Ohio State’s basketball season has come to an abrupt, shocking, and unexpected end. The team that seemed to have grabbed momentum heading into the NCAA Tournament with a run all the way to the Big Ten Championship game became just the ninth No. 2 seed to be ousted in the first round by a No. 15 seed.
We’ll get into the nuts and bolts of all of it, but it was about as ugly as it gets if you are a Buckeye hoops fan. Ohio State will now head home to turn the page towards next season and try and understand what happened in a matchup it should have owned.
After every game, we give you some takeaways and observations from the action on the court, and we’re doing the same here in a bit of a somber mood. Sadly, here are five takeaways from Ohio State’s shocking upset at the hands of Oral Roberts.
NEXT … When it matters most
Issues closing games once again
One or two games and you can chalk it off to the game of basketball. But that’s not what we saw with this Ohio State team. Time and time again, closing out games became a real issue. For whatever reason, once the clock gets to about three minutes and below, the Buckeyes have a hard time making baskets and head coach Chris Holtmann always seemed to just consider it a part of the game.
Once again, OSU failed to score from the 2:34 mark on in overtime. It’s hard to put your finger on why, but the same shots that go down during the game cease from doing so when things are on the line. Even guys that normally hit free throws missed some key ones today that added to the misery.
This game can be a lot mental, and no matter what we hear from those that know the game, there’s no way you’ll convince me that mentally this team has it together at the end of games. You are what you are, and there’s data there that suggests a problem. It led to the end of the season today.
NEXT … Turnovers are the architect of upsets
Ohio State couldn’t overcome carelessness with the ball
By and large, turnovers haven’t been too much of an issue for Ohio State this season. But, there have been games where they’ve come in bunches, and this was a depressing exhibit sent to the cruelest of judges. Against a team that had the statistically worse defense in the entire NCAA Tournament field, OSU turned the pumpkin over fifteen times. Contrast that to Oral Roberts modest six.
That’s just a lack of judgment, confidence, and strength on the ball, and it was a little too much to overcome. It basically negated the fifteen rebound advantage the Buckeyes had in the game. If you look at significant upsets in the history of college basketball, it usually has the turnover bug biting the favored team, and that was certainly the case today.
NEXT … Falling in love with the jump shot
Ohio State didn’t get in the paint nearly enough
The Buckeyes had a decided advantage down on the blocks today because of the lack of length and girth from Oral Roberts. Despite that, 23 of Ohio State’s 67 field goal attempts were from beyond the arc. Some of that came when the Buckeyes needed a 3-point attempt at the end of the overtime, but that doesn’t account for the large majority of shots from deep.
The recipe for this team all year has been to get points heading towards the rim while accenting that attempt with open looks from deep. E.J. Liddell only had six opportunities in the first half, and that’s a head-scratcher at best. He ended up with more in the second half, going 10-of-15 from the floor for 23 total points, but it could have been much more. OSU was 5-of-23 shooting the 3-pointer and 24-of-44 elsewhere. That tells you all you need to know.
NEXT … Hello free throws
Free throws can win or lose games
Despite all that went wrong in this game, Ohio State still found itself up late with a shot to seal it from the free-throw line. Nope. Much like all the other things that go into a huge upset, that didn’t go the Buckeyes way either. Not only did OSU only make 9-of-18 free throws today, it also missed key free throws late with the game on the line.
One of those was with E.J. Liddell on the stripe with a 1 and 1 situation and Ohio State up by two late, and the other opportunity came with Duane Washington toeing the line with the Buckeyes down three late in overtime. Nadah for four opportunities when it counts. On the other side, the Golden Eagles made good on 14 of their 18 from the charity stripe. Game over.
NEXT … Goodbye seniors
We’ll miss Kyle Young and C.J. Walker
Everyone is upset right now, but let’s take the time to remember two guys that have more than likely played their last game in an Ohio State uniform. Technically, both Kyle Young and C.J. Walker could decide to come back still because of the extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but they both went through senior festivities, so it’s a long shot.
Both Young and Walker play the game the right way with hustle, grit, and leadership. Some of what they both do can’t be measured in the box score (boy could the Buckeyes have used Young today), and those intangibles will have to come from somewhere else next season.
It was fun to watch both guys and we wish them both well.
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