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February 16, 2016The Villain is returning to Columbus, this time as a hero. On Tuesday The Ohio State University will honor Evan Turner by raising a banner with his name and number 21 to The Schott’s rafters. The Chicago native will be in attendance to watch as his surname sits alongside Lucas, Bradds, Jackson, and Havlicek. While his number is not being officially retired, the honor offers a chance to reflect on Turner’s fantastic collegiate career.
Turner joined the Buckeyes as a freshman in the 2007-08 season. He averaged 27.1 minutes, 8.5 points, and 4.4 assists per game for an Ohio State squad that would wind up winning the NIT. He dropped twenty points on UMass in the championship game. As a shophomore in 2008-09 he scored over 500 points and saw his points per game average increase to 17.3 point per game. The Buckeyes returned to the NCAA Tournament but Siena bounced them in the first round.
As a junior Turner finally emerged as the can-do-anything offensive threat head coach Thad Matta envisioned when he recruited the young man as he recorded two triple doubles in November and reached the thousand point career threshold. Turner won numerous awards in 2009-10 including: first-team All-American, Big Ten Player of the Year, Big Ten Tournament MVP, and perhaps most importantly the Wooden Award for best collegiate basketball player of the year, besting then Kentucky guard John Wall.
Turner led the Buckeyes to regular season and conference tournament titles. In the NCAA Tournament OSU defeated UC Santa Barbara and Georgia Tech to reach the Sweet 16. Their championship dreams ended in St. Louis at the hands of the Tennessee Volunteers (a 76-73 loss which haunts the author to this day). Turner finished the season averaging 20.4 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game. Turner went pro later that year and Philadelphia drafted him No. 2 overall. After a stop in Indiana, he currently plays for the Boston Celtics.
Officially the school is not retiring Turner’s number, but instead honoring his fantastic college career. “The Villain,” as former Grantland writer Mark Titus dubbed him in his book, could be a prickly personality at times, but he was a maestro on the hardwood. It is especially auspicious that Turner’s number be retired against Michigan since ET put a heart-stopping end to their Big Ten Tournament dreams in March 2010.
From now on when patrons visit Value City Arena and gaze up they will see the name “Turner” hanging shoulder-to-shoulder with legends and heroes. I guess now he is one too.
1 Comment
“not a lot you can do there” how about guard him on the inbounds