Heading into Saturday’s game with Florida, Ohio State will hopefully find the answers to at least two significant issues: (1) whether Ohio State’s guards can co-exist with Greg Oden and (2) whether the Buckeyes defend well enough to win big games on the road. After the game, we’ll have a much better indication of how strong Ohio State is and can be. So far, the three pointers are generally falling although with less regularity since the arrival of Greg Oden. This should be a major concern for Thad Matta as it is reminiscent of the Buckeye’s cold streak that commenced in Febraury 2006 and ended with a demoralizing loss to Georgetown in March. Through four games, the team still looks as if they’re searching for a rhythm with the big man on the floor. Faced with a veteran Florida team that should be able to defend the entire floor, Thad Matta will have an opportunity to show how well he’s been able to integrate Oden’s back to the basket post game into the flow of Matta’s guard-oriented offense.
Even with Oden, the strength of Ohio State remains its depth on the perimeter with Ron Lewis, Daequan Cook, Ivan Harris and the two point guards. After 11 games it’s clear Mike Conley is not only extremely good but he may be the best point guard in the Big Ten. He’s subtly supplanted Jamar Butler leaving Butler’s career in jeopardy of flatlining as a decent Big Ten role player and little more. In a sense, this is unfortunate as Butler, a three year starter, endured playing in the same backcourt with Tony Stockman as a freshman and then deferred shots to J’Kel Foster last season, patiently waiting his turn. Now, unless he becomes more assertive, Butler’s about to watch the bus drive right by his stop.
In order for the Buckeye’s to fulfill the potential of their apparent talent, they need to defend. Although the numbers indicate that they’re playing solid defense, the one good team Ohio State played thus far (North Carolina) put up 98 points on them. If the Florida game becomes a shoot out like the Carolina game, it will be a harbinger of bad things for Ohio State as it will neutralize Oden who isn’t as fast as Joakim Noah. While Florida has started slowly this season, perhaps on the receiving end of everyone’s best barroom punch, they have shooters, they can defend and they have a Gainesville audience. If Ohio State keeps Florida under 75 points and manages to make it out of the O’Connell Center in one piece, they may indeed be ready to wreak havoc on the Big Ten.
As for the matchup between Oden and Noah, it’ll be intersting to see if the thin yet quick Noah attacks the rim or seeks to bring Oden away from the basket. Watching Donovan’s teams and considering his coaching pedigree, Oden will not command respect by his mere presence on the floor. It may or may not happen this weekend with Noah and without Horford, but beginning January 6 in Champaign, Big Ten teams certainly will not be reluctant to attack Oden.
The hyperbole surrounding Oden is reminiscent of the aura of invincibility surrounding Mike Tyson in the late 80’s. The mental approach taken by opposing teams thus far playing against Oden appears similar to the approach taken by Michael Spinks as he looked vacantly into the eyes of Tyson before getting dropped minutes later. If 6′10″ athletes are so intimidated by Oden’s mere presence to even attack him, he’s won without even being challenged. As established time and time again, basketball rewards the aggressor. You rarely see a passive team smiling in the Conference Championship Photo. Whether Oden turns into the next Bill Russell or Bill Walton or the next Sam Bowie or Ralph Sampson not only remains to be seen but it is irrelevant to Ohio State’s success as a team.
