Ohio State at Illinois 1/10...Thoughts??

• vball10set

  from 11 Warriors @WB
  
  http://www.elevenwarriors.com/2012/01/sure-shot#more
  

  OSU's problems do not start or end with William Buford, and I don't mean to downplay the very obvious strengths that this team has. But if the goal this season is to win a national championship, the Ohio State Buckeyes must become a much more complete team than they are right now, and that begins with acknowledging that William Buford is going to be both a godsend and a liability down the stretch.

• stlouiedipalma

  My hope is that I will be able to go about my business tomorrow wearing my OSU jacket and boasting of how easily we dispatched the Illini. My Illinois friends hate to see that.
  
  
  It has taken some time, but Matta now has the depth he needs. Even the broadcasters mentioned how Iowa was simply worn down by the depth of the Buckeyes. Matta needs to use that depth as a weapon and turn up the pressure and tempo a notch or two and gas the opponents, starting with tonight in Champaign-Urbana.
• centralbucksfan

  vball10set;1047086 wrote:from 11 Warriors @WB
  
  http://www.elevenwarriors.com/2012/01/sure-shot#more
  

  Not sure I agree with the liability thing. Buford is what he is, a streaky shooter. But the good thing the other nite, is that although he shot poorly, he had 11 rebounds, 5 asst. and 3 steals. Thats a pretty damn good stat line.
  ON top of that, this OSU team doesn't rely on perimeter shooting as much as last years. We know what we will get with Sully. Thomas has maybe been the most consistant player, inside and outside. Smith is starting to shoot the ball pretty well. This OSU team has MORE options, more versitility then Matta has ever had. They don't shoot from outside very well, but they don't just sit out there and fire away either. They can put it in the post, they can slash to the basket. I like the options and depth this team has. Buford a liability? I don't think so. But when he is ON, OSU is damn tough to beat.
• LJ

  

  centralbucksfan;1047114 wrote:Not sure I agree with the liability thing. Buford is what he is, a streaky shooter. But the good thing the other nite, is that although he shot poorly, he had 11 rebounds, 5 asst. and 3 steals. Thats a pretty damn good stat line.
  ON top of that, this OSU team doesn't rely on perimeter shooting as much as last years. We know what we will get with Sully. Thomas has maybe been the most consistant player, inside and outside. Smith is starting to shoot the ball pretty well. This OSU team has MORE options, more versitility then Matta has ever had. They don't shoot from outside very well, but they don't just sit out there and fire away either. They can put it in the post, they can slash to the basket. I like the options and depth this team has. Buford a liability? I don't think so. But when he is ON, OSU is damn tough to beat.

  Buford is a liability because when he is off, he forces stupid shots in tight situations.
• se-alum

  

  LJ;1047118 wrote:Buford is a liability because when he is off, he forces stupid shots in tight situations.

  This. I feel like Buford puts alot of pressure on himself, especially after that UK game last year. Against Indiana he wasn't shooting well and put up a late 3 when they only needed a two, and of course missed it. I feel like if OSU is leaning on Buford, they're in big trouble. He hasn't shown the ability to be there in big game pressure situations. He was shooting poorly against Iowa and started taking running fadeaway one-handers, missing everytime. Just don't think he's mentally tough enough to be leaned on.
• Heretic

  

  se-alum;1047122 wrote:This. I feel like Buford puts alot of pressure on himself, especially after that UK game last year. Against Indiana he wasn't shooting well and put up a late 3 when they only needed a two, and of course missed it. I feel like if OSU is leaning on Buford, they're in big trouble. He hasn't shown the ability to be there in big game pressure situations. He was shooting poorly against Iowa and started taking running fadeaway one-handers, missing everytime. Just don't think he's mentally tough enough to be leaned on.

  Yeah. Throwing up a late three from about NBA range when there was enough time to set up a play and they only needed two to tie. That was a case where I'd say he was a liability. Not necessarily an overall one because, as CBF said, he is able to fill a stat sheet even if he's not shooting well, but there are situations where I cringe when he has the ball.
  
  I think a big part of it is the simple truth that he's been a complementary player for his whole career and at times feels he needs to go above and beyond to show he can be a clutch leader. Which can turn into ill-advised shots and trying to force things.
• centralbucksfan

  se-alum;1047122 wrote:. He hasn't shown the ability to be there in big game pressure situations. .

  20 vs Duke
  21 vs Florida
  
  Both pretty big games. I am sure over the past 4yrs, I could come up with more. I don't totally disagree with you. I have been one of his biggest critics, especially last year. He does force shots. But he is still a pretty damn good player, an NBA player. OSU is the only team in the country with 3 players avg. 15+ per game. When all three are ON their game, OSU is near impossible to beat. When one of the three are off, they are beatable, but someone has usually stepped up. 2 of 3 are off..thats trouble. Again, I don't disagree. But I would rather have Buford on my team than not. I don't view him as a "liability" at all. I highly doubt Matta does either. When you think about that comment, its pretty ridiculous. Guys like Self have focused their defense on him.
• centralbucksfan

  Heretic;1047125 wrote:I think a big part of it is the simple truth that he's been a complementary player for his whole career and at times feels he needs to go above and beyond to show he can be a clutch leader. Which can turn into ill-advised shots and trying to force things.

  And this I would totally agree with. Its pretty obvious, that he is quiety killer. I am not sure he is so comfortable being THE guy when needed.
• se-alum

  

  centralbucksfan;1047126 wrote:20 vs Duke
  21 vs Florida
  
  Both pretty big games. I am sure over the past 4yrs, I could come up with more. I don't totally disagree with you. I have been one of his biggest critics, especially last year. He does force shots. But he is still a pretty damn good player, an NBA player. OSU is the only team in the country with 3 players avg. 15+ per game. When all three are ON their game, OSU is near impossible to beat. When one of the three are off, they are beatable, but someone has usually stepped up. 2 of 3 are off..thats trouble. Again, I don't disagree. But I would rather have Buford on my team than not. I don't view him as a "liability" at all. I highly doubt Matta does either. When you think about that comment, its pretty ridiculous. Guys like Self have focused their defense on him.

  Big games, not much pressure. OSU ran Duke from the get go, and controlled the game against FLA from the beginning of the 2nd half on. I never once said I wouldn't want Buford on this team, and that his isn't a good player. I don't think he can handle pressure though, and he's never shown the ability to. As long as everyone else is playing well, Buford seems comfortable and looks like a legit NBA player. When he thinks he has to try to be the guy, OSU is in trouble. In OSU's last 3 losses, Buford has been brick city, and I don't think that's just coincidence.
• LJ

  

  Honestly, Buford is probably is my 3rd choice on who I want to have the ball if the game comes down to 1 shot. Sully if 2 is needed, Thomas if a 3 is needed.
• LJ

  

  And it's become pretty obvious that Buford is Buford's first choice no matter who else is on or open
• centralbucksfan

  LJ;1047160 wrote:Honestly, Buford is probably is my 3rd choice on who I want to have the ball if the game comes down to 1 shot. Sully if 2 is needed, Thomas if a 3 is needed.

  And this is why your posting on here, and Matta is coaching a big time school.
• se-alum

  

  centralbucksfan;1047257 wrote:And this is why your posting on here, and Matta is coaching a big time school.

  You could make this comment for any opinion posted on here. That's 1st grade stuff man.
• LJ

  

  centralbucksfan;1047257 wrote:And this is why your posting on here, and Matta is coaching a big time school.

  
  And thats why Matta was sitting at home after The sweet 16 and why Matta is 2nd in the B1G behind Indiana.
• se-alum

  

  Teddy V is in the building....fuck.
• wildcats20

  

  That was a great move by Sully even though he couldn't come close to finishing.
• LJ

  

  Wow, Spoon is in
• hoops23

  

  Sully hits a 3.
• LJ

  

  Really like Sully's offense tonight
• se-alum

  

  LJ;1047426 wrote:Wow, Spoon is in

  He's been playin' good D lately.
• Mulva

  

  Sully hits the bench. Instant 8-0 Illinois run.
• LJ

  

  se-alum;1047435 wrote:He's been playin' good D lately.

  Yeah, his shooting is WAY off tonight though.
• gerb131

  

  We just sleep walking thru some of these halves it seems to me. Let Illini right back in it.
• centralbucksfan

  Spoon needs to be on the bench. This isn't a game he can be succesful in. Undersized power forward.
• stroups

  

  Evan sucks ass