Ohio State basketball team gets high ranking in very early preseason poll

The Ohio State basketball team was a lot better once Chris Holtmann was let go. After Valentine's Day a year ago, the Buckeyes finished 8-3 on the season. While they came just short of making the NCAA Tournament, Jake Diebler showed that he can coach.

Now, he gets a full season with his team. The roster is remade with players that fit his image of what the team should look like. A ton of players have come in via the transfer portal. It seems that work has not gone unnoticed among the national college basketball media.

In a very early poll from CBS Sports, the Buckeyes are ranked 14th in the country. That's not a ranking the Buckeyes even sniffed a year ago under Holtmann. CBS seems to really like all of the changes to the roster and how the team responded to Diebler late in the year.

I couldn't agree more. I do think the Buckeyes are going to be significantly better this year. 14th seems a little high for me in the preseason. They didn't even make the NCAA Tournament last season. They still have a lot to prove from a winning standpoint.

Diebler has shown that he can coach on the court. His recruiting is starting to show up as well. Now, he just needs to produce consistent results. The expectations with the Ohio State basketball program are clear. Making the NCAA Tournament every year is the bare minimum.

Diebler is aware of these expectations. He's trying to build a team that won't only make the NCAA Tournament, but also make a run once they get there. All of the transfer portal additions are designed with that goal in mind.

Ohio State is going to be much more exciting to watch this season. Fans should be excited about the upcoming season.