Ohio State's Mike Conley Jr., Ron Lewis, Jamar Butler and David Lighty celebrate their 67-60 victory over Georgetown.
Marching on March 31, 2007 Source: SI.com - "Take Greg Oden away from Ohio State and the Buckeyes still play for the national championship. Take Roy Hibbert away from Georgetown and ... the Buckeyes still play for the national championship..."
Buckeyes Advance March 31, 2007 Source: Associated Press & ESPN.com - "Not even three minutes into the game, and the whistle blew. Greg Oden dropped his head and started a slow walk to the bench. Two quick fouls, and he was done for the half. The turning point in the game, for sure. But not in the way anyone expected..."
Ohio State’s unsung supporting cast deserves to take a bow April 1, 2007 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "The bigwigs from CBS took the two kids, the ones the NBA is trying to get its clutches on, and trotted them out onto the court for a postgame chit-chat...If not for those small-role players, however, the curtain would have come down on the most magical Ohio State basketball season in 45 years..."
OSU's small lineup can play big April 1, 2007 Source: Toldeo Blade - "Ohio State center Greg Oden spent the last 17 minutes and 19 seconds of the first half on the bench...But the Buckeyes, as they have many times this season, proved they can beat a team just as easily with small ball..."
Despite Oden foul trouble, OSU slides past Georgetown March 31, 2007 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - "Greg Oden thought to himself, 'Here we go again.' Ohio State's All-America center was headed to the bench after picking up his second foul less than three minutes into the first half Saturday, another NCAA Tournament game to go on without him. Yet Ohio State wound up going somewhere it hasn't gone since 1962..."
Conley carries Ohio State March 31, 2007 Source: ESPN.com - "Somehow, Mike Conley Jr. got lost in the Greg Oden mania...the reality is that if you take Conley off of the Buckeyes, then they simply aren't playing for the national title Monday night..."
Conley is making a name for himself April 1, 2007 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - "How about what a lot of casual observers don't know about Conley? Begin with the fact that he, not Oden, has been the best player on his team throughout the Buckeyes' advance to Monday's national championship game after a 67-60 victory over Georgetown Saturday in the Georgia Dome..."
Matta, Conley key Ohio State victory March 31, 2007 Source: FoxSports.com - "Mike Conley Jr. Ohio State's point guard repeatedly broke down Georgetown's defense, scoring 10 of his 15 points on layups..."
Conley comes up big for OSU - again March 31, 2007 Source: SportingNews.com - "It took all of 2 minutes, 41 seconds Saturday during the first national semifinal game to let us know that Ohio State-Georgetown was going to be about much more than Oden and Hibbert..."
OSU Downs Georgetown, Advances To NCAA Title Game March 31, 2007 Source: Bucknuts - "As the final horn sounded on Ohio State’s national semifinal match-up with Georgetown Saturday night, OSU senior Ron Lewis was seen skipping with one finger in the air. Lewis then mouthed the words 'One more!'..."
Headed To The Title Game March 31, 2007 Source: BuckeyeSports.com - "Greg and Mike succeeded where Michael and Scoonie could not..."
Better late than never for Oden, Buckeyes March 31, 2007 Source: FoxSports.com - "For a while, it looked as though Greg Oden's college career might conclude on the bench..."
Battle of big men fizzles April 1, 2007 Source: CentralOhio.com - "Ewing vs. Olajuwon this wasn't. The most anticipated battle in decades between two of college basketball's best big men, Ohio State's Greg Oden and Georgetown's Roy Hibbert, never quite materialized..."
Buckeyes advance to national title game with Oden on bench April 1, 2007 Source: The Morning Journal - "Thad Matta sat down with Greg Oden Friday night and played a tape of every foul the big man has committed in every tournament. A lot of good that did..."
The zebras' whistles ruin a classic matchup March 31, 2007 Source: St. Louis Post Dispatch - "We may look back one day on this Final Four as the dawning of a long and legendary revival of old-school basketball big men...But for now, we'll just have to grit our teeth and settle for dubbing this one "Roy and Greg's Frustrating Adventure..."
Ohio State - Georgetown Postgame Analysis April 1, 2007 Source: Scout.com - "It's now one game or bust for Ohio State and defending National Champion Florida...Kyle Lamb breaks down the Georgetown win..."
Dynamic Duo March 31, 2007 Source: SI.com - "Ohio State's indomitable freshmen tandem of Greg Oden and Mike Conley Jr. have led their team exactly where coach Thad Matta told them they would, writes SI.com's Luke Winn..."
Hoyas can't iron out OSU's wrinkles April 1, 2007 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - "If some of Ohio State's defenses looked unfamiliar Saturday, they were just as unfamiliar to Georgetown and the Buckeyes themselves. With some tweaks to their zone schemes, and a strategy that constantly switched between zone and man-to-man, Ohio State kept the Hoyas sputtering for much of the night in a 67-60 Final Four victory..."
Green turns invisible for Georgetown March 31, 2007 Source: ESPN.com - "Ohio State's plan to shut down Big East Player of the Year Jeff Green worked perfectly..."
Critics have it all wrong: Harris can defend Hoyas' Green April 1, 2007 Source: Dayton Daily News - "Ivan Harris has more than just a pretty jump shot. Pointed to as a powerless power forward by some media outlets, the senior from Springfield more than held his own Saturday night at the Georgia Dome..."
'I'm a sum-of-the-parts player' April 1, 2007 Source: Dayton Daily News - ""I'm a sum-of-the-parts player," Harris said. "It helped me out to have a little taste of everybody's approach to the game. It made me more of a complete player. Every coach gave me something that made me better..."
Four a father-son story March 31, 2007 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "If they had a different relationship, one forged by the son trying to live up to the father, then this would be an appropriate place for Mike Conley Sr. to pass his family’s athletic torch to his namesake..."
In Conley Bucks trust: Freshman guard always on floor for Ohio State March 29, 2007 Source: Toledo Blade - "During Ohio State's high-profile run to the Final Four, it has often been the Greg Oden show. The seven-foot freshman center has supplied thunder with his malicious dunks, each with its own hang-time clause, and his fly swatter blocks..."
Lewis breaks out March 30, 2007 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "Ohio State’s Ron Lewis takes control of himself, his team to emerge as an unexpected driving force..."
Ohio State's Lewis steps out from shadows March 28, 2007 Source: USA Today - "The wait was worth it for Ron Lewis. His older brother, Lamont Carter, said as much Saturday after Ohio State defeated Memphis to advance to the Final Four. 'My brother couldn't make a layup in eighth grade,' Carter, 33, said. 'It was perseverance.'..."
Transfer Goes Home to Ohio State to Find N.C.A.A. Success March 26, 2007 Source: New York Times - "After two years at Bowling Green, Ron Lewis was tired of losing. Sure, he had been his team’s leading scorer in 2004 and had a career average of 14.6 points, but he longed for success greater than the Falcons’ 27-33 record in his first two seasons..."
Pre-Final Four Press Conference March 27, 2007 Source: The Ozone - "Ohio State Men's Basketball Head Coach Thad Matta confronts a reporter wearing a University of Kentucky sweat shirt..."
Matta's masterpiece: OSU coach turns blank page into winning tale March 30, 2007 Source: Toledo Blade - "Thad Matta started this basketball season in his office at Ohio State University's Schottenstein Center, holding a sketchy draft of a book that was yet to be written..."
Matta's Main Man March 30, 2007 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "Energetic assistant has played unsung role in OSU’s success...The sideline collision is coming. It’s only a matter of time before Thad Matta zigs left and John Groce zigs right and - BOOM, Matta’s gum won’t be the only thing to hit the floor..."
Faith of Buckeyes recruits was first step in Final Four run March 29, 2007 Source: CentralOhio.com - "It’s easy to see Greg Oden swatting shots or Mike Conley Jr. slicing through the lane to make a no-look pass and forget just how far Ohio State has come this season. It started with a leap of faith for a group of stellar recruits who could have picked any school and chose a program staring at NCAA probation..."
Name the need and Lighty’s right there to satisfy it for Buckeyes March 28, 2007 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "Thad Matta likes to talk about a conversation he had with freshman forward David Lighty during one of Ohio State’s first practice sessions...'I think you’ll be one of the greatest defenders ever to play at Ohio State.'..."
Final Four: Biggest stage filled with big-time performers March 26, 2007 Source: CBSSportsline.com - "The Road to the Final Four is closed...Georgetown minus-1 over Ohio State; Florida minus-3 over UCLA. Sounds like Atlanta will be a treat..."
From New York Times tournament blog: The 3 a.m. text messages that Ohio State Coach Thad Matta receives don’t surprise him anymore.
But the person sending him the messages does amaze him: the Buckeyes’ football coach, Jim Tressel.
He won a national championship at the university in 2002. He also led Ohio State to a Big Ten championship this past season and the Bowl Championship Series title game against Florida.
"I don’t think he sleeps," Matta said.
Matta said that Tressel’s text messages tend to be motivational in nature.
"He’s always offering up words of encouragement," Matta said. "It says a lot about him. It’s all focused on team and playing hard and trying to finish a mission. It’s always good to get those and read and ponder them and take it and let the guys know kind of what he said."
Tressel has also spoken to the Buckeyes on several occasions this season, including as recently as last week during the N.C.A.A. tournament in Lexington, Ky., Matta said. He said he appreciated Tressel’s efforts.
Oden remains calm amid Final Four frenzy March 25, 2007 Source: USA Today - "As his teammates whooped up their NCAA tournament South regional championship over Memphis on Saturday, Greg Oden stood calmly to absorb the moment. A Mack truck couldn't startle Ohio State's 7-foot freshman. 'That's just how I am,' Oden said. 'I'm not just going to explode like that.'..."
The geek shall inherit his worth March 30, 2007 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - "Until then and likely thereafter, Greg Oden is content living with a little 'Urkel' inside..."
Buckeyes had designs on reaching Final Four March 26, 2007 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "It has been more than six months since the Ohio State men’s basketball players reported for preseason conditioning, and coach Thad Matta handed each a manual explaining how they do things in the program, on and off the court, and when they are to do them. And where they could go..."
Mike Conley Jr. averaged 10.3 points per game over the first 34 games and has averaged 19 the past three games.
Conley is no longer a secret March 25, 2007 Source: Toldeo Blade - "Oden isn’t only fabulous freshman for 34-3 Buckeyes..."
Buckeyes' odyssey to Atlanta March 26, 2007 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - "Ohio State's 92-76 victory over Memphis on Saturday pushed the Buckeyes into their 10th Final Four, but only their second in the past 39 years (counting the one in 1999 they had to vacate because of NCAA violations)..."
Check out Anthony Gonzalez's bracket Four Cleveland sports stars have signed on to compete in The Plain Dealer's first Celebrity Bracketology Challenge. The final two contestants are Indians pitcher C.C. Sabathia and NFL-bound wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio State. Celebrity Bracketology Challenge
Coach Tressel's responded to a question about his bracket:"I didn’t fill one out. There's only one team that’s important in my bracket, and they’re still playing. I don’t care about the rest of them."
Oden reasserts dominance to get Ohio State in Final Four March 25, 2007 Source: Associated Press - "Forget any of those thoughts about Greg Oden becoming a freshman flop in the NCAA tournament. All that foul trouble Oden's been in the last few games? Just a memory. The 7-foot sensation reasserted his dominance when he was needed the most - and Ohio State is going to the Final Four for the first time since 1999...
Ohio State developed two distinct styles, with Oden and without him, and is better off for it. March 27, 2007 Source: Los Angeles Times - "They are different teams, with diverse styles of play and unique strategies. One has a seven-foot, game-changing center; the other does not. But both are headed to the Final Four. Ohio State and Georgetown? No, Ohio State and Ohio State..."
Matta's prediction not far off March 26, 2007 Source: Akron Beacon Journal - "Coach knew freshmen could take Buckeyes far...They arrived as the 'Thad Five,' four freshmen and a junior college transfer, perhaps the most heralded recruiting class in Ohio State basketball history. But great expectations are one thing, greatness another..."
Final Four Notebook: Conley, Lewis Come Up Big March 27, 2007 Source: Bucknutsnbsp;- "We have over 2,700 words in notes on Ohio State's run to the Final Four. This includes notes on NCAA South Regional MVP Mike Conley, the red hot Ron Lewis, freshly minted All-American Greg Oden, the intentional foul call in the Memphis game and bench play from Daequan Cook and David Lighty..."
Date: Saturday March 31, 2007
Opp: Georgetown (30-6)
Site: Atlanta GA Georgia Dome (50,000 Final Four capacity)
Game Time: 6:07p.m. (UCLA Florida 8:47p.m.)
Television: CBS
Columbus TV: WBNS 10 TV
TV Talent: Jin Nantz (P-by-P), Billy Packer (Expert Analysis)
Radio: OSU Radio Network (60 stations)
Columbus Radio: WBNS FM-97.1 AM-1460
Radio Talent: Paul Keels (P-by-P), Ron Stokes (Expert Analysis)
Game Preview March 31, 2007 Source: Columbus Dispatch
Forgotten frosh March 31, 2007 Source: FoxSports.com - "Ohio State is led by the inside-outside duo of Greg Oden and Mike Conley Jr., but Jeff Goodman says fellow freshmen Daequan Cook and David Lighty are keys to the national championship equation..."
A Closer Look March 31, 2007 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "...With the help of 20 points and 14 rebounds from center Roy Hibbert, the Hoyas beat the Buckeyes 70-52 last year in the second round. But Georgetown didn’t have to deal with Greg Oden or Mike Conley Jr. in that one...Three keys..."
Centers Of Attention March 31, 2007 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "His teammates learned to play without him, and play well enough to win without him. But with only four teams standing, now is not one of those times when Ohio State wants to show the college basketball world what it can do without Greg Oden..."
Final Four Break Down: Ohio State vs. Georgetown March 30, 2007 Source: CollegeHoops.com - "While the victory could depend on which 7-footer stays out of foul trouble, it could also come down to whether the Buckeyes have anyone to slow down the Hoyas' versatile 6-foot-8½ junior forward Jeff Green..."
Green’s game presents predicament March 31, 2007 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "6-9 junior’s unselfishness, size make defending Hoyas a nightmare for opponents..."
Buckeyes trust Lighty with heavy-duty task March 31, 2007 Source: CBSSportsline.com - "Ohio State will win if Daequan Cook shows up and Oden and Conley play like, well, Oden and Conley. Jeff Green is the Hoyas' only hope, which makes David Lighty a factor..."
Raw numbers don't represent Green's impact March 28, 2007 Source: ESPN.com - "Forget the numbers. Ohio State knows the multitalented Jeff Green is the guy it needs to stop..."
Matta, Lewis, Butler Meet With The Media March 30, 2007 Source: Bucknuts - "In their final media appearance before Ohio State's Final Four showdown with Georgetown on Saturday, OSU head coach Thad Matta, senior guard Ron Lewis and junior guard Jamar Butler held court on Friday at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta..."
Jeff Green vs. ... who? At the most important positions on the floor, Ohio State has a decisive edge over Georgetown. The Hoyas have solid players at point guard (Jonathan Wallace) and center (Roy Hibbert), but Ohio State freshmen Michael Conley Jr. and Greg Oden are the best the country has to offer at those positions.
Ohio State also has a big edge on the wing, with Ron Lewis a better player than Jessie Sapp. Throw in the Buckeyes' superior depth, and this game is a no-brainer for the Buckeyes, right? Almost.
For Ohio State, there's the Jeff Green conundrum.
The Buckeyes have nobody who can defend Green. Nobody who can come remotely close. Green is the Hoyas' 6-9 combo-forward who scores from the perimeter and on the post and everywhere in between. His season scoring average is modest at 14.4 points per game, but he's capable of putting up big numbers -- he had 22 in the Elite Eight against North Carolina, and Big East coaches voted him the Player of the Year -- and Georgetown will need him to do just that against Ohio State.
And Ohio State won't be able to stop him.
Ohio State's starting power forward, Ivan Harris, is a scorer, not a defender. Green will throttle him all over the floor, which means the Buckeyes will have to put a smaller defender on Green -- say, the 6-4 Lewis -- and hope Oden can help when Green takes Lewis close to the basket and posts him up.
Or the Buckeyes might have to tinker with their entire lineup and play with a second big man, 6-9 Othello Hunter, alongside Oden. Hunter has the size and bounce to defend in the post, but Green is a 38 percent shooter from 3-point range, an area Hunter won't be comfortable trying to defend. And what kind of havoc would Hunter's presence have on Ohio State's offense, which typically has four perimeter players orbiting around Oden?
Green's a problem for most teams, but he's a specific matchup nightmare for Ohio State. The question is will Green be so good that he overcomes Ohio State's edge at center, shooting guard and point guard? Final Four matchups March 29, 2007 Source: CBSSportsline.com
has led the charge through the early rounds but can he sustain it through the Final Four Source: FoxSports.com
Men's Basketball Quotes - March 27, 2007 March 28, 2007 Source: OSU Official Site - "Mike Conley Jr. and the rest of the Buckeyes met with the media during preparation for the Final Four..."
An Oden vs. Hibbert reality check March 29, 2007 Source: SportingNews.com - "If you're looking for an analogy that appropriately captures the meeting Ohio State's Greg Oden and Georgetown's Roy Hibbert will conduct Saturday evening some 84 inches above the Georgia Dome floor, you need to forget all about Patrick Ewing and Hakeem Olajuwon. It just doesn't fit..."
Ohio State vs. Georgetown Jeff: Before we get to the matchup of big men Greg Oden and Roy Hibbert, know this much about both teams: neither will wilt in the pressure. Ohio State and Georgetown have come back from what looked like insurmountable deficits. Now, to the big men. College hoops fans can't wait for that matchup. It should be a good one. As long as both stay out of foul trouble. But as much as most look forward to Oden vs. Hibbert, those two aren't going to decide the outcome alone. Ohio State's combination of youth (Mike Conley Jr., Daequan Cook, David Lighty and Oden) and experience (Ivan Harris, Ron Lewis, Jamar Butler) is impressive. The Buckeyes can play just about any style -- slow it down, speed it up, it doesn't matter. They are the kind of team that can grind it out against Georgetown and run with Florida. However, I picked Georgetown to win it all, and now that the Hoyas are here, there's no reason to switch my pick now. While the focus might be on the Hibbert-Oden matchup, Jeff Green is the guy Ohio State needs to stop. Georgetown proved it could put up points against North Carolina. DaJuan Summmers, Jonathan Wallace and Jessie Sapp can also score. The Hoyas have the defense to stop Ohio State, too. Georgetown 74, Ohio State 72
Tim: In four previous trips to the Final Four, Georgetown has never lost in the semifinals. Ohio State, however, hasn’t reached the title game since 1962 and has lost two straight semifinal matchups (1968, 1999). But Saturday’s matchup has nothing to do with history. It’s all about youth. A major factor will be whether the bright lights of the Final Four are too much for the Buckeyes’ group of talented freshmen. But the thing is, the group - led by Greg Oden and Mike Conley Jr. - have been waiting for this moment. And I’m not saying the Hoyas haven’t. But the Hoyas had some hiccups along the way while Ohio State lost just three games and has appeared on a mission since Day One. While everyone’s talking about the matchup of Oden and Roy Hibbert in the paint, it will likely be outside shooting that determines this game. And I have a feeling that Ron Lewis and Jamar Butler while have more success than Jonathan Wallace, Jessie Sapp and DaJuan Summers from the perimeter. If the Buckeyes can keep Jeff Green in check, prevent Wallace from attacking the lane and hit their open jumpers, they move on. Ohio State 81, Georgetown 78 Bracket Racket March 29, 2007 Source: USA Today
Buckeyes look forward to looking Hoyas in the eyes March 28, 2007 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "After absorbing the worst beating an Ohio State men’s basketball team had ever taken in an NCAA Tournament game, coach Thad Matta shook his head last March as he recalled all the long bodies and long arms Georgetown had used to overwhelm the Buckeyes..."
Last meeting: Georgetown 70 Ohio State 52 2006 NCAA Round of 32
Despite blue-chip infusion, Buckeyes still remember '06 beating by Hoyas March 27, 2007 Source: CBSSportsline.com - "The Ohio State Buckeyes haven't forgotten the last time they faced Georgetown...'They got us really good last year,' Buckeyes coach Thad Matta said Tuesday. 'We couldn't defend them. They got very easy baskets.'..."
Hoyas’ revival isn’t just hype; Buckeyes will have their hands full March 26, 2007 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "Greg Oden wasn’t born the last time Georgetown was in the Final Four, and the shot-swatting man-child wasn’t on Ohio State’s team one year ago when the Hoyas gave the Buckeyes their worst NCAA Tournament loss ever..."
Ohio State-Georgetown Source: SI.com - "SI.com's Seth Davis breaks down every key aspect of the Ohio State-Georgetown contest and offers his pick for who will advance to the national title game.
Hoyas' smothering defense reason Tar Heels are toast March 25, 2007 Source: CBSSportsline.com - "Question: What in the world happened to the North Carolina Tar Heels? Horrific offense brought on by a suffocating Georgetown defense, that's what..."
Five reasons why Ohio State is playing over Source: Covers.com - "The Ohio State Buckeyes are scoring almost 10 points more per game in the Tournament than they did in the regular season. What’s supposed to be a more defensive, conservative time of year hasn’t been that way at all for OSU, which is the only Final Four team to play over the total in all four games..."
