The first round matchup for Ohio State in the 2011 NCAA Tournament is now set, as the University of Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners topped Alabama State in last night’s play-in game for the #16 seed and a chance to take their shot at the Buckeyes. The Roadrunners won by a score of 70-61 on an impressive performance from guard Melvin Johnson III, who put up 29 points in the game. More impressive than Johnson’s overall scoring total was the fact that he outscored Alabama State single-handedly in the first half by a total of 25-21.
As Mali noted in the podcast yesterday, having the play-in game for the #16 seed limits the time that Ohio State will be able to prep for their now-established opponent, but Ohio State should have the necessary talent and motivation to meet any challenge that UTSA or the 6’5 Johnson throw at them. While the Roadrunners clearly controlled the game against Alabama State, and at one point led by a margin of 28, it should be noted that the Hornets were probably the worst team to make it into the tournament, coming in with an overall .500 record.
A look at UTSA’s schedule over the course of the season reveals a lack of opponents from major conferences. The most notable name on the list is Oklahoma State, who defeated the Roadrunners in early January by a score of 79-63. Johnson was actually the second leading scorer on the season, surpassed by senior Devin Gibson, who averaged a very solid 17 points to go along with over 5 rebounds, over 5 assists, and almost 3 steals per game. Against Alabama State, UTSA featured a lineup of six players primarily, giving only limited time to other reserves.
Gibson is really the player to watch on this team, and freshman Jeromie Hill can also post significant scoring figures. The Roadrunners were only the #7 seed in their own conference tournament, gutting out the championship to make it into the NCAA’s. UTSA is coached by Brooks Thompson, a former Oklahoma State standout and NBA player, and Thompson will surely get the maximum effort out of his players when facing Ohio State. The Buckeyes should be all business on Friday to put a stop to the Roadrunners’ (road) run and further their own agenda for the postseason.
At 6’8 and 230, Hill may be the one to draw Sullinger on defense in a pairing of freshman against freshman. Ohio State will likely go inside early and often to start racking up the fouls and forcing UTSA into a double-team strategy. Once that occurs, watch out for a barrage of downtown bombs. The Buckeyes have the tools to run away with this game, so it will just come down to a matter of execution.
The game is set to tip at 4:40pm on Friday and will be shown on TNT.
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