Ohio State

[tower912]

Some may have noticed while taking a break from debating everything else, that our first game, against Ohio State, on a carrier, is coming up in 3 weeks.    So, what do we know about Ohio St?    Sullinger is gone, Craft is back.   Craft is a very good on-ball defender and all around disruptive defensive force.   Will Junior be able to handle the pressure?    Last year, Thad did not go deep on his bench.    This year, all of the guys he had no confidence in last year are going to have to play.    Will our perceived, theoretical depth make a difference this early in the year?
   Assuming health, our top 7 are set.    Does Buzz go to freshmen (or Jake) in the first game of the year on that large a stage?   In other words, who are the 8th and 9th guys going to be to start the year?    Will Buzz treat this as huge deal or a glorified scrimmage?
  I think Juan, DWilson, and Jake fight for the 8th/9th spots early.   I am not counting on seeing the frosh on the carrier.     I think that publicly, Buzz is going to downplay the importance of the game while privately telling the team this is a chance to send a clear message across the land.     I think our rotation is going to be more sorted than tOSU's.     I think Buzz is going to let Mayo/Blue/Lockett initiate the offense for parts of the game to try to neutralize Craft on Junior.   I think that by the start of the BEast, we will see CO starting with DG playing more minutes, but for this game, while CO continues to recover, DG starts and plays 25+ minutes.    I think we win.    And if things fall just right, I think we roll. 

[jesmu84]

an important question you forgot: anyone on the team afraid of boats/water or get seasick easily?

[tower912]

Funny.   Visiting the tOSU scout page, they are thrilled with their returning length and defensive abilities, but worried about where the scoring is going to come from.    They are anticipating playing pressure defense and getting out and running.   

[GGGG]

I cannot see how Jake is going to get playing time ahead of Steve Taylor.  From all reports Taylor has performed very well defensively, and with CO coming back from injury and OSU's length, I think he gets at least 10 minutes. 

I think there is a chance that this game looks very ugly...not "blowout ugly"...but just kind of a bad offense kind of ugly.  Two teams replacing a bunch of scoring playing their first game of the year. 

[tower912]

Sultan, I get where you are coming from about it being an 'ugly' game.    Two teams playing aggressive defense and both trying to replace a lot of points that walked out the door.    One difference I see is that MU has 6 players with experience starting at the D1 level.    tOSU has 3.    If Taylor is ready to play, so much the better.   I think you are getting at, and I agree, that Otule is not going to be ready to go 20 MPG for a while. 

[brewcity77]

Craft and Lenzelle Smith form a great backcourt, and Deshaun Thomas will be one of the elite players in the entire country. They don't have our experience, but they have plenty of raw talent. I am glad to be catching them this early, because this is the type of team that shapes up to be really good later in the season but might have a few hiccups early on with new starters and an inexperienced bench.

[LAMUfan]

If it really is ugly, who gets the ball if it goes overboard?  Do the walkons wear wetsuits to the game??

[GGGG]

And this is one of those games I get real nervous about MU going out and forcing pace.  I think you make a young team like OSU go out and work for their baskets.  I think pressure only will give a team like that a chance at a bunch of easy baskets.  

OTOH, maybe that's how Buzz thinks he can create offense....

[jsglow]

I agree with Sultan that Taylor gets in the mix a bit.  Let's remember that Chris will still be limited (at least as to his conditioning and minutes) so I'll bet Steve gets 10 minutes and looks good.

[Stronghold]

They lost 32 ppg and 14 rpg with the departures of Sullinger and Buford, which is somewhat comparable to the loss of our DJO and Crowder.  Our entire starting 5 and a bench player or 2 will be bringing D1 starting experience, while they will have what 3?  It is important for us to contain Craft and Thomas and get after their younger guys right off the bat.  Force them into stupid mistakes and keep the pressure on.

I have confidence Junior will perform well versus Craft.  He's a senior now and has to run this team.  I'm not sure who will guard Thomas but I'm thinking Lockett might be a good matchup?  They seem pretty similar in size.  Very excited for this game.  That's my outlook.

[TallTitan34]

The thing that makes me nervous is that we usually have 2 or 3 cupcakes to work out the kinks before we play a big time opponent. 

Ohio State is in the same boat though. (See what I did there?)

[jesmu84]

serious question... would it help at all to have the team practicing on an outdoor court a few days before the game? if i'm remembering last year correctly, UNC/MSU had trouble adjusting to the wind and simply shooting on an outdoor hoop.

[Jay Bee]

tOSU = Big Ten champs this year.  Tough game, but with the wind tough to call what will happen.  Get in the paint.

[bilsu]

The basketball magazine I purchased had two Ohio St players on preseason Big 10 first team and one on second team. There were no MU players on Big East preseason teams. Has anyone else wondered what the weather is going to be like? The game is outside.

[Wade for President]

I think a combo of Wilson, Devante, and Otule will keep DeShaun Thomas in check.  One would think Buzz would like to try and isolate DeDe offensively on the block against Thomas, in the hopes of the OSU horse getting whistled for a couple early fouls.

What concerns me the most is Craft (love that dude) defensively.  Yes, Junior is a senior, experience-laden point guard - but we all know that JC is prone to headscratching turnovers.  With one of our biggest weaknesses being a defined backup point guard, I'm nervous as to how we'll respond to the on the ball defense.

Can Blue/Lockett/Mayo show us that ball control will not be a liability for MU?  Defensively I like D-Wilson, but can we truly rely on him to handle the pressure of bringing the ball up and running this team (should JC get in foul trouble)?

[PaintTouches]

serious question... would it help at all to have the team practicing on an outdoor court a few days before the game? if i'm remembering last year correctly, UNC/MSU had trouble adjusting to the wind and simply shooting on an outdoor hoop.

Boeheim agrees with you: “I think we’re going to … if it’s not snowing,” Boeheim said in London. “I don’t know if that’s overthinking it or not. But if you’re going to play somewhere and they use different basketballs, we’ll use those basketballs in practice. So if we’re going to play outdoors, we should at least shoot outdoors and run some drills outdoors.

“I don’t know if it will make a big difference, but it might.”

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/jul/31/boeheim-well-practice-outside-carrier-game-vs-sdsu/

[TedBaxter]

They lost 32 ppg and 14 rpg with the departures of Sullinger and Buford, which is somewhat comparable to the loss of our DJO and Crowder.  Our entire starting 5 and a bench player or 2 will be bringing D1 starting experience, while they will have what 3?  It is important for us to contain Craft and Thomas and get after their younger guys right off the bat.  Force them into stupid mistakes and keep the pressure on.

I have confidence Junior will perform well versus Craft.  He's a senior now and has to run this team.  I'm not sure who will guard Thomas but I'm thinking Lockett might be a good matchup?  They seem pretty similar in size.  Very excited for this game.  That's my outlook.

Thomas is much bigger than Lockett.  MU may have to rotate players on Thoma big and small, with Jamil, Juan, Lockett and Taylor possibly spending time on him and Buzz may even put Vander or Mayo on him at times.  Make him work.

[Tigidal]

What's the plan for this game if it rains?... Seriously.

[We R Final Four]

The thing that makes me nervous is that we usually have 2 or 3 cupcakes to work out the kinks before we play a big time opponent. 

Ohio State is in the same boat though. (See what I did there?)

Nicely done.
In the same boat and on the same boat.

[KenoshaWarrior]

What typically happens when MU plays a big state school from a major conference in a big game is that they crap themselves. 
Washington, Florida, LSU, NC-State, UNC, Kansas, Alabama etc.....   
I expect nothing less than a a 20 point blowout loss. 

If the school is decent at football or plays in a big conference we lose.

I would rather Marquette play an undefeated Creighton team than play a 15 loss LSU team. 

[copious1218]

What typically happens when MU plays a big state school from a major conference in a big game is that they crap themselves. 
Washington, Florida, LSU, NC-State, UNC, Kansas, Alabama etc.....   
I expect nothing less than a a 20 point blowout loss. 

If the school is decent at football or plays in a big conference we lose.

I would rather Marquette play an undefeated Creighton team than play a 15 loss LSU team. 

Just last year they beat Wisconsin, Washington, and Ole Miss.  But hey, don't let facts get in the way.

[HelixAir6]

What's the plan for this game if it rains?... Seriously.

For last year's game btw MSU and UNC, they said they would be able to move the court below deck into the hangar if the weather didn't cooperate.  Not sure if that is the same for this game or if there is a backup location...  But i would assume it is the same.

[jmayer1]

What typically happens when MU plays a big state school from a major conference in a big game is that they crap themselves. 
Washington, Florida, LSU, NC-State, UNC, Kansas, Alabama etc.....   
I expect nothing less than a a 20 point blowout loss. 

If the school is decent at football or plays in a big conference we lose.

I would rather Marquette play an undefeated Creighton team than play a 15 loss LSU team. 

You're not very bright.

[Spotcheck Billy]

I vaguely recall they said the day before the game that after checking that closer, moving below decks would not have been an option afterall

For last year's game btw MSU and UNC, they said they would be able to move the court below deck into the hanger if the weather didn't cooperate.  Not sure if that is the same for this game or if there is a backup location...  But i would assume it is the same.

[Tigidal]

Wow... To be honest, I'd rather it rain and see how that would work.  

"For last year's game btw MSU and UNC, they said they would be able to move the court below deck into the hanger if the weather didn't cooperate.  Not sure if that is the same for this game or if there is a backup location...  But i would assume it is the same."