What is the best game on Ohio State's 2012-2013 schedule?

#1 Indiana
Assembly Hall 3/5

Why: Preseason #1 in March!  Could be for a Big Ten Title.

#2 Kansas
Schottenstein Center, 12/22

Why: Rematch of last year's Final 4 game.

#3 Duke
Cameron Indoor Stadium, 11/28

Why:  It's amazing that playing at Duke isn't number 1.  That's how good this schedule is.

#4 Michigan
Schottenstein Center, 1/13

Why: Michigan is a pre-season top 5 team and this will set the tone early for the Big Ten race.

#5 Indiana
Schottenstein Center, 2/10

Why: Will Indiana be as good as advertised?  This is the first of two match-ups.

#6 Michigan State
Breslin Center, 1/19

Why: These teams had three epic match-ups last year including for a Big Ten Championship.

#7 Marquette
Carrier Classic, 11/9

Why: What an awesome way to start the season playing a good team in the Carrier Classic.

#8  Michigan
Crysler Arena, 2/5

Why: ESPN Gameday will be at the game and it will be a war.

#9  Wisconsin
Kohl Center, 2/17

Why: Wisconsin has been the toughest venue for the Bucks over the years.

#10  Michigan State
Schottenstein Center, 2/24

Why: The Big Ten stretch run begins with this game.

Which Buckeye Sophomore will have the biggest breakout season in 2012-2013?

The Buckeyes bring back three starters from last season's Final Four in Aaron Craft, Lenzelle Smith Jr. and Deshaun Thomas.  The question is who will step up and be able to replace William Buford on the wing and Jared Sullinger down low.  The Buckeyes bring back 5 Sophomores who all hope to play a bigger role this season. 

At Ohio State Media Day the consensus seemed to be that Trey McDonald and Shannon Scott improved the most during the off-season.  There is also quite a bit of hype surrounding LaQuinton Ross, who joined the team late last season.  Amir Williams showed flashes late last season and looks like he might be able to help with the rebounding and blocked shots.  Sam Thompson brings back the unbelievable athleticism that put him on the court more than any other Freshman last season. 

Below I rank how valuable I believe the 5 Sophomores will be this season.

1. LaQuinton Ross
Notable 2011-2012 Stats: Total Minutes: 35, PPG: 2.0
Scout High School Rank: 44

Questions: Can he play defense?  Can he live up to the hype?

Why he is ranked here:  I believe the hype.  Nothing last year showed that he should be ranked this high.  Remember though he missed the start of last season and never really got any significant minutes to show off his talent.  He is 6-8 and told me that he models his game after Kevin Durant.  I think if he stays focused, he will be a huge star.  While I would love to see the Kevin Durant comparison come true, I think it would be a successful season if he can take the offensive output from William Buford last season.  Perhaps wishful thinking, but maybe he can have a similar season to Evan Turner's Sophomore year.

2.  Shannon Scott
Notable 2011-2012 Stats: Total Minutes: 382, FG %: .282, 3 Pt FG: 1-18
Scout High School Rank: 33

Questions: Can he hit the broad side of a barn with his shot?

Why he is ranked here:  When you look at Shannon Scott's shooting numbers from last year, they look down-right awful.  He made just 1 of 18 three point shots and shot just 28% from the field.  Yikes!  The good news is that he looks the part of a quick and electric point guard who can distribute the ball.  I like Shannon to have the biggest improvement from last season.  The comparisons coming in were Michael Conley Jr., but I think that was too much to live up to.

3.  Sam Thompson
Notable 2011-2012 Stats: Total Minutes: 413, FG%: .493, 3 Pt FG: 1-14
Scout High School Rank: 51

Questions: Will he be a starter?  Will his athleticism translate to more than defense and dunking?

Why he is ranked here: Sam Thompson can jump out of the gym.  He is a freak athlete and has showed it on dunks and on block shots.  He earned the most minutes of the Freshmen last season because of his defense.  The problem is he shot 1 for 14 from three pointer and never really seemed comfortable shooting unless it was a slam dunk.  Will he have a J.D. Weatherspoon career or a David Lighty career?  My bet is Lighty.  Forget how athletic he is?  Check out this sick dunk.

4.  Amir Williams
Notable 2011-2012 Stats: Total Minutes: 191, Offensive Rebounds: 27, Blocked Shots: 23
Scout High School Rank: 49

Questions:  Will he be the starting Center?  Can Amir be a defensive force?

Why he is ranked here: I think Amir Williams needs to be a defensive star.  If he can get rebounds and block shots he will be valuable.  He had 23 blocked shots last season, which isn't that far behind Sullinger despite only playing 6 minutes per game.  The dream scenario is for Amir Williams to have a Ken Johnson type career. 

5.  Trey McDonald
Notable 2011-2012 Stats: Total Minutes: 38, Total Points: 2
Scout High School Rank: 18th best Center Prospect

Why he is ranked here:  Trey McDonald was mentioned a lot as a guy who might surprise this season.  He is a very good athlete for a 6-8 Center.  If the Buckeyes are as up-tempo as expected, he may get some minutes.   

Clutch Shots!

There is nothing more exciting than a big shot to win a huge game. Yesterday, I posted about my top 3 big shots in Ohio State basketball. Well after I posted there were some other great shots that came to mind. I decided to post other great shots that I will never forget.

Buford Big Ten Title Winner Over Sparty!

The best part of this game-winner is Buford's smile looking over at the Michigan State students after draining the shot. This gave the Buckeyes a tie for the Big Ten title, and is the signature moment of Buford's career. His legacy up to that point was his struggles against Kentucky in the NCAA tournament the year before.

Jared Sullinger pulls out a late basket over Northwestern!

Northwestern made a great comeback against the Buckeyes, but Jared Sullinger was able to pull out this gem to give Ohio State the win.

Matt Sylvester knocks off LSU in dramatic fashion!

Big Shot Sylvester does it again. This time it was against LSU, who went on to make it to the Final 4 that season.

Ohio State Basketball Countdown: 21 days until exhibition game with Walsh, 31 days until season opener with Marquette, and 85 days until the Big Ten opener with Nebraska!

With Ohio State Basketball season just around the corner, as a countdown we will be answering some Buckeye Basketball questions to get ready for the season.

What is the best clutch shot in Ohio State history?


When I think about the best clutch shots, there are 3 questions that pop into my head.
1. How significant is the game in which the clutch shot comes?
2. How difficult was the shot?
3. How much time was left when the clutch shot was made?

With the above criteria, here are my top three clutch shots in Ohio State basketball history.


1. Ron Lewis in the 2007 NCAA Tournament to beat Xavier in the Second Round
The reason this shot is number one on the list is how big the game was in which the shot was made. Ron Lewis hit a long distance three-pointer at the buzzer to send the game into Overtime! Ohio State went on to win the game and make it all the way to the National Championship game. What adds to this amazing shot it that it was an amazing call by Gus Johnson. Watch the clip below. I have seen it no less than 30 times and I get goosebumps every time!

2. Evan Turner from just in front of half court to beat Michigan in the 2010 Big Ten Quarterfinal

It was a difficult choice between this shot and the Matt Sylvester's shot against Illinois for number 2 on the list. I went with this one because of the difficulty of the shot. Turner was just past mid-court and it was hit with the clock hitting zero. The shot helped the Buckeyes advance on and win the Big Ten Tournament in 2010. It was also my favorite shot of all-time as I sat in the stands thinking I was going to be in Indianapolis for two more days as the Buckeyes were going to be going home.

3. Matt Sylvester beats Undefeated Illinois on a Three Point Shot with under 5 seconds to play
Matt Sylvester was never considered a star as a Buckeye despite his decent 4 year career. What he could be considered was clutch! In the final game of the regular season with Number One ranked Illinois at the Schottenstein Center he came up with a huge game, and an even bigger shot to put the Buckeyes ahead. The win ended the Illini dominance and undefeated regular season in 2005. Illinois went on to lose in the National Championship to North Carolina. Ohio State was ineligible for post-season play, so this was their National Championship. This game is probably still the best game in the history of the Schottenstein Center.