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Ohio State Buckeyes (Last Year: 29-8, 14-4 in Big Ten)
2010-11 Projected Depth Chart:
C: Dallas Lauderdale (Sr)/Nikola Kecman (Jr)
PF: Jared Sullinger (Fr)/DeShaun Thomas (Fr)
SF: David Lighty (Sr)/J.D. Weatherspoon (Fr)
SG: Willian Buford (Jr)/Jordan Sibert (Fr)/Lenzelle Smith (Fr)
G: Jon Diebler (Sr)/Aaron Craft (Fr)
Gone: PG-Evan Turner, PG-P.J. Hill, G-Jeremie Simmons, C-Kyle Madsen, SG-Walter Offutt (transfer-Ohio), C-Zisis Sarakopoulus (overseas)
2010-11 Outlook:
Despite losing do-it-all National Player of the Year Evan Turner, Ohio State remains loaded with talent, and should be a top-10 caliber team all season long since they bring back four starters and have a loaded group of freshmen.
That recruiting class is led by 6-9, 280-pound big man Jared Sullinger who is an absolute beast inside but light on his feet at the same time. He embraces being able to throw his body around down low and should form an incredibly intimidating front line with everybody’s favorite balding college basketball player whose name could also double as a porn star: Dallas Lauderdale. That duo will be tough for opponents to match up with due to their strength and bruising nature.
The experienced trio of William Buford, Jon Diebler and David Lighty will man the backcourt and hope to share the load in replacing everything Turner brought to the wing. The biggest question is which of the three will take over the ball-handling responsibilities. Turner was versatile enough to admirably take on the point guard role last season, but whichever of the three is asked to step in will not have as smooth of a transition.
Buford is the most talented of the three and rebounded nicely after a slow start to last season. He figures to be the most capable of taking over the point forward-type role. Lighty is invaluable due to his versatility as he can play and guard four positions on the floor and will be the team’s vocal leader. Diebler is one of the best shooters in the Big Ten and needs to be accounted for at all times.
Thad Matta’s bench is young, but very talented. Aaron Craft is a distributing point guard who should see a good amount minutes due to Ohio State’s lack of a true floor general in the starting five. Jordan Sibert and J.D. Witherspoon will compete for minutes on the wing along with Lenzelle Smith, who is recovering from wrist surgery and could miss the first month of the season.
DeShaun Thomas is a gifted 6-6 player who has an inside/outside game that gives Matta options. Expect to see him play a lot of four with either Sullinger or Lauderdale at the five since the Buckeyes lack a lot of depth up front besides seldom-used Nikola Kecman.
How far this team goes this season could very well depend on the transition for whoever takes over at running the show. If the that situation figures itself out in the non-conference schedule, and the freshmen not named Sullinger can find their roles off the bench, I think Ohio State will be better this year without Turner (which I know is saying a lot.)
Player to Watch: Jared Sullinger, F/C
I am fully expecting Sullinger to steamroll over his opponents this season. The two-time Ohio Mr. Basketball is capable of stepping onto the floor and being an immediate double-double guy. In fact, I would rank him third behind Jon Leuer and Demetri McCamey as my Big Ten Player of the Year candidates. That is how much I am expecting out of Sullinger in what could be his only year at Ohio State.
Key Non-Conference Games:
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