Uncut: Diebler explains how Colin White earned start against App State, praises defense

Throughout the season, Land-Grant will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions. Listen to the episode and subscribe: Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Following Ohio State’s 75-53 win over Appalachian State, Gabe Cupps and Brandon Noel spoke to the media about the Buckeyes’ collective team defense and their slow offensive start. Noel said he thought the Buckeyes were getting good shots early in the game, but they just weren’t falling until the end of the half. Noel also said that defensive “momentum” is a thing, and that Ohio State is trying to get better at defending for entire possessions as the shot clock dwindles. Cupps said that the reason he blew a wide-open layup in the second half of the game was because he was intending on dunking it, but at the last second he felt the defender coming and tried to lay it off the glass instead. It was too late, and he didn’t make up his mind fast enough, and he missed the layup. He said Diebler, Devin Royal, and his own father were already giving him a hard time about it. Diebler explained that Colin White was his pick to start in place of Devin Royal because he wanted to keep the substitutions consistent, mainly keeping Cupps as the first guard off the bench. But he also said Colin White had a “very good few days of preparation” for Tuesday’s game, and that it’s been a “rollercoaster of a 12 months for him.” Diebler said he trusts Colin to always make “the play that’s best for the team.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices