Ohio State aims for resurgence in first full season under coach Jake Diebler | News, sports, jobs

Ohio State guard Bruce Thornton (right) works toward the basket as Illinois forward Coleman Hawkins (33) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinal round of the Big Ten Conference tournament on March 15, 2024 in Minneapolis defended. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr, File)

Ohio State (22-14, 9-11 Big Ten)

Coach Chris Holtmann was fired at the end of last season and Jake Diebler took over as interim coach. After finishing the season 8-3, Diebler finished the job. Diebler welcomes back some strong players and believes he has acquired some great contributors from the transfer portal.

Players to watch

The Buckeyes return best player Bruce Thornton, a 6-foot-1 guard who averaged 15.7 points, 4.8 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.2 points in 33.6 minutes per game last season Steals scored. … G Meechie Johnson Jr. returns to Ohio State for his senior year. He played two seasons at Ohio State and two at South Carolina before returning to Columbus for a fifth season. … F Evan Mahaffey is entering his second year at Ohio State after playing one year at Penn State.

Departures and arrivals

The Buckeyes lost F Jamison Battle and G Dale Bonner to graduation. The transfer portal entered G Roddy Gayle Jr. (Michigan), F Scotty Middleton (Seton Hall), F Zed Key (Dayton) and F Felix Okpara (Tennessee). … Out of the portal came F Micah Parrish (San Diego State), F Sean Stewart (Duke), F Aaron Bradshaw (Kentucky) and G Ques Glover (Kansas State). June Mobley and Colin White join the Buckeyes as rookies.

Top games

The Buckeyes open at No. 19 Texas on Nov. 4. They are at No. 15 Texas A&M on Nov. 15, host No. 25 Rutgers on Dec. 4, host No. 11 Auburn on Dec. 14 and play No. 23 Kentucky on December 21st.

Facts and figures

The Buckeyes will have the most players in school history with 13 scholarship players. … The annual media poll had Ohio State ranked eighth in the Big Ten. … The Buckeyes are looking to return to the NCAA Tournament after missing the last two seasons, although they finished 22-14 last season. … Ohio State will finally have a 7-foot player to keep Kentucky transfer Bradshaw (7-foot-1, 215 pounds) in check, who averaged 4.9 points and in limited playing time as a freshman last season Scored 3.3 rebounds. … Diebler was an assistant under Holtmann from 2019 until he succeeded the fired head coach with eleven games to go last year.