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Monthly Archives: December 2011

Buckeyes Begin 100th Season in Big Ten

Jody Victor®: This week’s game, on Wednesday Dec. 28, pits No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes (12-1, 0-0) vs. Northwestern Wildcats (10-2, 0-0). In the meantime, here’s some great Buckeye basketball news.
Site:                    Value City Arena (19,049)
Game Time:         5:31 p.m. ET
Television:           Big Ten Network
Talent:                Tom Hart  (play-by-play)
                          Eddie Johnson (expert analysis)
Radio:                 OSU-IMG Sports Network (56 stations)
Satellite Radio:    Sirius 92  
Local Radio:        WBNS FM-97.1 AM-1460
Radio Talent:       Paul Keels (play-by-play)
                          Ron Stokes (expert analysis)

100 Years in Big Ten
Ohio State celebrates 100 years as a member of the Big Ten Conference in men’s basketball in 2012. The Buckeyes finished in the No. 6 spot in the 1913 conference standings, the first season of league play. Over the 99 previous seasons, Ohio State has earned 19 Big Ten regular-season titles with 23 NCAA tournament appearances, one national championship (1960) and nine trips to the Final Four. Eight former coaches and players are members of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame while nearly 50 student-athletes have been drafted by National Basketball Association teams, including 22 in the first round.

BUCKEYES OPEN 100TH SEASON IN BIG TEN CONFERENCE
This is the 100th season of Big Ten membership in men’s basketball for the Buckeyes. Ohio State is 51-44 (.537) in conference openers, 65-30 (.684) in league home openers and 33-62 (.347) in the first road game of the season in Big Ten play. When the Buckeyes open the Big Ten season at home, there record is 36-16 (.686). When Ohio State begins Big Ten play on the road, the record is 16-28 (.364).
                                    W    L    OSU W%
Big Ten Openers            51    44    0.537
Big Ten Home Openers   65    30    0.684
Big Ten Road Openers    33    62    0.347
Open Big Ten at Home    35    16    0.686
Open Big Ten on Road    16    28    0.364

OHIO STATE VS. NORTHWESTERN
The Buckeyes and Northwestern have met 154 times in history with Ohio State owning a 109-45 record. The Buckeyes are 63-14 vs. the Wildcats in Columbus, which includes a 27-game home win streak. Northwestern last won at Ohio State in 1977, an 83-77 win at St. John Arena. Ohio State has won the last three games in the series overall. As a ranked team, Ohio State is 32-2 vs. the Wildcats. The Buckeyes have won the last 12 games while ranked in games vs. the Wildcats. William Bufford is the most experienced Buckeye in the Northwestern series with five games played vs. the Wildcats. He averages 8.0 points and 4.0 rebounds in the series. Jared Sullinger, in two games last season, averaged 20.5 points and 13 rebounds. He made 23 of 28 foul shots in the two games. Aaron Craft also averaged double figures vs. Northwestern with 15.0 points a game in the two meetings. Thad Matta is 11-1 vs. the Wildcats during his career.

OHIO STATE VS. THE BIG TEN
Ohio State is 724-662 vs. current members of the Big Ten Conference. The Buckeyes are playing their 100th season of Big Ten Basketball this season. Nebraska and the Buckeyes will face each other for the first time as conference members Jan. 3 in Columbus.

Go Bucks!!!

Jody Victor®

Jody Victor®: Buckeyes Honor Coach Bob Knight, Host Lamar Tonight

Jody Victor: Tonight’s game, No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes (10-1) vs. Lamar Cardinals (8-3) will be at home in the Value City Arena. In the meantime, here’s some great Buckeye basketball news from osu.edu  and OhioStateBuckeyes.com.

Game Time:      8:36 p.m. ET
Television:        Big Ten Network
Talent:             Gus Johnson (play-by-play)
                       Jim Jackson (expert analysis)
Radio:              OSU-IMG Sports Network (56 stations)
Satellite Radio:  Sirius 93  
Local Radio:       WBNS FM-97.1 AM-1460
Radio Talent:      Paul Keels (play-by-play)
                         Ron Stokes (expert analysis)

Honoring Coach Bob Knight
Over the course of 41 seasons at Army, Indiana and Texas Tech, Bob Knight amassed an astonishing 902 wins, three national championships, an Olympic Gold Medal and a 98 percent student-athlete graduation rate, among many other extraordinary accomplishments. His career wins total is second only to Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski, a protégé of Coach Knight who just this year became the NCAA career wins leader. Inducted in the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in 1991 and to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame last month, Coach Knight, who helped the Buckeyes as a student-athlete under legendary coach Fred Taylor to the NCAA title in 1960 and NCAA title game appearances in both 1961 and 1962, is being recognized tonight for his lifetime achievements and contributions to college basketball.

Thomas Named Big Ten Player of Week
Ohio State sophomore Deshaun Thomas has made 17-consecutive shots from inside the 3-point line. He made his last six attempts against South Carolina Upstate Dec. 14 and then all 11 2-pointers in the road win at South Carolina Dec. 17. For the season he is shooting 65 percent from 2-point range (55-84). Last week he was 19-21 from short range while shooting 74 percent overall (23-31), including a 13-16 shooting effort at South Carolina, where he tallied a career-high 30 points. He averaged 26.5 points in the two games last week. His efforts last week earned him the Big Ten Player of the Week honor. The last Ohio State player to earn the honor was Jon Diebler March 7, 2011. Thomas was named the league’s freshman of the week once last season.   

Matta Reaches 300, 200 at OSU

Thad Matta has a career record of 302-89 over 12 years as a head coach, which includes a 200-58 record in eight seasons at Ohio State. Matta coached for one season at Butler and three at Xavier before taking over the Ohio State program for the 2004-05 season. In his time with the Buckeyes, Matta has four Big Ten regular season titles and three Big Ten tournament crowns. The Buckeyes have been to five NCAA tournaments with Matta at the helm. He has taken nine teams to NCAA tournament play and won the 2008 National Invitational Tournament with Ohio State.

Ohio State vs. Lamar
Ohio State will be facing Lamar University for the first time in program history. The Buckeyes are 4-0 against teams representing the Southland Conference with previous meetings against  McNeese State (1-0), Texas-Arlington (2-0) and Texas-San Antonio. Ohio State took on UTSA in the second round of the 2011 NCAA Tournament last March in Cleveland. The Buckeyes won that game 75-46. Lamar is coached by former Big Ten forward Pat Knight, who played for his father, Coach Bob Knight, at Indiana. Pat later coached alongside his father at Texas Tech. Pat was the head coach at TTU before taking over at Lamar for this his first season in Beaumont, Texas.  

Go Bucks!!!

Jody Victor

 

Jody Victor®: No.2 Ohio State vs. South Carolina-Upstate

Jody Victor : Here’s some great Buckeye basketball news from osu.edu  and OhioStateBuckeyes.com.

No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes (8-1) vs. South Carolina-Upstate (6-4)
Site:                      Value City Arena (19,049)
Game Time:       7:36 p.m. ET, December 14, 2011
Television:        Big Ten Network
Talent:             Tom Hart (play-by-play)
                       Jim Jackson (expert analysis)
Radio:              OSU-IMG Sports Network (56 stations)
Satellite Radio:  OSU-Sirius 92/XM 190
Local Radio:       WBNS FM-97.1 AM-1460
Radio Talent:     Paul Keels (play-by-play)
                        Ron Stokes (expert analysis)

Ross Returns to Ohio State Roster – LaQuinton Ross, a 6-foot-8-inch freshman forward from Jackson, Miss., has been added to the Ohio State roster for the remainder of his freshman season. Ross attended classes and worked out with the Buckeyes over the summer before leaving the team just prior to the start of official practice in October to work on meeting NCAA academic qualification requirements. He met those requirements and joined the team Dec. 11. He officially became eligible Dec. 9.

Matta Reaches 300, Going for 200 at OSU – Thad Matta has a career record of 300-89 over 12 years as a head coach, which includes a 198-58 record in eight seasons at Ohio State. Matta coached for one season at Butler and three at Xavier before taking over the Ohio State program for the 2004-05 season. In his time with the Buckeyes, Matta has four Big Ten regular season titles and three Big Ten tournament crowns. The Buckeyes have been to five NCAA tournaments with Matta at the helm. He has taken nine teams to NCAA tournament play and won the 2008 National Invitational Tournament with Ohio State.

The Third to 200 as a Buckeye – Two previous coaches have reached the 200-win plateau at Ohio State. Thad Matta is close to becoming the third. Fred Taylor recorded 297 career victories from 1959-1976 while also earning 158 Big Ten Conference regular-season victories. Harold G. Olsen tallied 259 all-time wins from 1923-46. He accumulated 154 Big Ten victories. Matta has 198 wins as a Buckeye over eight seasons with 85 wins in Big Ten regular-season play. His winning percentage of 77.3 overall and 70.8 in conference play are tops among the 13 head coaches in Ohio State history.

NCAA Stats Update – Ohio State rates among the Top 10 in several NCAA statistical categories after eight games. The Buckeyes are No. 1 in scoring margin (+29.3 ppg.), No. 1 in turnover margin (+8.8), tied for No. 1 with Northwestern  in assist/turnover ratio (+1.77), No. 3 in assists per game (19.3), No. 5 in rebound margin (+10.3), No. 8 in field goal percentage (.509), No. 9 in scoring defense allowing 53.3 points per game and No. 10 in fouls per game (14.6). Individually, Aaron Craft if No. 7 nationally in steals (2.9 spg.).

Buford Stands Tall vs. the Ranked – In wins vs. No. 7 Florida and No. 3 Duke along with the loss at No. 13 Kansas, senior William Bufford has led the Buckeyes in scoring (20.7 ppg.), minutes (39.7 mpg.) and free throw percentage (11-12, .917). Four players have averaged double figures with Jared Sullinger (18.5 ppg.), Deshaun Thomas (17.3 ppg.) and Aaron Craft (13.7 ppg.) all over single digits. Sullinger led the way on the boards with 7.0 rpg. Craft has delivered 21 assists and recorded six steals.  

Ohio State REMAINS RANKED No. 2 – Ohio State moved up to No. 2 in the Associated Press poll released Nov. 28 and remain there following the release of the Dec. 12 poll as well. The Buckeyes are 36-9 all-time as the second-ranked team in the AP poll and 34-30 when both teams are ranked in the Top 15 after the loss to No. 13 Kansas. In the most recent poll, four of the Buckeyes’ opponents are among the Top 15 and eight foes are among the Top 25. Northwestern also is receiving votes for AP Top 25 consideration as is Purdue in the USA Today/Coaches Poll.

Jody Victor

Jody Victor®: Buckeyes Heading to TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl in Jacksonville

Jody Victor: Here’s some great Buckeye football news from osu.edu and OhioStateBuckeyes.com.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State Buckeyes will meet the Florida Gators in the 2012 TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl. The game will kick off at 1 p.m. Monday, Jan. 2 in Jacksonville, Fla.. The site is EverBank Field (77,511) and it will be televised nationally on ESPN2.

“The guys will be extremely excited about playing Florida in the Gator Bowl on January 2,” Ohio State coach Luke Fickell said. “We are hoping to end the season on a good note.”

Both teams finished the regular season with 6-6 records. Ohio State posted a 3-5 Big Ten Conference Leaders Division record while Florida’s mark included a 3-5 record in the SEC Eastern Division. The game will also be a chance for each team to move on and rebound from a season-ending loss to their rival. Ohio State fell on the road to Michigan, 40-34, Nov. 26, the same day that Florida dropped a 21-7 decision to Florida State in Gainesville.

“I am excited that the team is going to a bowl game and to have one more chance to win another game as a Buckeye,” senior linebacker Andrew Sweat said. “We’ll be ready to get back to practice later this week.”

And for Ohio State senior center Mike Brewster, his last game as a Buckeye will be in his home state.

“I am happy the way the bowl game worked out,” Brewster said. “If we couldn’t be in a BCS game, I like the fact that we are playing against a program like Florida that has a rich tradition like Ohio State. And I like it that I’ll be playing my last game in my home state in front of friends and family.” 

Tickets on Sale at 10 a.m. Monday
Tickets are available for the 2012 TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl with prices starting at $60.00, plus applicable service charges. Fans interested in purchasing tickets can do so online at OhioStateBuckeyes.com starting Monday, December 5, at 10 a.m. EST.

Go Bucks!!!

Jody Victor