Ohio State Basketball: Buckeyes’ 5 Biggest Conference Games

Remember those Big Ten championship hopes that were in place for the Ohio State basketball team before the 2014-15 season? It’s time to dial those expectations back.

In fact, it may be time to dial them way back.

The Buckeyes destroyed the cupcakes on their nonconference schedule, but they also looked completely outmatched in their three games of note against Louisville, North Carolina and Iowa. The result is a 0-1 record in the league and a resume that is not NCAA tournament-worthy as of now.

The zone defense is incredibly vulnerable, the rebounding has been nightmarish and the offensive inconsistency has been maddening at times.

The good news is that the vast majority of Big Ten play is still ahead of this team. There are a number of opportunities for Ohio State to make a statement and climb back into the discussion for a solid seed in the NCAA tournament. The only question is whether the Buckeyes will take advantage of them.

Here is a look at the five biggest opportunities ahead of Thad Matta’s club.

Jan. 3 vs. Illinois

Illinois may not be the best team on Ohio State’s schedule, but this is as close to a must-win game as you can ask for in the first week of January.

The Buckeyes are fresh off a home loss to Iowa to start conference play, which doesn’t do anything for their confidence after losing to both Louisville and North Carolina. A 0-2 start at home in the Big Ten would be disastrous for Ohio State’s conference…

Continue Reading: Ohio State Basketball: Buckeyes’ 5 Biggest Conference Games