Let’s do this

April 2nd, 2007 | Posted by PostmanE

It’s time. We’ve had a day full of baseball (effing Cubs) to take our minds off the sad reality that college basketball is ending, but now it’s time to face facts.

Who’s it going to be? Ohio State or Florida? Greg Oden or Noahorford, the two-headed post-playing monster? Taurean Green or Mike Conley? Ron Lewis and Jamar Butler or Lee Humphrey? Corey Brewer or … whoever Ohio State thinks they have that can stop Corey Brewer? (Hint: they don’t have anyone.)

This isn’t likely to be a battle of styles. With the exception of a switch from zone to man every once in a while, Thad Matta just sort of rolls the balls out, and Florida coach Billy Donovan doesn’t really do much strategic stuff himself. Both teams seem just as happy - perhaps happier - running up and down the floor as they do slowing the game down and moving through half court sets.

Then, as it usually does, this will come down to personnel. Ohio State is a much, much better team than they were when they lost to Florida in Gainsville earlier this year; Greg Oden is improved, the team has a whole functions better, and Mike Conley has become the de facto leader on the offensive end of the court. The Buckeyes’ roles were not nearly as defined then as they are now, and they weren’t receiving nearly as much contribution from their role players. (Terwilliger? Hunter? Lighty?)

Not only that, but if Greg Oden does leave the game early, as he is wont to do, the Buckeyes don’t seem to lose a step. Instead, they open up the floor and run a little bit more, and are just as difficult to defend.

That all said, didn’t Jeff Green sort of seem to hand OSU the game Saturday? I didn’t follow Green closely through the year, so I’m not sure if he’s ever done this before, but didn’t it seem like he totally lost track of time? Whether it was nerves or an overwhelming desire to get his teammates involved, Green almost singlehandedly gave the game to OSU. I kept screaming “Shoot, Jeff! Drive! Do something!!” And he never did.

That’s why I think Florida takes it tonight. The Gators will give OSU their best shot, unlike Georgetown, and OSU won’t have an answer. It will be closer than last time, but not that close: Florida 76, OSU 68.