The Ohio State men’s basketball program released its 2019-2020 non-conference schedule Monday, and it is loaded with tough tests against big-name opponents.
Chris Holtmann’s third team will open up its regular season at home against in-state rival Cincinnati on November 6.
The Buckeyes face Villanova at home on November 13, play at North Carolina in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge on December 4, and then face Kentucky December 21 in a neutral-site matchup in Las Vegas. They will wrap up the non-conference schedule with another neutral-site game against West Virginia in Cleveland on December 29.
The first seven games on the schedule are in Columbus, including a November 25 matchup with Kent State at St. John Arena.
The Big Ten will announce the Buckeyes’ conference schedule later in August.
You can find the full release from Ohio State below.
—–
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The 2019-20 Ohio State men’s basketball season will tip Nov. 6 at Value City Arena against the University of Cincinnati, the first meeting between the two intrastate foes in Columbus since a 33-17 Bearcats win Dec. 10 1921. This season will be the 121st for the Buckeyes.
The game vs. Cincinnati is the second in a home-and-home series that began a year ago at Fifth Third Arena on the UC campus, a 64-56 season-opening win for the Buckeyes Nov. 7, 2018.
Chris Holtmann, now in his third season in Columbus, said playing a demanding slate of games prior to rugged Big Ten play gets underway in earnest will prepare his young squad for the grind of league games and postseason competition.
“As I’ve said, this is an exciting non-conference schedule and certainly the most challenging we’ve been a part of,” Holtmann said. “We have a variety of outstanding teams and programs we will be competing against here in Columbus, on the road and in our neutral-site games. When you combine it with two December Big Ten opponents as part of our 20-game schedule, in a league that I believe will be the deepest in the country again, the schedule provides some outstanding early games for our fans. We look forward to growing as a team through the demands of this schedule.”
In non-conference play, Holtmann’s Buckeyes also will host Villanova in The Gavitt Games, a matchup of Big Ten and Big East teams. That game will be played Nov. 13 at Value City Arena.
Ohio State travels to North Carolina Dec. 4 in the annual Big Ten/ACC Challenge this year and will again play in the CBSSports Challenge Dec. 21 in Las Vegas against Kentucky.
Another neutral-site game has the Buckeyes meeting West Virginia Dec. 29 at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland. The game, billed as the Cleveland Classic, is the first meeting between the schools on a neutral court. Ohio State leads the all-time series 9-7.
The Buckeyes returned to historic St. John Arena a year ago on the Friday prior the annual Ohio State vs. Michigan football game. Cleveland State was the opponent, a win for the Buckeyes (89-62) Nov. 23, 2018. Holtmann will again take the Buckeyes across Lane Avenue and the Olentangy River to St. John to take on Kent State Nov. 25.
The Kent State game this year is part of the Ohio State Classic, a multi-team event featuring three home games for Ohio State. The two other games for Ohio State are against Purdue Fort Wayne and Stetson. Those two games will be played at Value City Arena, now in its 22nd year as home to the Buckeyes.
Big Ten Conference regular-season play will start in early December for the third-consecutive season in 2019-20. The complete Big Ten schedule will be announced at a later date.
Ohio State opened the conference regular season a year ago in December at home vs. Minnesota (W, 79-59) and then played at the United Center in Chicago vs. Illinois (77-67). Holtmann is 4-0 in December Big Ten games while coaching at Ohio State. His first league win was at Wisconsin Dec. 2, 2017 (83-58). Ohio State then defeated Michigan in Columbus 71-62 two days later.
The 2019-20 season, the 108th for the Buckeyes as a member of the Big Ten in men’s basketball, marks the second in which the regular-season league title will be determined following a 20-game schedule. The Buckeyes face 10 league opponents at home, and 10 on the road this year.
Ohio State will play Minnesota, Indiana, Michigan, Penn State, Maryland, Wisconsin and Nebraska both in Columbus and on the road (home-and-home) in 2019-20. The Buckeyes travel only to Iowa, Michigan State and Northwestern. Illinois, Purdue and Rutgers will play Ohio State in Columbus only.
Holtmann begins his third season in Columbus after posting a 25-9 overall record in 2017-18 and a 20-15 mark a year ago. Ohio State advanced to the second round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament with a win over Iowa State before falling to Houston. Ohio State has won a game in NCAA Tournament play in each of Holtmann’s two seasons at the helm of the Buckeyes.
Game times and television designations will be announced at a later date for the Ohio State 2019-20 men’s basketball season.
NOTING THE 2019-20 SCHEDULE
- Ohio State will play its first seven games of the season, plus an exhibition, at home with six at Value City Arena and one at St. John Arena. Three of the four non-Big Ten games in December will be played outside Columbus (vs. North Carolina in Big Ten/ACC Challenge, vs. Kentucky in CBSSports Challenge (Las Vegas) and vs. West Virginia in Cleveland Classic).
- The Buckeyes again will take part in the annual Big Ten/ACC Challenge. Ohio State travels to North Carolina this year Dec. 4.
- Now in its sixth year, Ohio State will again play in the CBSSports Classic. The event will take place in Las Vegas this season Dec. 21. The Buckeyes take on Kentucky while North Carolina and UCLA play in the second game.
- Villanova will travel to Ohio State Nov. 13. The game is part of The Gavitt Games, which pits members of the Big Ten vs. Big East opponents.
- Two Big Ten Conference games will be played in early December after the league expanding to a 20-game, regular-season slate in 2018-19. The Big Ten Conference schedule will be released later this month.
- The annual Big Ten Tournament will be contested in Indianapolis in 2020, Chicago in 2021 and then back to Indianapolis in 2022.
- The Buckeyes will have 18 home games in 2019-20 plus an exhibition contest vs. Cedarville Oct. 30.
- Seven Big Ten teams (Minnesota, Indiana, Michigan, Penn State, Maryland, Wisconsin and Nebraska) battle the Buckeyes twice during the regular season with three (Illinois, Purdue, Rutgers) traveling only to Columbus. Ohio State hits the road to face Iowa, Michigan State and Northwestern this year.
- Ohio State will play 19 regular-season games against 13 teams that advanced to postseason play in 2019. Fifteen games are scheduled vs. 2019 NCAA Tournament teams (Maryland-2, Minnesota-2, Michigan State-1, Michigan-2, Wisconsin-2, Villanova-1, Purdue-1, Cincinnati-1, Iowa-1, Kentucky-1, North Carolina-1) while four contests pit the Buckeyes vs. 2019 NIT squads (Indiana-2, Nebraska-2).
2019-20 Ohio State Non-Conference Schedule
October
30-Wed. Cedarville (Exh.)
November
6-Wed. Cincinnati
10-Sun. UMass Lowell
13-Wed. 1-Villanova
18-Mon. 2-Stetson
22-Fri. 2-Purdue Fort Wayne
25-Mon. 2a- Kent State
29-Fri. Morgan State
December
4-Wed. 3-at North Carolina
17-Tues. Southeast Missouri State
21-Sat. 4-vs. Kentucky
29-Sun. 5-vs. West Virginia
March
11-15/Wed.-Sun. 6-Big Ten Tournament
1-2019 Gavitt Games, Value City Arena, Columbus, Ohio
2-2019 Ohio State Classic, Value City Arena, Columbus, Ohio
2a-2019 Ohio State Classic, St. John Arena, Columbus, Ohio
3-Big Ten/ACC Challenge, Dean Smith Center, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
4-CBSSports Classic, T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
5-Cleveland Classic, Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, Cleveland, Ohio
6-2020 Big Ten Tournament, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
Home games in Bold
The Heels always play top teams in early season games unlike that team down the road. Look at our schedules and compare the difference. Just saying…
Cincy, Nova, Carolina and Kentucky……WOW! If tough schedule was the goal then mission accomplished!