2022-2023 Ohio State Basketball

I know all the haters are upset, but I love to see how Thornton, Gayle and Okpara have stepped up. Very encouraged for next year. I've railed on Sueing a lot but he has stepped up too. And the team defense has been great, Okpara erasing shots is a big plus.

I'm sure it will end against Purdue, playing just 7 kids like that, but it sure has been a fun week after a miserable season.
Not a hater of those kids at all. I advocated playing them all together much earlier in the season. I would rather the team take lumps as the kids gain experience rather than watch the team lose with wastes of time like Sueing and Ice stealing minutes from the freshmen. Since we all know Holtmann is coming back anyway, I hope he shocks the world and wins his first B1G tourney.
 

BASKETBALL

Ohio State's Gene Smith: 'The NIT should consider us' if Big Ten title bid falls short​

Adam Jardy
The Columbus Dispatch

CHICAGO – It is no longer a rule that a team must have a .500 record to receive an at-large berth to the NIT.

Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith would like the committee to keep that in mind should Ohio State’s run in the Big Ten Tournament stop shy of a championship.

“The NIT committee should consider us,” Smith told The Dispatch on Friday evening. “We’re not a team to host, but we’re a team that should be in the NIT.”

Ohio State Buckeyes:Join the Ohio State Sports Insider text group with Bill Rabinowitz, Joey Kaufman Adam Jardy

After losing 14 of 15 games at one point this season, Ohio State has flipped the script in the last three weeks. Starting with a Feb. 26 win against Illinois, the Buckeyes have now won five of their last six games including an unprecedented run in the Big Ten Tournament. After finishing the regular season at 13-18 overall and 5-15 in the league, Ohio State earned the No. 13 seed in the league tournament and opened with a Wednesday game against No. 12 seed Wisconsin.

No team to play on the opening day of the tournament had reached the weekend since the conference expanded to 14 teams and the tournament to five days in the 2014-15 season, but Ohio State has become the first after handing losses to the Badgers, No. 5 seed Iowa and now No. 4 seed Michigan State in Friday’s quarterfinals.

Big Ten Tournament:What caused Ohio State's offense to start humming again as the Big Ten Tournament loomed?

Those wins have allowed Ohio State to creep closer to .500, but at 16-18 the Buckeyes will need to win the tournament title in order to get back to even. That would earn Ohio State the league’s auto-bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Buckeyes will face No. 1 seed Purdue on Saturday at 1 p.m. Eastern, and a loss would send Ohio State home at 16-19 overall.

“Records matter, but the reason that committee members watch games is to actually see how teams are playing,” Smith said. “Consider the last games that we’re playing, we’re playing at a high level and I think we’ve earned an opportunity for postseason play in the NIT.”

Prior to the tournament, Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann was asked on his weekly radio show if he would consider other postseason opportunities should the Buckeyes fail to win the league tournament.

“We would address that if we were in that position,” he said Monday afternoon. “That’s a conversation for another time. Our goal every year, we understand what that is. We look at it if that opportunity would come out. Our focus is on playing well Wednesday night (against Wisconsin) and seeing where that takes us. Beyond that, the rest of it will take care of itself.”

Since the win against Illinois on Feb. 26, Ohio State has rated as the No. 13 team in the nation according to BartTorvik.com. During this 5-1 stretch, the Buckeyes are 22nd nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency and 52nd in adjusted defensive efficiency.

In between a Jan. 5 home loss to Northwestern and the day prior to the Illinois win, Ohio State was No. 123 nationally, No. 105 in offense and No. 169 in defense. During the last three weeks, Holtmann and his players have attributed their turnaround to “playing the right way” and remaining connected despite the prior losing streak.

Ohio State last participated in the NIT in the 2015-16 season, where it earned a No. 3 seed after exiting the Big Ten Tournament with a 20-13 record. The Buckeyes defeated Akron and lost to No. 2 seed Florida in the second round.


Should Ohio State’s time in Chicago end without cutting down nets Sunday afternoon leading into the NCAA Tournament’s Selection Show, Smith said its recent run of success and overall body of work are worthy of being considered for the NIT.

“I think that we’re a prime example of why they changed the rule,” he said. “When you look at our team and how we’ve played up until (Saturday at least), at the end of the day we deserve to be in.”

ajardy@dispatch.com

@AdamJardy
 
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Just noticed a few of you bad-mouthing Sensabaugh on previous pages. Just stop. I'm sure the kid wanted more than anything to play. I'm also sure that if you were aware that he had missed his junior year of HS with knee surgery you would not say such dumb things about a kid. He knows what real knee injuries feel like. He is a terrific player, had a great freshman year, and we will sure miss him next year if he goes pro.
 
Just noticed a few of you bad-mouthing Sensabaugh on previous pages. Just stop. I'm sure the kid wanted more than anything to play. I'm also sure that if you were aware that he had missed his junior year of HS with knee surgery you would not say such dumb things about a kid. He knows what real knee injuries feel like. He is a terrific player, had a great freshman year, and we will sure miss him next year if he goes pro.
Similar nonsense that people were spewing about JSN.
 

BASKETBALL

Ohio State's Gene Smith: 'The NIT should consider us' if Big Ten title bid falls short​

Adam Jardy
The Columbus Dispatch

CHICAGO – It is no longer a rule that a team must have a .500 record to receive an at-large berth to the NIT.

Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith would like the committee to keep that in mind should Ohio State’s run in the Big Ten Tournament stop shy of a championship.

“The NIT committee should consider us,” Smith told The Dispatch on Friday evening. “We’re not a team to host, but we’re a team that should be in the NIT.”

Ohio State Buckeyes:Join the Ohio State Sports Insider text group with Bill Rabinowitz, Joey Kaufman Adam Jardy

After losing 14 of 15 games at one point this season, Ohio State has flipped the script in the last three weeks. Starting with a Feb. 26 win against Illinois, the Buckeyes have now won five of their last six games including an unprecedented run in the Big Ten Tournament. After finishing the regular season at 13-18 overall and 5-15 in the league, Ohio State earned the No. 13 seed in the league tournament and opened with a Wednesday game against No. 12 seed Wisconsin.

No team to play on the opening day of the tournament had reached the weekend since the conference expanded to 14 teams and the tournament to five days in the 2014-15 season, but Ohio State has become the first after handing losses to the Badgers, No. 5 seed Iowa and now No. 4 seed Michigan State in Friday’s quarterfinals.

Big Ten Tournament:What caused Ohio State's offense to start humming again as the Big Ten Tournament loomed?

Those wins have allowed Ohio State to creep closer to .500, but at 16-18 the Buckeyes will need to win the tournament title in order to get back to even. That would earn Ohio State the league’s auto-bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Buckeyes will face No. 1 seed Purdue on Saturday at 1 p.m. Eastern, and a loss would send Ohio State home at 16-19 overall.

“Records matter, but the reason that committee members watch games is to actually see how teams are playing,” Smith said. “Consider the last games that we’re playing, we’re playing at a high level and I think we’ve earned an opportunity for postseason play in the NIT.”

Prior to the tournament, Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann was asked on his weekly radio show if he would consider other postseason opportunities should the Buckeyes fail to win the league tournament.

“We would address that if we were in that position,” he said Monday afternoon. “That’s a conversation for another time. Our goal every year, we understand what that is. We look at it if that opportunity would come out. Our focus is on playing well Wednesday night (against Wisconsin) and seeing where that takes us. Beyond that, the rest of it will take care of itself.”

Since the win against Illinois on Feb. 26, Ohio State has rated as the No. 13 team in the nation according to BartTorvik.com. During this 5-1 stretch, the Buckeyes are 22nd nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency and 52nd in adjusted defensive efficiency.

In between a Jan. 5 home loss to Northwestern and the day prior to the Illinois win, Ohio State was No. 123 nationally, No. 105 in offense and No. 169 in defense. During the last three weeks, Holtmann and his players have attributed their turnaround to “playing the right way” and remaining connected despite the prior losing streak.

Ohio State last participated in the NIT in the 2015-16 season, where it earned a No. 3 seed after exiting the Big Ten Tournament with a 20-13 record. The Buckeyes defeated Akron and lost to No. 2 seed Florida in the second round.


Should Ohio State’s time in Chicago end without cutting down nets Sunday afternoon leading into the NCAA Tournament’s Selection Show, Smith said its recent run of success and overall body of work are worthy of being considered for the NIT.

“I think that we’re a prime example of why they changed the rule,” he said. “When you look at our team and how we’ve played up until (Saturday at least), at the end of the day we deserve to be in.”

ajardy@dispatch.com

@AdamJardy
The extra games would be welcome experience.
 
Getting a way a little to close out the half.

Valiant but futile effort trying to guard Edey by some of the guys that have found their way into the paint against him.
 
I don't know how Likely ever scored a thousand points in his career and bad decision challenging Edie with 17 sec left on shot clock. The flagrant foul though is the difference in the 1st half.
 
Opkara picking up that first foul at halfcourt didn't help. Edey pitching a tent and fixing a campfire inside the circle.
 
I am just stating facts and my opinion but anything that you consider critical shame on them after all were not the bball expert you are.
Incorrect. I’ve said plenty of critical things about this team this year, I’ve agreed with a lot of criticism by others (yourself included).

If you thought I was talking about your basketball knowledge, maybe that says more about you than anyone else.
 
Been a long time since I’ve seen a player, or team, get such preferential calls. They won’t get those in th big dance. Big Ten won’t make it past the first weekend.
Big 10 will continue to underperform until the reffing changes. Big 10 teams recruit and play knowing minimal fouls will be called in conference play. Not the case in any other conference.
 
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