To celebrate SLAM’s 30th anniversary, we’re spotlighting the 30 most influential men’s college teams from our past 30 years. Stats, records and chips aren’t the main factor here, it’s all about their contribution to the game’s cultural fabric.
For the next 30 days—Monday through Friday— we’ll be unveiling the full list here. We’ve also got an exclusive retro collegiate collection, out now, that pays homage to each squad’s threads. Shop here.
In the heartland of basketball, where scarlet and gray reign supreme, the ‘06-’07 Ohio State Buckeyes emerged as game icons, stealing the nation’s hearts with their blend of youth, talent and tenacity.
Under the guidance of Coach Thad Matta, the Buckeyes played basketball like it was an art form. They zapped the ball around effortlessly in search of an open man, giving up good looks for better looks. The ball moved seamlessly from one set of hands to another until it eventually found its way down the net.
That isn’t to say that the Buckeyes didn’t let the individual prowess of their players shine. Greg Oden, Mike Conley Jr. and Daequan Cook made up the core of this Buckeyes squad. Freshman phenoms with the composure of seasoned vets, these Buckeyes were ready to make a name for themselves from the very first game.
Oden was a towering force hailing from Lawrence North High School, where he developed close on-court chemistry with fellow freshman guard Mike Conley. Oden’s sheer force in the paint was unmatched, while his soft touch around the rim solidified him as a sure-fire top-two pick in the NBA Draft. Meanwhile, Conley’s crossovers would leave defenders frozen, while his acrobatic finishes stunned thousands of fans.
Their dominance and chemistry would be the motor on which the Buckeyes operated. Conley would blow by defenders and find Oden in the paint, who mercilessly punished anyone who dared to jump with him. In a statement win against Iowa in the regular season, Oden exploded for 29 points and 10 rebounds, with Conley running the show with 10 dimes.
The scariest thing about this Ohio State team was that the offense didn’t just end with Oden and Conley. Senior guard Ron Lewis could catch fire quickly, while Daequan Cook would put the team on his back with his momentum-swinging shots. And there was Jamar Butler, a rim-punishing presence in the paint.
The Buckeyes team was dynamite with enough firepower to explode at any instant and ignite the crowd with their exhilarating play.
And explode they did in the Big Ten, cruising past teams on the way to a league-best 15 wins, only losing one along the way. The Big Ten wasn’t just their playground; it was their empire, and they ruled it with an iron fist.
But it was in the madness of March that the Buckeyes truly shined. With the eyes of the nation upon them, Ohio State embarked on a postseason journey that would showcase the talent and grit of the team. Victories over powerhouses like Georgetown and Memphis showcased their talent and resilience, showing the world that this team had what it took to hoist the national championship trophy.
For all Buckeyes fans, these were heart-crushing moments that still haunt them to this day. But as long as the scarlet and gray flies high, the legend of the ’07 Buckeyes—for the stars it produced, the historic comebacks and dominance—will live on.
Photos via Getty Images.
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