It's crunch time for the Buckeyes season, as a team that has been recently described as on the bubble, they will need to play excellently down the stretch of the season. They have huge, significant games coming up against Virginia, Wisconsin, and Michigan State, all of which they will need to rely on their experience. Guard Puff Johnson is going to have to be impactful to help the Buckeyes win down the stretch
The Latest On Puff Johnson
Puff Johnson has a unique situation. The sixth-year guard who played at North Carolina and Penn State was granted permission by the court to join Ohio State in the middle of the season
In the last game vs USC, he played in small ball lineups as the 4 or 5 as a 6'8 guard. He was scrappy on the defensive end, and the refs were not giving him the calls he deserved. He was doing everything he could to get charges and scored eight points in 15 minutes on 2-2 FGs
Stat Production
In just the 4 games Puff Johnson has played for the Buckeyes, he is averaging 3.8 PPG, 1.3 REB on 57.1% shooting. In the games where he got minutes against Penn State, Wisconsin, and USC, he was a productive role player compared to what the Buckeyes bench has offered this season
Will Bringing Puff Johnson In Mid-Season Pay Off?
With 7 games left of the regular season, the Buckeyes will need to see Puff Johnson emerge as a contributor. He needs to be available for these remaining games, or the move will look really bad. Charles Bediako, a center for Alabama who was recently granted to play, is now unavailable to play because of the court ruling. That has created lots of distractions for Alabama. The Buckeyes cannot have that happen to Puff in a time of the season when it means the most