Ohio State Basketball: Buckeyes Are Still Inferior to SEC Teams

The Ohio State Buckeyes were booted from the NCAA Tournament in the Sweet 16 round for a second consecutive season. Once again, it was a team from the SEC that would send the Buckeyes back home to Columbus.

This is an all-too-familiar scenario for the Buckeyes and their fans. Losing to a team from the SEC has become a common theme in postseason play for the school's basketball and football teams.

The losses have ranged from average bowl games, games in the middle of the tournament, and national championship games in both sports.

The trend seemed to come to an end when the Buckeyes football team defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks in this year's Sugar Bowl. That was the first time they have ever defeated a SEC team in a bowl game.

Here is a look back at Ohio State's postseason losses to SEC teams.

The Beginning of the Losing Tradition

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STACY DANLEY, RUNNING BACK FOR AUBURN, RUNS IN TO FOSTER PAULK OF OHIO STATE DURING THE 1990 HALL OF FAME BOWL AT TAMPA STADIUM IN TAMPA BAY, FLORIDA. MANDATORY CREDIT: SCOTT HALLERAN/ALLSPORT

1978 Sugar Bowl: Alabama 35, Ohio State 6

1990 Hall of Fame Bowl: Auburn 31, Ohio State 14

The Citrus Bowl Losses

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1 Jan 1996: Tailback Eddie George #27 of the Ohio State Buckeyes takes off his helmet for a rest on the sideline with Bob Houser #88 during the game against the Tennessee Volunteers in the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida. Tennessee defeated Ohio State 2

1993 Citrus Bowl: Georgia 21, Ohio State 14

1995 Citrus Bowl: Alabama 24, Ohio State 17

1996 Citrus Bowl: Tennessee 20, Ohio State 14

The Outback Bowl Losses

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1 Jan 2002: South Carolina player Antoine Nesmith, #1, is carried off the field by teammates after beating Ohio State 31-28 in the Outback Bowl at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: Scott Halleran/Getty Images

2001 Outback Bowl: South Carolina 24, Ohio State 7

2002 Outback Bowl: South Carolina 31, Ohio State 28

These two seasons marked the changing of the guard at Ohio State. The 2001 Outback Bowl ended coach John Cooper's tenure at Ohio State.

The 2002 Outback Bowl ended coach Jim Tressel's first season as head coach of the Buckeyes. Neither coach had a solution for Lou Holtz's Gamecocks teams.

2007 BCS National Championship Game

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GLENDALE, AZ - JANUARY 08: Linebacker Earl Everett #30 of the Florida Gators tackles Troy Smith #10 of the Ohio State Buckeyes after losing his helmet during the 2007 Tostitos BCS National Championship Game at the University of Phoenix Stadium on January

The 2006 Ohio State Buckeyes started the season as the No. 1-ranked team in the nation. The Buckeyes finished the regular season undefeated and were the first team to ever score a perfect 1.000 in the BCS composite score.

The Buckeyes faced the No. 2 Florida Gators in the BCS National Championship Game.

Ted Ginn Jr. got Ohio State on the board first, taking the opening kickoff back 93 yards for a touchdown. However, he injured himself in the celebration and would miss the remainder of the game.

The Gators owned the second quarter and took a 34-14 lead at halftime and went on to win 41-17.

2007 NCAA Tournament

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ATLANTA - APRIL 02: Jamar Butler #14 of the Ohio State Buckeyes walks off of the court after losing to the Florida Gators during the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship game at the Georgia Dome on April 2, 2007 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Andy Lyons/G

The Buckeyes entered the 2007 NCAA Basketball Tournament as the No. 1 seed in the South Regional.

They played well through the tournament, surviving an overtime game against Xavier and defeating Georgetown in the Final Four to advance to the championship game.

Different sport, same result.

The Gators made light work of the Buckeyes. After leading 40-29 at half, they went on to win 84-75.

This game marked the only time in NCAA history that the same two schools have played for the football and basketball championships in the same year.

The Gators were also the first school to win football and basketball championships in the same academic and calendar year.

2008 BCS National Championship Game

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NEW ORLEANS - JANUARY 07: Antonio Henton #7 and Chris Wells #28 of the Ohio State Buckeyes sit dejected after losing 38-24 to the Louisiana State University Tigers during the AllState BCS National Championship on January 7, 2008 at the Louisiana Superdom

The 2007 Ohio State Buckeyes started the season ranked No. 10 in the nation. They finished the regular season as Big Ten Champions with an 11-1 record.

They were catapulted into the No. 1 ranking to finish the regular season after West Virginia and Missouri both finished their seasons with losses.

They faced the No. 2 LSU Tigers in the 2008 BCS National Championship Game. Ohio State took an early 10-3 lead in the first quarter, but the game would go downhill from there.

LSU was on fire in the second quarter and took a 24-10 lead into the half. The Tigers went on to win the game 38-24.

2010 NCAA Tournament

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ST. LOUIS - MARCH 26: Scotty Hopson #32 of the Tennessee Volunteers celebrates a basket against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the midwest regional semifinal of the 2010 NCAA men's basketball tournament at the Edward Jones Dome on March 26, 2010 in St. Lo

The Buckeyes entered the 2010 NCAA Basketball Tournament as the No. 2 seed in the Midwest Regional. They advanced to the Sweet 16 round after wins over UC-Santa Barbara and Georgia Tech.

They faced the Tennessee Volunteers in the Sweet 16 round. The Buckeyes had a three-point lead going into the half but would lose the game 76-73 to the No. 6 seed Volunteers.

2011 NCAA Tournament

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NEWARK, NJ - MARCH 25: Josh Harrellson #55 of the Kentucky Wildcats blocks a shot of Aaron Craft #4 of the Ohio State Buckeyes during the east regional semifinal of the 2011 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at the Prudential Center on March 25, 2011 in N

The Buckeyes entered the 2011 NCAA Basketball Tournament as the No. 1 seed in the East Regional. They advanced to the Sweet 16 round after wins over Texas San Antonio and George Mason.

They faced the Kentucky Wildcats in the Sweet 16 game. The game was a hard fought battle from beginning to end. The teams were tied at halftime with 30 points each.

Jon Diebler hit a three-point shot for the Buckeyes to tie the game at 60 with 21 seconds remaining.

However, Kentucky's Brandon Knight responded with a game winning 15-foot jumper with just under six seconds remaining.