ESPN Men's Basketball

Editor's Note: ESPN Insider has teamed with Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook to provide a comprehensive look at all 334 Division I teams. To order the complete 2009-10 edition of Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, visit www.blueribbonyearbookonline.com or call 1-877-807-4857.

(Information in this team report is as of Oct. 1.)

COACH AND PROGRAM

Taken together, Thad Matta's five years at Ohio State can't be viewed as anything but wildly successful, especially at a place where football always has been and will be king.

Consider: • Two Big Ten championships. • A trip to the national title game. • Twenty or more wins in every season, with a per-year average of 25.4. • Tons of high-level talent rolling in, with more to come. Matta has what may end up as the nation's No. 1 recruiting class in 2010 -- anchored by yet another one-and-done-type center, hometown stud Jared Sullinger. "I'm pleased with where we are and with what's happened," Matta said. "I like the position we're in."

Yet since that NCAA championship game loss to Florida in 2007, Matta's program has been in what seems like a frantic state of transition. Six players have left Ohio State for the NBA since then, five of them early, including one-year centers Greg Oden in 2007, Kosta Koufos in 2008 and B.J. Mullens last June.

The Buckeyes followed up the NCAA runner-up season with an NIT bid, then got back to the NCAA tournament last season before a crushing first-round loss to Siena. Matta's roster has had very little continuity, which begs the question: Will he stop recruiting the elite players, as some coaches have done, and start focusing more on guys who will stick around for more than a year? "Absolutely not," he said. "I love the caliber of player we're bringing in. We lost three freshmen in five years, and three were from Ohio and two from Indiana where I'm from. We're going to continue to recruit those areas, it's that simple."

At times, Matta lets himself imagine what this year's starting lineup could have been: Mike Conley Jr. at point guard, Daequan Cook at shooting guard, Evan Turner at small forward, Koufos at power forward and Oden at center. And Mullens off the bench.

Alas, this is not the early '80s anymore, with Michael Jordan, James Worthy and Sam Perkins on one team.

What Matta does have in 2009-10 is a chance for some actual consistency and player development -- and quite possibly, another run at the Big Ten championship.

Mullens is the Buckeyes' only loss. It's a big one in terms of size and talent, not as much in terms of production. Turner and last year's hotshot freshman, William Buford, both decided against early jumps to the NBA. And although Matta has no recruits signed for this season, he has some new weapons ready to contribute and make this a better team.

And he gets David Lighty back -- the one guy on the roster who actually played in the 2007 title game -- after a broken foot ended his season after just seven games. Lighty's athleticism and experience should strengthen the Buckeyes on both ends of the floor. "He was our only true veteran player last year, we lost him, and we still had a good season," Matta said. "So I'm excited about this year."

Last season's team relied on the stardom of Turner, the emergence of shooter Jon Diebler after his difficult freshman season, and the arrival of Buford. The Buckeyes got off quickly with a pair of wins that were considered upsets at the timeat Miami, then against Notre Dame in Indianapolis. A narrow home win over Butler ended a difficult and successful three-game stretch that earned OSU a national ranking.

A win over Jacksonville -- and Lighty's season-ending injury -- came next. Two weeks later, West Virginia paid a visit and bombed the suddenly reeling Buckeyes by 28 points.

Big Ten play had its ups, downs and must-win situations with an NCAA bid on the line. The Buckeyes got a big one over Purdue on Feb. 3, a comeback and overtime triumph. But then Illinois came in and beat OSU in Columbus, part of four losses in five games to end February. It was capped by a 25-point blowout loss at Purdue.

Two tight victories to end the regular season, at Iowa and home versus Northwestern, got Matta's team to the 10-win mark in league play. The Buckeyes took the momentum into the Big Ten tournament, beating Wisconsin and upsetting Michigan State before falling to the Boilermakers in the title game. "The team continued to get better through the course of the season," Matta said. "When you play 18 games in a league like the Big Ten, you're going to have ups and downs. But we were able to maintain our focus."

And play better defense as the season progressed. Matta continued to employ mostly a 3-2 zone, and the Buckeyes executed it well late in the season. Now that Matta actually has an experienced team returning, OSU may go with less zone this season. "This year I'd like to get more man-to-man defense involved," he said. "Last year we had so many new guys, we were concerned with being able to score. So we spent a majority of our time working on our offense in practice. It's been that way the last two years, because we've been loaded with freshmen and sophomores. "Now we can actually work on defense more. That's the plan, anyway."

The loss to Siena in an 8-9 game in the first round of the NCAA tournament was a killer. It was in nearby Dayton, involved a blown 11-point lead and came on a three-point bomb with 3.9 seconds left in double-overtime.

The Buckeyes would probably rather not revisit those events, but Matta is using that game as an example for his team. "There were a couple things we took from that game," he said. "No. 1, we were not good enough to win the basketball game. No. 2, I never felt we were completely dialed in to the level we needed to be. And yet, here we were, up 11 points in the first half."

Just a week earlier, the Buckeyes qualified as "fully dialed in" during a convincing 82-70 upset of the Spartans in the Big Ten tournament. That game is also being used as an example, because if the Buckeyes can learn to bring that kind of effort on a consistent basis, they won't have to worry about a No. 8 seeding or a first-round exit this season.

PLAYERS

PG-P.J. HILL (6-1, 165 lbs., SR, #4, 3.2. ppg, 1.7 rpg, 1.9 apg, 17.4 mpg, .455 FG, .424 3PT, .742 FT, Minneapolis North High/Minneapolis, Minn.). This position may be the Buckeyes' obvious weak point, but Hill has become a terrific story. He will battle Jeremie Simmons for the starting job --a job Hill took and ran with at the end of last season. "We recruited him as a backup and he didn't accept that," Matta said. "Could he start for us this season? Absolutely. Nobody works harder than he does. Nobody cares more than he does. His story is quite amazing."

A lightly regarded transfer in 2007 from Midland (Texas) College, Hill played sparingly in his first season in Columbus. He was only there because Mike Conley Jr. surprised Matta and bolted after his freshman season. Jamar Butler graduated after Hill's first year, and last season's freshman point guard, Anthony Crater, transferred just 10 games into the season.

That left Hill and Simmons, another JUCO pickup who is not a true point guard. Hill's hard work was most evident in his jump shot -- his 42.4 percent accuracy from three-point range was second best on the teamand his tenacious, intelligent play got him into the starting lineup in February. He played 40 minutes in the NCAA loss to Siena.

Physically, Hill is not imposing, but he has quickness and the aforementioned work ethic. The Buckeyes will need him to improve on last season's totals of 51 assists and 39 turnovers.

SG-DAVID LIGHTY (6-5, 220 lbs., JR, #23, 9.7 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1.9 apg, 32.9 mpg, .471 FG, .263 3PT, .742 FT, Villa Angela-St. Joseph High/Cleveland, Ohio). Matta believes Lighty was on his way to a breakthrough season as a junior, bringing his offensive game up to the level of his defense and intangibles on the court.

When Lighty went down with a broken bone in his left foot after the seventh game, he was leading the team in minutes. He had a career-high 21 points, to go with seven boards, four assists and three steals, in that game, a win over Jacksonville. "On last year's team, he was the only guy who had been in the program for two years. He was the only guy on the roster who had played in the national title game, which is astounding," Matta said. "And of course, on the night he broke his foot he was having one of his best offensive games."

Lighty got a medical red-shirt, so he's a junior all over again. And he is the emotional leader for the Buckeyes. "He's kind of like a magnet man," Matta said.

His shooting may never be as consistent as the Buckeyes would like, although it certainly showed improvement last season.

Lighty's return increases the chances Ohio State will play more man-to-man defense. He has the quickness and size to guard four positions. On the other end, Matta may even give him a shot to play some point guard, so Ohio State can get all its top perimeter talent on the floor together for stretches.

SG-JON DIEBLER (6-6, 205 lbs., JR, #33, 11.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.5 apg, 36.7 mpg, .421 FG, .416 3PT, .800 FT, Upper Sandusky High/Upper Sandusky, Ohio). This is where things get interesting in the starting lineup. Assuming Lighty once again starts, either Diebler or stud sophomore William Buford will have to come off the bench. Either one would be a top contender for Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year. Diebler gets the slight edge because of his experience and all-around effective play for the Buckeyes.

Diebler and Evan Turner both will join Lighty in leading this team on the floor and in the locker room. "Both those guys are gonna be juniors, they've been in the program two years, and that's big," Matta said of Diebler and Turner.

Diebler's second season in Columbus couldn't have been more different than his first. His first was often nightmarish. The state of Ohio's all-time leading high school scorer came in with big expectations, but he often appeared to be pressing, and he ended up hitting just 28.9 percent of his three-point attempts.

Last season, Diebler came in bigger, stronger, calmer. He was better on defense, he passed for 82 assists, he hit the boards, and the jump shot magically returned. Diebler nailed 96 from three-point range -- more than twice any other Buckeye -- at a nifty 41.6 percent clip. His reputation for exhaustive work suggests that his junior season should be even better. "The biggest thing with Jon is just maturity and strength, and slowing things down in his mind," Matta said. "His freshman year, he put so much pressure on himself to make things happen. He has matured, he has added strength, and now he's letting things come to him. He had a tremendous sophomore year, and we're looking for big things from him this season."

SF-EVAN TURNER (6-7, 205 lbs., JR, #21, 17.3 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 4.0 apg, 36.4 mpg, .503 FG, .440 3PT, .788 FT, St. Joseph's High/Chicago, Ill.). Here's your point guard. And your slashing wing. And your mismatch power forward. And a guy many thought should have won Big Ten player of the year as a sophomore.

Let's see, Turner led the Buckeyes in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, three-point percentage -- and certainly in defenders embarrassed. His crossover is one of the deadliest weapons in college basketball. He showed that off as a freshman, but with an improved jump shot and more strength as a sophomore, it became extremely difficult to stop.

Enjoy Turner this season, because he may well be the next Buckeye to bolt early. Some projections have him as a lottery pick in the 2010 draft. First, Turner will be the driving force behind Ohio State's search for hardware. "He's a great competitor," Matta said. "Evan wants to win, and he wants to play his best basketball every second he's on the floor."

That was true over the summer, when Turner led USA Basketball's junior team in assists, en route to a bronze medal at the World University Games in Serbia. He played for Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan, and Matta liked that Turner "got to compete for something outside of what's normal."

Now that he's back competing for the usual stuff, Turner doesn't have much to add to his game. But Matta would like to see him stretch defenses more often -- a scary prospect for opponents. Turner took just 25 three-point attempts, hitting 11. "He's got to continue to develop his three-point shot," Matta said. "He didn't take it a lot last year, but that will make him a more effective player."

PF-DALLAS LAUDERDALE (6-8, 255 lbs., JR, #52, 4.7 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.0 bpg, 21.5 mpg, .718 FG, .458 FT, Solon High/Solon, Ohio). Lauderdale is all brawn, a powerful presence around the basket who generally sticks to dunks, layups and the occasional baby hook shot. He led the Buckeyes with 67 blocked shots last season, ranking second in the Big Ten.

Lauderdale played some of his best ball late in the season, with 27 points, 16 rebounds and 10 blocks in four postseason games. And Matta likes the fact that Lauderdale is keeping his weight -- always a point of discussion -- down and his strength up. "He's done a very good job of taking care of himself [over the] summer," Matta said.

Mullens' departure may mean more minutes for Lauderdale this season, but Ohio State has enough scoring options. The Buckeyes just need him to be him. Not many teams have a guy with his kind of brute power. "There were signs last year that he can be a very good basketball player," Matta said. "We need him to rebound, block shots and finish around the rim, and if he can do that for us, we're in good shape with Dallas."

SG-WILLIAM BUFORD (6-5, 190 lbs., SO, #44, 11.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.1 apg, 29.3 mpg, .448 FG, .368 3PT, .849 FT, Libbey High/Toledo, Ohio). Some think Buford may end up being the best pro off this team, yet he projects off the bench as a sophomore. It's possible he could start instead of Jon Diebler, or with Diebler if Matta decides to try David Lighty at starting point guard instead of P.J. Hill or Jeremie Simmons.

Regardless, Buford will be a big part of the Buckeyes' plans. He is a pure scorer with a quick release and tons of athleticism. And he's one of those "gym rat" guys who are obsessed with improving and usually make big strides from one season to the next.

"Adding strength is a big thing for Will, a lot like Jon and Evan as freshmen," Matta said. "During his freshman year he was forced to play heavy minutes and he responded. I was impressed with his attention to detail and how dedicated he is to becoming a great player. "Will was the first to admit, 'I don't know what it takes.' He asked a ton of questions. He wants to be a great player, and sometimes that's half the battle."

Ball handling and defense, in that order, are on Buford's must-improve list. If he can use the dribble to create shots for himself more often, he'll be that much tougher to stop. Buford should be able to improve significantly on his 35 assists vs. 39 turnovers. And if Ohio State is going to play more man-to-man, he'll have to do his share.

PG-JEREMIE SIMMONS (6-2, 170 lbs., SR, #2, 6.8 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 2.5 apg, 22.5 mpg, .374 FG, .360 3PT, .766 FT, Von Steuben High/Chicago, Ill.). Simmons was a late add to the 2008 class, a JUCO transfer who was national player of the year at national champion Mott Community College in Flint, Mich. It's possible he could start at point guard, but he's more of an off guard -- and a capable one at that.

Simmons did finish second to Turner in assists with 83, against 45 turnovers. He had his ups and downs while adjusting to a higher level of play, but he's another guy who should be better this time around. "He understands now what the grind of a college season is about, and he understands the value of strength training," Matta said. "He has made changes to his body, and if that continues, he can have a big year, because he is a very good shooter."

C-ZISIS SARIKOPOULOS (7-0, 265 lbs., SO, #45, 1.8 ppg, 1.1 rpg in 2007-08, Olympiakos/Athens, Greece). Might this be the answer to the loss of Mullens? Matta hopes so. Sarikopoulos sat out last season after transferring from UAB. The native of Greece didn't play all that much at UAB -- playing in 20 games and starting four -- but Matta liked what he saw in practice last season. "He had a great year as a red-shirt, and hopefully he can fill the void," Matta said. "He's a legit 7-foot and we think he can do some of the things B.J. did for us."

Sarikopoulos' slick passing skills may add a dimension Mullens didn't provide in the post. And he has the body. Sarikopoulos played in two junior tournaments for his country over the summer and suffered a slight knee injury, but he should be healthy for practice.

Sarikopoulos has been a stalwart in international competition. He led the Under-18 Greece national team to a second-place finish in the 2007 Euro Championships and helped club team Olympiakos B.C. to a second-place finish in Greece, averaging about 20 points and 16 rebounds. That year he also averaged 7.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 1.1 steals for Greece in the U-18 European Championships.

The big man has even caught the attention of the greatest player ever. Before he landed at UAB, Sarikopoulos's only other appearance in the U.S. came when Michael Jordan selected him MVP of Greece and invited him to compete at the Jordan Brand All-American Classic in New York City.

SG-WALTER OFFUTT (6-3, 190 lbs., SO, #3, 0.9 ppg, 0.5 rpg, 0.2 apg, 4.9 mpg, .381 FG, .000 3PT, .333 FT, Warren Central High/Indianapolis, Ind.). Here's another reason the Buckeyes could be better than last season. Offutt started earning himself some minutes late in the year, and although Lighty is back, Offutt can give some help off the bench and allow the mainstays to ease up a bit on the heavy minutes. Diebler and Turner shouldn't have to play 37 minutes a game this season.

Offutt is a promising player with an unfortunate injury history. He tore the ACL in his left knee as a high school sophomore, then did the same to his right knee as a high school senior. He got healthy and gradually stronger as a college freshman. "He's a tough kid, he comes in and goes to work every day," Matta said. "He gives us some nice depth at the wing position. He's shooting it better and better, and he could already drive and defend. He adds an element of competitiveness to our team."

C-KYLE MADSEN (6-9, 240 lbs., SR, #15, 1.1 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 0.2 apg, 7.7 mpg, .393 FG, .692 FT, Dublin Coffman High/Dublin, Ohio). It's always nice to have a 6-9 senior with skill on the roster, and there will be times this season when Madsen will need to give some important minutes. The transfer from Vanderbilt got into 29 games last season.

If Sarikopoulos ends up not being ready, Madsen may have to give extended help against certain opponents. He isn't especially athletic, but he can hold his position against Big Ten post players. "He has a great understanding of what we expect," Matta said. "He gives us size and he can shoot the ball."

PF-NIKOLA KECMAN (6-8, 229 lbs., SO, #24, 6.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 11.0 mpg, .600 FG, Belgrade, Serbia). Kecman is another Buckeye who has needed extra medical attention. The JUCO transfer from Eastern Arizona appeared poised to give some help to the Buckeyes as soon as he was eligible to play in January. He had six points and five boards in his first game on Jan. 9 against Houston Baptist. Three days later, Kecman suffered a severe ACL tear in his left knee in practice.

As practice approaches, Kecman still isn't ready to participate on the court. Matta is hoping he will be at some point, because he would give the Buckeyes more versatility and a big man who can shoot. But Ohio State obviously will be careful with his comeback. "He can shoot, he's bigger, he's got some age to him and he's seen a lot," Matta said of Kecman. "He's a guy who could help."

BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS

BACKCOURT: A-
BENCH/DEPTH: B-
FRONTCOURT: C-
INTANGIBLES: B

The Buckeyes did an exhibition tour in Canada in August, a team-building exercise for a group that already might have more chemistry than any of Matta's previous Ohio State outfits. It will find out a lot about itself early in the actual season, thanks to a difficult nonconference lineup.

The tests come before Thanksgiving in the 2K Sports Classic in New York, where the Buckeyes will meet defending national champ North Carolina in the semifinals, then either California or Syracuse the next day.

Florida State visits for the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, and Ohio State must travel to Butler in Decem-ber, and to West Virginia in the middle of Big Ten play. "I think it will be interesting," Matta said. "We have a tough non-conference schedule, and then the Big Ten is going to be a monster again. It'll be every bit if not more challenging than it was last year."

The Big Ten's best shooting team last season should retain that crown, the defense should be better, and more man-to-man should mean better rebounding.

If the point guard play can just be solid and the interior players can hold their own against big opponents, these Buckeyes can take aim at a Big Ten title and a lengthy NCAA tournament stay.

For the most comprehensive previews available on all 334 Division I teams, order the "Bible" of college basketball, the 2009-10 Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, at www.blueribbonyearbookonline.com or call 1-877-807-4857.