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A lot of people are for some reason are making too much about Ohio State’s lackluster recruiting class. Landing only 18 recruits is extremely disappointing for a program like Ohio State especially when they miss out on five-star prospects like Seantrel Henderson and Latwan Anderson.

Both players are still in play however as Henderson is waiting to see how the USC scandals plays out and Anderson who has committed to West Virginia is waiting to see if he qualifies academically for The Ohio State University before signing his letter of intent.

However, let us remember just because a player is ranked highly coming out of high school does not mean they will not be a great college player. In fact, finding three-star recruits and turning them into All-Americans is Jim Tressel’s specialty.

Think back to the 2002 Ohio State recruiting class, arguably the top class that year, the three big names in that class were Maurice Clarett, Justin Zwick and Mike D’Andrea; all were four or five star recruits. D’Andrea was supposed to be the next great linebacker at Ohio State, while many thought Zwick was the best quarterback in the country.

Now look at the stars from that class A.J. Hawk (three-star), Nick Mangold (three-star), Santonio Holmes (three-star) and Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith (three-star). Smith, if you remember, was the last recruit to be signed by the Buckeyes that year and was brought in to play safety not quarterback.

The point is even without the big three contributing in any major way with exception of Clarett’s freshman year,  the Buckeyes won the National Championship. Without Zwick (never lived up to his potential), D’Andrea (injuries) and Clarett (lost his mind) from that recruiting class, the Buckeyes would not have had a top 10 recruiting class that year.

Despite not having any of the above names the 2002 class still managed to win all four of their bowl games.

A four or five-star rating does not mean a player will have success in college. USC in 2003 had one of the best recruiting classes ever that included Reggie Bush (five-star), Lendale White (four-star), Sedrick Ellis (four-star), Steve Smith (four-star) and Whitney Lewis (five-star).

Who is Whitney Lewis you ask? He was considered by many to be the highlight of that class but he ended up transferring to Northern Iowa.

The Cleveland Browns own Eric Wright was also part of this class and he ended up transferring to UNLV.

Another USC alum Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer was the number one recruit in the country when he signed his letter of intent to USC. It took Palmer until his fifth year, when Pete Carroll came on board as head coach at USC, to finally live up to the potential.

The most touchdowns Palmer threw for before his breakout season 16 and he threw 18 interceptions that same year. His career numbers before his fifth season 32 touchdowns and 33 interceptions.

It is all about finding players that fit a coach’s system and philosophy. Texas Tech runs a spread system so they go out and get players that fit the spread.

 Michael Crabtree one of the best receivers to come along recently in college; was not highly recruited. Schools that looked at Crabtree besides Texas Tech were Baylor, Illinois, and Kansas.

Going out and getting the best recruiting class will not always get you a national championship. If that were the case Texas who has gotten a top-five in four of the last five years, should have been winning countless national titles; same goes for USC.

So whether you are a fan of a team with a top-five recruiting class, or a fan of a team that could not even crack the top 15, remember it is not who goes into the program it is who makes it out. For those who think one bad recruiting class will derail Ohio State; see you in four years.

MAC Player of the Week: 

Kenny Hayes, guard, Miami

The fifth-year senior guard led the RedHawks to wins over Western Michigan and Northern Illinois this past week. It started on Thursday night as Hayes’ jumper from with a second left gave Miami the win over Western Michigan.

He finished with 16 points as he hit 8-of-15 from the field along with grabbing five rebounds and five assists. On Saturday, Hayes scored 22 points to lead the RedHawks to their fourth straight victory.

Saturday February 8th:

Kent State 68 Central Michigan 63:

The Golden Flashes (17-7, 8-2) continued their stranglehold on first place in the MAC and went 3-0 this past week capping it with a win over the Chippewas. Kent State was led by Justin Green’s 22 points as the Flashes had a key 13-0 second half run to put this game away.

Central Michigan (11-10, 6-3) was led by Jordan Bitzer, who scored 19 as he struggled finding the basket as he went 4-of-13 from long range. The Chippewas still maintain a half-game lead in the MAC West division.

Akron 75 Ball State 70 OT:

Akron (17-7, 7-3) got a huge three-pointer from junior Brett McKnight in overtime to lift the Zips over the Cardinals and keep them just a game out of first-place in the East division. Anthony Hitchens led the team with 17 points.

Ball State (12-10, 6-4) had their four-game win streak snapped but remain just a half-game out of first place in the West division. The Cardinals were led by Randy Davis and Malik Perry as they each had 15 points.

Miami 74 Northern Illinois 69:

Miami (10-13, 7-3) continued to stay red-hot as Kenny Hayes led the team with 22 points in the win over the Huskies. The RedHawks shot a season-high 63 percent from long-range.

For the Huskies (8-14, 4-6), they had the game tied at 57 put could not get over the hump. Darian Anderson led Northern Illinois with 16 points.

Western Michigan 65 Bowling Green 64:

Western Michigan (13-10, 5-5) got back to .500 in the MAC thanks to David Kool’s 23 points. The Broncos used a second half run of 16-2 to take the lead with four minutes to play and battled down the stretch for the win.

The Falcons (11-11, 4-6) were led by Scott Thomas and Otis Polk as they each had 14 points.

Eastern Michigan 70 Ohio 61:

Eastern Michigan (12-11, 4-6) rebounded from their loss to Kent State on Thursday as dominated the Bobcats. The Eagles got another double-double from Brandon Bowdry (17 points, 15 rebounds) and 31 points from Carlos Medlock.

Ohio’s (12-11, 3-6) season is officially circling the drain and will have to shock the world in the MAC tournament. Armon Bassett led the Bobcats with 19 points.

Buffalo 65 Toledo 59:

Buffalo (11-7, 4-3) relied on senior Rodney Pierce (16 points) along with three other players scoring in double-digits as the Bulls in a closer than expected win. Buffalo held Toledo scoreless in the final five minutes.

The Rockets (3-21, 0-10) lost their 14^th straight game despite the 19 points by Jordan Dressler.

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MAC Standings:

West Division              Conf.   Overall

Central Michigan           6-3         11-10

Ball State                       6-4         12-10

Western Michigan         5-5         13-10

Eastern Michigan          4-6         12-11

Northern Illinois            4-6          8-14

Toledo                           0-10         3-21

East Division              Conf.     Overall

Kent State                     8-2         17-7

Akron                            7-3         17-7

Miami                            7-3        10-13

Buffalo                          5-5         12-9

Bowling Green              4-6        11-11

Ohio                              3-6        12-11

This week for Akron will travel to Mount Pleasant, MI to battle Central Michigan Tuesday and then return home for a Valentine’s Day matchup versus Ohio.

Kent State will host Ball State on Wednesday before traveling to Buffalo for a Saturday afternoon game.

Games To Watch:

Tuesday February 9th:

Akron at Central Michigan—MAC West leader Central Michigan will host Akron as they try to stay ahead of Ball State. For Akron, they need the win to keep just a game back of first-place Kent State.

Saturday February 6th:

Kent State at Buffalo— The Bulls are looking to avenge an earlier spanking at the hands of Kent State and prove that they are still a legitimate team in the East division. For Kent State, they are trying to stay hot and to continue their domination of the MAC conference.

After another week in Horizon League play, the Butler Bulldogs are still the cream of the crop as they won both games this past week to move to 13-0 in conference play.  With each win, the Bulldogs move one step closer to hosting this season’s Horizon League tournament and securing the bye into the semi-finals.

This week did provide a change below Butler, however, as for the first time this season, the Cleveland State Vikings stand alone in second place after going on the road to win twice this week.  The two wins pushed the Vikings win streak to five in a row and has them at 8-4 in the conference after starting the season 3-4.

Cleveland State does not have any room for error because Green Bay and Wright State both sit just one half-game behind the Vikings at 8-5.

Player of the Week

Zavion Neely, Guard, Illinois-Chicago

Neely provided a week of positives for a team that has not had many good moments this season.

In Thursday’s loss to Cleveland State, Neely led the Flames with 17 points.

Then, in Saturday’s in over Youngstown State, Neely led all scorers with 23 points. It was just the second time this season the Flames came out on top in conference play.

Game Recaps

Thursday, February 4

#15(ESPN/USA Today) Butler 63 Detroit 55

Butler (19-4, 12-4) used a double-double by Gordon Hayward, who scored 18 points and hauled in 10 rebounds, to stay perfect in conference play with a win over Detroit (14-9, 7-5).  It was not easy, as the Bulldogs had to overcome a season-high 21 turnovers.

The Titans pulled within three at 53-50 with 4:03 remaining but the Bulldogs scored six of the game’s next eight points to put it away.  Detroit was led once again by Chase Simon, who scored 15 points.

Wright State 75, Valparaiso 71

In a game of runs, Wright State (15-8, 8-4) held off Valparaiso (11-13, 6-6) with a 10-1 run late in the second half.  The Raiders had led by as many as 14 in the first half but the Crusaders fought back on their home floor to take the lead with 12:30 left in the game. With a two-point lead with 6:36 remaining, Wright State then went on that 10-1 run to extend the lead to 63-54.

Both teams had three players score in double figures with Wright State led by N’Gai Evans with 18 points and Valparaiso was led by Brandon Wood with 18 points.

Loyola 92, Youngstown State 85 (OT)  

Loyola (13-9, 4-8) shot 58% from the field and used five players in double figures to beat Youngstown State (8-14, 2-10). Both teams were red-hot in the first half as the Penguins led by eight at the half despite allowing the Ramblers to shoot 73.9% from the field.

 The Ramblers used a 14-5 run at the beginning of the second half to erase the deficit and neither team led by more than four points in the last 16:33 of regulation. A 9-2 run in overtime gave the the Ramblers the final edge as they held on at home.

The Ramblers were led by Geoff McCammon who scored 25 points and the Penguins were led by Kelvion Bright with 22 points.

Cleveland State 74, Illinois-Chicago 64

Cleveland State (11-12, 7-4) won only their second game on the road in conference by defeating Illinois-Chicago (5-17, 1-11) in Chicago. The Vikings once again used the four-guard offense to perfection, as the quartet of Trevon Harmon (17), D’Aundray Brown (15), Norris Cole (13) and Jeremy Montgomery (13) combined for 58 of the team’s 74 points.

A 14-4 Illinois-Chicago run early in the second half cut Cleveland State’s lead from 15 to just five, but the Vikings scored eight of the next 10 points to get the lead into double-digits again and put it away.

Illinois-Chicago was led by Jeremy Buttell and Neely, who scored 17 points each for the Flames.

Saturday, February 6

 Valparaiso 74, Detroit 70

Despite a 19-point lead at halftime, Valparaiso (12-13, 7-6) had to withstand a Detroit (14-10, 7-6) run at the start of the second half to hold off the Titans. A 30-7 run actually gave the Titans a 54-50 lead with 9:59 remaining. An ensuing 11-2 run gave the lead back to Valparaiso and they never gave it back.

The Crusaders were led by Wood, who scored 18 points while Simon led the Titans with 20.

Cleveland State 59, Loyola 56

Cleveland State (12-12, 8-4) remained hot, winning their fifth in a row by beating Loyola (13-10, 4-9).   The Vikings trailed 49-40 midway through the second half but went on a 15-2 run to take a 55-51 lead with 1:54 left. The Vikings then iced the game by hitting all four of their free throws down the stretch.

The Vikings were led by Jared Cunningham, who scored 15 points and the Ramblers were led by Ben Averkamp and Terrence Hill, who scored 12 apiece.

Illinois-Chicago 74, Youngstown State 68

Illinois-Chicago (6-17, 2-11) won for just the second time in the conference this season as they beat Youngstown State (8-15, 2-11). Led by 23 points from Neely, the Flames snapped a nine-game losing streak, while the Penguins have now lost seven in a row in conference play. 

Youngstown State was led by DeAndre Mays, who score 22 points in the loss.

#15 Butler 74, Wright State 62

Butler (20-4, 13-0) once again defended their home floor and remained unblemished in league play as they defeated second place Wright State (15-9, 8-5). The Bulldogs shot 67.5% from the field, led by Willie Veasley, who scored 19 points on 9-for-9 from the field. Butler took a 10-point lead with 17:41 left in the game and the Ramblers were never able to get any closer.

Wright State was led by Vaughn Duggins, who scored 18 points.

  The Week Ahead

This Week in Cleveland State Basketball

Thursday, February 11

Valparaiso (12-13, 7-6) at Cleveland State (12-12, 8-4): When the Vikings take the court for the first time this season in sole possession of second place in the Horizon League, they will try to avenge what head coach Gary Waters considers their worst loss of the season. After losing at Butler earlier this season, the Vikings went into Valparaiso and dropped a 78-71 decision, dropping them to 2-4 in conference, the last time the Vikings have lost.

Saturday, February 13

#15 Butler (20-4, 13-0) at Cleveland State (12-12, 8-4): This will be a meeting of the two hottest teams in the Horizon League as coming into this week, Cleveland State has won five games in a row, paling in comparison to Butler’s streak of 12 in a row. The last time these two teams met, Cleveland State put together what was arguably their best 17 minutes of the season in the first half at Hinkle Field House, leading the Bulldogs 31-22 with 3:08 to play in the first half.  Butler, however, turned things around and came out of the game with a 64-55 victory.

The Best of the Rest

Thursday, February 11

Green Bay (16-9, 8-5) at Detroit (14-10, 7-6): The Titans will host the Phoenix in a game between two teams fighting to stay alive not only for the second bye in the Horizon League tournament, but also for the home court advantage in the first round should they not get the bye.  Green Bay has lost three of their last five while Detroit has lost two in a row.  In the last meeting between the two teams, Green Bay protected their home floor with a 74-72 win.

Milwaukee (13-11, 5-7) at Wright State (15-9, 8-5): Wright State is looking to secure the second bye in the Horizon League tournament as Milwaukee fights just to get a home game in the first round. After starting 4-4 in league play, the two teams have gone in opposite directions as Wright State has won four of their last five while the Panthers have lost three of four. Milwaukee held serve at home in this series earlier this season with a 67-61 win in overtime.

 Saturday, February 13

Green Bay (16-9, 8-5) at Wright State (15-9, 8-5): A battle of two teams entering the week tied for third place could serve as a tournament bye elimination game as the loser will be treading water to earn that second bye.  Green Bay was able to win at home the last time these two met as they defeated Wright State 68-66.