The stuffing and the cranberries are going to be put on hold for a while.
While most people will roll out of bed later than normal, watch a parade on television and enjoy a relaxing day with family -- that is if they aren't stuck with all the food preparation -- the Ohio State basketball team is going to practice on Thanksgiving day.
Head coach Thad Matta said he wanted to give the team its mandatory day off Tuesday to recoup from the tight win over Bowling Green on Monday and to allow the Buckeyes, who are 2-0 on the young season, to have three straight days of preparation for the upcoming contest with Samford (noon Eastern, Big Ten Network).
Matta again stressed the need to teach his young team how to build up to a game with three or more days to scout and run drills and he knows there is a very tough stretch coming up with a trip to Miami (Fla.) on Dec. 2, a date with Notre Dame in Indianapolis on Dec. 6 and return home to play pesky Butler on Dec. 13.
Therefore, the Buckeyes practiced Wednesday afternoon, will have a full practice and do scout work on Thanksgiving and a lighter workout and walkthrough on Friday.
Dallas Lauderdale, a sophomore center, shrugged when asked about giving up a large segment of his holiday.
“To me, it’s all part of college basketball,” he said. “My parents expected me not to be home for Thanksgiving. I wasn’t home last year for Thanksgiving. We stayed in New York (City) playing Syracuse and Texas A&M, so it’s part of college basketball now.”
Certainly that's where Matta's thoughts are. When a reporter asked him Wednesday what he was thankful for, he paused for several seconds, then appeared to realize how awkward the silence was and said, "Lots of things."
Then he added, "You threw me with that one. I'm up here talking about basketball. I guess I'm thankful we're having practice today."
Another reporter proceeded to playfully boo Matta's answer.
Matta joked after the BG game that his wife, Barbara, accused him of being “insensitive” for requiring the team to practice on Thanksgiving. Apparently, he plans to make up for it by having the entire squad over for dinner – no doubt with Barbara as the head chef.
“I hope we’re having something good,” guard Jon Diebler said.
“We’re having dinner at Coach Matta’s and then we’re going to sleep, get a little rest,” Lauderdale said.
When asked if Lauderdale was suggesting that the team is staying overnight at the Mattas, he laughed and said, “Oh, no.”
The Buckeyes ate together last year in between playing in the semifinal and finals of the NIT Season Tip-Off. The game with A&M the next night did not make them shy at the dinner table.
“Last year when we had it at the hotel they had turkeys coming and coming,” Lauderdale said.
OSU lost the next night to the Aggies 70-47 and shot an abysmal 24.1 percent from the field. The extra day to recover just might make all the difference.
(We will post a feature on freshman Will Buford in the next couple days as well as a Preview Box for the game with Samford.)
