With less than 3 weeks to play in the Big Ten regular season, it’s worth reflecting upon the Spartans victory versus Ohio State last Saturday in Columbus.
As you recall, the Spartans built a 35-25 half time lead and then dispatched of the former # 3 ranked Buckeyes 58-48 but more importantly the Buckeyes shot a dismal 14 of 53 (26%) from the Field…and a meager 2 of 15 (13%) beyond the Arc. Overall, the Buckeyes had minus 3 Rebounds…committed 15 Turnovers…while Jared Sullinger, generally regarded as one of the best and most efficient players in the country…committed 10 solo Turnovers.
If either team should have had a ‘cold’ night shooting on a cold winter night in Columbus…it should have been the visiting Spartans. And frankly, the Spartans didn’t shoot very well either...21 of 52 (40.4%) from the Field…and 4 of 16 (25%) from beyond the Arc but that’s not the story. The Story is why the Buckeyes shot so poorly and turned the ball over so frequently on their home floor? Was it poor Offense…or stifling Defense?
In my humble opinion, here is your answer!
The Spartans beat the Buckeyes with suffocating Defense and relentless rebounding…all compliments of a long bench. But you won’t hear that from the experts. The experts would rather write about ‘high arching’ jump shots from beyond the Arc…or back board rattling ‘throw downs’. Nevertheless, three aspects separate the Spartans from the national pack: auspicious Team Depth…suffocating Defense…and dominating Rebounding.
In Columbus, the Spartans deployed alternating waves of ‘fresh’ players that simply wore the Buckeyes down. Prior to the game, the Buckeyes were averaging more than 75 points per game but the Spartans held the Buckeyes to 48 points on the Buckeyes familiar home floor…or 27 points below their season average. Did that happen simply by accident? Or was there a catalyst?
It’s easy to write that the Buckeyes had a bad offensive night...but don’t buy it. The Buckeyes have a tremendous offense and they simply didn’t show up on their ‘home floor’ and forget how to shoot the ball. So, give credit to Ohio State…but more importantly…give credit to the Spartans suffocating ‘D’.
And give credit to the Spartans ‘long bench’. Once again, the Spartans played 10 players…8 players got double digit minutes…7 players scored…and 9 players got rebounds. Compare that to the Buckeyes who deployed a total of eight players but only 6 players got double digit minutes. That may not seem meaningful but when you consider that Jared Sullinger was forced to play the entire 40 minutes while facing two formidable Spartan ‘Big Men’, then depth becomes a major talking point.
First, Sullinger was chasing 6’10” & 240# Adreian Payne around the paint…while Payne jumped, drove and tipped 15 points (and gathered 4 rebounds) in 20 minutes…and then Sullinger was bumped, blocked and bruised by 6’9” & 270# Derrick Nix who contributed 6 points (and gathered 1 rebound) in 19 minutes.
More importantly, Payne and Nix alternated every 6 minutes or so and consequently Sullinger was incapable of catching his breath. So, given those stats…it would be more than fair to say…Sullinger got beat down and frustrated while uncharacteristically committing 10 Turnovers…all the while complaining that he was getting ‘mugged’ down on the block.
Was Sullinger getting ‘mugged’? Maybe…maybe not. But, come on, this is the Big Ten…football on wood. Normally Sullinger doesn’t get ‘tag teamed’ and usually Sullinger is the one who does the ‘mugging’…but not on this night. Translation: Sullinger was worn down…stifled…and frustrated. He uncharacteristically complained last Saturday because he wasn’t in control of his game. Bottom line: Sullinger needed help but that didn’t happen and therein lies the story!
The so called experts have simplistically referred to it as a bad day at the office for the Buckeyes…an off night if you like. Yes indeed…that it was…an off night…but with the greatest of respect to the Buckeyes…the Spartan ‘D’ has been shutting down opposing offenses all year and they did the same to the Buckeyes last Saturday.
According to the most current ‘Strength of Schedule’ ranking, the Spartans have played the ’Third’ most difficult schedule in the country (behind only Duke and UConn), when you consider the Spartans have played North Carolina, Duke, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana…all of whom have been consistently ranked in the Top 25…and yet prior to the Ohio State game…the Spartan ‘D’ was limiting opponents to a meager 37.9% from the field…(#10 in the country…#2 Big Ten)…while achieving a dominating 10.8 Rebound Margin per game…(#3 in the country…#1 Big Ten). So let’s be honest…the Buckeyes didn’t simplistically have a ‘bad’ shooting night by themselves. The Spartans wore down the Buckeyes and stole their offensive rhythm!!!
And that’s what makes the Spartans uniquely built for the tournaments.
When the tournaments start, there is no ‘home field’ advantage…and the jump shot becomes an erstwhile friend. The jump shot may be a ‘deadly weapon’ during the regular season…on familiar trips…against familiar defenses…in familiar venues…but when the tournaments start…the erstwhile Jump Shot becomes a friend no more. Depth…Defense and Rebounding…become a team’s best friends in the tournaments and those three aspects, the Spartans have in abundance!!!
So welcome the Badgers to East Lansing tonight but regardless of the outcome…get ready for the tournaments…and when you pencil your tournament picks…save a spot in the Final Four for the Spartans!
And, by the way…you don’t owe me anything for that tip (ha)!
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