Ohio State Basketball: The Bucks are undergoing toughest challenge yet
By Riley Thomas
The Ohio State basketball team is experiencing its toughest challenge yet this season: overcoming a COVID outbreak.
As we all know, the Buckeyes have already canceled two games (Kentucky and UT Martin) due to the breakout. Canceling the showdown with Kentucky certainly hurt as it was another meaningful nonconference opportunity for OSU.
Plus, Ohio State shutting down comes at an inopportune time with the Bucks hitting their stride. Since defeating Duke, the Scarlet and Gray have been rolling. However, hitting the ground running when OSU can play again will be easier said than done.
OSU’s next game is scheduled for Tuesday, December 28th against New Orleans. At that point, the Bucks will be well past a week since shutting the program down. More than likely, the program should be good to go by then. As Chris Holtmann has mentioned, the team is fully vaccinated so that should help contain the outbreak in some manner.
If the Buckeyes cannot go for the New Orleans game, it will only become more difficult. After New Orleans, Ohio State will be thrust into Big Ten conference play. The Big Ten will once again be one of the best conferences in the country, few games will be an easy outing.
Without a doubt, OSU will need a game to find their footing after playing virtually no basketball for over a week. The New Orleans game would be an ideal tune-up game coming off a program’s shut down.
Who knows what happens from here. The sports world is being greatly impacted by the pandemic yet again, the Buckeyes are not the only ones impacted. Hopefully, Ohio State basketball recovers quickly and is ready to play sooner rather than later.
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Ohio State basketball is undergoing what could be their toughest challenge this season. Overcoming the outbreak itself is hard enough, but the Bucks finding their groove afterward makes it even more difficult.