Ohio State basketball came to a bitter end Saturday night with their 64-62 loss to the Kansas Jayhawks. There is always next season for the fans, current underclassmen, and the coaching staff. Unfortunately for one young man the dream of winning a national title has come to an end. We take a look back at the lone senior, William Buford, and his four unforgettable years as a Buckeye.
In 2008, William Buford was named Mr. Ohio in basketball and the player of the year. The Toledo Libbey graduate took his team on a run through the Ohio High School State Tournament, leading them all the way to the state championship game. Libbey faced a very quick and talented Chillicothe team for the Division II title. In a back and forth game in which neither team pulled away, Buford scored a game high 29 points. However, it was not quite enough as Chillicothe hit a buzzer beater to win the State Championship 70-69. To most, this would devastate a young player. To Buford, this only fueled him to make the next four years at Ohio State ones to never forget.
His freshman year saw him playing next to Ohio State greats David Lighty, Jon Diebler, and Evan Turner. Buford made his first start against UNC Asheville, scoring 16 points, pulling in 7 rebounds, and giving us a glimpse of the future. Even then he had a super smooth shooting touch, and everyone who watched him play knew that he was going to be special.
He averaged 11.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 29.3 minutes per game that first season while shooting a blistering 84.9% from the charity stripe. Buford also ranked in the top ten of all time freshman in 4 categories including 3-pointers made and 3-point attempts. The future sure looked to be bright for the young mid-range gunner.
In William’s sophomore season, he was inserted into the starting lineup from the very beginning of the season – starting all 37 games that year. On December 5, 2009 he tallied his first career double-double against Eastern Michigan by dropping in 16 points and dishing out 10 assists. In 6 of the 37 games he would score over twenty points and he would trail only Evan Turner, the National Player of the Year, in scoring by the end of the season. He would raise his points average to 14.4, rebounds to 5.6, and added 3.1 assists per game.
Buford’s junior year showed a slight drop in his rebounds and assists but he continued to be a scoring machine. Against Tennesee-Martin, he had a season high 23 points and left Ohio State fans in awe by scoring the first 7 points of the game and 10 of the first 15. He then lead all scorers with 19 points in a win against “That Team up North” while grabbing 9 boards in a 40 minute effort.
William would finish the Big Ten season out by scoring double digits in 10 of the last 11 games. In most seasons this would be enough to lead the team in scoring but he would finish second behind freshman, and National Player of the Year finalist, Jared Sullinger.
This year was William Buford’s senior season and it was his time to shine. In a group that featured all freshmen and sophomores, with the exception of Evan Ravenel and Alex Rogers, Buford was the lone senior. He now had to not only lead his team by scoring, but by being the vocal leader on what was for all intents and purposes his team.
Not only did the Buckeyes have some ups and downs but so did Buford. Through all the negativity of fans and media, Buford never gave up. He lead the team in scoring in 11 of the 39 games and improved on his season average again by posting 14.5 points per game. Ironically, though, his college career came to an end just like his high school career – scoring a game high but losing in a heartbreaker.
Most importantly, Buford demonstrated leadership down the stretch and helped guide his team to a Big Ten regular season championship and a Final Four appearance. These are things that will be remembered long into the future, long past the point when Buckeye fans forget about his shooting struggles late in his career. The year “2012” will be added to the “Big Ten Championship” and “Final Four” banners hanging in Value City Arena, and the team will never be forgotten.
In William Buford’s 4 years at Ohio State he played with several now-NBA players and faced amazing adversity when it came to the pressure of the Columbus media and fans. However, he never once complained about what was expected of him or once gave up on his team or the university he loved. He kept working and kept pushing forward.
Buford finished his career tied with Jerry Lucas as the number three all time scorer in Ohio State history. But it is work ethic and ability to never give up is what makes him a true Buckeye – a Buckeye that will never be forgotten. Thank you William for four years of fun, excitement, and most importantly memories that will remain with us forever.
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