Ohio State basketball is at a major crossroads with no real fix within reach at this time
Irrelevant. That is the one single word that should be used to describe the Ohio State men’s basketball program. The Buckeyes are not in the NCAA Tournament for a third straight time, as they failed to make the cut of 68 on Selection Sunday. You have to go back to 2002-2004 for the last time […]
Irrelevant.
That is the one single word that should be used to describe the Ohio State men’s basketball program. The Buckeyes are not in the NCAA Tournament for a third straight time, as they failed to make the cut of 68 on Selection Sunday.
You have to go back to 2002-2004 for the last time that Ohio State missed the big dance for three straight seasons. That is exactly where they are now and they haven’t been there since Thad Matta’s first season in Columbus.
Ohio State finished the season with a record of 17-15 and they went 9-11 in Big Ten play. The NCAA Tournament was a real expectation in Jake Diebler’s first full year as the head coach and the Buckeyes fell straight on their face. Ohio State hired Diebler after he went 6-2 as the interim to close out last season, now many wonder if he is the guy.
Ohio State went out and brought in a solid transfer class on paper last offseason with additions of Meechie Johnson Jr., Micah’s Parrish, Sean Stewart, and Aaron Bradshaw. It is fair to say that only Parrish was a real positive for the team, as the others left more than a lot to be desired.
Johnson didn’t play after Dec. 14 for personal reasons and his trip back to Columbus for a second time didn’t work out a single bit. Freshman John Mobley Jr. took his minutes early on and was one of just a few bright spots for the team in 2024.
In 2024, Ohio State brought in the No. 32 ranked recruiting class. For 2025, Ohio State signed just two players and has the No. 42 class in the country. Four-star C A’Mare Bynum is going to have to be an impact player for the Buckeyes as a freshman.
The state of Ohio State basketball is very bleak. For such a huge brand in college sports to be irrelevant in men’s basketball is a tough look.
Ohio State has to get back to the drawing board and get this thing right. Diebler may survive this season, but his seat is warm in 2025. The first time head coach was walking into a tough spot and it hasn’t improved.
At this time it is unknown if the team will participate in the NIT, one would think that they probably should. However, that decision isn’t yet made publicly. The coming weeks will be key to watch for the Buckeyes, as roster turnover could put Ohio State in an even worse spot.
