Our Honor Defend

FLAGRANT!

As far as sure things go, a Buckeye Shooty Hoops revenge game in Columbus ranks just a step or two below death and taxes.

Tonight was no exception.

Sure, the Fighting Illini are in a tailspin worthy of a World War II kamikaze pilot, but if a loss is a loss, then a big win is a big win. And a big win it was. One much needed for an Ohio State team that looked like it was searching for its identity after Saturday.

During the first half of what was quickly becoming a blowout, commentator Mike Tirico stated that it looked like Ohio State was “getting their swagger back.” For a team that started the season off with the type of attitude it takes to win in the Big Ten, they Buckeyes looked to have been a bit off kilter after a few losses in tournament play.

It was important for Ohio State to come out and do their typical Buckeye revenge game thing tonight and get back to winning by making shots.

That, they did. And in bunches.

A quick start got the Buckeyes out to a 15-4 lead when Illinois finally took a timeout with 15:31 to play in the first half. Aaron Craft’s staunch defense kept them off balance and taking contested shots. Meanwhile, on the offensive end, the Buckeyes were hitting open three’s to push the lead.

I was encouraged to see them attacking the rim first with dribble penetration, seeking a seam to the bucket, then kicking the ball out to the shooters on the wings. Everyone was getting involved. This trend continued throughout the game, leading to the team scoring 83 points with no player taking more than 9 shots. That is the unselfish nature that they relied on to get them to this point in the season.

Even with an 8-2 run by Illinois to end the first, the Buckeyes went into the locker rooms up 42-26. All aspects of the game were on display. Including dunks. Sweet, sweet dunky hoops. Specifically, a put back slam by Lenzelle Smith Jr. off of a Jared Sullinger miss.

And then there was Sam.

Slammin’ Sam Thompson’s one handed alley-oop hammer on a pass from Shannon Scott was so nasty the EPA has since banned it due to the effect on the ozone.

The second half, the Buckeyes started out with a missed bucket, and two turnovers, but quickly got back on track. It was nice to see William Buford again, as he put up 17 on terrific shooting night, going 7-9 from the field. He had a very nice all around performance. I hope this Buford is here to stay, although, his last 5 games he has been… inconsistent to say the least. He recorded 29, 4, 24, 6, and now 17. He is a virtual roller-coaster ride. Perhaps less time at Cedar Point, and more time in the gym is the key for a guy who has the talent to take him to the NBA.

Deshaun Thomas had 19 to lead the way for the Buckeyes. But what stood out to me was his continued hustle on the boards. He had 6 rebounds (1 off.) and just looks like he understand how vital that is to the teams success, and vicariously, his own success in the PPG column.

After blowing the lead up over 20 points, Matta finally threw a treat out to the student section by putting LaQuinton Ross into the game. The fans cheered loudly as Ross got a bucket late in the game. I have not been one pining for Ross to get playing time, but I like seeing the kid rewarded. If not for the fact that it means that Matta finally used some bench players. He is notoriously stringent with the use of his reserves, but tonight Shannon Scott saw 10 minutes in the first half. More importantly, he didn’t give Matta a reason to regret that decision.

With reserves in, the Buckeyes did let a 25 point lead slip a bit, with the final difference being 16 points. But, the game wasn’t really even that close.

The only good thing you can say for Illinois (if one feels the need to do so) is that Meyers Leonard was virtually unstoppable. Of course, for a lot of the game, he was guarded by seldom used Freshman Amir Williams because of Sullingers foul trouble.

Speaking of…

Nah. Not worth it. Everyone has their own opinion. J.J. Sullinger, Jared’s older brother and former Buckeye shooty hooper, certainly has his. He made this observation on his twitter account:

“terrible!!!! 1.) You let Sully get beat up on all game every game and 2.) the first time someone gets hit, you call a flagrant?!?”

That was the edited version.

I agree though.

Nonetheless, the Buckeyes showed some tough resolve tonight. It could be a corner which they are turning. They looked like a team tonight, not a bunch of individuals playing basketball.

Which is the way Big Ten champions look.

*I forgot to mention someone… oh, yeah, Brandon Paul. That’s because he wasn’t a factor. He had 9 points, 5 of those from the charity stripe. Which makes his outburst in the first game even more of a mirage.