Ohio State basketball’s NCAA Tournament upset calls for some much-needed program tweaks

INDIANAPOLIS — The Ohio State basketball program has work to do after losing an overtime game to Oral Roberts in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

This team requires a reality check from both a talent and a coaching standpoint. The last three seasons have included 20 wins, Big Ten records hovering around .500 and short Marches. That’s not meeting program expectations. It’s time for Chris Holtmann to start meeting the standard that Thad Matta, Randy Ayres and Fred Taylor once achieved.

“There were a lot of really important strides this year, and a lot of really good moments (but) this is incredibly disappointing,” Holtmann said Friday. “There’s no other way to look at it.”

Strides are good, but the end goal should be winning the vital games that matter. Everyone associated with this team is responsible for making that happen.

“You’re playing in a win or lose, win or go home environment, and we’ve got to own that,” Holtmann said. “We’ll have time to reflect on some of the positive steps we took here as a program this year. But right now, we’ve got to lean into this disappointment. Embrace it for what it is and figure out how we can grow moving forward.”

This team needs a freshman sensation

SVSM’s Malaki Branham (22) puts up an easy layup during first half action in the regional playoff basketball game between St. Vincent-St. Mary and Struthers at Barberton High School on Thursday, March 11, 2021.

Who was the last player to come to Ohio State and was immediately special? The type of player whose talent was so undeniable that by January, questions about being a one and done were percolating. That’s what D’Angelo Russell was during the 2014-15 season. Jared Sullinger was like that in 2010-11. Michael Conley and Greg Oden qualified in 2006-07.

It’s what DJ Carton was supposed to be when he arrived for the 2019-20 season, but his tenure in Columbus was short-lived and he transferred to Marquette. Such players were staples for OSU under Thad Matta, and it’s time that Holtmann had one.

That’s where Malaki Branham comes in.

Branham is the No. 29 player and No. 6 shooting guard in the country from St. Vincent-St. Mary. He’s a borderline five-star recruit with a game that should easily transition to the college level, especially coming from a powerhouse program that plays high-level competition. Ohio State needs a perimeter player who can reliably put the ball in the basket. He can do that.

“He’s an elite guy,” Irish head coach Dru Joyce told cleveland.com in July. “He’s going to have a great career at Ohio State. He’ll walk in the door, and if he doesn’t start, he’ll play a lot. I believe he’ll be a starter. He wants it. His work ethic has been great.”

Conley and Oden led OSU to the national championship game as freshmen. Sullinger was the centerpiece of an Ohio-heavy recruiting class that earned a Final Four appearance, back-to-back 30-win seasons and four Big Ten regular-season and/or tournament titles. Russell’s version didn’t win at the same level — 24-11 and 11-7 in the Big Ten — but having an eventual No. 2 pick in the NBA Draft raised the program’s ceiling and profile.

Holtmann has lacked that player so far. It’s time someone steps up. Braham has the talent and recruiting pedigree to fill that void. For the sake of the program, the Buckeyes might need him to.

It’s time to grow up, fast

Ohio State’s Meechie Johnson plays against Northwestern during an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021, in Columbus, Ohio.AP

CJ Walker is not going to be on this roster next season. As of right now, the keys to the offense have been handed to 2021-22 sophomore guard Meechie Johnson. At least that’s what’s expected from someone who enrolled in college six months early to be mentored by a fifth-year senior. There’s no other reason for a teenager who hasn’t played basketball in two years to skip high school to come play in the Big Ten.

There are a lot of young players who will need to take significant jumps, and Johnson is at the top of that list.

When it lost Carton, Ohio State lost someone who could have stabilized an offense that too often sputtered in the biggest moments.

Johnson’s progression this season was steady and quiet. Fans likely hardly noticed him, which is a good thing when you’re in his position. He had his moments — like when he hit back-to-back threes against Northwestern and started the trash talk he was once known for at Garfield Heights. But his attention to detail sometimes flickered. One time, when he didn’t dive on the floor for a loose ball, Holtmann chewed him out all the way back to the bench.

“Meechie, he’s full of confidence, and we love that about him,” Justice Sueing said earlier this season. “Being the point guard on the floor, you have to be able to carry a team and lead them the right way. He’s a young buck on the team, but he’s really taking in all the lessons and all the advice and criticism that we’ve been giving him. … We’re going to continue to build (his confidence).”

He doesn’t need to be an All-American level player next season. But he does need to be everything Walker was the past two seasons. Too often, the Buckeyes turned into the Duane Washington Jr. show late in games. Too often, it resulted in their demise. They need someone else to carry that burden, and Johnson needs to step up and claim the job.

The need for a two-way player

Ohio State guard Eugene Brown III celebrates a basket during the Big Ten tournament. AP

Ohio State had one of the country’s best offenses in 2020-21. Its 77.3 points per game ranked 47th nationally and boasted a 120.8 adjusted offensive efficiency rating, fourth best overall. It allowed a team ranked 73rd in defensive efficiency rating to still be considered a top 10 team in the KenPom rankings.

Regardless, there still were not enough threats on the floor.

Oral Roberts was a two-man show Friday, but the rest of the Golden Eagles were at least a threat. That too often seemed to be missing with Ohio State, and part of that is the dilemma of Justin Ahrens and Musa Jallow.

Those two are two sides of the same coin. Ahrens is a pure shooter who can light it up when he’s gets going, but went cold the final seven games going from a 46.7% three-point shooter to 22.7%. Even when he’s hot, he’s still a liability on the defensive end. The Golden Eagles were the last of several teams to take advantage of that.

Jallow is an athletic and versatile defensive specialist. He went from guarding elite big men in the Big Ten tournament to chasing the 6-foot Abmas on Friday. But he produced next to nothing on the other end. He carries career 2.9 points per game average and managed just 13 points this postseason, five over the last three games. Oral Robert took advantage of that too, practically daring him to score.

It’s why the offseason development of Eugene Brown III is significant.

Brown came to Columbus as the No. 140 player and No. 22 shooting guard. He was expected to provide the necessary “3-and-D” wing player needed to eventually round out its starting lineup.

“He’s a long young fella that can shoot the basketball,” Brown’s father and coach of the same name told cleveland.com. “He’s very outgoing and communicates very well. He’s been exposed to a lot of stuff he’s going to be asked to do, and he’s a great defender. … He’s adept at doing both things.”

The answer to “who do you play between Ahrens and Jallow next season” turns out to be neither. You play Brown because he has a combination of offensive and defensive attributes. But he wasn’t ready as a freshman. It was obvious during his 179 minutes in 2020-21 that he needed a season of adjustment. But he also flashed in moments such as a 77-70 win over UCLA (nine points on a perfect 3-for-3 from distance) that he has the potential to get there.

He doesn’t have to be a star. But every elite team needs a reliable guy who can space the floor on offense while guarding an opponent’s best player on defense. He needs to take significant strides next winter.

–

Get Ohio State Sugar Bowl champs & CFP gear: Check out shirts, hats and more merchandise commemorating Ohio State’s Sugar Bowl win over Clemson, as well as gear on the Buckeyes advancing to the College Football Playoff national championship game.

More Buckeyes coverage

E.J. Liddell receives threatening messages through social media

Basketball needed a breakthrough, and instead created program questions: Lesmerises

Is Ohio State basketball performing below its standard? Podcast

Why was OSU dismissed so quickly in the NCAA Tournament?

What’s up with Thayer Munford, Cade Stover, Josh Proctor and Lathan Ransom? Buckeye Bits

Zach Harrison chasing only what the Buckeyes have never seen — his consistent best

The recruiting battle for 4-star running back Kaytron Allen

OT bummer: Buckeyes lose 75-72 in OT upset loss to Oral Roberts

Oral Roberts ignored the numbers on the seed line and made a name for itself

Football’s ‘incredibly painful’ loss to Alabama lingers for Kerry Coombs

What Ryan Day wants most from his next QB is something he can’t teach

Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission.