Buckeyes not worried about when first loss will arrive

After Ohio State squeezed by Michigan at home Thursday -- the Buckeyes' second tougher-than-it-should-have-been victory in as many games -- a roundtable of ESPN analysts predicted when and where America's No. 1 team will fall.

"The pressure is starting to mount for them," said former Illinois star Stephen Bardo, who did commentary on the game for ESPN. "I think [coach] Thad [Matta] does a great job of trying to keep those guys focused. I think they're starting to understand the significance of being undefeated and being No.1 in the country, and they're getting everyone's best shot."

The Buckeyes (23-0) are the bull's-eyes of the national college basketball scene as they enter Sunday's game against the No. 18 Gophers at Williams Arena. It's their first in a five-game stretch that includes four matchups against ranked teams.

The Gophers hope to end a two-game losing streak by achieving their program's first victory over a top-ranked opponent since a 69-62 victory over Illinois on Jan. 26, 1989.

Matta tries to keep the Buckeyes away from the static. They're not the 1975-76 Indiana Hoosiers, who ran the table, he said. But Ohio State can't escape the comparisons as America's last unbeaten team.

And yes, his team is good, he said, but it's still flawed. Matta said he's not focused on a national title or a perfect season; he just wants his players to improve every game.

"Honestly, you just look at our schedule and it'll ground you in a second," Matta said. "The one thing we've always tried to do is really just take today. Our players are intelligent enough to know the challenges that lie ahead. ... We sort of keep it as simple as we possibly can. And really dial in what we have to do to continue to play better basketball."

It's Tubby Smith's job to create a strategy to upset the Buckeyes, a difficult task for any coach.

Freshman power forward Jared Sullinger is arguably the best player in America. David Lighty, William Buford and Diebler are upperclassmen who anchor the perimeter. Aaron Craft, DeShaun Thomas and Dallas Lauderdale complete the most balanced assembly in college basketball. The Buckeyes lead the Big Ten in six statistical categories.

"They've got great balance. They've got experience. They've got depth. They've got size. ... Jared Sullinger is a guy that's a difference-maker," Smith said when asked to compare the Buckeyes to his 1998 national championship team at Kentucky.

Ohio State's journey toward a potential national championship began last summer in feisty pickup games frequented by some of the school's best products. Mike Conley, the starting point guard for the Memphis Grizzlies, and Terence Dials, the Big Ten Player of the Year in 2006, and others traveled to Columbus, Ohio, to play with current players.

In those unregulated matchups, Sullinger impressed his peers before even playing his first college game. His beyond-his-years talent made returning players wonder if the 2010-11 season could be a special one.

Adding Sullinger balanced a team that is the best in the Big Ten from three-point range (44.2 percent). The 6-9, 280-pound Sullinger is averaging 18.6 points and 10.1 rebounds per game in conference play.

Last year's Buckeyes featured National Player of the Year Evan Turner, but their entire operation revolved around guard play. That team lost to Tennessee in the Sweet 16.

With Sullinger patrolling the paint, Diebler said this year's squad offers a more complete package.

"We're very unselfish," Diebler said. "We have a lot of guys who are capable of being the leading scorer on any given night. But I think we've all accepted that this is who we are. ... [We'll] take less shots, give something up for the better of the team. We've seen the results, and they've been great."

Not always.

On Jan. 9 in Columbus, the Gophers lost by three after trailing Ohio State by 16 with 10 minutes to play. Northwestern, missing leading scorer John Shurna, was a shot away from an upset Jan. 29. Penn State led late at Ohio State Jan. 15 before the Buckeyes pulled it out.

After their second close call with the Wolverines, who led at halftime Thursday, Sullinger said his team hadn't played to its potential in the first half. With Wisconsin (twice), Illinois and Purdue remaining on their schedule, the Buckeyes can't afford a lapse.