Buckeye Blogger NetworkSpring is finally in the air. Baseball season is underway. Saturday is the annual Scarlet and Grey game. Basketball has crowned its national champion. It’s Wednesday, let’s rumble!
Buckeye football
We’ve hit the stretch run of spring football and the Scarlet and Grey game is being held this Saturday at Cincinnati’s Paul Brown Brown Stadium. The game starts at 1pm and you can hear it live on the flagship station for Buckeye sports 97.1FM or www.971thefan.com It will be shown on the Big Ten Network at 7pm Saturday night.
Braxton Miller
Student Appreciation Day
One of the highlights of the 2012 spring camp was the first ever Student Appreciation Day at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. Don’t be cynical, the name implies exactly what it is: a chance for the football team to allow unprecedented access to the students who make up the body of this great university and support it so vehemently on Saturday’s in Ohio Stadium and even on the road in opposing dojos. Read More
Junior Deshaun Thomas has elected to forgo his senior season at Ohio State and become eligible for the NBA Draft. The 6’7″ forward averaged 14.4 points per game as a Buckeye, scoring 1630 points in three years, while averaging 5 rebounds per game, and shooting nearly 48 % from the field. 
A native of Fort Wayne, Indiana — Thomas is considered by many as a first round draft pick. Well known for his offensive production, Thomas put Ohio State on his back at points during his junior season. Averaging just under 20 points per game and starting in all 37 games played this season.
And when it mattered most in his Ohio State career, he stepped it up. Thomas is the second all time leading scorer in Buckeye tournament history. His 62 tournament rebounds are also fourth all-time in school history.
In a prepared release by the Ohio State Communications department, Thad Matta talked about Deshaun’s development as a player the last three years.
To see Deshaun grow into the man he has become has been amazing. His accomplishments on the floor speak for themselves but I am just as proud of him and what he has done off the floor. We recruited him offering the opportunity to grow as a person and player and that is exactly what happened. I know there is much more in-store for him in the future and I am proud to have been able to coach him.
Thomas will spend time between Columbus and Indianapolis preparing for the NBA Draft.
Andy Coppens and I are at it again folks. Throwing rocks at the Minnesota athletic department, and raving about Tom Crean’s horrible hairdo…. or execution… one of the two.
If I was on my A game, we would of touched on both.
Thanks to Andy for having me on again, make sure you check out all of his hard work at The B1G Time. He is putting in the hours, and his work is as solid as the conference he covers.
On this week’s show, we preview the final four. Will Michigan have what it takes to get to the title game? We also look back at the Elite 8 losses Ohio State and Indiana suffered from the weekend. We also break down the latest transfer news from Illinois, break down Chris Collins’ hiring at Northwestern, and take a look at who are possible remaining candidates for the open Minnesota job.
As always, thanks for listening! And now you can find The B1g Time Podcast on Itunes!
Some weekend, eh? Grab your coffee and let’s get right to it.
Men’s Basketball
A week that started out fairly well, then crashed and burned. In the NCAA’s, they’ve managed to dust Iowa State 78-75, Arizona 73-70 and then fell flat against Wichita State 66-70. I don’t have much to add to the fine recaps, above, however you can bet that after some musing on my part, I’ll have something to say next week. It seemed that Thad was pushing the right buttons and the team responded in the first two games. On Saturday, things were pretty disjointed. I’d hoped the 2nd half effort against Arizona would carry into the WSU game, but alas, no. Although the offense gott significant points from senior junior DeShaun Thomas and LQR, that was it, unfortunately.
General Thoughts
I hate to do this, but let’s start with a definition: to dislike intensely or passionately; feel extreme aversion for or extreme hostility toward; detest: to hate the enemy. Read More
The Buckeyes have advanced to their fourth straight Sweet 16 and look to continue hitting their stride in the city of angels tomorrow night against Arizona. Spring football practice has reconvened. The Big Ten has 4 of the 16 teams still vying for the Final Four. It’s Wednesday, let’s rumble!
He’s Crafty
The range of emotions regarding feelings toward Buckeye point guard Aaron Craft hit the highest of highs and the lowest of lows during Sunday’s 3rd round matchup with Iowa State. The nations best defender was on his game, went through a folly of errors, missed the front ends of two one-and-one free throw attempts, then made the games two biggest defensive plays, drove in for a layup and finally proceeded to drop a bomb to seal the deal.
“Smooth Criminal” Craft gets the last word on Georges Niang
The Big Ten tournament is in the books and our beloved Buckeyes have won it all. On a roll to close the regular season the Bucks swept into Chicago and took care of Nebraska, Michigan State and Wisconsin to claim the crown. We’ll discuss all things hoops, it’s Wednesday, let’s rumble!
Big Ten tournament CHAMPIONS
B1G Tournament
Another Big Ten tournament has come and gone. Many expected the 2013 version to be a knock down, drag out brawl. Did it live up to the hype and expectations?
Thank you, thank you very much..
I present to you, your Big Ten Tournament Champions.. The Ohio State Buckeyes!
First, I hope that everyone had an enjoyable St. Paddy’s Day. Now, on to the game.
OSU began the game with good ball movement, being more selective and efficient with their shooting than in the previous game against Michigan State. Through the first eight minutes, OSU was up 13-8 lead fueled by 6-10 FGs, still no trey attempts. Much better movement through the paint, not settling for perimeter hoists. At the mid point of the 1st half, OSU led 13-10 then things went not-so-well. The Badgers went on a 14-0 tear, abetted by poor OSU shooting. A Sam Thompson field goal ended a nearly 5 minute drought. Wisconsin’s offensive approach of positioning players on perimeter for penetration, ball swing catch & shoots was seemingly working.
Fortunately the Buckeyes mounted a bit of a late half surge to move deficit from 15-24 to 23-24, keyed by 6 points by DeShaun Thomas via going to basket and hitting jumpers. OSU couldn’t sustain their initial hot hand, cooling off to 37% from the field, dragged down by 0-5 from 3′s. Ugh. Two bright spots were; DeShaun found the range in last few minutes of half and Amir Williams was 3-4 from the foul line. That’s not a typo.
Second half was initially back & forth, forth & back, neither team able to make any sustained runs through the first 9 minutes of play, score tied at 35 apiece. At the under-4 timeout, the Buckeyes pulled to a 45-41 lead, driven by a lot of energy at both end of the floor, particularly at the defensive end. The small, fast lineup seems to have it’s place.
Winner takes all..
School: University of Wisconsin – Madison
Location: Madison, WI
Founded: 1848
Student Population: 42,595 total, 28,897 undergrad
School Type: Public
Stadium: Kohl Center (you’re welcome)
Seating: 17,230
Opened: 1998
Head Coach: William Francis ‘Bo’ Ryan, Jr.
Experience: 12nd year
