Top 10 Ohio State Men's Basketball Players from Northwest Ohio

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10. Marc Loving

The Toledo St. John’s product played for the Buckeyes from the 2013-14 season through the 2016-17 campaign. Loving was a 1,000 point scorer and led the Buckeyes in free throw percentage for three years. He is also 5th all time in Buckeye history for career three pointers made. He was the team MVP in 2016

9. Dave Sorenson

Dave Sorenson is a Findlay High grad who played from the fall of 1967 to the spring of 1970. Sorenson ranked second on the Buckeyes’ all time scoring list at the time of his graduation. To this day he still ranks 10th. He is 5th all time in career scoring average with an impressive 21.1 points per game. Not only is he 10th in all time scoring, he also ranks 10th for the Buckeyes in career rebounds. He was team MVP in both 1969 and 1970 while also serving as captain as a senior. He was First Team All-Big Ten in both his junior and senior seasons.

8. Jamar Butler

The Mr. Basketball recipient took his talents from Lima Shawnee to Columbus from 2005-2008. Butler was the Buckeye’s leading three point shooter in program history at the time of his graduation, he is currently second. He led the team in both assists, three point and free throw percentage twice. As a junior he helped lead the Buckeyes to a runners-up finish in the NCAA tournament. He was team captain and MVP as a senior while earning First Team All-Big Ten honors.

7. Jon Diebler

The pride of Wyandot County, Jon Diebler is the greatest three point shooter in Buckeye history. The Upper Sandusky native not only has the Ohio State record for career three pointers made, but also the Big Ten record. Of the four best three point shooting seasons in Ohio State history, Diebler holds three of them. As a senior he made over 50% of his three point attempts, an Ohio State record.

6. William Buford

The final star Toledo Libbey ever produced, William Buford was a four year starter for the Buckeyes. Buford was named Big Ten freshman of the year in 2009. He graduated with the third most points scored in Ohio State history with 1,990 points. Buford also took more shots than any other Buckeye in history. He scored over 500 points in three seasons and started more games than any other player in program history with 137.

5. Aaron Craft

Now Dr. Aaron Craft, he was once a do-it-all basketball prospect out of Liberty-Benton High School. Craft was a three time Academic All-American. As a senior he was the national defensive player of the year and was Big Ten DPOY twice. As a freshman he was Big Ten sixth man of the year. He was the Big Ten tournament MVP as a junior. He is the Buckeyes’ all time leader in assists with 694. He also has the most steals in Ohio State and Big Ten history with 337. Craft has played more minutes than any other player in program history while leading the team in assists and steals for four years and being named team MVP in 2014.

4. Kelvin Ransey

Kelvin Ransey came to Columbus by way of Toledo Macomber. Ransey started four years for the Buckeyes and was captain for two. He was the second career leading scorer at the time of his graduation, he is now fifth. He was First Team All-Big Ten for three years and was a Second Team All-American as a senior. He is fourth all time in program history in assists and led the team in scoring for three years.

3. Dick Schnittker

Dick Schnittker was a star at Sandusky before playing for the Buckeyes. Schnittker was the career scoring leader for Ohio State when he graduated in 1950. He was the first player in program history to score over 1,000 points. He was twice named to the Big Ten First Team. As a senior he was named captain and was named First Team All-American while leading Ohio State to a NCAA tournament appearance.

2. Jim Jackson

Perhaps the most famous player in Northwest Ohio history, Jim Jackson played three seasons in Columbus after leading Toledo Macomber to a state title in 1989. He was a First Team All-American as a sophomore and junior. He was Big Ten freshman of the year and then won two straight Big Ten POY awards. He is the seventh leading scorer in Buckeye history while only playing for three seasons. His number 22 jersey was retired in 2001.

1. Dennis Hopson

The pride of Bowsher High School, Dennis Hopson tops the list of Buckeyes from Northwest Ohio. Hopson is the leading scorer all time in program history with 2,096 points. He was a Second Team All-American as a senior in 1987. He was second in the country in scoring as a senior with an average of 29 points per game. He was named Big Ten Player of the Year and scored a program record 958 points that season. He also holds season best marks for field goals and free throws made.