Ohio State 2007 NCAA Tournament Capsule

Ohio State Buckeyes - Big Ten (30-3, 15-1)

Seed: #1 - South Region

Big Wins: 1/13 Tennessee (68-66), 2/25 Wisconsin (49-48), 3/11 vs Wisconsin (66-49)

Bad Losses: 11/29 at North Carolina (89-98), 12/23 at Florida (60-86), 1/9 at Wisconsin (69-72)

Last NCAA Appearance: 2006, Second Round loss to Georgetown

Coach: Thad Matta (7-5 in 5 NCAA appearances)

Probable Ohio State Starters:

• Mike Conley, Freshman, Guard, 10.2 ppg, 6.3 apg, 2.3 spg

• Jamar Butler, Junior, Guard, 8.4 ppg, 3.8 apg

• Ron Lewis, Senior, Guard, 11.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg

• Ivan Harris, Senior, Forward, 8.3 ppg, 3.2 rpg

• Greg Oden, Freshman, Center, 15.7 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 3.5 bpg

Key Roleplayers for Ohio State:

• Daequan Cook, Freshman, Guard, 10.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg

• David Lighty, Freshman, Guard, 3.6 ppg, 2.2 rpg

• Othello Hunter, Junior, Forward, 6.4 ppg, 4.8 rpg

• Matt Terwilliger, Junior, Forward, 2.1 ppg, 1.9 rpg

Why They Can Surprise:
Even if super freshman Greg Oden does not get close to his 15.7 point and 9.6 rebound averages, the 7-1 center is still a shot altering threat under the basket. He averages 3.5 blocks and modifies countless other shots. And we can throw in those times when the opposition will not even go into the paint when Oden is standing there. Oden missed the first seven games of the season and still is hindered by his hand injury. He was shooting his free-throws left handed and, at 62.7%, better than many 7-footers do with their strong hand, but now the freshman is using his strong hand.

Oden is not alone up front and Ivan Harris, Othello Hunter and Matt Terwilliger compliment the big man quite well. Harris has finally found his shot and the 6-7 senior will spend much of his time on the offensive end behind the arc. Hunter is the team’s second leading rebounder and can find some easy buckets when the defense keys in on Oden too much.

Why Ohio State Can Disappoint:
Rarely do the four freshmen that see major minutes for the Buckeyes play like freshmen, but they have not yet seen the spectacle that is March either. Mike Conley, Jr. averages an amazing 6.3 assists and only turns the ball over 2.2 times per game. Conley is a steal machine and can do a little scoring too. Daequan Cook has never started a college basketball game in his life, but is the third leading scorer on Ohio State.The 6-5 Dayton, OH product is an efficient outside shooter and a great rebounder from the wing. David Lighty has the size of a small forward, but the passing ability of a point guard. Lighty’s playing time has gone down as the season has progressed, mostly due to poor shooting, but he is still a nice option to have sitting down the bench a ways.

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Who To Watch:
The entire backcourt is not comprised of freshmen. Ron Lewis and Jamar Butler are the starters on the wings. Lewis is a pure scorer and uses his speed and strength to slash to the basket. He will get to the free-throw line often and shoots 74.2% once he gets there. Butler is the biggest threat from behind the arc and adds a second point guard to the backcourt.

By the Numbers:

Scoring Offense: 73.6 (82nd in nation, 1st in conference)

Scoring Defense: 60.2 (20, 6)

Field-Goal Percentage: 47.2 (43, 1)

Field-Goal Defense: 39.7 (16, 2)

Free-Throw Percentage: 69.6 (154, 6)

Rebound Margin: 2.8 (83, 5)

Assists Per Game: 15.6 (43, 2)

Turnovers Per Game: 11.8 (21, 3)

Joel’s Bracket Says: Final Four loss to Georgetown

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