Buckeyes Ready for Next Test after Finals – Ohio State Buckeyes
12/10/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
No. 13/15 Ohio State (7-1) at No. 20/22 Butler (6-3)
Dec. 12, 2009
Opponent: No. 20/22 Butler (6-3)
Site: Hinkle Fieldhouse (10,000)
Game Time: 12:03 p.m. ET
Television: ESPN
Talent: Sean McDonough (play-by-play)
Jay Bilas (expert analysis)
Radio: OSU Radio Network (60 stations)
Local Radio: WBNS FM-97.1 AM-1460
Radio Talent: Paul Keels (play-by-play)
Ron Stokes (expert analysis)
Butler, Buckeyes end four-game series
Ohio State travels to Butler for the final game of a four-game series with the Bulldogs. The current series began in Columbus Nov. 22, 2005, an overtime victory for the Buckeyes, 79-69. Ohio State then traveled to Indianapolis Dec. 1, 2007 and fell 65-46 to the No. 16-ranked Bulldogs. The teams played a season ago in Columbus with Ohio State winning 54-51 Dec. 13, 2008. The Buckeyes were ranked No. 21 in that meeting. The final game Saturday in Indianapolis marks the first time in the series history both teams enter the game ranked among the Associated Press Top 25. The Buckeyes enter at No. 13 while the Bulldogs come in at No. 22. Butler has been ranked just once previously in the series, which is led by the Buckeyes 31-9 since the first meeting Dec. 31, 1924. The Buckeyes are 7-0 vs. the Bulldogs when ranked among the Top 25. Ohio State is 11-7 at Butler all-time.
Ohio State vs. The Horizon League
Butler 31-9
Cleveland State 6-1
Detroit Mercy 2-0
Green Bay 1-0
Illinois-Chicago 1-0
Loyola Chicago 4-0
Milwaukee 2-0
Valparaiso 1-0
Wright State 2-0
Youngstown State 3-0
Totals 53-10
Turner to Miss 8 weeks with Back injury
Junior Evan Turner fell hard to the floor on a dunk attempt early in the first half vs. Eastern Michigan Dec. 5. He left the game and tests revealed a fracture in his lower back. He is expected to miss eight weeks recovering from the injury. After eight games, Turner led the Buckeyes in scoring (18.5 ppg.), rebounding (11.4 rpg.), assists (47) and field goals (62). He was shooting 61 percent from the field (62-102) and was second in blocks (10) and steals (12).
HOmecoming for Matta, staff
Thad Matta is making his second trip to Butler as head coach of the Buckeyes Saturday. The 1990 Butler graduate (B.S., education) lettered three times for the Bulldogs (1988-90). He was an administrative assistant from 1992-94 at Butler and an assistant coach from 1998-2000. He was the Bulldogs’ head coach for one season in 2001. Brandon Miller, an assistant coach with the Buckeyes, scored 1,121 points as a Bulldog, making 97-consecutive starts over three seasons for coaches Barry Collier, Matta and current Iowa coach Todd Lickliter. He lettered from 2001-03 at BU. Miller spent the 2005-07 seasons at Ohio State as director of basketball operations and then video coordinator before taking an assistant coaching position with his alma mater for the 2007-08 season. He returned to the Ohio State staff as an assistant coach in 2008. Kevin Kuwik, in his first season at Ohio State as the program’s video coordinator, spent the 2008-09 season at Butler as the director of basketball operations.
Turner Earns 3rd POW of 2009-10
Evan Turner was selected the Big Ten’s co-player of the week Nov. 30, the third conference award in as many weeks for the junior guard from Chicago. Turner recorded Ohio State’s third all-time triple-double in win vs. Lipscomb Nov. 24 with 16 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists. He shot 71 percent from the field for the week (15-21) and was a perfect 7-7 from the field vs. St. Francis Nov. 28. Averaged 16 points, 9.0 rebounds and 8.0 assists for the week with four blocks and three steals. Turner also became the 44th Buckeye all-time to reach 1,000 points with 16 vs. St. Francis (Pa.) in just 27 minutes vs. the Red Flash.
Noting the Buckeyes in the Big Ten
Several Buckeyes are leading the 11 Big Ten Conference teams in the early portion of the 2009-10 season. Evan Turner is the only league player averaging a double-double with 18.5 points per game and 11.4 rebounds a contest. He is second in scoring among league players and leads the conference in rebounding. Turner also is No. 1 in defensive rebounds (8.13 drpg.), offensive rebounds (3.25 orpg.) and assists (5.88 apg.), No. 5 in field goal percentage (62-102/.608) and No. 9 in blocks (1.25 bpg.). Jon Diebler is No. 2 in free throw shooting (20-22/.909) and is No. 1 in 3-pointers made per game (4.38), No. 5 in scoring (17.1 ppg.) and No. 3 in 3-point field goal shooting percentage (.522). Dallas Lauderdale’s shooting percentage (18-20/.900) from the field is stellar but he does not have enough field goals per game (3.0) to rate statistically in the league. He is No. 1 in blocked shots (24/3.43 bpg.). As a team, Ohio State is No. 1 in scoring margin (+27.1), assist/turnover ratio (+1.7), 3-pointers made per game (10.3), scoring (87.9 ppg.), field goal percentage (.525) and 3-point field goal percentage (.418).
Turner Nearing Rare Accomplishments
Only 20 players in Ohio State history have scored more than 1,000 points and collected 500 rebounds. Turner has 1,033 career points and 489 career rebounds at Ohio State. The most recent addition to the list was Terence Dials, who from 2002-06, scored 1,566 points and grabbed 876 rebounds. He was the Big Ten Player of the Year in 2006. Just 26 Ohio State players have recorded 500 or more career rebounds. J.J. Sullinger was the last to join the list in 2006 in his third season in Columbus. He finished his career with 535 career rebounds. Turner could become just the second player in recorded history to reach 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 300 assists. Jim Jackon is the only other Buckeye to do so with 1,785 career points, 552 career rebounds and 372 career assists from 1990-92. Turner has 276 career assists to date and is averaging 5.9 assists a game this season.
Six Opponents in Top 25
Ohio State has six opponents currently in the Top 25 nationally in the ESPN/USA Today Poll and the Associated Press weekly polls. Purdue, West Virginia, Michigan State, North Carolina, Butler and Wisconsin are listed in both polls. Three Big Ten teams – Minnesota, Northwestern and Illinois – are receiving votes in at least one of the polls.
Turner recognized by league office
Ohio State’s Evan Turner collected his second of three-consecutive weekly laurels Nov. 23 after recording his fourth double-double in as many outings in the Buckeyes’ two-game stint at Madison Square Garden. Turner began the week with a game-high 23 points and 11 rebounds to fuel the late comeback against North Carolina Nov. 19. The Chicago native added four helpers and two steals against the reigning national champions. Turner proved to be the offensive catalyst for the Buckeyes once again Nov. 20 as Ohio State rolled past No. 13 California, 76-70, to claim third place in the 2K Sports Classic. The 6-7 guard tallied a season-high 26 points while connecting on nine of 14 shots from the floor (.643) and eight of 11 (.727) from the charity stripe.
Turner streak a first since ’80-81
Evan Turner opened the season with five-consecutive double-doubles for the first time since Clark Kellogg did so in 1980-81. Turner reached 10 or more points and rebounds vs. Alcorn State (14/17/10 assts.), James Madison (24-17), North Carolina (23/11), California (26/14) and Lipscomb (16/10/11 assts.). Kellogg began the 1980-81 campaign with double-doubles in five-consecutive games vs. Cleveland State (23/14), at Kentucky (12/13), Colgate (16/17), South Alabama (18/18) and at Arizona State (18/10).
Buckeyes in the NCAA Rankings
Evan Turner is among the Top 10 nationally in several statistical categories. He is No. 1 in triple-doubles (2), No. 2 in double doubles (6) and No. 8 in rebounds (11.4 rpg). Jon Diebler is No. 3 in 3-pointers per game (4.4) and Dallas Lauderdale is No. 8 in blocked shots (3.4). As a team, Ohio State is No. 2 in field goal percentage and assist/turnover ratio, No. 3 in scoring margin, No. 4 in scoring offense and 3-pointers made per game, No. 7 in assists per game and No. 9 in turnover margin.
Ohio State vs. The Ranked
The Buckeyes have a record of 131-216 vs. ranked opponents in the Associated Press Top 25. That includes a mark of 54-111 vs. Top 10 foes. The Buckeyes are 2-4 in the last six games vs. Top 10, including an 82-70 victory vs. Michigan State last March in the Big Ten tournament.
Climbing the Scoring Chart..
Evan Turner has scored 1,033 points over 78 Ohio State games in his career for an average of 13.2 points a game. His 16 points vs. St. Francis (Pa.) Nov. 28 made him the 44th player in Ohio State history to reach 1,000 career points. With 25 points vs. Florida State Dec. 2, Turner moved to No. 41 all-time on the career scoring chart at Ohio State. Jamie Skelton and Ken Johnson are next, tied for No. 39 with 1,055 career points. Two others on the current roster are on pace to reach 1,000 points. Junior David Lighty has 639 career points over 91 career games. Jon Diebler has 724 points in his three seasons at Ohio State. William Buford is well on his way as a sophomore as well (461).
Wins follow Buckeye double-doubles
Ohio State has had a player record a double-double (10+ points, rebs, assists, steals or blocks) in 794 games. The Buckeyes are 539-255 in those contests (.678). Evan Turner has 17 career double-doubles and the Buckeyes are 11-6 in those contests, including wins in nine of his last 11 games with a D-D. Turner is among the Top 20 players in OSU history with 17 career double-doubles at No. 18, tied with Dennis Hopson (1984-87) and Steven Wenner (1973-75). Terence Dials (2002-06), Bill Andreas (1973-75) and Tony Campbell (1981-84) are tied for No. 15 with 18 career double-doubles. William Buford became the 100th Ohio State player to record a double-double with 16 points and 10 assists in Ohio State’s win vs. Eastern Michigan Dec. 5.
100 Points Equates to Near Perfection
Ohio State has scored 100 or more points 69 times all-time and has a record of 68-1 in those games. The Buckeyes are 49-0 at home when reaching the century mark, 3-0 on neutral courts and 16-1 on opponent courts. The last win with 100 or more points was a 111-60 victory vs. Eastern Michigan Dec. 5. The only loss for OSU when scoring 100 points was a double-overtime thriller at LSU Jan. 15, 2005. The Buckeyes battled the Tigers but fell 113-101.
Double Digit 3s…
Ohio State has made 10 or more 3-pointers in a game 63 times since the long-range shot was instituted for the 1986-87 season. The Buckeyes are 53-10 in those games after knocking down 16 of 29 treys against Eastern Michigan Dec. 5. Opponents have made double-digit 3s 81 times and are 33-48 in those games vs. the Buckeyes. Matta’s Ohio State teams are 37-8 when making 10 or more 3s in a game.
First Four Games part of 2K Classic
The first four games of the regular-season made up the 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer event on the Ohio State schedule. Alcorn State (Nov. 9) and James Madison (Nov. 12) traveled to Columbus before the Buckeyes played at Madison Square Garden in New York vs defending national champions North Carolina Nov. 19 and California Nov. 20.
Noting the Eastern Michigan Game
- The game was the second meeting all-time between Ohio State and Eastern Michigan. The Buckeyes are 2-0 against the Eagles and 50-12 against teams representing the Mid-American Conference.
- Ohio State is 16-5 all-time when ranked No. 15 in the Associated Press Top 25.
- The Buckeyes shot 64.5 percent (20-of-31) in the first half from the field and 64.3 percent (9-of-14) from the 3-point line in the first half.
- The 62 first-half points scored by Ohio State is tied for third-most for the first half and fourth-most in any half in school history.
- The Buckeyes are 6-0 this season and 66-6 under Matta when shooting 50 percent or better from the field. The Buckeyes shot 63.3 percent (38-of-60) from the field and 55.2 percent (16-of-29) from behind the 3-point line. The 16 made 3’s are third-most in school history.
- The Buckeyes began the game on a 32-11 run, ending at the 7:54 mark of the first half. OSU led 62-25 at the half and never trailed in the game.
- The Buckeyes have won 68 of their last 69 games against unranked opponents in Columbus (64 in Value City Arena, 3 in St. John Arena and 1 in Nationwide Arena). Their last loss to an unranked team was vs. West Virginia, Dec. 27, 2008 (76-48).
- Through six games at Value City Arena this season, five Buckeyes are averaging double figures in scoring: Evan Turner 16.5, Jon Diebler 17.7, Jeremie Simmons 12.8, David Lighty 12.2 and William Buford 11.5.
- The team is shooing 54.3 percent from the field (204-of-376) and 43.8 percent from behind the arc (70-of-160) at Value City Arena this season.
- The Buckeyes made 38 field goals vs. EMU with 27 of them coming off assists.
- Ohio State had 46 bench points.
- The Buckeyes’ 111 points were the most in Value City Arena history.
- Junior guard Evan Turner left the game at the 13:27 mark of the first half. He was taken to the OSU Medical Center for precautionary X-Rays on his lower back. He will miss the next eight weeks with a fracture in his lower back.
THAD MATTA
- Thad Matta’s Buckeyes are 32-4 in the month of December. Under Matta, Ohio State has not lost more than one game in the month per season.
- Matta improved his career record to 236-78 in his 10th season all-time as a head coach. He is 134-47 in his sixth year at Ohio State.
- The Buckeyes made 16 3-pointers, marking the 63rd time 10 or more have been made in one game since the shot was instituted for the 1986-87 season. Matta’s Ohio State teams are 38-8 when making 10 or more 3-pointers in a game.
- Under Matta, Ohio State is 77-2 against unranked opponents in Columbus, including a 72-2 mark in VCA, 4-0 in St. John Arena and 1-0 in Nationwide Arena.
- Ohio State is now 90-10 under Matta and 7-1 this season when scoring 70 points or more.
JON DIEBLER
- Junior guard Jon Diebler was 6-of-8 from 3-point land against the Eagles. Diebler finished with a game-high 21 points. He has made at least six 3-pointers four times this season and has claimed at least 17 points in four-consecutive games.
- Diebler has hit at least five 3-pointers in 15 career games, including four games this year.
- Diebler has made at least one 3-pointer in his past 18 games, dating back to last season. The last time Diebler went scoreless from behind the arc was Feb. 14, 2009, in a 0-of-3 effort against Wisconsin.
- Diebler has 14 3-pointers combined in the first half of the last three games with a 14-of-21 mark. He went 5-of-6 against St. Francis (Pa.) Nov. 28, 5-of-9 vs. Florida State Dec. 2 and 4-of-6 today.
- At Value City Arena this season, Diebler is shooting 58 percent (29-of-50) from behind the arc.
DAVID LIGHTY
- Junior forward David Lighty collected his 300th career rebound in the first half.
- Lighty tied a career high with four steals.
JEREMIE SIMMONS
- Senior guard Jeremie Simmons scored 14 points, going 3-of-5 from behind the arc. Simmons has had at least one 3-pointer in the last four games. He has scored in double-digits in three-consecutive games this season.
- Simmons is shooting 69 percent from field (27-39) and 58.3 percent from behind the arc (14-24) in Value City Arena.
- With a three-point basket in the second half, Simmons scored his 300th career point.
WILLIAM BUFORD
- Sophomore guard William Buford had a career-high 10 assists. Six of them came in the first half.
- Buford recorded his first career double-double with 16 points and 10 assists. He is the 100th player to record a double-double for the Buckeyes.
P.J. HILL
• Senior guard P.J. Hill had career highs in points, field goals and 3-pointers with 18, six and three, respectively.
Club Tril T-shirts now available
Mark Titus, senior walk-on from Brownsburg, Ind., has been writing and publishing his blog – clubtrillion.com – for the last two years on college basketball from an “end-of-the-bench” perspective. Approaching 2,000,000 hits, the blog is somewhat popular in college basketball circles. To take advantage of the interest in the site, Titus has teamed with “A Kid Again,” a local charity for children with life-threatening illnesses, to help support the charity’s efforts. For a $25 donation fans of the blog will receive a Club Tril T-shirt. All the proceeds will then go to support “A Kid Again.” Get your shirt today by placing an order at clubtrillion.com.
Buckeyes Picked 3rd in Big Ten Preseason Media poll
Evan Turner was tabbed a preseason first team All-Big Ten selection by league media at the annual media day in Chicago. Turner is the league’s top returning scorer (17 ppg.). He led the Buckeyes in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals as a sophomore last year. Thad Matta’s Buckeyes were selected No. 3 in the preseason media poll behind Michigan State and Purdue.
Schedule has Buckeyes playing the nation’s best
Ohio State will play five of the preseason Top 10 ranked teams (ESPN/coaches poll) in the country this year. Preseason No. 2 Michigan State, No. 4 North Carolina, No. 7 Purdue, No. 9 West Virginia and No. 10 Butler all dot the Ohio State slate in 2009-10. Five Big Ten teams were ranked among the Top 20 with No. 15 Michigan, No. 18 Minnesota, and No. 17 Ohio State all slated among the top teams nationally. Ohio State also faced No. 12 California at the 2K Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer in New York, defeating the Bears 76-70. Illinois was just outside the preseason Top 25 at No. 27.
Seven Former Buckeyes In NBA Rosters in 2009-10
Ohio State leads all Big Ten teams with seven players on current NBA rosters. The Big Ten started the season with 33 players on NBA active lists. Nine Big Ten teams have at least one player competing in the NBA. Michael Redd (Milwaukee Bucks) is the longest-tenured Buckeye in the NBA. Greg Oden (Portland), Michael Conley (Memphis), Daequan Cook (Miami), Othello Hunter (Atlanta), Kosta Koufos (Utah) and B.J. Mullens (Oklahoma) represent Ohio State in the NBA.
Big Ten season starts with Buckeyes on the road
Four of the first five games of the Big Ten season will be played away from Value City Arena. The Buckeyes open the league season at Wisconsin Dec. 31 before a trip to Michigan Jan. 3. A home game vs. Indiana Jan. 6 splits road games at Minnesota (Jan. 9) and at Purdue Jan. 12. The Buckeyes face a similar stretch of road games at Indiana Feb. 10, at Illinois Feb. Illinois, home vs. Purdue Feb. 17 and away vs. Michigan State Feb. 20/21 and at Penn State Feb. 24.
Matta adds pair to roster
The Ohio State roster grew by two in late October when Thad Matta added walk-on juniors Eddie Days and Dustin Reynolds. Days is the nephew of Buckeye great Jim Cleamons, a current assistant coach with the Los Angeles Lakers. Reynolds is the younger brother of former Ohio State women’s basketball player DiDi Reynolds. Dustin will sit out the 2009-10 season to satisfy NCAA transfer rules (from Hillsdale College in Michigan). Days is expected to be in uniform in January. The Buckeyes now have four walk-on players on the roster. Danny Peters is a fifth-year senior and Mark Titus is in his senior campaign as well. Peters will end his career with five varsity letters, one as a manager (2006) and four as a student-athlete (2007-10).
Turner, USA Earn Bronze at World University Games
Junior Evan Turner averaged 4.0 points, 3.7 rebounds and led Team USA with 18 assists at the World University Games in Belgrade, Serbia. The United States finished with a 6-1 record at the early-July event with Turner making three starts and averaging 16.3 minutes a game. He connected on 52 percent of his shots (12-23) and 4 of 5 free throws.
Buckeyes Return Veteran Squad
Accustomed to starting over virtually from scratch each of the last four seasons, Thad Matta, head coach of the Buckeyes, returns all five starters from a 22-11 squad in 2008-09. In addition to the five regulars that finished the season with an appearance in the 2009 NCAA Tournament, the Buckeyes also return senior Jeremie Simmons, who started 25 of 33 games last year, and junior David Lighty, who started the first seven games of the season before suffering a broken foot. Lighty, who started all 37 games as a true sophomore, received a medical-redshirt, and will have two full seasons of eligibility remaining with the Buckeyes. Leading the returning starters are juniors Evan Turner (33 starts last year), Jon Diebler (33 gs) and Dallas Lauderdale (31 gs). Sophomore William Buford (25) and senior P.J. Hill, who started the last eight games of the season, also return.
Turner Among Candidates for Preseason Honors
Evan Turner led Ohio State and the Big Ten in scoring last season with an average of 17.3 points a game. He was No. 3 in rebounding as well with 7.1 and was among the Top 10 league players in steals (4th/1.8 spg.) and assists (8th/3.97). He was a finalist for Big Ten Player of the Year honors a season ago and will be among the favorites entering his junior season. His name has also garnered All-America consideration after earning a spot among the Top 15 finalists for the 2009 Oscar Robertson Award, given annually by the United States Basketball Writer’s Association to the player of the year in college basketball.
Diebler Among Big Ten, Nation’s Top Shooters
Jon Diebler, the all-time leading scorer in Ohio High School history, started slow in the college game from behind the arc, where he made a name for himself as a prep at Upper Sandusky High School. After shooting 29 percent from long range as a rookie (48-166), Diebler responded with a breakout sophomore season. He knocked down 96 of 231 treys for 41.6 percent accuracy. That effort was second in the Big Ten for makes and is the second-most single season 3s made in Ohio State history. He already is second all-time at Ohio State in 3s made in a career (179) and his eight 3s made at Northwestern last year rates No. 2 in Ohio State’s record book for 3s made in a game.
Lauderdale, Madsen, Sarikopoulos Man the Middle for Buckeyes
Junior Dallas Lauderdale returns to the paint for Ohio State after sharing time with B.J. Mullens, a 2009 NBA First Round draft pick (24th overall pick) of the Dallas Mavericks. Mullens, later traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder, marks the fifth Buckeye first-round pick under Matta and sixth overall NBA player since taking over in 2004-05.
Lauderdale continues to improve physically and defensively. He was among the nation’s top shot blockers last season, rejecting 67 shots to finish No. 2 in the Big Ten with an average of 2.03 blocks per game. Madsen is in his third season with the Buckeyes and has earned his Ohio State degree. His experience with Thad Matta’s system, ability to score and provide quality defensive minutes will earn playing time. He started three games this year while Lauderdale recovered from a right hand injury early in the season.
Sarikopoulos, a transfer from UAB who sat out the 2008-09 season at Ohio State to satisfy NCAA transfer rules, becomes eligible this season. He adds size (7-0, 265), rebounding and post-passing skills to the Ohio State big man rotation.
Sarikopoulos played sparingly during the U19 World Championships for his native Greece. A left-knee sprain hampered his playing time during the event. He averaged 1.3 points and 0.7 rebounds as the United States defeated Greece 88-80 to claim gold. The event was held in Auckland, New Zealand in early July.
Where to Point?
The point guard position rotated between Jeremie Simmons and P.J. Hill a season ago with Simmons starting the first 25 games and Hill the final eight. Simmons moved over to provide minutes at the No. 2 guard spot, his natural position, down the stretch. Evan Turner saw the majority of the time directing traffic this year before injuring his back against Eastern Michigan Dec. 5. He handed out 97 assists last season to lead the Buckeyes in that category while also recording 58 thefts at the defensive end.
A Summer in Canada
With nearly the entire roster returning from the 2008-09 season, Matta and the Buckeyes took a preseason international trip to Canada. The excursion allowed the Buckeyes 10 practices and a few competitions before the official start of practice Oct. 16. The Buckeyes played three games between Aug. 27-31 in Canada vs. teams from the Windsor area. Ohio State last left the country for competition during the summer of 2001 when the squad traveled to Italy, Switzerland, France and the Netherlands.
New York, Morgantown, Indianapolis also on Travel List
After traveling to New York for a pair of games in the 2009 Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, Ohio State has two more trips for non-conference games remaining on its schedule. The Buckeyes complete a home-and-home series with West Virginia in January and the final game of the four-game home-and-home series vs. Butler will take place at Hinkle Fieldhouse on the Bulldog campus in December. The 18-game Big Ten schedule features home-and-home matchups with eight teams and single matchups vs. Northwestern (home) and Michigan State (away).
Can You Spot Matta a 20?
For each of the last nine seasons, all as a head coach, Thad Matta has guided teams to at least 20 victories. Only Mark Few, among active coaches, has more consecutive 20-win seasons to start a career (10). Matta set the Ohio State record for consecutive 20-win campaigns last year with a 22-11 record, the fifth-consecutive Ohio State season with 20+ victories. The previous record was four held by the 1960-63 teams under legendary head coach Fred Taylor.
Matta also has won at least 10 Big Ten regular-season games in each of the last four seasons. A fifth double-digit effort in the win column in 2010 would tie Taylor’s mark of 10+ league wins in each of the seasons from 1960-64. Those were during 14-game regular-season slates. The Big Ten played a 16-game schedule in Matta’s first three seasons (8, 12, 15 league wins) and an 18-game schedule the last two (10, 10).
Speaking of Consistent #s…
Ohio State was again one of the top draws in college basketball in 2008-09. The Buckeyes drew nearly 280,000 fans to home games last season to rate No. 14 nationally in home attendance. The Buckeyes have been among the Top 20 in home attendance in each of the last 11 years, all while playing at the Jerome Schottenstein Center (19,049). Ohio State games both home and on the road drew 477,000 fans last year, No. 16 nationally. The Buckeyes have been a Top 20 draw nationally in 10 of the last 11 years and led the nation in all-game attendance in 2007. The Big Ten led the nation in attendance for the 33rd-consecutive season in 2008-09. An average of 12,519 fans attended 193 Big Ten games a season ago.
Boals Joins Staff
Matta added Jeff Boals to the staff after the departure of assistant coach Archie Miller, who left to coach alongside his brother Sean, the new University of Arizona head coach. Boals, a 1995 graduate of Ohio University, left Akron to join the Buckeyes. His tenacity as a player with the Bobcats is expected to transfer to the Ohio State roster, especially the post players.
