Ohio State Basketball Preview 2021
Our Ohio State basketball preview 2021 - 22 observes that although the Buckeyes have gone to the last three NCAA Tournaments, the furthest they’ve gotten is the Round of 32. They’ve done that twice. However, for head coach Chris Holtmann (87-44 OSU/4 years, 201-129 Overall/10 years) and the Buckeyes, this year could be different. Going deep would ease the pain from last year’s tournament when, after going 21-10 overall and 12-2 in the Big Ten and finishing fifth in the conference, two-seed OSU was eliminated in the Round of 64 by underdog and 15-seed Oral Roberts. After the dust had settled two key players with eligibility, playmaker C.J. Walker and leading scorer Duane Washington Jr., decided to leave. Despite those two key losses, there’s plenty to be optimistic about when it comes to this edition of the OSU men’s basketball team.
Buckeyes Frontcourt
Forward Kyle Young is the anchor upfront. Along with being a 54.3/43.3/84.6 shooter, Young brings hustle and basketball smarts to the floor. Sophomore Zed Key is a 61.6 field-goal shooter with 31 games behind him. Our Ohio State basketball preview 2021 - 22 sees 6’7",” 240-pound forward E.J. Liddell as being one of the more elusive offensive players on this team. Tough to guard and stop, Liddell averaged 16.2 PPG and 6.7 RPG last season. He could up those stats this year. Adding depth is transfer Joey Brunk (Indiana) at center and true freshman Kalen Etzler at forward.
Ohio State Basketball Preview – Backcourt
Transfer Cedric Russell (Louisiana) comes to Ohio State after hitting 40 percent of his shots from beyond the arc last season. Also arriving is top-40 recruit Malaki Branham, a slasher and the current “Mr. Basketball” in Ohio. Branham has talent and drive. Plus, there are various other options to add to the rotation at shooting guard. The point slot is another story. Sophomore Meechie Johnson Jr. could be an option, but we expect the more experienced Jamari Wheeler, a senior transfer from Penn State, will end up securing that role. Senior Jimmy Sotos may also see time at the point, as he brings premium ball handling skills to his game.
Ohio State Basketball Preview 2021 – Final Word
Despite the losses, Holtmann has assembled a viable team that has some depth. Point guard is a major question mark, but there are options. And the frontcourt looks solid. Thus, our Ohio State basketball preview 2021 - 22 projects the Buckeyes getting back to the Big Dance and making it to the Sweet 16. Although we think OSU will be eliminated at that point, the truth is once a team gets that far into the tourney, the Elite Eight can be just a basket away.
Big Ten - Ohio State Rankings & Projections 2021
AP Top 25 Preseason Poll Ranking: 17
NCAA Men's Basketball NET Ranking: 13
Big Ten Finish: 3
Postseason Tournament: NCAA Sweet Sixteen