‘Home is where the heart is’ — Why Seth Towns Chose the Buckeyes

Prior to selecting Ohio State last night, Harvard graduate transfer Seth Towns’ decision came down to Duke and OSU.

The Buckeyes rarely win out in that matchup, but they had an inside track on Towns, who is a Columbus native and has had a previous relationship with Buckeye head coach Chris Holtmann.

Towns announced his decision for Ohio State live on ESPN’s SportsCenter, but before he did, he talked about his two finalists.

“It’s a great program,” he said of OSU. “They were in the top five at several points this year. It’s a storied program as well. My relationship with Coach Holtmann really set them apart from a lot of schools. Not only did he recruit me for this go-around, but also throughout high school, he recruited me at Butler. And then, Ohio State is home, so that obviously provides some incentive.”

When it came to Duke, Towns’ first words were, “You know, Duke is Duke.”

For most, that has been enough to choose Mike Krzyzewski’s Blue Devils program.

But what Towns would say after that when detailing why he chose the Buckeyes could basically be summed up as, “You know, Duke just isn’t Ohio State.”

After talking a bit about each of his two finalists, the time came for him to announce his decision. Which he did.

“I’m here to announce that my next game will be played in a scarlet and gray uniform as an Ohio State Buckeye,” he said while donning an Ohio State baseball cap.

SportsCenter host John Buccigross asked him the deciding factor in choosing Ohio State, and there were no shortages of reasons.

“Overall, it was a perfect fit across the board,” Towns said. “Being at home, the school, my relationship with Coach, and then some really incredible teammates that I’m excited to play alongside. I’m super excited to play for Ohio State. Buckeye Nation, just know how excited I am.

“Additionally, the support system I’ll have coming to Ohio State, coming home. Not just from my family. Not just from my friends. But even from past players that I have strong relationships with. Whether it be Jared Sullinger, who’s like a big brother to me, or Evan Turner and several others.”

The opportunity to come back to Columbus and play at Ohio State is something that Towns isn’t taking lightly.

It has certainly been a road less traveled for Towns, as there are many easier ways to get to campus from nearby Northland High School where he played as a prep.

He is certainly excited — though maybe not as excited as his parents.

“Home is where the heart is, you hear that all the time,” Towns said. “I’m incredibly excited to play at home. My parents are the two biggest Buckeyes fans you might ever come across. Having the opportunity to play for the school that you’ve always dreamed of playing for since I was a little kid, that opportunity to fight for the city that raised me is so invaluable, so it gives me a ton of pride.”