On hotdog night…Brandon Noel gets one of his three dunks and scored eight points in the Buckeyes lopsided win over Western Michigan. (Press Pros Feature Photos by Angie Greenwood)
Western Michigan was no match for Ohio State on Thursday night. The Buckeyes did just about whatever they wanted on both ends of the floor.
Columbus, OH – The most competitive moments Thursday night in a sparsely populated Schottenstein Center belonged to the dogs.
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The basketball? Frankly, Ohio State’s 91-58 victory over Western Michigan made the crowd – appreciative as they were of the basketball – come close to barking for more minor-league-baseball style entertainment. They knew a few minutes into the game what the outcome would be. Such is pre-January basketball for the bulk of the Power 5 haves vs. mid-major have-nots.
“We were able to put some things together tonight and play some complementary basketball for more stretches, which is something we talked about heading into this game,” head coach Jake Diebler said. “The way we practiced carried over at a higher level than what we’ve shown for significant parts of this early season.”
Veteran columnist Jeff Gilbert writes Ohio State football and basketball and OHSAA sports for Press Pros Magazine.com.
The fans thought so, too. But the lopsided affair allowed them to also appreciate the night’s special activities.
First, it was Dollar Dog Night. If hot-dog-eating savant Joey Chestnut had been invited, the concessionaires might have had to make a halftime run to Costco. Thousands of franks were consumed.
Second, during a first-half timeout, dozens of hot dogs wrapped in foil parachuted from the rafters into the hungry crowd. Nothing like free food.
Third, at halftime a dozen four-footed canines lined up on the baseline for the main event – the Wiener Dog Race. Charlotte covered the 94 feet first and just as fast as her little legs could carry her. The night’s all-around fan favorite.
And for 40 minutes of basketball – the stuff people paid big bucks for – the Buckeyes (5-0) dominated all 94 feet, getting up down at the pace they prefer, getting just about any shot they wanted at one end, and preventing easy shots on the other.
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For most of those 40 minutes, the Buckeyes played like the score didn’t matter. They knew the Broncos were 2-3 with a loss to Division II Northwood. But they saw in scouting, as Diebler said, that the Broncos could have their moments.
“We’re not taking no one lightly that’s come in here no matter who it is,” guard John Mobley Jr. said. “That’s just a mindset we’ve had since the summer.”
OSU’s Amare Bynum goes up against Western Michigan’s Nicholas Errica. Bynum for two of his 12 points…and his first double-double.
The mindset comes from Diebler’s leadership. With a lead of 30 to 40 points for a little over half the game, he subbed with purpose, even bringing the five starters back together for a five-minute stretch near the 10-minute mark.
“I wasn’t coaching a score,” he said. “I was coaching possession by possession because we got a lot to work on and get better at.”
Thursday night’s effort and attention to detail began with Monday’s practice. While Dielber said he was proud of a lot of things his team did in Sunday’s 64-63 win over Notre Dame, he said they discovered a lot of ways to improve.
“Our team handled Sunday’s win with great maturity,” he said. “When we stepped on the floor the next time for practice, it was laser focused to get better.”
The Buckeyes started well, scoring in transition and running offense for open shots as needed, to lead 18-8 eight minutes into the game. Eight minutes and a 23-6 run later the outcome was secure. The Buckeyes led 41-14 and the dogs started stretching for their halftime race.
Everyone played and everyone felt free to shoot, even 7-foot-2 Ivan Njegovan who hoisted his first 3-point attempt and missed. Bruce Thornton, however, continues to shoot with great accuracy from beyond the arc.
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Thornton scored 11 points and made 3 of 4 3-point attempts. He’s made 16 of 27 this season for 59.2%. That’s doggone good. So is surpassing 1950s great Robin Freeman on the career scoring list, reaching 1,599 points and 12th place. Thornton is 23 points from the top 10.
Freshman forward Amare Bynum, coming off a career-high 20 minutes Sunday against Notre Dame, was the big dog with his first double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Christoph Tilly had another good offensive game with 17 points and seven assists…one of four Buckeyes in double figures.
“It feels great to have a double-double here,” Bynum said. “I’m working every day with the coaches and having my team believe in me.”
Bynum brings an athletic 6-foot-8, 240-pound body off the bench. He’s beginning to adjust to the speed of the college game with more positive plays on both ends of the floor. His growth on the court is easy for his teammates to root for because of the joy and smile he carries with him. But he doesn’t take credit for it.
“Probably from my parents, always being a light for me,” he reasoned. “My smile lights up the room … everybody says.”
Transfer senior center Christoph Tilly is creating a lot of smiles, too. Fresh off scoring the winning basket against Notre Dame, he had team highs of 17 points and seven assists. Devin Royal, still learning to play on the wing, achieved his fourth career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. And Mobley Jr. scored 15 points, more on finishing at the rim than making 3-pointers.
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The Buckeyes continued to own the advantage at the free-throw line. They have shot more than every opponent except Purdue Fort Wayne and close to twice the amount of their opponents combined. The Buckeyes shot 18 of 23 from the line and are 113 of 144 on the season for 78.5%. Their opponents are 53 of 80 for 66.3%.
No victory, however, is complete without a teachable moment. Diebler called timeout late in the first half with the game clock barely ahead of the shot clock. The idea was to take the last shot. But the Buckeyes started the play too early, and Tilly missed a 3-pointer with six seconds left. Western turned that into a fast break and 3-pointer at the buzzer by Brady Swartz, who finished with 20 points.
The Buckeyes still led 49-24. Diebler wasn’t happy about it. Because of moments like that and the consistent messaging from the coaching staff, Diebler isn’t worried that his team will show up for practice Friday any less motivated after a blowout than they were after the Notre Dame nailbiter.
“We stick to the principles we’re about,” he said. “There’s core values of who we are as a program and what we’re about on the court. It’s about the task at hand, and it’s about growing and it’s about getting better.”
No matter the competition.
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