Ohio State Buckeye Wednesday

Good Articles on the Buckeyes from different sites
www.espn.com, www.sportsline.com, www.si.com, www.theozone.net

10 Things We Learned From OSU’s Run to the Sweet 16
By Brandon Castel
www.theozone.net

MILWAUKEE—It was a big weekend for Thad Matta and the Ohio State basketball team. Probably the biggest weekend they have had in three years.
The No. 2-seed Buckeyes knocked off No. 15-seed UC Santa Barbara and No. 10-seed Georgia Tech in their opening two games of the NCAA Tournament, locking up a return trip to the Sweet 16 in St. Louis for the first time since 2007.

We take a look at 10 things we learned from the Bucks over the weekend.

10. William Buford is not quite ready for the next level. This is certainly not meant as an attack on Buford, because I think he is probably the second best all-around talent on the team behind Evan Turner. When it’s on, his jump shot is a thing of beauty, and he has really come along in the other areas of his game in year No. 2 at Ohio State. What I saw Sunday, however, was a player who looked like he could use one more year at the college level. Buford made silly mistakes in the early going and looked hesitant, if not scared, to do anything with the ball in his hands. Typically a player who hasn’t met a shot he doesn’t like, Buford passed up a couple of good looks against Georgia Tech. He finished with nine points and eight rebounds, but it’s hard to imagine an NBA team salivating over him just yet.


9. Dallas Lauderdale stepped up his game. Watch Lauderdale in Indianapolis last weekend, you would have though the 6-8 center had resorted back to his freshman or sophomore playing days where he could barely hang on to the ball, was often out of position and easily pump faked into cheap fouls. Coach Matta certainly took notice, as he opted to go with loads of Kyle Madsen down the stretch despite the fact OSU was battling for a Big Ten Tournament title. Dallas knew he didn’t play well (he totaled six points, nine rebounds and one block in three games) and vowed to make up for it in Milwaukee. He singly-handedly took care of that on the first night. He responded with 12 rebounds and eight blocks against Santa Barbara in one of the most dominant performances of his career. Two days later he stood toe-to-toe with Tech’s big men Gani Lawal and Derrick Favors, and not only did he hold his own defensively, but he managed to stay out of foul trouble while Lawal and Favors could not.

8. Thad Matta can coach ‘em up. Lauderdale was the one getting it done on the court, but let’s give credit where credit is due. Known as a marksman recruiter, Matta showed himself to be an excellent motivator over the weekend. After Lauderdale left his UCSB scouting report in the film room Thursday, Matta made a little visit to the junior big man’s hotel room. According to Dallas, Matta went old school on him, even threatening (jokingly) to hold his head under water until he got his head right and started playing better. He knows when to coddle Evan Turner and when to leave him alone and he has never lost faith in Jon Diebler, continually telling him to keep shooting even when the shots aren’t going in.

7. The Buckeyes have a dangerous press defense. Don’t believe me? Ask Georgia Tech why they couldn’t set up their offense in the first half against Ohio State. The Yellow Jackets had jumped out to an early 10-2 lead and held a 14-9 advantage when Thad Matta put the clamps on. The Buckeyes quickly tied things at 16 and went on to lead by two at the half thanks to 13 first-half turnovers by Tech.

6. Evan Turner is physically ready for the NBA, but maybe not mentally. Watching Turner play, it’s easy to see why NBA scouts and executives are touting him as a probable top two pick in the upcoming NBA draft. He’s long, athletic and tough. He’s unselfish, but knows when to take over a game, and he is a tremendous finisher around the rim. The only part of his game still being developed is his outside shooting, but watching him Friday night against UC Santa Barbara reminded me why these kids used to stay four years: because they’re kids. Evan Turner is not a grown man. He pouts when he gets angry. He wears his emotion on his sleeve, and it drives him to be great. When he’s getting the calls, he’s all smiles, but when the refs are swallowing their whistles he seems to get rattled. That certainly looked to be the case in his 2-for-13 shooting effort against the Gauchos. How else do you explain Matta pulling him, and only him, from the game with 3:30 to play?


5. This year’s team has the right mindset. Despite maybe not having his mind right Friday night, Turner seems to have the right idea about what it takes to win in the tournament. He said Sunday that it’s all about survival and that the tougher team will be the team left standing. He couldn’t be more right. In a year where high seeds are dropping like flies, the teams that have survived the madness have been the ones that were tougher on that day.

4. Jon Diebler will take and make big shots in big games. Can we put this argument to rest please? He might not be on every night, but the idea he can’t hit big shots in big games is getting a little outdated don’t you think?

3. Their lack of depth has not hurt the Buckeyes, even against deeper teams. If you were watching closely in the second half of OSU’s win over Georgia Tech, you saw one team that seemed to run out of steam. Their best player was huffing up and down the court, but it wasn’t the one in white. Despite playing only six guys for most of the year, the Buckeyes were the more energized team Sunday. The Yellow Jackets played 10 guys, eight of which saw double-digit minutes, but even that wasn’t enough to keep their guys as fresh as the OSU players. There might not be a better conditioned group in the country than Turner, Lighty, Diebler and William Buford.

2. David Lighty is the difference maker. The Buckeyes have won two Big Ten titles and advanced to the Sweet 16 with basically the same group that got bounced in the first round last year, minus B.J. Mullens. Certainly having everyone a year older has made a big difference, but the one true difference-maker has been David Lighty. He missed last year’s post-season with a broken foot, but he has come back with a vengeance this year. Tabbed by Sports Illustrated as this year's “glue guy,” Lighty has been huge for the Buckeyes at both ends of the floor. He can guard just about anyone on the court, and usually draws the defensive assignment of the opponent’s best player in crunch time. He has scored double-figures in seven of his last nine games and is averaging 14.9 points per game in the month of March.

1. This team might just have what it takes. When this tournament started, I thought there was no way Ohio State could go all the way. Forget the fact they had no depth and no inside presence, just one look at their bracket was like a Murder’s Row of college hoops teams. Just to get to the Final Four, the Buckeyes could have to play teams like Kansas, Georgetown, Maryland, Michigan State and Tennessee. Instead, the top three of those seeds were upset on the opening weekend of the tournaments. The Spartans lost Kalin Lucas for the year, and all of a sudden it’s as if the Red Sea has parted for the Buckeyes if they can get past the Volunteers Friday. After that, it’s anyone’s game. With Turner being Turner, Diebler shooting the way he is, Lauderdale playing outstanding defense and Lighty stirring the drink, there isn’t a team in the field of 16 Ohio State can’t beat.


Midwest Region Reset: Ohio State looks like best team still standing


GAME BREAKER: Evan Turner, Ohio State
Ohio State's Turner is the lone superstar left in a regional that's filled out with three other teams that fit into the "sum is greater than their parts" category. He will have the ball -- and the Buckeyes' fate -- squarely in his hands.

INTRIGUING MATCHUP: Ohio State-Tennessee

The winner will be favored over either Northern Iowa or Michigan State in the regional final, so this Sweet 16 matchup carries a lot of weight to go with the intrigue. As mentioned in the Monday's Four-cast, the Buckeyes have been a lot more turnover-prone recently and, without a classic ball-secure point guard to handle the Vols' aggressiveness, could cough it up a bunch on Friday. Then there's the issue of the Vols' depth against the Buckeyes' Iron Five. Plus, Tennessee just beat an Ohio team coached by Thad Matta disciple John Groce, so the Vols should feel comfortable with a lot of what they'll see. There are a lot of interesting dynamics in this one.

HOME COOKING: None

THE PICK: Ohio State

With Turner, the Buckeyes have been the most consistently good team in this bracket over the course of the season. It won't be easy, as they'll have to deal with Tennessee's grinding style and then either the confidence of upstart Northern Iowa or the familiarity and contempt of league co-champ Michigan State, but taking the best team with the best player seems like the best bet.












The most important player: Evan Turner, Ohio State

No one player will determine whether his team gets to the Final Four more than Turner. Throughout the season, Turner was the catalyst in delivering a share of the Big Ten regular-season title and then the conference tournament title. He wasn't needed to score as much in Ohio State's first-round win over UC Santa Barbara, but he did have 10 boards that compensated for his 2-of-13 shooting. So what did he do against Georgia Tech? He turned around and nearly had a triple-double with 24 points, 9 boards and 9 assists. He did have nine turnovers to match the assists, but he still has to be doing something of note for the Buckeyes to win. If Ohio State gets to the Final Four or claims the NCAA title, it will be because of Turner and no one else.


NOW...the Midwest is Ohio State's to lose

Since the shocker at the Ford Center, the balanced attack of Matta's men will be the toughest to contend with as Georgia Tech will find out Sunday. Diebler and Buford have stepped up their offensive potency and Lauderdale and Lighty are beasts on the boards. Not to mention Evan Turner who always hits a big shot when they need it. the 'Jackets and Volunteers inconsistency all season will be their downfall. Tennessee will look like Kentucky in a four to six minute stretch and then start playing street ball and lose their mind over the next similiar stretch. That aint gonna get it against the Buckeyes.

The Panthers may win one more in St. Louis but's there's not enough Farokhmanesh long-rangers to get them to Indy like George Mason amazingly did in '06. Look for another rematch of Butler/Ohio State in Indy on April 3rd. Just like in 1962 when the last Missouri Valley team beat a top-seed (Creighton over Memphis State) Ohio State ended up playing for the national title coming up short against Oscar Robertson and Cincinnati.

In the December 12th game in Indianapolis, Evan Turner didn't play, Buford was the leading rebounder and Diebler was almost non-existent offensively. That's looking ahead but both teams look to be on a crash course for another head-to-head showdown.

Michael Jordan's son Marcus chooses ... Central Florida?

Michael Jordan's son Marcus chooses ... Central Florida?A certain amount of pressure comes with being an athlete's child. You're supposed to be just as good as pops (or mom) was, or even better, and if you're not, people wonder what went wrong. It's a tough life. Then again, if you're a former pro athlete's child, you're probably mind-blowingly wealthy, so the pity only goes so far.
Such is the case for Michael Jordan's sons, Jeffrey and Marcus. It is utterly impossible that they'll be as good as their father. Their father was the best basketball player of all time. They aren't. Instead, they're merely good: good enough to play in college, but not good enough to do much more than that.
It is with that context that the announcement of Marcus Jordan's collegiate choice -- the University of Central Florida -- came Monday. Many might see Jordan's name and wonder why he's not going to a premier school. Strategically, it's actually a pretty smart move. He was being recruited by a host of good programs, but nowhere truly "elite". A strong year at UCF could set him up for a Seth Curry-esque transfer to one of the big boys that might not have considered him straight out of high school. There are options here.
Anyway, such is the nature of being Michael Jordan's son. Marcus may never be as good as his father, but how many kids get college scholarships to play basketball? Not too shabby, when you really think about it.

Marcus Jordan wins a state title and another team loses due to illegal uniforms.

Two good articles from yahoo.com on Illinois State Basketball Championships. The first artilce is about Marcus Jordan winning a state title. Obviously, it is Michael Jordan's son. It is neat to see his picture and read what he is up to now besides being MJ's son. The second article deals with a team that received a technical foul because they had illegal uniforms and they ended up losing by one point. I have mixed emotions on this topic because they had all year to be told that their uniforms were illegal and nothing was done until that game?? I could understand if they have been receiving technical fouls all year long every time they wore those particular jersies, but if not then that was kind of crappy to do that to them. Now! With all of that said, I don't think you can blame a technical foul shot at the beginning of the game as the reason you lost when it is all said and done!!!!!







Marcus Jordan Leads his Team to State Title as dad CRIES Tears of Joy!
Michael Jordan celebrated another Chicago basketball championship—his son's.
Marcus Jordan, son of the Bulls' six-time champion, scored a game-high 19 points to lead Chicago Whitney Young to a 69-66 victory over Waukegan in the Illinois Class 4A championship Saturday.
As Marcus Jordan and his teammates celebrated on the court after the final buzzer, Michael Jordan stood quietly, clapping his hands with tears in his eyes.
"Crying?" the NBA great said in response to a reporter's question. "I'm not crying. Not for me, anyway."
The younger Jordan was key down the stretch after two teammates fouled out, hitting four of four free throws in the final 3 minutes to seal the victory.
"Awesome," Marcus Jordan said. "Just awesome."
Michael Jordan, part-owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, skipped his team's home loss to Indiana so he could attend his son's game. Another son, Jeff Jordan, plays basketball for the University of Illinois.




Illegal Uniform may have COST Team in State Basketball Game

Teams have lost basketball games at the charity stripe. They've lost because a referee wearing black and white stripes made a bad call.
Losing partly because of a stripe on their uniforms is a little rarer.
The black ring under the armpit was a violation of uniform policy.
But that's what happened before the opening tipoff Friday at the Illinois 3A state semifinal basketball game in Peoria, where referees assessed a technical foul on North Lawndale College Prep because stripes on the sides of its uniform violated a National Federation of State High School Associations rule.
Champaign Centennial's Jeff Johnson sank one of two free throws, giving the Chargers a 1-0 lead before the opening tip. Centennial also was awarded the ball to start the game. When the final buzzer had sounded, Centennial had won by one point, 66-65.
The rule states that the torso of the jersey must be a solid color and that side stripes must center vertically below the armpit and be no more than four inches wide. North Lawndale's uniform featured black stripes that curled around the armpits into the torso.
While the national federation makes the rules, state associations interpret them. Kurt Gibson, the Illinois High School Association assistant executive director over boys basketball, told the Chicago Tribune that he had warned North Lawndale that its uniforms were illegal during its previous day's shootaround at Carver Arena and on several occasions during the past two years.
"They had ample warning," Gibson told the paper. "If they had to put together white uniforms of differing styles, that's fine - so long as they adhered to the uniform rule."
Gibson told the Tribune he does not know how often the rule is enforced.
North Lawndale coach Lewis Thorpe said Gibson had not mentioned the problem when he attended a Public League quarterfinal playoff game in February.
"I can't understand why they didn't tell us before about the uniforms," he told the paper. "This is the most painful loss I've had since I've been coaching."
Mary Struckhoff, NFSHSA national interpreter for basketball rules and rules editor, said the regulations have not changed in the 10 years she has worked for the association, and they exist for a reason: "Quick recognition, sanctity of the number."
She said opponents, referees and scorekeepers must be able to identify a player quickly, often by using the number. Certain uniform designs could obscure it.
"We have very specific guidelines, and once you say, well, four inches could really be five inches, then five inches could really be six, and what difference does it make?" Struckhoff said. "So, so to speak and pardon the pun, where do you draw the line? Four inches is four inches."
The game was about more than one technical foul, of course. Despite starting the game in the hole, Lawndale was leading in the fourth quarter until Centennial's 21-point, fourth- quarter surge gave it the victory. Centennial defeated Oswego, 61-59, for the state championship Saturday.
North Lawndale wore the same uniforms in its third-place game against Leo the next day and again was assessed a technical foul. As before, the team fell behind 1-0 before tipoff, but this time it won, 91-77.
Thorpe said his team was wearing the same uniforms it had worn all year and wasn't trying to make a statement. Its alternate uniforms, which it had worn the previous year, also violated the rule.
Struckhoff said the national federation began emphasizing uniform regulations two years ago at the behest of manufacturers, who said coaches were insisting on purchasing illegal uniforms because the rules were rarely enforced. A PDF file on the national federation's website clearly demonstrates uniform regulations.
"This PDF is almost like 'Uniforms for Dummies,' " she said.

High School Kid Scores 11 Points in 46 Seconds

High School Kid Scores 11 Points in 46 SecondsThis is pretty amazing for a high school kid!!!!!

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Espn's Super 60 Top Basketball Recruits for 2010

Espn's Super 60 Top Basketball Recruits for 2010


1 Jared Sullinger PF 6'8" 250 OH 98 Ohio State
2 Brandon Knight PG 6'3" 175 FL 98 None
3 Tristan Thompson PF 6'9" 215 CAN 98 Texas
4 Joshua Smith C 6'9" 280 WA 98 None
5 Harrison Barnes SF 6'6" 190 IA 98 None
6 DeShaun Thomas SF 6'7" 225 IN 98 Ohio State
7 Jeremy Tyler C 6'8" 220 CA 98 Louisville
8 Roscoe Smith SF 6'7" 185 MD 98 None
9 Jereme Richmond SF 6'6" 185 IL 97 Illinois
10 Dion Waiters SG 6'3" 195 PA 97 Syracuse
11 Andre Dawkins SG 6'5" 185 VA 97 Duke
12 Doron Lamb SG 6'4" 190 NY 97 None
13 Reggie Bullock SG 6'6" 185 NC 97 North Carolina
14 Joshua Hairston PF 6'8" 210 VA 97 Duke
15 Jelan Kendrick SG 6'6" 185 GA 97 None
16 Joe Jackson PG 6'0" 160 TN 97 None
17 Josh Selby PG 6'2" 165 MD 97 Tennessee
18 Tobias Harris PF 6'7" 220 NY 97 None
19 Ralston Turner SG 6'5" 190 AL 97 None
20 Phil Pressey PG 5'8" 150 TX 97 None
21 Nate Lubick PF 6'8" 220 MA 97 Georgetown
22 Dominique Ferguson SF 6'9" 205 IN 97 Kentucky
23 Gerard Coleman SG 6'3" 185 MA 97 None
24 Evan Anderson C 6'11" 250 WI 97 Wisconsin
25 Adreian Payne PF 6'9" 215 OH 97 None
26 Travis McKie SF 6'7" 190 VA 97 None
27 Trey Zeigler SG 6'5" 190 MI 97 None
28 Terrence Jones SF 6'7" 215 OR 97 None
29 Kyrie Irving PG 6'1" 160 NJ 97 None
30 Crandall Head SG 6'3" 180 IL 97 Illinois
31 Kendall Marshall PG 6'3" 180 VA 97 North Carolina
32 Anthony Brown SF 6'6" 187 CA 97 None
33 Dan Bejarano SG 6'5" 200 AZ 96 Texas
34 Taran Buie SG 6'3" 180 NY 96 None
35 Anthony Johnson SG 6'4" 180 IL 96 Purdue
36 Josh Langford SF 6'6" 210 AL 96 Louisville
37 Casey Prather SF 6'5" 190 TN 96 None
38 James Bell SF 6'5" 205 FL 96 Villanova
39 Jordan McRae SF 6'5" 175 GA 96 Tennessee
40 Ray McCallum PG 6'1" 160 MI 96 None
41 Jordan Sibert SG 6'3" 180 OH 96 Ohio State
42 Jason Morris SG 6'5" 190 CT 96 None
43 Terrance Ross SG 6'6" 180 OR 96 None
44 Flavien Davis SF 6'6" 190 WI 96 None
45 Jayvaughn Pinkston PF 6'6" 230 NY 96 None
46 Mychal Parker SG 6'6" 190 VA 96 None
47 Perry Jones PF 6'10" 215 TX 95 Baylor
48 Allen Crabbe SG 6'4" 185 CA 95 California
49 Okaro White PF 6'8" 185 FL 95 Florida State
50 Patric Young PF 6'8" 215 FL 95 Florida
51 Juwan Staten PG 5'10" 160 OH 95 Dayton
52 Lenzelle Smith, Jr. SG 6'5" 220 IL 95 Ohio State
53 C.J. Leslie PF 6'9" 190 NC 95 North Carolina State
54 Cory Joseph SG 6'3" 180 CAN 94 None
55 Keith Appling PG 6'3" 180 MI 94 Michigan State
56 Dwayne Polee SF 6'7" 190 CA 94 USC
57 Pe'Shon Howard PG 6'2" 195 OH 94 None
58 Trae Golden SG 6'2" 170 GA 94 None
59 Russell Byrd SG 6'7" 190 IN 94 Michigan State
60 Noah Cottrill PG 6'1" 180 WV 94 West Virginia

Tim Duncan the Most Underrated NBA Superstar Ever

I honestly believe he is one of the best of all-time and gets no love. He has lots of rings, has played in the same city his entire career, tremendous role model, what else can he do? If that was anybody else hitting that 3 point shot yesterday and putting up 40 on the Suns, sportscenter would have been going nuts. Why do we not give Tim Duncan his due?

Duncan's rare 3-pointer sparks Spurs to 2OT win in Game 1

CBSSports.com wire reports
SAN ANTONIO -- Midway through the first quarter after missing two jumpers, Tim Duncan threw the ball up yet again, then held his arms wide. This time, would the shot fall?
It did. And much later the Spurs' big man hit an even bigger one. Duncan's first 3 of the season with just ticks left sent his team into double overtime against the revenge-minded Phoenix Suns.
Then it was Manu Ginobili's turn, and his layup with 1.8 seconds left pushed the defending champions past the Suns 117-115 Saturday in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.
Now the teams have two days to rest from their marathon best-of-7 Western Conference opener before meeting for Game 2 on Tuesday night.
"I got a wide-open shot. Wound it up. Threw it up there and hoped for the best," said a clearly tired Duncan, who had 40 points and 15 rebounds.
This year's rematch of what many dubbed last year's real Finals -- a tense and testy second-round series between the teams that the Spurs won in six games on their way to the title -- got off to a wild start and more than met expectations.
"It feels like a Finals game," Duncan said. "It's the first game of the first series, and we're going to have to muster energy back up."
Early on, Game 1 did not look like it would turn into a thriller. The Suns controlled play for the first three quarters, leading by as many as 16 points despite early foul trouble for Shaquille O'Neal. The Suns held a six-point lead with a quarter left in regulation.
The Spurs took their first lead of the game late in the fourth quarter, but were down 93-90 with 1:10 to go after Leandro Barbosa's fast-break layup.
With 15 seconds on the clock, Michael Finley tied it at 93 for the Spurs to send it to overtime.
"We had the game won a few times and just weren't tough enough or disciplined enough to make every single play when it counted," said Steve Nash, who had 25 points and 13 assists.
Duncan made the big shot in the first overtime. With his team down 104-101, Duncan found himself all alone at the 3-point line.
After only a slight hesitation, he fired the ball and made it with 3 seconds to play. It was Duncan's first 3 of the season. He was 0-for-4 previously.
"I didn't know what was going to happen, honestly," Duncan said. "Manu turned the corner, Shaq just totally leaves me and stayed with Manu."
In the second overtime, Shaq's dunk tied it at 112 with 1:33 to play. Ginobili's layup put the Spurs ahead.
Nash missed a key 3 with less than a minute to play. After risky, cross-court inbounds pass to the Spurs' Brent Barry, he was fouled. Barry made one of two free throws.
With 15 seconds left, the Suns went to sharp shooter Nash. Nearly falling out of bounds in the corner, he hit a 3 that made it 115-all.
Then Ginobili drove the lane against Raja Bell and got to the hoop, as he often does, almost at will, and his layup fell.
"What I knew, before taking it to the rim, is that Shaq and Amare (Stoudemire) were not there," Ginobili said. "So, I knew if I had the opportunity to go get in there, get some legs into the shot, I had an opportunity to finish."
Tony Parker added 26 points for the Spurs and Ginobili had 24.
"We had a lot of opportunities to win," O'Neal said. "You can't make mistakes against a team like that especially here in this building."
But O'Neal wasn't completely contrite.
"I just wanted to play aggressive, but the floppers prevailed today. Amare and myself are going to continue to play aggressive," O'Neal said of his foul trouble. "Hopefully those guys will compete rather than just fall down." Stoudemire, who fouled out with 12 seconds left in the first overtime, led the Suns with 33 points. O'Neal scored 11 points.
"They know we let them have one," O'Neal said. "All we need is one in this building."
Phoenix acquired O'Neal in a blockbuster midseason trade for a series such as this one to give the run-and-gun Suns a defensive boost.
O'Neal played just under four minutes in the first quarter after picking up two quick fouls. He was on the court for just 24 seconds in the second quarter before picking up his third foul and sitting out the rest of the half.
O'Neal missed two shots right off, the first when his dunk off an alley-oop pass missed. He didn't score in the first half.
Even though Phoenix got O'Neal to help their half-court game, the Suns, who still like to play quick, had only nine fast-break points in the game.
The Spurs, on the other hand, were able to punish the Suns with their strong suit. They had a 72-46 advantage in the paint.
"They're just not going to fold up their tent and go home," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. "They're going to make runs. This is their homecourt. You're going to have to beat them."

Notes

There were quite a few Suns orange T-shirts dotting the crowd.
The Spurs have eliminated the Suns in three of their last four postseason appearances.
Finley had 13 points for San Antonio, and Kurt Thomas, who played for the Suns last season, grabbed 10 rebounds.
Barry was playing just his third game for the Spurs since re-signing with them in March after a February trade sent him from San Antonio to Seattle. He's been sidelined this season with injuries to his calf.
Spurs Gregg Popovich got a technical foul with 11:48 left in the second quarter.
Parker and Thomas fouled out in the second overtime.

All the KING'S New Men Route Memphis 109-89

The Cleveland Cavs destroyed the Memphis Grizzlies last night 109-89. watching the game I could feel an energy that Cleveland hasn't had at the Q in a long time. It carried over to the new players as they were a success. The best part about the whole night is that the Cavs still have some great players that are still injured. They will soon be very deep. I think they are tougher.... Ben Wallace. They can shoot a lot better..... Wally Szczerbiak. They can play inside and out.... Joe Smith and some pick and roll.... Delante West.
Yes, it was Memphis, but the old Cavs would of had to fight all the way to the end. The new Cavs put this game away early. I think they will challenge Detroit and Boston for the Eastern Conference title. If they stay healthy! What are your thoughts on the new-look Cavs?

Source: http://espn.com
CLEVELAND -- As he stripped off his ice bags and got ready to head for the showers, Wally Szczerbiak stuck his head in Kaniel Dickens' locker and asked him where the dirty socks go. Dickens, a D-League call-up in his third day as a Cavalier, informed him of the protocol.
Such is life around the remade Cavs these days; everything seems new. Which made Sunday seem like a giant first date at Quicken Loans Arena, where the crowd and the players themselves were eager to see just how the four imports from the club's deadline-day blockbuster would fit.
The short-term answer was positive as the Cavs smashed the Grizzlies 109-89. But it was hardly a fair litmus test against such a downtrodden opponent.
Nonetheless, there were some hints of how the rebuilt Cavs may look when all the dust settles from the trade that replaced half their active roster.
In the evening's spotlight stood Ben Wallace, the centerpiece of the trade as far as the Cavs are concerned. He started at power forward, the beginning of the Cavs' experiment to play him in what they hope will be a super-charged frontcourt between LeBron James and Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
The results on the first night were mixed. There was no questioning Wallace's energy; on the Cavs' first defensive possession he made a steal that kick-started a fast break. Later he swatted away a Memphis pass that led to an alley-oop from the Cavs' new starting point guard, Delonte West, to James.
In the fourth quarter Wallace got a standing ovation when he forced a rare five-second call after a basket when he denied the inbounds pass with the Cavs up by 17 points. He also had five dunks and tied his season high with 12 points; he found space when James and Ilgauskas were being double-teamed.
Again, that is part of the Cavs' grand plan to integrate him and make him more productive than he was with the Bulls. The idea goes that if opponents leave James (25 points, 11 assists vs. Memphis) or Ilgauskas (22 points, 13 rebounds) in one-on-one situations, then the Cavs will burn the defense. But if Wallace's man leaves him to double-team, Big Ben just might turn into a high-percentage shooting weapon.
"The crowd was great, we didn't get booed tonight, so that was a good feeling for me," Wallace said, making a reference to some unhappy days in Chicago when the fans targeted him with their frustration over a disappointing season.
This after he said earlier about his stay in Chicago: "If someone wants to throw me under the bus, that's fine. I've been there before, I know what it smells like."
"He's rejuvenated," James said after the game, though such a statement is still wildly premature.
There also were signs of the possibly tough adjustment Wallace is going to be asked to make. Spending time guarding Hakim Warrick on the perimeter instead of Kwame Brown or Darko Milicic inside, Wallace often was pulled far from the hoop. It caused him to be out of position when it came to defending the basket on help defense at times. Though he got 10 rebounds, he missed some that came his way, too, due to getting late position.
But that is nitpicking to some degree. Wallace's effort helped the Cavs dominate as that aforementioned frontline combined for 59 points and 30 rebounds.
And that doesn't count Joe Smith (14 points, six rebounds), who came off the bench and kept getting open shots off feeds from James.
Meanwhile, Anderson Varejao, sidelined a month with a sprained ankle, is due back this week to give the Cavs' frontline even more depth.
"Our interior is stronger than ever right now," James said. "Rebounding has always been our strength, but now it is even better."
Szczerbiak hit a pair of 3-pointers on his way to 10 points. West had the roughest start of the newbies, making just 2-of-12 shots, but he had six assists and three steals. Those six assists represented previous point guard Larry Hughes' season high; West showed signs he may be a better fit at point than Hughes playing out of position.
So much more data is needed, though, to determine whether this midstream makeover will indeed work for the Cavs. Yet the first night was quite a success and had many already feeling some excitement.
"That might have been the first time in a long time I got chills when I took the court," Smith said. "That's a good feeling."
Brian Windhorst covers the Cavs and the NBA for the Akron Beacon Journal

How Newcomers Fared Sunday

Player Old Team New Team What He Did
Ben Wallace Bulls Cavs 31 minutes, 12 points (5-of-6 FG), 10 rebounds
Wally Szczerbiak Sonics Cavs 32 minutes off bench, 10 points, 2-of-4 3s
Joe Smith Bulls Cavs 25 minutes, 14 points, 6 rebounds
Delonte West Sonics Cavs Starting PG makes 2-of-12 FGs, 6 assists, 3 steals
Gerald Green Wolves Rockets Inactive for game with Bulls
Bobby Jackson Hornets Rockets Jackson's action: Goes for 14 points in 19 minutes
Adrian Griffin Bulls Sonics Three minutes of action, one steal, no points
Larry Hughes Cavs Bulls Scored 13 points (6-of-11 FG) in 22 minutes off bench
Drew Gooden Cavs Bulls In 22 minutes off bench, 12 points, 8 rebounds
Cedric Simmons Cavs Bulls Plays two minutes, makes only shot
Shannon Brown Cavs Bulls Inactive for game with Rockets
Ira Newble Cavs Sonics Coming off bench, nets 2 points in 11 minutes
Donyell Marshall Cavs Sonics DNP, ill
Kirk Snyder Rockets Wolves Active, but draws DNP

Tennessee is Now Number 1 by Defeating Memphis

That's right Tennessee took it right at Memphis for 40 minutes of basketball. It was a knock-down, drag-out fight to the finish with Tennessee nailing their free-throws and taking the win 66-62. Both teams played their hearts out. I would have to say it was one of the best college basketball games I have seen in a long time. This was a true rivalry game. Duke v's Carolina had nothing on this game tonight.
Here is the recap from www.espn.com
1 2 T
#2 TENN (25-2) 34 32 66
#1 MEM (26-1) 35 27 62
Final9:00 PM ET, February 23, 2008
FedExForum
Memphis, TN
No. 2 Tennessee likely next No. 1 as Memphis leaves with 1st loss

Team Stat Comparison
TENNESSEE MEMPHIS
Points 66 62
FG Made-Attempted 24-64 (.375) 23-58 (.397)
3P Made-Attempted 6-19 (.316) 8-27 (.296)
FT Made-Attempted 12-18 (.667) 8-17 (.471)
Fouls (Tech/Flagrant) 19 (0/0) 17 (0/0)
Largest Lead 7 7

Game Leaders
TENNESSEE MEMPHIS
Points T. Smith 16 D. Rose 23
Rebounds J. Smith 10 J. Dorsey 6
Assists T. Smith 3 D. Rose 5
Steals J. Prince 2 D. Rose 4

Next 5 Games
TENNESSEE (ET) MEMPHIS (ET)
02/26 @VAN 9:00pm
03/02 UK 12:00pm
03/05 @FLA 9:00pm
03/09 SCAR 2:00pm
02/27 TLSA 9:00pm
03/01 @USM 4:00pm
03/05 @SMU 8:00pm
03/08 UAB 1:00pm
Tyler Smith hit a turnaround jumper in the lane with 26.5 seconds left and No. 2 Tennessee knocked off the nation's last unbeaten team, edging top-ranked Memphis 66-62 on Saturday night.
Tennessee (25-2) won on a night when star guard Chris Lofton scored only 7 points, beating the Tigers with a dominating performance on the boards. Lofton did finish it off, though, hitting a couple of free throws with 4.5 seconds to go after Memphis intentionally missed at the line.
Memphis (26-1) lost at home for the first time since Jan. 2, 2006, ending the nation's longest home winning streak at 47 games.
"We've just got to learn from it. We lost," Robert Dozier said. "They just out-toughed us. They get every loose ball, every offensive rebound. They just outplayed us."
The Tigers had hoped to use this game to show their lofty record was proof they were the nation's best team, not the beneficiaries of playing in an unheralded league, Conference USA.
And, of course, they wanted to stay on track to become the first team since Indiana in 1976 to make it all the way through the season with a perfect record.
But the Hoosiers can rest easy. At the end, Tennessee's players walked off the court in triumph, holding up the name across the front of their orange jerseys to taunt the stunned crowd. The small group of Vols fans who actually got in the building hung around to chant "We're No. 1! We're No. 1!"
Tennessee surely will be No. 1 when the next poll comes out -- for the first time in school history.
Just as flamboyant coach Bruce Pearl predicted at a pep rally before the game, then again at halftime.
"I wanted to make sure our guys knew we were playing for something," Pearl said. "I don't know if we're the best team in the country. I knew we were 40 minutes away from being No. 1."
Smith scored 16 points to lead the Vols, while Wayne Chism and J.P. Prince added 13 apiece. But Tennessee did its best work on the boards, overpowering the Tigers with a season-high 50 rebounds. Memphis had 34.
"Rocky Top, you'll always be, home sweet home to me," they sang, having the arena to themselves after the Memphis faithful headed out onto Beale Street to drown their sorrows. "Good ol' Rocky Top, Rocky Top Tennessee."
The Tigers were up when Smith took a pass from Lofton, backed in and hit the jumper for a 62-61 lead. Antonio Anderson missed badly for Memphis at the other end, and the Tigers were forced to foul.
"I really don't even remember," Smith said. "I just remember the shot going in."
Prince hit a pair of free throws to make it a three-point game, and Tennessee wisely fouled before Memphis could go for a tying 3. Instead, Derrick Rose made the first attempt in a 1-and-1, but had to miss the second intentionally, in hopes the Tigers could grab the rebound.
No way. Tennessee came down with it and Lofton was fouled. He only went 2-of-11 from the field, but calmly sank the two foul shots that finished off the Tigers' perfect record.
While Rose was trying to miss, Memphis clanked plenty of foul shots it was trying to make. The Tigers, one of the nation's worst free throw-shooting teams, lived up to their ranking by making just 8-of-17 at the line.
Rose led Memphis with 23 points, but Chris Douglas-Roberts was the only other player in double figures with 14 points.
The Tigers looked in good shape when Douglas-Roberts scored on a layup with 2:28 left, putting his team up 61-58.
Then Smith went to work. He answered with a drive of his own, pulling the Vols to 61-60, then hit the game winner -- but only after Memphis squandered three chances on one possession to extend the margin.
Doneal Mack missed a 3, but the Tigers grabbed a long rebound. Rose missed, and Memphis chased it down again. Finally, after playing without the ball for some 90 seconds, the Vols finally grabbed it away off an attempt by Dozier that banged off the front of the rim.
A couple of hours before tipoff, flamboyant Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl held a pep rally with the Volunteer faithful at a sports restaurant near the FedExForum. He made a bold promise: "All I can tell you is we're 40 minutes away from being No. 1."
Then his team proved him right.

Big Ten Basketball Standings and Stats, plus....Ohio State v's Illinois

Happened to catch this game. Very boring game. Buckeyes were up 15 for most of the game until the last few minutes. I believe they were up 15 with 5:30 to go in the game. I changed channels then turned it back to the Big Ten Network and the Bucks were only up 5 with 2:30 to go in the game. I saw Jeff Jordan (Michael Jordan's son) enter the game with under 3:00 minutes to play. They also showed former buckeye, Lawrence Funderberk in the stands. He looked pretty good. Good to see him back. And of course, JJ (Jimmy Jackson), the former Buckeye great is the Big Ten Network's sideline reporter. The Bucks ended up holding on to win 64-58. David Lighty had 16 and Evan Turner had 14. Ohio State is now 13-6 and 4-2 in the conference.

I still am concerned about the young Buckeyes because this was another game that they should of won going away, especially at home, but obviously did not. It is getting to the point where we can't constantly keep using youth as an excuse. Look around college basketball and you'll see that everyone has young kids playing big roles now. Maybe I am the only one that thinks this, but hey!, let me know what you think.

-Big Ten has two teams left undefeated. Indiana and Wisconsin are both 5-0 in the league.

-Ohio State is 27th in the Nation in scoring defense - 60.0 ppg

-Jamar Butler is the latest Big Ten player to enter the 1000 point club. He has a total of 1024 points

-Ohio State has had only 2 sellouts so far this season

-Eric Gordan FR. IU leads the Big Ten in scoring with 22.1 ppg

-Jamar Butler is 6th with 14.3 ppg - Kosta Koufos is 8th with 13.6 ppg

-DJ White SR. IU leads the league in Rebounding with 10.2 rpg

-Kosta Koufos FR. OSU is 8th with 6.7 rpg

-Othello Hunter SR. OSU is 2nd in fg% at .566

-Jamar Butler SR. OSU leads the Big Ten in assists with 6.16 apg

-Butler also leads the league in free throw % at .958 and is 5th in 3point % at .422

-Kosta Koufos FR. OSU is 2nd in blocked shots with 1.86 bpg

Athlete's in Trouble: Randy Moss, Joakim Noah, OJ Simpson

Seems to be a reaccuring theme, athletes in trouble. Or are they???? Randy Moss hitting a woman.....no, seriously????? Noah acting like a spoiled bratt....you've got to be kidding! And of course, OJ back in the slammer.....that I can believe, but will the glove fit this time?

For once, I believe Randy Moss. I don't think that he did anything wrong and he will be cleared of any petty law-suits. I think he is a stand up guy and would admitt to it. We as the public have a perceived notion that he is a thug from West Virginia and that is it.....guilty, guilty as charged. Why don't we wait and let the dust settle before we charge him in the public eye. He is innocent and a good person, who does good deeds, but the media doesn't want to talk about that.

Noah, just a spoiled rich boy! Right??? Let me see, he was like that all of his life. Very outspoken. It must have done something because it has got him 2 Nat'l titles, a fat NBA contract. Is he the reason the Bulls suck? Hell no!! I believe Paxson knew his background before he drafted him and still took him, so why the Bulls suck? You know the answer. Kobe anyone??????

OJ,OJ,OJ, come on man........... You are the most wanted man in the world by the public and you do something this ignorant. I def. don't feel sorry for you. I did at one time, but go and play golf the rest of your life, instead, you hold up petty thiefs for a 50.00 autograph football.. I'm afraid you wont get a fair trial because there is no jury in the world that will say the glove doesn't fit now!!!!!!!

what do you think?????????