Anytime you get a win over Michigan, it can mask some of the stink for any season that Ohio State might be having, but it was not meant to be for the men’s basketball team. Their downward spiral continued as they lost their eighth game in nine tries, falling to the Wolverines in Ann Arbor, 77-69, dropping the Buckeyes record to 11-12 overall.
Head coach Chris Holtmann once again tried to spark his team with a different starting lineup, his seventh different one which ranks as the second most in the conference. Again, it didn’t generate enough positive results with this team not being able to do enough on either side of the ball to get a win.
Here are some thoughts on another disappointing loss for Ohio State basketball.
It can get worse
Final at Crisler Center.
OSU: 67
TTUN: 77 pic.twitter.com/EGN8rlKsaY— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) February 5, 2023
Why it mattered
When we all thought that this season couldn’t get any worse than it already has, the Buckeyes once again couldn’t match their opponent’s play and are going home with another loss. In a rivalry game no less, Ohio State played like it was just going through the motions. As a team, the Buckeyes shot barely over 40% from the field and had just 6 assists. The lack of any offensive flow is so easy for opponents to guard. It hurts even more against your arch-rival.
No answer down low against Hunter Dickinson
Hunter's taking over. 😤@H_Dickinson24 x @umichbball pic.twitter.com/Sr5sHyf4T6
— Michigan On BTN (@MichiganOnBTN) February 5, 2023
Why it mattered
The junior is a great college player, but there’s a reason why he’s still in school. His game doesn’t translate over to the NBA well. Dickinson however, is still a mismatch for many teams at this level due to his size and ability. Not the biggest threat from behind the arc, but he still takes some shots out there to keep defenses honest.
Where Dickinson is at his best offensively is in the paint, using his size and footwork to get good positioning and easy shots. With Zed Key playing injured and Felix Okpara not physically capable of guarding Dickinson, the big man had a field day against Ohio State. He scored 26 points, with 11 rebounds while blocking 2 shots and simply dominated on both sides of the court at times.
Bruce Thornton showed up
Bruce Thornton gets it done on both ends of the floor.@Bruce2T_ x @OhioStateHoops pic.twitter.com/ZC3WgImVYm
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) February 5, 2023
Why it mattered
Some good came out of this game, as the freshman point guard was active on offense. The last time Thornton scored double-digits was on January 12th against Minnesota, almost a month ago. He’s a starter that needs to play like one and finally did today. Thornton scored 22 points on 10-of-13 shooting, going 2-for-3 from beyond the arc. The aggressive nature of his play kept the Buckeyes in the game during the first half, and in the second he battled to try and keep his team in the game. It was the lone bright spot in an otherwise, disappointing loss.
The lack of ball movement is extremely concerning
Ohio State is ranked last in the Big Ten in assist rate and you can see why. Buckeye offense today has been isolating bigger players against a mismatch and letting them go to work.
Buckeyes have 4 assists on 15 makes. pic.twitter.com/LN0OTp5jqq
— Dylan Burkhardt (@umhoops) February 5, 2023
Why it mattered
In another game where the Buckeyes registered under 10 assists, this one the team combined to have just six. It’s a terrible offensive game plan that this team has employed multiple times this year. There is too much isolation, contested shots, or just bad shots taken by this team. Yes, Thornton is a freshman running the offense but Isaac Likelele isn’t. He sometimes struggles to show consistent productivity during his time on the court. This just isn’t going to get much better for the remainder of the year.
Where does the program go from here?
The Ohio State basketball team is under .500 for the first time since the 2003-04 season. That was Jim O'Brien's last season as head coach when the Buckeyes finished 14-16.
— Stephen Means (@Stephen_Means) February 5, 2023
Why it mattered
We all know that Athletic Director Gene Smith has given Holtmann a vote of confidence, so don’t expect another head coach to be on the bench for next season. The 2023 recruiting cycle has been signed and although they are a top-10 group, the glaring need for another big man is still there. Austin Parks is the lone one in the class but at 6-foot-9, he has more of a power forward body than a center.
Size will continue to be an issue for this team next year and there isn’t much room to add to this roster unless there’s a lot of player movement this offseason. The overall talent and experience should improve in the 2023-24 season, but after this disappointing one, the expectations must be tempered going forward.
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