Ohio State ranked No. 22 in AP and Coaches polls
By Willie Lutz
Call it gravity or call it Keita Bates-Diop, but the Buckeyes made their way to into the Top 25 polls.
It’s been a long time coming for the Ohio State basketball program who played their last game as a ranked team in on March 8th, 2015. Thad Matta coached, freshman D’Angelo Russell was a sensation, and the iPhone 6 was still new.
Now, 1,044 days later, the Buckeyes have been ranked No. 22 team in the country in both the AP and Coaches Top 25 polls.
Winners of five straight, Chris Holtmann reeled in a program in a tough spiral and returned them to not only relevance but into a potential contender. Lacking a bad loss, the Buckeyes have finally proven their case to poll voters, something fans have harkened for since the overpowering of No. 1 Michigan State.
It seemed voters believed the Buckeyes still had something to prove. It turns out, dominating victories over Maryland and Rutgers sealed the deal.
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Now, the Buckeyes get to test their poll position against two teams clamoring for a big win.
First, it’ll be a Wednesday trip to see the Northwestern Wildcats in Evanston, IL. The Wildcats are 11-8 despite high expectations from last year’s tournament run. Then on Saturday, the Buckeyes face a very tough, yet underperforming 13-6 Minnesota team in a neutral site clash at Madison Square Garden.
Considering the Buckeyes most impressive victories have been in Columbus, these games are both a test and a learning opportunity. No. 22 Ohio State can prove its legitimacy by sealing a pair of tough wins away from home; that’ll go a long way come tournament time.
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It’s important not to think too far ahead, however, as just being in the Top 25 poll is a long time coming. It’s an exciting time for the Ohio State basketball program and a pair of wins could mean a trip higher up the polls.