The Buckeyes are a well-coached and disciplined team and will rely on a group of upperclassmen that have achieved much success. Taylor has an experienced front line playing their final year together and looking for that ring that they have been oh so close too.  Taylor also has a hard-nosed man to man defensive strategy to boot and the Buckeyes have a tough out of conference schedule filled with the kind of opponents that should keep them high in the polls all year.  As long as they keep winning!  Per usual none of those opponents happen to be from the Buckeye State as THE Ohio State would never let any of their in state brethren get a shot at the title.  After all these are ‘the Little Sisters of the Poor’ and no way the Buckeyes give them any chance to show they belong with the Big Ten Bullies.  That’s right, no Toledo, no Xavier, no Dayton, no not even Ohio U.  And definitely not Cincinnati!  The Bearcats happen to be the ‘other’ national power on that list and have their own All-American in the great Oscar Robertson.  But when the powers to be were going to include the Queen City boys in the Buckeye tournament set in Cleveland early in the year OSU threatened to walk.  They found a suitable replacement with the University of California (to go along with North Carolina and West Virginia) so that will be one heck of a tourney but can you imagine the Big O, Michael Jordan, Jerry West and the Buckeyes own Jerry Lucas all in the same tourney.   But this move shows you where this program stands.  The Buckeyes are the kings of Ohio in both football and basketball and have made the Big Ten the elite of the elite programs that dominates both sports.  And these guys are not letting anyone else into their Old Boys Club!  Unless they invite them! 

 Leading the way once again will be the indomitable Jerry Lucas.  Jerry Lucas came to the Ohio State after being the most highly recruited player in the history of Ohio.  The pride of Middletown Ohio Lucas got offers from almost every school in the country but after a fishing trip with Taylor he was convinced this was the place to go.  That fishing trip may have been the most important visit in Buckeye hoop history as the then Freshman Coach was able to bring in a great recruiting class with the primary intention of playing with the Great Lucas.  Taylor coached this team to a Freshman Big Ten Title (Freshmen were not allowed to play varsity then) and he was moved up along to Coach these kids with them at the next level.  Legendary Coach Woody Hayes loves Lucas and Taylor and became a regular along with other prominent football supporters and the Buckeyes are now almost as big as the football program.  Almost!  It is likely that Ohio State has the best combo of the two programs in the country and that would not be true without Lucas.  The Senior Stud is the best rebounder in the game not named Russell or Chamberlain.  A tremendous leaper with an uncanny knack for going and getting the ball right at it’s highest point,  There are not many who can grab a board when the team absolutely needed one.  He can also play a little O.  A gifted shooter form the perimeter, Lucas also gets many points inside on putbacks or quick moves.  He earned his First team All-American honors last year is the retuning MVP of the Big Ten.  Lucas is the undisputed King of Ohio State basketball. 

John Havlicek does not get near the attention as his fellow forward but might be the most complete and unselfish player in the Big Ten.  Havlicek was given the nickname Hondo back in Bridgeport Ohio due to his similarities of the John Wayne character but this kid is so mellow that he didn’t even mention that was his nickname due to the fact Frank Howard already had it.  Well Big Frank found out about it last year right before he was taken into the baseball amateur draft and made it a point to harass the soft spoken Havlicek and ‘hand down’ the moniker during the team’s award ceremony.  You see Howard, who last season was a big time reserve off the bench for the Buckeyes, is now playing baseball in the AAA Pacific Coast League for the Dodgers.  The mammoth of a man Howard is now smashing baseballs out of ballpark instead of smashing guards with his patented high screens.  As for Havlicek this six five 203 pound stud is a tireless worker who excels at all facets of the game.  Known for his stamina Havlicek will run the opposition down with his horse like physique and demeanor.  He is no nonsense but has an incredible basketball IQ and knows where to be on the court always.  Havlicek so far in his career has been a secondary player even coming off the bench his first season here as the sixth man but this year he hopefully will get the recognition he deserves for a complete game.  

The third senior starter going into the year is Arnie Risen.  The 6’9 210 pound Risen or Stilts as he is called is awful thin but has been a mainstay down low since he got to Columbus from just over the border in Williamstown Kentucky.  Stilts is not much of a scorer but is solid board guy who plays good defense.  Still, he is awful thin and though he is a gamer he wears down against the Bellamys and CArrolls of this brutal conference.  Taylor is looking for help and last year he split time with a group of solid seniors, more scorers than defenders though.   There is a slew of these guys on this roster that are about that same size of 6’8 and go about 220.  Bill Hosket Jr (his Dad played here back when they actually used peach baskets), Gary ‘Tex’ Bradds and Dave Sorenson are a trio of solid post guys waiting for their shot to shine but are stuck behind Lucas who actually plays de facto center on many of Taylor’s smaller lineups.  These are solid players who have produced when given chances and Taylor has got some real size on the roster with junior 7 footer Luke Witte and sophomore Herb Williams who goes 6’10 but plays bigger.  Witte is a ‘project’ who has barely played outside of the JV and Williams has not been able to beat out Risen.  Williams is a solid shot blocker and can score a little but is not a terrific board guy.  He seems better suited as a backup on a good team but he gives the Buckeyes more presence in the key than Risen.  Taylor has a bunch of options but none of them are elite level like size and talent like some of their rivals in this big and physical leaguye and if you want to be playing for national titles you better have a great big man down low who can at least hang with an Alcindor or Chamberlain and thanks to their new JV coach they might have found him.  The team’s lack of a dominant big man might finally be over this year.  Freshman phenom Greg Oden turned down Bobby Knight’s attempt ot bring him to Bloomington and is coming to Columbus from Indianapolis and he is bringing the goods.  This 7’0 250 pounder was the top recruit in the nation this past year and JV Coach Thad Matta made all the right moves to steal way from the Hooiser State (which usually happens the other way around) and is also bringing along for good measure his best friend and high school point Michael Conley Jr (the son of Olympic Tripe jump champ Michael Sr).  Oden might look like he’s 40 but man can he play.  He does it all underneath as he can score, board and owns the key defensively.  If he is indeed as good as advertised and some say he is once in a generational type of player then the Buckeyes chances of finally winning that national title are looking pretty good.  Of course they still got to be able to get the ball down the court and the perimeter play in Columbus is nowhere near as heralded as the front line.  Bring up the Johnston baseball thing-perhaps he has already left with Frank Howard?

He may have waited too long to get some new talent and his efforts to recruit Superstar and Ohio High School Legend LeBron James came up empty when the Wunderkid decided to go Pro.    

Junior Kelvin Ransey is the incumbent at the point guard spot and has had a solid though inconsistent run so far running the show for THE Ohio State.  Ransey is 6’1 170 and likes most of the players on this team hails from Ohio.  This Toledo stud was a big time get for Taylor and can really get the ball to the right guy.  Ransey can also score especially going to the hole but on this team does not need to.  Taylor needs a point guard to distribute  and defend and Ransey is all of that.  He may not be Isaiah Thomas or Earvin Johnson but he got the job done for the Buckeyes.   Senior Robin Freeman from Cleveland returns as the starter at the two guard but he is going to have a bit more competition for his job than Ransey.  The vastly undersized Freeman has had a superb career for the Buckeyes and is a huge scorer but at 5’11 it is hard to hang with the athletic bigger guards in this league. Until Ransey took over at point Taylor was having Freeman guard the other team’s point guards as he had some bigger options to guard two guards.  That option is gone now and Freeman started losing minutes about the time the Big 10 conference schedule began last year.  He is still the starter, for now, but Taylor has brought in a ton of options at the wings and more are coming.  Taylor loves Senior Larry Siegfried and his versatility and heart.  Siegfried was a stud coming out of Shelby and was the starter next to Freeman.  He is the perfect combo guard at 6’3 190 who can truly do it all.  He doesn’t look like it but this cat can play and will do whatever it takes to win.  Siegfried became invaluable off the bench with his defense and decision making and he can hit an open shot when needed.  Larry’s best attribute however is his team first mentality as he did not skip a beat when he took over Havlicek’s role as the super sub.  Let’s hope Freeman adjusts as well as with his ability to score he would shine in the instant offense role every team needs.  Taylor also has some old reliables he keeps around for emergencies and leadership.  Fellow seniors Dick Schnitkker and Mel Nowell are also in the mix for minutes but won’t get many especially with some big time recrutis coming in at guard including Oden’s sidekick in crime from Indy.  Schnittker is a Havlicek clone withouth quite the skill set but would be one heck of a player on any other team in the county and Nowell is an athletic two guard who can defend.  Junior Jim Cleamons got some limited minutes at the point and is one heck of a defender.  His best attribute is his leadership and Taylor loved having him next to him on the bench.  He is very smart and competitive and one of the leaders on the team even if he does not play much.  Fellow junior Allan Hornyak has never really got the chance to shine after an incredible high school career up the road in Bellaire where he once scored 86 points in a game.  Hornyak has missed too many games and might be a bit undersized at only 6’1 to play the two guard but man can he shoot.  He will get first shot if Taylor does bench Freeman but there are many others waiting in line and they are much bigger than six one.  Sophomores Dennis Hopson and Tony Campbell did not play much last year but showed potential on the JV squad.   This duo brings something the others do not as they go 6’5 and 6’7 respectively and still are quic enough to play the wings.  Taylor knows his two guards need to get bigger, there is even suggestions that Havlicek can swing down to the two and open up the door for another sophomore stud to crack the starting lineup, but for now Taylor is giving his veterans one more shot before he makes changes.  Oh and BTW his new recruiting guru has supposedly brought in some talent that might even make Hopson and Campbell look slow.

The aforementioned Sophomore is none other than one Clark Kellogg.  Kellogg has a superb first season in Columbus highlighted by a breakout game in Bloomington where he led the Buckeyes to their biggest win of the year coming off the bench and scoring 18 including a huge turn around to give OSU their first lead of the game with under 20 seconds to play.  Kellogg is 6’7 and goes 227 and the Cleveland native will be a star here.  When is the question as he is not going to beat out Lucas or Havlicek.  Kellogg is a tweener forward so for now it works with him coming off the bench but he is too talented not to get more playing time.  Kellogg has a complete game who can hit jumpers as well as board and score in the paint.  He is nowhere near the defender Havlicek is and does have a hard time keeping with wings but Kellogg is intelligent and will do what it takes to get and stay on the court.  The forward position is in damn good hands with these three manning the store. 

Fred Taylor is a great coach.  He has put together a nice little program in the shadows of football giant.  Most of the other football powerhouses could not compete with their gridiron program for fan worship.  The Buckeyes have done that and easily become the best football-basketball school in the nation.  Now they just need to get over the hump to glory.  With superstar Jerry Lucas leading the way and a whole truckload of talent waiting their turn and more coming down the highway (new coach Thad Matta who OSU poached from Xavier is a recruiting Horse whisperer) the Buckeyes will be in the mix for not just another Big Ten title but for a national title.  That will all depend on how Taylor shuffles the deck and plays those great cards he has been dealt.  After all sometimes that two pair looks better than what it is but if you don’t flip the full house a straight can still beat you!