16. Ohio State Buckeyes
Record: 9-1 (2-0 Big Ten)
Last Week: No. 15
Ohio State played one game during this past week and it was a scary one. Despite coming in as a double-digit favorite in front of their home crowd, the Buckeyes struggled to put Bucknell away for most of the game before eventually securing the two-point win. This resulted in a collective sigh of relief from just about everyone in Columbus as the team moved to 9-1 on the year with a strong chance of moving up the rankings soon.
The Buckeyes have been a bit of surprising team so far this year but I can say I warned you about this possibility. The Big Ten, as a whole, has been dominant so far this season and conference play will be incredible to watch once it gets completely underway in the coming weeks. And while Michigan and Michigan State look like the favorite at the top, could head coach Chris Holtmann pull another rabbit out of his hat to compete for the title?
Statistically, it is hard to find a team that has been more effective at locking down opponents so far this year. The Buckeyes are currently allowing teams to shoot just 42.5% on 2-point attempts (15th nationally) and 28.8% from beyond the arc (33rd) so far this season. And while they do commit their fair share of fouls, they do a superb job contesting what might have been open looks against other opponents.