OSU Men's Basketball Preview
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This Tuesday I will be attending the Ohio State men's basketball game vs. Findlay. It is an exhibition game but I haven't been to a game is 1998. I'm excited!
The Ohio State Buckeyes are picked to go 3rd in the Big Ten. They are not ranked in the top 25 in either the AP or Coaches poll. No worries though. Yes they lost 3 players that went in the first round in the NBA draft (Oden, Conley and Cook) and also seniors Ron Lewis and Ivan Harris. There will still be talent in Columbus.
Jamar Butler played at the point before taking a hiatus from it last year and he wasn't horrible at it. David Lighty and Othello Hunter will get more playing time too. The new freshmen are 7-foot center Kosta Koufos, small forward Evan Turner, small forward Eric Wallace, power forward Dallas Lauderdale, and the highest scorer in Ohio high school basketball history Jon Diebler. There is also junior college transfer guard P.J. Hill and junior college transfer center Kyle Madsen. Their first exhibition game, in which they won 88-59, Jamar Butler, David Lighty, Othello Hunter, Jon Diebler and Kosta Koufos were the starting 5.
The regular season begins November 12 with the start of the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off at Value City Arena. They play Wisconsin-Green Bay the first game and then either Columbia or Delaware State the second game. Games are on ESPN. Click here for a list of the Ohio State Men's basketball team schedule.
The Buckeyes will compete for the Big Ten championship this year and they have a chance. Michigan State and Indiana are said to be the cream of the crop but I think that Ohio State is being overlooked because of what they lost. But that's quite alright. The Buckeyes don't mind being overlooked. Look at the football team. They were picked to finish 3rd in the conference and they are 2 games away from playing in back to back national championship games. Not bad for a team that lost some key players.
