OSU Basketball Crushes MD 91-69
OSU just crushed Maryland 91 - 69. Bates-Diop is on a roll. He will have to be stopped . . . maybe by Livers? Bates-Diop is a 6'7" forward, around 235 lbs. He scored 26 points tonight, 6 - 8 from the 3 pt line. He also had 27 vs. Iowa and 32 vs. Michigan State.
Really regret Michigan losing to the Buckeyes in a game we seemed to have in hand. Dakich also had 11 points tonight off the bench. The future is very bright for Michigan. But we will have trouble pulling even with OSU in the regular season, given their toughest remaining games are at Purdue and at Michigan. (They only play Purdue and MSU once each this year, and they obviously just beat MSU handily.)
January 11th, 2018 at 9:38 PM ^
Hope Maryland remains in this funk another five days. I don't like that we have to play them only two days after MSU.
January 11th, 2018 at 9:40 PM ^
I'm just pissed at Dakich. He went from sucky bench player to stud off the bench for OSU. I'll still take our point guards over him but he really turned it around. I still think we're the better team and we haven't even turned the corner yet IMO.
January 11th, 2018 at 9:52 PM ^
January 11th, 2018 at 10:59 PM ^
January 12th, 2018 at 8:11 AM ^
So, who would you rather have as your third PG this year -- Dakich or Jaron Simmons? I'm pretty sure it was our decision to send Dakich packing. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
January 11th, 2018 at 10:23 PM ^
I got to hand it to hand it to them for landing what seems like a solid hire in Chris Holtmann. I am not sure what type of recruiter Holtmann will turn out to be, but from an "X-and-Os" and development standpoint, he's doing remarkably well. OSU's roster was decimated with transfers when Matta left, and he's turned what was left behind (+ Dakish) into a cohesive team that works.
January 11th, 2018 at 10:59 PM ^
January 11th, 2018 at 11:34 PM ^
I was just looking to see what Chris Holtmann started the offseason with... 7 scholarship players (only 1 point guard).
Holtmann said things were getting so dire that his staff was scouting local rec leagues for potential depth.
January 12th, 2018 at 6:19 AM ^
Most college basketball teams are turning over 3-4 players a year. Going into an offseason with 7 scholarship players is low but not outrageous. You do realize Michigan had the same amount of scholarship players entering the offseason with only one scholarship PG as well, right?
January 12th, 2018 at 6:03 AM ^
I am going to wait a little longer before praising this hire. Matta didn't leave the cupboard entirely bare. Bates-Diop was out for the season last year. Take him off this year's team, and they probably look as bad as last year. OSU has a team with 3 seniors were highly recruited top-100 players. Not a deep team, but there are some talented upperclassmen players who have played a lot of basketball with Bates-Diop, JaeSean Tate, and Kam Williams.
Many of the guys who transferred were prospects that OSU missed on. Michigan has had a bunch of transfers recently too with Dawkins, Doyle, and Chatman. It is becoming commonplace in college basketball.
January 12th, 2018 at 11:58 AM ^
Both of their past coaches had Butler ties. Butler seems to have a great penchant for finding rising coaches that translate well on their next step. But, it remains to bee seen what Holtman can do over the long run. Matta started greatt and fell off at the end.
January 12th, 2018 at 3:19 PM ^
Towards the end, Thad Matta was also dealing with pretty debilitating chronic back pain from a botched surgery in 2007. The pain got so bad that Thad could not even take his shoes off some days, and it is also the reason he had to constantly be sitting on a stool during games.
Thad said that the pain didn't really affect his coaching during practices, and coming up with gameplans, but it did make it really difficult to go out and recruit. Apparently some coaches were using Thad's condition to sway recruits away from Ohio State saying that he wasn't even willing to make the trip to come scout them personally.
January 12th, 2018 at 4:05 PM ^
He didn't get any playing time. Who knew if he was a gamer? Ohio State gave him an opportunity and he has made good on it. Don't be angry with him, sitting on the bench wasn't his idea.
January 11th, 2018 at 9:41 PM ^
January 11th, 2018 at 9:54 PM ^
Ha Ha. But yeah, he looked unstoppable against MSU. He has been injured a lot, and is finally healthy.
January 11th, 2018 at 9:56 PM ^
January 12th, 2018 at 2:46 AM ^
January 12th, 2018 at 7:47 AM ^
January 11th, 2018 at 10:09 PM ^
January 11th, 2018 at 10:30 PM ^
January 11th, 2018 at 10:43 PM ^
January 12th, 2018 at 7:49 AM ^
January 12th, 2018 at 8:44 AM ^
Austin Hatch committed with Mark Donnal:
https://michigan.rivals.com/news/hoops-mark-donnal-austin-hatch-commit-…
January 11th, 2018 at 10:13 PM ^
Moving on.
January 11th, 2018 at 10:35 PM ^
I can’t imagine such a streak has ever happened anywhere, save for probation-related situations (and World War II).
January 11th, 2018 at 10:39 PM ^
That is incredible. And yet, I have to agree with Beilein that we had to move on and wanted every last kid in the recruiting class. To be honest, even though there was a scholarship available for Dakich this year, I just don't see how it would have been helpful to give him playing time. Zavier Simpson and Poole deserve the minutes, and it was worth the gamble on Simmons.
As an aside, I feel bad for Simmons, but it just didn't work out.
January 12th, 2018 at 8:15 AM ^
You mean "hasn't" worked out. It's never too late for the Beilein magic to kick in and for a player to pick up his game late in the season or career. Derrick Walton anyone?
January 12th, 2018 at 9:04 AM ^
Derrick Walton didn't magically appear late in a season or his career. If you were actually paying attention, you knew Derrick Walton was going to have a great senior year.
January 11th, 2018 at 10:46 PM ^
January 11th, 2018 at 11:06 PM ^
January 12th, 2018 at 12:34 AM ^
Uh, no we didn't.
January 12th, 2018 at 12:34 AM ^
January 12th, 2018 at 6:55 AM ^
Every Spartan, the year we won the conference and they won the tournament-
January 12th, 2018 at 8:36 AM ^
January 12th, 2018 at 6:11 AM ^
Solid chance that Michigan will have an opportunity to beat a Michigan transfer in the B1G Tournament for the 3rd straight year.
Let's be honest here. Spike was barely a contributor last year for Purdue and transferred to a team that was going to contend for a B1G title without him. Dakich would not play here and is the 7th or 8th man off the bench for OSU. Max Bielfeldt is the only player you could make a case was a loss for Michigan as a transfer.
January 12th, 2018 at 7:52 AM ^
January 11th, 2018 at 10:42 PM ^
January 12th, 2018 at 9:32 AM ^
Michigan rivalry hate meter:
1. Penn State -- Never forget. Cult of personality fanbase.
2. Michigan State -- Shit school, inferiority complex, Penn State level cover-up.
3. OSU -- Yeah, Columbus sucks but their last scandal was Art Schlichter and at least they know how to act while winning (unlike #1, and #2)
January 12th, 2018 at 12:56 AM ^
is the most realistic goal based on our W/L and SOS. I think this team can beat most anyone come March.
As much as I would love a victory at Sparty or at Purdue, the next few games versus Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska are as critical for the tournamant berth. There may be only 4 B10 teams in the big dance.
Purdue, MSU, OSU seem like locks for the NCAAs. If UM cam beat the teams in the next tier then they should have the 4th bid, at least an 9-10 seed NCAA berth.
January 12th, 2018 at 8:20 AM ^
So, it seems that OSU beating Maryland was helpful to us, as we will be competing for a tournament spot with other mid-tier B1G teams, such as the Terps. We also should probably be rooting for the top three teams to continue beating everyone below them to make us the logical choice for the fourth bid, assuming we do enough the rest of the way. I am always willing to temporarily suspend my loathing for an opponent in circumstances where it helps us if they win.
January 12th, 2018 at 9:57 AM ^
January 12th, 2018 at 10:04 AM ^
when teams such as MSU, OSU, and Purdue beat teams like Nebraska, Maryland, and Minnesota and even Rutgers who could be possible bubble teams teams right now.
Maryland's injury looks like they are sliding fast (we really have to and should beat them) and MInnesota's lack of discipline on and off the court give us an advantage over the course of the season. Rutgers seniors are very good and could be a bid threat.
Purdue and OSU are very senior heavy, undefeated and probably aren't going into a dramatic tail spin. MSU also isn't going anywhere. Those three are a lock. So my premise is that with the B10 being relatively weak, we aren't going to get many tournament entires, and we are fighting the next tier for a bid.
The idea is to be good and playing in late March. RIght now we are working out too many issues ( Will Robinson finally be demoted to reserve? Will Wagner regain his shot and play smarter defense?) to realistically win the conference.
January 12th, 2018 at 4:48 PM ^
are playing good ball. They've been on a roll since second half of the Michigan game. Will see how the remaining game's play out for them. Crap. Michigan ballers so close to being undefeated. Take care of the Spartans boy's.
January 12th, 2018 at 10:05 PM ^