When fans of the Ohio State men’s basketball team look at the team’s schedule and see several tough stretches on it, they have to wonder if they’re prepared or tested enough to win those games.

Pundits look at OSU’s early non-conference schedule against teams such as Presbyterian, Alcorn State and Lipscomb and contend that there are too many non-challenges. Even playing in a difficult conference like the Big Ten, some believe that the Buckeyes don’t schedule enough tough opponents.

Other critics point to the Buckeyes’ current strength of schedule, which ranks 83rd, as evidence to their claims.

But are the Buckeyes playing one of the softer schedules in the country? Coach Thad Matta doesn’t think so.

“Things have been made of our schedule and if you truly look at other team’s schedules, there’s really not a difference,” Matta said.

Overlooked are the games against ranked opponents California, North Carolina, Butler and West Virginia. Each of those four matchups took place away from the Schottenstein Center.

In fact, since the start of the ‘07-‘08 season, OSU has played 32 ranked teams — the most in the country — entering Wednesday’s meeting with No. 4 Purdue.

Matta wonders if that number would be even higher looking four or five seasons back. 
“A lot of people don’t realize or appreciate that we have played a tremendous schedule here,” Matta said.

One reason that the number is high is because OSU has to play eight of 10 conference opponents twice, meaning perennial top 25 teams such as Purdue, Michigan State and Wisconsin usually appear on the Buckeyes’ schedule more than once.

There is a lot of planning that goes into finding the right combination between the non-conference schedule and the Big Ten schedule, Matta said.

“Scheduling is such a delicate balance,” Matta said. “I don’t really know if there’s a right way to do it.”

Scheduling too many underwhelming opponents can leave a team unprepared for tournament play. Adding too many elite opponents can hurt if the team isn’t talented enough to compete at that high level all season.

Matta has certainly seemed to find that effective balance this season as the Buckeyes have reached the 20-win plateau for the sixth straight season.

Matta said that he plans to continue working to try scheduling major conference opponents for future years.

Fans might tire of seeing teams such as Delaware State or Eastern Michigan on the schedule, but they should expect to see opponents like West Virginia and Butler as well.