Ohio State
Last season was certainly a big disappointment and it was the first time it’s really happened since Chris Holtmann took over the program back in 2017. The Buckeyes were just 16-19, finishing a miserable 5-15 against their Big Ten rivals, and missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time during Holtmann’s tenure. They’ve lost a few of the big names from last season’s disappointment, but have reason for optimism going forward.
Former Minnesota wing Jamison Battle was the big addition in the Transfer Portal, but it’s all about the recruiting class for Ohio State. The Buckeyes will be looking for great production out of a trio of 4-star prospects: combo guard Taison Chatman, power forward Devin Royal, and small forward Scotty Middleton. With Zed Key and Bruce Thornton (who both averaged double figures last season) also back, there’s certainly enough talent for an upswing in Columbus.
The Big Ten was really tough and really deep last season but could there be an opportunity for the Buckeyes this year? There are a lot of teams around the same tier as Ohio State looking to compete for conference supremacy, and the new faces for the Buckeyes could be a major factor. Things simply didn’t work out for this team last season, but this offense should be more fluid and this team could make noise again.