WITN? LQR talks draft prospects, B1G All-Star Drought

"I'm definitely able to put the ball on the floor, but I think I need to tighten it up a little bit."

-LaQuinton Ross

In an interview with CBS Sports, former Ohio State standout LaQuinton Ross spoke candidly about what skill set he brings to the table and what areas of his game still need work. Ross seems confident that his game will translate to the pro level. In the interview, he cites his versatility as an asset--Ross says that he's a guy who can play the 2 or the 3. He also says that he'd be comfortable playing as a stretch 4 for a team taking a more small-ball approach, which brings to mind this year's incarnation of the Miami Heat.

Ross says that his ball handling is the area of his game that needs the most work before he can fully contribute at the NBA level. He mentions Wilson Chandler as a player that he perceives to be in the same mold as himself--a guy who can play multiple offensive positions and contribute. Chandler, who started 55 games for the Nuggets this season, is listed as a hybrid Shooting Guard/Small Forward/Power Forward by Pro Basketball Reference. Chandler has averaged 13.7 PPG for his career, a number which Ross fans would be thrilled to see the former Buckeye match. The notoriously streaky Ross also referenced Mike Miller and Carmelo Anthony as players that he's studied and wants to emulate at the next level.

"If you look at total number of All Star appearances, the ACC is running away from the field. And the Big Ten is wildly behind."

-Matt Norlander, CBS Sports

This handy set of infographics breaks down the pipeline between college hoops and the NBA--namely, which colleges and conferences get the best results when their products reach the pros. The graphics broke down which of these had sent the most players to at least one NBA All-Star game in the last twenty years. The ACC and Pac-12 lead the standings, having sent twelve players each to at least one.

The Big Ten has sent eight players to at least one NBA All-Star game in the since 1994, which is actually the third-most of any conference. This equals the mark of foreign players and straight-from-high-school players. The SEC and Big East are tied with seven apiece, the Big 12 has five, and coming in with three each are the MWC, A-10, and C-USA.

Still, Norlander's accusation is on the mark if one considers total number of All-Star appearances racked up by these players in the last two decades. Former ACC players have appeared in sixty-eight, while the Big Ten has recorded a paltry fourteen. This is fewer than the Big East, Pac-12, SEC, or Big 12. It also comes in far behind the figures recorded by foreign and straight-from-high-school players. Granted, the Big Ten has not always been regarded as a hub for elite-level basketball talent, and with the crop of players produced in the last two years this number should jump up over the next half-decade or so. We're also counting on Aaron Craft to account for fifteen or so on his own.

"Kobelt...finished his Ohio State career as the fourth four-time All-American in program history."

-OhioStateBuckeyes.com

Ohio State Men's Tennis just had two players named as Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) All-Americans. Peter Kobelt, who just finished his tenure with the team, and Kevin Metka, finishing his redshirt junior season, received the honors.

The two honorees are among the most decorated in Ohio State tennis history. Kobelt is the all-time leader for doubles wins, with 142. He is also second in combined wins, with 265, and seventh in career singles wins, with 123. Kobelt is a four-time All-American.

Metka is second on the single-season wins list after finishing 2013-2014 with a 43-8 record in doubles. He was also named to the NCAA All-Tournament team as part of the No. 2 doubles squad. Metka recorded a dramatic comeback in this year's NCAA team championships, rallying from a large deficit to force a tiebreaker and send the Buckeyes through to their ninth-consecutive 8.

"Three Ohio State field hockey players...will represent the Scarlet and Gray this summer at the 2014 USA Field Hockey Women's National Championship."

-OhioStateBuckeyes.com

Continuing the Buckeye accolades, two current members of OSU's field hockey team and one alumna have been invited to participate in this year's National Championship. This is part of the process in determining who gets selected for the USA Women's National Team.

Leading the Buckeyes this past season, and garnering an invite to the Championship, is junior Peanut Johnson. Johnson (who has also earned B1G All-Name team honors) scored ten goals and recorded two assists for OSU in 2013. She recorded two hat-tricks on the year, and was named to the All-B1G Second Team. Sophomore Brooke Hiltz, who started in 18 of 19 games in which she appeared, was also invited to the Championship. Hiltz is an OSU Scholar-Athlete and scored goals in a few key moments for the Buckeyes last season. Alumna Danica Deckard, whose NCAA eligibility expired in 2012, was the third Buckeye picked for the Championship.

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