Written by Rich Swerbinsky

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Ohio State unveiled their 2006-2007 men's basketball schedule late last week, and there's plenty to be excited about for Buckeye hoops fans. Half of the teams 30 regular season games are slated for national television, and big game after big game lines the schedule. On a down note, the team will be without super frosh Greg Oden for the first month or two as he recovers from off-season wrist surgery. Heading into a season with high expectations, Thad Matta and his Buckeye mens basketball team will play a formidable schedule this season.

The team unveiled their scheduled slate of games late last week, and it's chock full of big games, many of which will be seen on national television. Sixteen of the Buckeyes thirty regular season games will be against teams who saw postseason action a year ago, and fifteen of their contests will be seen on either CBS, ESPN, or ESPN2.

Coming off a Big Ten championship, the Buckeyes figure to head into a period of prolonged contention under third year coach Thad Matta.  Despite only returning one starter in point guard Jamar Butler, the Bucks also return key reserves Ron Lewis, Ivan Harris, and Matt Terwilliger.  In addition, the Buckeye recruiting class this season one of the best in the nation, headlined by phenom 7'1 center Greg Oden, point guard Mike Conley, and swingmen David Lighty and Daquan Cook.  Oden is expected to miss the first 6-8 weeks of the season as he recovers from off-season wrist surgery, and the Buckeyes will be tested without him early.

The season begins with the Buckeyes hosting the Black Coaches Association Classic, which starts on November 10th. Each of the eight teams in the field will be guaranteed three games, and the matchups have not yet been set.  The Bucks have a host of big non-conference game, all of which are on national television.  They play at North Carolina on November 29th in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.  The game wil be nationally televised by ESPN, and marks the first meeting between the two schools since 1993. 

The Buckeyes also play the University of Cincinnati on December 16th in Indianapolis in the teams first meeting since the 1962 title game.  The Buckeyes also play at defending national champion Florida on December 23rd, and host Tennessee on January 13th.  All three games will be carried nationally by CBS.

Big Ten play begins on January 2nd when the Indiana Hoosiers come to town.  The Buckeyes host Michigan on February 6th, then travel to Ann Arbor for their final regular season game on March 3rd.  The Big Ten Tournament will be played from March 8th through the 11th, and depending how far the Buckeyes advance in that tournament and the NCAA Tournament ... the team could feasibly play over twenty nationally televised tilts this season.