By Dana O’Neil (ESPN.com) -

The tenor of this offseason and lead-in to next season was set in a dismal locker room in Newark, N.J., on March 25.

With his teammates scattered around the room, stoically and in some cases, tearfully, answering questions, Jared Sullinger made his assertion in a clear and strong voice.

“I’m going to be an Ohio State Buckeye next year,” the future freshman of the year said minutes after his team was eliminated by Kentucky in the NCAA tournament. “I’m a man of my word. I don’t change my word and no one changes it for me. This is what I want.”

Reporters scratched Sullinger’s words into their notebooks, went back to their laptops and typed them in so all the world could snicker at his vow……

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