Ohio State basketball blows yet another lead in March

Yet again, the Ohio State basketball team blew a halftime lead to a team that they shouldn’t have had any issues beating.

The Ohio State basketball team is in total freefall. If they entered last year’s NCAA Tournament hot after making the Big Ten final, this year’s squad just got back from Antarctica. This team couldn’t be playing worse headed into the NCAA Tournament. They lost to Penn State 71-68.

Ohio State had a 9-point halftime lead over Penn State on Thursday night. Of course, anyone who’s watched this team knew this lead was far from safe. This team has no fight and no heart. It showed in the second half of this first-round Big Ten Tournament game.

E.J. Liddell did everything he could, as he’s done all season. He had 25 points and was the best player on the floor for either team. Liddell didn’t get enough help from his teammates though. That’s really been the case most of the season, especially on defense.

Joey Brunk had another double-digit effort, which is all you can ask of him. Malaki Branham had 16 on 6-12 shooting. The biggest problem was the Buckeyes’ defense. They kept letting guards back them down in the paint and get easy buckets.

Chris Holtmann has started to show his true colors down the stretch this season. He’s collapsed in March every year he’s been with Ohio State, and that hasn’t stopped this season. Until Gene Smith realizes that, Ohio State basketball fans are going to keep getting more of the same.

This team is destined for a first-round exit in the NCAA Tournament next week, no matter what their seed is or who they play. It’s yet another disappointing end to a once-promising season. Find someone else to root for in March because you won’t get to see the Buckeyes much longer.