Remember When: Ohio State Went From Big Ten Bottom-Feeder to a Final Four in One Season

Remember When: Ohio State Went From Big Ten Bottom-Feeder to a Final Four in One Season

Randy Ayers left the Ohio State basketball program in a state of disarray back in 1997. The Buckeyes went 26-56 across his last three seasons, leading to his firing after the 1996-97 season and the hiring of Jim O'Brien from Boston College. Things got worse in his first year. Ohio State had to replace the top three scorers from Ayers' final 10-17 squad – Damon Stringer, Jermaine Tate and Shaun Stonebrook – and toppled down to an 8-22 record i…