Ohio State has dropped outside of the top ten in ESPN’s most recent way-too-early top-25 after being ranked No. 7 early this year. That said, there wasn’t a good reason why OSU dropped.
With the transfer market all but over, there haven’t been many big-time moves, so dropped OSU four spots is a surprise. However, they’re not the only ones that saw a significant change.
Kansas jumped from 10 to 3, North Carolina 12 to 6 and Texas Tech 16 to 10. With upward jumps comes that like Ohio State that ultimately fell.
ESPN’s columnist Jeff Borzello did give a short description of the group that the Buckeyes will take into the start of the 2019 season.
“The Buckeyes have overachieved in back-to-back years, going to the second round in each of Chris Holtmann’s two seasons in Columbus — and they could take the next step in 2019-20 and make it to the second weekend. There are lots of options on this roster. Kaleb Wesson provides an anchor inside, and Holtmann added four-star forwards Alonzo Gaffney and E.J. Liddell. Top-40 point guard D.J. Carton enters the fold, as does Florida State transfer CJ Walker. Andre Wesson and Luther Muhammad are back as returning starters. It’s a young group, but there’s talent and depth in Columbus.”
With a superb recruiting class coming in, Chris Holtmann is finally prepared to take this team to the next level. After three seasons, these players are trained and recruited by him. This is his time to shine.
It’s time Columbus becomes a basketball city again, and even ranked barely outside the top-ten is a pleasing start.
