Our Honor Defend

The Buckeyes started off the game up 19-2, and found a way to inexplicably blow that by intermission.  They were even down by as much as 5 in the second half, underscoring how outrageous it was that the Buckeyes could blow that big of an early lead.  However, the Buckeyes used an 11-0 run in the second part of the second half to put the game away.  The 73-59 win is a welcome end to Ohio State’s 3 game losing streak, and extends Ohio State’s winning streak over the Nitts in the game of shooty-hoops to 11.

Aside from the 3 absurd runs put up by both teams this game, and Penn State’s 6 airballs, the story of the game for the Buckeyes may have been the point guards.  Jeremie Simmons started the game on the bench in deference to superhero PJ Hill.  Hill, a gentleman and a scholar, rewarded Matta’s decision with a career high 13 points off 5/8 shooting (2/4 from the perimeter).  His designated backup for the game played most of the second half, especially as he was in the rotation right as the Buckeyes caught the hot hand to put the game away.  His 14 points (4/7 from 3) was a game high, with several coming uncontested baseline three-pointers.

The great performance from both point guards this game may have been necessary, considering how ineffective Turner was this game.  For a guy second in the league in scoring, Turner register his first points until a field goal with under 8 minutes left to play in the second half.  He finished with only 6 points, well bellow his ~17 a game average.  His 8 assists compensated for some of the lack of scoring.

The Buckeyes next travel to Purdue to play the return leg of the season series.  The Buckeyes won the previous encounter in overtime.  February has been brutal, including a loss to those Goddamn nerds in Evanston, but the win here and (hopefully) a win in West Lafayette should secure a trip to the dance in March.

Miscellaneous Observations

• This is going to drive me nuts.  What was the band playing after commercials during the first TV timeout?  I think that’s a new band song (or filler at least), and I remember hearing it in 3rd down situations during the football seson.
• Musburger and Lavin were discussing that apparently Jermelle Cornley is considering playing football.  And did I hear right that he may consider doing that at Penn State, a la Rickey Dudley of yesteryear?  Penn State obviously doesn’t play well ’round these parts, but I would totally approve of him doing that.  It’d be too cool.
• Dear old people in attendance: You don’t like me very much.  This I know is true.  But I like you, in spite of the fact that I’ve often I am often criticizing you for showing up to games, sitting the whole time and looking bored/disinterested in the game festivities.  In fact, I like you so much that I even bothered to check what was on TV Land during the game.  It was at least a 2 hour block of The Andy Griffith Show.  You like The Andy Griffith Show, right?  Well, if you have TV Land in Columbus, it’s there for you.  Don’t think you have to show up to the game.  This isn’t detention.  You don’t have to be there.  But if you do happen to be there, show some interest in the game for crying out loud.  If not, there’s always The Andy Griffith Show on TV Land for you.
• I like Steve Lavin noting the Buckeyes’ bench production, when a lot of what’s driving Ohio State’s bench output is that Dallas Lauderdale starts, but doesn’t score, and BJ Mullens is on the bench, but scores a bunch.  Ohio State has a 3 man bench for all intents and purposes, so any scoring comes from Mullens or Simmons/Hill.
• That said, there was a Walter Offutt sighting this game, right as Ohio State capped off its 19-2 start.
• Rinse and repeat what I keep saying in these game recaps about Dallas Lauderdale: I like him, I love his attitude, I love that he doesn’t raise a stink in the press and doesn’t pout on the bench, but he gets nothing accomplished during a game.  He’s out of position for rebounds and keeps fouling on the offensive end.
• However, Mullens and Lauderdale are equally ineffective in setting up screens for Diebler.  There were at least 2 moving screens that I remember seeing that could’ve been called against Mullens.