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Wednesday, February 29, 2012

The "Other" Buckeyes

Everyone knows that Ohio State goes as their two stars, Sammy Prahalis and Tayler Hill, go. But, if Ohio State is going to win the Big Ten Tournament, beginning tomorrow, these three other lady Buckeye starters are going to need to step up and provide quality production to assist OSU's dynamic duo.

1. Amber Stokes, G: The third guard in OSU's three guard offense, Stokes plays the role of the dynamic slasher. While Ohio State knows what it is going to get defensively from Stokes, (2012 B10's Defensive Player of the Year) her ability to get to the rim and finish in the paint adds a different dimension to OSU's offense, and will be key. Hill and Prahalis are better as spot-up shooters, not slashers, so OSU will need Stokes' ability to get into the lane and break down the defense to free up open shots for them. The Buckeyes are basically unbeatable when all three guards hit double digits, but Stokes is far and away the most inconsistent offensively of the trio. If she can't find her offense, it puts a lot of pressure on the other two.

2. Ashley Adams, C: If you just looked at her size (6-5) you would assume she's a low post monster, gobbling up rebounds and finishing put backs. Bud Adams' game is much more versatile and perimeter oriented that you would assume. Her height and vision makes her one of the best passers on the squad, and Ohio State likes to place her at the top of the three point arch and allow her to dribble down the wing looking for back door cuts. Her ability to rebound the ball on the defensive end and fire strong outlet passes makes OSU's transition offense extremely dangerous. Ohio State needs Adams to pass effectively and rebound to beat Penn State, if they meet up with the Lady Lions again, because OSU was killed on the glass in the first contest. Her passing is a given, but if OSU wants to win this thing, they need her to improve on her 6.7 rpg numbers, because at her height, that isn't good enough.

3. Kalpana Beach, F: The true freshman is Ohio State's wildcard. He ability to knock down mid-range jump shots offensively, while guarding the post defensively, makes her extremely valuable. However, she can struggle with foul trouble and, as most freshmen do, disappears for long stretches offensively. OSU will need her to knock down open jumpers when Hill, Stokes and Prahalis penetrate, something she's very capable of doing.

Ohio State is going to go as far as Hill and Prahalis take them, however, when the other Buckeye starters are clicking and in rhythm, it makes the Dynamic Duo's job waaaaaay easier. Ohio State can't win the tournament if only Prahalis and Hill reach double figures. Tertiary scoring needs to come from Stokes or Beach, and Adams needs to clean the glass and let OSU push the ball in transition. Sammy and Tayler get the headlines, but the other lady Buckeyes are going to play a pivotal role in their team's tourney chances.

Complete Idiots Guide to the 2012 Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament

Beginning Thursday, the Big Ten's 12 teams will battle it out on the court of the Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN for the right to represent the Big Ten as the conference's automatic NCAA tournament participant. For teams like Ohio State and Penn State, this tournament represents the opportunity to play their way into a No. 2, and possibly a No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA tourney. For teams like Indiana, it offers a chance to lose again in conference play--wait, that was a low blow--I mean it offers them the chance to make the NCAA tourney! Okay, well, anyway, this is your primer. I've grouped the teams into Favorites, Ehh, You got a Shot!, Wildcards and Hey, Thanks for Making the Trip!, for your reading enjoyment. Here we go:

Favorites:

Penn State: 23-5, No. 1 seed
Summary: The key for Penn State is balance. Four players average double digit scoring, led by Maggie Lucas' 19.3 points per game (3rd in conference). They are second in the Big Ten is scoring as a team (75.7 ppg), and the ability to find scoring from four different starters makes it difficult for opponents to focus their defensive attention on one player. Not only does Penn State score, they defend (4th in conference in allowed ppg) and rebound your misses (1st in total rebounds/defensive rebounds) so you better make your first shot count, because you aren't getting a second chance.

Ohio State: 24-5, No. 2 seed
Summary:  Some teams are lucky to have a Batman, others are mega-lucky to pair said Batman with a Robin, and even fewer still are super-lucky enough (Yes, for the purpose of this primer, and really, the rest of your life, I decided that super > mega for superlative purposes. You're welcome.) to pair that Batman with another Batman. Ohio State is super-lucky. The Buckeyes boast the best 1-2 offensive punch in college basketball in guard and Big Ten Player of the Year Sammy Prahalis (20.4 ppg) and 1st team all-Big Ten guard Tayler Hill (20.7 ppg). Hill and Prahalis are a big reason why Ohio State is 1st in the Big Ten in scoring, shooting percentage, 3pt shooting percentage, and assist to turnover ratio. Potent offense, Ohio State has it.


Ehh, You got a Shot!:


Iowa: 19-10, No. 3 seed
Summary: Iowa likes to share the basketball, and hit three-pointers (1st in conference in assists and three pointers made). Iowa has four different players with at least 33 three-point makes on the year, however, leading scorer (and top player) Jamie Printy has been out since January with a torn ACL, limiting the Iowa offense. The Hawkeyes have made up for her loss with decent secondary scoring (three players over 12 ppg), but they live and die by the three-ball. If they make their outside shots they can beat anyone, but they've struggled with the B10's best (1-4 against PSU, OSU, NEB and PUR). Look for their run to be competitive, but ultimately fall short.


Purdue: 21-8, No. 4 seed
Summary: Purdue is basically Iowa with a different shade of yellow. They don't have any big time wins over the conference's elite (1-4 against PSU, OSU, IOWA and NEB), but they also don't have any bad losses. They are the Big Ten's strongest team defensively, ranking 1st in defensive scoring and steals, and 2nd in field goal and 3pt shooting defense. The Boilermakers rely on Brittany Rayburn's 14.7 ppg as their offense, because nobody else on the roster averages double figures. Purdue's defense allows them to compete with anyone, but if the offense struggles, as per ushe against the conference's upper tier, they'll lose.


Wildcards:

Nebraska: 21-7, No. 6 seed
Summary: The aptly named Jordan Hooper (You see, because it's a pun, like hooper, like, um, hoops, like basketball hoops. Uh, crickets? Okay, moving on.) is one of the conferences best players, averaging 19.1 ppg and 9.3 rpg. This makes Nebraska a threat to win every single time, because she's usually the best player on the floor. The Cornhuskers are basically the definition of a wildcard, talented enough to beat anyone (wins over PSU, OSU, IOWA, PUR) but also inconsistent enough to drop games to the conference's bottom half (head scratching losses to MINN, NW and MICH). The inconsistency stems from Nebraska's shooting percentage (38%) good enough (or bad enough?) for 11th in the B10. Hooper and Co. are capable of beating anyone in this league, especially on a neutral court, but there's an equal possibility they go ice cold and get bounced first round.


Michigan State: 19-10, No. 5 seed
Summary: The defending regular season conference champions were expected to contend for a consecutive Big Ten title, however, a four game, mid-season losing streak derailed those plans. Instead, Sparty will look to win the conference tournament, a distinct possibility with this veteran group. Porsche Poole leads the way for the Spartans, averaging 13.6 ppg, but outside of Lykendra Johnson's 10.7 ppg, no one else manages more than 7 ppg, putting a lot of pressure on the senior duo. MSU is another upper crust Big Ten team with wins over the conference's best (PSU, PUR, NEB) but also brutal losses to OSU and Iowa. What Spartan team will show up to Indy? The one that lost four straight games in January? Or the one that went 11-1 the rest of the way? Like I said, wildcard.

Hey, Thanks for Making the Trip!: 

Sorry Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern, Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana--especially you Indiana, one conference win? Wow--we appreciate your membership in this fine conference, but your chances of winning this thing are basically non-existent.

The Big Ten Tournament tips off Thursday, at 11:30 a.m., and continues until a champion is crowned Sunday, at 4:00 p.m.


Monday, February 27, 2012

Lady Buckeyes garner Major Big Ten Honors

Award season was very good to the Ohio State women's Basketball program this year as the scarlet and gray received recognition for their tremendous 2011-2012 campaign. Samantha Prahalis, the only senior on the Buckeye roster, received the honorable distinction of Big Ten Player of the year. Prahalis averaged 22.5 ppg in Big Ten Conference play this season and is four assists away from becoming the all-time leader in Big Ten history. Tayler Hill earned first team all Big Ten and all defensive team honors after leading the Big Ten in scoring all season long with 22.7 ppg. Amber Stokes, and her defensive prowess that she showcased all season long, was awarded the title Big Ten player of the Year in addition to being named to the all defensive team with Hill. Ashley Adams also got recognition for her play this season, earning honorable mention honors from the media.

Buckeyes close out Regular Season with Loss at Nebraska

The 2011-2012 regular season ended with a thud for the Ohio State Women's basketball team as the Lady Bucks lost to the Nebraska Cornhuskers 71-57 in Lincoln. Tayler Hill and Samantha Prahalis provided the majority of scoring for the Scarlet and Gray, tallying 16 and 18 points respectively. Unfortunately, the rest of the Buckeyes only scored 23 points as the Cornhuskers, led by Emily Cady's 24 points, pulled away in the second half. The loss drops the Buckeyes to 24-5 overall and 11-5 in Big Ten play, good for second in the conference standings.

BREAKING ... Prahalis, Hill, Stokes Honored

Per @GerdOzone on Twitter, senior guard Samantha Prahalis was just named Big Ten Player of the Year, the eighth straight time an OSU player has won the award. Guard Amber Stokes was also named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.

Additionally, Stokes received first-team all-defensive honors along with guard Tayler Hill, and Prahalis and Hill were each tabbed as first-team all-conference players.

Prahalis averaged 20.4 ppg and 6.5 apg on 45% shooting. Hill averaged 20.7 ppg on 48% shooting, along 2.5 spg (steals per game). Defensively, Stokes averaged a little over one steal per game, and was always tasked with defending the opposition's best perimeter player.

The three-headed guard monster OSU employs will look to win the school's second consecutive Big Ten Tournament title, beginning this Thursday in Indianapolis. Ohio State is the No. 2 seed.

Hill (4), Prahalis (21) and Stokes (3) along with Raven Ferguson (31) on team picture day, pre-season.


Samantha Prahalis named co-Big Ten Player of the Week ... Again.

Samantha Prahalis was named Big Ten Player of the Week for the fourth time this season--and eighth time in her illustrious career--today.

The 5-7 senior from Commack, NY averaged 30 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2 steals per game on the week, including a career high 42 points against Minnesota last Thursday, her final home game as a Buckeye.

The 42 point outburst broke an 18-year-old school scoring record, and tied for the 10th all time on the Big Ten's single-game scoring list.

Prahalis looks to lead the Buckeyes to a Big Ten Tournament Championship this weekend, as Ohio State enters the conference tournament as the No. 2 seed.

Ohio State drops final game before Big Ten Tournament

Thankfully for the Buckeyes, there aren't any road games in the Big Ten and NCAA Tournaments. Ohio State closed out its regular season with a 71-57 loss at Nebraska Sunday, their fifth loss in eight tries on the road in conference play.

Ohio State was paced by Samantha Prahalis' 18 points and Tayler Hill's 16, however they needed 19 and 15 shots respectively to reach their totals, shooting a combined 8-34, good for only 24% from the field. The lack of a consistent third scoring option doomed the Buckeyes, as it has in many of their losses. No other Buckeye reached double figures, and Amber Stokes' 8 points was the highest tertiary production. 

Nebraska's Emily Cady posed problems for Ohio State all afternoon, finishing with 24 points, on 9-16 shooting.

The loss didn't hurt OSU in the standings, as they already clinched the No. 2 seed in this weekend's Big Ten Tournament. Their first game is Friday, at 11:30 a.m. and will be against the winner of the Michigan/Illinois game from Thursday.

http://scarletandgraysportsradio.blogspot.com/ will provide coverage all week leading up to and during the Tournament.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Buckeyes Entertain Badgers in Home Season Finale

The Ohio State Men's basketball team (23-5, 11-4) will play their final 2011-2012 regular season home game at Value City Arena on Sunday by taking on the Wisconsin Badgers (20-8, 9-6)at 4:00 pm. It will also be the final time senior guard William Buford plays at VCA. Buford has amassed 1,846 career points going into the upcoming contest with Badgers.

Big Saturday Doubleheader for Ranked OSU Lacrosse Teams

This Saturday promises to be an eventful one for both Ohio State Lacrosse programs. The Women's lacrosse team, ranked #14 in the country, will kick off the first ever lacrosse doubleheader at Ohio Stadium by taking on Brown at 11:00 AM. They will be followed by the Men's Lacross squad, ranked #11 in the country, who take on #8 UMass at approximately 1:00 pm.

Craft Earns 2012 Academic All-American Honor

Sophomore guard Aaron Craft earned a prestigious accolade for his work off the court as he was named a Capitol One 2012 First Team Academic All-American. It is the first time that a member of the OSU Men's basketball program has recieved such an honor since Bill Hosket earned academic All-American honors in 1968.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Ohio State Bounces Minnesota behind Outstanding Performance by Prahalis

Behind a fantastic performance from Samantha Prahalis, the Ohio State women's basketball team closed out their home schedule with a bang, defeating Minnesota 81-56. The senior point guard from Commack, New York did not disappoint in her final game at Value City Arena as she amassed 42 points, along with four assists, six rebounds, and three steals. Prahalis' 42 points on senior night were not only an individual career high, but also the most points scored in a game for anyone to don the Scarlet and Gray. Katie Smith held the previous game high mark of 40.The win improves the Buckeyes to 24-4 overall and 11-4 in Big Ten Conference play. With the win over Minnesota and Nebraska's loss to Michigan State, Ohio State has clinched the #2 seed in the upcoming Big Ten Women's basketball tournament. The Buckeyes still have to play Nebraska in Lincoln on Sunday to conclude the regular season. After that, they will begin play in the B10 Women's tournament next Friday. Their opponent has yet to be determined.

Men's Hockey Update: Previewing the RedHawks

Opponent: #15 Miami Redhawks

Where: Steve Cady Arena; Oxford, Ohio – Friday at 6:05 p.m.
Value City Arena; Columbus Ohio – Saturday at 7:05 p.m.

Cue dramatic music: it all comes down to this. Two weeks ago, the Ohio State Buckeyes finally broke their winless streak and last week they were forced to sit at home while the rest of the CCHA played for conference positioning. Now, where the Buckeyes end up at the end of the weekend is entirely in their hands. Right now they sit at seventh in the CCHA with 39 points, but it remains a tight race all around. If they end up in ninth—Northern Michigan, just three points behind OSU—they will go on the road for the CCHA tournament and never return to the friendly confines of the 43210. If they remain in the 6-8 range, they will host the first round against one of the conference’s bottom feeders. If they jump up to fifth—the RedHawks, just three points ahead—they will have the first week off and then go on the road. Finally, if they end up any higher (a longshot; third is six points away) they will have a week off and then host a playoff series. Any of a million things can happen this weekend, and it’s going to be decided in a traditional home-and-home against the always-competitive RedHawks.

These two teams met back in December for the first round of the home and home, and in each game the road team came away with the victory. In Columbus, Miami won 5-3 and ended OSU’s long 2011 winning streak. However, it was the Buckeyes who played the spoiler the next night as they came away with a win in overtime. Coming into this weekend’s series, the RedHawks are on a bit of a roll while the Buckeyes are just starting to get over their cold streak. Miami has won four games in a row—though two of them were against Alabama-Huntsville—and they’ve been playing great defense all around. In these four wins, they gave up one goal three times and zero goals one time. On offense, they have scored three goals twice and four goals twice. If that’s not a winning formula, I don’t know what is.

This is a huge game for the Buckeyes outside of the CCHA standings as well. Saturday will be senior day, and while veterans are few and far between it will still be an emotional day for seniors Danny Dries, Sean Duddy, Cal Heeter and Cory Schneider. All four of these players have contributed greatly to the hockey program in their time here, and you know they are going to be playing hard for the home crowd on Saturday. Hopefully the rest of the team can follow suit and come away with a huge win to finish off the season. In all likelihood, just getting a split will probably guarantee you a home series next weekend.

The Buckeyes are also doing all they can to sell out the Schott for the game on Saturday, and they are pulling out all the stops to try and make that a reality. There will be handouts of rally towels and thundersticks, a postgame autograph session with the entire team, and OSU president Gordon Gee will be dropping the puck. It’s bound to be a memorable night for fans of Buckeye hockey, and hopefully the on-ice product rises to the occasion.

Weekend prediction: Both the home teams win, and this split will mean the Buckeyes will be playing at the ice rink next weekend.

SGSR will be making the trip down to Oxford for the game on Friday, so be sure to listen for our broadcast at 6 p.m. EST. Saturday’s game will be broadcast on the Big Ten Digital Network online, with a television airing at 4 p.m. EST on Monday.

Go Bucks!

Monday, February 20, 2012

Taking A Number Two

Russell Westbrook's 40-point performance and Serge Ibaka's triple-double were side notes in the Thunder's 10th straight home win over the Denver Nuggets on Sunday night, 124-118. (After tonight's win over the Hornets, that home winning streak is at 11 games.) In what is the midseason front-runner for NBA game of the year, Kevin Durant put up a career high 51 points against a Nuggets team with more questions than answers on defense. If there were any doubters left from Durant's pre-draft concerns, they were silenced once and for all.

Going into the 2007 NBA Draft, Kevin Durant made headlines when he was unable to bench 225 pounds during a pre-draft workout. According to most experts, the 2007 Draft was Greg Oden and everybody else. But honestly, what does anybody know going into a draft? In the past five years, KD has proven all of his doubters wrong and turned the former Seattle Supersonics into the top small market team in the NBA. Not bad for the #2 overall pick.

In recent history, the #2 overall pick has been infamous in the NBA. Ohio State's own Evan Turner, taken #2 by the 76ers in 2010, is still struggling to find his place in the rotation of the surging team. K-State's Michael Beasley, taken #2 by Miami in 2008, was famously traded to lowly Minnesota when LeBron James and Chris Bosh came on as free agents. Though, there is still plenty of time for Beasley to avoid bust status. Darko Milicic is one of the biggest busts in recent memory. The Serbian was drafted by Detroit between LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony. While both have gone on to have Hall of Fame careers, Darko has fallen into obscurity, shuffled between five different teams in his career. In 2000, the Vancouver Grizzlies selected Stromile Swift from LSU with the 2nd overall pick. In his sophomore season, Swift started only 26 games and that would turn out to be his career high as he was moved around to 5 total franchises during his NBA career.

That being said, many players have been taken with the #2 pick and have gone on to not become star players, All-NBA selections, and future Hall of Famer. It's widely believed that Kevin Durant, when it's all said and done, will be on the list. So with apologies to Bailey Howell, Wes Unseld, Rik Barry, and Terry Cummings, let's look at the Top 5 #2 picks whose careers are looked by on with pride and praise.

#5 - Jason Kidd: After two years at Cal-Berkeley, Kidd declared for the 1994 NBA Draft. Many don't remember that he was drafted by his current team, the Dallas Mavericks, with the 2nd overall pick. Kidd, along with Grant Hill, won the NBA Rookie of the Year, becoming the only bright spot on a lowly Mavs team. In 1996, Kidd was traded to the Suns and became a regular in the NBA playoffs. Kidd started for playoff teams for 11 straight seasons while being named to the All-NBA First Team five teams. In 2011, Kidd proved third time is a charm, winning his first NBA Championship on his 3rd trip to the NBA Finals.

#4 - Bob Pettit: The Milwaukee Hawks took a risk when they made Bob Pettit the 2nd overall pick in the 1954 NBA Draft. There were questions as to how well the two-time All-American's game would transition to the NBA. It didn't take long for Pettit to make an impact in the NBA, winning the Rookie of the Year in 1955, then won the league's scoring title and named league MVP as a sophomore in 1955-56. The next season, Pettit led all players in playoffs scoring, averaging 29.8 points per game. Finally, in 1958, the Hawks and Pettit won their first ever NBA Championship. Pettit would go on to win another MVP in 1959, be named to the All-NBA First Team 10 straight seasons, and never miss an NBA All-Star Game.

#3 - Gary Payton: The Thunder franchise has only had the 2nd overall pick twice is franchise history. In both cases, they used the pick well. Payton didn't develop as quickly as Kidd and Pettit, but his longetivity puts him above both in this list. Payton is #8 in career assists, one of a handful of point guards with over 20,000 points scored, and the Sonics' career leader in minutes, points, 3-pointers, assists, and steals. But what Payton is best known for is his rivalry with Michael Jordan as two of the best defenders in NBA history, meeting in the 1996 NBA Finals which went to the Bulls in 6 games. Though 10 years later, Payton would finally win his NBA Championship with the Miami Heat.

#2 - Jerry West: There is absolutely no doubt about these final two players. Simply put, you know you had a great career when your silhouette is used to make the league's logo. The Lakers took West with the 2nd overall pick in 1960. He would take part in the All-Star Game in his rookie season in 1961. That was the 1st of 14 All-Star appearances during his 14 years in the league. But West's success with the Lakers spans beyond his playing years. He went from coach, to scout, to GM, all within the Lakers organization, leading up to their dynasty throughout the 80s, winning 5 NBA Championships in that decade. West has since won the NBA Executive of the Year award twice, once with the Lakers and once with the Grizzlies.

#1 - Bill Russell: Everyone else on this list has won an NBA Championship. So how does Bill Russell set himself apart from numbers two through five? Win 11 NBA Championships. Two years after the Hawks took Bob Pettit with the 2nd overall, they used their 2nd overall pick in 1956 to take Bill Russell. However, Celtics head coach Red Auerbach worked with the Hawks to make a trade for the San Francisco Dons star. This trade would define the Celtics for decades to come. 12 All-Star appearances, 5 MVPs, and 11 NBA Championships later, Bill Russell is the greatest #2 in the history of the NBA.

Friday, February 17, 2012

Men's Hockey Update: The Week Off


After getting their first win of 2012 last week at Western Michigan, the Ohio State Buckeyes find themselves in fourth place in the CCHA entering the week off. That’s the good news. The bad news? They’re entering a week off, which means every other team in the conference will be fighting for points while the Buckeyes will get nothing. This means OSU could fall quite a ways down the standings before the final home-and-home against Miami next weekend. The CCHA standings are as chaotic as ever, with only eleven points separating ninth place and first place.

As far as OSU is concerned, they sit eight points behind first and just three points away from ninth. (Six points away from tenth.) This is crucial, for if the Buckeyes end up in the bottom three they won’t be hosting a playoff series in Columbus. This would be an unfortunate development for a team that once had a commanding lead in the conference standings. (They would also not get a home series if they wind up in fifth place, but let’s cross that bridge once we get to it.) This weekend, they’ll just have to wait and see where they end up.

Looking back at last weekend, it was yet another series in which a sweep was possible but it just eluded the Buckeyes’ grasp. On Friday, OSU fell to Western Michigan 3-2 in overtime, just 1:40 away from at least getting a point out of the matter. It seemed as if things would go south once again on Saturday, but then OSU rallied back to take down the Broncos in regulation. That was a huge win for a number of reasons. First and foremost: it broke the winless streak, which has removed that monkey from the Buckeyes’ back. They knew they were struggling, and throughout that slide it was always a matter of just getting that first win. In 2011, it seemed like they would never lose. In 2012, it seemed as if they’d never win again. That changed Saturday, and that alone makes that win enormous.

However, those three points were crucial in keeping the Buckeyes in the mix. Had they lost, they’d be tied for seventh with four other teams, possibly in ninth place. With that win, they are able to be in a somewhat reassuring place while the teams around them all play their weekend series. It may not be an ideal situation, but at least they aren’t in a position where they’re at the bottom and the gap can only widen. Now they have the week off to prepare for two huge games against Miami that will determine their final playoff seeding. The Redhawks are currently seventh in the CCHA, ranked 19 overall, and they face Notre Dame at home this weekend. If you’re the Buckeyes, there really is no winner in that series that you can root for. (Perhaps a sweep one way or the other; that way one of the teams can be pushed a bit more down the latter.) However, all that matters right now is winning once you take the ice to end the regular season. Next weekend, the Buckeyes will need to leave everything on the ice.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Second Tier Dilemma

With a little over three weeks until Selection Sunday, teams across the country are trying to play their way into the tournament, improve their seed, or in cases like Penn State, pull off a string of miracles in Indianapolis to get the automatic bid. Looking at more bracketology sites, it's becoming clearer that Kentucky and Syracuse will get the top two national seeds and be the #1 seeds in the Atlanta and Boston regionals respectively. But what about the St. Louis regional and does anyone really want to be the #1 seed in Phoenix? Or, would a Big Ten or Big 12 team rather stay closer to home as a #2 seed? That, my friends, is the second tier dilemma and a question for Matta's Buckeyes in these final weeks.

For decades, the NCAA Selection Committee has worked to get the top at-large teams into the tournament and keep teams fairly close to home. Sometimes that just doesn't work out. Just ask Duke, who entered the tournament as a #1 seed, but was shipped to Anaheim for the Sweet 16. There, Duke was massacred by the Arizona Wildcats from the lowly Pac-10 Conference. But earlier that night, UConn provided a counterargument, knocking off San Diego State. 2,525 miles separate the campus is Storrs from Anaheim. San Diego State? A mere 89-mile difference. So, is there really a difference or is this a much ado about nothing?

One possible way to look at this is comparing the tournament performances of the #1 seed who had to travel the furthest alongside the #2 seed who had the shortest distance to travel. In the past six tournaments, only once has the #1 seed farthest away from home advanced further into the tournament than the #2 seed closest to campus. (Though, if you look at the team who did it, they were much closer to home than others before and after them.) In fact, four times in the past six teams, the #2 seed closest to home advanced all the way to the Final Four. San Diego State's regional semifinal exit last season was the worst performance by such a #2 seed since the UConn Huskies didn't make it past the second round in 2005, losing to #10 seed N.C. State in Worchester, Massachusetts.

YearFarthest #1RegionalDistance (mi)Lost InClosest #2RegionalDistance (mi)Lost In
2011DukeAnaheim2203Sweet 16San Diego St.Anaheim89Sweet 16
2010SyracuseSalt Lake City1833Sweet 16West VirginiaSyracuse, N.Y.308Final Four
2009UConnGlendale, Ariz.2238Final FourMichigan St.Indianapolis223Nat'l Runner-Up
2008KansasDetroit680Nat'l ChampionTexasHouston146Elite Eight
2007KansasSan Jose1449Elite EightGeorgetownE. Rutherford, N.J.206Final Four
2006MemphisOakland1793Elite EightUCLAOakland344Nat'l Runner-Up

Here is Ohio State's dilemma going into the final weeks of the season. After their first home loss in 40 games last week to Michigan State, they fell to a #2 seed in Joe Lunardi's Bracketology this past Monday. There is no need for Buckeye fans to panic yet because they still have one more game vs. Michigan State and a possible date with them in Indianapolis. However, if the Buckeyes fall short against Sparty again, they may be heading someplace other than St. Louis for the regionals. In fact, it's very likely they will go someplace other than St. Louis.

Right now, Kentucky and Syracuse are going to Atlanta and Boston respectively. The third #1 seed, whether they're from the Big Ten, Big 12, or ACC, will probably go to St. Louis. Finally, the fourth #1 seed will get shipped off to Phoenix, whether they want to or not. This means that for OSU to be a #1 in St. Louis, they will have to climb back over everybody, including Kansas and Michigan State, two teams that have added to the Buckeyes' loss column this season.

How about a #2 seed in St. Louis? To be forward, the Buckeyes need to knock off Sparty on the road, which they've done 3 of their last 5 times in East Lansing. On top of that, OSU needs to outlast Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament. If the Buckeyes can do this, they will get the nod to go to St. Louis over Michigan State. This is especially probable if the #1 seed in St. Louis goes to a team from the Big 12, which is very likely with Kansas and Missouri playing some of the best basketball in the country right now.

There is still the chance of the Buckeyes going to Atlanta or Boston. However, it's almost a guarantee that Ohio State would have a date with Kentucky or Syracuse in the Elite Eight. On top of that, there is a good chance that if North Carolina goes on a run in the final weeks, something everybody knows they are capable of, they will move themselves into a favorable position and get the nod for the #2 in Atlanta if they avoid getting that dreaded Phoenix #1 seed.

There are some teams that don't have a problem with playing a long way from home in the NCAA Tournament. UConn had to go through the regional in Anaheim to win the national championship last season. Before that, their trip to the 2004 national championship took the Huskies through Phoenix. That's without mentioning their 2009 run to the Final Four through Glendale, Arizona. In 2010, Butler, the famous mid-major from Indianapolis, had to go through San Jose and Salt Lake City to make it to the national championship game in which they were a 3-pointer away from the most improbable run in NCAA Tournament history.

Come March 11, after the Big Ten Tournament, after all the games have been played, when the Committee makes their announcement, will the Buckeyes get a short trip to St. Louis or Atlanta? Or, will the Buckeyes have to travel west of the Rockies for the first time since J.J. Sullinger was a sophomore?

Monday, February 13, 2012

Baseball Buckeyes Preview


The skies above Columbus may be gray, but Ohio State’s baseball team has spring on its mind. Coming off a 25-25 campaign, including a 13-11 mark in Big Ten play, the Buckeyes open up the 2012 season this weekend with the Big Ten/ Big East Challenge in St. Petersburg, Florida.  The Bucks are slated to play USF, Seton Hall, and Connecticut. 

The 2012 campaign will be the second in head coach Greg Beals’ tenure. Despite adding nine freshmen he feels the team is gelling and will play well together. “The older guys have done a great job of reeling the new guys into the program.” He is optimistic about the program in Year 2. “We’re getting closer. This has been a fun group to coach. The guys all have a greater understanding of the expectations of the program, and they have really taken to that.” The team returns 15 lettermen from the 2011 season which is a drastic improvement on the three that Beals inherited a year ago. 

Shortstop Kirby Pellant has been identified as a player to watch this year. Pellant is a junior college transfer out of Chandler, Arizona who will bat leadoff for OSU. As a freshman at Marshall, Pellant batted .293 with seven doubles and 20 runs scored. Beals calls him “a dynamic offensive threat” who is expected to produce both on the basepaths and with a bat in his hand. He should make an immediate impact at shortstop.
Other positions on the infield are not as solid. Junior Greg Solomon is a solid catcher but has also emerged as the team’s best defensive third baseman. Solomon will platoon the hot corner along with Brad Hallberg. Freshman Aaron Gretz will catch on days that Solomon plays the field. It will be interesting to see how Beals juggles these players and how they are utilized versus righties and lefties. 

The outfield will look familiar for Buckeye fans. Senior David Corna will play in right field which, according to coach Beals, is a natural fit for him because he has the strongest arm on the team. Mike Carroll will play in left field. He was forced to sit out last year due to transfer rules and is chomping at the bit to get going. Carroll is expected to hit fifth in the lineup. Sophomore Tim Wetzel saw plenty of action in center field last year where he will likely be playing this season. 

The starting rotation will feature Brett McKinney, Brian King, and Greg Greve. Jerrod Long and John Kuchno are both pitching well and will have a chance to compete for a starting spot. Beals called McKinney “a great competitor” and he feels comfortable with the effort he can expect from his ace on Friday. McKinney and Greve are both returning starters and will be joined by King who most recently played for Paradise Valley Community College. 

One of the biggest changes with the program this season is the improvements to the facilities. During the offseason, OSU alum and current New York Yankee Nick Swisher made a donation to the school which funded the purchase of a new turf playing surface that has been dubbed “Nick Swisher Field.” The resilient surface promises to better endure the inconsistent Ohio springs which allowed Ohio State to schedule 26 home games. Beals made a point to schedule plenty of tough out-of-conference opponents. For example, playing Austin Peay may not mean much to the casual fan but the program is a regular participant in the NCAA tournament and could help build Ohio State’s tournament resume. Beals quipped, “Hopefully Austin Peay comes up here, we take care of business, they go back home and win a bunch of baseball games.” 

One player to watch this year is sophomore Josh Dezse. He is expected to close and has been working in the offseason to add a changeup to complement his fastball and curve. Dezse says the team is not concerned about the lack of credit the national media lent the young team. “Our goal is to make it to the national tournament.” When asked who he is looking forward to playing this year, Dezse grinned and said, “Michigan.” Even in the dead of winter, all Buckeyes look forward to the same things: sun, blue sky, and beating That School Up North.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Buckeyes bounce Boilermakers, take possession of second place in the Big Ten

After a heartbreaking 66-65 loss last Thursday to Illinois, Ohio State bounced back with a huge 81-70 victory over the Purdue Boilermakers Sunday night at Value City Arena. The Scarlet and Gray used a balanced scoring attack as four Buckeyes reached double digits in scoring (Amber Stokes-14 pts, Tayler Hill-12 pts, Ashley Adams-13 pts, and Samantha Prahalis-26 pts). Brittany Raburn was the leading scorer for the black and gold, scoring 22 poitns for Purdue (19-6, 9-3). With the win, the Lady Buckeyes move into second place in the Big Ten (9-3), trailing only Penn State (10-3) in the conference standings. The Buckeyes will ready themselves for another opponent from the Hoosier state as they welcome the Indiana Hoosiers into VCA this Thursday night. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 pm.

Friday, February 10, 2012

OSU Women's basketball drops 66-65 Heartbreaker to Illini in Champaign

The Ohio State Women's basketball squad was edged by Illinois 66-65 Thursday night in Champaign, Illinois. Tayler Hill, who tallied 20 points in the contest, scored with a driving right handed layup with 19 seconds to go. The Illini's Alexis Moore would counter Hill's bucket with a score of her own with three seconds left in the game. Ohio State Head Coach Jim Foster tried to call a timeout after the score by Moore, but none of the referees saw him as the clock ran out, resulting in an upset of the 10th ranked Buckeyes. The loss drops the Buckeyes to 21-3 overall this season and 8-3 in Big Ten Play.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Men's Hockey Update: Previewing the Broncos

Opponent: #18 Western Michigan Broncos

Where: Lawson Ice Arena; Kalamazoo, Michigan – Friday and Saturday at 7:05 p.m.

It wasn’t that long ago that the Ohio State Buckeyes (14-10-5, 10-9-5-1 CCHA) has a firm hold on first place in the conference. Now, the picture is slightly bleaker. They have yet to win a game in the year of 2012, and they came up short twice in two very winnable games last weekend against Michigan State. Now they enter the final three weeks of the regular season tied for fourth, and only five points away from losing the opportunity for a home playoff series. The situation has just gotten dire for the Buckeyes, and their remaining games are against teams above them in the standings, and only one of them is at home. Throw a week off in there and the Buckeyes have really put themselves up against the wall.

This weekend they travel up to Kalamazoo to face the Western Michigan Broncos, who are currently second in the CCHA with 39 points. The good news for the Buckeyes? They are only three points behind. Only six points separate first and eighth place, so the final conference standings can wind up any of a million ways. Despite their long winless streak, the Buckeyes are still in a position where they can make up ground. It stinks that they’ll be sitting around next week while everyone else picks up points, but that’s just the nature of the beast. This road series is crucial, and if they don’t pick up any wins this weekend they’ll be fighting just for the right to play any more home games. They weren’t able to break through last week, and time is quickly running out.

One of the biggest causes of the Buckeyes’ slide of late has been their dire power play. At one point, OSU had the best power play and penalty kill in the conference. In the last five games, they have but two power play goals, and they went 0 for 14 with the man advantage last weekend against the Spartans. If you keep getting these opportunities, you have to convert.

Despite the continued slide, the polls have been incredibly kind to the Buckeyes. They enter this weekend ranked #15 in the country, and if they want to still be ranked going into the off week they’ll need a strong showing against the Broncos. These two teams have not met since last season, when the Broncos won the first game then tied the Buckeyes in the second. Western Michigan hasn’t exactly been all that hot lately in their own rate, as they’ve lost 4 of their last 6 games. This series will go a long way toward determining the final CCHA standings, which will likely begin to come into focus by Sunday.

Weekend prediction: The Buckeyes have to win eventually, right? They’ll get one this weekend in a split.

Both games can be heard on 1460 AM radio in Columbus.

Friday, February 3, 2012

Men's Hockey Update: Previewing the Spartans


Opponent: Michigan State Spartans

Where: Value City Arena; Columbus, Ohio – Friday and Saturday at 7:05 p.m.

Despite another series where the Buckeyes could only come up with one point, the Ohio State men’s hockey team remains ranked at number 10 in the nation. This is a team that has not won a game in the year of 2012, and now their lead in the CCHA has completely disappeared. They are tied for third with 36 points, and if they are swept again this weekend they could fall even further. As we are used to seeing year after year, the CCHA standings are downright claustrophobic. Despite their recent struggles, a good series for the Buckeyes could catapult them right back to the top. However, a winless streak like this is a tough one to back out of.

Their opponents for this week (The Michigan State Spartans) are coming off a weekend where they got swept at Ferris State. They currently sit in eighth place in the CCHA, but are only seven points behind the Buckeyes. With the end of the season in sight, every last point is crucial to every team in the conference. The Spartans are looking to get a home series in the first round, and if the Buckeyes aren’t careful they may fall far enough so that this becomes a concern of their own. This really is do or die time for Ohio State: after this series, they have only one home game (Feb. 25 vs. Miami) remaining in the regular season. There are six points up for grabs this weekend, and OSU could go a long way just by picking these up. After this weekend, the Buckeyes travel to Western Michigan, then—unfortunately—they have a week off. They will not be able to get any points while many of the teams around them will pick them up. This is a team that is up against it now, but there is still time to right the ship.

The biggest problem for the Buckeyes right now is that they can never quite get over the hump into winning territory. Their defense can give up only one goal, but they can lose 1-0. When they score four goals, they end up giving up five. There have been promising aspects to many of these losses, but it has yet to add up to a winning effort. The good news this weekend is that Michigan State is a team that struggles on the road, and actually hasn’t gone on the road all that much. Before getting swept at Ferris State last week, they hadn’t played a true road game since December 9. The Spartans’ road record is 3-6-0, and OSU is going to need to take advantage of this weekend.

However, if you can make it out to the Schott this weekend to the games, make sure to do so. Saturday night is the Teddy Bear Toss, which I was able to see at the game last year and it was pretty darn amazing. More than 500 stuffed animals hit the ice, and they were later donated to the Ronald McDonald House.

Weekend prediction: I’ve gone optimistic every week since I’ve started these recaps, and darn it all I’m doing it again. Buckeyes sweep at home, because hope springs eternal.

Friday’s game can be heard on Scarlet and Gray Sports Radio at OhioStateSports.net, while Saturday’s game is available on BTN.com.