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COLUMBUS — Ohio State men's basketball coach Thad Matta knows the basketball world is anxious to see super-recruit Greg Oden play.

So is Matta. But like everyone else, he must wait for the 7-footer's right wrist to heal.

"It seems like he's right on where they want him to be at this time" Matta said Thursday at Ohio State's Media Day. "The big thing is we don't want to rush anything and bring him back before he's 100 percent."

Matta said the target date for Oden's return is still Jan. 1, but that could change either way.

Oden, who had surgery June 16 for a torn ligament, still has a screw in his wrist that must be removed. Oden may end up playing while wearing a cast.

Seen, not heard from

Matta said his policy of not letting newcomers (Oden, Daequan Cook, Mike Conley, Othello Hunter, David Lighty and transfer Kyle Madsen) talk to the media until they've played is especially good for a young, highly-ranked team.

"You want them to get the feel of college basketball," Matta said. "One of the challenges we have is molding them and getting them to think along the lines that we want them to."

Buckeye men's notes

• OSU is ranked highly by many publications, but the coach said health and youth make predictions difficult.

"The only microscope we're going to be under is our own," Matta said. "That's the way we have to operate. This team, there's so many unknowns."

• Matta said the university is re-working his contract: "I'm hoping they'll have me here for a long time."

• Since the roster is small, there's an outside shot a walk-on could crack it. Matta said those tryouts are Monday.

• Matta said OSU has nearly sold out all Big Ten home games and that the school has never sold this many student tickets.

Buckeye women's notes

• Senior Brandie Hoskins (Chaminade-Julienne) said she's nearly recovered after rupturing her right Achilles tendon.

"I've got be a lot more mentally focused," she said. "Basketball means everything to me. To have a second chance to be able to play is just great."

• Ohio State women's basketball coach Jim Foster was complimentary toward freshman Maria Moeller (Marion Local).

"Moeller is a (true) point guard," said Foster, adding he hasn't had one in his other four seasons at OSU. "She already knows where everybody is supposed to be and when they're supposed to be there and her teammates understand that."

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-6951 or mgokavi@DaytonDailyNews.com.