There has been a lot of discussion in recent years over Ohio State's non-conference schedule. The Buckeyes haven't exactly tested themselves much leading up to the Big Ten season.
But perhaps that's been for a reason. More often than not, a rigorous non-conference slate is put in place in order for a team to prepare itself for league play. Going through the tough conference schedule — and the Big Ten has been exceptional over the last five years — is what prepares you for the NCAA tournament.
Under head coach Thad Matta, Ohio State has been doing just fine in Big Ten play. Over the last five seasons, the Buckeyes have finished sixth, fifth, second, first and first. The last two years have been a bit of a struggle, but those had more to do with flaws in the team as opposed to non-conference schedules.
Matta's been known to keep his non-conference games light. There will often be one or two marquee matchups out of the 15, but other than that it's mostly home games against mid-major programs.
There are reasons for that, though. Matta doesn't like to travel (unless he has to) because of his health issues. Preseason tournaments like the NIT and Maui Invitational are all but out of the question. And his philosophy is that the Big Ten schedule will get his team ready enough for the NCAA tournament.
This is true, but it also works because more often than not Matta has had veteran teams who have been tested in big-time games. Even last season, with four freshmen on the roster, Matta only played two big non-conference games (at Louisville and a neutral-site game against North Carolina) because he had five seniors on the roster who had been through the ups and downs of a season.
Matta is a firm believer in racking up wins no matter who they're against.
"When I got here, all they told me to do was to win games," he said following a non-conference home win last season.
But the 2015-16 schedule is shaping up to be a bit different than it has in previous years. It was announced yesterday Ohio State will host Virginia as part of the annual ACC-Big Ten Challenge. The Cavaliers have been one of the most consistent teams in the country over the last two seasons and are expected to be very good once again next year.
The Buckeyes also have key non-conference matchups at UConn and against Kentucky and Memphis at neutral sites. That's quite a change from year's past. The four big matchups Ohio State is scheduled to play prior to the Big Ten season are already more than they've had in the last five seasons.
Perhaps the biggest reason for that is Matta will have an extremely young team in 2015-16 with six freshmen, four sophomores, one junior and a senior (who was a former walk-on).
And as the Big Ten appears to be loaded from top to bottom again next season, this tougher-than-usual non-conference schedule for the Buckeyes appears to be the right way to go to get ready with such a young group.
