Saturday, March 24, 2007
1st HALF: OSU 41 MEMPHIS 38
By John Chandler
Jeremy Hunt is heating up, canning a three from the right win to put Memphis up 20-17 with just under 9:00 to play.
Foul Play
Robert Dozier is whistled for travelling. Wow, that might be the first walking call I've seen in any of Ohio State's games so far. Don't quote me on that, though.
While I'm on that subject, what is it about sports that requires constant whining about officials? In Friday's interview session, Greg Oden took a thinly veiled shot at the stripes, and their perceived propensity for blowing the whistle on him. Granted, he may have a point, but it's a point I'd much rather hear from the mouth of coach Thad Matta. And I'm sure the referees would, too.
David Lighty just did a stupid thing. His shot from the left baseline was rejected, and after he lost the loose ball, he lost his temper with a quick foul. Right in front of the zebras, too. How do you expect them to swallow their whistles with that kind of stuff?
5:10, 1st half: OSU 29, Memphis 26... Another Hunt three draws a response from Jamar Butler. Ohio State should be careful not to fall into the trap that Tennessee's three point shooting laid for them on Thursday. Several players told me they felt caught up in a battle of three's in that first half. The way Hunt's firing them, that's not a wise idea.
Lighy's Fire
The more I watch David Lighty, the more I see a blossoming college player. A superstar? Maybe not. But a valuable commodity on any Division I lineup, for sure. He hustles, skying for an offensive reboundlate the first half and drawing a foul... then a few minutes later, following that up by freeing himself in the lane for an offensive tip-in and a 32-28 Ohio State lead.
Coach Matta does not seem the least bit afraid to use Lighty in pressure situations, like the final minutes of the win over Tennessee.
The kid's a smart player, going back to his high school days at Villa Angela St. Joseph's. I mean, there's a reason coaches like Matta and Florida's Billy Donovan spent some quality time in Cleveland.
Stretch Time
* Ron Lewis hits a three from the top of the key for a 37-30 lead. How comfortable is the senior playing in the March spotlight?
* Chris Douglas-Roberts made perhaps the play of the first half, exploding to the basket in a heartbeat for a two-handed dunk. He moved so fast that he swayed to his left as he grabbed onto the rim with both hands for the jam. That's speed.
* A quick Mike Conley bucket in transition had John Calipari stomping and screaming, nearly to halfcourt. His likely message: A little defense, please? Momentum is a two-way street.
* Willie Kemp's pair of three's have the Tigers hanging around, 41-38.
HALFTIME: OSU 41 MEMPHIS 38... No Buckeye letdown, now there can't be any letup after the break.
Jeremy Hunt is heating up, canning a three from the right win to put Memphis up 20-17 with just under 9:00 to play.
Foul Play
Robert Dozier is whistled for travelling. Wow, that might be the first walking call I've seen in any of Ohio State's games so far. Don't quote me on that, though.
While I'm on that subject, what is it about sports that requires constant whining about officials? In Friday's interview session, Greg Oden took a thinly veiled shot at the stripes, and their perceived propensity for blowing the whistle on him. Granted, he may have a point, but it's a point I'd much rather hear from the mouth of coach Thad Matta. And I'm sure the referees would, too.
David Lighty just did a stupid thing. His shot from the left baseline was rejected, and after he lost the loose ball, he lost his temper with a quick foul. Right in front of the zebras, too. How do you expect them to swallow their whistles with that kind of stuff?
5:10, 1st half: OSU 29, Memphis 26... Another Hunt three draws a response from Jamar Butler. Ohio State should be careful not to fall into the trap that Tennessee's three point shooting laid for them on Thursday. Several players told me they felt caught up in a battle of three's in that first half. The way Hunt's firing them, that's not a wise idea.
Lighy's Fire
The more I watch David Lighty, the more I see a blossoming college player. A superstar? Maybe not. But a valuable commodity on any Division I lineup, for sure. He hustles, skying for an offensive reboundlate the first half and drawing a foul... then a few minutes later, following that up by freeing himself in the lane for an offensive tip-in and a 32-28 Ohio State lead.
Coach Matta does not seem the least bit afraid to use Lighty in pressure situations, like the final minutes of the win over Tennessee.
The kid's a smart player, going back to his high school days at Villa Angela St. Joseph's. I mean, there's a reason coaches like Matta and Florida's Billy Donovan spent some quality time in Cleveland.
Stretch Time
* Ron Lewis hits a three from the top of the key for a 37-30 lead. How comfortable is the senior playing in the March spotlight?
* Chris Douglas-Roberts made perhaps the play of the first half, exploding to the basket in a heartbeat for a two-handed dunk. He moved so fast that he swayed to his left as he grabbed onto the rim with both hands for the jam. That's speed.
* A quick Mike Conley bucket in transition had John Calipari stomping and screaming, nearly to halfcourt. His likely message: A little defense, please? Momentum is a two-way street.
* Willie Kemp's pair of three's have the Tigers hanging around, 41-38.
HALFTIME: OSU 41 MEMPHIS 38... No Buckeye letdown, now there can't be any letup after the break.
Posted at 2:02 PM
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