NCAA Basketball: Bold predictions for 2019-20 Big Ten Basketball season
By Brian Rauf
2) DJ Carton will be the conference’s top freshman
Ohio State returns six of their top eight scorers from a year ago, headlined by star big man Kaleb Wesson. That core immediately makes the Buckeyes one of the better teams in the Big Ten and a top 25 team, but their ceiling will be determined by the play they get from their backcourt.
Chris Holtmann’s squad has to replace starters C.J. Jackson and Keyshawn Woods are both gone. Four-star freshman guard DJ Carton is expected to take over that starting point guard role from Jackson, and I think he has all the tools to make a significant impact.
The 6-1, 190-pounder has an extremely high IQ and is a great passer that routinely makes plays for others, which will allow him to fit into this lineup without any real problems. Carton is also a knockdown three-point shooter, which will help an Ohio State team that made just over 34 percent from deep a year ago.
Most important, Carton knows how to use his wide array of skills to control and dictate a game. He knows when to get his teammates involved and when he needs to look for his own shot. The rest of Ohio State’s talented roster should be able to reach their full potential with a steadying hand like that in the backcourt.
There are many talented freshmen that will play significant roles in the Big Ten race yet, considering Carton’s skill set and how much he’ll have the ball in his hands, no one is going to make a bigger positive impact for their respective team.