Basketball Teams to Hold Public Practice/Scrimmage Saturday – Ohio State Buckeyes
10/22/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
COLUMBUS, OhioThe Ohio State men’s and women’s basketball teams will be on display this Saturday at Value City Arena before the Penn State football game at 8 p.m.
The women will hold an open practice at VCA from 12-2 p.m. while the men will hold a public scrimmage from 4-5. Both events are free and open to the public. Fans will be able sit anywhere in the lower bowl. The seating area will open at 11:30 a.m. for the women and 3:30 p.m. for the men.
Under the direction of seventh-year head coach Jim Foster, the women return four starters from last year’s team that went 22-9, won its fourth-consecutive Big Ten title and made its sixth-straight NCAA appearance. Ohio State will be led by reigning Big Ten player of the year Jantel Lavender and defensive player of the year Shavelle Little as the Buckeyes go for a record-tying fifth-straight Big Ten championship.
The women begin their season at 7 p.m. Nov. 14 against Butler at VCA.
The men return eight letterwinners and two starters from the 2008 National Invitation Tournament Championship squad. The Buckeyes finished 24-13 overall a season ago under Thad Matta’s direction. Eight new players joined the roster for 2008-09, led by McDonald’s All-Americans William Buford and B.J. Mullens. Junior David Lighty and sophomore Evan Turner lead the returners this season.
The Buckeyes will be on display again Nov. 13 vs. Walsh University in the only scheduled exhibition game of the season. Tip for that game is 7 p.m. at Value City Arena. The season officially gets underway Nov. 20 against Delaware State. That game will be played at St. John Arena and will tip at 6:30 p.m.
Because of football gameday traffic, there will be no special parking reserved for either event. Football parking information is available online at http://tp.osu.edu/Events/football.shtml.
