Monday, February 7, 2011

Will Ohio State Ever Lose?

It’s been since the mid-70s that college basketball has had an undefeated college men’s Division I team. Bobby Knight directed Indiana to a 32-0 mark in the 1975-76 season.

That’s about 35 years folks. That shows you how difficult perfection in basketball is.

Well, don’t look now, but the Ohio State Buckeyes could be knocking on that undefeated door.

The Buckeyes are 24-0 heading into next Saturday’s game at Wisconsin.

Ohio State has a combination of veteran players and young ones. My favorite is freshman Jared Sullinger. This youth in a man’s body (6-9, 280) is a beast. As they say, “he got game.”

Coach Thad Matta had fielded some outstanding teams in the past, but this could be his best one. In an era of parity in college hoops, the Buckeyes stand above this season.

There are dangers ahead in protecting the blemish-free season. Wisconsin and Purdue are tied for second in the Big Ten behind Ohio State. Besides the Badger road game, the Buckeyes must oppose Purdue in Indiana, Feb. 20. With the home crowd against them and the target on their back, the Buckeyes could go down once and maybe twice.

But if Ohio State can win at those places, the momentum for undefeated talk will grow.

At least, they aren’t talking spring football so much in Columbus, Ohio these days. The hoop guys are stealing the headlines for a change.

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