NCAA Basketball: Key early-season tournament games for 2021-22 season

Ohio State versus Seton Hall

The Ohio State Buckeyes may have lost their fourth-leading scorer when CJ Walker graduated and their leading scorer in Duane Washington when he entered the NBA Draft, but head coach Chris Holtmann did enough recruiting in the high schools and in the transfer portal to keep Ohio State as a top twenty team to watch.

Malaki Branham, the thirty-second ranked freshman on RSCI will be playing behind Justice Sueing, as well as Cedric Russell will be coming off the bench in the backcourt after averaging over seventeen points last season at Louisiana-Lafayette. Penn State transfer Jamari Wheeler looks to run the offense as starting point guard as Russell’s shoot ability will be much more beneficial playing off-ball.

True center Joey Brunk – who has recovered from back surgery- gives Ohio State the size they sorely lacked last season and he will get plenty of playing time behind Kyle Young. Finally, when you have a Big-Ten Player of the Year candidate in EJ Liddell, every game is a must-watch.

To go along with Seton Hall’s three returning starters, Syracuse transfer Kadary Richmond will join them at point guard along with South Florida transfer Alexis Yetna (9.5ppg, 7.3rpg) who will share a lot of time with returning starter Ike Obiagu. The Pirates hope to compete against a less talented Big East Conference this season, if they are to get at-large consideration come Selection Sunday a win versus the Buckeyes will go a long way.