NIT Semifinal and Final Round Notes
by Ray Floriani
NEW YORK – Throughout the NIT, Ohio State frequently used significant runs and bursts to put distance between themselves and opposition. UMass was known for their ability and will to comeback when all seemed lost. In the final analysis it was an Ohio State run that proved decisive as the Buckeyes captured the 71st National Invitation Tournament championship at Madison Square Garden.
Ohio State trailed UMass by five at halftime of the final. The Buckeyes then opened the second half with a 19-9 run the first eight minutes, a spurt that gave Thad Matta’s club a lead it would not relinquish. The breakdown of the games follows.
Semifinals
UMass 78, Florida 66
Florida built a nine-point halftime lead largely on their inside play. Marreese Speights (16 points, 18 rebounds) did a good share of the damage in the paint. Dan Werner also provided a spark inside. At the half UMass mentor Travis Ford made an adjustment. Rather than trap the ball screens, the Minutemen would drop one defender below the screen to defend the lane.
Ford’s adjustment added to the UMass penchant for comebacks and turned the game around in the second half. After shooting a cool 32 percent from the floor, UMass heated up to a 53 percent mark the final twenty minutes. Gary Forbes (19 points) and Dante Milligan (17 points, 12 boards) did the damage and neutralized the Gator inside game the second half.
Ohio State 81, Mississippi 69
For a half the Buckeyes did virtually everything right. Ohio State built a 24-point halftime lead and was operating on all cylinders – good ball movement, shot selection, inside play, defense – you name it. It was going OSU’s way.
Mississippi came out strong, and eight minutes into the second half the lead was whittled to a manageable eleven points. The outside shooting of Chris Warren (game-high 19 points) and better work on the glass and defensive end were factors in the Ole Miss comeback. But the halftime deficit was too much to make up. Ohio State regrouped enough to keep the edge at double figures and made the plays in the stretch to hold the lead.
Dwayne Curtis had a strong game inside for Ole Miss, scoring a dozen and grabbing 16 rebounds. Ohio State put four in double figures, with Jamar Butler and Evan Turner both scoring 17 to set the pace.
Championship
Ohio State 92, UMass 85
You knew UMass could dictate tempo. But one of the concerns was the Ohio State inside game – specifically the battle of the boards. The Minutemen owned the glass 49-37 (30-10 on the offensive end) and were able to attempt 30 more field goals than the Buckeyes but still came up short in this championship thriller.
The keys to the Buckeyes’ victory:
- Shooting percentage: UMass had those extra shots but couldn’t take advantage. The Minutemen shot 32 of 87 (36 percent) compared to OSU’s 32 of 57 (56 percent). Ohio State was also 10 of 19 from beyond the arc, which played a big part as they kept the lead in crunch time.
- Kosta Koufos: The Buckeyes’ 7-0 freshman scored only two points the first half as UMass did a nice defensive job and didn’t give him many looks. In the second half, Koufos broke out for 21 points. A number of them, including one trey, were opportunistic as they kept UMass from drawing even or getting a lead. Koufos was named tournament MVP, and given his second half and how he stepped up, no arguments – he earned it.
- Senior moments: UMass went far and came back a number of times largely due to their fine core of seniors. Down the stretch in the championship, Ohio State received a big contribution from senior guard Jamar Butler. While he finished with 19 points, Butler did the most damage in the final four minutes, hitting a three-pointer and a shot in the lane to stop one last run by UMass.
Ohio State had four players in double figures and was led by Koufos’ 23. UMass also had four in double figures and was paced by Ricky Harris’ 27 points.
Notes
- Ryan Ford (no relation to UMass coach Travis) took in the opening night doubleheader. Ford was a backup guard to Florida mentor Billy Donovan during his playing days at Providence. Ford later went into coaching and assisted Jack Armstrong at Niagara for several seasons. Today he resides in Worcester, Mass., and keeps in touch with the game while working at Josten’s, the well-known ring company.
“Today Billy wins the championships and I supply the rings,” Ford said in a light hearted tone. Ford enjoyed his coaching days but made the move for family reasons. “It’s (coaching) a tough business,” he said. “You can be in a situation where you’re 45 years old and get fired. Where do you go at that age?”
Ford also cited the demands of the coaching profession as taking a physical and mental toll on mentors. Simply, the pressures are on all levels, but the seven-figure salaries are not. - Travis Ford noted a big reason for the win over Florida was senior leadership. “I thought we would have a chance if our seniors stepped up,” Ford said. “No question our seniors who played tonight made the difference.”
Specifically, Ford was alluding to Gary Forbes, Dante Milligan and Etienne Brower. - Florida coach Billy Donovan feels the youth in his club showed from the charity stripe in that semifinal loss. The Gators hit only 8 of 21 from the foul line. That, along with the inability to hit several good inside opportunities, was a major factor in Florida’s demise. Still, Donovan can look at the entire picture and advancing to the NIT semis with satisfaction.
“One of the greatest positives of this experience, “Donovan said, “was the fact it went to April 1st. People were asking me in mid-February if we hit the ‘freshman wall’. It’s amazing, a month and a half later no one is talking about the freshman wall anymore.” - UMass pushed the pace both nights. Ohio State handled it and didn’t find it a particular problem. “I didn’t feel like (the pace) was all that fast,” sophomore swingman David Lighty said. “The problem was our defense wasn’t as good the first half.”
Coach Thad Matta said, “Our conditioning and strength training was a factor in handling the pace. But there was one seven-minute stretch where that might have been the fastest basketball I’ve ever seen.”
OSU’s game against Mississippi was not exactly a “walk it up the floor” affair. Possession-based stats calculate that semifinal matchup as an 80-possession game while the final was at 78 possessions, both a rapid pace. - One of Ford’s biggest disappointments after the final was, “There’s no practice tomorrow. I’m disappointed I can’t coach these guys tomorrow. I’ve enjoyed coaching this team. You know, it’s no coincidence when you have fun and have good kids success follows. And that’s what happened to this UMass basketball team this year.”
- Butler of Ohio State as well as UMass’ Forbes, Milligan and Harris joined Koufos on the all-tournament team.
- The crowd was about 10,000 each night, a good percentage being the vociferous and faithful UMass contingent. The group came out with a number of signs and banners. The best were, “I’m in class with Ricky Harris” and “Travis forget LSU stay @ the zoo”. The latter was in reference to week long rumors that Ford would be ticketed to Bayou country as LSU’s next coach. The UMass mentor did his best of keeping those rumors from distracting his club’s preparation in the NIT.
On The Baseline
- All four schools brought cheerleaders and bands. The UMass cheer squad bussed down the day of the semifinal. “Our kids were actually in class and some took a test,” said UMass cheer coach Kelly Proctor. “They’re good kids and sound academically.”
- Florida brought a cheerleading and dance team as well as a band. Cheer coach Candy Richardson mentioned a sightseeing schedule (Rockefeller Center, Ground Zero, Central Park etc.) certain to tax any traveler. But they were ready by tip off.
- Ohio State has a unique program. There are 46 cheerleaders and by late season they are divided to cheer for the women’s team and men’s throughout the respective tournaments. They are under the direction of Judy Bunting, who has headed the program for 21 years. That’s longer than football coaches last in Columbus.
