Well, hello there college basketball. We’ve missed you.
Ohio State broke the seal on its 2020-2021 season and we got our first look at what this team is made of. With so many new faces to go along with new uniforms and a long layoff because of the coronavirus pandemic, it sure felt like a completely different era in Columbus.
But Chris Holtmann is still the head coach and there is a little bit of returning talent that will get thrown into the mix. We did get to observe plenty of things during Ohio State’s 94-67 win over Illinois State and we’re got three of the biggest things we can take from what we saw from game one.
So let’s get to it. Here are three things we learned as we unwrapped the gift that is Ohio State basketball in the new season.
Next … Justice Sueing adds a finisher to the team
Justice Sueing can finish around the rim
"I think it's safe to say @JusticeSueing's @OhioStateHoops debut has been successful."
Sueing has 17 points on 7-7 FG. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/YkDIvFiz4K
— Ohio State on BTN (@OhioStateOnBTN) November 25, 2020
If you remember last season, one of the big issues with this team was the ability to finish around the rim. The team struggled to create driving to the lane anyway, but when there, it was often an arduous journey to try and finish through resistance and contact to put the pumpkin through the hoop.
We didn’t get to see Cal transfer Justice Sueing last year as he sat out because of transfer rules, but he looks to be an answer to that problem for Ohio State. He finished as the leading scorer in the game with 19 points. More importantly, a lot of those came at the rim with an efficient 8 of 9 shooting from the floor.
Sueing looks like he can be a difference-maker this year.
Next … Points in the paint are going to be an issue
Don’t be fooled, points will be hard to come by in the blocks
Odell or Liddell? 🖐️🏀@EasyE2432 | @OhioStateHoops pic.twitter.com/zr5V1Hjbho
— Ohio State on BTN (@OhioStateOnBTN) November 25, 2020
The Buckeyes got 28 points from the combination of E.J. Liddell and freshman Zed Key. That’s great, but it was against an Illinois State team that didn’t provide much resistance at the rim.
Don’t be fooled.
Liddell will get engaged on the blocks and Key might develop into a nice player, but neither has the size or leaping ability to be a force down low that teams have to account for. Also, the 6-foot, 10-inch Ibrahima Diallo has length, but still lacks the girth and physicality to be much of an option down there.
Truth be known, Kyle Young might be the best answer in the post and he too is going to have a problem elbowing his way past the size that will come with conference play down low.
That means this team is going to have to score a lot of points from the wing and guard spots, then hope to be competitive in the paint and get what it can, when it can.
Next … Depth looks good
There looks to be quality depth on the team
🔑🔑🔑🔑 @iamzedkey#Team122 #GoBuckeyes https://t.co/l17Q2pYr8f
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) November 25, 2020
I know it’s hard to really put your thumb on in a game that gets out of hand like this one, but the team looks to have some solid depth. Five players scored in double figures, guys played a ton of minutes, and I counted a lineup that was effective about ten deep.
Now, again, it’s Illinois State, but there’s not a lot of dropoff when guys like Musa Jallow, Jimmy Sotos, Zed Key, and Eugene Brown entered the fray. Hopefully, that will continue, especially when the perils of Big Ten play hit. Things often tighten up once the physicality and muscle of the conference play comes into play.
All in all though, this team should be able to go at least eight or nine into the bench even then, especially when Seth Towns gets healthy and is available to add to the mix.
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