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It's not against the law to win a road game against a good team.  It's the same court.  Go out and play with mental and physical toughness.

I think we can all see that we lack talent with upside after a few players.  We also have some quality role players.  But we have significant holes and not a lot of synergy with what we have.  The last five minutes against Wisconsin tell you exactly what ails this team.   It wasn't a fluke; it wasn't an underachievement; it's what this roster is.

Our recruiting the next couple of months is critical because we aren't there yet with what we have coming in, and we might have some key departures.  

Edited by BobSaccamanno
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6 minutes ago, BGleas said:

On the positive side,, between Race and Geronimo we match up really well with Liddell. 

Otherwise, the team will really need to focus and play much better then we have been. 

We match up well with Zed Key too...They really don't have much length inside...

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17 minutes ago, IUFLA said:

We match up well with Zed Key too...They really don't have much length inside...

Agree. Though I think their freshmen wing has an advantage against us. 

Bottom line it will come down to our defensive intensity, taking care of the ball, and which team can hit open shots. 

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Just now, BGleas said:

Agree. Though I think their freshmen wing has an advantage against us. 

Bottom line it will come down to our defensive intensity, taking care of the ball, and which team can hit open shots. 

Branham is going to be a star in our league if he hangs around long enough...I think Trey matches up with him though...Johnson being out hurts them a little in their backcourt depth but Cedric Russell has been better of late, and Jimmy Sotos has his moments...I think Sotos is one of the better passers on the team...but he's not a good shooter and a liability on defense...

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2 minutes ago, AxnJxn said:

I'm hoping we catch them at a good time - in between a quick turnaround from a Saturday game against Iowa, and a big matchup with Illinois next Thursday. Not the best of situations when you're crossing your fingers on something like that, though. 

"Trap Game" for the 'Nuts

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Does anyone know our record over the last decade when we don't play for more than 5 days?
I feel like we never play well when we're well rested.

Oh i think we're going to be getting the best of the buckeyes.  They are at home, in the final stretch, and probably remember what we did to them in AH.  If they play tough and mean, we will wither and fade away.

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I don't think there's any way we get beat by double figures here, if at all...

We match up too well with OSU...Race on Liddell was a killer to them last time...Liddell is a great player, but he's made to order for Race...Zed Key is a poor man's Trevion Williams, but last time out he was no match for TJD on either end...And we know what happened when they brought Brunk in...

XJ seems to have regressed after the Illinois game where Trent Frazier lit him up and then the suspension...We get a good game from him and I think we'll be in this all the way...

 

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