The college basketball season is still a few months away, but it is never too early to talk about the action.
The March Madness period was as exciting as ever, but on the men’s side of things, one team missed out on the festivities.
The Ohio State Buckeyes missed March Madness last season. They finished the season with a record of 15-18. When it came to conference games, they went 5-15. The Buckeyes were 13th in the Big Ten, with only the Minnesota Gophers having a worse record (both conference and overall).
The 2022-23 season was the first time the Buckeyes missed the NCAA tournament for the first time since the 2016-17 season. In the Chris Holtmann era, the Buckeyes have made the tournament four times. This season was a different story, but that does not mean the Buckeyes will miss the tournament again. The 2023-24 season is a chance to bounce back, and the Buckeyes could do just that.
The Buckeyes had some offseason changes. First (and most obvious) being the loss of their forward Brice Sensabaugh.
Sensabaugh led the Buckeyes in scoring last season with 16.3 points. As reported in previous posts, Sensabaugh entered the NBA Draft and was selected by the Utah Jazz. The freshman made an impact on the Buckeyes, but he has moved on and will start his NBA journey.
While the Buckeyes lost Sensabaugh, they have some new additions. Ohio State recently gave seven new players their jersey numbers.Four of the additions are freshmen, while the others are transfer players. Freshman players include Scotty Middleton, Taison Chatman, Austin Parks and Ohio Mr. Basketball of 2022-23 Devin Royal. As far as transfer players, the Buckeyes brought in former Baylor guard Dale Bonner, former Minnesota forward Jamison Battle and Evan Mahaffey, a wing out of Penn State.
The Buckeyes have eight returning players including their third leading scorer (and lead rebounder) of 22-23 Zed Key. Ohio State has their mix of new and familiar faces, and sometimes that is what it takes to get back on track. If these additions pay off (and there is a good chance they will), the Buckeyes can get right back into the NCAA tournament.
Of these new additions, one to keep an eye on is Royal. Royal is a 6-foot-6 forward out of Pickerington, Ohio. Scouts have described Royal as tough, strong and someone that plays bigger than he looks. He also has the makings of a playmaker. He averaged 19.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per game this season, and shot nearly 65 percent from the field in the process. While their styles of play may be different, have the Buckeyes found someone like Sensabaugh that can come in and make an instant impact? If so, the Buckeyes could be in good shape.
Ohio State missed the tournament, but it is time for a new beginning. And if players like Royal and the other additions can make an impact, the NCAA tournament should be within reach.
