(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
First the good news for the Ohio State University basketball team: It returns all five starters and over 85 percent of its scoring offense from a team that made it to the NCAA tournament last year.
Now the bad news: Starting center Dallas Lauderdale will miss the beginning of the season after breaking his hand in practice.
Among the games he could possibly miss will be match-ups against powerhouse North Carolina and either Syracuse or California at the Coaches for Cancer Tournament (Nov. 19-20).
At 6'8" Lauderdale might not have the optimum height you want in your center, but he is powerfully built with a tremendous wing span. What he lacks as a scoring threat he more than makes up for as a gifted shot-blocker and an improving rebounder.
His short absence will be greatly missed, as the only other front-court player on the Buckeyes' roster with experience is 6'9" Kyle Madsen. The former walk-on is big on hustle, but short on athleticism.
Madsen has a decent short-range shooting touch, but does not possess the hands necessary to be a reliable low-post threat.
Thad Matta is hoping that seven-foot transfer Zisis Sarikopoulos is ready to provide a lift while Lauderdale is healing. Sarikopoulos is a former 18-and-under Greece National Team star, leading them to the U18 European Gold Medal in 2008.
He's a shot-blocker and rebounder, but will need to improve his footwork near the basket to get more playing time.
6’9” Serbian Nicola Kecman will be a nice addition to the Ohio State team. As with many European big men, the junior college transfer doesn’t mix it up inside. But he possesses a nice outside jump shot, and his size will draw opposing low-post defenders out of the lane.
The Buckeyes boast one of the best, if not the best, wing combinations in college basketball in Evan Turner (6'7" Jr.), William Buford (6'5" So.), David Lighty (6'5" Jr.), and Jon Diebler (6'6" Jr.).
Evan Turner in particular does not get the respect he deserves as a top-flight small forward. Turner is equally adept at shooting it from long range as he is taking it to the hole. Because the team lacks a true playmaker at point guard, the offense generally runs through him.
Last season, Turner improved his three-point shooting to 44 percent and shot over 50 percent from the field. In addition to his 17.1 PPG, he averaged over seven rebounds to go along with 4.4 assists per game.
Look for continued improvement and consistency from Buford in his second NCAA season. The former McDonald’s All-American proved he can score off the dribble as a freshman, but he will be even more dangerous as he develops an outside shot.
Always a scoring threat (11.1 PPG), Buford’s minutes will be more consistent now that he is buying into Coach Thad Matta’s defensive system.
When David Lighty went down with an injury in 2009-2009, the Buckeyes lost their heart-and-soul (and captain). Lighty is back as Mr. Do-It-All for 2010 and it will pay dividends.
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