Ohio State Basketball: 10 Keys to Buckeyes Winning the Big Ten Title

Thad Matta's Ohio State Buckeyes sit atop the Big Ten standings, but there's plenty of conference play left, including the grueling conference playoffs in March.

Aside from a few hiccups, Jared Sullinger and company have been able to cruise through their schedule with fundamentals, power and timely shooting. They are clearly the most complete team in the conference.

But don't crown them Big Ten champions yet; there are several road tests remaining, along with the Big Ten tournament.

Here are 10 keys for the Buckeyes to pass those tests.

Lateral Ball Movement

Good ball movement is the key for any team's success, but the Buckeyes are particularly effective when they swing the ball laterally.

Moving the ball side-to-side shifts the defense and allows Jared Sullinger to move from block to block and get good position. It also spreads the defense and allows cutters more space.

Last, forcing the defense to shift increases the likelihood that they will over-commit to one side of the floor, leaving shooters open on the weak side.

Aaron Craft, William Buford and Lenzelle Smith, Jr. are great at keeping Ohio State's offense flowing. They'll need to be in sync in order to take down some tough defenses in the Big Ten tournament.

Have a Road-Team Killer Instinct

Thad Matta's boys are dominant at home, and their three losses were all road games.

The Buckeyes need to play with a chip on their shoulder on the road, because their biggest road games are on the horizon. They have yet to visit Wisconsin, Michigan and Michigan State, and they also play the Big Ten tournament on neutral soil.

If Ohio State wants to run the tables in the regular season and in the conference tournament, it will need to buckle down on defense and play like a veteran squad.

Feed Jared Sullinger

The Buckeyes know that their greatest recipe for success is giving Jared Sullinger plenty of opportunities to do damage on opponents.

Sullinger's footwork, strength and tenacity in the paint are exceeded by no one. His outlandish 33.0 player efficiency rating is a manifestation of his offensive efficiency and impact on quality possessions for Ohio State.

When he's not rebounding and scoring points in the paint, he's knocking down high-percentage outside shots that help keep the defense honest.

Matta needs to keep Sullinger involved in all facets of the game if the Buckeyes want to excel in February and March.

Keep Bench Personnel Involved

Ohio State has arguably the deepest team in the Big Ten, with outstanding reserves such as Sam Thompson, Amir Williams and Shannon Scott.

Keeping these players sharp during the remainder of the regular season would benefit the Buckeyes tremendously in the conference tournament and beyond.

Not only would it give these bench players confidence moving forward into the postseason, but it would help give the starters a breather to keep them fresh.

Matta has used his bench to varying degrees throughout this season; he would be wise to empower his reserves in February.

Rim-Running

Ohio State is an un-guardable type of team when they get cutters moving toward the hoop.

Back-screens. Curl-screens. Backdoor cuts. The Buckeyes will need to use all of these to take down some of the great defensive teams like the Wisconsin Badgers.

Sunday's win over Michigan featured some excellent ball movement and dives to the hoop, resulting in a convincing win.

If Ohio State keeps cutting to the rim, they'll be cutting down the nets in Indianapolis.

Keep Sully out of Foul Trouble

For most of this season, Jared Sullinger has been able to stay out of foul trouble and be extremely productive throughout games.

On the occasions when he does register several fouls, bad things can happen.

It's not a coincidence that Sullinger was in foul trouble in Ohio State's two losses with him in the lineup.

Sometimes, foul trouble isn't even the player's fault. At any rate, good individual and team defense can help prevent any sticky situations.

William Buford's Consistency

William Buford is Ohio State's best all-around performer. He's effective in all phases of the game, whether it's scoring, facilitating, rebounding or defending.

When Buford contributes in all areas of the game, it gives the Buckeyes a unique edge. In Ohio State's most recent losses to Indiana and Illinois, Buford averaged 11.5 points and 1.5 assists, far less than the 15 and 3.3 he normally enjoys.

Buford knows how important his consistency is to the team. One bad game from him could give opponents a chance to knock off the Buckeyes.

Control Tempo and Take Care of the Ball

A key factor to the Buckeyes' success has been protecting the ball.

Ohio State has a great assist-to-turnover ratio, and that's due largely to the savvy of ball-handlers Aaron Craft and William Buford.

Successful teams control the pace of the game and work for high-percentage shot opportunities.The Buckeyes have been heady when it comes to knowing when to fast break and when to slow things down.

Conference tournament play increases the intensity and the pressure, so cool heads and smart decisions are more important than ever.

Take (and Make) Quality 3-Point Attempts

The Buckeyes generally don't take a lot of three-pointers, so when they do, they need to make them count.

With tough road games and the conference tournament ahead, it's important to get clean looks from long range and bury them.

Three-point shots early in the shot clock or without rebounders in position are a no-no.

Working the ball inside out and spreading the floor will lead to quality triple tries.

Lock Down Defensive Glass

Teams like Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois can be dangerous when given multiple opportunities. They all have long-range threats who can make you pay for not taking care of business on the glass.

Ohio State is a sound defensive team and a solid rebounding team, so defensive rebounding is second nature to them at this point in the season. 

However, it should never be underestimated. The only way to execute effective defense is to focus and hold the opponent to one shot per possession.