After beating Michigan at Ann Arbor for a tough Big Ten road win last week and then defeating Illinois in Columbus on Sunday, my beloved Buckeyes men's basketball team lost to Wisconsin at Madison last evening. (Check out these notes on the game, too.)
Still, the Buckeyes have an excellent chance of making a strong run in both the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments. The Ohio State team, which, as I've pointed out before, promises to be a major contender for the Big Ten and national titles next year, has given we Buckeye basketball fans an unexpectedly magical season in a year that most thought would see a solid, if unspectacular, record.
All four losses the Buckeyes have experienced have been on the road in the Big Ten, which is nothing for the team to be ashamed of in a conference where road wins are almost as rare as fairy dust. (Making the win in Michigan all the more remarkable!) That followed an undefeated record in non-conference play.
As I've explained before, I grew up in Columbus and am a graduate of The Ohio State University. (That's what we were taught to call it, even when we wrote our tuition checks.) When I was a kid, I dreamed of playing for the Buckeyes and emulating my heroes: Jerry Lucas, John Havlicek, Mel Nowell, Jim Bowman, and Dick Taylor. The dream ran into several problems: I "grew up" to be a slight 5'9", couldn't handle the ball, ran like I had barbells in my shorts, and could only play defense by getting myself into foul trouble at about two minutes into the first half. (I am though, still a fairly accurate shooter, especially at three-point range.)
I love OSU football. But Buckeye basketball is my real passion. So, this has been a great year for me as a fan, in spite of living in Cincinnati, where it seems that the local media basically only cover the Buckeyes when they can gloat over an OSU loss of some sort.
The Buckeyes next take on Northwestern at home, followed by Michigan State in East Lansing.
I fondly remember a few OSU teams from the second golden age of college hoops (call in 91-97ish).
ReplyDeleteThe Jackson, Jent, Funderburke teams were fun. (It's easy to forget just how stupendous a college player JJ was. And he was a bordeline all-star in the NBA before he dislocated his ankle...)
And the Scoonie Penn-Michael Redd teams were good as well. I love that Redd has turned himself into a top notch pro.
And part of the reason I watch Monday Night Football is in case one of the players went to OSU so they can say THE Ohio State University. I love that.
Pooh:
ReplyDeleteThat was a great era! Michael Redd's family and he all attended the same high school from which I graduated, Columbus West.
Mark
1975 Graduate of THE Ohio State University