Ohio State Basketball: Joey Lane reminisces on Ohio State career

The Ohio State basketball program is built on more than just top recruits. Recently a former walk-on spoke to me about his experiences with the team.

Joey Lane joined the Ohio State men’s basketball program prior to the 2015-16 season. At the time, Thad Matta was still head coach, Keita Bates-Diop hadn’t won Big Ten Player of the Year yet and Chris Holtmann was heading into his second year at Butler. Lane recently discussed all that and more.

"“I grew up my whole life as an Ohio State fan. It was always my dream to go there, not even necessarily to play basketball there, but to just go to Ohio State,” Lane explained. “I idolized coach Matta and some of the players that they had like Greg Oden, Mike Conley, Aaron Craft, Jon Diebler, and Jared Sullinger. I looked at them as superstars.”"

Lane, a 6’1 guard from Illinois, appeared in just 11 games during his first two seasons. The Buckeyes went 38-29 in those two years, and Matta agreed to step down. Insert Holtmann, who was hired by Ohio State on June 9, 2017.  In Lane’s junior year, the team exceeded expectations, going 25-9 and defeating South Dakota State in the NCAA Tournament.

He explained why the 2017-18 team was the best he played on:

"“The short answer is Keita Bates-Diop was Big Ten Player of the Year. He was finally healthy and that team was super hungry. Also that coaching staff had a lot to prove, and that combination made us pretty lethal. We owe a lot to each other.”"

In Lane’s senior season, he played in 15 games, including one start versus Wisconsin on March 10, 2019. The Buckeyes finished the regular season with an 18-13 record and went on to upset Iowa State in the Round of 64. Lane’s career would come to an end in the next game though in a loss to Houston.

"“After the Houston game, coach Holtmann asked the upperclassmen to say a few words. I was just grateful to have the experience that I had with such great teammates. It was quite the four years,” Lane told me. “I not only went to Ohio State to be a basketball player but to also get a degree from a great university. It was an unbelievable experience.”"

Lane, who is originally from Deerfield, Illinois, spent four years at Ohio State and appeared in 36 games. During his career, the Buckeyes went an 83-53 and won a pair of NCAA Tournament games versus South Dakota State (2018) and Iowa State (2019). Lane also earned Academic All-Big Ten honors during his final three years at Ohio State.