Ohio State hoops 2010-11

[Brutus]

Game numero uno is in the books for the Ohio State basketball team. Ohio State blew by a weak North Carolina A&T club 102-61.

It was a pretty sleek game statistically for Ohio State. Jared Sullinger had 19 points and 14 rebounds, Dallas Lauderdale had 13 & 12 and freshman point guard Aaron Craft had 8 points and 9 assists off the bench--with no turnovers.

Next up for Ohio State is a tough game at No. 11 Florida on Tuesday as part of ESPN's 24-hour college basketball marathon. That will be an interesting test for them.

I kind of thought the No. 4 ranking was too lofty this early in the season for Ohio State. But their depth and talent has been tremendous so far. The chemistry, even in liberal substitutions, has been seamless.

[Redsfaithful]

Shows how closely I follow college basketball until later in the season, but I had no idea they were so highly ranked. I knew they were going to be highly touted with four starters coming back and a really good freshman class, but I was expecting something in the 10-15 range.

I'm excited for this year, seems like a team that's capable of a deep run in March.

[bucksfan2]

IMO the success of the team rest in that freshman Aaron Craft. They have needed a PG ever since Connely left. If Craft can play well this season they have a dangerous team. If Bufford is force to play PG I think the year will end up disappointing.

[Brutus]

IMO the success of the team rest in that freshman Aaron Craft. They have needed a PG ever since Connely left. If Craft can play well this season they have a dangerous team. If Bufford is force to play PG I think the year will end up disappointing.

Craft is the real deal. I saw him several times in AAU ball with All-Ohio, and trust me when I say what he's doing right now is not an illusion. He lacks the pure explosive talent of some of the top tier point guards, but he's as pure a point guard as you could possibly ask for.

[Cedric]

Really early but I highly doubt anyone but Duke is better than OSU.

[Captain Hook]

Really early but I highly doubt anyone but Duke is better than OSU.

If Florida proves to be a top ten team and the Bucks stay healthy then yeah.Signs point to that being the case with Florida but I'm not going to rush judgment on either team just yet.No doubt OSU is going to be really good but, I'm not sure it's them and Duke in a class of their own.

Either way, Ohio State played a fantastic game tonight against a team that made a lot of big shots and even threatened to pull ahead of OSU at one point.The back and fourth was amazing.What a fun games it was to watch.

[Brutus]

If Florida proves to be a top ten team and the Bucks stay healthy then yeah.Signs point to that being the case with Florida but I'm not going to rush judgment on either team just yet.No doubt OSU is going to be really good but, I'm not sure it's them and Duke in a class of their own.

Either way, Ohio State played a fantastic game tonight against a team that made a lot of big shots and even threatened to pull ahead of OSU at one point.The back and fourth was amazing.What a fun games it was to watch.

Defensively, Duke probably gets after it better than anyone. But Ohio State's offensive firepower is as good as it gets this year... at least from what we've seen so far.

Tonight people will talk about Florida's awful defense. But a big point they're missing is that Ohio State was beating Florida's press and getting easy buckets before they could get back and get set defensively. Then after Ohio State countered with several big baskets, Florida just kind of quit.

I don't know whether or not it's a class of their own, but I do think Duke and Ohio State are the best bets right now to get to the Final Four. Kansas State is a good team, but the jury is still out on them. Michigan State has the chance to be in that class, as does a few other teams.

[Captain Hook]

Defensively, Duke probably gets after it better than anyone. But Ohio State's offensive firepower is as good as it gets this year... at least from what we've seen so far.

Tonight people will talk about Florida's awful defense. But a big point they're missing is that Ohio State was beating Florida's press and getting easy buckets before they could get back and get set defensively. Then after Ohio State countered with several big baskets, Florida just kind of quit.

I don't know whether or not it's a class of their own, but I do think Duke and Ohio State are the best bets right now to get to the Final Four. Kansas State is a good team, but the jury is still out on them. Michigan State has the chance to be in that class, as does a few other teams.

I started thinking about half way through the first half that if Donovan didn't give up on the full court press the Buckeyes would take advantage sooner or later.Normally I wouldn't second guess a guy that has had so much success but, I really feel like he didn't give his guys a chance.Even when it was painfully obvious that it wasn't going to work they kept pressing.IMO it was more a case of bad strategy then it was Florida players not playing defense.

[Brutus]

I started thinking about half way through the first half that if Donovan didn't give up on the full court press the Buckeyes would take advantage sooner or later.Normally I wouldn't second guess a guy that has had so much success but, I really feel like he didn't give his guys a chance.Even when it was painfully obvious that it wasn't going to work they kept pressing.IMO it was more a case of bad strategy then it was Florida players not playing defense.

I definitely didn't understand the reluctance to pull off the pressure.

It was so clear, even to Donovan, that they weren't getting Craft rattled, they decided to double him on the in-bounds so they could deny the ball. All Ohio State did, then, was bring up Buford to accept the trigger and Ohio State used the newly created man advantage to get outlet quickly down the court and score easily.

At that juncture, Donovan should have scrapped the press and worked on his team playing halfcourt defense. Very strange decision indeed.

[bucksfan2]

I was very, very impressed with OSU against Florida. A couple of comments about the game.

Craft looked good. Steady PG who can hit the outside shot when needed. His job is to get the offense started and get the ball to scorers.

I make no secret about it, Bufford is probably my least favorite player of the Thad Matta era. He is supremely talented but just takes too many poor shots. Too many "only a good shot if it goes in" type shots. I was impressed with how he handled the PG position. He got the offense started and ran an offense. I don't mind when he shoots, I just don't like him jacking up quick shots early in the clock. He didn't do that last night.

Dare I say it but David Lighty looked like Even Turner. IMO he is the key to the season. He can guard anyone from the 2-5 spot. His shot looks much, much, much better.

Sullinger will be a beast this season. He looked good and quick on the blocks last night. It will be interested to see how his mid-range game looks. But he knows how to move without the ball and find openings. His defense does need some help, but what freshman doesn't need to work on D.

Thad Matta played man to man. I think I was most happy about that last night.

[BuckWild03]

I know it's early, but after last night's game, I am convinced that this is the best Buckeyes TEAM, with an emphasis on TEAM, I have ever seen in my 26 years of existence.

They made Florida's press look silly and were not afraid to make the extra pass even passing up an open shot for a better shot at times.

They just have phenomenal chemistry for so many young guys. I know you have the glue with Lighty, Buford and Diebler, but Sullinger, Thomas and Craft have stepped in and played like they have been teammates of the older guys for years.

I am very excited about this team!

[Reds Freak]

Really good early showing. But let's remember it's November and my guess is that Florida team isn't going to be as good as its current ranking. However, I think this is a very 'likeable' team. Even during the Oden, Conley, Cook year, I had a hard time rooting for a team like that because everyone knew they were one-and-dones. When I think about those players, I don't even consider them Buckeyes. But I agree with BuckWild, this might be the best team, in the true sense of the word, at Ohio State in a long time...

It's interesting too that Donovan said after the game that this OSU team is better without Turner. No offense to Turner's abilities, but they aren't as one-dimensional as last year...

[Cedric]

Really good early showing. But let's remember it's November and my guess is that Florida team isn't going to be as good as its current ranking. However, I think this is a very 'likeable' team. Even during the Oden, Conley, Cook year, I had a hard time rooting for a team like that because everyone knew they were one-and-dones. When I think about those players, I don't even consider them Buckeyes. But I agree with BuckWild, this might be the best team, in the true sense of the word, at Ohio State in a long time...

It's interesting too that Donovan said after the game that this OSU team is better without Turner. No offense to Turner's abilities, but they aren't as one-dimensional as last year...

It's really early, I agree on that. Can this Buckeye team stop the ball? Does this Buckeye team have enough inside depth to compete with some teams?

[BuckWild03]

It's really early, I agree on that. Can this Buckeye team stop the ball? Does this Buckeye team have enough inside depth to compete with some teams?

I think this is one question that we will start to see teams with an inside presence explore this season--trying to bait Sullinger in to foul trouble. I think that will be his biggest obstacle in learning to handle that this year.

Lauderdale is a dominating shot blocker in the mold of Ken Johnson but he's also going to have 2 or 3 silly fouls every game.

Beyond that, who do we have to go to? I don't think of Kecman as much of an inside presence. Anyone know anything about Evan Ravenel? This may very well be the team's achilles heal and where the team will really have to rely on a zone defense if the big guys get in to foul trouble.

[WMR]

Ohio State is legit. Eddie Munster didn't do his team any favors by trying to keep the press on when it was clearly sabotaging his team's chance at a victory however.