The Ohio State basketball program is a loser once again. They lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to TCU, losing on a layup with four seconds left. It was the first time that the Buckeyes had played in March Madness in four years. Yet, they weren't able to do anything with the opportunity.
With the season over, it's clear that Ohio State needs to make some changes. The program's all-time leading scorer is headed out the door, and he might not be the only one. These three players could hit the portal now that the season has finished.
1. Gabe Cupps
Gabe Cupps transferred to Ohio State at the start of the season after hardly playing for Indiana. He didn't play a whole lot this year, only playing 12.5 minutes per game. He started playing better late in the season and was a solid defender, but his offense didn't bring much to the table.
Cupps made just six threes all season long, shooting under 18 percent from deep. He's a small guard, too. Simply put, Ohio State can't play him very much next year. For that reason, he might decide to hit the portal and seek a smaller school to see more playing time.
2. Ivan Njegovan
Ivan Njegovan ended up playing 11.8 minutes per game this season as the backup center. At 7'1, he is supposed to be a shot-blocker who is a paint deterrent. Yet, he averaged just 0.4 blocks per game off the bench for the Ohio State Buckeyes this season.
Next season, the Buckeyes need to get a better center. Christoph Tilly is out of eligibility, so the Buckeyes need a starting center. Njegovan doesn't stretch the floor or do much offensively, so the portal is the way to go. If Njegovan doesn't think Ohio State will give him a chance to start, he could bolt.
3. Taison Chatman
With Thornton graduating, Chatman would be the logical guy to take his spot in the starting lineup next to John Mobley Jr. He was finally healthy this year, and actually shot 47 percent from beyond the 3-point arc. The issue is that he hardly played enough down the stretch to make much of a difference.
With that kind of shooting, Chatman could be a valuable commodity elsewhere. It wouldn't be shocking to see him seek a higher number of minutes somewhere else. He certainly has the talent to be a high-level scorer.