The last time Chris Holtmann didn’t have an NCAA Tournament-level team was 2012.
He was coaching Gardner-Webb.
Buckeyes have been respectable every season since Holtmann came over from Butler, but this is one of those unavoidable (for most) down years.
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) January 29, 2023
Why it mattered
It’s crazy to think that after the first of this year, the Buckeyes were 10-3 and ranked inside the top 25. January has not been kind to this squad and has exposed some big-time issues. First off, the need for leadership running the offense showed. Freshman Bruce Thornton is too tentative and Isaac Likelele is wildly inconsistent.
The lack of depth on the interior also became an issue. Zed Key should have been able to rest his shoulder and knee but this team couldn’t afford that. Felix Okpara will be a good player, but he’s not there yet. At this point, this team might be lucky to make the NIT Tournament. It’s going to be a season to forget in Columbus and spring football can’t get here sooner.
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