Monday marks the official start of the new men’s basketball season for Ohio State.
| WHO | WHERE | WHEN | TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Morris | Schottenstein Center | 7 p.m. | BTN+ |
Chris Holtmann and company unveil a retooled roster that features 10 first-time Buckeyes, six true freshmen and three scholarship transfers following the loss of two NBA draft picks in Malaki Branham and E.J. Liddell. Ohio State passed its first test in last Tuesday’s exhibition with a 101-57 throttling of Chaminade, which nearly knocked off Louisville in a single-digit exhibition loss two days later, but the season begins in earnest against Robert Morris.
“I think they're really excited. They've been waiting for this moment.” Holtmann said during an interview session with media members Thursday. “I think there were definitely some nerves the other night, which is a good thing. There'll be nerves on Monday night for this group. More so probably than we've ever had, just because of so many new guys.”
The young Buckeyes face a Colonials team that went 8-24 a year ago and just 5-13 in Horizon League play. Four of Robert Morris’s five starters from 2021-22 return this season, though, including leading scorer and rebounder Kahliel Spear.
For Ohio State, two true freshmen (Bruce Thornton, Brice Sensabaugh), two transfers (Isaac Likekele, Sean McNeil) and only one returning starter (Zed Key) comprised the starting lineup against Chaminade, but that group is subject to change as the Buckeyes find their identity throughout the season.
There’s little doubt Ohio State will go through trying times this season, but its first game has all the trappings of a smooth start at the Schottenstein Center.
What to Watch For
Nearly 20 years since a season-opening loss
Ohio State doesn’t drop its first game often. In fact, it’s been nearly two decades since the Buckeyes last lost a season opener. The last such occasion took place in 2003, when Jim O’Brien’s Buckeyes lost to San Francisco on the road to open the year. Terence Dials was on that Buckeye roster, and Ohio State’s director of professional development will try to help the scarlet and gray avoid the same fate to open this season.
Holtmann is 5-0 in season openers with the Buckeyes, but Ohio State needed a game-winner to stave off Akron in a one-point victory to begin the 2021-2022 campaign a year ago.
Freshman mistakes
As talented as Ohio State’s freshman class is, it shouldn’t be expected to excel across the board every game in the early going. Take for example the exhibition game, where Thornton went 1-for-7 from the floor and Sensabaugh missed his first five shots in a row. Both still made plays, as Thornton finished with 11 assists and Sensabaugh had eight points and eight rebounds, but it’ll likely be a mixed bag from all of the newcomers this season. Roddy Gayle led all freshmen with 14 points in the exhibition, Felix Okpara pulled down a team-high nine boards and Bowen Hardman shot 4-for-6 from three against Chaminade. Each had bright moments, but don’t be surprised if there’s struggles to go along with that as the freshmen get settled.
Sueing’s health in question
Sueing makes his long-awaited return to the hardwood at the Schott as the Buckeye open their season Monday. Well, maybe. The sixth-year forward and second-year Ohio State captain sat out Tuesday’s exhibition due to an ankle sprain he tweaked in the Buckeyes’ scrimmage against Wake Forest, and Holtmann was unsure Thursday about his status for the opener. If healthy, though, Sueing will be relied upon more this season than ever before. Holtmann has long thought Sueing had potential beyond what he showed as a 10-point-per-game scorer in 2020-21, and his chance to show that starts now, with a young roster that needs someone to show it the way early.
Justice Sueing, out tonight with an ankle sprain, wearing street clothes during warmups. pic.twitter.com/dKaghi4Il4
— Griffin Strom (@GriffinStrom3) November 1, 2022
Sueing isn’t the only Buckeye whose health will be in question, as third-year wing Eugene Brown missed last week’s exhibition while he goes through concussion protocol. (Update: Brown is unavailable for Monday’s game, but Sueing is available and expected to play.)
Three Important Buckeyes
Tanner Holden
There’s no question who the standout performer of Ohio State’s exhibition was. Wright State transfer guard Tanner Holden came off the bench to score 25 points in 25 minutes against Chaminade on a near-perfect night. Holden went 10-for-12 from the field, 2-for-2 from 3-point range and 3-for-4 from the free-throw line as he demonstrated the ability to be a three-level scorer and an asset in transition. Holtmann hedged the excitement for Holden’s performance a bit by saying he struggled in Ohio State’s “secret” scrimmage against Wake Forest, but he’ll be a player to watch as the Buckeyes begin the season against a team from the same conference Holden spent the last three years playing in.
“Tanner had a good night. … it was against an opponent where there was a difference just in terms of talent. I think as he gets to a situation where we're playing Division I opponents – I think for him, consistency is going to be key,” Holtmann said. “He did struggle, he would tell you that he struggled in the scrimmage. And I think what (has) impressed me about Tanner, among other things, has been the fact that he's pretty serious in his approach and his focus. And I think he came back with the mindset of, ‘Hey, I've got to be better than what I was for this group.’”
Bruce Thornton
All four freshmen Holtmann expects to contribute this season will need time to grow, but at point guard, he may need Thornton to be the steadiest and most reliable right off the bat. The four-star Georgia prospect is only 6-foot-tall, but Thornton’s built like a fire hydrant and difficult to keep out of the lane. Thronton is also a deft shooter from beyond the arc, and court vision is another one of his strengths. Ohio State has Oklahoma State transfer Isaac Likekele available to take some pressure off of Thornton if need be, but the latter seems to possess just about as much game-readiness as one could want out of a true freshman expected to play a big role.
Zed Key
Key went from young Buck to tenured vet overnight this offseason as he entered year three in the program while most of last year’s roster turned over. While he started much of last season at center, Key was still something of a lovable side character for Ohio State. This year he’s central casting, earning the role of Buckeye captain. He’s expected to play his heaviest load of minutes to date. Without the likes of E.J. Liddell and Kyle Young alongside him in the post, Key’s interior presence, physicality and rebounding prowess will be all the more important for Ohio State.
Three Important Colonials
Kahliel Spear
Last year’s leading scorer and rebounder, Spear is back for a fifth season of college basketball and second with Robert Morris. Spear put up 14.7 points and 7.7 rebounds a year ago, starting all 32 games for the Colonials to finish as an All-Horizon League selection. The 6-foot-7, 220-pound forward had eight 20-point games in 2021-22, eight double-doubles and shot 55.1% from the field. A Bucknell transfer, Spear has leveled up in each year of his college career statistically. After a stellar fourth season, he’ll be a primary weapon for the Colonials in the season opener and beyond.
| Player | Position | Height | Weight | 2021-22 Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MICHAEL GREEN III | G | 5-11 | 150 | 10.4 PPG, 3.3 APG |
| ENOCH CHEEKS | G | 6-3 | 190 | 9.2 PPG, 5.4 RPG |
| JOSH CORBIN | G | 6-3 | 190 | 4.7 PPG, 1.8 RPG |
| KAHLIEL SPEAR | F | 6-7 | 220 | 14.7 PPG, 7.7 RPG |
| MATT MAYERS | F | 6-8 | 220 | 9.2 PPG, 6.3 RPG |
Michael Green III
After making plenty of noise at Bryant as the NEC Freshman of the Year in 2019-20 and an all-league selection the following season, Green’s skills translated immediately upon transferring to Robert Morris last season. The 5-foot-11 guard averaged 10.4 points per game on a career-high 40.4% shooting from the field. Green appeared in 29 games for the Colonials and started 24 of them in 2021-22, and he attempted the second-most 3-pointers on the team at a 30.7% clip. With 3.3 assists per game, Green was second on the team a season ago.
Enoch Cheeks
Among the Colonials who played at least half of last season, Cheeks’ 9.2 points per game were the third-most on the roster. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound guard started all 32 games for Robert Morris as a sophomore and pulled down 5.4 boards and dished 2.6 assists per game. Cheeks hit 43.8% of his field goals and connected on 36.3% of his 3-point shots. The final game of Robert Morris’s 2021-22 campaign, a conference tournament game loss to Cleveland State, saw Cheeks score a career-high 21 points and tack on seven boards and six assists in a standout performance. Perhaps his junior season will see more where that came from as the Rhode Island native seeks a strong start to the year.
How It Plays Out
Line: Ohio State -20.5, O/U 141.5
Robert Morris is a veteran group taking on an Ohio State team that has a lot to figure out through the first leg of the season, but the Buckeyes’ talent should still be too much for a Horizon League program that couldn’t crack double-digit wins with many of the same pieces last year.
Prediction: Ohio State 85, Robert Morris 63
