Ohio State and Member Ohio Universities Finally Capitalize on Layup Opportunity

The rumors have now become official as the Ohio State Buckeyes, Cincinnati Bearcats, Xavier Musketeers, and the Dayton Flyers are teaming up for what has the potential to be a great early-season hoops tradition.

The four schools are competing together in a preseason double-header where the Buckeyes will play the Bearcats and the Flyers will take on the Musketeers on Center Court at the Linder Family Tennis Center, home of the world-renowned Cincinnati Open.

The event will take place on October 7th and will be played as an Outdoor event. Yes, it is still an exhibition game, but it doesn't take too much foresight to look into the future and see this as a yearly kickoff to the basketball season.

This is objectively awesome. These four schools combined are all relevant on the National level in basketball for different reasons. Dayton is a yearly tournament contender, while the Buckeyes are definitely a program on the rise, Xavier competes for a tournament spot yearly, and Cincinnati has a storied basketball history. More importantly, for a football-crazed state, this is the perfect way to grab fans' attention early on instead of keeping them dormant until February.

It is rare in today's day and age to hear about schools and sports actually making a decision that puts the fans first and not their bottom lines. However, what they are going to discover is that when you put the fans first, pockets will be handsomely lined.

I would be willing to bet that this event, weather permitting, is going to be a complete sellout. It is going to be a Wednesday night event with the Buckeyes coming home for a home game on the following Saturday and the Bearcats on a bye week. 

The crowd should be incredible and the basketball should be as well. 

Ohio State is going to have one of the most improved rosters in the entire country next year, and they will be an incredibly fun team to watch. For the first time in a long time, the Buckeyes are going to have a roster that, on paper, will be competing at the top of the sport next year. 

They will immediately get tested against a tough Bearcats team that will show Ohio State exactly what they are bringing to the table.

This event will have everything. Great coaches, great players, rowdy fanbases, a fun environment, and the start of what should be a yearly tradition.

Good on these four Universities for putting something together that everyone is going to enjoy.

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