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Big Ten opponents fail to prep OSU for Final Four

axelrod.17@osu.edu

Published: Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Updated: Friday, June 15, 2012 22:06

Thad Matta

Jeff Barnett / Lantern photographer

Coach Thad Matta looks on during Ohio State's 62-53 victory against Michigan on Thursday, Feb. 3.

William Buford

Jeff Barnett / Lantern photographer

Junior guard William Buford looks for a pass during Ohio State's victory against Michigan on Feb. 3.

After watching the Ohio State men's basketball team's first 24 games — 11 of which were against Big Ten opponents — there is no doubt in my mind that the Buckeyes can, and should, enter the NCAA Tournament with an unblemished record. What will happen once the Buckeyes find themselves in the middle of March Madness, however, is a different story.

But there's a fallacy that, because any Big Ten team can beat another on any given night, the Big Ten is the best conference in college basketball. Don't confuse a competitive conference for a quality conference.

Apart from the Buckeyes, there is not one Big Ten team that has proven to be a legitimate contender for this season's Final Four, let alone for a National Championship. What's going to happen when OSU faces teams of comparable talent in March?

The Buckeyes have proven they possess the ability to overcome deficits and win close games, as they should against inferior Big Ten opponents. But, come March, the Buckeyes will learn that what you can do to teams like Penn State and Northwestern is different from what you can do against talent-laden rosters such as Duke, Kentucky and Kansas.

OSU freshman forward Jared Sullinger is the NBA draft prospect in the conference, who will be a lottery selection once he declares for the draft and could potentially be the only future first-round selection playing in the Big Ten this season.

Besides Sullinger, who might be the best player in college basketball this season, the Buckeyes' roster also consists of future NBA players, fifth-year senior forward David Lighty and junior guard William Buford. Conversely, only Purdue appears to have multiple NBA-ready players on its roster, seniors JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore, both of whom are projected to be second-round picks this June.

Looking at ESPN college basketball analyst Joe Lunardi's latest projection of the NCAA Tournament's field of 68, Duke is the No. 2 seed in the Buckeyes' region, meaning that if things go as expected, OSU would meet Duke in the Elite Eight. Using the talent in the Big Ten to prepare for Duke's crop of NBA prospects — including seniors Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler — would be the equivalent of using a night out in Columbus, Ohio, to prepare for a trip to Las Vegas.

From Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade to Greg Oden and Joakim Noah, NBA-ready prospects have been as much of a staple of the Final Four as cutting down the nets and "One Shining Moment." The Buckeyes have those types of players, but can they overcome teams with equal, or greater, talent?

The Buckeyes will have to wait until March to learn the answer — and they might not like it.

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14 comments

Boiler Pete
Sun Feb 20 2011 20:37
How'd the beatdown in West Lafayette work out for you? Ought to prepare you for how to lose before the final four just fine!
Anonymous
Sun Feb 13 2011 00:18
what do you say now jacka$s...did you really think O$U was going to breeze through madison? oh well; every sports writer has to start somewhere.
Anonymous
Thu Feb 10 2011 10:28
G Hale, if you actually read the article, Axelrod references ESPN's Lunardi predicting the field. He's not just guessing.
G Hale
Thu Feb 10 2011 01:26
You can always tell when a writer is guessing by reading how he projects the NCAA field, in Feb. Duke will be a legit #1 seed. Even if Duke is not a #1 they will be a #2 in the East and there is no way Ohio State will be a #1 in the East. Only way is if they go undefeated, they won't do that but they will get a #1 seed in South. Duke will NEVER be a #2 seed in the South. So since I am not a writer and I just proved that Axlerod was guessing, don't put to much into his thoughts...he didn't.
Anonymous
Wed Feb 9 2011 22:58
You mentioned that Ohio State's weak nonconference schedule included Oakland, who beat Tennessee this year. Buckeyes also beat Florida and Florida State in nonconferece. I would like to see them schedule 1 or 2 more tough games against the likes of a Marquette or Baylor.
Anonymous
Wed Feb 9 2011 20:28
Wow, so who is "ready" for the the final four, then? If being ready requires playing in a conference with several teams that contain multiple NBA players, then no team is ready. The big ten is a great, not good BB conference and has proven it over the last decade. We here this stuff in the football, and it is correct. But in BB? Absolutely no basis in fact for your opinion.
Anonymous
Wed Feb 9 2011 20:25
Wow, so who is "ready" for the the final four, then? If being ready requires playing in a conference with several teams that contain multiple NBA players, then no team is ready. The big ten is a great, not good BB conference and has proven it over the last decade. We here this stuff in the football, and it is correct. But in BB? Absolutely no basis in fact for your opinion.
Anonymous
Wed Feb 9 2011 18:36
We heard this same stuff about the Big 10 in football this year and the last 4 or 5 years about Big 10 Basketball. And the Big 10's top teams records in bowls in last 5 years is virtually same as Big 12 and better than every other BCS conference except SEC. And I remember Big 10 basketball being ripped about 5 or 6 years ago before NCAA tourney then Big 10 had 2 Final Four teams and another that made it to Elite 8. Michigan State, Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin and Illinos have all had at least one good NCAA tourney run in last 5 years and I'll bet 2 Big 10 teams make it to at least the Elite 8 this year, with another 1 or 2 Big 10 teams getting to Sweet 16.
Anonymous
Wed Feb 9 2011 13:46
Simple solution: Schedule someone of consequence in your non-conference.

Nobody is forcing you to play North Carolina A&T, UNC Wilmington, Morehead State, Miami (OH), IUPUI, Western Carolina, Florida (Gulf Coast), UNC Asheville, Oakland, and Tennessee Martin in November and December. If you want to play a tougher schedule, go schedule a game with Kansas like Michigan did, or with Texas like MSU, or with Kentucky like Indiana.

Anyway, I think this will look even more silly over the upcoming weeks after OSU loses a few games.

Anonymous
Wed Feb 9 2011 08:46
Wow, Ben. You have de-railed. When you have an undefeated team in the 2nd ranked conference, they are having a great year, and are deserving of being ranked #1, unanimously. Do you realize they still have the top 2 Big ten opponents to play on the road?
Anonymous
Wed Feb 9 2011 04:58
Seems to me OSU has had more than its fair share of close calls in BT play. Several games OSU won came down to the last few possessions. What more do you want? That is preparation for the tourney.

I think the people not preparing OSU for the tournament are the refs. OSU will get in the tourney, and five minutes into the first game JD Sullinger will be wondering why he is on the bench with three fouls. His reaction will be that all of that was not called on me in BT play. The ref will just say that he is not sure what they call in the BT -but hooking the defensive player, elbowing him in the back, hitting their wrists and forearms on shots, and going over the back is indeed a foul.

Anonymous
Wed Feb 9 2011 04:29
So basically you are just building up a excuse for when Ohio State gets knocked off the 1st weekend of the NCAA tournament. Nicely done.

Oh and by the way JuJuan Johnson was considered a 2nd Round pick for last years draft, after the season he is having he will be a Top 15 pick in this years draft. But I guess mommy's basement doesn't pick up any other channels then the one that shows the Suckeyes. Pretty Pathetic dude.

Anonymous
Wed Feb 9 2011 02:47
The main point you seem to be missing is that this Buckeye team flourishes playing the up tempo, run the court style of basketball, i.e. the opposite of the style of play in the Big Ten. The aforementioned style of basketball is exactly what teams from other conferences play all season long and into the tournament, and every time the Buckeyes have gone against a team that tries to run with them they've gotten demolished.

Using the talent in the Big Ten to prepare for Duke's crop of NBA prospects ��� including seniors Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler ��� would be the equivalent of using a night out in Columbus, Ohio, to prepare for a trip to Las Vegas. --By far the most ignorant statement in this article. So you're telling me going against some of the best point guards in the country (Jordan Taylor, McCamey, Battle) and elite big men in Leuer and Johnson in the big ten won't prepare them for Singler and Smith? Wow. How about we talk about Duke losing to an FSU team that OSU romped on the same court? Are you telling me the ACC will prepare Duke any better for the Big Dance than the Big Ten? Are you seriously insinuating that the Big Ten is inferior competition to what there is in the ACC this year? Pass me some of what you're smoking, please.

You're criminally underrating the talent and experience the Big Ten possess. Using "NBA ready" as your only barometer for talent is very, very flawed. The Bucks have already gone against great college players, and you're forgetting how much pure potential factors into NBA draft picks. Singler and Smith are players who have continuously gotten better throughout their careers and still show potential untapped. Not to mention they've been coached by one of the best coaches still doing it. The buckeyes have the defensive talent to guard both players and you're downright naive if you believe an Irvingless Duke could beat OSU on a neutral floor.

Anonymous
Wed Feb 9 2011 01:21
this is one of the worst sports articles I've ever read. Someone should break all your fingers before they allow another thought to escape your crappy little brain. I can't believe with all the EsPn bashing of the Big Ten, that you, a writer for a Big Ten school, would join the party. why would your own conference like this; what's wrong with you?




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