Charleston Southern will travel to Columbus Thursday for a matchup with the Ohio State Buckeyes. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor
The new-look Buckeyes got their season off on the right foot and now turn their focus to their latest nonconference test.
Ohio State (1-0) hosts Charleston Southern Thursday as the Buckeyes continue their three-game homestand to start the year. Graduate guard Sean McNeil, who knocked down a pair of 3-pointers in the season opener against Robert Morris Monday, said Ohio State showed potential to reach the goals set for this season.
“Overall, I thought we played really hard,” McNeil said. “We got a lot of things to clean up, but as a group collectively, I thought we had a good performance day one, game one.”
Charleston Southern (1-0) also started its season with an 83-52 win over Toccoa Falls Monday. The Buccaneers finished 6-25 last season and earned one conference win behind a team shooting percentage of 40.7.
Head coach Chris Holtmann said Charleston Southern is a team with “really good athletes,” and the Buckeyes are “in the midst of preparation” for their next home matchup.
“They have some guys returning that we’re familiar with,” Holtmann said. “The rest of them, it’s a little bit of ‘learn on the fly, commit to your system.’”
Redshirt junior guard Tahlik Chavez and sophomore guard Claudell Harris Jr. return to Charleston Southern as its top-two scoring leaders from a season ago, posting averages of 11.7 and 10.3 points per game, respectively.
Buccaneers sophomore forward Taje’ Kelly received a nod to the Big South All-Freshman Team after shooting 59.4 percent from the field and contributing on both the offensive and defensive glass with 4 rebounds per game.
Holtmann said he anticipates a challenge in Kelly and Charleston Southern.
“He is a really good big kid,” Holtmann said. “He is a load in there.”
Ohio State trotted out a starting lineup composed of three newcomers against the Robert Morris, but it was veteran redshirt senior forward Justice Sueing — who’s in his fourth season at Ohio State after missing last season due to abdominal and groin injuries — leading the charge offensively.
Sueing scored 20 points on 57.1 percent shooting, and three more Buckeyes reached double figures — including freshman forward Brice Sensabaugh, who scored 17 points and a team-high six free throw makes.
All 10 of Ohio State’s newcomers saw time on the court against Robert Morris, and freshman guard Bruce Thornton was the lone freshman to make the starting lineup. After recording four assists and three points in about 24 minutes, Thornton said he began catching up to the speed of college basketball during Monday’s game.
“After the first play, my nerves go away,” Thornton said. “Last game, it took me a couple possessions to get my feet under myself, but when that happened, I felt comfortable.”
With as much roster turnover as Ohio State experienced, it may take time for a scoring leader to emerge or for a consistent rotation to shake out, Holtmann said.
The season is still young, but McNeil said the Buckeyes are focused on making improvements one game at a time.
“It’s hard to keep the end goal in mind when things are so early, but it’s important to keep stacking days and take something good from each and every day,” McNeil said. “We got a lot of goals that we’re going to set out and try to accomplish this year.”
Ohio State tips off against the Buccaneers Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at Value City Arena. Big Ten Network will broadcast.
