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OSU will try a variety of ways to stop Green
Big East player of the year could prove tough to contain on Saturday.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
COLUMBUS — Sure, Georgetown's Jeff Green may have traveled during his last-second game-winner against Vanderbilt in the East Regional semifinals.
But the 6-foot-9, 235-pound junior made it look good and hit the shot despite a double-team.
Extras
"He's almost like an extra point guard out there with how he plays," Ohio State associate head coach John Groce said of Green. "We've told our guys he will be the most complete basketball player we've played all year. He's a player that just doesn't have a weakness."
Ohio State's Final Four semifinal at 6 p.m. Saturday pits 7-foot Greg Oden against 7-2 Roy Hibbert. But Ohio State doesn't have one main player to battle Green in the Georgia Dome.
"With his size, his ability to post the ball, to step out and shoot it, to pass, he's a big-time player," OSU head coach Thad Matta said of Green.
Georgetown coach John Thompson III molded Green into a do-it-all player in the Princeton cutting offense. Green admires Scottie Pippen, who filled up stat sheets on many lines.
"He's a person that can place everyone on the court, where they should be," Thompson said. "He has the unique ability to be able to see things happen two, three, four passes down the line."
The Buckeyes could employ several guys to help contain the Big East's player of the year. OSU may play zone and man defenses. The Buckeyes could spell starter Ivan Harris with big guys like Othello Hunter and Matt Terwilliger or go small with David Lighty or even Daequan Cook.
"All those guys," Groce said. "We're going to need everybody in this type of game because of how deep they are and how big they are."
Lighty, a strong 6-6 wing player, is one of Ohio State's best defenders. He'd love a shot at Green. "When we played North Carolina, I checked everybody on the team, really," Lighty said. "I checked Brandan Wright. He's (6-9) with a 7-foot wingspan. I did pretty good up against him. I checked (Indiana 6-9 forward) D.J. White a couple times. I guess I'm kind of used to it by now."
At 6-9 and 225, Hunter will be counted on to defend Green and rebound.
"He will, I think, play a big role in this game," Matta said of Hunter. "With some of the plays he's made in big games for us now, I think he's really settled into to what he needs to do and what he's capable of doing."
Next Game
Who: Ohio State (34-3) vs. Georgetown (30-6)
When: 6:07 p.m. Saturday
Where: Georgia Dome, Atlanta
TV: CBS, Ch. 7
Radio: WING-AM (1410)
Turning Green to red
In Georgetown's six losses, Big East player of the year Jeff Green usually didn't get rolling offensively and was in foul trouble. Ohio State could use a variety of players and defenses hoping to re-create Green's struggles. His averages overall and in those six losses:
Overall
Min. FG-FGA 3FG-3FGA FT-FTA Pts Reb. Ast. TO PF
33.1 5.3-10.5 1.0-2.7 2.8-3.5 14.4 6.2 3.2 3.2 2.4
6 losses
Min. FG-FGA 3FG-3FGA FT-FTA Pts Reb. Ast. TO PF
34.0 2.7-7.1 0.5-2.3 1.8-2.5 7.7 6.3 3.0 3.5 3.8
