Five Thoughts On The South Florida Game

Box Score

1. First of all, beating South Florida at home is definitely a lot better than it sounds. They were picked to finish 8th in the Big East (ahead of Villanova and UConn) and they’re a top 100 KenPom team (or they were coming in). OSU didn’t win pretty tonight but when your second best guy only plays 22 minutes (and takes four shots!) you’re not supposed to.

Plus South Florida is the 340th fastest team in college hoops (61.4 possessions per game) so you weren’t expecting more than a brawl and move on…which is exactly what you got.

2. How about big Phil tonight? I have no words for the seven-point 14 rebound display he put on. Or for this…

3. What are the odds Le’Bryan didn’t know Sam Presti was in the house tonight? 0%, right? I guarantee you Le’Bryan knows every time a scout is in the house at GIA.

So to go out and play like he did — wandering, lost, confused, disinterested (whatever adjective you want to use that sounds like you’re describing Ricky Davis at a John Stockton basketball skills camp will suffice) — is pretty disappointing.

But at least he got to show Presti he can close games with free throws!

4. I know we’ve gone over this before, but did Markel buy Kobe’s jumper on Angie’s List this summer? Not to say he’s nailing everything (though 46% on FG and 39% from three are WELL above his career averages), but he looks really smooth right now. Good on him for working on his game when he could have coasted on his hops.

5. The rowdy made a u-turn but it was decidedly not back tonight. I’ll give it time though. I’m still not Ford to the bone or anything, but I can get behind a Marcus Smart-led squad dancing again in March.

I can get behind that just fine.

(As long as he figures out who this Desmond guy is….)