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Ohio State basketball team makes a statement with massive opening-game win

The Ohio State basketball team already showed that they are going to be more fun to watch than they were under the last two years of Chris Holtmann after beating Texas.

By Ryan Stano

Nov 4, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Jake Diebler reacts to a play against the Texas Longhorns during the first half at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Nov 4, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Jake Diebler reacts to a play against the Texas Longhorns during the first half at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
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The last two seasons of Ohio State basketball were tough to watch. Chris Holtmann had dragged the program down to a point of apathy. Fans no longer cared about the team. The Schott was a quarter full by the time Holtmann was fired on Valentine's Day a year ago.

Jake Diebler immediately made the team more fun. They almost made an epic run to the NCAA Tournament a year ago before falling to Illinois. Still, they went to the NIT. That was enough to give Diebler the full-time job. his first game of the 2024-25 season was certainly a good one.

The Ohio State Buckeyes look like a team that can compete this season. They took down #19 Texas 80-72 in Las Vegas. In doing so, they showed what kind of team they want to have this season. It's one that will play much faster and one that will take a lot more threes than in the past.

The Ohio State basketball team wins the opener thanks to three-point shooting

Bruce Thornton returned when he didn't have to. He has been the best player for the Buckeyes for each of the last two seasons. He's still their best player, finishing with 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists on 7/10 shooting from the field and 3/4 from three.

Another guy who really impressed out there was freshman Juni Mobley. Mobley came off the bench to score 14 points and went 4/4 from deep. He's a sharpshooter that the Buckeyes can bring off the bench to score in a hurry. They're going to need him in Big Ten play.

For the game, the Ohio State basketball team shot 14/28 from three, a whopping 50%. Those 28 threes are a lot more threes than they took per game last season. Diebler has put his stamp on this team and has already changed their style of play. It looked great in the first game of the year.

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This team is going to be a lot of fun to watch this season.

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