Ohio State basketball lands commitment from Minnesota transfer Jamison Battle
Ohio State has addressed a position of need for next season, and it didn’t have to go outside of the Big Ten to do so.
The Buckeyes have landed a commitment from Jamison Battle, a fifth-year forward who spent the last two seasons at Minnesota before entering the transfer portal in mid-March. A prolific scorer, the 6-7, 220-pound Minnesota native averaged 15.1 points, shot 41.4% from the floor and 33.9% from 3-point range while starting all 56 games he played for the Golden Gophers.
He has one final year of eligibility remaining. CBS Sports has him ranked as the No. 16 transfer player in the nation.
Battle began his college career at George Washington, where he shot 36.3% from 3 and averaged 13.5 points in 47 games including 45 starts. He averaged a career-high 17.3 points during his second year, in which the Colonials managed to play only 17 games due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He earned third-team all-conference honors that season.
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Battle then opted to transfer back to his home state and signed to play for new coach Ben Johnson. Minnesota opened 10-1 but finished with a 13-17 overall record and 4-16 in the Big Ten. Battle led the Gophers and finished seventh in the conference in scoring at 17.5 points per game. He hit 75 of his 205 3-point attempts (36.6%) and also averaged 6.3 rebounds while playing 36.7 minutes per game.
Minnesota struggled even more this past year, going 9-22 and finishing last in the conference with a 2-17 record in Big Ten play. Battle himself underwent foot surgery and endured a lingering back injury, costing him four games, but still led the team in 3-pointers made (59) and free throw percentage (78.1). He averaged 12.4 points and 3.8 rebounds.
In three games against the Buckeyes, Battle has averaged 12.3 points and 5.0 rebounds while shooting 32.5% (14 for 43) from the floor and 27.3% (6 for 22) from 3.
He will immediately slot into Ohio State’s primary rotation as a scorer and experienced option at forward. Ohio State loses sixth-year player Justice Sueing and is awaiting a decision from Brice Sensabaugh, who is exploring his NBA draft status and could become the program’s second one-and-done player in as many years. His skill set is expected to allow him to play alongside incoming first-year forwards Scotty Middleton and Devin Royal, two four-star prospects expected to see significant playing time.
During his first year in the Big Ten, Battle finished with the fourth-lowest turnover rate in league play according to KenPom.com. Last season, he averaged only 1.7 fouls per 40 minutes of Big Ten play, the fifth-lowest mark in the league.
Battle occupies the roster spot vacated by Gene Brown III, a third-year wing who entered the transfer portal March 31. He is the fourth Big Ten player to transfer to Ohio State during Holtmann's six years, a list that also includes Andrew Dakich (Michigan), Joey Brunk (Indiana) and Jamari Wheeler (Penn State).
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State lands commitment from Minnesota transfer Jamison Battle
