7:10 pm EST TBS
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I'm beginning this preview with how disappointed I was with Ohio State, who walked through their first round matchup until coming alive at the end, only to lose on a late game shot. Though bigger and more talented than Dayton, their offense lacked any sort of complexity and their defense was merely sufficient. All this happened while Aaron Craft was earning a larger portion of one member of the announcing team's respect (can't remember who) than the announcer has ever previously portioned -- or so he claimed. Instinctively, I scoffed at the hyperbole. Did John Gruden take this game? Does Aaron Craft really deserve more respect than Anthony Davis at Kentucky? Carmelo Anthony at Syracuse? Even if he played brilliantly (which he did), shouldn't he have more significantly impacted his team?
For some reason, the Buckeyes didn't feed off the energy spent by Craft. His quick passes and penetration didn't spark as much offense as they should have. I've never been so angry at a game played by two teams from Ohio (one of which I picked to the Sweet 16) in my life.
To Dayton's credit, their offense scored points in a more sustainable manner. They also played with intensity from start to finish. Perhaps that will be enough to score another upset of a team with questionable offense and consistency/effort
So far, the Orange lightly dispelled their doubters with a 24-point opening round victory. Though Ohio State and their anemic offense was probably a good matchup for them, they're likely not upset with the alternative in Dayton. If they play the way they have in the latter part of the season, they should be. If they play to their abilities, they shouldn't.
