What We Learned: MSU 59, OSU 56

That last shot didn't lose the game. Matta not starting and playing the best 5 is what is costing us games vs good teams.

Sorry to say that I don't follow the BB Bucks enough to know which are the best five. I do know that of the players on the floor at that time, Scott ISN'T the guy to be taking the last shot of the game.

We outplayed the Spartans in the last 8 minutes but got screwed by the refs.One of many examples was when Craft had a clean steal and they called a foul and then Scott got a turnover and got hammered going up court which caused the ball to go out of bounds. The last play was ugly but at best it was a tie at that point. We lost it earlier when the refs were in the twight zone.

Wiskey vulnerable on the road? Sure did not appear that way against Indiana. Scott needs to handle the ball more than Craft, free throws were bound to catch up and Thomas need to shoot 25-30 times. Actually impressed the way tOSU came back but still can't seem to execute in the big close games.This game was ours to take.

Touche'.

Ross needs more minutes no doubt.

Ross is not one of our top 5 factoring in everything..at this point, but that last shot aside, I believe Scott is one of our best five overall players...we play with a different pace when he is in there...I think we need to play Craft and Scott together even more as the 1 & 2 (their defense, ballhandling, and speed are just awesome), we just need more scoring from our 3 & 5... I just don't see a lot of pts coming from the 5 spot unfortunately, so we need the 3 (Lenzelle, Thompson, or Ross needs to be that #2 scorer...probably combining for around 25-30 or so per game).

***keep your head up Shannon, learn and grow from this adversity just like you did from struggles last season...Buckeye fans are rooting for you.

Thomas not a lottery draft ? No one plays defense in the NBA ;) He's a beast - he was a beast in high school, he is a beast in college now. I mean, think about some of those shots he drained. Those are shots a great scorer can only make. The NBA like scorers. (And I would love to see him in a Boston Celtic uniform with Sully (wishful thinking I know - lol), Sully as a rookie is playing well and isn't even looking to score )

I know, I'm not on the 'Ross Bandwagon' - at least not this year. This kid needs another year - he's not comfortable, he plays worse defense than Thomas, he doesn't play smart - tonight he 'crashes the board' and runs over a MichSt player to get a dumb foul. Ross is about as much a work in progress as Williams. I'm not saying he doesn't have 'potential' - but 'potential' isn't a reality. Again, I think by next year Ross has to break starting lineup, but this year, until he rounds out his game, he is just a liability.

To Scott. He is playing 200% better than last year, but he is so far away from being a complete player. He can't shoot. He launches bricks. And who does Scott come in for? Smith.

Smith had a bad game. Smith hit one critical 3 at the end, but overall he turned the ball over, forced shots, and missed some important defense plays.

First half, the Buckeyes went back to their 'Illinois' offense. They are not effective in their half court sets. It's a shame, as in one set, Craft had a shot, wouldn't take it, next set, they had a force a shot.

I'm not a fan of having just one scorer - looks good on the stat sheet, but you have to play as a team. Thomas keeps this team in games, but this team is missing a good SG/SF that can score.

My complaint on the last shot would be - why is Thomas trailing the play. He should have been down court with mutiple picks being set so that he is primary option. Yes, everyone knows he is primary, but who else do you give the shot too ? So yes, bad play, Scott should have been told to come down and pass to Thomas.. Period.

Comment on Craft and Scott on floor at same time.

*if* we had a strong inside game, I'd agree. I don't know if I see Craft as the ideal SG . And Scott is definitely only a PG (who can't shoot).

That is issue. And you can't pull Craft because you need his defense.

So, if Craft and Scott are on the floor, and assuming Thomas is the main scorer, to make this scenario work, you need a SF who can score. Unfortunately, Sam Thompson isn't the score (at least right now). I feel he *can* be. But not sure he has the consistency to be reliable enough for Matta.

This is where the Ross conversation starts.

Either Thompson has to score, or Ross needs to play defense. In Matta's system, he needs Ross to rebound and defend (ala Thompson) in order to get him on the court.

I love Smith, but he is just been very inconsistent as a scorer, I never know if he is on or not.

So, summary, we can run a Scott/Craft lineup - but to do this, and take load off Thomas, we need our SF to score some points.

Hmm, he can't move his feet when someone dribbles by him, forcing everyone to play help defense.

Watch him move his feet, he is always a step behind.

It's obvious.

He can get better, I'm not saying that, but this season, he is a step behind on moving his feet, and when he learned to anticipate and move, he can start. But this is work in progress.

Agreed domon...Some watch the game and some just want to be right..Ross was playing decent in the first half on both ends of the court..But in some folks on here mind he was responsible for every point sparty scored when he was on the court..