By Shannon Ryan (ChicagoTribune.com) -

Ohio State lost the player who was considered the best in the nation, yet the Buckeyes are expected to find even more success this season than when they advanced to the NCAA tournament’s Sweet 16 last spring.

While that logically would not compute for most teams, it has been proven at Ohio State.

Last season’s versatile point guard Evan Turner, who won nearly every player of the year award, left early for the NBA, but the Buckeyes are ranked fourth nationally, are selected to finish second behind Michigan State in the Big Ten and many predict them to land in the Final Four thanks to experienced returnees and some stellar freshmen.

“Even though (Turner) left, we still have a lot of players who know the system,” fifth-year swingman David Lighty said. “We were right there and let it slip out of our hands. It gives us that much more motivation to get to where we were and even further.”

The Buckeyes season begins Friday at home against North Carolina A & T before they travel to No. 9 Florida on Tuesday — their most challenging non-conference meeting.

Their success hinges not just on four returning starters but another round of top-flight freshmen coach Thad Matta has drawn to Columbus.

Ohio State reeled in one of the top recruiting classes, led by McDonald’s all-America forwards Jared Sullinger and Deshaun Thomas. Sullinger was a high school Naismith Award winner. Thomas led all Indiana high school players in scoring the last two seasons…..

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