“Good is the enemy of best.”
Voltaire
The Big Ten Tournament is almost upon us.
March 10-13 in Indianapolis will begin the gladiator war of the Conference in the Conseco Fieldhouse Arena.
Many bracketologists project Ohio State as a No. 1 seed. If they are already a number one, what value is the Big Ten Tournament?
I have written elsewhere that Thad Matta should not go all out in Indy: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/622351-matta-needs-to-not-go-all-out-to-win-big-ten-tournament.
The Buckeyes would have little to gain, but much to lose. Matta should view the Big Ten Tourney as a tool to prepare his team for the Big Dance.
Here are a few suggestions:
1) Prepare against more physical teams (e.g. Big East).
In 1992, the Buckeyes, lead by Jimmy Jackson, played the University of Connecticut in the round of 32.
UConn was beating Ohio State on the boards and controlling the game. Then OSU head coach Randy Ayers inserted power forward Ricky Dudley.
Momentum changed instantly.
Dudley was able to neutralize the physical prowess of the Huskies shrinking the rebound margin.
Ohio State won the game 78-55.
The Buckeyes lost in the Elite Eight to the Fab Five of Michigan, but some argue that had Ayers inserted Dudley at the end of that game, Ohio State would have won and gone all the way to the finals.
Enter 2010: Ohio State is a No. 2 seed and playing University of Tennessee in the Sweet Sixteen.
Ohio State gets beat up on the boards. Unlike Ayers in 1992, Matta insists on sticking with his four guard offense instead of trying to match UT’s size and depth.
Dallas Lauderdale played only 29 minutes and had six rebounds, while backup center Kyle Madsen played only 11 minutes and had three rebounds.
Matta should have played Madsen and Lauderdale together, trying to neutralize UT’s advantage on the boards much like Ayers did.
Ohio State should try to play a combination Dallas Lauderdale, Jared Sullinger and Deshaun Thomas.
Matta’s preference of four guards one center/power forward may not work against a more physical team and Matta should try to play a lineup that can match a team with size, like last year’s Tennessee team.
2) Play Deshaun Thomas more.
Deshaun Thomas showed signs of breaking out when he scored 22 points against Indiana, but did not follow it up with a strong performance, scoring only six points against Northwestern.
Defenses have been geared to stop Jared Sullinger. This is fine if players like Jon Diebler can find an open shot, but what if they go cold?
Playing Deshaun Thomas more will further his development as an offensive threat and save Jared Sullinger’s energy.
3) Have a rotation at guard.
Ohio State mainly plays a four guard offense and I argued before that this may not work against teams with size underneath.
Matta should work on a rotation of three guards. Lighty is the best defensive player and Diebler is the best three-point shooter, while Aaron Craft is best suited at point.
Matta needs to rotate Diebler, Craft, Bufford and Lighty to prepare against bigger teams.
Thad Matta should not go all out to win the Big Ten Tournament. Since 1999, the winner of the Big Ten Tournament has lost in the round of 64 once, the round of 32 four times, the Sweet Sixteen three times.
Only four teams who won the Big Ten Tournament went to the Final Four and only 2000 Michigan State team won the NCAA Tournament.
The Big Ten Tournament winner, on average, does not make it past the sweet sixteen.
I think this year’s Ohio State team can go far and in my opinion, should use the Big Ten Tourney as a stepping stone for March Madness.
It is fine to try to win it but have a plan.
Don’t let good be the enemy of the best.
Lokelani McMichael Freida Pinto Eva Longoria Susan Ward Emmy Rossum
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