NCAAB · 1 year ago

College Basketball 2024-25 Preview Top 40: #33 Ohio State Buckeyes

David Connelly

Host · Writer

College Basketball 2024-25 Preview Top 40: #33 Ohio State Buckeyes

Ohio State Preview: Departures

Ohio State’s Biggest Losses:

Jamison Battle (NBA) – 15.3 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 1.4 APG
Roddy Gayle Jr. (Michigan) – 13.5 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 3.1 APG
Zed Key (Dayton) – 6.6 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 0.5 APG

There was certainly a heavy reliance on the big three of Bruce Thornton, Jamison Battle, and Roddy Gayle Jr. to do the majority of the scoring last season, and two-thirds of that group has headed for the exit. This presents head coach Jake Diebler with the first real challenge of his Ohio State tenure as he looks to make up for that lost production with his newcomers and returning talent. Key’s veteran presence, with 121 games as a Buckeye, will also be sorely missed here.

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Ohio State Preview: Arrivals

Ohio State Top Additions:

Aaron Bradshaw (Kentucky) – 4.9 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 0.3 APG
Meechie Johnson (South Carolina) – 14.1 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 2.9 APG
Sean Stewart (Duke) – 2.6 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 0.2 APG

Stewart and Bradshaw enter the mix with the hopes of one man’s trash being another man’s treasure as blue chip recruits coming out of high school who didn’t exactly pan out at their first stop. Both have massive upside and the potential to really take off in their sophomore seasons, making the Buckeyes an intriguing dark horse to win the Big Ten. The return of former Ohio State guard Meechie Johnson provides the exact opposite, a fifth-year proven commodity out of the SEC, where he led South Carolina in scoring last season.

Ohio State Preview: Returnees

Ohio State Top Returnees:

Bruce Thornton – 15.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 4.8 APG
Devin Royal – 4.7 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 0.4 APG
Evan Mahaffey – 4.3 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 1.7 APG

Thornton will be the team’s leader as the lone returning double-digit scorer from last year’s roster. He has a do-it-all mentality when he steps on the court and will flirt with some triple-doubles over the course of the upcoming season. Royal and Mahaffey will be asked to step into more prominent roles, providing some spot starts and depth options for Diebler in a league where second-unit success is often crucial.

Ohio State Preview: Look Back

Ohio State 2023-24 Season:
Record: 22-14 (9-11 in Big Ten)
Postseason: Reached NIT Quarterfinals (Lost to Georgia 79-77)

After being deemed interim head coach following the midseason firing of Chris Holtmann, Diebler nearly pulled off one of the most improbable NCAA Tournament selections we have seen in recent memory. Almost certainly left for dead with a 14-11 overall record and 4-10 Big Ten record at the time of Holtmann’s dismissal, the Buckeyes would go on to beat #2 Purdue in Diebler’s first-ever game as a head coach, sparking a stretch of five wins in six games to close out the regular season. A loss to Illinois in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament saw their journey fall just short of a bid into the Big Dance, but there was a clear spark from the players and the program when Diebler took over the sidelines. Expect more of that to come in 2024-25.

Ohio State Preview: 2024-25 Season

Ohio State 2024-25 Season:
Ohio State National Championship Odds +5500

There is a lot to get excited about with this Ohio State team entering the 2024-25 season. The major question will be: Is Jake Diebler ready to step into the head coaching role and lead this program to success? Holtmann’s firing allowed Diebler to stake his claim for the position, and he grasped it. Will hiring him as the permanent leader of this team prove to pay dividends? We believe so, and he’s got the roster to do it.

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