2011 Ohio State Basketball Preview

2010-11 Results

Overall: 34-3 (Home 20-0 Away 9-2 Neutral 5-1 -1 Postseason 5-1 )
Atlantic 10: 16-2
Conference Tournament: Won the Big Ten Conference Tournament.
Postseason: Lost it the Sweet 16 to Kentucky.

Thad Matta lead the team to a 34-3 record overall and a 16-2 mark in the tough Big Ten Conference. Things were looking up for Ohio State until their season abruptly ended with a loss to Kentucky in the Sweet 16. The Buckeyes won their first 24 games and freshman Jared Sullinger and Aaron Craft paid immediate dividends. Senior William Buford added veteran leadership to the team. The Buckeyes captured the Big Ten regular season and tournament titles.

The Buckeyes were outstanding both offensively and defensively averaging nearly 18 points a game more than they allowed. The team was first in the Big Ten in scoring at 77.1 points per game and second best in points allowed at 59.7 points a game. The team shot a sizzling 49.4 percent from the field and outrebounded opponents by 4.9 boards a game.

Roster

Returning Starters
Aaron Craft
William Buford
Jared Sullinger

Other Returning Players
Deshaun Thomas
J.D. Weatherspoon
Alex Reogers
Jordan Sibert

Newcomers
Evan Ravenel
Shannon Scott
Amir Williams

Head Coach
Thad Matta

Key Losses

David Lighty, Jon Diebler and center Dallas Lauderdale graduated. Diebler’s lights out shooting will be missed. Last season he shot over 80 percent from the line and was deadly from three point range just making over 50 percent of his attempts. Lighty averaged 12.1 points a game and 4.0 rebounds a year ago. Lauderdale will be missed for his inside game. He averaged 3.2 rebounds a game a year ago.

Schedule

Date	Opponent / Event
11/6/2011	vs. Walsh #
Global Sports Shoot-out
11/11/2011	vs. Wright State
11/15/2011	vs. Florida
11/18/2011	vs. Jackson State
11/21/2011	vs. North Florida
Regular Season
11/23/2011	vs. VMI
11/25/2011	vs. Valparaiso
11/29/2011	vs. Duke
12/3/2011	vs. Texas-Pan American
12/10/2011	@ Kansas
12/14/2011	vs. South Carolina-Upstate
12/17/2011	@ South Carolina
12/20/2011	vs. Lamar
12/22/2011	vs. Miami (Oh)
12/28/2011	vs. Northwestern *
12/31/2011	@ Indiana *
1/3/2012	vs. Nebraska *
1/7/2012	@ Iowa *
1/10/2012	@ Illinois *
1/15/2012	vs. Indiana *
1/21/2012	@ Nebraska *
1/25/2012	vs. Penn State *
1/29/2012	vs. Michigan *
2/4/2012	@ Wisconsin *
2/7/2012	vs. Purdue *
2/11/2012	vs. Michigan State *
2/14/2012	@ Minnesota *
2/18/2012	@ Michigan *
2/21/2012	vs. Illinois *
2/25/2012	vs. Wisconsin *
2/26/2012	vs. Wisconsin *
2/29/2012	@ Northwestern *
3/4/2012	@ Michigan State *
Big Ten Tournament
3/8/2012	TBA *
3/9/2012	TBA *
3/10/2012	TBA *
3/11/2012	TBA *
*Conference Game

2011-12 Preview

Matta has added strength to an all ready outstanding team. The Buckeyes will try to win the Big Ten crown again and earn a number one seed. Matta will try to once again get his team to peak at the end of Big Ten play and continue into March.

Backcourt

Thad Matta will need to find a way to work in McDonald’s All American Chad Scott with Aaron Craft and William Buford.

Scott is 6-2 and 165 pounds. He led his high school team to the state championship as a junior and then back to the title game as a senior averaging 13 points a game.

Craft will once again be the starter after leading the Buckeyes to the Big Ten Championship a year ago and a number one seed in the NCAA tournament. He average 6.9 points per game and 4.8 assist. Not to mention that he is considered one of the top backcourt defenders in the nation. If he has a sophomore slump Scott will be waiting in the wings.

Buford will be back to play the other guard position after averaging 14.4 points per game and 2.9 assist a year ago. The senior was previously a Big Ten Freshman of the year and has the opportunity to set the school’s career scoring record.

Frontcourt

Ohio State will feature one of the best if not the best front court in the nation. Let by All-American Jared Sullinger and his 17 points a game as a freshman the Buckeyes will be tough to stop.

Coach Matta will look to move Sullinger to man the power forward spot and play alongside freshman Amir Williams. Boston College transfer Evan Ravenel, a 6-8 and 260 pounder will also be in the mix for a starting position in the front court. No matter who starts Williams and Ravenel will see plenty of action.

Deshaun Thomas is a dynamic player who played in all 37 games last year coming off the bench. Off the bench he averaged 7.5 points and 3.5 rebounds a game. Look for him to improve on these numbers now that he is a starter.

More Big Ten Basketball Predictions

Ohio State Buckeyes	Michigan State Spartans	Michigan Wolverines
Wisconsin Badgers	Indiana Hoosiers	Purdue Boilermakers
Northwestern Wildcats	Iowa Hawkeyes	Minnesota Golden Gophers
Illinois Fighting Illini	Nebraska Cornhuskers	Penn State Nittany Lions

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