1979–80 Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball team

{{Infobox college sports team season

| year = 1979–80

| team = Ohio State Buckeyes

| sport = basketball

| logo = Ohio State Buckeyes Logo 1898-1978.png

| logo_size =

| logo_alt =

| image=

| image_size=125

| image_alt =

| conference = Big Ten Conference

| division =

| short_conf = Big Ten

| CoachRank = 9

| APRank = 10

| record = 21–8

| conf_record = 12–6

| wins_vacated =

| ties_forfeited =

| wins_forfeited =

| conf_wins_vacated =

| conf_wins_forfeited =

| head_coach = Eldon Miller

| hc_year = 4th

| asst_coach1 =

| ac1_year =

| asst_coach2 =

| ac2_year =

| asst_coach3 =

| ac3_year =

| mvp =

| mvp_year =

| mvp2 =

| mvp2_year =

| captain =

| captain_year =

| captain2 =

| captain2_year =

| captain3 =

| captain3_year =

| captain4 =

| captain4_year =

| arena = St. John Arena

| champion =

| tourney = NCAA tournament

| tourney_result = Sweet Sixteen

}}

The 1979–80 Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball team represented Ohio State University as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 1979–80 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Led by 4th-year head coach Eldon Miller, the Buckeyes played their home games at St. John Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

With a loaded roster that had five future NBA players, Ohio State spent all but one week of the season ranked in the AP top ten. The Buckeyes went into the regular season finale tied with Indiana in the conference standings, but fell to the Hoosiers on the road in overtime. Likely under-seeded, the team received a bid to the NCAA tournament as No. 4 seed in the West region. After handling No. 5 seed Arizona State in the round of 32, the Buckeyes were upset in the Sweet Sixteen by No. 8 seed and eventual Final Four participant UCLA, 72–68.

Ohio State finished with a record of 21–8 (12–6 Big Ten). Senior guard Kelvin Ransey was named a Consensus second-team All-American and was selected as the No. 4 pick in the 1980 NBA draft.

Roster

{{CBB roster/Header|year=1979|team=Ohio State Buckeyes|teamcolors=y}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Granville|last=Waiters|num=13|pos=C|ft=6|in=11|lbs=215|class=Fr|link=y|dab=|rs=|home=Columbus, Ohio}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Kelvin|last=Ransey|num=14|pos=G|ft=6|in=1|lbs=170|class=Sr|link=y|dab=|rs=|home=Toledo, Ohio}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Herb|last=Williams|num=32|pos=C|ft=6|in=9|lbs=250|class=Jr|link=y|dab=|rs=|home=Columbus, Ohio}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Clark|last=Kellogg|num=33|pos=F|ft=6|in=7|lbs=220|class=Fr|link=y|dab=|rs=|home=Cleveland, Ohio}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Bryant|last=Johnson|num=|pos=F||ft=6|in=7|class=So|link=y|dab=handballer|rs=|home=Washington, D.C.}}

{{CBB roster/Player|first=Jim|last=Smith|num=|pos=F|ft=6|in=9|lbs=220|class=Jr|link=y|dab=basketball, born 1958|rs=|home=Cleveland, Ohio}}

{{CBB roster/Footer

|head_coach=

Eldon Miller ({{college|Wittenberg}})

|asst_coach=

}}

{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/ohio-state/1980.html|title=1979-80 Ohio State Buckeyes Roster and Stats|accessdate=February 17, 2023}}

Schedule/results

{{CBB schedule start|time=no|rank=yes|tv=no|attend=yes|gamehighs=}}

|-

!colspan=9 style={{NCAA color cell|Ohio State Buckeyes}}| Non-Conference Regular season

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Dec 1, 1979

| time =

| nonconf = yes

| away =

| neutral =

| rank = 4

| opponent = Ohio

| opprank =

| site_stadium = St. John Arena

| site_cityst = Columbus, Ohio

| gamename =

| score = 78–51

| overtime =

| attend =

| record = 1–0

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Dec 8, 1979

| time =

| nonconf = yes

| away = yes

| neutral =

| rank = 3

| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1979|sex=men|team=Stetson Hatters|title=Stetson}}

| opprank =

| site_stadium = Edmunds Center

| site_cityst = DeLand, Florida

| gamename =

| score = 69–50

| overtime =

| attend =

| record = 2–0

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Dec 10, 1979

| time =

| nonconf = yes

| away = yes

| neutral =

| rank = 3

| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1979|sex=men|team=West Virginia Mountaineers|title=West Virginia}}

| opprank =

| site_stadium = WVU Coliseum

| site_cityst = Morgantown, West Virginia

| gamename =

| score = 72–55

| overtime =

| attend =

| record = 3–0

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Dec 13, 1979

| time =

| nonconf = yes

| away =

| neutral =

| rank = 3

| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1979|sex=men|team=Cal Poly Pomona Broncos|title=Cal Poly Pomona}}

| opprank =

| site_stadium = St. John Arena

| site_cityst = Columbus, Ohio

| gamename =

| score = 87–46

| overtime =

| attend =

| record = 4–0

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Dec 15, 1979

| time =

| nonconf = yes

| away = yes

| neutral =

| rank = 3

| opponent = Holy Cross

| opprank =

| site_stadium = Hart Center

| site_cityst = Worcester, Massachusetts

| gamename =

| score = 79–63

| overtime =

| attend =

| record = 5–0

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Dec 19, 1979

| time =

| nonconf = yes

| away = yes

| neutral =

| rank = 2

| opponent = Louisville

| opprank = 11

| site_stadium = Freedom Hall

| site_cityst = Louisville, Kentucky

| gamename =

| score = 65–75

| overtime =

| attend =

| record = 5–1

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Dec 22, 1979

| time =

| nonconf = yes

| away =

| neutral =

| rank = 2

| opponent = Tennessee

| opprank =

| site_stadium = St. John Arena

| site_cityst = Columbus, Ohio

| gamename =

| score = 91–65

| overtime =

| attend =

| record = 6–1

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Dec 29, 1979

| time =

| nonconf = yes

| away =

| neutral =

| rank = 7

| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1979|sex=men|team=Northwestern State Demons|title=Northwestern State}}

| opprank =

| site_stadium = St. John Arena

| site_cityst = Columbus, Ohio

| gamename =

| score = 71–46

| overtime =

| attend =

| record = 7–1

}}

|-

!colspan=9 style={{NCAA color cell|Ohio State Buckeyes}}| Big Ten Regular season

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Jan 3, 1980

| time =

| nonconf =

| away =

| neutral =

| rank = 5

| opponent = Indiana

| opprank = 11

| site_stadium = St. John Arena

| site_cityst = Columbus, Ohio

| gamename =

| score = 59–58

| overtime =

| attend =

| record = 8–1

| conference = 1–0

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Jan 5, 1980

| time =

| nonconf =

| away =

| neutral =

| rank = 5

| opponent = Purdue

| opprank = 8

| site_stadium = St. John Arena

| site_cityst = Columbus, Ohio

| gamename =

| score = 67–58

| overtime =

| attend =

| record = 9–1

| conference = 2–0

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Jan 10, 1980

| time =

| nonconf =

| away = yes

| neutral =

| rank = 3

| opponent = Iowa

| opprank = 12

| site_stadium = Iowa Field House

| site_cityst = Iowa City, Iowa

| gamename =

| score = 77–71

| overtime =

| attend = 13,365

| record = 10–1

| conference = 3–0

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Jan 12, 1980

| time =

| nonconf =

| away = yes

| neutral =

| rank = 3

| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1979|sex=men|team=Northwestern Wildcats|title=Northwestern}}

| opprank =

| site_stadium = Welsh-Ryan Arena

| site_cityst = Evanston, Illinois

| gamename =

| score = 75–63

| overtime =

| attend =

| record = 11–1

| conference = 4–0

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Jan 17, 1980

| time =

| nonconf =

| away =

| neutral =

| rank = 2

| opponent = Minnesota

| opprank =

| site_stadium = St. John Arena

| site_cityst = Columbus, Ohio

| gamename =

| score = 75–70

| overtime =

| attend =

| record = 12–1

| conference = 5–0

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Jan 19, 1980

| time =

| nonconf =

| away = yes

| neutral =

| rank = 2

| opponent = Michigan

| opprank =

| site_stadium = Crisler Arena

| site_cityst = Ann Arbor, Michigan

| gamename =

| score = 74–75

| overtime =

| attend =

| record = 12–2

| conference = 5–1

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Jan 24, 1980

| time =

| nonconf =

| away = yes

| neutral =

| rank = 4

| opponent = Illinois

| opprank =

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Champaign, Illinois

| gamename =

| score = 79–76

| overtime =

| attend =

| record = 13–2

| conference = 6–1

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Jan 26, 1980

| time =

| nonconf =

| away =

| neutral =

| rank = 4

| opponent = Wisconsin

| opprank =

| site_stadium = St. John Arena

| site_cityst = Columbus, Ohio

| gamename =

| score = 71–72{{cite news|title=Wisconsin badgers Bucks|newspaper=The Daily Sentinel|date=January 27, 1980|page=26|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35846044/wisconsin_badgers_bucks/|via=Newspapers.com |access-date=February 18, 2023}}

| overtime =

| attend =

| record = 13–3

| conference = 6–2

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Jan 27, 1980

| time =

| nonconf = yes

| away =

| neutral =

| rank = 4

| opponent = Virginia

| opprank = 17

| site_stadium = St. John Arena

| site_cityst = Columbus, Ohio

| gamename =

| score = 70–65

| overtime =

| attend =

| record = 14–3

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Jan 31, 1980

| time =

| nonconf =

| away =

| neutral =

| rank = 6

| opponent = Michigan State

| opprank =

| site_stadium = St. John Arena

| site_cityst = Columbus, Ohio

| gamename =

| score = 54–74

| overtime =

| attend =

| record = 14–4

| conference = 6–3

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Feb 2, 1980

| time =

| nonconf =

| away = yes

| neutral =

| rank = 6

| opponent = Wisconsin

| opprank =

| site_stadium = Wisconsin Field House

| site_cityst = Madison, Wisconsin

| gamename =

| score = 67–70

| overtime =

| attend =

| record = 14–5

| conference = 6–4

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Feb 7, 1980

| time =

| nonconf =

| away =

| neutral =

| rank =

| opponent = Michigan

| opprank =

| site_stadium = St. John Arena

| site_cityst = Columbus, Ohio

| gamename =

| score = 66–63

| overtime =

| attend =

| record = 15–5

| conference = 7–4

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Feb 9, 1980

| time =

| nonconf =

| away =

| neutral =

| rank =

| opponent = Michigan State

| opprank =

| site_stadium = St. John Arena

| site_cityst = Columbus, Ohio

| gamename =

| score = 71–59

| overtime =

| attend =

| record = 16–5

| conference = 8–4

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Feb 14, 1980

| time =

| nonconf =

| away = yes

| neutral =

| rank = 9

| opponent = Minnesota

| opprank =

| site_stadium = Williams Arena

| site_cityst = Minneapolis, Minnesota

| gamename =

| score = 70–74

| overtime =

| attend =

| record = 16–6

| conference = 8–5

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Feb 16, 1980

| time =

| nonconf =

| away =

| neutral =

| rank = 9

| opponent = Illinois

| opprank =

| site_stadium = St. John Arena

| site_cityst = Columbus, Ohio

| gamename =

| score = 71–57

| overtime =

| attend =

| record = 17–6

| conference = 9–5

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Feb 21, 1980

| time =

| nonconf =

| away =

| neutral =

| rank = 11

| opponent = Northwestern

| opprank =

| site_stadium = St. John Arena

| site_cityst = Columbus, Ohio

| gamename =

| score = 68–59

| overtime =

| attend =

| record = 18–6

| conference = 10–5

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Feb 23, 1980

| time =

| nonconf =

| away =

| neutral =

| rank = 11

| opponent = Iowa

| opprank =

| site_stadium = St. John Arena

| site_cityst = Columbus, Ohio

| gamename =

| score = 70–69

| overtime =

| attend =

| record = 19–6

| conference = 11–5

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Feb 28, 1980

| time =

| nonconf =

| away = yes

| neutral =

| rank = 9

| opponent = Purdue

| opprank = 18

| site_stadium = Mackey Arena

| site_cityst = West Lafayette, Indiana

| gamename =

| score = 64–60

| overtime =

| attend =

| record = 20–6

| conference = 12–5

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Mar 2, 1980

| time =

| nonconf =

| away = yes

| neutral =

| rank = 9

| opponent = Indiana

| opprank = 13

| site_stadium = Assembly Hall

| site_cityst = Bloomington, Indiana

| gamename =

| score = 73–76

| overtime = OT

| attend =

| record = 20–7

| conference = 12–6

}}

|-

!colspan=9 style={{CollegePrimaryStyle|Ohio State Buckeyes}}|1980 NCAA Division I basketball tournament

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Mar 9, 1980

| time =

| nonconf = yes

| away =

| neutral = yes

| rank = 10

| seed = 4W

| opponent = Arizona State

| opprank = 18

| oppseed = 5W

| site_stadium = ASU Activity Center

| site_cityst = Tempe, Arizona

| gamename = Second Round

| score = 89–75{{cite news |title=Ohio State Jolts Arizona State |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1980/03/10/archives/ohio-state-jolts-arizona-state-ohio-state-advances-ohio-state-five.html |newspaper=The New York Times |date=March 10, 1980 |access-date=February 18, 2023}}

| overtime =

| attend =

| record = 21–7

}}

{{CBB schedule entry

| date = Mar 13, 1980

| time =

| nonconf = yes

| away =

| neutral = yes

| rank = 10

| seed = 4W

| opponent = UCLA

| opprank =

| oppseed = 8W

| site_stadium = McKale Center

| site_cityst = Tucson, Arizona

| gamename = West Regional Semifinal {{ndash}} Sweet Sixteen

| score = 68–72{{cite news |title=UCLA, Clemson West Finalists |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1980/03/14/ucla-clemson-west-finalists/0149e3eb-702e-45a1-8ffd-1430a43e0e6c/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=March 14, 1980 |access-date=February 18, 2023}}

| overtime =

| attend =

| record = 21–8

}}

{{cite web|title=2022-23 Ohio State Men's Basketball Media Guide |url=https://ohiostatebuckeyes.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/2022-23-Ohio-State-Mens-Basketball-Meida-Information-Record-Book-SM.pdf |publisher=Ohio State University Athletics|page=154 |access-date=February 18, 2023}}

Rankings

*{{cite book|title=ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia: The Complete History of the Men's Game|publisher=Random House|pages=866–867|year=2009|isbn=0-345-51392-4}}

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:1979-80 Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball team}}

Category:Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball seasons

Ohio State

Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball