Syracuse vs Ohio State

MrMcCluskie · (#1)

Thoughts on the game?

SCVB · (#2)

3-Ball anyone? Is this the game that Buford will show up? He was zoned out last night. Cuse will sit back in the zone and MAYBE he will process what he needs to do to score. Dont force shots and it will be a close game. Bucks better hit their free throws or else.

sleeper · (#3)

Ohio State by 9.

jimmacqueen · (#4)

The Syracuse I saw last night will lose to OSU by 10 or more. Not only are the susceptible to jumpers, they leave a lot of open room for guys like Thomas and Sullinger INSIDE their zone. Defensively, I think OSU shuts them down, locks them down, even better than Wisconsin did.

NC Rattlesnake · (#5)

I hate Syracuse, but for this night, GO ORANGE!!!!

creeksider · (#6)

Quote:

Originally Posted by NC Rattlesnake

I hate Syracuse, but for this night, GO ORANGE!!!!

Since YOUR team couldn't do it!! lol

MrMcCluskie · (#7)

I will be rooting for OSU but.......length is going to be a huge issue for them. Wisconsin was ok with the Syracuse zone pushing their offense out high because they had people that could drain 3's out there. OSU has no one consistent besides Thomas.

Thomas has proven he can step up big in big games and carry the team.

If Buford comes up missing "AGAIN" this game could get ugly.

Craft's points will be minimal if any because of length again. He won't be able to shoot outside and the zone takes anything inside away. This will be interesting to see how Craft does against very athletic players. Not that he didn't against Cincy I just think Syracuse has a few players a notch better. I thought he turned the ball over in the 2nd half in critical times and thats when Cincy made a run and got the lead. Very unlike him.

east_ohio · (#8)

I'm a pessimist by nature and from what I saw last night from OSU, I really will be surprised if OSU wins. To me Cincinnati was not a very good team and OSU was outscored by them 17 points in a six minute span. First half Craft couldn't throw a rock in the ocean and Buford simply refused to make a basket. To compound this, Buford was quilty of several turnovers that resulted in Cincy points. Buford seems to be good for 1-2 charges a game.

With three minutes to go in the game and still a chance of Cincinnati to make a comeback, Matta had three 50% free throw shooters on the floor, as Craft was struggling at the line at that point. It only wasn't until Scott threw up that 3X6 brick that he came out of the game. As bad as Buford was he still is the best free throw shooter on the team and should have been back on the floor sooner.

When OSU goes to the bench turnovers start immediately. Scott had a turnover in less then 10 seconds and a second one about a minute later. If OSU has a coach that would tell me that Scott practices free throw shooting daily I might have to call him a liar. No one shoots that poorly and practices.
I would love to know what kind of league Scott played in that he was AA?
It might have been 10-12 year olds with an 8' basket. In all seriousness I believe the OSU Coaching staff has made a huge mistake with Scott. I know they received the committ from him early in the season and that might play into all of this as if wasn't necessary to recruit Burke. If he doesn't work out it won't be the first or last that highly regarded players have failed.

roll_red_roll · (#9)

Buford better get his head up out his ass or the Bucks will be going home.

crusader · (#10)

Thomas is going to score 25+ again. The middle by the foul line is always open in a zone and Thomas is deadly from there. I would have Buford streak to that area as well cause he can hit that mid range shot as well and get him some confidence so he is not just always shooting threes.

creeksider · (#11)

Buford needs to go to the rack and DUNK the fricking ball. He has multiple opportunities per game to do it......and acts scared to do it. If he is looking for confidence, this will do the trick. I'll bet (with the exception of wide-open breakaways) Ohio State only averages one dunk every five games. It is sickening to see other teams do it, and we are afraid to do it.

jgord24 · (#12)

Length, length, length. Syracuse has length, that is the most underated advantage in college basetball. I am rooting for the Bucks, but I think the Zone and length is going to cause them problems. I will say this though, if Buford scores 17-18 points OSU will win, because OSU is going to have to be on from the outside. This is going to be a 5 point game or less no matter who wins.

Go Bucks.

o.a.b. · (#13)

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrMcCluskie

I will be rooting for OSU but.......length is going to be a huge issue for them. Wisconsin was ok with the Syracuse zone pushing their offense out high because they had people that could drain 3's out there. OSU has no one consistent besides Thomas.

Thomas has proven he can step up big in big games and carry the team.

If Buford comes up missing "AGAIN" this game could get ugly.

Craft's points will be minimal if any because of length again. He won't be able to shoot outside and the zone takes anything inside away. This will be interesting to see how Craft does against very athletic players. Not that he didn't against Cincy I just think Syracuse has a few players a notch better. I thought he turned the ball over in the 2nd half in critical times and thats when Cincy made a run and got the lead. Very unlike him.

I saw the same thing last night.Wisky never attacked the baseline after pulling that zone to the top.Syracuse is such a great rebounding team that the weak side guy on offense must anticipate every shot,Wisky didn't do that,but the Buckeyes will,I believe.I think Craft will stretch the zone more than any point guard has so far.Defensively though,Jardin may be able to muscle Craft all night.Interesting match-ups.Look for yracuse to be extra-aggressive,trying to get a shallow team in foul trouble.I'm sure that's been the strategy of many of the Buckeye's opponents yet none have succeeded.The Buckeyes are just a great defensive team when they have to be.They'll have to be tomorrow [ and they want Kentucky bad ] Buckeyes by 8

o.a.b. · (#14)

Everybody's bad-mouthing Bufford but you can only score once per possession.The Sullinger/Thomas combo inside provides a higher % conversion.However,tomorrow Buford MUST loosen that zone up.I'd say 12 points scored at the right times will do the trick.

jgord24 · (#15)

Quote:

Originally Posted by o.a.b.

Syracuse is such a great rebounding team that the weak side guy on offense must anticipate every shot,

This statement could not be further from the truth. Syracuse is a terrible, absolutely terrible rebounding team. Most of the analysts say that is why they won't win the title is because they can't rebound. Syracuse normally gets out rebounded.

-Syracuse had 23 rebounds last night, Wisconsin had 23.
-Syracuse was ranked 125 in the nation in rebounding this year.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bask...yracuse-orange

Sully should make a killing on offensive rebounds tomorrow.

bballfan · (#16)

We get a ton of offensive rebounds. If we are efficient on the offensive end, and can play good defense, I think we win this one by 10.

blakeslee · (#17)

I'll predict...... Ohio State 67 Syracuse 62

creeksider · (#18)

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgord24

This statement could not be further from the truth. Syracuse is a terrible, absolutely terrible rebounding team. Most of the analysts say that is why they won't win the title is because they can't rebound. Syracuse normally gets out rebounded.

-Syracuse had 23 rebounds last night, Wisconsin had 23.
-Syracuse was ranked 125 in the nation in rebounding this year.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bask...yracuse-orange

Sully should make a killing on offensive rebounds tomorrow.

You beat me to it!!.......I thought they were ranked 129th though.

o.a.b. · (#19)

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgord24

This statement could not be further from the truth. Syracuse is a terrible, absolutely terrible rebounding team. Most of the analysts say that is why they won't win the title is because they can't rebound. Syracuse normally gets out rebounded.

-Syracuse had 23 rebounds last night, Wisconsin had 23.
-Syracuse was ranked 125 in the nation in rebounding this year.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bask...yracuse-orange

Sully should make a killing on offensive rebounds tomorrow.

Yes,I stand corrected.I saw them play twice this year and they dominated the boards but I realized that in the Big East they're not as dominate.It's a hard thing to fathom with their size and the fact that they play zone.That's a good omen for us.

real_fan · (#20)

Quote:

Originally Posted by roll_red_roll

Buford better get his head up out his ass or the Bucks will be going home.

This.