What are fair expectations for Ohio State basketball?

Football is on everyone’s minds right now, and I get it. It’s on my mind too. Another thing on my mind is how well the Ohio State basketball team will do though. I still can’t get the gross stench from last year’s season out of my mind, even though Brice Sensabaugh got drafted in the first round.

Last year was an unmitigated disaster. No one would dispute that. What is disputed are the expectations for this year’s Ohio State basketball team. What would be considered fair for a team that missed the NCAA and finished under .500 for the first time in almost 20 years?

Based on how good the recruiting class is for this year, fair expectations are for this team to make the NCAA Tournament. Despite the fact that only Zed Key and Bruce Thornton are guys who have actually done something for this team, although Roddy Gayle had moments in the Big Ten Tournament, that’s still the expectation.

Chris Holtmann knows he’s on the hot seat, even if he won’t say it to the media. His recruiting has been sensational since taking over for Thad Matta. But the results have not come in the postseason. He also hasn’t won a Big Ten title in the regular season either.

No one is expecting this Buckeyes team to win the Big Ten this year. But they do need to finish in the top six to make the NCAA Tournament in my view. I think that’s a reasonable expectation for a team that has as much talent as this Buckeye team does.

If Key can stay healthy and Thornton builds on how he finished last season, they will already be better than they were a year ago. One of the freshmen needs to step up and help out though. Devin Royal is the most likely candidate to do that in my opinion.

I can’t wait to see how this team responds to last year’s dud.