The Weis Guy
Bobcats exposed in Oxford
By Michael Weisman, Senior Sports Writer
March 4, 2008 | 10:08 p.m.
What seemed so promising at the beginning, fizzled out towards the end. And I’m not even referring to the Ohio men’s basketball team’s 6-2 start in Mid-American Conference play (they’re 2-4 in their last six MAC games). I’m talking about Speakeasy Sports’ quarterly road trip.
Our trek to Oxford started well Saturday afternoon after I received a free lunch from Nelson Grab ‘n Go because the cash register wasn’t working and a free hot chocolate from a Shell Gas Station along the way. But once we arrived at Millett Hall for the Ohio vs. Miami University game, the real reason we traveled to Athens’ twin city, our good fortune ran out, as Ohio was run out of the gym 73-49.
My plan to focus on the final installment of Leon Williams vs. Tim Pollitz (both MAC Player-of-the-Year candidates) had to be thrown out the window, just like Ohio’s chances of an at-large bid were, after neither had dominant games. Luckily for me, the Bobcats were so bad and painful to watch (sure glad I had a courtside seat), they gave me something new to rant about – their lack of emotion or concern, perhaps, after getting manhandled by a team they beat in the friendly confines of the Convocation Center 72-63 on Jan. 12.
To give you an idea of how bad it was, here are some statistics to ponder. Ohio shot a pathetic 24.6 percent for the game and 20 percent from three-point land. Their 14 first-half points were a season-low for points in a half and the fewest in a half in Tim O’Shea’s tenure. The 24-point defeat was their second-worst loss of the season (next to a 37-point rout at Kansas) and worst in the MAC. And the icing on the cake is with 10:55 remaining in the GAME, Miami forward Michael Bramos had 23 points, Ohio had 22.
Teams lose, shots do not fall, I get it. But a 24-point loss to your rival that you already beat should be reason to be upset. However, coach Tim O’Shea showed little emotion following the debacle, and that rubs off on the team.
“It was just a strange game,” O’Shea said. “We just couldn’t find a way to score.”
To me, that seems to be a problem, but maybe I’m crazy. He went on to say it wasn’t a lack of effort and blamed the loss mainly on poor shooting.
Bubba Walther reiterated his coach’s sentiments.
“The effort was there. I don’t think we didn’t play hard. We just couldn’t get anything going. It was just frustrating,” the senior said.
But to blame the loss solely on poor shooting or the fact that it was a road game is not right. Something else went wrong Saturday night.
Both teams had a whole week to prepare for the game, as neither team had their usual mid-week game, but obviously Miami used their time to create a strong game plan to shut down Ohio in the post, and it worked.
“We had a game plan and we followed it,” Miami forward Tim Pollitz said, as Miami doubled down on Leon Williams every time he touched the ball in the post.
Where was Ohio’s game plan? They may have slowed up Pollitz a bit (he had 10 points), but they certainly didn’t slow down Bramos.
“[Ohio’s defense] lost me a couple of times in the first couple minutes of the game. I think it was a bit of both me moving well and them blowing defense assignments,” Bramos said.
That’s an understatement. Ohio’s 2-3 zone saw RedHawks slip behind them for backdoor cuts or flare-outs behind the three-point line all night. When the ‘Cats were in man-to-man, they sat flat-footed as Miami drove to the basket.
Ohio’s offensive game plan all year has been to get the ball inside, but Saturday night Ohio settled for three-pointers when they fell behind, 25 to be exact (they made five). They only shot 17 three-point attempts in the first matchup with Miami.
Walther said the Bobcat guards need to knock down shots to open it up inside for Williams and Jerome Tillman, who were hounded all night by Miami defenders.
Ohio does not look like the team that played in the second half against George Mason Univeristy just over a week ago or the team that went into Maryland and knocked off the ACC contender. They need to snap out of their first half funk and return to their old ways.
“We can’t just wait till the second half to all of a sudden turn on the switch and find a way to win because we found out tonight that we can get blown out too,” Walther said.
Don’t fret too much over the loss, however, Bobcat fans, as their final two games of the regular season are at home, where Ohio is undefeated this season (the ‘Cats are 2-6 on the road in the MAC) and has been shooting much better than on the road.
As long as the Bobcats win their final two games they clinch the all-important first-round bye, but then comes the tricky part – winning away from the Convo.
“If we want to get to the NCAA Tournament, we’re not going to win it in the Convo,” Walther said. “We have to win it up in Cleveland at a neutral site.”
Walther said it best. Now he, along with the rest of the team, just has to show some emotion and execute.
---