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Big Ten Basketball: Ranking the team offenses for 2022-23 season

By Trevor Sinodhinos

Mar 10, 2022; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Hoosiers forward Trayce Jackson-Davis (23) celebrates a basket in the second half against the Michigan Wolverines at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 10, 2022; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Hoosiers forward Trayce Jackson-Davis (23) celebrates a basket in the second half against the Michigan Wolverines at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Big Ten Basketball Zed Key Ohio State Buckeyes (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) /

7. Ohio State Buckeyes

2021-22 season: 72. 8 points per game

A common theme in the Big Ten this season are teams losing their leading scorer. This is seen with Ohio State Basketball as well, as last season’s fifth highest scoring Big Ten team will not have four of their top five scorers returning. The biggest void for Head Coach Chris Holtmann to fill has been created by the departures of Malaki Branham (13.7 ppg) and EJ Liddell ( 19.4 ppg).

Center Zed Key (8 ppg) may be the most familiar name in the Buckeyes’ 2022-23 starting lineup, but the rest of the starters and the bench will be composed of the No. 25 ranked transfer class and the No. 6 ranked freshman class.

Key will not have the offensive versatility as Liddell, but he will be able to continue to lower his shoulder in order to get to the basket. Key also will not have the passing of Kyle Young to get him the ball, but 2021-22 All-Horizon First Team selection and second leading scorer in the conference Tanner Wright (20.1 ppg) has transferred from Wright State to provide another scoring opportunity for Coach Holtmann that will prevent the defense from collapsing on Key.

When the ball was not in Liddell’s hands last season, the Buckeyes’ implemented a lot of high ball screens in order to take advantage of a mismatch if the defense switched. This will continue to be a staple in Coach Holtmann’s offense as Oklahoma State transfer Isaac Likekele (7.1ppg) replaces Jamari Wheeler at point guard and shooting upgrade Sean McNeil ( 12.2 ppg) joins the offense from West Virginia.

The hopeful healthy return of fifth-year senior Justice Sueing who played just 31 minutes last season will also be an upgrade on the backdoor cut that Eugene Brown benefitted from last season. Ultimately, the Buckeyes’ fifth-best Big Ten offense will produce less without Liddell, but there is hope for a successful season.

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