Pre-Game Clips: The Old Rivalry, Ohio Grown, Fear the Vest
By Joe Dexter
It’s game day! Just hours from tip-off as the Ohio State Buckeyes take on the Indiana Hoosiers at Value Center Arena. Indiana is the only Big Ten team without a win on the road, so today could be a tougher battle than Buckeye fans are ready for. Either way it’s good to get back out on the court. Coming up before tip-off, Pro’s Keys to the game, but first it’s time to bring you the talk before the game.
Let’s roll the clips.
Clipped from: www.dispatch.com (share this clip)
I wasn’t around when (Knight) was at Indiana, but I can definitely see the rivalry factor from him being a graduate, his affection for coach Taylor and all that, so I can definitely see where the rivalry was there. But I think nowadays for us, we don’t have the Carolina-Duke type situation. It appears when we go on the road, for sure, that we’re everybody’s rival.
-Head Coach Thad Matta
From www.dispatch.com (share this quote)
What ever happened to the good ole Hoosier/Buckeye rivalry? Bob Sanders of the Columbus Post Dispatch does a great job of tackling that question this morning. Senior Jon Diebler goes on to say that a lot of rivalries and games teams look up to now have to do with success. A lot of this rivalry was created when Ohio State graduate Bobby Knight took over the Hoosiers. The Buckeyes have owned Indiana for quite some time and in a sense have switched rolls with the Hoosiers. If Michigan State can get a win at home against the Boilermakers this afternoon, then the Buckeyes will have at least a share of the Big Ten Championship for the fourth time in six years. The Last championship for the Hoosiers came way back in 1993.
Clipped from: www.cleveland.com (share this clip)
“Everyone still considers Ohio a football state, but at the same time, we were trying to elevate and it and let everyone know it’s not only football. We can do both.”
-Freshman Jared Sullinger
From www.cleveland.com (share this quote)
Speaking of 1993, Doug Lesmerises of the Cleveland Plain Dealer brings us a great piece about the All-Ohio starting lineup for the Buckeyes. It’s the first time since that golden age of 1993 since Ohio State has swept the state in the starting five. The top six players on this team all come from within the state, which isn’t too bad for a football state many would say. The fact of the matter is when scaling the top 25, the highest amount of in-state kids on a team logging the most minutes is three.
Props must go to Thad Matta for believing in Ohio State basketball.
Clipped from: www.dispatch.com (share this clip)
He put in the work pretty much every day, working on penetration left and right and getting to the basket and finishing at the basket.
-Senior David Lighty on fellow Senior Jon Diebler
From www.dispatch.com (share this quote)
If you haven’t noticed the last few games that Jon Diebler is more than a spot up shooter, than you might want to check your remote and make sure the TV is on the right channel. The senior is doing more than just spotting up, he’s also driving to the hoop, getting to the line, and confusing the hell out of the defense. If Diebler can throw off a match-up at another level besides spotting up, then teams will be in trouble down the stretch. Just ask slasher David Lighty.
Another component to what makes this team dangerous.
Clipped from: www.idsnews.com (share this clip)
Ohio State is a great example of a player-led team. Their seniors (Lighty, Diebler and Lauderdale) have done a great job of integrating their younger players .
-Indiana Head Coach Tom Crean
From www.idsnews.com (share this quote)
Indiana’s fearless leader shares some words about today’s match-up with the Indiana Daily Student. Crean is very honest about today’s game and sees it as a good experience for his young club.
Clipped from: www.courier-journal.com (share this clip)
What the world has seen at Indiana has been a team that has wobbled like a unit without a senior who has been in the program for four seasons. Consistency, confidence and overall talent, it all needs work.
From www.courier-journal.com (share this quote)
Rick Bozich of the Courier-Journal puts into perspective the situation on the hardwood for the Hoosiers. A clean up of the program has been ongoing for three years now. It’s like an oil spill. Once the gunk hits the water, it takes time to filter it out and things may never be the same. It’s truly sad that THE basketball state in our country has been unable to get back to the top.
They’ll get there though.