After notching a critical quality win against No. 23 Indiana, Ohio State is gearing up to play Maryland, which sits near the top of the Big Ten standings. As part of the conference’s weekly coaches teleconference Monday morning, head coach Thad Matta spent most of his session talking star freshman D’Angelo Russell, who has helped the Buckeyes win back-to-back games against the Hoosiers and Northwestern.
"I think that he’s pretty comfortable with what we’re doing … great understanding of the game of basketball. Very diligent … he wants to be a great player,” Matta said.
He added: “Before practice after practice you see him in there working … He’s also a guy that’s fun to play with, he makes our team — his teammates better — with the ball in his hands.”
Matta Notes:
- Matta also said redshirt freshman guard Kam Williams, who hails from Maryland: “Kam played really really well for us yesterday.” Matta said his redshirt “was a great thing for him.”
- Matta said Williams has “has a great understanding of what his role on this basketball team is ... His defense has come a long way … he’s a major part of what we’re doing
Conference notes:
Tom Crean (Indiana)
"We've got to continue to understand how to get people out of their comfort zone and take away strengths of the other team."
Fran McCaffery (Iowa)
After back-to-back losses to Wisconsin and Purdue, coach Fran McCaffery says "everyone's got to step up. It can't be one guy.” The Hawkeyes play the Badgers again Saturday.
Matt Painter (Purdue)
In what’s been a middling season for Purdue, Painter said “we have to play well and use our advantage. We have to play smart." The Boilermakers have lost three of their last five, but beat Iowa last weekend.
Pat Chambers (Penn State)
The Nittany Lions snapped a six-game losing streak by crushing Rutgers last weekend. "Proud of our resiliency and group,” Chambers said. “I thought we did a good job defensively and rebounding."
Mark Turgeon (Maryland)
After taking the conference by storm, Maryland lost decidedly at Indiana and slipped by Northwestern by a point last weekend: “There’s so much basketball left. I think we can continue to get better." The Terrapins play Ohio State Thursday night in Columbus.
Chris Collins (Northwestern)
Amidst a six-game losing streak, Collins said "our guys are playing with a lot of confidence. I give my team a lot of credit."
John Groce (Illinois)
Groce said: “I'm more into the things that you can control, and that's our toughness and effort."
Tom Izzo (Michigan State)
On playing Rutgers this week: "They're a team that has played just about everyone very well."
Eddie Jordan (Rutgers)
With a snow storm slamming the east coast, there’s been speculation that Rutgers’ game against Michigan State might be cancelled. “I think the conditions are gonna improve, I think the game will be played and we’re prepared to do that,” Jordan said.
Bo Ryan (Wisconsin)
When asked about parity in college basketball, Ryan said “in case anybody hasn’t let you know, winning is hard and winning consistently is hard.”
Ryan also took a shot at college football when asked to offer his take on some of the changes the NCAA has made in regards to taking care of athletes and their families: “I think the changes are great, I know some of our guys ran out of meal money legitimately … isn’t it ironic that the first time we have a national championship in football where we’re like, ‘Let’s take care of football’ when basketball” makes up most of college athletics.
John Beilein (Michigan)
After a close loss to Wisconsin, Beilein said, “They have a terrific team, we had some chances that maybe if we played a little bit better we would’ve won but at the same time we got beat by a terrific team … we have our hands full, the beat goes on
Beilein, also asked about NCAA loosening up restrictions, said: "I think the meal thing is really great … we can do so much with them around meals and we’re not worried about how many times they’ve been fed. And the recruiting things with not having to chart phone calls and not being able to text young men … it was mindless to have to do those things. I think the NCAA has shown over time a commitment to change — sometimes it’s slower than other times.
Tim Miles (Nebraska)
On facing a sputtering Michigan team: "Even John probably doesn’t know what he’s gonna get from some of these young guys … we’re just preparing the best we can. Systematically, we have a good game plan for what Michigan provides.
