The Front Row

This is a tough matchup especially for Smith Jr. versus Hollins. Hollins will have a career game versus LSJ from the three ball line. Mbakwe will have a huge game versus Amir "Plays like a Midget Under the Rim" Williams. Williams will get fouled out of the game. 0 points, 0 rebounds, in like ten minutes of playing time. This OSU sophomore class is a total joke! Every time I look at Scott, Williams, Thompson and Ross, it makes me look at the other players we could have had like Burke, Payne, White and so onthis roster. OSU should win this game but OSU hasn't been the same since they played Michigan! This OSU team is mentally and physically weak!

Matta's won five Big Ten titles, several Big Ten Tournament titles, Two Final Fours. This sophomore class is a joke. It wouldn't have made any difference if Williams played last year. He isn't any good. He is a flat out bust for a McDonald's All-American. 0 points, 0 rebounds and nine minutes of play versus a slow Wisconsin team is weak. The IU game makes it even worse for him. Ross cannot guard quicker forwards and guards. Ross makes alot of boneheaded mistakes on the court. He's got potential but he is a four year player. Thompson is a one dimensional player who dunks the ball plus he doesn't listen to his coach. Look at the Wisconsin game! Scott can move and he is a decent defender but he cannot score on layups, make shots or do anything else. Trey Burke, I am sorry this Buckeye staff should have picked you along with Payne. If anything I question these new assistant coaches ability to evaluate talent. P.S. DT needs another season to get his degree and develop more efficiency shooting the basketball and getting better guarding quicker forwards and guards. No post player means no chance for OSU next season. You had better hope than Loving and Kameron Williams can play the game for Craft to feed them the ball.
Ohio State hasn't been the same since they lost to michigan in Ann Arbor. You can give Scott, Thompson, Willams and Ross all the time to develop and they won't do anything in a Buckeye uniform.

It's hard to believe the team felt embarrassed--they were embarrassed by Wisconsin, but the players didn't act like they felt embarrassed. Something is lacking in this team's chemistry, and it is clear that they do not have collective pride in their team. I hope that they prove me wrong, but I see a poor attitude--when there is lack of effort on defense, it's simply a lack of will and desire.

I agree something is missing there with chemistry. Obvious with a team that is so inconsistent, cannot mentally be in the moment or prepared, and they do not give consistent effort. No togetherness out there....

I hope our guys watched the IU/Sparty game last night. Those are two teams playing together and with passion and purpose. Did you or anyone else see the Sparty players go back on D and smack the floor? That is a team that is in it together.....

We saw that against scUM......guys encouraging each other and picking up each other after hustle plays etc.

I have hear a lot of talk from the team being emabarrassed by their play...Sam Thompson stating that this team is "together". Those are just words to me. Tonight they need to show it. If they come out tonight flat......their are in a world of hurt.

I forgot the videos from Tuesday's interviews, I have added them now:

http://ohiostate.247sports.com/Article/We-have-preview-prediction-as-Ohio-State-hosts-Minnesota-117484

Do we have to watch??

Amir closer to Payne?.
What are you smoking? Payne is one helluva talent and can shoot threes, drive to the basket, rebound, and play awesome defense. He is more like a big guard instead of a power forward. I can't see Amir progressing beyond being able to catch the ball and being able to put it in the basket on occasion. His defense is another issue as he can be faked out with the slightest head fake. .
And Ross may develop enough to be a reliable scoring threat but he doesn't have close to the athleticism of DT who just about maximizes every ounce of talent he has. Ross just sort of floats toward the basket hoping that nobody sees him or confronts him. Having said that, you may still be right about Ross being the best player on the team after DT leaves. Lenzelle could be if he gets more hungry.
Not a pretty picture!
I hate to be negative but insufficient playing time is just not the problem.

Sometimes during a game, at halftime, or in the locker room, as a coach you have to do something to get your team going...bust a blackboard, throw a chair, toss a large water bottle across the room or something.....Matta needs to challenge these guy's manhood and shake they out of this current apathy or malese.....a few weeks ago the Iowa coach set up a Technical right in the middle of the game and his team rallied from a huge deficit to win the game, as I recall......when young men go out on a floor wearing the school colors with the school name, they are expected to"give all" for their team and school....obviously if they are playing a better team they man not always win, but they should not be "embarassed"..nor should their fans be who support them. It a sad state of affairs when all the fans want is "to get the season over".....that should never be the recipe here at Ohio State.