TCU’s David Punch says Horned Frogs would beat Ohio State ‘nine times out of 10’ before NCAA Tournament game
Ohio State is again within the NCAA Tournament for the primary time in 4 years, and if head coach Jake Diebler’s crew wanted any additional motivation before their first-round game, TCU simply gave it to them.
The No. 8 seed Buckeyes will face the No. 9 seed Horned Frogs this Thursday afternoon in a game that tasks as a hard-fought battle between two groups that completed their seasons strongly. But TCU sophomore ahead David Punch determined to boost the stakes this week, giving the Buckeyes some prime bulletin board materials.
“I think at the end of the day we win this nine times out of 10 because of how physically gifted we are as a team and athletically gifted,” Punch told The Columbus Dispatch on Wednesday. “I can’t wait to see how we play.”
He did not cease there, doubling down on his crew’s perceived bodily and emotional edge: “We’re a very physical team, and we have a lot of heart, more heart than a lot of people. I think it’s just that dedication to each other as well. We want to go out there and play for each other. Height never really matters.”
For a Scarlet and Gray crew that fought their approach off the bubble with key late-season wins over Purdue and IndianaPunch’s quotes are the proper motivation, if any was wanted.
Under Diebler, Ohio State has embraced a gritty, chip-on-the-shoulder perspective. Hearing an opponent assure a 90 % win fee whereas outright dismissing the significance of measurement is strictly the type of locker-room motivation that makes a targeted crew much more decided.
The veteran management of Bruce Thornton — who simply set this system’s all-time scoring report throughout the regular-season finale in opposition to the Hoosiers — will certainly make certain each Ohio State participant hears these remarks before tip-off. Thornton has skilled every little thing in his profession, and that regular presence will assist flip this disrespect into powerful bodily play on the courtroom somewhat than pre-game trash speak.
Punch’s declare that “height never really matters” is a daring transfer when going through this specific Buckeye crew. TCU’s frontcourt options the 6-foot-7 Punch and 6-foot-8 Xavier Edmonds. The Horned Frogs play aggressively and battle on the glass, however they’re nonetheless undersized for high-major indoor play.
The Scarlet and Gray, however, boast a major measurement benefit on this matchup that they’ll leverage for a full 40 minutes. Ohio State can rotate 7-foot Christoph Tilly and 7-foot-2 Ivan Njegovan within the paint, complemented by bodily 6-foot-8 forwards equivalent to Amare Bynum and Brandon Noel.
In an NCAA Tournament game the place every possession is amplified, a half-foot edge within the publish influences rebounding totals, impacts pictures on the rim, and results in important second-chance factors. While it is not all the time the important thing issue, top undoubtedly issues if you’re attempting to regulate the glass in opposition to a crew that may simply look over you and dominate the restricted space.
Regarding the “nine times out of 10” declare, superior metrics reveal a a lot completely different image of which crew actually controls the game.
The Buckeyes enter the NCAA Tournament as a extremely environment friendly offensive powerhouse, rating No. 35 nationally with 118.6 factors per 100 possessions. TCU’s offense lags considerably behind, mustering simply 111.1 factors per 100 possessions. Although the Horned Frogs have a stable protection that permits 102.3 factors per 100 possessions, the Buckeyes constantly exhibit they’ll out-execute and out-score opponents in powerful half-court units. Ohio State’s ball motion, inside passing, and shot creation have precipitated some of the nation’s greatest defenses issues this yr.
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Punch’s quotes exemplify March Madness bravado. Unshakable confidence is important within the postseason, however ignoring apparent mismatches in measurement and offensive effectivity is a dangerous game.
The Buckeyes possess the offensive firepower and the numerous bodily size to neutralize TCU’s undersized paint presence, together with battle-tested management to set the tempo of the game.
When the ball is tipped on Thursday at 12:15 pm ET, the Scarlet and Gray will not simply be enjoying prematurely of the weekend; they’re going to be enjoying to indicate precisely why video games aren’t received 9 times out of 10 within the press clippings, however on the courtroom.
