… but how can I not comment on the Miami Hurricanes’ 73-68 loss to Ohio State last night? Sweet Lord, can’t we let a contest between these two programs end with something other than marred in controversy?
For those who missed it, Miami point guard Jack McClinton was on fire early; 4-of-4 beyond the arc for 12 points.
With 10:12 in the first half and a 19-7 Canes lead, McClinton got the boot for taking a swipe at Buckeyes guard Anthony Crater. OSU coach Thad Motta made a stink, the officials congregated in front of the scorers table and moments later McClinton got the heave-ho.
Upon further review, Crater got a shot at McClinton moments before, which prompted the retaliaton. Of course in the world of sports, he who gets caught is the guilty party. While McClinton’s frustration is understandable, the reaction cost his team a win.
Miami hung on for a while, sitting on a 36-22 halftime lead, but Ohio State chipped away. With 7:28 left in the contest, the Buckeyes finally tied the game, 54-54 and took their first lead moments later after a Jeremie Simmons three-pointer. The Canes never led again.
Brian Astbury made back-to-back free throws in the final minute, bringing the Canes to within one, but sloppy play down the stretch thwarted out any shot at a comeback.
In the final four minutes, Miami missed seven of their final nine shots from the field. Lance Hurdle played in desperation mode, missing three straight three-point attempts when two and good defense would’ve kept the Canes alive.
Safe to say Miami probably won’t see too many more games where their star guard gets the boot and the team blows a 14-point halftime lead.
That said, a lesson needs to be learned in what should’ve been a gimmie out of conference game as the Canes were the better team and had homecourt advantage over a squad that rarely leaves Columbus.
If this team is going to make any noise in the ACC and in the postseason, McClinton needs to keep his cool and other role players absolutely have to step up. Miami should’ve been able to beat Ohio State with a then 12-point lead when McClinton was ejected.
Decent shooting down the stretch and average defense gives the Canes a double-digit win. Miami had neither.
No time to feel sorry for themselves or to waste time licking wounds as the Canes head to Rupp Arena on Saturday for a showdown with Kentucky. No news yet regarding McClinton’s presences and if the ACC will suspend him an additional game for a boneheaded act. Stay tuned.
Can’t those scumbags beat us without taking out our best player? (See, McGahee, Willis)
I was at the game and the incident took place right in front of me. I know the stage was not as big as the Fiesta Bowl but it still seemed all too familiar.
Crater had been swiping at McClinton’s face up to that point and when McClinton swiped back the referees did not see it. All of the other players ran towards the other end of the floor and Crater fell to the ground holding his mouth.
Thad Mata and an assistant coach and many of the players pleaded and demanded that the refs take a look at an incident they never saw in the first place. After they ejected McClinton, Mata came back to the team huddle on the sideline cheering, smiling and motioning that McClinton had been ejected. He was celebratory. It exemplified the classy leadership we’ve come to expect from OSU. That behavior was a far cry from his quote:
“He is one of the premier guys in college basketball,” Ohio State coach Thad Mata said. “I was so impressed with him for the time he was there. It’s unfortunate, but things like that are going to happen.”
The OSU coaches clearly were looking to bait McClinton into reacting. When the refs didn’t see the incident they made them look. I watch alot of college basketball and have never seen a team “force” the refs to watch video to eject a player. Nevermind that Crater received not even a technical.
McClinton should not have retaliated, I am not arguing that, but it’s nice to see that OSU reliance on the unfair play extends to their other programs as well.
I can’t wait till we play them in 2010 in football.
I coulnd’t believe that they could go to replay to call a foul and eject a player – there was no fight and it really didn’t look like McClinton made contact – that was BOGUS…- that being said, we did blow a 14 point halftime lead….
Can’t do that and be considered a “basketball school”
This whole sequence happened right in front of me. I was sitting front row in GA and saw Jack drain the three from NBA range and then Thad Matta go crazy.
Matta argued and argued for two minutes and all of us assumed he was being given a technical. Instead the refs took the bait looked at the video and ejected Jack.
It was pathetic, but Jack has to learn as a pre season wooden candidate and returning all ALL first teamer every opponent is going to try and provoke and bait him. He cannot take the bait.
This game is largely meaningless if we come back and beat Kentucky on Saturday. While December Basketball isn’t February or March basketball you don’t want to flush a national ranking and national tv appearances right down the drain like this. We were making a statement for the nation before the incident. Hopefully Saturday another nationally televised game at hallowed Rupp Arena we’ll make a 40 minute long statement.
It’s crap like this that made it so difficult to decide who to root against when Florida and Ohio State were in the national championship game (of course i was hoping for a stadium implosion, but lets be real)
The thing that really sux is that we were ranked #16 to start the year and have tanked already.
Kartik, you may claim February means more than now, but if we are unranked and getting no votes after starting so high, what shot do we have?