OSU BASKETBALL Emphasis is on defense

The men's basketball team is trying to cure one of its weaknesses from last year.
COLUMBUS (AP) -- The squeak of basketball shoes still echoes in the practice gym at Ohio State. What's missing is the thump-thump-thump of a dribbled basketball and the swish of a net.
The Buckeyes stumbled through a 14-16 season last year, largely because they were defenseless on defense. Seldom did they even slow opponents down, much less block a shot, cut off a passing lane, take a charge or get in a shooter's face.
So first-year coach Thad Matta isn't allowing his players to be distracted in practice by something as elemental as a basketball.
Every day, all day, he stresses defense.
"If we don't make a shot for the first two weeks, as long as we're defending I'm going to be happy," Matta said. "We've got to get our defense established because that gives us a chance."
Matta's pressure defense
Matta's teams at Xavier weren't especially big or deep or fast, but they made up for any physical deficiencies with a pressure defense. Nothing was conceded, whether it was a simple bounce pass inside or a kick-out to the perimeter.
The contrast with Ohio State was stark. Although the Buckeyes had and have similar players, they had neither the heart nor the inclination to play pressure defense.
"It's not a surprise that we weren't the greatest defensive team last year," said swingman J.J. Sullinger.
The Buckeyes finished ninth in the Big Ten, allowing 69 points a game.
Matta now has them relearning how to play the basics: stopping the other player and, by extension, the other team.
"We do have the talent to do that," guard Tony Stockman said of the Buckeyes, who open their season Nov. 15 against Towson. "That's what Coach [Jim] O'Brien wanted us to do last year, was to get after people and get easy baskets and get up-tempo. If Coach Matta can get our guys together to do that, I think we'd be good at it."
Like Sullinger, Stockman has no answer when asked why the Buckeyes didn't do it for their former coach, nor does he offer any convincing evidence that they will do it for their new one.
It is clear, however, that Matta will provide a nice spot on the bench for those who don't work hard on defense.
Dials responds
"I know this: last year defense was part of the problem and this year Coach Matta's preaching defense," captain Terence Dials said. "He said the first two weeks of practice would be mostly defense. That kind of let us know that he's a defensive-minded coach."
Ohio State has not forgotten the other half of the equation for success. Throughout unsupervised summer workouts, the Buckeyes each pumped up as many as 500 jump shots a day.
Now Matta wants to change the team's priorities. Defense first, scoring second.
"This team is not going to be able to give up easy baskets," Matta said. "You have to get guys to understand what you want to do on defense."