AVENGE ME! AVENGE ME!
 #10 Ohio State 1-0, 0-0 Big Ten Roster | Schedule |
November 12, 2013 8:00 PM ET - BTN —— The Schott Columbus, OH |
 Ohio 1-0, 0-0 MAC Roster | Schedule |
It’s been 19 years since Ohio State and Ohio met on a basketball court. On that November night inside St. John Arena, Jeff Boals scored 14 points to help lead the Bobcats to a 78-67 victory over the Buckeyes.
On Tuesday night, Boals will be dressed in a suit and be sitting next to Thad Matta on the Ohio State bench. He may be a Buckeye assistant now, but Boals admits to being a loyal Bobcat and following each result.
Coming out of high school, Boals wanted to play for Ohio State, just like virtually every Ohio high school basketball player. His path led to Athens, though. When OU made the 81-mile trip to Columbus in 1994, the importance for the Bobcat players verged on that of a Final Four.
“I think playing on the other side, coaching on other side, it’s a huge game,” Boals said.
This year that line of thinking has changed. It’s just another game on the schedule for the Buckeyes. Nothing is circled or highlighted. Instead, it’s Game 2 on a lengthy agenda. But for OU, it’s an opportunity to see where they stack up against an elite team and the state’s top dog.
“Every game is a big game against Ohio State,” Boals said.
Especially from the Bobcats, who have four Central Ohioans on the roster.
| # | Name | YR | HT/WT | PTS | REB | ASST | P | # | Name | YR | HT/WT | PTS | REB | ASST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | A. Craft | SR | 6-2/195 | 5.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | G | 22 | S. Taylor | JR | 5-10/167 | 10.0 | 2.0 | 8.0 |
| 3 | S. Scott | JR | 6-1/185 | 16.0 | 4.0 | 7.0 | G | 15 | N. Kellogg | SR | 6-3/198 | 16.0 | 5.0 | 1.0 |
| 32 | L. Smith Jr. | SR | 6-4/210 | 18.0 | 9.0 | 2.0 | F | 20 | R. Johnson | SR | 6-5/207 | 14.0 | 4.0 | 2.0 |
| 10 | L. Ross | JR | 6-8/220 | 14.0 | 11.0 | 1.0 | F | 21 | J. Smith | SR | 6-7/189 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 |
| 23 | A. Williams | JR | 6-11/250 | 4.0 | 7.0 | 0.0 | C | 5 | M. N'dour | JR | 6-9/203 | 20.0 | 5.0 | 2.0 |
Opponent
Ohio University has enjoyed a rich basketball tradition through the years. But the level of play dipped in the mid-2000s before John Groce and Jim Christian returned the Bobcats to prominence.
Christian’s first year back in the MAC last season was filled with riches as a senior-leaden OU team won a division title and played in the NIT. Four of the top five players from last year are gone now, including do-it-all playmaker D.J. Cooper. Suddenly, the Bobcats are searching for a new identity.
The biggest returnee is Nick Kellogg, son of Buckeye legend, Clark. Kellogg has been a vital part of all the recent success OU has enjoyed and should be a stable force on the court this season. Jon Smith and Maurice N’dour make up a formidable duo in the paint, while point guard Stevie Taylor and shooting guard Ricardo Johnson provide the Bobcats with a healthy dose of offensive production.
OU should be a player in the MAC again this season, but challenging Ohio State deep into the second half could be a major task. The Bobcats are a year or two away from being an elite mid-major once again.
“They’re great kids, competitive,” Ohio State point guard Aaron Craft said. “They want to win just as much as we do.”
Buckeye Breakdown:
There was a time when frustration was the most popular noun attached to Shannon Scott’s level of play. That notion has since traveled far, far way. Scott has blossomed into a versatile guard who can distribute the basketball, penetrate in the line or settle for a jump shot. His performance in the opener was the latest flash of brilliance.
In his first career start, Scott tallied 16 points, seven assists, four rebounds and a steal. He converted on five of eight shots from the field, including four of seven 3s. It was the type of showing that became commonplace during the summer and practices leading up to the season.
Scott is no longer the tentative player who averaged fewer than five points per game last season. He’s quickly developing into a bell cow on a team that isn’t lacking for leadership.
Shannon Scott gives the offense a boost.At the heart of the change in Scott’s on-court demeanor and confidence is his shooting ability. It started with shooting 400 shots a day over the summer.
“I tried to stay in the gym as much as possible during the summer and the preseason,” Scott said. “I think last year there were some times where I didn’t take my shot as serious. I think I’m doing a lot better job now with making every shot count and making the most of it, and they’re going in.”
Before the season Craft, Lenzelle Smith Jr. and Sam Thompson spoke in certainty, showering Scott with praise and proclaiming him the top player on the team. That doesn’t mean he’ll usurp Craft’s status or be the X-factor many tab Amir Williams and LaQuinton Ross as, but it does bode well for Ohio State when someone who’s never starting if receiving such recognition.
“He’s knocking down shots at an alarming rate,” Thompson said. “I don’t know the percentages, but he’s been making a lot of shots. He’s been much more aggressive and he’s really doing a good job of leading whatever team he’s on in practice.
“You know, the point guards are usually the engine of the team and when Shannon’s been going the way he’s going in practice, it’s evident the way that all the other guys on this team are playing.”
Etc
- Ohio State leads OU 17-4 in the all-time series.
- Aaron Craft is 10 steals away from No. 6 in Big Ten history.
