2017-2018 B1G Preview: Ohio State, Maryland will duel to the end

HARTFORD, CT – DECEMBER 19: Ohio State’s Guard Kelsey Mitchell (3) drives around UConn Huskies Guard Crystal Dangerfield (5) during the second half a women’s NCAA division 1 basketball game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the UConn Huskies on December 19, 2016, at the XL Center in Hartford, CT. (Photo by David Hahn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Last year’s record: 28-7, 15-1 B1G

Key Returns:

Kelsey Mitchell: 22.6 PPG, 3.9 APG, first team all Big Ten, B1G Player of the Year, USBWA and ESPNW National Freshman of the Year

Key Non-conference games:

Stanford: 11/10

Louisville: 11/12

Washington: 11/19

Duke: 11/30

Florida: 12/6

Ohio State managed to overcome early difficulties meshing a number of key transfers and rose to national prominence. 2017-18 promises more of the same, and perhaps even better days ahead. Kelsey Mitchell is a stud and no one has figured out how to defend her. She’s the kind of player some teams can ride to an NCAA title. They have the a strong frontcourt and back court to dominate in the paint, and defend the arc. (More details on this.) They even swept Maryland in the 2015-2016 season, when it was presumed they would go undefeated. Watch out college basketball, Kevin McGuff’s Ohio State Buckeyes are coming and they are for real.