Trash-talking Memphis center Joey Dorsey's big mouth was left gaping after his unfulfilled promise.
Dorsey — whose name and build seems more fitting of a professional heavyweight boxer than a basketball player — guaranteed he'd pull down 20 rebounds in his Elite Eight matchup against Ohio State big man Greg Oden. He went on to say that the freshman phenom was overrated, soft and needed an offensive game worth playing.
The generally expressionless Oden let his performance in Saturday's game do the talking, finishing one of his best collegiate games with 17 points, nine rebounds and great interior defense in the Buckeyes' 92-76 win. Dorsey, on the other hand, looked more like Hawley Griffin from "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" — invisible. He finished with a goose egg and a handful of boards.
Much to the chagrin of Wisconsin fans, Ohio State has, behind its poster child, danced all the way to Atlanta. But I get the feeling there will be a new excuse as to why they made it. Truth be told, Dorsey isn't the only one who has said Oden and the Buckeyes are overrated.
During the middle part of the season, UW fans griped about OSU. They argued that the only top teams Ohio State played — North Carolina, Florida and Wisconsin — all resulted in losses. Against teams like Northwestern, Penn State and Michigan State, close wins left fans thinking Ohio State wasn't all it was hyped up to be. But every time the Buckeyes have faced adversity that escalated beyond the reach of even Oden, they overcame, they persevered, and the bottom line is they won.
As the season progressed and Wisconsin earned the No. 1 ranking, fans thought, "Hah. Told you so. Told you we were better." When OSU still proved its worth by defeating UW on a last-second runner, it was what Wisconsin didn't do, not what Ohio State did to pick up the victory. Kammron Taylor missed the front end of a one-and-one with under a minute remaining on the clock.
While Taylor's miss certainly didn't fare well for Wisconsin's chances, Ohio State still had to make a shot. It did. And to remove any doubt, in the Big Ten Championship game the Buckeyes smoked the Badgers by 17 points.
But this time it was about conceding victory and a No. 2 seed. UW gave up, that's all. And there was lingering skepticism about the talent level of Oden. Forget about his defense, Oden's perceived timid play on the offensive end led many to label him a 7-foot gentle giant, nothing more.
The first few rounds of the NCAA tournament confirmed this notion, as Oden, who was marred by foul trouble, didn't play particularly well. As great teams do when their stars go down or can't perform, other players stepped up. OSU didn't miss a beat.
Yes, the Buckeyes received a blessing from the officials against Xavier when Oden's hard shove under the basket wasn't whistled an intentional foul. But top teams take what they're given and still find a way to pull through at all costs. Ron Lewis still had to drain a 3-pointer to send the second round game into overtime. He did and from there the Buckeyes dodged a knockout blow and prevailed 79-71.
The next game against a pesky Tennessee team, Ohio State fell behind by 20 in the first half and trailed by 17 entering the break. Despite the lopsided scoreboard, the Buckeyes remained poised and fought out an 85-84 win.
After steamrolling the punchless Memphis Tigers, Ohio State is on a 21-game winning streak, and finds themselves in the Final Four for the first time since 1999.
Like a little sibling following your every move, or midterm week right before spring break, Ohio State is the bane of Wisconsin fans' existence. While you certainly don't have to root for them — or like Oden — unless you have the Buckeyes in the upper echelon of your bracket, at least understand that they simply get it done. They're the real deal. And they are still playing.
Kevin is a junior double-majoring in economics and journalism. If you are lobbying for Wisconsin to add a definite article before its title like THE Ohio State, he can be reached to sign your petition at [email protected].
