The Ohio State basketball program remade its roster this offseason. After a disappointing finish to last season, the Buckeyes decided to use the Transfer Portal to remake who they want to be. They tried that last year, and it ended up being a complete flop.
This year, Jake Diebler was determined not to make the same portal mistakes. It looked like he made some good moves in the first real test for the Ohio State Buckeyes against Ohio in an exhibition at the Schott. The Buckeyes won that game 103-74, showing that they can score a lot of points.
Ohio State knows what they are going to get from Bruce Thornton. He's still the best player that they have on the roster, and he's one of the best guards in the Big Ten. It was the frontcourt that really shone in this scrimmage, as two new Buckeyes introduced themselves well.
Two new Ohio State basketball players shine in their Buckeye debuts
Forward Brandon Noel made an impact in his first game with the Buckeyes. The senior forward transferred in from Wright State and averaged almost 20 points last season. Against the Bobcats, he had 18 points on 7/8 shooting, showing that he can score efficiently.
Noel wasn't the only frontcourt player who looked good for the Buckeyes. Christoph Tilly had a good showing in this exhibition, putting up 14 points, five rebounds, and seven assists. His playmaking could be a real asset to this team this season since they don't have many natural passers.
Tilly is a center who transferred in from Santa Clara. Having a center who can pass the ball that well would certainly be great to have for Deibler's team. Tilly only averaged 1.9 assists per game a year ago, so this likely won't be a regular occurrence for him.
Even though it's just an exhibition, it was nice to see the Buckeyes have a couple of new contributors play well. Diebler has made it clear that the expectations for this team are to make the NCAA Tournament. He needs these portal guys to be worth it.