Six questions for Ohio State basketball as Chaminade exhibition ends preseason
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The search for answers unofficially begins tonight.
In the final public tune-up before the regular season gets underway, Ohio State will host Division II foe Chaminade in an exhibition game at Value City Arena. The Silverswords, in addition to boasting the coolest nickname the Buckeyes will face all season, will give Ohio State one more chance to test itself against outside competition before opening the 2022-23 season Nov. 7 against Robert Morris.
(An aside: under coach Chris Holtmann, the Buckeyes have tried to schedule their exhibition game against a lower-division team with some sort of tie to either Ohio State or the coaching staff. The Chaminade matchup is part of Ohio State’s inclusion in the Maui Invitational, and the Silverswords will also play exhibitions at Louisville and Cincinnati, two other participants in this year’s tournament.)
The Buckeyes did play Wake Forest in a “secret” scrimmage that took place Oct. 24 at Concord University in Athens, West Virginia. The Demon Deacons won that one, 80-67, although no outside spectators were permitted.
So on a Tuesday night in Columbus, an Ohio State team returning only two players who saw action in more than two games a season ago will go through its final preseason test. Hard conclusions will be hard to come by about a team that will likely deploy a liberal rotation against a lower-level team, but here are six things we’re interested to see from the Buckeyes in a competitive setting.
What does Justice Sueing’s role look like for the Buckeyes?
The last time we saw the forward looking fully healthy, it was impressive. Although he was already dealing with the effects of a groin injury that would cost him all but two games of the 2021-22 season, Sueing was a monster in Ohio State’s 91-88 overtime loss to Illinois in the 2021 Big Ten tournament title game. Playing in a fourth game in as many days, Sueing logged a team-high 42 minutes and finished with 22 points buoyed by going 9 for 9 from the free-throw line.
It showed the all-around game that makes Sueing such an intriguing player. He handled the ball, he got to the rim and he drew contact while converting. He looked nothing like that in the NCAA Tournament loss to Oral Roberts five days later, when he drew just one foul, grabbed only two rebounds and finished with 7 points in 34 minutes as the Buckeyes suffered the first-round upset.
It was more of the same to open the 2021-22 season, when he totaled 12 points in 30 minutes during Ohio State’s first two games before the same injury forced him to shut things down. He’s been slowed by a sprained ankle this preseason, but otherwise Sueing is fully healthy for the first time in more than a year and a half.
What does that look like? How much does he handle the ball as a point-forward? What’s his perimeter shot look like?
Who’s shooting 3-pointers for Ohio State?
The preseason poll among current players conducted by the Dispatch was a runaway victory for Sean McNeil, whose teammates overwhelmingly voted him best shooter. More than 90% of the votes listed the West Virginia transfer, who hit on 36.8% of his 421 3-point attempts during the last three seasons. His career-best season came in 2020-21, when he went 69 for 178 (38.8%) from deep.
Although he has his eyes on showing off a more well-rounded offensive game, McNeil could do that while remaining the clear front-runner for this team’s primary shooter. The question is who will finish second. At the Buckeyes on the Blacktop event held in early October, McNeil finished second in the 3-point shooting contest to freshman forward Brice Sensabaugh while also competing against third-year center Zed Key and freshman Bowen Hardman.
Sensabaugh will play significant minutes and figures to get a lot of shots. Key is expected to add a 3-point shot to his repertoire, but the big man is yet to attempt one at this level and shouldn’t reasonably be expected to be among the team’s leaders. Hardman is at the end of the rotation and a longshot to see extended playing time this season.
Where does Isaac “Ice” Likekele play on the Ohio State men's team?
Ohio State needed to address two needs with its final roster spot. The Buckeyes were in need of both an experienced ball handler to provide some veteran presence in a youthful backcourt, but they also needed a little bit more size in the post.
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They feel they at least assisted both spots by signing Oklahoma State transfer Isaac Likekele, a 6-5, 215-pound graduate listed as a guard but who can also hold his own in the paint. The scouting report from his former coaches was that Likekele could guard all positions provided the opponent’s center didn’t have “overwhelming size,” Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann said at Big Ten media day. That will occasionally be an issue while playing in the Big Ten, but Likekele’s presence could allow the Buckeyes to utilize lineups without a traditional center with a slew of versatile players.
What does that look like?
How ready are the freshmen like Brice Sensabaugh, Bruce Thornton?
Ohio State welcomed in a five-man freshman class, but Holtmann has consistently stated that four of them will contribute this season. As Hardman tries to put on weight and get stronger while acclimating to the level after a leg injury cost him most of his senior season, the quartet of point guard Bruce Thornton, combo guard Roddy Gayle Jr., center Felix Okpara and Sensabaugh will all see significant playing time from day one.
Holtmann has used the phrase “normalizing struggle” when discussing helping the four settle into becoming what are hoped to be cornerstone pieces of this era. It’s not always going to be pretty, especially with a first-year point guard running the offense, but the faster Gayle, Okpara, Sensabaugh and Thornton can settle in, the better Ohio State will know what to expect from them as well as their season.
Can this team rebound?
Ohio State wasn’t very good last season defensively, finishing No. 111 nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency according to KenPom.com. One factor of many contributing to that number was Ohio State’s struggles to control the glass. The Buckeyes finished No. 206 nationally in defensive offensive rebounding percentage, allowing opponents to pull down 28.7% of their misses. It was the worst mark of Holtmann’s five seasons.
It was an area where Sueing’s absence was particularly felt. With him back in the fold, and the likes of Likekele and Wright State’s Tanner Holden available, Holtmann has added pieces that should be able to attack the glass from the wings and assist the primary post players.
For Ohio State to be better defensively, it will have to be better here.
What does this team look like?
It’s not just the roster that looks different compared to a season ago. Longtime assistant coach Ryan Pedon left for the head coaching job at Illinois State while assistant Tony Skinn left for the same position at Maryland. Holtmann hired former Miami (Ohio) coach Jack Owens and promoted special assistant to the head coach Mike Netti as their replacements, meaning not only the players but the coaches instructing them are in new positions as well.
Assistant coach Jake Diebler was promoted to associate head coach and, after overseeing the defense last season, will now helm the offense. Owens will take over the reins on defense, while Netti will handle personnel.
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In short, it leaves no shortage of question marks about what this team will look like. What tempo will the Buckeyes try to set? Will they put up more defensive resistance? Who will get the ball in late-clock situations? Who plays best with whom?
Answers won’t be known for some time, but we’ll get to start formulating some thoughts Tuesday night.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Six things to learn from Ohio State's exhibition vs. Chaminade
