Buckeye Wednesday

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Ohio State Head Coach Thad Matta said Tuesday that the Big Ten has become a “pick-and-roll” league.
Teams like Iowa, Northwestern and Penn State look to hold the ball and limit possessions in an attempt to level the playing field (or court) with more talented teams like OSU, Michigan State and Illinois.
Even Wisconsin likes to slow things down to a pace that results in outcomes like their 54-48 win over Michigan earlier this season, but not everyone in the Big Ten is content with low scoring basketball games.
Although they are just 9-13 on the season with a 3-7 record in conference play, Indiana will look to push the tempo Wednesday night as they welcome the 13th-ranked Buckeyes to Assembly Hall in Bloomington (6:30 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network).
“They’re a team that tries to get the ball out in transition, which we like to do as well. It will be a little bit opposite of what we’ve played against the last couple games,” Matta said.
“Trying to get our guys ready for transition has been fun for them.”
The Buckeyes (18-6, 8-3 Big Ten) are coming off a 68-58 win over Iowa Sunday in Columbus but are only two games removed from hanging an in-conference season-high 85 points on Minnesota in a 22-point victory over the Gophers.
They are second in the conference in scoring defense at 60.8 points allowed this season, but captain David Lighty said the Buckeyes would prefer to get out and run on offense.
“I don’t know about Dallas (Lauderdale), but I do,” Lighty said in reference to his larger, less mobile teammate who was positioned to his right during interviews Tuesday.
“I like to get up and down. He might get a little tired, but we like to get up and down. We like to run, that’s what we do.”
Because of that, Matta said he expects to use more of Jeremie Simmons and P.J. Hill off the bench Wednesday in a game that will feature more possessions and more running than many of the team’s recent contests.
The Buckeyes racked up 79 points on the Hoosiers in their last meeting back on Jan. 6. It was Evan Turner’s first game back from injury, but it was Jon Diebler (21) and William Buford (16) who did the bulk of the scoring for Ohio State in their 25-point win in Columbus.
Although they won that game easily despite only eight points from Turner in 20 minutes, Matta warned his team to expect a different Indiana team when they face Tom Crean’s group the second time around.
“Indiana is a team that is obviously playing great basketball at home. They’ve got certain guys that in their wins at home have made significant threes,” Matta said of a team that beat Minnesota 81-78 in overtime in Bloomington back on Jan. 17.
“As the season goes on every team gets better. They’re not the team you played the first time so you have to watch the film and listen to what coach tells you. Be ready to attack them and not let them attack you,” Lighty added.
Despite being ninth place in the conference standings, Indiana is sixth in the Big Ten in scoring at 69.4 points per game this season. That number would be even higher if the Hoosiers weren’t ninth in field goal percentage (.425) and last in assist-to-turnover ratio. They are shooting nearly 35 percent from behind the arc as a team this season, the sixth best percentage in the Big Ten, and they gave the Buckeyes a battle last year in Bloomington.
“I expect them to come out ready and attack us. Last year it was a shootout. I wish I got to play that game,” said Lighty, who missed the entire Big Ten season with a broken foot.
“It was high-pace, a lot of possessions, a lot of points being scored. They play pretty well at home, so I expect them to come out with a lot of energy so we’ve got to be ready.”
Ohio State won that game a year ago 93-81 thanks to 29 points from Turner, 24 from Buford and 21 from Diebler, but they trailed 39-37 at the half before outscoring the Hoosiers 56-42 in the second half.
Asked if playing in an arena with as a rich a history as Assembly Hall would have any effect on the Buckeyes, Lighty called it “just another gym” and Lauderdale said, “Maybe my freshman year I was in awe, but I’m going in there like I’ve got a job to get done and that’s what I’m going to do.”
As for Matta, he had a different perspective on those championship banners hanging in the rafters.
“I don’t honestly look around when the game gets going, but I think the great thing you have there is the banners hanging in there, an Ohio State graduate put them in there,” he said in reference to former Indiana coach Bob Knight, who played for the Buckeyes on their 1960 national championship team.



Tide, Buckeyes, Broncos set for '10 run
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College football's underclassmen have declared for the NFL draft. Incoming prospects have signed their national letters of intent.
There's no better time to update the Way-Too-Early Top 25 for 2010.
Say hello to North Carolina and BYU, which weren't included in the original top 25 released on Jan. 8, the day after Alabama defeated Texas 37-21 in the BCS National Championship Game at the Rose Bowl.
Say goodbye to Stanford and Navy, which could very well return to the top 25 when we revise it again before the start of the 2010 season in September.
Georgia Tech, which lost four of its best juniors to the NFL draft, moved down the poll. Florida State, which signed one of the country's best recruiting classes under new coach Jimbo Fisher, moved up.
Here's a revised look at the best teams in the country for the upcoming season:

1. Alabama Crimson Tide Alabama, the defending BCS national champion, will have plenty of holes to fill before it kicks off the 2010 season against San Jose State at home on Sept. 4. But Tide coach Nick Saban has stockpiled talent the past three seasons and signed a third straight top-three recruiting class this year. Most of the Tide's offensive firepower is coming back, including quarterback Greg McElroy, receiver Julio Jones and Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram. Two starting offensive linemen will have to be replaced, but left tackle James Carpenter might be a future NFL star.
The defense will have to be rebuilt, but there might not be a better defensive architect than Saban. He was able to persuade defensive coordinator Kirby Smart not to leave for Georgia, his alma mater, and that will help in the rebuilding process. The entire defensive line will have to be replaced, along with two linebackers and three defensive backs. Cornerback Kareem Jackson and All-American linebacker Rolando McClain left for the NFL draft. Incoming freshman cornerbacks DeMarcus Milliner and John Fulton and defensive ends Adrian Hubbard and Alfy Hill might have to contribute right away. Linebacker Dont'a Hightower's return from a knee injury will help.

2.Ohio State Buckeyes Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel can only hope quarterback Terrelle Pryor turned the corner with his performance in a 26-17 victory over Oregon in the Rose Bowl. Entering his third season, Pryor is still trying to live up to the hype that made him the country's top high school QB prospect. The good news: Four starters will be back on the offensive line. The Buckeyes will have to replace left tackle Jim Cordle, and junior Mike Adams will be the top candidate to protect Pryor's blind side entering spring practice. Three tailbacks will compete for the starting job, including heralded freshman Jaamal Berry, who missed all of last season because of a hamstring injury.
Six starters, including five seniors, are returning on defense. Junior end Thaddeus Gibson entered the NFL draft, but getting Cameron Heyward to come back to school was a major coup. Incoming freshman Christian Bryant might be able to help in the secondary right away.

3. Boise State Broncos The Broncos beat TCU 17-10 in the Fiesta Bowl to finish the 2009 season unbeaten, but their biggest victory might have been keeping coach Chris Petersen around for another season. And if Petersen hasn't left for a bigger school by now, he just might retire at Boise State.
The Broncos will bring back 21 of 22 starters on offense and defense in 2010, but they'll have to replace defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox, who left for the same position at Tennessee. Petersen promoted defensive-line coach Pete Kwiatkowski to replace Wilcox. Quarterback Kellen Moore will enter the season as a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate after throwing for 3,536 yards with 39 touchdowns and only three interceptions last season.
The only starter leaving on defense is Kyle Wilson, one of the best cornerbacks in the country. All five starters are back on the offensive line, which allowed the fewest sacks in the country last season.
Boise State's schedule gets much tougher in 2010, as it opens the season against Virginia Tech on Labor Day night at FedEx Field in Landover, Md., and hosts Oregon State on the blue turf on Sept. 25.

4. Oregon Ducks With Pete Carroll leaving USC to coach the NFL's Seattle Seahawks, Oregon might be in position to become king of the Pac-10. The Ducks' loss to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl momentarily put the brakes on coach Chip Kelly's early momentum, but it picked up again after he signed what was being called the best recruiting class in school history.
Oregon returns all but three starters from last season, including quarterback Jeremiah Masoli and tailback LaMichael James. Kelly signed three running backs from Texas to help James carry the load, with senior LeGarrette Blount departing. Starting defensive linemen Will Tukuafu and Blake Ferras departed, but the Ducks signed junior college transfer Isaac Remington and freshman Ricky Heimuli to help replace them.
Oregon's schedule isn't especially difficult, with nonconference games against New Mexico (home), Tennessee (road) and Football Championship Subdivision opponent Portland State (home). The Pac-10 schedule includes road games at Arizona State, USC, Cal and Oregon State.

5. Virginia Tech Hokies Much like Ohio State, Virginia Tech's fortunes in 2010 might depend on the development of its quarterback. Like Pryor, Tyrod Taylor has repeatedly hurt opponents with his feet, but he also has struggled at times with his passing accuracy. Entering his senior season, Taylor should have a much better grasp of Tech's offense. He'll have plenty of help in the backfield with two 1,000-yard runners returning. Sophomore Ryan Williams ran for a school-record 1,655 yards last season; sophomore Darren Evans ran for 1,265 yards as a freshman in 2008. Evans missed all of last season with a knee injury.
Tech will have to rebuild its defense after losing seven starters, but coordinator Bud Foster has never had problems filling holes. End Jason Worilds, who entered the NFL draft as a junior, will have to be replaced, as will linebacker Cody Grimm and safety Kam Chancellor. Incoming freshman Nick Dew and Theron Norman might be asked to help immediately.
Tech opens the season against Boise State and then plays a very difficult three-game stretch in November: Georgia Tech at home, followed by road games at North Carolina and Miami.

6. Texas Longhorns The Longhorns will have to replace a lot of firepower in 2010, including record-setting quarterback Colt McCoy and receiver Jordan Shipley. But as long as coach Mack Brown keeps recruiting top-five classes, Texas should have little trouble filling holes.

Sophomore quarterback Garrett Gilbert gave Texas fans reason to hope for big thingsin 2010 with his performance in the Longhorns' loss to Alabama in the BCS National Championship Game. Forced into action after McCoy injured his throwing shoulder, Gilbert played surprisingly well after getting only spot duty during the regular season. Offensive coordinator Greg Davis will have to find a running game to keep pressure off Gilbert this coming season, and incoming freshman receivers Mike Davis and Darius White might be able to play right away.
Defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, who is Brown's coach-in-waiting, will have seven starters back. Safety Earl Thomas turned pro, and end Sergio Kindle and tackle Lamarr Houston also departed. Texas' No. 2-ranked recruiting class includes highly regarded end Jackson Jeffcoat, linebacker Jordan Hicks and tackles Taylor Bible and Ashton Dorsey.

7. Nebraska Cornhuskers Do you think Nebraska fans are excited about the direction of the program under coach Bo Pelini? More than 50,000 tickets already have been sold for the April 17 spring game. Big Red has good reason to be jacked for 2010. Don't be surprised if you see a Texas-Nebraska rematch in the Big 12 Championship Game in early December.
The Cornhuskers will have to replace defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, who was probably the best player in the country last season, along with four other starters on defense. But Pelini has Nebraska playing "Blackshirt" defense again. Ten starters are expected back on offense, but the Cornhuskers have to improve after finishing 101st in the country in passing (175.7 yards per game) and 99th in total offense (322.7 yards) last season. Quarterback Zac Lee played better in Nebraska's 33-0 rout of Arizona in the Holiday Bowl, but he was inconsistent throughout the 2009 season.
Nebraska's nonconference schedule is really soft except for a Sept. 18 road game at Washington. In Big 12 play, the Cornhuskers will face Texas at home on Oct. 16 and make road trips to Oklahoma State and Texas A&M.

8. TCU Horned Frogs Fresh off a 12-1 season, with the only loss coming against Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl, TCU should be armed for another run at a BCS bowl game in 2010. The Horned Frogs will bring back nine starters on offense, including quarterback Andy Dalton. Left tackle Marshall Newhouse and tailback Joseph Turner will have to be replaced, and coach Gary Patterson signed a couple of heralded tailback prospects to help fill the void.
TCU lost only four starters on defense, but all of them were significant departures. Pass-rushing end Jerry Hughes, linebacker Daryl Washington and cornerbacks Nick Sanders and Rafael Priest were the heart and soul of one of the country's stingiest defenses. The Horned Frogs signed six defensive backs in their recruiting class.

9. Wisconsin Badgers The Badgers seemed to turn the corner under coach Bret Bielema last season, and he was rewarded with a one-year extension that would take him through the 2015 season. The Badgers finished 10-3 in 2009 and beat Miami 20-14 in the Champs Sports Bowl.
Wisconsin should be good enough to challenge Ohio State in the Big Ten this coming season, especially with quarterback Scott Tolzien playing so well down the stretch. If the Badgers have lacked anything during Bielema's tenure, it was consistent quarterback play. It won't hurt Tolzien that tailback John Clay and eight other starters on offense are returning to the team, too. Five starters are leaving the defense, including linebacker Jaevery McFadden and safety Chris Maragos. The heaviest losses were on the interior defensive line, so Bielema signed three defensive tackles in his recruiting class.
The Badgers get a break in the Big Ten schedule, as they won't play Penn State this season. They'll face Ohio State at home on Oct. 16 and play road games at Michigan State and Iowa.

10. Florida Gators So what if half the Gators are leaving for the NFL draft and coach Urban Meyer is on a self-imposed leave of absence? With the country's No. 1 recruiting class on board, the Gators should again be the favorites in the SEC East.
Florida looks to be equipped to handle the heavy personnel losses, which included five juniors (defensive end Carlos Dunlap, cornerback Joe Haden, tight end Aaron Hernandez, center Maurkice Pouncey and safety Major Wright) leaving for the NFL draft. Throw in the losses of all-everything quarterback Tim Tebow and star linebacker Brandon Spikes, and it's no wonder Meyer needed a break. But quarterback John Brantley is a more polished passer than Tebow and might make the Gators more explosive.
Florida's coaches were really excited about freshman receiver Andre Debose this past fall until he tore his hamstring during preseason camp. Incoming freshman Mack Brown might be the tailback the Gators have sorely lacked during Meyer's tenure.
The Gators are still searching for a defensive coordinator, after Charlie Strong was hired as Louisville's coach. Meyer hired NFL assistant George Edwards, but he left shortly after he was hired to become defensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills.



Best and Worst of College Basketball Towns according to Pat FordeBIG TEN
Best Town: Madison (17).
Comment: "As cosmopolitan as any Midwestern town could hope to be. Mad City, by reputation and reality. And the people take on the personality of coach Bo Ryan -- with a smirk and a half-smile as if you say, 'What, you doubt us?'"
Also receiving votes: Minneapolis, State College, Ann Arbor, Indianapolis (for the Big Ten tourney).
Worst Town: Champaign (18).
Comment: "Champaign has never done anything for me. It's flat and has no natural selling point -- no river or hills or lake or, well, anything."
Also receiving votes: West Lafayette, Bloomington, Columbus, State College.
Best Basketball Town: Bloomington (19).
Comment: "No one else in the league is as year-round hoops-centric -- yeah, thanks in part to the lack of football presence. Game-day atmosphere is great everywhere -- in town, on campus, in the arena. Assembly Hall has its flaws, but the banners bring home the tradition."
Also receiving votes: East Lansing.
Worst Basketball Town: State College (20).
Comment: "No one cares unless they're good ... and they're never good."
Also receiving votes: Iowa City.


Projected Brackets according to www.si.com
MIDWEST - Saint Louis

Oklahoma City

1 Kansas
16 Arkansas State (Sun Belt)


8 Xavier
9 Maryland


Spokane

5 Vanderbilt
12 Old Dominion


4 New Mexico (Mountain West)
13 Oakland (Summit)


New Orleans

6 Georgia Tech
11 Dayton


3 Wisconsin
14 Pacific (Big West)


Jacksonville

7 Missouri
10 UTEP (Conference USA)


2 West Virginia
15 Sam Houston State (Southland)
SOUTH - Houston

Milwaukee

1 Kentucky
16 Robert Morris (Northeast)


8 Richmond
9 Illinois


San Jose

5 Texas A&M
12 Siena (MAAC)


4 Wake Forest
13 Kent State (MAC)


New Orleans

6 UNLV
11 UAB


3 Ohio State
14 Weber State (Big Sky)


Providence

7 Butler (Horizon)
10 Florida State


2 Georgetown
15 Jacksonville (Atlantic Sun)
EAST - Syracuse

Providence

1 Villanova
16 Stony Brook (America East)


8 California (Pac-10)
9 Cornell (Ivy)


Spokane

5 Temple
12 Oklahoma State


4 Tennessee
13 Northeastern (Colonial)


Buffalo

6 Pittsburgh
11 Clemson


3 Michigan State
14 College of Charleston (SoCon)


Oklahoma City

7 Northern Iowa (Missouri Valley)
10 Saint Mary's


2 Kansas State
15 Morgan State (MEAC)
WEST - Salt Lake City

Buffalo

1 Syracuse
16 Jackson State (SWAC)/Lehigh (Patriot)


8 Rhode Island
9 Florida


San Jose

5 BYU
12 Virginia Tech


4 Texas
13 Utah State (WAC)


Jacksonville

6 Gonzaga (West Coast)
11 Mississippi


3 Duke
14 Murray State (Ohio Valley)


Milwaukee

7 Baylor
10 Charlotte


2 Purdue
15 Coastal Carolina (Big South)

Clarett files motion asking for release
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Former Ohio State football star Maurice Clarett is again seeking early release from prison.
Clarett, who scored the winning touchdown for the Buckeyes in the 2002 national championship game, has filed a motion asking a judge to release him. No court date has been set.
Clarett withdrew a similar request filed with the Ohio Parole Board last year. He's hoping to pursue a professional football career.
Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien said Tuesday he'll wait for a prison report on Clarett's conduct before deciding whether to support or oppose early release.
Clarett pleaded guilty in September 2006 to having a hidden gun in his SUV and holding up two people outside a Columbus bar in a separate case. He was sentenced to 7½ years in prison, with possible release in 3½ years

Big Ten
Team Conference Overall Home Away
W L Pct. W L Pct. Streak W L W L
Michigan St. 9 3 .750 19 6 .760 Lost 3 13 1 6 5
Illinois 9 3 .750 17 8 .680 Won 5 12 1 5 7
Purdue 8 3 .727 20 3 .870 Won 6 12 1 8 2
Ohio St. 8 3 .727 18 6 .750 Won 4 15 0 3 6
Wisconsin 8 4 .667 18 6 .750 Lost 1 13 1 5 5
Minnesota 5 5 .500 14 8 .636 Won 1 11 1 3 7
Northwestern 5 6 .455 16 7 .696 Won 2 12 3 4 4
Michigan 4 7 .364 11 12 .478 Lost 2 9 4 2 8
Indiana 3 7 .300 9 13 .409 Lost 4 7 6 2 7
Iowa 2 9 .182 8 16 .333 Lost 4 7 8 1 8
Penn St. 0 11 .000 8 15 .348 Lost 11 6 6 2 9