The saying goes that defense wins championships, but that certainly wasn’t the case for the 2013-14 Ohio State basketball team.
The Buckeyes, led by Aaron Craft’s efforts, were one of the most fearsome defensive squads in the country (third in the nation in Ken Pomeroy’s pace-adjusted defensive efficiency rankings) but still lost in their first game of the NCAA tournament because of a lackluster offense.
The cure to that this season will be fairly simple—run.
Thad Matta has the athletes and personnel to unleash a fast-break style of play in every game. D’Angelo Russell, Shannon Scott, Sam Thompson, Kam Williams, Jae’Sean Tate, Marc Loving and Keita Bates-Diop all bring speed, ball-handling skills and shooting to the table, which is perfect for an uptempo team.
Russell and Scott in particular are effective distributors who will lead the attack with Williams, Thompson and the rest filling the lanes on the outside.
Perhaps the literal biggest reason the Buckeyes will be more efficient on the break this season is the presence of Anthony Lee. The Temple transfer checks in at 6’9” and is versatile enough to play power forward or center and athletic enough to get out in transition. He will anchor some fast-break opportunities with outlet passes off rebounds but is also capable of finishing on his own.
Matta could go as many at 10-deep this season if he wants, which means his Buckeyes won’t have to worry as much about…
Continue Reading: Ohio State Basketball: What to Expect from Buckeyes’ Uptempo Offense in 2014-15
