Three bold predictions for the 2022-23 Ohio State basketball team

3. The Ohio State basketball team will get bounced in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, you have to call it a duck. That’s what this Ohio State basketball program has been in March under Chris Holtmann. He exceeds expectations in the regular season and then falls flat on his face once the NCAA Tournament rolls around.

Why would this year be any different? The freshman class is pretty solid and very intriguing, but this team is extremely young. None of these guys have spent a year playing with each other, save Sueing, Brown, and Key. I don’t think that bodes well for them in the postseason.

Until Holtmann can prove he can get this team out of the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament, I won’t believe it. I’m done falling for it. If he can finally do it with this roster, it will easily be the most impressive coaching job he’s done since he’s been in Columbus.

It doesn’t seem like Gene Smith cares about the lack of postseason success considering Holtmann just signed an extension last year. No matter how much the fans complain about it, Smith clearly only cares about how the football team does in the postseason.

I really hope Holtmann proves me wrong, but I don’t think he will. I see another disappointment coming in March for this team.