The Ohio State Men’s Basketball team is gearing up for another great year! After starting their season with a 95-49 win over Walsh University in an exhibition game on Nov. 6th and most recently beating the Florida Gators 81-74 on Nov. 15th, the Buckeyes are heating up as they begin their 100th season in the Big Ten Conference.
The season has only just begun—and things are already looking good. Despite being a very young team with only three upperclassmen, the Buckeyes are ranked 3rd overall in Associated Press and ESPN pre-season polls and are favored to win the Big Ten Championship again this year.
This year, the team welcomes three freshman recruits and one junior transfer. Guard Shannon Scott, a freshman from Georgia, was named an ESPN Top 50 recruit and will be a perfect addition to the starting lineup. Freshmen Center Trey McDonald and Forward Sam Thompson were ranked 18th and 12th for their positions by scout.com, respectively. Junior Alex Rogers comes to Ohio State from Christian Brothers University and will sit out this season in accordance with NCAA regulations; he will be eligible for the 2012-2013 season.
The only two returning starters from last season, sophomore Jared Sullinger and senior William Buford, both delayed promising NBA careers to return to Ohio State for another season. Many people expected Sullinger to leave after one year (players must wait one year after high school graduation and be at least 19 years old to enter the NBA draft), but he pledged to stay at Ohio State for another year immediately after a tough last-second loss to Kentucky in the Sweet Sixteen last season. Sophomore Aaron Craft is also back and ready to join Buford and Sullinger on the starting lineup, after being voted last season’s Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year, and coming off the bench in 36 out of 37 games. Buford, Craft and Sullinger, all three of whom were named to the 2011-2012 Naismith Award Preseason Top 50, will lead the Buckeyes as they play one of the best schedules in the league and make another run at the NCAA Championship.
Whether you were lucky enough to score season tickets before they sold out within 20 minutes, or will be cheering on the buckeyes from your dorm room, it will surely be an exciting season! To get the full schedule of games, go to www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com or follow Ohio State Men’s Basketball on Twitter @OhioStateHoops! Go Bucks!
Sources:
www.espn.com
www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com
Photo Credit:
www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com