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.
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Hey Drew,
ReplyDeleteSince when does someone criticize the leader of a team for finishing the game off. This game could have gone either way and was close until the last 3 minutes. That's when a leader decisively ends the game and makes a move to finish it. I suppose you thought Turner didn't trust his teammates in the Purdue game as well. One stat you forgot was the 7 assists. I don't call that selfish or mistrustful. I think is just dumb to criticize a player for taking over a game. Do you remember he sat out for over half the first half, and got into foul trouble in the second. When do you think he should have made a move on behalf of his team? Just be happy everyone is playing better and contributing. In order to make a deep run OSU will need everyone to play up to their potential, and up until very recently this was a one man band. We will need a full orchestra to get through to the tournament. Leave the provocative comments to the politicians. Saying something ridiculous as if it means something is boring. Stick with the facts, and if you are including stats don't leave out the one stat that contradicts the premise of your argument. It discredits everything you say.