Pitt-USF: Bulls Take Down Panthers 70-61 In Stunning Upset

The Bulls (14-7) are on a roll right now. For the first time ever they won three Big East games in a row.  Beating Providence and Seton Hall are understandable, but upsetting No. 17 Pittsburgh is a big accomplishment for this Bulls team.

I really think USF is starting to turn the corner as a team and how they view the Big East. They don’t pack it in once they’re down significantly on the road or at home. The fans are starting to show as well, nearly 5,400 rowdy Bulls fans filed into the Sun Dome to watch the upset.

This was the first time since Feburary 6^th, of last year that the Bulls have beaten a ranked opponent. They downed No. 9 Marquette 57-56 then, but today it was a sound victory. The Bulls pulled away late and once again relied on Dominique Jones to carry them to victory. His 37 points now puts him third amongst Big East players in point per game this season. Only Luke Harangody, and Jeremy Hazell are ahead of him.

The Bulls improve little by little every game. Today impressed me as they only had five turnovers against a stingy defense. This is only the third time since 2003, and its against Big East talent which makes it that much more impressive.

Chris Howard continues to be a large part of the Bulls new-found success. He was the only other Bull in double figures with 13 points, but it’s his defense that’s helps the most. He added six rebounds, and stifling defense in his 34 minutes of action.

Toalyn Fitzpatrick grabbed 10 rebounds and Jarrid Famous chipped in eight points against the Panthers Gary McGhee. This combined effort is what the Bulls will get out of one player when Augustus Gilchrist comes back next week.

The road doesn’t get any easier for the Bulls. No. 11 Georgetown (16-4) comes up next for USF. The showdown on Wednesday will be yet another test, as the Bulls begin a three game road stretch with. Notre Dame and Marquette fill the other two games, and all three will be tough tests for the peaking Bulls team.

Minn-OSU: Buckeyes Honor 1960 Championship Team With Rout Of Gophers

It’s been 50 years since Ohio State won it’s only national championship in 1960. That same 1960 team was honored during Ohio States 85-63 rout of the Gophers today.

The players felt some added pressure today, as they played in front of the Buckeye legends. “ I’m sure we all felt their presence of them, it’s a huge day having them here,” quoted Evan Turner. The players weren’t the only one feeling pressure to perform. “ When the all-time winningest coach is watching practice, you’re just hoping nothing gets screwed up,” Coach Matta said of having Bobby Knight around this week.

The current team met the 1960 team yesterday during the reception in their honor at St. Johns Arena.

The Buckeyes controlled the tempo of this game from start to finish. They took a 32-24 lead into the half and built upon it in the second half. They shot a season high 63 percent from the field as the home crowd of 17,000 plus cheered them on.

William Buford had a game high 26 points, and continues to develop into a serious offensive threat. David Lighty added 11 points, but was all over the court today with several assists, steals, and rebounds.

Evan Turner had 19 points and eight assists in a sloppy game. He had five turnovers during his 39 minutes of play.

Jon Diebler finally got out of the fog he’s been living in and became a much-needed force on the perimeter. He went 5-9 from behind the arc and finished with 19 points and six rebounds. Ohio State needs this type of effort from its best sharpshooter as tournament time draws closer.

Dallas Lauderdale continues to struggle on offense, but did put up a solid game on defense. He finished with eight rebounds and three blocks in 27 minutes of play.

The Buckeyes (16-6) are getting closer to that magical 20^th win on the season. The upcoming schedule features games against the Big Ten’s worse teams in Penn State, Iowa, and Indiana. All three games should be wins; giving the Buckeyes some much needed momentum before their rematch with No. 12 Purdue.

OSU-IOWA: Buckeyes Show They Have No Concept Of Consistency

Ohio State forgot that they were the No. 24 ranked team in the country and not the 8-13 team they were playing. Iowa owned the Buckeyes in the first half and took at 25-20 lead into halftime. The Buckeyes were lucky they were only down five after struggling on both sides on the court against a amped Hawkeye team and their rowdy crowd of 12,000.

The second half panned out better for the Buckeyes, but they still continue to play to the level of their competition. Ohio State out scored Iowa 45-32 as they pulled away on to their 65-57 victory. This inconsistent play is excusable in December, but as the tournament near Ohio State is going to have to play better plain and simple.

No disrespect to Iowa, but this is an 8-13 team for a reason. They play tough at home but have no business being in a tight game with the Buckeyes at home or on the road. In the end a win is a win, but this should have been a 10-15 point victory, instead it was a nail biter.

David Lighty stepped up and became the leader they need him to be going into post-season play. He carried Ohio State in the second half and finished with a game high 20 points and eight rebounds.

Evan Turner had another double double with 16 points and 12 rebounds on the night. He continues to look as if he has to win the game himself, instead of relying on his teammates support. This mindset was what got the Buckeyes into trouble in the first half.

William Buford continues to impress as he added 11 points and eight rebounds, all while flying under the radar. The Hawkeyes had the defense focused on Lighty and Turner, while Buford continues to get open looks on the wing.

Dallas Lauderdale looked absolutely awful in the first half. He was out of place, slow in recovery, and got ridiculous fouls when Ohio State needed poise. He finished with 10 points, mostly off Turner’s dishes in the paint.

The red flag in the box score however, was his two lone rebounds. He’s the Buckeyes only post threat on both sides of the court, and a performance like this will make it a short dance in March for the Buckeyes.

Jon Diebler continues to be an enigma on the season. Some games he shows up, some he doesn’t. He was the latter against Iowa, finishing with six points and three fouls. Once again he struggled from the perimeter going 0-3 from three-point range.

Ohio State got its third road win on the season, and currently sits at 3-5 on the season. Good thing for the Buckeyes, considering the next three games are at home and they currently are 12-0 this season at the Schott.

All three of the upcoming games the Buckeyes will be favored in. This is the soft spot in the Buckeyes tough schedule, but with games like this they all look tough. The Buckeyes (15-6) will be in action this Saturday against Minnesota (13-7). The Gophers already dropped the Ohio State 73-62 earlier in the season, and revenge here could be just what the doctor ordered for the Buckeyes to heal from their struggles during the Iowa game.

The Way I See It: The Big Ten's Power Rankings (Jan. 25)

1. Michigan State (17-3)

The Spartans are starting to understand that when they show up on their conference foes schedule the date gets circled. They got a scare from the Gophers this week, and now get to face several teams from here on out looking for quality wins. The schedule will be difficult, but successful navigation will give them an edge in the post season.

2. Wisconsin (16-4)

The Badgers showed what is means to be a good team. They don’t always play well, but the play well when they need to in order to get the win. It took overtime with Penn State, but in the end they pulled it out. This week they get a rematch against Purdue who’ll be looking for revenge. After that it’s the Spartans. The remaining schedule is anything but easy, but this is a good team and should finish with an impressive record.

3. Purdue (16-3)

The Boilermakers are back on track and looking to improve their tournament seed and the remaining schedule still has plenty of challenging games. Wins against Ohio State, Michigan State, or Wisconsin will go a long way in the eyes of the selection committee, especially after that three game slide.

4. Ohio State (14-6)

The Buckeyes fell apart in the second half against West Virginia. They only managed one field goal in the final eight minutes as they fell 71-65. Ohio State offensively can run with any team in the country, but it’s the defense that needs drastic improvement before the tournament comes. Evan Turner can only take them so far without some serious team defense, especially from the post.

5. Northwestern (14-5)

The Wildcats bounced back from the Ohio State loss with a win over Illinois. Now they start a two game road stretch with Minnesota and Michigan State. If they want to go dancing they need to continue to prove they can hang with the big boys, and the Spartans surely fall into that category.

6.  Minnesota (12-7)

The Gophers couldn’t hold onto a 34-26 halftime lead against Michigan State last weekend. The loss gives them a three game losing streak with two of the games against the Spartans. The schedule is a mix of difficulty from here on out, and should be a good indicator of how good this team really is.

7. Illinois (12-8)

The Fighting Illini needed to beat Northwestern to keep their slim tournament hopes alive, they didn’t falling 73-68. Currently Illinois is in the midst of a three game losing streak, but that will change quickly as Penn State, Indiana, and Iowa all come up on the schedule. Even with the easy wins coming up, it’ll take a win against two of the three: Ohio State, Purdue, or Michigan State before they get serious consideration.

8. Michigan (10-9)

The Wolverines continue to underachieve this season with losses this week against Wisconsin and Purdue. I didn’t expect them to win either of these games on the road, but their second half debacles along with the suspension of Manny Harris hamper any chance of this team being good.

9. Iowa (8-12)

The Hawkeyes swap spots with Indiana this week. They get a tough Ohio State team on Wednesday, and then take on a streaky Michigan team Saturday. A win against either of these teams gives Iowa some creditability. Unfortunately they are only 7-6 at home and 1-4 on the road this year.

10. Indiana (9-10)

The Hoosiers drop a spot this week after the drubbing Iowa gave them, 58-43. The Hoosiers get another crack at Iowa at the end of February, and by looking at it probably their best chance at another win on the season.

11. Penn State (8-11)

The Nittany Lions tried to break their seven game losing streak by taking Wisconsin into overtime. Unfortunately the Badgers bested them 79-71. This team might not win another game as the schedule gets rough the last month. The home game against Minnesota on February 6 looks to be the best chance at another win.

The Way I See It: The Big East's Power Rankings (Jan. 25)

1. Syracuse (19-1)

The Orange continues to be atop the Big East Mountain. They’ll have their hands full with Georgetown this week, but then slide into a soft spot on the schedule for a few games before going to Cincinnati. Wesley Johnson continues to impress, as he leads Syracuse through another successful season.

2. Villanova (18-1)

Villanova still remains undefeated in conference play and only has the lone loss to Temple on the season. They still have Georgetown, West Virginia, and Syracuse on the schedule before the season ends, so their up-tempo play needs to continue.

3. Georgetown (15-3)

The Hoyas brought Pittsburgh back to Earth this week and are now 6-2 in conference play. They take on Syracuse this week for what looks to be a heavy weight title fight amongst Big East elites.

4. West Virginia (15-3)

The Mountaineers continue to build an impressive resume for the selection committee, as they beat Ohio State 71-65 this week. They have three very respectable losses on the season and still have several tough games left on the schedule for a few more quality wins.

5. Pittsburgh (15-4)

The Panthers watched the wheels fall off this week with losses to Georgetown and Seton Hall. They get St. Johns and USF for their next two games, and should get back on track quickly before going to Morgantown for the start of February.

6.  Connecticut (13-6)

How do you handle hosting the No. 1 team in the country? Beat them by 12 after trailing 42-34 at halftime. This win game the Huskies confidence in themselves they’ve been lacking this season. I expect a different look to an already dangerous team from here on out.

7. Notre Dame (15-5)

The Irish continue to navigate the trials and tribulations of a Big East schedule. They lose game to elite opponents, but win the games they should. Luke Harangody is arguably one the best post players in the country, and his 24 points and 10 rebounds a game solidify that.

8. Louisville (13-7)

The Cardinals broke the three game losing streak they’ve been mired in with a win over Cincinnati. They get another chance to prove they’re tournament worthy went they travel to Morgan town this week. A win there will give them momentum to take on a red-hot Husky team.

9. Seton Hall (12-6)

The Pirates picked up two big wins over Louisville and Pittsburgh this week.  They now begin a three game road test that includes both Villanova and Pittsburgh once again.

10. Cincinnati (13-7)

The Bearcats continue their up and down season with a loss to Louisville 68-60. The loss ended both the momentum and the two game winning streak Cincinnati had built up. It’s going to take a serious winning streak and impressive Big East Tournament play for the Bearcats to get into the NCAA Tournament.

11. St. John's (12-7)

The Red Storm lost both their games this week, but they shouldn’t have won either of them. The two game losing streak will most likely extent to three games as Pittsburgh come up next on the schedule. After that however, there will be several winnable games remaining on the schedule before the season ends.

12. South Florida (12-7)

The Bulls have got to be happy with their progress this season. They have two conference wins and a 12-7 record all without their best player in Augustus Gilchrist. Dominique Jones will be glad to have another offensive threat when Big Gus comes back the first week of February.

13. Marquette (11-8)

The Golden Eagles disappointed me with the loss to DePaul, it’s the first really bad loss on their record. They continued the encore with a five-point loss to the Orange on the road. This is a team that competes, fights and battles the entire game, but in the end will come up short time and time again.

14. Providence (11-8)

The Friars launched threes against USF all night long but in the end it wasn’t enough as they fell 109-105 in overtime at home. They currently have a two game losing streak going, and neither are good losses for this team. They get a Connecticut team that’s caught fire for their next game, not good timing.

15. DePaul (8-11)

The Blue Demons stole a win from Marquette given them their first conference win on the season. They enter new territory as they find themselves with both a conference win and out of the Power Ranking basement.

16. Rutgers (9-10)

The Scarlet Knights stretched their losing streak to eight games with no end in sight. I’m fairly impressed they dethroned DePaul as the worst team in the conference that took some work.