Jerry Lucas will get to dot the 'i' at Ohio State, but not at Ohio Stadium.
During the weekend that the men's basketball program unveils a statue honoring one of its all-time great players, the Buckeyes will also have the three-time all-American and two-time national player of the year dot the 'i' on the hardwood at Value City Arena.
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Lucas' status will be unveiled Nov. 14 in a ceremony beginning at 4 p.m. It will be located outside the northwest rotunda of the arena, near the basketball practice facilities. The next day, the football program will host UCLA at Ohio Stadium, and Lucas had been suggested as a candidate to become the first men's basketball player to dot the 'i' as the Ohio State marching band performs Script Ohio on the field.
Instead, Lucas will be the first to do the honor as the fall athletic band performs the maneuver on the hardwood when the Buckeyes host Notre Dame on Nov. 16. The gesture is part of changes to Ohio State's in-game experiences this year called "Tradition Evolved" and led by athletic director Ross Bjork.
According to a release, dotting the 'i' at a basketball game will be "an honor that will be utilized in recognizing the program's greats."
Ohio State men's basketball beat writer Adam Jardy can be reached at ajardy@dispatch.com , on Bluesky at @ cdadamjardy.bsky.social or on Twitter at @ AdamJardy .
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State's Jerry Lucas to dot the 'i' at Notre Dame basketball game
