ESPN's Jeff Goodman is reporting Ohio State will face Memphis as part of a Hall of Fame doubleheader set for Nov. 27, 2015. The other game will feature Kentucky and South Florida.
Besides being a good excuse to trade Columbus for Miami in late November, the matchup should serve as a solid early season test for an Ohio State team that's expected to be quite good in 2015–16. Since taking over five years ago, Josh Pastner, the young, flip-phone wielding coach of the Tigers, has led his team 130 wins, reaching the second round or better in the NCAA Tournament in all but his first season.
Memphis is the second marquee non-conference opponent lined up for Thad Matta's Buckeyes in 2015. Three weeks after the trip to Florida, Ohio State will face Kentucky at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Ohio State and Memphis have met just twice previously. In 1959, the Buckeyes emerged with 94-55 victory in Columbus. Seven years ago, the teams met again, this time in the 2007 NCAA Tournament South Regional Finals in San Antonio.
The No. 1 seed Buckeyes and No. 2 seed Tigers entered that game with identical 33–3 records and had combined for 45-straight wins between the programs. Despite early foul problems, Greg Oden delivered 17 points and nine rebounds, while Ron Lewis chipped in 22 to lead the Buckeyes to a 51-point second half to run away with things, 92–76.
The game was notable for Oden completely shutting down Memphis' Joey Dorsey, holding the forward to zero points after Dorsey made news prior to the game by saying Oden was an “overrated big man.”
Here's the game in its entirety, if you're into reliving things that are great.
