The first game will be against MAAC Champion Loyola Maryland. Now, I know as a 2 seed you are supposed to easily defeat a 15 seed. However, let’s not count all of our chickens before they hatch. A 15 seed winning is not unheard of. It has happened four times since the tournament expanded to 64/68 teams (twice it was especially painful for me, since I had Arizona who lost to Richmond in 1991 and South Carolina who lost to Coppin State in 1997 as final four picks).
Also remember Loyola, Maryland is a champion, they will not roll over and play dead for the Buckeyes, they are in Pittsburgh to shock the world. Through twitter I have read quotes from Loyola’s Shane Walker (6ft 10 senior forward) that they hope to run and wear down the not-so-deep Buckeyes. In fact his exact quote (through Cleveland Plain Dealers Doug Lesmeires was: “They’re not very deep, I feel like we can run them.”
So I guess it is time to see what Jared Sullinger (whom Loyola coach Jimmy Patsos calls a monster), Deshaun Thomas (whom Patsos is worried about, because he is better then he thought), Aaron Craft, and the rest of the Scarlet and Gray can do this weekend.
The men aren’t the only team who is about to play this weekend. The 25-6, B1G regular season runner-up women are opening up the tournament, as a disappointing 8 seed in overall #1 seed Baylor’s region. The Lady Buckeyes lead by B1G player of the year Samantha Prahalis open the tournament close to home against #9 seeded Florida at Bowling Green. However, their reward for winning this game is most likely a matchup against #1 ranked Baylor (35-0) and their All-Everything Superstar Brittney Griner.
This group of Buckeye however will be playing with a chip on their shoulders. Longtime OSU coach Jim Foster stated: “We were 13-0 out of conference, we were second seed in the Big Ten Tournament, and made the semifinals. I don’t get it.” This quote being in reference to being seeded so far down and in the Baylor Bracket.
Later in the same Dispatch article Prahalis also stated her displeasure saying: “I’m not really surprised they did this to us. But it’s cool.” She went on to say how everyone underestimated them at the beginning of the season, and just wait to see how they respond. I for one am ready to see angry group of Lady Buckeyes beat the Gators (I don’t care the sport, I always want OSU to beat Florida) and then shock the world and beat Baylor (unless UC Santa Barbara does it first).
If you thought basketball was the only sport deciding championships, you are wrong. Recently the Buckeyes Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track and Field Teams completed successful seasons with 26th and 18th place finishes at the NCAA Championships. The men’s team was lead by 8 all-americans including Thomas Murdaugh who placed 7th in the 400 meter dash. The women were lead by Christina Manning who became only the third Buckeye to bring home a National Title.
She did so by running the 4th fastest collegiate time ever in the 60m hurdles. Other sports who have championships coming up include Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving. This weekend the Lady Buckeyes will send 10 swimmers and divers to compete at the Auburn Pool for National Titles, and the following weekend the men will send 11 swimmers and divers to Seattle with the hopes of bringing home more All-American and National Championship honors. But, no we don’t stop there.
This weekend the powerful wrestling team heads to St. Louis for the NCAA meet. The team has 8 qualifiers and is being lead by B1G champion Logan Stieber (redshirt freshman), the #2 seed at 133 pounds and his brother true freshman Hunter Steiber the #5 seed at 141. So be it Swimming and Diving, wrestling, basketball, or even synchronized swimming watch, read, or listen to a Buckeye game, match, meet or series this weekend. Go Bucks!!
