Matta's Buckeyes have fully reloaded

Most programs would be gutted after losing the guys who delivered 88 percent of the points, 85 percent of the rebounds and 80 percent of the assists in the previous year's NCAA Tournament title game.

But at Ohio State, watching three freshmen become the NBA's first, fourth and 21st draft picks represents little more than a hiccup.

Of course, Buckeyes coach Thad Matta will try to tell you his new squad has a long row to hoe. He's trying to cross-pollinate five freshmen and two transfers with four returnees, after all.

"They don't even know what to say," said Matta, claiming they're still working on such basics as calling out screens on defense.

But the national recruiting analysts will remind you Matta enlisted the country's fifth-best crop of newcomers in order to keep Ohio State's perennials blooming.

The Recruiting Services Consensus Index lists 7-foot forward Kosto Koufos, St. Joseph swingman Evan Turner, shooting guard Jon Diebler and big man Dallas Lauderdale among the Class of 2007's top 70 recruits.

Ohio State also brought in junior-college sophomore P.J. Hill, a point guard who played for the national NJCAA champions.

Koufos, who won MVP honors at the 18-and-under European championships over the summer, serves literally and figuratively as this group's biggest recruit.

Multiple NBA mock draft Web sites project the Greece native as a top-five pick as soon as he wants to be.

But Matta hopes no one expects him to fill Greg Oden's shoes with ease -- and that no one expects the incoming class to equal the exploits of last year's freshman class.

"You say, 'Kosta, you're Greg' and 'P.J., you're Michael (Conley),' " Matta said. "You can't because they're not those guys."

But in Ohio State's exhibition opener against Ashland on Wednesday night, Koufos posted 15 points and 12 rebounds to match the team-high totals of senior forward Othello Hunter.

The presence of veterans like Hunter and senior point guard Jamar Butler could keep the pressure off insta-starters like Koufos and shooting guard Jon Diebler.

Butler, for example, is giddy to be part at the point after shifting to the wing last year to accommodate Conley's talents.

It wasn't the easiest transition to make, especially since Butler had been the league's second-best point guard the year before.

"I've been at the point since forever. It's just natural for me," Butler told Lindy's magazine this summer. "I really wasn't bummed out (to move), but I think it bothered me a little bit in the back of my head.

"You know, I'm at the '2' and I'm not moving without the ball as well as I should because I'm used to having it in my hand."

Butler hit a team-high 76 3-pointers last season. He'll remain a deep threat, but Diebler could take his role as the shooting specialist.

Ohio's reigning Mr. Basketball scored 3,208 points during his prep career to blow past ex-Buckeye Jay Burson's record.

Among the people he passed on the all-time scoring list while averaging 40.8 points his senior year? LeBron James, Jerry Lucas, Bob Huggins, Butler and Jimmy Jackson.

You wonder why Matta worries whether guys like Koufos and Diebler can figure things out at the collegiate level.

"The challenge for the team right now is trying to understand the system," Matta said. "I'm sure we're going to hit some valleys. I'm sure we're going to hit some peaks."

Bet on more of the latter.

Ohio State at a glance

Coach: Thad Matta (81-23, fourth year at Ohio State; 183-53, eighth year overall)

2006-07 record: 35-4 (15-1 Big Ten, first); lost to Florida in NCAA championship game.

Starters returning/lost: 1/4

Projected starters

• PG Jamar Butler* 6-1 195 Sr. Back at the point this year, where he was second-team all-Big Ten as a soph.

• SG Jon Diebler 6-6 200 Fr. No. 1 scorer in Ohio prep history averaged 40.8 ppg last year.

• SF David Lighty 6-5 215 So. Started every game for USA Basketball's U-19 silver-medal team.

• PF Othello Hunter 6-8 225 Sr. Averaged 5.7 ppg and 4.7 rpg in 17 minutes per game last year.

• C Kosta Koufos 7-0 265 Fr. Usually referred to as the next Dirk Nowitzki. You know, the reigning NBA MVP?

Toughest nonconference games: Nov. 28 vs. North Carolina; Dec. 22 vs. Florida; Jan. 19 at Tennessee

Big Ten single games: at Penn State, vs. Wisconsin