This was supposed to be a transitional year for the Ohio State basketball program. This is the first full season that Jake Diebler is the head coach. After taking over on an interim basis last year, the roster turned over quite a bit this season. He has four new starters on the team. That didn’t matter in their opener on Monday night as they took down #19 Texas 80-72.
That game was a surprise. It was expected that the Buckeyes were going to play at a faster pace and take more threes, but no one expected them to shoot 28 of them. What’s even better is that the Ohio State Buckeyes made 14 of them, so they shot 50% from deep. That opens up a new ceiling for this team this year. Perhaps it means they’re ready to win this season.
The Ohio State basketball team might be ready to make the NCAA Tournament this year
A win like this signals to the rest of the country that the Buckeyes might be ready to win sooner than expected. They have a shot to make the NCAA Tournament in Diebler’s first year. Bruce Thornton continues to be a steadying force for the team. He had 20 points in the opener and ran the offense in a manner that allowed everyone else to get involved.
Having guys who aren’t afraid to take and hit outside shots changes what this team can be. The speed at which they play also gives them an opportunity to have more possessions to try to outscore opponents. That makes them a dangerous team in the Big Ten, which doesn’t have a dominant team this season. It could also make them a Tournament team.
There’s still a long way to go. This was just game one. But it was an encouraging sign for an Ohio State basketball program that hasn’t had a lot of positives in the last couple of years.
