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Ohio State Basketball: A look at the 2019-20 season and predictions

By Shayne Nissen

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 15: Head coach Chris Holtmann of the Ohio State Buckeyes talks to his team during a timeout in the second half against the Michigan State Spartans during the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Basketball Tournament at the United Center on March 15, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 15: Head coach Chris Holtmann of the Ohio State Buckeyes talks to his team during a timeout in the second half against the Michigan State Spartans during the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Basketball Tournament at the United Center on March 15, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /
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TULSA, OKLAHOMA – MARCH 22: Kaleb Wesson #34 of the Ohio State Buckeyes drives to the basket against Michael Jacobson #12 of the Iowa State Cyclones during the second half in the first round game of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at BOK Center on March 22, 2019 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
TULSA, OKLAHOMA – MARCH 22: Kaleb Wesson #34 of the Ohio State Buckeyes drives to the basket against Michael Jacobson #12 of the Iowa State Cyclones during the second half in the first round game of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at BOK Center on March 22, 2019 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

It’s almost time for the Ohio State basketball season to begin. There is a ton of excitement around the program but will the Buckeyes live up to the hype?

After missing the NIT Tournament in Thad Matta‘s final year as head coach, Chris Holtmann has revived the Ohio State basketball program. In two seasons at the helm Holtmann has two NCAA tournament wins and coached the Big Ten Player of the Year Keita Bates-Diop in his first season.

Now, behind a top 20 recruiting class in 2019 coach Holtmann and the Buckeyes are looking to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament and vie for the Big Ten Championship once again.

This team looks to have everything a good team should have and it all starts with the big man, Kaleb Wesson.

Last season, the younger brother of Andre Wesson averaged 14.6 points and seven rebounds. That was in a season marked by great play, a suspension in the middle of the season and getting in a lot of foul trouble.

Hopefully, two of those things will be corrected this season as he must be the leader of what should be a young lineup at times.

D.J. Carton, Alonzo Gaffney and E.J. Liddell are all going to be important factors coming off the bench this season as freshmen. All are four-star recruits and coach Holtmann did a great job of getting something from this year’s recruiting class the team did not have last season. Scoring off the bench.

All three of these players should be able to put points up when they come into the game.

The biggest addition however might be the transfer from Florida State, C.J. Walker.

Walker, who is expected to play point guard this year, started 34 games for the Seminoles last year and averaged eight points to go with two assists. Those numbers don’t really jump out at you but that’s not what is important here.

What’s important is the stability he should bring this team at point guard. C.J.Jackson wasn’t really that great at the position for the Buckeyes last season. Walker should be able to run a much higher tempo offense this season and get the ball in the hands of Ohio State’s playmakers.

To add to all of this, the Buckeyes have key returners in Andre Wesson, Luther Mohammed, Duane Washington, Musa Jallow and Justin Ahrensall, making up what should be a very deep Buckeye roster. That’s something we haven’t seen in Columbus in quite a while.

That being said, here is how I see the season going for the Buckeyes this year.

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