Bucks/Spartans

[pup]

I am saying that is a huge win for this team. After playing as well as they did int he first half, then seeing that little bastard Nietzel play out of his mind to bring the Spartans back in the second half, to hang on and get the W is impresive.

This will go a long way in helping this team mature. Cook and Conley went invisible in the second half, so hopefully it is a wake up call for both of them as they grow into thier roles. It should show them that in the Big 10, 40 minutes is needed to win a game.

And how many people would take Oden at the line left handed over any Cav in the last 2 minutes right now?

It disturbs somewhat that they went away from Oden for such a long stretch. There had to be an near 10 minute stretch in the second half, where he was on the floor, but they never dumped it down to him on the post. He is a beast, whenever a run is made at them, the response has to be get it to him on a block.

The rest of the Bucks still need to get used to him on the floor. Let him handle the shot blocking and everyone else crash the boards. A lot of MSU's ofensive boards came when Oden went for a block and everyone else stood there and watched him go for it.

How deep was Butler's three in the first hal? I think he shot it from the 'Shoe.

[swerb]

I was clicking back and forth from the Pavlik fight. Neitzel lost his mind.

Buckeyes inexplicably took "Feed Oden" out of the game plan in the second half and played not to lose. They were lucky to hold on, surviving an open Neitzel look for 3 (up 2) with 10 seconds left. Had the game been 41 minutes long, they woulda choked it away.

Still, a good win. And you need these kind of games to remind young teams how to protect leads.

[furls]

They did get away from Oden, but I have I think it was a by product of MSU getting more aggressive with the double. WHat has really been bothering me lately is that Oden has not been playing as strong as he is and he has gotten so aggressive defensively that he is in some ways abandoning his defensive rebounding responsibilities. Now, that is not so bad if you have a solid four who will rotate over from the weak side and pick up the boards, but Harris has never been a rebounder and Hunter has been noticeably absent on the glass.

I would almost be interested in seeing what the Buckeyes would look like with Terwiliger at the 4 with Oden on the floor. Another problem is that the Buckeyes have not done a very good job of getting to the hoop. Ron Lewis used to be a beast (Butler too) at getting to the hole. This year not so much.

Additionally, like Dookie V said last night, the upperclassmen on this team need to step up.

[pup]

Even if he is getting doubled on the catch, the ball has to go there to open up holes everwhere else on the floor.

[yargs7]

Now, that is not so bad if you have a solid four who will rotate over from the weak side and pick up the boards, but Harris has never been a rebounder and Hunter has been noticeably absent on the glass.

This is their Achilles' heel. They basically play with 4 guards and a center. I hate it. That's what cost them agianst UF and UW. Other teams power forwards have feasted on them. Hunter needs to step it up and be a man in there or try out for the tennis team.

[consigliere]

Big game today. After today, the Bucks should cruise with the remaining regular season schedule until they play Wisconsin at home the 2nd to last game of the year.

Also, thought it was interesting that the Bucks are #4 in the nation with 3 losses......and all three of those loses are to each of the #1, #2, and #3 teams. Would have been nice to get a few of those at home to see how things may have gone, although we go get Wisky late in the season at home as I noted above.