 Team preview: Ohio State October 30, 2009 Source: ESPN - "ESPN Insider (this is a Free Preview) has teamed with Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook to provide a comprehensive look at all 334 Division I teams...this is Ohio State's...BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS: BACKCOURT: A-, BENCH/DEPTH: B-, FRONTCOURT: C-, INTANGIBLES: B..."  Turner adjusting well to PG duties at Ohio State October 30, 2009 Source: Sporting News - "The Ohio State Buckeyes have been practicing for two weeks, and junior Evan Turner remains their primary point guard. You can take that as a sign his coaches are pleased with the experiment. Turner, who is 6-7, was all-Big Ten last season playing primarily at forward -- including some time at power forward after David Lighty was lost for the year. Turner frequently initiated the offense from whatever position he was playing and led the team with an average of 4.0 assists, so coach Thad Matta decided to fill the team's vacancy at point guard with the player whose skills best fit the position. Turner's biggest challenge will be facing ball pressure, and to help him prepare, the Buckeyes coaches are having small, quick guard P.J. Hill defend Turner the length of the court..." Buckeyes picked to finish third in Big Ten Conference basketball; ranked 17th in USA Today poll October 29, 2009 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - "Defending Big Ten champion and national runner-up Michigan State was selected today as the preseason conference favorite for the 2009-10 men's basketball season, as voted upon by a 24-member media panel. Purdue and Ohio State were chosen to finish second and third, respectively. In addition, after five sophomores were named to the All-Big Ten first team last season, five juniors were selected for the 2009-10 Preseason All-Big Ten Team. Ohio State also returns all five starters, along with 10 letterwinners, after finishing in a tie for fourth place in the Big Ten standings at 10-8 last season. Head coach Thad Matta led the Buckeyes to an NCAA Championship berth for the third time in four seasons, and compiled a 22-11 overall mark. Also today, the Buckeyes are ranked 17th in the preseason USA Today Coaches Poll..." Lauderdale's goal is to return for opener October 16, 2009 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "...The 6-foot-8 junior was sporting a fresh cast that extended up most of his forearm yesterday as the Ohio State men's basketball team met the media to preview the start of full-squad practice for the 2009-10 season. The first practice is at 6 tonight. Lauderdale, the starting center, suffered the injury during a workout Monday morning. He had surgery Wednesday in which three screws were inserted to stabilize the fourth metacarpal. The prognosis is for him to be out four to six weeks... No one knew the severity of the injury until hours later. On the next possession, Lauderdale caught another pass and dunked the ball with his broken hand. "He came downcourt (after the steal) saying, 'My finger hurts. I jammed my finger,' and I was like, 'Aw, man,' " Hill said. "But then Evan threw him a pass, he dunked it and that was just it. After practice, we thought he just had a jammed finger." Lauderdale told the team's athletic trainer, Vince O'Brien, his hand was hurting and then went to class..." Ohio State basketball recruiting ranks best in the nation for the high school Class of 2010 October 8, 2009 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - "Ohio State's men's basketball program seems assured of maintaining its elite status for the near future. The well-respected recruiting website, Rivals.com, ranks Ohio State as first in the nation in recruits from the high school graduating Class of 2010 - this year's high school seniors... Jerry Meyer writes for Rivals.com: With far and away the best recruiting class in the 2010, Ohio State is in familiar territory at the top of the recruiting rankings. (Coach) Thad Matta has plucked some of the top prospects in his region, creating a formidable seven man class. Sullinger is the premier post player in 2010, while (Deshaun) Thomas, a fellow five-star, is one of the top scoring forwards in the country. (Jordan) Sibert and (Aaron) Craft have a strong chemistry as backcourt teammates on the All Ohio Red travel squad. (Lenzelle) Smith is a unique player with a feel for passing the ball, and (J.D.) Weatherspoon is a tremendous athlete with a lot of potential..." Toughness, familiarity key Ohio State's top-ranked recruiting class October1, 2009 Source: SI.com - "Jared Sullinger, a 6-foot-8 Columbus, Ohio native heads the Buckeyes' class...Sullinger follows his older brother, J.J.'s, path to Columbus -- albeit more direct...Four committed prospects went 201-9 playing together for All-Ohio Red..." Ohio State to face defending champ North Carolina in basketball August 20, 2009 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - "Ohio State basketball will play defending national champion North Carolina this season. The Buckeyes had been scheduled already to be one of four teams to play in New York as part of the 2K Sports Classic to start the season, but now they know they'll get the Tar Heels. The Buckeyes had been scheduled already to be one of four teams to play in New York as part of the 2K Sports Classic to start the season, but now they know they'll get the Tar Heels. Ohio State and North Carolina will play in one semifinal on Nov. 19 at Madison Square Garden, while Syracuse and Cal will play in the other. A championship and consolation game will be played on Nov. 20. The Buckeyes return all five starters, while the Tar Heels return just one starter. Ohio State and North Carolina played in both 2006 and 2007 as part of the ACC-Big Ten Challenge, with the Tar Heels winning 98-89 and 66-55. Ohio State also has announced its Big Ten schedule: Thu, Dec 31, at Wisconsin, 2 p.m., ESPN 2 Sun, Jan 03, at Michigan, 4:30 p.m., BTN Wed, Jan 06, Indiana, 8:30 p.m., BTN Sat, Jan 09, at Minnesota, 3:30 p.m., BTN Tue, Jan 12, at Purdue, 7 p.m., ESPN Sat, Jan 16, Wisconsin, 8 p.m., BTN Tue, Jan 19, Northwestern, 7 p.m., BTN Thu, Jan 21, at Iowa, 8:30 p.m., BTN Sun, Jan 31, Minnesota, 1 p.m., CBS Wed, Feb 03, Penn State, 6:30 p.m., BTN Sun, Feb 07, Iowa, Noon, BTN Wed, Feb 10, at Indiana, 6:30 p.m., BTN Sun, Feb 14, at Illinois, 1 p.m., CBS Wed, Feb 17, Purdue, 6:30 p.m., BTN Sat, Feb 20 or Sun, Feb 21, at Michigan State, 4 p.m., 8 p.m or Noon, ESPN/BTN/CBS Wed, Feb 24, at Penn State, 6:30 p.m., BTN Sat, Feb 27 or Sun, Feb 28, Michigan, Noonr 12:00 p.m, 4 p.m. 8 p.m., ESPN/BTN/CBS Wed, Mar 03, Illinois, 6:30 p.m., BTN Thu, Mar 11-Sun, Mar 14 Big Ten Tournament, Indianapolis." Buckeyes well represented in top 150 July 3, 2009 Source: Rivals.com - Jerry Meyer of Rivals.com Basketball Recruiting writes: "Ohio State only has one spot to fill in their 2010 hoops recruiting class. Rivals.com recently updated the top 150, and all five of the OSU commitments are on the list, including Jared Sullinger who comes in as a top five player." Class of 2010 Rivals150: #3 Jared Sullinger, #17 Deshaun Thomas, #32 Jordan Sibert, #105 Aaron Craft, #118 Lenzelle Smith OSU's Smith will head NCAA panel in 2010-11 July 1, 2009 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "Gene Smith didn't know he'd be nominated by his peers on the NCAA Division I men's basketball committee to serve as its chairman for the 2010-11 season. The Ohio State athletics director certainly didn't expect to win by acclamation. But that's what happened last week when the 10-person committee met in New Mexico. 'I really wasn't sure who might get nominated,' Smith said. 'I had an interest, but I wasn't sure what my colleagues were thinking.'..." Mullens Becomes Fifth Buckeye freshman in Three Years to go in NBA’s First Round June 25, 2009 Source: OSU Official Site - "B.J. Mullens, a 7-foot center, became the fifth Ohio State freshman to be selected in the opening round of the annual National Basketball Association Draft in the last three seasons when the Dallas Mavericks selected the Columbus, Ohio, native with the 24th pick Thursday. He was then traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Greg Oden, Mike Conley Jr., and Daequan Cook...were taken in the opening round of the 2007 NBA Draft...Kosta Koufos was taken by the Utah Jazz with the 23rd pick of the opening round a year ago...Mullens joins Koufos, Oden, Conley, Cook and Michael Redd, now in his 10th year with the Milwaukee Bucks, as former Buckeyes currently active in the NBA. Redd recently earned a gold medal for the United States on the men’s senior national team in the 2008 Beijing Olympics last summer. He also was elected to the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame and will be inducted this fall. Mullens averaged 8.8 points while connecting on 64 percent (120-188) shots from the field for the 22-11 Buckeyes in 2008-09. He averaged 4.7 rebounds in just over 20 minutes per game. He blocked 37 shots, second to the 67 rejected by sophomore Dallas Lauderdale..." Mullens Headed To Oklahoma City June 25, 2009 Source: BuckeyeSports.com - "With the 24th pick in the in the NBA draft, the Dallas Mavericks selected former Ohio State center B.J. Mullens. Before the night was finished, the club sent his rights to the Oklahoma City Thunder for the rights to Rodrigue Beaubois, a French guard who was picked No. 25, and a future second-round pick. Mullens, who finished his prep career at Canal Winchester near Columbus, was Scout.com’s No. 3 rated recruit overall and the nation’s No. 1 center in the class of 2008. The seven-footer came off the bench primarily for the 22-11 Buckeyes, averaging 8.8 points and 4.7 rebounds per game while setting an Ohio State freshman record for field-goal percentage with a 64-percent clip (120 for 188). He averaged 20.3 minutes per game and started two of 33 contests. He blocked 37 shots..." Findlay-area guard says he'll play for Ohio State in 2010 June 7, 2009 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "Aaron Craft, a 6-foot-3 point guard from Findlay Liberty-Benton High School, has made an oral commitment to sign with Ohio State and join coach Thad Matta's highly rated 2010 recruiting class. A source close to the player's family said Craft committed Thursday while visiting campus and meeting with Matta. Craft, who recently rescinded a previous commitment to Tennessee, plays on the same All-Ohio Red AAU team with two other OSU pledges, forward Jared Sullinger of Northland and guard Jordan Sibert of Cincinnati Princeton. Others committed to the 2010 class are guard Lenzelle Smith of Zion, Ill., and forward DeShaun Thomas of Fort Wayne, Ind." Men's Basketball Takes APR Scholarship Hit May 6, 2009 Source: BuckeyeSports.com - "The Ohio State men's basketball program had to face the music Wednesday afternoon when the NCAA announced that it had docked the Buckeyes two scholarships for the upcoming season as part of its Academic Progress Rate report. The news, which will move the Buckeyes down to 11 scholarships next season, was not unexpected, though..."
Assistant Archie Miller to follow brother to Arizona; Akron assistant to OSU April 16, 2009 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - "Ohio State is losing its top basketball assistant for the second straight season. A year ago, John Groce left to become the head coach at Ohio. Now, two-year assistant Archie Miller is planning to leave the Buckeyes to join the staff of his brother Sean, who left Xavier to become Arizona's head coach. John Miller, the father of Sean and Archie, told the Beaver County (Pa.) Times of the plan. Rivals.com reported, and Plain Dealer sources confirmed, that Akron assistant Jeff Boals will replace Miller at Ohio State. Boals had been recruiting 6-9 junior forward Adreian Payne of Dayton for the Zips and could help the Buckeyes pursue him." Mullens to Enter 2009 NBA Draft March 26, 2009 Source: OSU Official Site - "B.J. Mullens, who just completed his freshman basketball season at Ohio State, will enter the 2009 National Basketball Association Draft, the 7-foot center announced Thursday. Thad Matta, head coach of the Buckeyes, said it is difficult to see Mullens leave the program so soon...Mullens, a Columbus, Ohio, native, is the fifth Ohio State freshman to declare for the draft in the last three seasons. Greg Oden (No. 1 pick/2007), Mike Conley Jr. (No. 4/2007), Daequan Cook (No. 21/2007) and Kosta Koufos (No. 23/2008) are the others. All were picked in the first round of their respective drafts. Siena Edges Ohio State out of NCAA Tournament in Double OT, 74-72 March 21, 2009 Source: OSU Official Site/Associated Press - "Ronald Moore hit a 3-pointer with 3.9 seconds left in the second overtime - from the identical spot he made one at the end of the first OT - as the ninth-seeded Siena beat eighth-seeded Ohio State 74-72 on Friday night in the first round of the NCAA tournament..." (Audio: Ohio State's postgame press conference vs. Siena ) Boxscore: Siena vs Ohio State Purdue Edges Ohio State in Big Ten Final, 65-61 March 15, 2009 Source: OSU Official Site/Associated Press - "The Boilermakers, the preseason favorites in the Big Ten, fell to a No. 3 seed in the conference tournament by losing three of their final four regular season games. They found their groove at Conseco Fieldhouse. E'Twaun Moore scored 14 of his 17 points in the second half, and No. 24 Purdue rallied to beat Ohio State 65-61 on Sunday for its first Big Ten tournament title..." (Audio: Thad Matta: Big Ten Final Postgame Interviews) Boxscore: Ohio State vs Purdue Buckeyes Advance to Big Ten Championship Game with Win over Michigan State, 82-70 March 14, 2009 Source: OSU Official Site/Associated Press - "No sweep for No. 7 Michigan State. Probably no No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, either. Ohio State used every bit of its depth and versatility, not to mention some nifty 3-point shooting, in overpowering the Spartans 82-70 in the semifinals of the Big Ten tournament Saturday. It was the second-most points the Spartans (26-6) had allowed this season..." (Also: Ohio State Postgame Quotes and Notes) Boxscore: Ohio State vs Michigan State Ohio State Rallies to Defeat Wisconsin, 61-57, in Big Ten Quarterfinals March 13, 2009 Source: OSU Official Site/Associated Press - "The Big Ten's best-shooting team can play defense, too. Evan Turner scored 19 points and Ohio State held Wisconsin without a field goal for the final 6 minutes of Friday's 61-57 victory in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament. The win set up a semifinal showdown Saturday against top-seeded and No. 7-ranked Michigan State..." (Audio: Evan Turner, Jon Diebler and Thad Matta after Wisconsin Win ) Boxscore: Ohio State vs Wisconsin Four Players Net Double-Digits in Buckeyes' Win Over Northwestern, 52-47 March 8, 2009 Source: OSU Official Site/Associated Press - "The day after Ohio State lost its captain and most experienced player, coach Thad Matta walked into a staff meeting and wrote a magic number of wins on the blackboard. Almost three months later, and still without David Lighty, his Buckeyes met that lofty goal. Evan Turner hit two jumpers down the stretch and Jon Diebler added two clinching free throws as Ohio State beat Northwestern 52-47 on Sunday to hang on for its 20th win and likely grab a NCAA tournament berth..." (Audio: Thad Matta, OSU Players and Bill Carmody Postgame ) Boxscore: Northwestern vs Ohio State Big Ten Conference Reveals 2009 Basketball Tournament Bracket: Buckeyes Face Badgers Friday March 13th at 2:30pm on ESPN Evan Turner Scores 22 as Buckeyes Clip Iowa, 60-58 March 3, 2009 Source: OSU Official Site/Associated Press - "Evan Turner scored 22 points and dished out nine assists as Ohio State held off Iowa 60-58 Tuesday to snap a three-game road losing streak. Jon Diebler added 12 points for the Buckeyes (19-9, 9-8 Big Ten), who won their first road game since beating Indiana 93-81 on Jan. 31..." (Audio: Thad Matta: Iowa Postgame Press Conference) Boxscore: Ohio State vs Iowa Hawkeyes Evan Turner Scores 22 as Buckeyes Clip Iowa, 60-58 March 3, 2009 Source: OSU Official Site/Associated Press - "Evan Turner scored 22 points and dished out nine assists as Ohio State held off Iowa 60-58 Tuesday to snap a three-game road losing streak. Jon Diebler added 12 points for the Buckeyes (19-9, 9-8 Big Ten), who won their first road game since beating Indiana 93-81 on Jan. 31..." (Audio: Thad Matta: Iowa Postgame Press Conference) Boxscore: Ohio State vs Iowa Hawkeyes
Buckeyes Fall to No. 16 Purdue, 75-50 February 28, 2009 Source: OSU Official Site/Associated Press - "Robbie Hummel scored 17 points and No. 16 Purdue defeated Ohio State 75-50 on Saturday. E'Twaun Moore had 11 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, Nemanja Calasan had 14 points and JaJuan Johnson added 12 for the Boilermakers (22-7, 11-5 Big Ten). Evan Turner scored 14 points and fouled out for Ohio State (18-9, 8-8). The Buckeyes have lost four of five..." (Audio: Thad Matta: Purdue Postgame Press Conference) Boxscore: Ohio State vs Purdue Ohio State Rallies to Defeat Penn State, 73-59 February 24, 2009 Source: OSU Official Site/Associated Press - "Jeremie Simmons went to Ohio State's coaching staff on Sunday and suggested that P.J. Hill start in his place. It ended up being an ingenious move for Simmons, for Hill - and for the Buckeyes. Simmons came off the bench to score 14 points and Hill added a career-high 13, and the two also led a second-half surge as Ohio State beat Penn State 73-59 Tuesday night to end a three-game losing skid. 'I'm a real person. I understand that P.J., he works hard every day,' Simmons said of his selfless act. 'I knew he would start us off strong on the defensive end so I wanted him to start.'..." (Audio: Thad Matta , PJ Hill, Jeremie Simmons and BJ Mullens Postgame Audio ) Boxscore: Penn State vs Ohio State Postgame Quotes: Ohio State 73, Penn State 59 Buckeyes' Second Half Comeback Falls Short, 70-68 February 22, 2009 Source: OSU Official Site/Associated Press - "Four days after mustering just 33 points in a pitiful home loss, the Illini placed three players in double figures led by Mike Davis' 22 points and shot 58 percent from the field in a 70-68 victory over Ohio State on Sunday. The victory kept the Illini (22-6, 10-5) alone in third place in the Big Ten and gave coach Bruce Weber his 150th win at the school. Weber improved to 150-53 in six seasons with the Illini and is 253-107 in 11 years as a head coach at Southern Illinois and Illinois..." (Audio: Thad Matta, Bruce Webber, Evan Turner and Jon Diebler Postgame Audio ) Boxscore: Illinois vs Ohio State
Buckeyes Fall to Northwestern, 72-69 February 18, 2009 Source: OSU Official Site/Associated Press - "Kevin Coble scored 26 points and Craig Moore added 23 to lead Northwestern to a 72-69 win over Ohio State on Wednesday night. John Shurna hit a fallaway 3-pointer with 3.3 seconds left to give the Wildcats the win. The freshman scored 9 points...The Buckeyes (17-7, 7-6) lost their second straight, falling into a three-way tie for fifth place in the conference. Jon Diebler scored 28 points and hit eight 3-pointers to lead Ohio State, which squandered a 37-28 halftime lead..." Boxscore: Ohio State vs Northwestern No. 24 Buckeyes Edged by Wisconsin, 55-50 February 14, 2009 Source: OSU Official Site/Associated Press - "Marcus Landry scored 17 points, and Joe Krabbenhoft made a key 3-pointer and steal down the stretch to help Wisconsin beat No. 24 Ohio State 55-50 on Saturday night for its fourth straight win. Wisconsin (16-9, 7-6 Big Ten) grabbed 15 offensive rebounds and snapped Ohio State's four-game winning streak, overcoming Evan Turner's 23-point effort for the Buckeyes. Ohio State (17-6, 7-5) shot 55 percent from the field, but was anything but efficient because of 19 turnovers, struggling with Wisconsin's pressure defense and failing to keep the Badgers off the boards..." (Audio: Thad Matta: Wisconsin Postgame Audio ) Boxscore: Ohio State vs Wisconsin Ohio State Extends Win Streak with 64-58 Win over Minnesota February 7, 2009 Source: OSU Official Site/Associated Press - " Evan Turner made seven free throws in the final 64 seconds, leading Ohio State past No. 19 Minnesota 64-58 Saturday night for the Buckeyes' fifth win this season over a ranked opponent. Two of the wins have come this week, with the Buckeyes (17-5, 7-4 Big Ten) beating No. 12 Purdue 80-72 on Tuesday night. Turner finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Jon Diebler and William Buford each scored 11 points and B.J. Mullens had 10 for Ohio State. The Buckeyes won their fourth in a row while running their record against ranked opponents to 5-4..." (Audio: Thad Matta, Evan Turner, Jon Diebler, Jeremie Simmons and Minnesota Coach Tubby Smith Postgame ) Boxscore: Minnesota vs Ohio State & Postgame Quotes Buckeyes Knock Off No. 12 Boilermakers 80-72 in Overtime February 3, 2009 Source: OSU Official Site/Associated Press - " Evan Turner scored six of his 26 points in overtime, leading Ohio State past No. 12 Purdue 80-72 on Tuesday night to end the Boilermakers' six-game winning streak. William Buford had 22 points and fellow freshman B.J. Mullens added 17 as the Buckeyes (16-5, 6-4 Big Ten) won their third straight while shooting 60 percent from the field. Purdue (17-5, 6-3), which needed a win to share the Big Ten lead with No. 13 Michigan State, had not permitted an opponent to shoot better than 43 percent all season..." (Audio: Thad Matta, Mullens, Buford, Turner and Purdue Coach Matt Painter Postgame ) Boxscore: Purdue vs Ohio State Turner Scores 29 as Buckeyes Down Indinana, 93-81 January 31, 2009 Source: OSU Official Site/Associated Press - "Evan Turner had 29 points and 10 rebounds Saturday as Ohio State beat Indiana 93-81, a school record-tying 11th straight loss for the Hoosiers. William Buford added 24 points for the Buckeyes (15-5, 5-4), who won for only the sixth time in 35 tries at Assembly Hall and posted their first regular-season sweep of the Hoosiers in a decade. Coach Thad Matta is now 50-25 in Big Ten games, becoming the second fastest in school history to reach 50 conference wins. Former Buckeyes coach Fred Taylor did it in 61 games..." (Audio: Thad Matta: Indiana Postgame Press Conference ) Boxscore: Ohio State vs Indiana Ohio State Finishes Regular Season Sweep of Michigan with 72-54 Win January 28, 2009 Source: OSU Official Site/Associated Press - "Evan Turner scored 14 of his 22 points as Ohio State built an 18-point first-half lead, and the Buckeyes hung on to beat Michigan 72-54 on Wednesday night in a chippy showdown between the rivals. The game was held up for several minutes near the finish after Michigan's Zack Novak elbowed Ohio State's P.J. Hill in the face. The officials separated the players before the skirmish escalated. Novak was called for a flagrant foul and was ejected from the game. It was the second time in two weeks the Buckeyes (14-5, 4-4 Big Ten) had beaten the Wolverines (14-7, 4-5). Jeremie Simmons matched his career high with 12 points for Ohio State, which had lost its last two games, both to ranked opponents. B.J. Mullens also had 12 points..." (Audio: Thad Matta, John Beilein (Michigan head coach) and Evan Turner, B.J. Mullens and Jon Diebler Postgame Interviews) Boxscore: Michigan vs Ohio State & Postgame Quotes Buckeyes Lead at Half, Fall to No. 7 Michigan State, 78-67 January 25, 2009 Source: OSU Official Site/Associated Press - "Durrell Summers had 26 points to almost double his career high and No. 7 Michigan State dominated the boards on Sunday to beat Ohio State 78-67. The Spartans (16-3, 6-1 Big Ten) took 15 more shots from the field, thanks to a 35-19 rebounding advantage. On the offensive boards, Michigan State held a 16-3 upper hand. Kalin Lucas added 20 points and Goran Suton 13 for the Spartans, who were coming off a humiliating 70-63 loss to Northwestern on Wednesday night that had ended an 11-game winning streak and a string of 28 straight wins at the Breslin Center..." (Audio: Thad Matta Postgame Interview ) Boxscore: Michigan State vs Ohio State Ohio State Falls to No. 24 Illinois, 67-49 January 20, 2009 Source: OSU Official Site/Associated Press - "When Ohio State was stopping 7-foot-1 center Mike Tisdale early in the game, Illinois coach Bruce Weber pulled him. That was a point where last season's 16-19 edition of the Illini might have fallen apart. Stop one weapon and they didn't have an answer. Not so far this season, and certainly not Tuesday night against the Buckeyes. Weber plugged in forward Dominique Keller and watched him score 12 points in a 67-49 victory over Ohio State. And he saw Tisdale, who found his touch in the second half, score 15 points. Then there were the 13 points from Demetri McCamey, and the 10 for Chester Frazier..." (Audio: Thad Matta Postgame Interview ) Boxscore: Ohio State vs Illinois Buckeyes Upset No. 24 Michigan in Ann Arbor, 65-58 January 17, 2009 Source: OSU Official Site/Associated Press - "Ohio State's youthful regulars grew up a little Saturday night, just in time to help the Buckeyes upset their Big Ten rivals. Sophomore Evan Turner scored 19 points and freshmen William Buford and B.J. Mullens each added 15 to help the Buckeyes beat No. 25 Michigan 65-58, spoiling the Wolverines' celebration of their 1988-89 national championship team. Each of the trio scored during a 10-0 run in the final five minutes that broke a 47-all tie and gave Ohio State (13-3, 3-2) the lead for good..." (Audio: Thad Matta Postgame Interview ) Boxscore: Ohio State vs Michigan Buford, Diebler Propel Buckeyes to Big Ten Win Over Indiana, 77-53 January 13, 2009 Source: OSU Official Site/Associated Press - "William Buford scored 19 points and Ohio State caught fire behind the arc to beat Indiana 77-53 on Tuesday night. Jon Diebler added 17 points, B.J. Mullens 14, Evan Turner 13 and Jeremie Simmons 12 for Ohio State (12-3, 2-2 Big Ten), which has split six games since starting 9-0. Simmons added eight assists, while Turner and Diebler each had five. The Buckeyes took control by hitting 11 of 16 3-pointers in the first half. They made four consecutive shots behind the arc to start an 18-0 run that pushed the lead into double figures..." (Audio: Thad Matta and Tom Crean & postgame quotes and notes ) Boxscore: Indiana vs Ohio State Matta Recruits Represented On ESPN Top-60 List For 2010 January 11, 2009 Source: Bucknuts - "ESPN.com/Scouts.com have provided their Super 60 recruit rankings for men’s basketball prospects in the Class of 2010 and Ohio State and the state of Ohio are well represented. Four of Ohio State’s five verbal commitments for the 2010 class are listed in the ESPNU Super 60 list of top basketball prospects. That group includes: Columbus Northland 6-8 power forward Jared Sullinger, ranked No. 1 overall and averaging 22.7 points and 15 rebounds a game as a junior; Fort Wayne (Ind.) Bishop Leurs 6-7 small forward DeShaun Thomas, who is ranked No. 6 overall and averaging 31.7 points per game as a junior; Cincinnati Princeton 6-3 shooting guard Jordan Sibert, who is rated No. 41 overall and averaging 13 points per game as a junior; and Zion (Ill.) Zion-Benton Township 6-5 combo guard Lenzelle Smith, who is rated No. 52 nationally and averaging 15 points per game as a junior. The one remaining member of the class is Cleveland Benedictine 6-4 shooting guard Cameron Wright, who is averaging 18.5 points per game as a junior..." Buckeyes Finish Non-Conference Slate with 89-65 Win over Houston Baptist January 9, 2009 Source: OSU Official Site/Associated Press - "Freshman William Buford scored a career-high 19 points and Ohio State pressured and fastbreaked past road-weary Houston Baptist 89-65 on Friday night. Evan Turner added 15 points and B.J. Mullens and Jeremie Simmons each had 12 for the Buckeyes (11-3), who had lost three of their last four after opening 9-0 and climbing to No. 15 in the Associated Press Top 25. The Buckeyes shot 56 percent from the field..." (Audio: Thad Matta and players Nikola Kecman, Jeremie Simmons, William Buford & postgame quotes and notes ) Boxscore: HBU vs Ohio State Buckeyes Handed 67-58 Setback by Michigan State January 6, 2009 Source: OSU Official Site/Associated Press - "Michigan State made five 3-pointers in less than 3 minutes, making up for what was otherwise a lackluster performance. Kalin Lucas scored six of his 20 points on 3-pointers during the first-half barrage that gave the eighth-ranked Spartans the lead for a good in a 67-58 win over Ohio State on Tuesday night. 'We were up and we let our guard down,' Buckeyes forward Evan Turner said. 'They got shots all over the perimeter and the momentum changed.' Michigan State has won eight straight since being routed by North Carolina and 26 in a row at home, dating to a loss against Ohio State nearly two years ago, but coach Tom Izzo was underwhelmed by the latest victory..." (Audio: Thad Matta: Michigan State Postgame Interview) Boxscore: Ohio State vs Michigan State Ohio State Dips to 1-1 in Big Ten Play with Road Loss at Minnesota January 3, 2009 Source: OSU Official Site/Associated Press - "Lawrence Westbrook led a typically balanced Minnesota offense with 15 points, and the 21st-ranked Gophers salvaged a split in the opening week of Big Ten play by beating 23rd-ranked Ohio State 68-59 on Saturday. The Gophers (13-1, 1-1) bounced back from their loss to No. 10 Michigan State three days earlier by rebounding better. Damian Johnson scored 12 points, and Minnesota held a 42-30 advantage on the boards over the Buckeyes (10-2, 1-1). Missing junior guard David Lighty, Ohio State got 21 points from Evan Turner and 15 from Jon Diebler. But the Gophers held off a late charge and were in command most of the game..." (Audio: Thad Matta Postgame Press Conference ) Boxscore: Ohio State vs Minnesota Diebler's Career-High 27 Points Rings in New Year with Win Over Iowa December 31, 2008 Source: OSU Official Site/Associated Press - "Jon Diebler scored a career-high 27 points and Evan Turner hit three late free throws to lead No. 24 Ohio State past Iowa 68-65 Wednesday in the Big Ten opener for both teams. In a physical game between two of the nation's top defensive teams, the Buckeyes (10-1) built an early lead, lost it, regained it, and then barely had enough to hang on at the finish..." (Audio: Thad Matta, Iowa Head Coach Todd Lickliter plus P.J. Hill, Jon Diebler and Evan Turner Postgame and Postgame Quotes & Notes) Boxscore: Iowa vs Ohio State Crater Granted Ohio State Scholarship Release December 28, 2008 Source: OSU Official Site/Associated Press - "Anthony Crater, a freshman from Flint, Mich., asked for and was granted a release from his Ohio State men’s basketball scholarship, Thad Matta, head coach of the Buckeyes, announced Sunday. Crater appeared in all 10 Ohio State games this season. The 6-foot-1-inch guard scored 12 points (1.2 ppg.) and handed out 19 assists for the 9-1 Buckeyes. He averaged 13.1 minutes per game. Matta did not know Crater’s future plans..." West Virginia Pulls Away from Ohio State in Second Half December 27, 2008 Source: OSU Official Site/Associated Press - "Alex Ruoff scored 17 points, leading West Virginia and coach Bob Huggins to a 76-48 victory over No. 15 Ohio State on Saturday. Da'Sean Butler had 16 points - all but two in the first half - with Darryl Bryant adding 11 and Devin Ebanks 10 for the Mountaineers (10-2), who handed Ohio State its first defeat of the season. West Virginia has won four in a row since a 68-65 loss to Davidson in the Jimmy V Classic on Dec. 9. Up by seven at halftime, the Mountaineers extended the lead to more than 20 midway through the second half and then poured it on the rest of the way..." (Audio: Thad Matta, Bob Huggins plus Evan Turner and Jeremie Simmons Postgame) Boxscore: West Virginia vs Ohio State Mullens Has Career Night in Buckeyes' Win Over UNC Asheville, 83-59 December 22, 2008 Source: OSU Official Site/Associated Press - " Freshman B.J. Mullens, getting the most playing time of his brief career, scored 19 points to lead No. 15 Ohio State past UNC-Asheville 83-59 on Monday night. The 7-foot Mullens had never played more than 20 minutes nor scored more than 11 points. But with coach Thad Matta trying out various combinations against an overmatched and undersized opponent, Mullens dominated. He was 8-of-11 from the field, including six dunks, and added eight rebounds and three blocked shots..." (Also: Postgame Quotes) Boxscore: UNC Asheville vs Ohio State No. 16-Ranked Buckeyes Use Second-Half Run to Defeat Iona, 71-53 December 20, 2008 Source: OSU Official Site/Associated Press - " Evan Turner had 21 points and ignited a second-half rally with nine points and two blocked shots to guide No. 17 Ohio State to a 71-53 victory over Iona on Saturday. Jon Diebler added 16 points and William Buford 10 for Ohio State (8-0), playing its first game without captain David Lighty, who will miss six to 12 weeks after breaking a bone in his left foot...The Gaels were missing leading scorer Gary Springer, who is out with a sprained ankle. Ohio State's winning streak reached 13, including the final five games a year ago when it won the NIT..." (Audio: Thad Matta plus Evan Turner, Jeremie Simmons and William Buford Postgame) Boxscore: Iona vs Ohio State Lighty Sidelined For Weeks After Breakout Performance December 18, 2008 Source: Bucknuts - "The Ohio State men's basketball team got a top-level outing from swingman David Lighty last night and now will be without its most experienced player after it was determined Lighty suffered a broken foot during the contest...word had emanated from the university that Lighty could be out for as long as three months, wiping out the services of OSU’s most experienced player and natural leader..." Lighty Paces Buckeyes in 81-68 Win Over Jacksonville December 17, 2008 Source: OSU Official Site/Associated Press - "David Lighty had 21 points to lead No. 17 Ohio State to an 81-68 victory over Jacksonville on Wednesday night. Ohio State (7-0) led by 19 points early in the second half only to see the lead cut to five with 5 minutes left. Jon Diebler hit his third 3-pointer for the Buckeyes, and the Dolphins never got closer. The Buckeyes finished 10-of-17 from beyond the arc (59 percent). Evan Turner scored 17 points, Diebler added 14 and Jeremie Simmons had 10 for the Buckeyes..." (Audio: Thad Matta & players postgame) Boxscore: Jacksonville vs Ohio State No. 21 Buckeyes Remain Unbeaten with 54-51 Win Over Butler December 13, 2008 Source: OSU Official Site/Associated Press - "Evan Turner scored 14 points, including the go-ahead basket, to lead No. 21 Ohio State past Butler 54-51 on Saturday, surviving a late rally by the previously unbeaten Bulldogs. The Buckeyes (6-0), coming off big road wins against ranked Miami and Notre Dame, looked sluggish after having the week off for final exams. They built a 13-point lead early in the second half, then missed seven of their next eight shots. They had just one field goal in the final 12 minutes..." (Audio: Thad Matta & players postgame) Boxscore: Butler vs Ohio State Evan Turner Leads Ohio State in Win Over Seventh-Ranked Notre Dame, 67-62 December 6, 2008 Source: OSU Official Site/Associated Press - "- Evan Turner scored a career-high 28 points Saturday and Ohio State spoiled Luke Harangody's return to the lineup with a 67-62 victory over No. 7 Notre Dame, the unbeaten Buckeyes' second straight upset of a ranked opponent. Harangody, the Big East player of the year last season...led Notre Dame (6-2) with 25 points and 16 rebounds, but Ohio State (5-0) took a 30-28 lead at halftime and built the margin to as many as 10 points in the second half..." (Audio: Thad Matta postgame) Boxscore: Ohio State vs. Notre Dame Ohio State completes impressive week with win over Irish December 6, 2008 Source: Sporting News - "-- What we learned from Ohio State's 67-62 victory over Notre Dame in The Hartford Hall Of Fame Showcase at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday. 1. Ohio State is a serious Big Ten threat: In one week, Ohio State invigorated its basketball season with victories against Notre Dame and Miami (Fla)...2. Evan Turner is a stud...4. You can zone a shooting team..." Ohio State Knocks Off No. 21/22 Miami, 73-68, in Big Ten/ACC Challenge November 29, 2008 Source: OSU Official Site/Associated Press - "Ohio State erased a 14-point second-half deficit Tuesday night, mounting the comeback after the ejection of Miami scoring leader Jack McClinton to beat the 21st-ranked Hurricanes 73-68. Jon Diebler scored 20 points and Evan Turner had 19 for the Buckeyes (4-0), who won for only the second time in seven games in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge. Miami (4-2) fell to 0-3 in the series..." (Audio: Thad Matta postgame) Boxscore: Ohio State vs. Miami Evan Turner Scores 16 In Buckeyes' Win Over Samford, 59-22 November 29, 2008 Source: OSU Official Site/Associated Press - "Evan Turner scored 16 points and had a career-high 13 rebounds and Ohio State held Samford to the fewest points by an opponent in 69 years in a 59-22 victory on Saturday. The Bulldogs (3-2) had only nine field goals. The Buckeyes (3-0) blocked seven shots..." (Audio: Thad Matta postgame) Boxscore: Ohio State vs. Samford Buckeyes Fend Off Falcons, 61-57 November 24, 2008 Source: OSU Official Site/Associated Press - " David Lighty hit two clinching foul shots with 6.4 seconds left to lead Ohio State past Bowling Green 61-57 on Monday night. The Buckeyes (2-0) led by as many as 13 points with just under 15 minutes left but Bowling Green (3-2) roared back to take a 48-46 lead on Nate Miller's half-hook at the 6:05 mark..." Boxscore: Ohio State vs. Bowling Green Buckeyes swat away Hornets November 21, 2008 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "Dallas Lauderdale sat in the postgame interview room appearing to have on one shoulder pad under his T-shirt. It was a bag of ice. 'My shoulder's fine,' he said. Who's going to argue with him? Returning from a sprained left shoulder that kept him out of an exhibition game last week, the 6-foot-8, 255-pound sophomore started ahead of touted 7-foot freshman B.J. Mullens and had seven blocked shots last night, and Ohio State opened its season with a 70-42 win over Delaware State in St. John Arena..." OSU-Delaware State box score Don’t Look Now, but Buckeye Hoops Start Tonight November 13, 2008 Source: Eleven Warrior - "...here are a few things to look for if you are able to catch the game. 1. Improvement from last year: There is no doubt Evan Turner and Dallas Lauderdale are going to play key roles in any Buckeye success....2. Point Guard Competition: For the first time in three years, Ohio State has a question mark at point guard. I appreciate P.J. Hill’s effort, but OSU is in deep trouble if they have to rely on him to lead this team. The competition should be between JUCO transfer Jeremie Simmons and freshman Anthony, don’t call me Noopy, Crater...3. Will Mullens follow Diebler’s footsteps: Jon Diebler’s shooting struggles from last year are well known and he came from a Division II school. BJ Mullins played in the same division and is rated by Rivals as the top player in the country...4. Man defense vs. Match up zone...5. Freshmen Impact: Besides BJ Mullens and Crater, Thad brought in William Buford and Walter Offut, two wing players who will add depth to the Bucks rotation..." Matta doesn't know what to expect tonight November 13, 2008 Source: Buckeye Grove - "The Ohio State men's basketball team will be a little shorthanded tonight when they take on Walsh University in their final exhibition game before the start of the regular season. Sophomore forward Dallas Lauderdale injured his non-shooting shoulder in a closed scrimmage at Miami University and Thursday OSU coach Thad Matta said he would not be available for the exhibition game..." Buckeye Hoops Outlook November 3, 2008 Source: The Ozone - "The OSU Men's basketball season begins with an exhibition game November 13, and for the second-straight season OSU Head Men's Basketball Coach Thad Matta has welcomed a team that is dominated by new faces. The faces may be new again, but if there is a difference between this year and last it is the sheer number of quality players Matta will have at his disposal. Matta will have 12 scholarship players available in 2008-09. A 13th scholarship player will practice but will not be eligible to play due to transfer rules. Matta will have not only more numbers, but a far more athletic team that in theory will be able to play in ways that last year's team could not..." Buckeyes lose Kecman for 12 games November 3, 2008 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - "Ohio State junior college transfer Nikola Kecman must sit out the first 12 games of the season after playing for a Serbian team that included professional players. A sophomore who came to Columbus from Eastern Arizona junior college, Kecman is a 6-foot-8 shooter who offers a different set of skills than anyone else on the OSU roster. He'll be able to practice with the team but not travel before his return on Jan. 6 against Michigan State. Ohio State and the NCAA reached the decision on the suspension jointly..." Buckeyes Not Selected In Big Ten's Big Three October 26, 2008 Source: Bucknuts - "The Big Ten basketball media conference was held today in Chicago and Purdue was selected as the men's team to beat this season while PU sophomore Robbie Hummel, a 6-8 sophomore, was deemed the preseason player of the year. Results of the voting from the 22-member media panel only indicated the top three teams -- and didn't include Ohio State...." Big Ten basketball previews October 26, 2008 Source: Chicago Tribune - "Chicago Tribune's college writers break down the conference, team-by-team...Ohio State: In what has become one of the rites of fall in Columbus, Ohio State coach Thad Matta is preparing a 7-foot freshman to be a key cog for his team. This year it's Columbus native B. J. Mullens, who steps into the shoes vacated by Kosta Koufos, who stepped into the sneakers left by Greg Oden. Both left after one year for the NBA draft, and Mullens might be good enough to do the same..." Matta seeking reliability at point guard October 25, 2008 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "While watching his new guards hone their skills recently, Ohio State men's basketball coach Thad Matta was almost sure one of them, who shall remain nameless, was carving a niche for himself at the point. 'He had me going one way, saying this kid is never going to turn the ball over,' Matta said, 'and then he had a day when he turned it over four times. 'And I'm like, I need consistency.' Turnovers, and the points it cost Ohio State, were a culprit in the Buckeyes barely finishing above .500 in the Big Ten last season and, as a result, being passed over for the NCAA Tournament..." Ohio State Finalizes 2008-09 Men’s Basketball Schedule September 15, 2008 Source: OSU Official Site - " Thad Matta, now in his fifth year as head coach of the Ohio State men’s basketball team, has put together a challenging non-conference schedule to go along with the 18-game Big Ten regular-season slate in 2008-09. Every Ohio State game will appear on national television in 2008-09. CBS, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and the Big Ten Network will showcase the Buckeyes throughout the season..." Big Ten schedule out, more to come September 4, 2008 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "A season-opening tournament that did not pan out caused a scheduling problem that prevented Ohio State from joining most other Big Ten teams in announcing its complete men's basketball schedule yesterday. As a result, only the Buckeyes' 18-game Big Ten schedule was released. The 11-game nonconference schedule will be revealed when dates, starting times and TV coverage are finalized, the athletics department said in a statement..." 2010 Hoops Outlook Takes Shape August 10, 2008 Source: Bucknuts.com - "The Ohio State basketball program has a rosy future thanks to the efforts that have already gone into the 2010 recruiting class. Head coach Thad Matta and staff already have promises from a couple of the top juniors-to-be in the nation in Jared Sullinger and DeShaun Thomas, another hook into in-state product Cameron Wright and have targeted a few other topflight prospects including a pair from the Windy City..." Buckeyes add 7-foot transfer July 17, 2008 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - "Ohio State has added another 7-footer to its basketball roster, replacing a Koufos with a Sarikopoulos. This one has already met Spike Lee. The Buckeyes announced today the addition of Zisis Sarikopoulos (ZIZ-is SAR-uh-cope-uh-liss), a 7-foot, 265-pound center from Athens, Greece. Sarikopoulos played last season at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. He will sit out the 2008-09 season to satisfy NCAA transfer rules and will have three seasons of eligibility beginning with the 2009-10 season..." Matta Adds Miller To Hoops Staff July 8, 2008 Source: BuckeyeSports.com - "It didn't take Ohio State men's basketball coach Thad Matta long to replace trusted assistant John Groce on his staff. To fill the void, Matta went to a familiar face in Brandon Miller, a former player and coach under OSU's head man. The university announced the hiring Tuesday..." 
BuckeyeGameWatch "If you are a Buckeye fan who lives outside Ohio, you may find it difficult to find locations where you can catch the game with other Buckeyes. BuckeyeGameWatch is a newly created site by a transplanted Buckeye fan who now lives in a city far, far away. It lists all the 'Buckeye-friendly' locations by state, by city. Highly recommended. See a location not listed that should be, let 'em know." Also, check out: Alumni Club Game Watch Locations 
If you would prefer, check out: OSU Student Radio- The Student Home of the Buckeyes where you can "Listen live to Ohio State sports online."
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