Best pure talent we faced this year (and probably the best pure talent we've faced in the past five(?) years) was Jabari Smith of Auburn. He went 7-9 against us for 14 points. He will be a top 2 or 3 pick in the draft. But he's 6'10, shoots 40+% from 3 and can hit a fadeaway shot that is essentially unguardable.

Liddell is really, really good...but he's nowhere near the talent that Jabari Smith is.

I tend to look at the best guys as to whose the best College player. I think NBA pedigree is a part of the profile but if I have to win a CBB game I'd take Luka Garza over Jaxson Hayes for example even though Hayes was a top 10 pick out of Texas and Garza barely got drafted.

I'd say Ayo for sure fits that bill as a conference player of the year and all-american, same with Kofi. Not trying to hit against Jabri, I think he's going to be awesome in the league, but i do think on CBB a three year players and 21 year old EJ is better right now than Jabari was in his first 4 weeks as a CBB player.

Great post jdubs. Lidell is a very good player and will likely play in the NBA....but it's the NCAA tournament and that is going to happen in nearly every game (when you are an 8, 10 or 11 seed) Let's just do what we do....and deal with him.

And agree on Hutson. No way he plays 10 minutes (unless there is an injury). He's out of the rotation (deservedly) and he does not create an advantage against the OSU's bigs. We will stick with what has been working....and let's hope Knight snaps out of the funk he was in in St Louis.

We haven't played a quality post player since MSU on 2/6. Hutson played 18 minutes in that game.

I would consider Rienk Mast quality

Trouble at the rim like Auburn, Hutson seeing time because of foul issues matching up with Lidell and Young. Boy didn't take a crystal ball to see this one coming. Tough draw against this type of roster.

It was missed free throws, layups and wide open 3s that lost this. We held Ohio St to their second lowest point total of the season. Matched up fine.