Chokecity USA!!! How did they ever blow that game??? ( but thanks..keeps me going in contest!) :shock: :shock: jif
If the kid makes both his free throws, then the 3pt shot at the other end is meaningless. But it was a great comeback by Ohio State, they really took over in OT. Sometimes a game like this is just what a tourney team needs to really get them on a roll. Terry
Big O is definitely a force..but he has a lot to learn still. Im not sure I want him a Celtic just yet. jif
Not to mention doing a good job to get in place for that free throw miss to make a difference, and a great job to hit that three to tie with three seconds left. Oden is/will be a great player, I think, but there have been multiple games this year when I kind of felt we were better when he was sitting out for whatever reason.
Oden was really flustrated today. Xavier players were keying on him and he really looked tired, even early in the game? No question we were very fortunate to win this afternoon, but I will take the win. We had some serious matchup problems. Mike Conley was the difference in the OT period. Don
One question, should the foul on Oden that fouled him out been a flagrant foul? He did literally push the X out of bounds to the ground? It'd been a tough call to make for sure. Also I thought the play of the game really for OSU was stealing the inbounds pass after you hit a big 3 in the last minute of the game. You scored off that as well, 6 point play. That was really the play of the game.
Terry, Players were being knocked around like flys. Lighty was fouled and no call. A player had his arm locked around Oden and he ultimately shoved the player. Could have gone either way. As I said earlier, he was really flustrated by all the holding. Don
That's basketball, Don. In my opinion Oden would be well served to stay in Columbus at least another year, possibly two. He has a long way to go. I'm also certain he'll leave.
Don, it didn't cause X to lose, the guy missing the backend of the 2 shot foul did that, there certainly was a lot of action on that play but it was so obvious when Oden shoved the X player to the ground. I think the officals declined to call the flagrant because Oden was fouling out and it would have sealed the game for X and they didn't want to decide the game, let the players do that.
The foul definitely warranted ejection. At the very least an intentional foul. The refs wussed out. I'm an Oden fan, but he hurt his team yesterday. He didn't show up and lost his cool at the end. And his coach's whining about him being held also is an unhealthy distraction. If it was true, fouls would be called. Get tough and deal with it.
I'm not making a call one way or the other on the Oden foul, but I will point out that the officials have been "letting them play" on the inside around the nation for the entire tournament. If you don't like it physical, don't watch. I hate ticky-tack fouls, so this style makes for a better game in my mind(as long as it's called equally on each end).
Yeah I'd agree that they are letting them play and in general I like it better when they let them play.
Hell, the best Ohio State looked the whole game was when Oden was out. He's is a diamond in the rough and his team mates don't quite know how to play with him yet.
I just re-read my earlier assessment of Oden's foul, and I think I was too harsh. I don't think he should have been ejected. I agree with Scott that the refs correctly are allowing them to play in the paint. I wonder if the hard play is something that he hasn't experienced to this point and it frustrated him and caused his coach to complain about the "holding." I also agree with George that he could use another year at the college level but that he likely will come out.
George & Sid, I too think another year of college experience would be to Oden's advantage. He tends to be a bit timid at times for his size, but he is improving and being more aggresive, As to the holding situation, he has been held unmercifully through the Big Ten season. The officials seem to think he is fair game and that is what has Matta upset. Don
George, you have it exactly right. Don, pardon me for repeating myself but I had to laugh when a sportswriter here said that he hadn't seen an Ohio State player grabbed that much since Troy Smith in the BCS Championship Game. :shock:
When you are that big, and they are trying to defend you, there is going to be a lot of contact...and it's tough to call. There will be a lot of calls that "could go either way" and it just depends on whose side your on. :wink: