Big Ten Basketball power rankings: Can anyone take Maryland off the No. 1 spot?
By Ryan Kay
7. Ohio State 19-9 (9-8)
Best Non-Conference Win
*Defeated Kentucky on a neutral court, 71-65
Key Big Ten Victories
*Defeated Maryland by a score of 79-72.
*Beat Penn State, 106-74.
*Won at Michigan by a score of 61-58.
*Defeated Rutgers, 72-66.
Disappointing Losses in Big Ten play
*Got swept by the Golden Gophers losing at Minnesota 84-71 and losing by 3 at home, 62-59.
*Got swept by Wisconsin losing at home to the Badgers by a score of 61-57.
Last Week’s Big Ten Power Ranking: 8 (Up 1 spot)
Ken Pom Ranking: 8
Net Ranking: 16
As said many times before, the Buckeyes had an amazing beginning to their season winning some quadrant one and two non-conference games. Ohio State has bounced back from a very rough January and they have won seven of their last nine games including three of those seven victories being on the road. The Buckeyes look to have as good of a December in March if all works out.
Ohio State overall has depth and different players stepping up at various times this season due to multiple injuries to key players. However, those injuries and a key player taking a leave of absence stalled the momentum that the Buckeyes has earlier at the start of their season but Ohio State has found ways to win close games. They defeated Maryland, Rutgers, Michigan, and Indiana by single digits in the month of February. The Buckeyes are resilient and they keep on winning when many thought they were heading into a downward spiral.
For a team like Ohio State who started off the season on fire and defeating some really good teams, them hitting a metaphoric brick wall in the first half of Big Ten conference play has really put them in an uphill battle to secure one of those top 4 seeds for the Big Ten tournament. It is more than likely that they can secure a first-round bye in the Big Ten tournament still especially if they can win their next two games which both of them are at home.
A prime example to demonstrate the Buckeyes up and down season is to look at an example of win they have played great and when they have not. Ohio State for example lost by double digits to a Gopher team that has been highly inconsistent in Big Ten play on the road and lost to them again at home in a game they absolutely should have won. Then, the Buckeyes come back and won at Michigan as well as winning their last two games as they defeated Maryland and Nebraska on the road.
Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann is doing a good job overall and is turning the program back into a top-tier Big ten basketball program even though their place in the Big Ten standings doesn’t currently reflect it. If you look at the season as a whole which reflects in their high Ken Pom ranking as well as their top 25 Net Ranking, he and his team have impressive non-conference victories and his team’s very impressive victories over Penn State, Maryland and Michigan is evidence of that.
Ohio State has easily surprised many college basketball experts by their overall play this season but with their up and downplay thus far, the Buckeyes will be a dangerous team in the Big Ten tournament as well as possibly the NCAA tournament as well. Ohio State next hosts Michigan on Mar. 1st.