While football season is in full swing, basketball season will be here before you know it. Both Ohio State basketball programs are looking for bounce-back seasons. Jake Diebler's team collapsed late in the year to miss the NCAA Tournament entirely, while Kevin McGuff's team lost at home in the NCAA Tournament yet again.
McGuff had some personal issues in the offseason, getting arrested for OVI. That's not something good to have while his team has been struggling, as it warms up his seat. Diebler has already gotten some fans mad that the Buckeyes didn't go after John Calipari instead.
The preseason polls have come out for both men's and women's college basketball, with the season due to start in just under a month for both sports. Unfortunately, neither program finds itself in the preseason top 25, something that hasn't been done for a long time.
Neither Ohio State basketball team is in the preseason top 25
This is the first time since the 2018-19 season in which neither the men's nor the women's team was in the preseason top 25. The women were at least second in the others receiving votes category, while the men were fifth. Neither is expected to do much this season.
The good news for the men is that they were able to keep their three best players from leaving in the transfer portal last season. Bruce Thornton, Juni Mobley, and Devin Royal are all back. That's the best-case scenario for them when it comes to building the roster.
For McGuff's squad, he lost his best player in Cotie McMahon, who decided to transfer to Ole Miss after three years with the Ohio State Buckeyes. He does have promising sophomore Jaloni Cambridge back, who will now become the best player on the team.
Both coaches have a lot to prove to the fanbase this season. Players on both teams will be using this as motivation heading into a critical season.