Text Box: Text Box: Text Box: Text Box: Destination Durant Kevin Durant has emerged as a challenger to Oden as the number 1 pick in the upcoming draft. So why not keep an eye him too? NCAA Tourney Round 2 Kevin Durant’s college career might have come to an end. Durant had 30 points on 11 of 24 shooting… but the Longhorns were eliminated by USC 87-68. Durant was asked after the game about his potential jump to the pros… but he blew the question off. NCAA Tourney Round 1 This game was closer than the Longhorns would have liked, but Durant stepped up with key buckets and rebounds to help Texas pull away 79-67. Durant finished the game with 27 points (15 from the FT Line) and 8 rebounds. 3/11: Durant’s 37 points wasn’t enough to get past the Kansas Jayhawks in the Big 12 tournament championship game. #2 Kansas won this one 88-84 in overtime, after Durant couldn’t knock down a potential game winner at the buzzer in regulation. Durant was scoreless in the overtime. 3/10: Oklahoma State gave 15th ranked Texas all it could handle, but Kevin Durant hit the game winning 3 pointer with less than a minute to go… and lead Texas to a 69-64 win. Durant had 26 points and 8 boards… and Texas is on its way to the Big 12 Championship game. 3/9: Durant wasn’t very good in the first half… and Texas got down big. Durant was awesome in the second half of the Big 12 tourney opener against Baylor… and Texas comes back to win. Kevin scored 5 points in the first half… and 24 in the second to fuel the comeback. 3/3: Durant started out hot but turned his ankle in the second half and was never the same. He did return to the game, which is a good sign, but his 32 points and 9 rebounds wasn’t good enough to beat Kansas. The Jayhawks win it 90-86 2/28: In what could have been Durant’s last home game, he put up 30 points and 16 rebounds as #15 Texas upset #7 Texas A&M 98-96 in double overtime 2/24: Durant snapped out of his shooting funk to hit 5 treys in a 68-58 win over Oklahoma. Durant’s final line: 32 points, 10 rebounds. 2/20: It was another tough shooting night for Durant, who had 17 points (6-16 fg) and 8 boards… but Texas routed Texas Tech 80-51. 2/17: Durant scored 20 points, but he did so on 5 of 16 shooting. He did grab 14 rebounds and Texas held on to beat Baylor, 68-67 2/12: The Longhorns put together a complete game. Durant puts up 21 and 12, everyone plays some defense, and Texas smokes 18th ranked Oklahoma St. 83-54. 2/10: For once, Durant didn’t light it up. Durant was held to 17 points on 6-16 shooting, but Texas was able to snap its 2 game losing streak and beat Iowa St, 77-68 2/5: Durant put up 28 points and 15 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to stop Texas from falling to Texas A&M 100-82. 2/3: Durant scored 32 points and 9 rebounds in a one point Texas loss to Kansas State. Texas had the ball in the last possession, but Durant didn’t get a touch. 1/31: Durant has a simply unbelievable game. 37 points and 23 rebounds makes many reconsider whether Greg Oden really is an automatic #1 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. 1/27: Durant scores 34 to lead Texas from an 8 point halftime deficit to a 5 point win over Baylor. 1/24: Durant’s monster game (26 points, 15 rebounds) helps the Longhorns squeak by Nebraska, 62-61.

1/24/07:     (5) Ohio St. 59, Northwestern 50

Oden wakes up in 2nd half, helps Buckeyes escape

 

The last time the Buckeyes played Northwestern, Oden essentially took the game off offensively.  He was well on his way to doing the same in this one, until he realized he was needed.  Oden scored 10 of his 17 points in the last 10 minutes, and he grabbed 17 rebounds as Ohio St. escaped with a 59-50 win. Northwestern’s coach has the quote of the year so far when he talked about his center’s defensive assignment in guarding Oden: “I thought Vince (Scott) played him as well as he could have.  Oden’s going to be a pro, and Vince is going to be an investment banker.”

1/27/07:     Michigan St 64, (5) Ohio St. 66

Oden Disappears In 2nd half, Buckeyes hold on

 

Greg Oden scored the first 7 points of the game, but his last field goal of the game came with 7 minutes to go in the first half.  In the 2nd half, Ohio State blew a 20 point lead and nearly lost to Michigan State.  Oden did, however, make 11 of 14 free throws (again… all were taken left handed because of his wrist injury) to finish the game with a team-high 19 points.  So why did he disappear from the offense over the 2nd half?  That’s something that’s answered in our first full Greg Oden scouting report.  Just follow the link below.

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Scouting Report

1/31/07:     (4) Ohio State 78, Purdue 60

Oden’s Mere Presence Allows Buckeyes To Win 6th Straight

 

You can give Greg Oden a pass on a lackluster performance in this one.  Earlier in the day, Greg attended the funeral of a close friend who was killed in a car accident.  He showed up at his hotel a couple of hours before the game, and put up just 9 points, 6 rebounds and 2 blocks against Purdue.  However, the boilermakers were paying so much attention to Oden on both ends of the floor… it opened up his Ohio State teammates to shoulder the offensive load… and it completely threw off Purdue’s offense.  The result—an easy Buckeyes win.

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2/2/07:     (4) Ohio State 63, Michigan St. 54

Oden Powers Buckeyes To Historic Win In East Lansing

 

The crowd in East Lansing was less-than-hospitable to the Freshman Phenom.  That only served as motivation to lead the Buckeyes to their first back-to-back wins in East Lansing since the 1970 and 1971 seasons.  Oden had 16 points, 11 rebounds and 4 blocked shots in the winning effort.

Would we be us if we didn’t give our fans a glimpse of what Greg might look like in a Celtics uniform.  It’s actually a nice fit.  Thanks to Al Jefferson, by the way for providing the body for us.  Al, this in no way means we’re replacing you with Greg Oden.  Just your head. 

Greg Oden       “Wise” Lebron

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2/6/07:      Michigan 63, (4) Ohio State 76

Conley Takes Spotlight From Oden In Win

 

Mike Conley’s 23 points led the Buckeyes to a 13 point win over Michigan.  Oden checked in with 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 blocked shots.  Oden didn’t look dominating in this Buckeyes win, but he drew enough attention to give other guys open looks.  So now here’s the question coming up in the whole Oden/Durant debate:  Would you rather have Greg Oden, whose stats aren’t as impressive but his team keeps winning… or Durant whose stats are eye-popping, but his team is probably falling out of the top 25? 

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