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Why is this news?: Ohio State 22nd in power rankings, projected fifth seed

All the big Ohio State news in one helpful place.

By Dan Vest
Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

"There are players that make a program and then there are those that define it. Aaron Craft defined Ohio State for the four years that he was in Columbus."

-Dana O'Neill, ESPN.com

In yet another sign that the college basketball season is rapidly approaching, ESPN has released its initial power rankings for the 2014/2015 season, and the Ohio State Buckeyes check in at number 22. The rankings also include Joe Lunardi’s projected NCAA tourney team for each team, a feature that has the Buckeyes slotted into a five-seed.

Of Ohio State, O’Neill says:

So who is Ohio State? That's the question for the Buckeyes. They return three seniors -- Shannon Scott, Sam Thompson and Amir Williams -- and add graduate transfer Anthony Lee from Temple. That's a lot of experience. It's not yet a lot of presence. Someone will have to supply the Buckeyes with their identity. Scott would seem the obvious pick. He moves into his natural position, taking over the point from Craft, but leadership doesn't just come from having the ball in your hand.

While it’s not necessarily true to say that someone will need to replace Craft – the team will need leaders, but not necessarily a new Craft, the idea that we don’t yet know the identity of the team is true. There are several talented veteran players, and some young guys talents like D’Angelo Russell,  but time will tell how the pieces fit together. That’s why the 22 ranking feels about right.

The Ohio State basketball team will be holding an open scrimmage this Saturday, preceding the football team’s 8 p.m. showdown with Illinois. The exhibition will be held at the Schottenstein center with doors opening at 4:00 and tip-off at 4:30

Coming off of a disappointing NCAA tournament loss to the University of Dayton, this represents the first opportunity for Ohio State fans to take an in-person look at a team that will be replacing a bevy of big-time talent including Aaron Craft and Laquinton Ross.

Dan Peters, who served as an assistant men’s basketball coach at Ohio State from 2004-2009, has passed away at the age of 60. The Dispatch’s Bob Baptist provided a summary of Peters’ career:

He was an assistant to Bob Huggins at Walsh College in Canton for two years before becoming Walsh head coach in 1983. After head coaching stints at Saint Joseph's (Ind.) and Youngstown State, where he was Mid-Continent Conference coach of the year in 1998, he rejoined Huggins at Cincinnati in 1999.

He was appointed interim coach at Cincinnati in 2004 after Huggins was fired after being arrested for drunken driving. Less than two months later, he moved to Ohio State to join Matta, who had just been hired from Xavier.

Immediately prior to his Diagnosis, Peters was still working in basketball as Akron University’s director of basketball operations. Land-Grant Holy Land sends its condolences to Mr. Peters’ friends and family

Here’s your daily reminder that things could always be worse. Sure, Ohio State eeked out a road win against an inferior opponent, and that wasn't much fun. Things could be a lot worse, though. That team that Coach Meyer calls "our rival" got blown out by Michigan State on Saturday, and now an anonymous donor is rubbing salt into the wound. Well, at least into Dave Brandon’s wound, by selling shirts calling for the embattled AD’s firing. There may be other opinions on the topic, but it is my official stance that both Dave Brandon and Brady Hoke should receive contract extensions. Shame on this individual.

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