Ohio State Basketball: 2024-25 season preview for the Buckeyes

Season Outlook

Things did not go according to plan last season and this Ohio State program didn’t hesitate to make a change. What happens next is very telling, as the administration chose to stick with Diebler after a fantastic month-plus calling the shots in the interim role. There’s no question that his Buckeyes played much better under his leadership, but will that trend continue moving forward?

The Buckeyes shed significant pieces of last year’s talent, though getting Thornton back is already a major win for this newly-revamped coaching staff. He showed incredible potential as a sophomore and was one of the focal points of that last season surge.

The staff built a strong backcourt by bringing Johnson back to Columbus and he could be one of the most underrated offseason additions in the Big Ten. Throw in what Glover could bring coming back from injury, and you have a talented backcourt that can score and share the basketball.

What’s really intriguing this year is the frontcourt, filled with raw talent. There’s no question that Parrish can do wonders on both ends of the basketball, but Ohio State’s success will depend on how Bradshaw and Stewart adjust to bigger roles at new schools. These two weren’t 5-star recruits by accident and the Buckeyes will need them performing at a high level, especially against more experienced bigs in this league.

There’s a lot we don’t yet know about this upcoming season, but there’s plenty of reasons to be excited in Columbus. The pure talent is there to compete in the Big Ten and put last year’s 9th place finish in the rearview. On the other hand, this team is one or two injuries away from having serious depth issues, not to mention their heavy dependence on young pieces in the frontcourt.

All things considered, this Buckeyes squad should at least be on par with their performance from last season. This team will likely reach the Top 25 at some point in the year and should pose quite the challenge during Big Ten play. If those young pieces at the back end take massive steps forward, then perhaps the story could be very different. It could be a high ceiling for the Buckeyes, though realistically a return to the Big Dance is a fantastic goal.