No Sullinger, but Buckeyes still optimistic

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

For the second year in a row, Ohio State has just one senior on its roster.

Save your sympathy, however.

A year ago, with just one fourth-year player, the Buckeyes went all the way to the Final Four before falling to Kansas in the national semifinals.

Maybe the term “senior leadership” doesn’t apply at Ohio State, where it seems there’s annually a huge turnover of top players yet the Buckeyes and coach Thad Matta just keep chugging right along, racking up 20-win seasons, NCAA tournament appearances and Big Ten titles.

Although it’ll be hard to replace two-time All-American Jared Sullinger, who left early for the NBA, and senior scorer William Buford (graduation), the Buckeyes always seem to find a way.

“Will and Jared, they are great guys who helped us build a tradition here,” returning starter Lenzelle Smith Jr. said. “When they left, the tradition and the legacy is left behind. So we carry that on.”

The Buckeyes have reloaded from last year’s 31-8 Big Ten regular-season co-championship season and are plotting how to get even better with a team built around the prodigious talents of Deshaun Thomas, Aaron Craft and Smith — along with several players set to step into the spotlight.

“This team is athletic,” said Matta, whose last couple of teams have won big despite not been terribly fast or versatile. “I want them to use what they’ve got there. It correlates back to, hopefully, we’re going to be able to score some off of our defense. That’s why a major emphasis on the preseason will be getting our defense down.”

Matta’s message is a simple one to those who are left behind: Don’t try to single-handedly make up for who’s not around.

“Those guys, you can’t replace them,” Matta said. “You say to your guys, ‘Look, I don’t need you to be Jared or William. I need you to be yourselves and be the best you can be.”’