Big Ten Offseason Evaluation Series: Ohio State Leans on Youth After Rough Season

In our Big Ten Offseason Evaluation Series, we'll break down what each team lost and gained this offseason, then provide analysis on the team's outlook for the upcoming 2023-24 season. Next up, we'll discuss the Ohio State Buckeyes, who lost leading scorers Brice Sensabaugh, but bring in a talented freshman class.

The 2022-23 season was one to forget for Ohio State, as the Buckeyes went 16-19 overall and 5-15 in the Big Ten – the program's fewest conference wins since 1997-98.

Leading scorers Brice Sensabaugh and Justice Sueing are gone, and so are starters Sean McNeil and Isaac Likele, among others. As a result, coach Chris Holtmann has a young team heading into 2022-23, supplemented by a few immediate-impact transfers.

In our Big Ten Offseason Evaluation Series, we'll break down what each team lost and gained this offseason, then provide analysis on the team's outlook for the upcoming 2023-24 season.

Let's take a look at the Buckeyes.

(rankings per On3 Industry Average)

What they lost

• Pro/no eligibility: G Brice Sensabaugh, F Justice Sueing, G Isaac Likekele, G Sean McNeil
• Transfer portal: G Eugene Brown III (Georgia Southern), G Tanner Holden (Wright State)
• By the numbers: Ohio State lost its top-two scorers, Sensabaugh (16.3 ppg) and Sueing (12.3 ppg), as well as starting guards McNeil (9.7 ppg) and Likekele (3.8 ppg). These four players accounted for 63 percent of Ohio State's 3-point production last season. 

What they gained

• Transfer portal: F Jamison Battle (Minnesota), G Dale Bonner (Baylor), F Evan Mahaffey (Penn State)
• Freshmen: G Taison Chatman (No. 39), F Devin Royal (No. 42) G Scotty Middleton (No. 54), C Austin Parks (No. 204)
• By the numbers: Ohio State brings in the Big Ten's second-ranked freshman class, behind Michigan State. Three freshmen should compete for minutes right away, along with Battle, an All-Big Ten player at Minnesota, Bonner and Mahaffey.

Roster

• Zed Key, 6-foot-8 senior forward
• Jamison Battle, 6-foot-7 senior forward
• Dale Bonner, 6-foot-2 senior guard
• Bruce Thornton, 6-foot-2 sophomore guard
• Roddy Gayle, 6-foot-4 sophomore guard
• Felix Okpara, 6-foot-11 sophomore center
• Bowen Hardman, 6-foot-3 sophomore guard
• Kalen Etzler, 6-foot-8 sophomore forward
• Evan Mahaffey, 6-foot-6 sophomore forward
• Taison Chatman, 6-foot-4 freshman guard
• Devin Royal, 6-foot-6 freshman forward
• Scotty Middleton, 6-foot-7 freshman guard
• Austin Parks, 6-foot-10 freshman center
• Scholarships available: 0

Ohio State Buckeyes guard Roddy Gayle Jr. (1) celebrates as time winds down with guard Bruce Thornton (2) and guard Isaac Likekele (13) during the second half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Value City Arena / Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

Biggest concerns

Last year's roster never fit together, and the result was a 1-14 stretch in the middle of Big Ten play that sunk the season. Holtmann had a transfer-heavy roster, plus four freshmen that played significant minutes last year, and the 2023-24 roster follows similar themes. Ohio State lost leading scorers Brice Sensabaugh and Justice Sueing, as well as Sean McNeil and Isaac Likekele, leaving plenty of minutes up for grabs. And with Bruce Thornton (30.5 minutes per game), Zed Key (24.8 mpg),Roddy Gayle (16.3 mpg) and Felix Okpara (15.5 mpg), Ohio State has just four players with returning experience together. The majority of next season's roster is brand new, with three transfers and four freshmen who could each be in line for meaningful minutes. This new era of heavy offseason roster transformation has led to deep NCAA Tournament runs for teams like Kansas State, but last year's Ohio State team showed the downside of building a roster that lacks continuity. 

Reasons for optimism

Ohio State has six top-70 recruits in its freshman and sophomore classes – Thornton, Gayle, Okpara, Chatman, Royal and Middleton – which is the most of any Big Ten team by a wide margin. Michigan State is the closest with four, and eight Big Ten teams have one or zero former top-70 recruits that will be freshmen or sophomores when the 2023-24 season begins, per the On3 rankings. So despite the departure of Sensabaugh, Sueing and others, Ohio State, on paper, has the talent to replace them. After averaging 10.6 points on 37.5 percent 3-point shooting as a freshman, Thornton could be in for a breakout sophomore season as Ohio State's point guard. In addition to this core of young talent, forward Zed Key is back for his senior year after dealing with injuries throughout last season. He still managed to have his most productive statistical season last year, averaging 10.8 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game, and his veteran presence should help bring along the young Buckeyes. Ohio State also made a crucial move in the transfer portal, landing Minnesota forward Jamison Battle, the 34th-ranked player in a loaded transfer class. With inside-out scoring ability at 6-foot-7, Battle averaged 15.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and shot 33.9 percent from 3-point range across two seasons at Minnesota. Ohio State also added 6-foot-2 guard Dale Bonner, who played 60 games at Baylor, and Penn State transfer Evan Mahaffey, a 6-foot-6 forward who played in 34 games off the bench as a freshman. Recruiting has never been an issue for Holtmann, but now it's about putting it all together on the court.

The bottom line

It would be surprising to see Ohio State fall apart like it did last season, even with some of its top scorers leaving the program. Prior to 2022-23, Holtmann took Ohio State to four NCAA Tournaments and won at least 20 games every season. It'll be no easy task to get the most out of a team that lacks established chemistry, but the talent is there for Holtmann and the Buckeyes to return to the Big Dance.

On Thursday, look forward to the next part of our Big Ten Offseason Evaluation Series, featuring the Penn State Nittany Lions.  

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