Ohio State graduate guard Jamari Wheeler (55) dribbles the ball to the net during the Ohio State-Michigan game March 6. Ohio State lost 75-69. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor
Entering its Feb. 27 game against Maryland, Ohio State was riding momentum from beating the eventual Big Ten regular season co-champion Illinois just a few days prior.
All of the sudden, the wheels fell off. The Buckeyes lost three of their last four games to close the regular season — with two of those losses coming from teams below .500. As Ohio State looks to return to form in the Big Ten Tournament, head coach Chris Holtmann said he just wants to see improvement from his team in the postseason.
“Certainly we’d like to be healthier and also playing a little bit better,” Holtmann said. “I feel confident in this group and what we can be.”
Ohio State’s rough stretch culminated in a deflating senior day loss to rival Michigan Sunday, where it was outscored by 13 points in the second half. The Buckeyes allowed the Wolverines to explode for 45 points in the closing frame while shooting 48.4 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from 3-point range.
“It’s really hard, as a head coach, when your seniors lose on senior day,” Holtmann said.
The Buckeyes’ second-half defensive struggles against Michigan served as a microcosm of its difficulties across the four-game stretch. Since Feb. 27, Ohio State has allowed its opponents to average 74.3 points per game — which is 5.9 points above its season average.
Ohio State opponents have shot 45.3 percent from the field during the four-game stretch, up by more than four percent over its season average.
With attention to the Buckeyes’ trouble defensively, Holtmann said his squad addressed their shortcomings on that end ahead of the postseason.
“We’re certainly trying to, but we’ve had some guys out of practice too, so that’s impacting things,” Holtmann said.
Alongside its defensive downfall, Ohio State has seen fatigue creep in — stemming from a schedule in which the Buckeyes played 10 games in 25 days.
Although that stretch potentially tired the Buckeyes out ahead of the postseason, Holtmann said it also carried benefits of preparation for the day-to-day nature of the conference tournament.
“That’s such a unique situation for a college basketball team. But hopefully the quick turnaround, the quick prep, the ability to kind of turn the page from one game to the next and move on, will be valuable,” Holtmann said.
Ohio State’s late-season struggles have produced a similar situation to the final stretch of last year’s regular season. In 2020-21, the Buckeyes closed the regular season with four consecutive losses before stunning the conference field en route to a Big Ten Tournament Championship appearance.
While the Buckeyes pulled out an unexpected run in last season’s conference tournament, Holtmann said it comes down to a game-by-game basis in the postseason.
“There’s no guarantees,” Holtmann said. “It’s a lot of matchup-driven, it’s how you play on that particular night. To some degree, it’s the feel around your team as well.”
Injuries have also piled up for the Buckeyes prior to the Big Ten Tournament. Graduate forward Kyle Young will not play Thursday, remaining in concussion protocol, while sophomore forward Zed Key will be a game-time decision as he battles through an ankle injury that held him out of two games during the final week of the regular season. Redshirt senior Justice Sueing remains unavailable for Ohio State, last suiting up for the Buckeyes Nov. 12, 2021.
There was some good news on the injury front for the Buckeyes Wednesday, though. Freshman guard Meechie Johnson Jr., who aggravated his ankle against Michigan Sunday, will be available for the Buckeyes Thursday.
The Buckeyes will kick off their postseason run against a Penn State team they got the better of twice this season, beating the Nittany Lions both in Columbus and State College, Pennsylvania.
Led by 22 points from senior guard Jalen Pickett, the 11th-seeded Nittany Lions dispatched last-place Minnesota 60-51 to punch their ticket to the second round Wednesday.
The Buckeyes were unaware of their Thursday opponent until late Wednesday night. Holtmann said Ohio State’s experience against both Minnesota and Penn State will help in the game-planning process.
“It’s really important that you come with a level of aggressiveness and quality of play,” Holtmann said. “I think it’s important that we stay aggressive and play really well and understand that it’s going to be a challenging game. I think that’s a mindset as much as anything.”
The postseason provides Ohio State an opportunity to right the wrongs of the final week of the regular season. With a chance to emulate last season’s Big Ten Tournament success, Holtmann said it will be a distinct challenge for his squad.
“The biggest thing for us, again, is how we’re playing and are we improving in some of those areas,” Holtmann said. “We know that this tournament, every game will be a challenge. That’s the reality.”
Ohio State kicks off its postseason run Thursday against either Penn State or Minnesota at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The game will be televised on Big Ten Network.
