#6 Ohio State vs Illinois

[elcheato]

Last game of the regular season. A win would guarantee us a share of the big ten title, and would give us the #1 seed in the big ten tourney. Game is on ESPN at 9:00 PM EST.

Go Buckeyes

[col63onel]

Joey brackets still has OSU as #3. The 2's are Purdue, New Mexico, Kansas State and Nova. I think running the table through the B10 Tourney would put them ahead of the 1st 3.

Then, if Nova slips again, and we can get Duke to lose 2 more times, OSU can get a #1.

Seriously, I expect they get a #2.

[SanduskyCav]

Got Evan Turner's tickets for tonights game, should be a good one!

[di0p]

Pumped for this game. Not only is it a shot to win the title outright, but it's the first game I have been able to watch in awhile. Let's do it Bucks!!!

I wonder if we will get a #2 seed if we win tonight and win the Big Ten Tourney? I would imagine we would jump ahead of Purdue, who is projected to get a #2 right now.

[DougHeil]

He has Purdue as a 2? That can't last. They lost Sunday and will lose at least one more time before the NCAA tourney.

I still say OSU can be a #1 seed in the NCAA tourney if they run the table... four more games.

BTW: Tonight's game is the classic trap. Illinois is on the bubble for the tournament. They NEED to win. Ohio State better be ready to play.

[col63onel]

He has Purdue as a 2? That can't last. They lost Sunday and will lose at least one more time before the NCAA tourney.

I still say OSU can be a #1 seed in the NCAA tourney if they run the table... four more games.

BTW: Tonight's game is the classic trap. Illinois is on the bubble for the tournament. They NEED to win. Ohio State better be ready to play.

Purdue and Duke still have better overall profiles across the board. Heck, OSU's RPI is 31, right now. I don't know the worst RPI ever for a #1, but I'll be it isn't much over 10.

If they win out, they should get close to that, but Duke and Purdue both need to lose, as does Nova.

Don't forget OSU's best OOC win was Cal. Sure they played Butler and WVU, but lost. They are 3-4 vs the top 25, 5-4 vs the top 50 and 8-6 versus the top 100. Certainly solid numbers, but not #1 worthy. They'll need to beat MSU or Purdue in the final to really improve those numbers greatly.

[DougHeil]

Purdue and Duke still have better overall profiles across the board. Heck, OSU's RPI is 31, right now. I don't know the worst RPI ever for a #1, but I'll be it isn't much over 10.

If they win out, they should get close to that, but Duke and Purdue both need to lose, as does Nova.

Don't forget OSU's best OOC win was Cal. Sure they played Butler and WVU, but lost. They are 3-4 vs the top 25, 5-4 vs the top 50 and 8-6 versus the top 100. Certainly solid numbers, but not #1 worthy. They'll need to beat MSU or Purdue in the final to really improve those numbers greatly.

What you say is true, but you left out a big thing the NCAA committee works off of; which team is now playing the best? Which teams have key injured players? Which teams lost early on, but lost because they had a key injured player?

Do you see? If you factor in "what are doing right now", and "who is injured and when", etc, you will find that OSU lost three games when Turner was out.... actually 4. They are healthy now and playing real well so if they win four more games, a 1 seed is possible. Purdue has one of the main players out and is not going to return. They lost the last game. They will lose in the big ten tourney. They might get a 3 or 4 seed now.

There are many things the committee looks at and not just who you beat and when, but who is injured and when, and how well are you playing RIGHT NOW.

[Marcus]

Ha, this is why I hate living on Lane Avenue sometimes... I was just trying to walk back from my night class, but crowds of people on the sidewalk and all the traffic in the street made it rather difficult.

[elcheato]

Diebler has the hot hand out there.. 5-8 from 3, small lead at half, 37-33.

[DougHeil]

OSU needs to get their heads into the game in the second half. Senior day screws things up. Even the announcers stated that if OSU wins tonight and then wins the big ten tourney, they should get the #1 seed spot. We better pick it up tonight, otherwise it won't matter.

[glockcoma]

JJ Sullinger looks like he's been on that Arnold Schwarzenegger diet.

[Chardon]

73-57 good guys.

[DougHeil]

Turner didn't play well but had 16 points and 12 rebounds. huh? what?

[elcheato]

Great 2nd half, Lighty played with a lot of energy and really got the team going.

[DougHeil]

Kansas State plays at Kansas and Duke plays Maryland this weekend and tomorrow I believe. Kansas State is top five. Duke is top four. If one or both lose their games, OSU will leap above them in the polls on Monday. Kansas and Kentucky are already locks for a one seed. Two one seeds are to be determined yet. I'd say Ohio State has a damn good chance at a one if they win the Big Ten Tourney.... especially if either Kansas State or Duke loses this week.