The Ohio State mens basketball team is looking to continue their success from last season. The Buckeyes are off to a 12-4 start (2-3 in Big 10) and look to make some noise in the Big10 again this season.
In this piece we’ll highlight key games that the Buckeyes have already played, look at key players, and where the Buckeyes currently stand in the Big 10 and what their future looks like.
Non Conference Play
The Buckeyes finished non conference play with a stellar 12-1 record. Their lone loss came at home against Syracuse who currently has a 12-5 record. The Buckeyes had some good wins against Creighton (10-7) and Cincinnati (14-3). Besides those two teams the Buckeyes haven’t played that tough of a non-conference schedule. The win against UCLA is looking less and less impressive as the Bruins continue to struggle with a 10-7 record. Nonetheless the Buckeyes took care of business and beat the teams they were supposed to beat.
Conference Play
It is all fine and dandy to have a very nice out of conference record like the Buckeyes had. However, every college basketball fan knows that it’s what you do come conference play that matters the most. So far the Buckeyes have struggled in conference play so far as they find themselves currently on a three game losing streak. These losses have the Buckeyes currently sitting at tenth in the Big10 standings. That obviously isn’t where Chris Holtmann and this Buckeye team want to be. Let’s take a closer look at each of these losses.
Vs No. 8 (at the time) Michigan State.
The Buckeyes competed with Sparty for most of the game before Michigan State pulled away late in this game. The 86-77 loss gave Buckeye fans hope that they could compete toe to toe with the best of the best in the Big10. In this game Kaleb Wesson was unstoppable as he finished with 25 points and nine rebounds. However for Michigan State, Cassius Winston showed why he will likely be an First Team All Big Ten selection, and Nick Ward proved too much down low. Ohio State lead by seven at halftime, but got outscored 50-34 in the second half.
@ Rutgers
This game was a devastating loss for the Buckeyes. Yes it was on the road, but Rutgers coming into the game only had a 7-6 record and was 0-3 in the Big10. Ohio State didn’t shoot the ball well all night (39.7 percent for the game). There is a good change the Buckeyes overlooked the Scarlet Knights and that could be a reason for this loss. No win is guaranteed in this conference and unfortunately for the Buckeyes they learned that the hard way with this 64-61 loss.
@ Iowa
The Hawkeyes (14-3) were able to hand the Buckeyes their third straight loss. Just like the Rutgers loss, this came on the road in Hawkeye Arena. Once again the shooting woes for Ohio State were the main reason for this loss as the Buckeyes only shot 37 percent from the field. Only two Buckeyes were able to score in double figures and Kaleb Wesson only finished with two points as he battled foul trouble the entire game. Iowa is always a formidable opponent in the Big10 especially at home, however this game was crucial for the Buckeyes to win if they wanted to be considered serious contenders in the conference.
What Lies Ahead
The Big10 schedule doesn’t get any easier for the Buckeyes. Their next four games will test them heavily.
- Jan. 18 vs No. 19 Maryland
- Jan. 23 vs Purdue
- Jan. 26 vs @ Nebraska
- Jan. 29 @ No. 2 Michigan
The Buckeyes will have be on their A-game if they want to close out January on a positive note. Nebraska just manhandled No. 25 Indiana inside Assembly Hall. Purdue hasn’t had the season they had hoped for, but Carsen Edwards is still averaging 25 ppg. Then to close out the month the Buckeyes will travel up to Ann Arbor and face their arch rival, the undefeated Michigan Wolverines.
After the month of January, the Buckeyes have some very tough games remaining including:
- Feb. 10 @ Indiana
- Feb. 17 @ Michigan State
- Feb. 23 @ Maryland
- Feb. 26 vs Iowa
- March 2 @ Purdue.
As you can see the road doesn’t get any easier for the Buckeyes. If the team wants to be in contention for another Big10 title, they will have to step up their play. Kaleb Wesson and C.J Jackson will be relied upon to lead this team through this difficult stretch. Only time will tell how this season for the Buckeyes will finish, let’s hope it’s on a positive note.