#3 Ohio State visits #5 Florida

On December 23rd at 4 pm. Any predictions?

 

Ohio St. wins 76-71, no Horford=no win

 

Brewer looked like he is almost 100% yesterday as he was able to stay on the floor and be successful. Noah started to show the energy and Hodge is always a motor off the bench. I think Horford will try to play, but I don't think he should play at all.

Ohio State 81 Florida 65 is my prediction. I got off work though to go.

 

I have a hard time seeing the Gators getting this win without Big Al, but then again I said that Florida would brutalize the Jayhawks, so I probably don't know squat

I think Ohio State will take this one, though. It'll be a good game; Florida's guys have too much pride to get embarassed and get a third loss so early in poor fashion, especially on their home court. I cannot friggin wait to see the African Viking vs. Bill Russell's illegitimate son

I'll say Ohio State 86, Florida 80.

 

<div class="quote_poster">GatorsowntheNCAA Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Brewer looked like he is almost 100% yesterday as he was able to stay on the floor and be successful. Noah started to show the energy and Hodge is always a motor off the bench. I think Horford will try to play, but I don't think he should play at all. </div>

They already said he isn't going to play, I just saw an article earlier

 

Looks like Billy Donovan learned from Coach Urban Meyer's treatment of Percy Harvin and high ankle sprains.

 

As much as everyone is hyping Noah vs. Oden, both teams should be happy if neither are guarding each other. Oden is way too big and strong for Noah and Noah is too quick for Oden. I expect the other big on each team to be guarding Oden or Noah. That will help Oden/Noah to stay out of foul trouble. With Horford out, it is IMPERATIVE that Noah stays out of foul trouble. If he gets in foul trouble, we could get run out of the building.

Chris Richard is the X-Factor, he is going to be asked to guard Greg Oden and although he has good size, he's still smaller and skinnier than Oden and he can't block a shot to save his life. Oden should have his way with him. I hope to see a lot more of freshman Mareese Speights, who has a good body and is a very good shot blocker. He is very active around the rim and plays with the same type of energy that Noah does.

For the Gators to win we will have to be stroking the 3 ball. We have to get Humphrey, Brewer, Green, and Hodge all in form(even Werner and Powell-if he plays). Basically our guards have to outplay the Buckeye guards and play smart basketball, very few turnovers. The Buckeyes are more talented pretty much everywhere then the Gators, so the Gators have to play tough defense, smart basketball, and we have to out hustle the Buckeyes. Depending on how Brewer looks could decide this game. If he is close to normal and going 110% after everything, he could keep this game close.

Another factor is how many students from a traditional football school come back up from winter break to see this game. The place needs to have a lot of energy tonight for players like Noah and Brewer and Speights to feed off of.

It's a shame that neither of these teams are at 100% as this could be a classic battle. Hopefully we can meet again in the tournament.

Well I'm heading out to the game. It's a 4 pm ET game on CBS for those of you interested in watching it. I will give my post game analysis when I get back home from Gainesville.

 

I'm really excited for this game today and I'll definitely be watching the whole thing. I haven't gotten a chance to see Greg Oden play this season but I have seen highlights and this kid seems like a monster. I'm interested to see what he will do against an experienced team like Florida that will be looking to shut him down.

 

I'm still mind-boggled by the fact that Oden's been a man amongst boys at the college level thus far despite the fact that his right hand is not fully functional and somehow shooting over 90% from the field.

 

If its up to the Gator guards to outplay the Buckeye Guards than this is over. Ron Lewis, Conley, Cook, and Lighty one of them always steps up. And with Oden in the middle who needs good guard play anywho....

87-69
Ohio State

 

This would be a great game if Horford wasn't injured. But he won't be in there so therefore, Ohio State wins this one easily and Oden has the best game of his young career.

OSU- 85
Florida- 72

 

I'm expecting Oden to struggle early with his first real test today against Noah. To win, Florida will have to jump ahead early and not look back. I'll actually pick Florida here.

Florida - 80
OSU - 75

Big game's from Noah and Oden...

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Al Horford will play after all.

Florida's junior big man, who leads the team in scoring and rebounding, will see limited action this afternoon against Ohio State.
"Al will be available," Florida SID Fred Demerest said. "He went through shootaround and responded well. He'll be available, but we're not sure how much he'll be able to play. That will be determined as we move along."

Billy Donovan didn't anticipate that Horford would be able to come back from a high ankle sprain that has kept him out for the last two games. However, Horford's ankle has improved significantly over the last 48 hours.

Horford is averaging 13.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in 24.1 minutes per game this season.</div>
http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/6300496

So Horford is going to play, this is going to change some predictions

 

30-20 Florida right now. They haven't gotten Oden the ball where he wants inside. Just got it now and got a traveling. But Florida is getting causing some turnovers. And Horford got in some good minutes.

 

<div class="quote_poster">GatorsowntheNCAA Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Brewer looked like he is almost 100% yesterday as he was able to stay on the floor and be successful. Noah started to show the energy and Hodge is always a motor off the bench. I think Horford will try to play, but I don't think he should play at all.

Ohio State 81 Florida 65 is my prediction. I got off work though to go.</div>

^^^

You always do that. You underpredict what your team will do, just so if they lose, you can say "I expected it" and if they win you can still take pride in that fact and go around for the rest of the season bragging about the win. Show some bias like the rest of us...

As for this game, it's a nine point lead at the half, but I think that score's really misleading. The Buckeyes had about a two minute stretch where they just broke down mentally, and the Gators put up about a dozen points in those two or so minutes. Neither team is really playing very organized basketball, but Ohio State is doing the better job of breaking down the defense. Conley's like a pro against the zone.

Oden should be getting more touches, but I don't necessarily blame the Buckeyes for taking that many outside shots. Usually, they're deadly from long range, but today they've inexplicably missed about five or six wide open shots from beyond the arch. I think the crowd, the pressure, and the quick fall-behind must be getting to them mentally.

Thad Matta's an amazingly poised coach though. He never gets frustrated, and that really helps him make wise decisions in the clutch. I think Ohio State will battle back from the half time deficit, but after that point, I'm not really sure who will come away with the win. I predicted Ohio State in the predictions thread, but I didn't know Horford would be back. That tips the scale slightly in Florida's favor at this point. Interesting move by Billy Donovan too, with the smokescreen of Horford's injury, getting the Buckeyes to prepare for a different offense.

Oh yeah, and note to Daequan Cook: stop cheating on defense! That guy's responsible for at least three of the Gators' three point looks so far tonight. He needs to tighten up on Humphrey.

 

71-47 Florida.. Florida is on a role right now. Ohio State can't make any shots.

 

Some very biased officiating in this game. Oden is getting called on weak fouls, while Noah, Horford and Richard are murdering Oden. Ohio St. cannot hit a shot.

 

Wow, I did not get to see this game, wtf happened?