Ohio State isn't tipping off its first Big Ten game of the 2024-25 season with as much momentum as it had hoped.
The Buckeyes are fresh off of a 91-90 buzzer-beater loss in overtime against Pitt, dropping their overall record to 5-2. Ohio State's roster is dinged up, with Ques Glover missing time, Colin White spotted in a walking boot before the game vs. the Panthers and Aaron Bradshaw away from team activities while the university investigates him for a domestic incident.
Jake Diebler met with the Buckeyes' media on Monday and said that Glover is "progressing" but he doesn't know what his status will be for Wednesday's Big Ten opener for the Buckeyes at Maryland (6:30 p.m., Big Ten Network).
“It was turnovers. ... Right when there's a lull in the game, you've gotta get shots up. A couple of them, I felt like, were unforced. ... I felt part of the cause for a couple of those turnovers, we stopped moving as much.”
Ohio State held a 12-point lead in the second half over Pitt but allowed the Panthers to come back, especially during a scoreless stretch of more than seven minutes from the Buckeyes' offense featuring six turnovers, allowing Pitt to go on a 15-0 run. Avoiding such lulls and better ball security will be crucial as the season progresses.
“The parity and the depth of the Big Ten, I think, is second to none across the country. ... Back even when I was growing up, or even maybe 5 to 10 years ago, you used to look at your schedule and say maybe there would be a chance for you to catch your breath in conference play. That doesn't exist.”
The worst record of any team in the Big Ten currently is 5-3, shared by Rutgers and USC. No. 11 Wisconsin and No. 12 Oregon are both an undefeated 8-0 while nine other teams have only suffered one loss. There are other conferences with more teams at the top of the sport, but Diebler believes all 18 schools in the Big Ten feature some form of challenge. That's what he thinks separates the league.
“We've had some experience in what Big Ten games will be like. Hopefully that serves us well with that early pocket of Big Ten games.”
Ohio State is light on players who have actually experienced Big Ten basketball before. With its two freshmen and deep transfer portal haul, only Bruce Thornton, Meechie Johnson Jr., Devin Royal and Evan Mahaffey have played significant minutes in those conference settings. Diebler believes that the Buckeyes' experience with three power conference opponents in its nonconference schedule – namely a true road game at No. 22 Texas A&M – will help the newcomers brace for league play.
