Ohio State basketball: Who starts in the backcourt?

The Ohio State basketball team will have two new starters in the backcourt this season. They have several options to choose from. Who gets the nod?

With both C.J. Walker and Duane Washington opting to go pro, the Ohio State basketball team will get a new starting backcourt. The Buckeyes will miss both of them for different reasons. Walker was really the only true point guard on the team, and Washington was the only one who could create his own shot.

Now both are gone and the Buckeyes have to figure out who will step up. There are quite a few options. One who seems locked in at the starting shooting guard spot is Cedric Russell. Russell just transferred in from Louisiana and averaged 17 points per game.

Ohio State will need his scoring, so it seems like it’s a safe bet he gets the nod. The real question is who the starting point guard will be. Jamari Wheeler, the transfer from Penn State, has the experience in that regard. He has started for the Nittany Lions for the last three seasons.

Chris Holtmann could opt for more of an offensive punch and start Meechie Johnson. Johnson joined the Buckeyes midway through last season and showed some potential. He had a couple of moments that looked like he could step up and take the starting spot once Walker left.

My guess is that Wheeler gets that starting spot. He has started a ton of games and would help complement Russell with his defensive style. Russell can focus more on offense while Wheeler can guard the opposing team’s best backcourt player.

We won’t know what Holtmann wants to do for quite a while, but it’s something worth monitoring once basketball season does roll around. It might be the biggest question facing this team.