In a conference as difficult as the Big Ten, wins can be hard to come by.

As each week brings more and more challenges, and as the race for a Big Ten championship heats up, it becomes increasingly important to collect wins when you have an opportunity to play on your own floor.

The Ohio State men’s basketball team has had no problem with that.

The Buckeyes have won all 15 of their games at the Schottenstein Center this year, and are shooting an impressive 54 percent on their home floor. But perhaps more impressive than the undefeated record, is the convincing fashion in which the Buckeyes have won.

OSU has beaten its opponents at home by an average of more than 24 points, and have won all but one game by double digits.

“I just think we’re on a roll and we have the support of the crowd,” junior Evan Turner said. “We’re pretty confident here.”

While it’s clear that the Buckeyes definitely have the advantage in Columbus, coach Thad Matta said he can’t really give an explanation for his team’s home success. 

“I think teams probably play better at home than they do on the road for obvious reasons,” Matta said. “It’s where you practice and that sort of thing, but I don’t know if I could pinpoint exactly what it is. Maybe they just listen better at home.”

One Buckeye in particular that has seen success is center Dallas Lauderdale. The junior has made 83 percent of his shots at home, missing just eight attempts total.

“These are the rims we practice on,” Lauderdale said. “A good majority of my shots are dunks and it’s kind of hard to miss those.”

For a Buckeye team that began conference by playing four out of its first five games on the road, a recent homestand was exactly what it needed. After going 2-3 through that tough stretch, OSU played five of its next six games at home. The Buckeyes currently sit tied for second place in the Big Ten, behind Michigan State.

Unfortunately for the Buckeyes, however, they will not get a chance to play the conference’s leader at home. Their lone meeting with the Spartans comes in two weeks at Michigan State.

But as the latter stage of the season folds, it will be crucial that the Buckeyes continue their success at home.

“It’s wide open,” Ohio State junior Jon Diebler said of the competition for a Big Ten title. “This late in the season, with the race as close as it is, you really have to take care of business at home.”