The Maggie Simpson of Basketball Teams

I'm in a hotel in Ft. Wayne, Indiana and I've discovered the Big Ten Network for the last 7 minutes of the game against Butler. Apparently we blew a 13 point lead and let Butler cut it to 5. Neither team has lost this season so even at home this is a tough win to get. I'm sick of watching freshman mistakes for the 3rd straight year.

Observations:

Lauderdale just banked in a free throw and then blocked a shot at the other end. His free throws look like Charles Barkley's golf swing.

Turning point, with a 7 point lead we miss the front end of a 1 and 1, give up and offensive rebound on the other end which they convert to a 3 pointer. We're only up 2 now. I haven't seen a game swing like that since the Bears vs. Vikings 99 yard pass.

OK who is this Hayward guy can go ahead and miss at any point. He's 7-8 on 3 pointers which Diebler is rumored to have done once in practice. Again, we blew a 13 point second half lead at home. I'll blame free throw shooting, Hayward having the game of his life, and oh we'll say...Diebler. I want to like him, but seeing as how he's not a freshman, I'll need more from him.

Turner puts us back ahead and will shoot for a 3 point play...and miss again. 15-24 on FT's today...and Hayward finally misses! It's going to come down to free throws, ugh. Lighty misses to put us at 60%. Misses both we're now <60%. Butler refuses to shoot anything but 3's.

Lauderdale to shoot 2...and makes one!...but not both. 3 point lead with a minute. Hayward misses again, we're a basket from putting this one away. Turner misses and we have to prevent them from making a 3 pointer. Do you foul? Do you faceguard Hayward? Do you get Lauderdale the hell out of there?

HE MISSES! BUCKEYES WIN!!! That should bump us up a few more spots before the Big Ten season kicks off.