Ohio State basketball: Freshmen are stepping up for the Buckeyes
By Jacob Rhymer
The Ohio State basketball advanced to the Big Ten Tournament semifinals after dominating Michigan State and winning their third game in a row. A huge part of the Buckeyes’ success in the past three games have been behind the stellar play of the freshman on this team.
Bruce Thornton has been playing on another level since being named a captain of the Ohio State basketball team. In the first three games of the Big Ten Tournament he’s averaging 17.7 points per game, almost five assists per game, and is shooting an elite 52.3% from the field. Thornton is taking care of the ball and dictating the pace of the game, which is what guards need to do in March.
Roddy Gayle Jr. has taken a massive leap in the past couple of games for the Buckeyes and was huge down the stretch in the win over Michigan State. He’s been making clutch shots and is becoming Ohio State’s best on-ball defender.
Since Zed Key went down for the season with his shoulder injury, Felix Okpara has seen his role in the Buckeyes lineup increase significantly and he’s thrived in it. His role is to make a difference on the glass along with being a solid rim protector, and he has done an excellent job doing that lately.
Okpara had eight points on over 65% from the field, pulled down eight rebounds, and more than certainly made a difference protecting the rim with five blocks. He’s going to have his hands full today trying to contain Zach Edey from Purdue.
It’s not an understatement to say that Brice Sensabaugh has been the best offensive player this season for the Ohio State basketball team. He leads the team in scoring at 16.3 points per game. Sensabaugh was very impressive in the first two games of the Big Ten Tournament, before having to miss the last game with knee soreness. Unfortunately, he has been shut down for the season with a knee injury.
If you remember back in early January, a late turnover from Ohio State cost the Buckeyes a major upset over, at the time, No. 1 Purdue. It’s tough to beat a team three times in one season. The freshmen need to continue this level of play if the Buckeyes want to avoid their third loss to Purdue this season.
Next. Ohio State basketball dominates Michigan State. dark
Tip-off for Ohio State’s semifinal game against Purdue is set for 1:00 PM on CBS. According to FanDuel, The Boilermakers are currently an eight-point favorite over the Buckeyes