SAN ANTONIO - By unofficial count, Greg Oden was only asked the same question 24 times. Or once for every minute that he was able to play on Saturday at the Alamodome. Yet, as each fresh media wave converged upon his locker, he sat totally composed on a chair, flanked on each side by what appeared to be team managers. At least they didn't look like bodyguards, but you never know.
Good thing there's a time limit on player availability, or the postgame assault might have continued until daylight.
Anyway, the biggest man in college basketball handled it the way he seems to handle most things. Which is to say, better than most of the folks doing the asking. So keep telling yourself he's still a pup.
The subject at hand was Memphis forward Joey Dorsey, who said on Friday that Ohio State's center was "overrated," among other things. Take that. The rest of the Buckeyes were outraged. If Oden was, too, he sure didn't let on.
"I don't let comments get to me," he said, matter-of-factly. "In the Big Ten, fans say [stuff like that] all the time. I didn't think about it. He was probably just trying to fire his team up. I just wanted to help my teammates [win]. I've seen him dunk on highlights. I didn't want to let that happen.
"Coach [Thad Matta] told me he was calling me out. I just didn't want to let anything get in my head. That's how I am. I just want to go out and play hard. It's over with. I think [too much] was made of it.
"It's not about me."
And so it went, over and over. Until it was finally time for the rest of the world to leave him alone for awhile. He had earned it.
The numbers don't fib. Despite being in foul trouble for the third straight game in this tournament, Oden finished with 17 points and nine rebounds. He made seven of his eight shots, although he was quick to point out that he missed half of his six free throws. He had just one block, but a good half-dozen "changes." Dorsey? How about three boards in 19 minutes? The rest of his stat line was nothing but zeroes.
The frightening part is, Oden is still learning.
