The first game of the season was something to forget for the Ohio State basketball team. They allowed 94 points to BYU in a loss in Salt Lake City. BYU is ranked, so it wasn't a bad loss. Still, it exposed some early flaws that the Buckeyes had to get addressed.
On Friday night, the Buckeyes played their home opener against Youngstown State. For the first 30 minutes of the game, it looked like they might actually lose this game. For the final 10 minutes, they showed the potential that has Jake Diebler excited about what the team can do, beating the Penguins 89-65.
Ohio State takes down Youngstown State in the first home game of the year
One of the transfers really saved the day for Ohio State. Andrija Jelavic showed off his versatility in this game, scoring 21 points. He did so mostly from the paint, but he did make a 3-pointer. Jelavic showed off what he can do offensively, which provides them with some shooting at the power forward spot.
His ability to rebound was also on display, as he grabbed nine rebounds. He's starting at the center spot, even if he's better as a stretch four. John Mobley Jr. also got hot at the right time, scoring 25 points of his own after some early foul trouble broke his rhythm.
However, there are still some bumps in the road that this Ohio State basketball team must fix quickly. Anthony Thompson was a five-star recruit coming into this season. He looks nothing like one two games into his collegiate career. He was just 1-of-6 for four points against the Penguins.
Fellow five-star freshman LJ Smith was equally as bad. he finished with five points on 1-of-6 shooting. These two guys are players that Diebler is counting on. They have to play better. If they continue to play like this offensively, it's a problem for the future.
Ohio State still has a high ceiling even without their young talent
The Buckeyes still have other players who can step up and score the ball. Amare Bynum has really improved from his freshman year. He has shown the ability to step out to the perimeter and knock down some outside shots. His driving ability and athleticism have always been intriguing, too.
Mobley is as dangerous as ever offensively. Jelavic might emerge as a night-to-night threat later down the line. Against weaker opponents, this Buckeye team doesn't need the five-star freshmen to be major contributors. However, that will change soon.
In just a week, Ohio State has to take on UConn, a top-five team. They also still play Vandy, Kansas, and Notre Dame in the non-conference portion of the schedule. That's not an easy path before the Big Ten starts playing each other. These freshmen need to grow up quickly.
Diebler understands that, and he is going to make sure he gets these guys ready to play better. A 3-of-19 start is not what he had in mind for the two young guys. That has to be better, or they will find more time on the bench than they will on the floor in these big-time matchups.
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