Despite self-imposed sanction, Buckeyes prove they can still play like contenders

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- They still suit up. \nThey still play their games. \nTheir fans even still come. \nThey have nothing to lose and nothing to gain because of self-imposed sanctions, but that doesn't matter for the Ohio State Buckeyes. By March 13, the Buckeyes will be back on campus after playing in the Big Ten Tournament, snuggled on their couches and have their televisions tuned to CBS for March Madness. \nBut for now, it's still February.\nTuesday night Ohio State played the role of bubble buster, as the team has all season, with a 57-44 win over IU.\nWith the loss, the Hoosiers move one game closer to the NIT and one game away from the coveted NCAA Tournament. \nBut some might say IU did it to itself by looking ahead -- either to future games or the round of 64 -- and overlooking a team that would be simply watching come March. \nDuring halftime of a recent televised game, Buckeye junior Terence Dials heard the commentators say the Hoosiers have two big games left this season -- Michigan State and Wisconsin. That didn't go over too well with the 18-8 Buckeyes. \n"It seemed like they overlooked us," Dials said. "They said they only had two tough games left. And that's the kind of bulletin board material when you're playing a team like us, who has nothing to lose and is hungry, who goes out there and plays hard. Maybe they should go back and take some of that stuff back."\nTuesday night wasn't the first potential bubble buster Ohio State has had this month. On Feb. 5, the Buckeyes handled Michigan -- the Hoosiers' next game -- 72-46, possibly puncturing a hole in the Wolverines bubble as well. \nBut OSU coach Thad Matta said he doesn't take pride in possibly ruining the future for teams or other Big Ten coaches.\n"When you coach, when you walk the walk, when you live in this position, you don't want to ruin anything for anybody else," Matta said. "It's too hard. And I have too much respect for every coach in this league. I want to win. That's all I want my guys to do. Yeah, I would like to be a team, that in the end people say they would have been in the NCAA tournament. But I don't take great pride in making somebody else's life difficult."\nBut he still pointed out to his team what the halftime show said.\n"I actually saw it, but (coach Matta) brought it to our attention as well," Dials said. "It got a lot of guys riled up. For someone to overlook us, and just say they only have two tough games left." \nNow, the Hoosiers have five games and the Big Ten Tournament left to persuade the NCAA Selection Committee to take them as one-sixty-fourth of the March field. \nAll the talk about the tournament and postsesason bothers Matta -- but not just because he can't be on the dance floor. \n"I don't like the fact that people talk now about the tournament and all that stuff," he said. "Enjoy the game. Enjoy the season. And maybe I'm saying that because we can't participate in post-season play."\nDespite the added-incentive for Ohio State, IU coach Mike Davis felt the Buckeyes executed well.\n"You have to give Ohio State all the credit," he said. "They played great. They had a great game plan coming into the game."\nMatta had nothing to do with the current situation at Ohio State. After allegations that former Ohio State coach Jim O'Brien provided cash for a recruit who never played for the Buckeyes, Ohio State put itself on self-imposed sanctions from post-season play during the on-going investigation.\nEven though they can't play in March, the Buckeyes still can have their fun dancing now -- at the expense of the Hoosiers. But if IU makes it to the NCAA Tournament, Dials might just be on that same couch, watching that same television.\n-- Contact staff writer Josh Weinfuss at jweinfuss@indiana.edu.