Friday, March 17, 2000
Buckeyes hope it's not the shoes
OHIO STATE NOTEBOOK
BY SCOTT MacGREGOR
The Cincinnati Enquirer
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Ohio State must contend with Michael Jordan today. Well, his shoes, at least.
The coach of the Buckeyes' first-round NCAA Tournament opponent, Appalachian State's Buzz Peterson, was Jordan's roommate at North Carolina. The two are still close friends, and Jordan gives Peterson free dress shoes. Peterson says he hasn't bought a pair since 1984.
When Ohio State point guard Scoonie Penn heard about it, he thought they were basketball shoes.
“Is he going to wear a suit with sneakers?” Penn joked. “I was going to say ... I don't know what to say about that.”
Asked if he'll be wearing any famous person's shoes, Ohio State coach Jim O'Brien replied, “Thom McAn.”
Boban to play
Reserve guard Boban Savovic, a key 3-point shooter in last year's Final Four run, is expected to return from a lower leg bruise for today's game.
Savovic has been bothered by ankle and leg injuries all season and has played in just 14 games. He bruised the leg in late January against Purdue and has not played in Ohio State's last three games.
“The added week (after the Big Ten tournament) benefited him,” coach Jim O'Brien said. “He's feeling better and should be ready.”
Point man
Today's game matches one of the nation's best and most heralded point guards, OSU's Penn, against the unknown talent of Appalachian State's 5-foot-9 Tyson Patterson.
Patterson, the Southern Conference player of the year, averaged 14.4 points for the season but 22.7 in the league tournament.
“He reminds me of Scoonie,” O'Brien said. “He's clearly their floor leader and their emotional leader. He can go by you; he's a tough guy; and he's the guy that really makes them go.”
Said Penn, who hadn't heard of Patterson before this week: “But I've found out about him now. He's not really from a big-time school, but he is a talented player.”
Size wise
Ohio State is taller and more physical than ASU on the front line, and O'Brien expects 6-7 forward George Reese (23 points in the Big Ten tournament loss to Penn State) to see his share of the ball in the low post. But he also said he doesn't expect the Bucks to stray from guards Penn and as their primary options.
“I'll probably see the double-team, so hopefully we'll knock them down from outside and force them to take the double-team off,” Reese said.
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