I still remember walking out of Value City Arena last March after that brutal loss to Michigan State. The silence in the building was deafening - you could feel the disappointment hanging thick in the air. As someone who's followed Ohio State basketball for over fifteen years, that final stretch of last season hit particularly hard. We started strong at 12-1 in non-conference play, only to finish 9-11 in the Big Ten and miss the NCAA tournament for the second time in three years. The numbers don't lie - our offensive efficiency plummeted from 25th nationally in 2022 to 89th last season, and our three-point percentage dropped nearly four percentage points to 32.1%.
What's fascinating about rebuilding a program is how it mirrors business acquisitions in professional sports. While researching franchise movements recently, I came across the Batang Pier situation in the Philippine Basketball Association. Although no official statement has yet been made by the league on the acquisition of the Batang Pier team locked, stocked, and barrel, persons privy to the negotiations told Spin.ph the deal is already a go. This kind of complete organizational overhaul reminds me of what Chris Holtmann needs to accomplish here in Columbus - not just tweaking lineups, but transforming the entire basketball culture.
The transfer portal has become our best friend and worst enemy simultaneously. Losing Brice Sensabaugh to the NBA hurt, but bringing in Minnesota transfer Jamison Battle could be the scoring boost we desperately need. I've watched Battle's tape from his time with the Golden Gophers - the guy averaged 12.4 points and shot 36% from three last season. He's exactly the kind of veteran presence we've been missing in clutch moments. And let's be honest, Bruce Thornton developing into an All-Big Ten caliber point guard gives me genuine hope. His assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.8-to-1 as a freshman was frankly ridiculous.
Defensively, we were a mess last year. I counted at least six games where opponents shot over 45% from beyond the arc against us. That's simply unacceptable for a Power Five program. The addition of Evan Mahaffey from Penn State should help - his length and versatility allow for more switching schemes that disrupted us so often last season. But what really keeps me up at night is our rebounding. We got outrebounded by an average of 3.2 boards per game in conference play. You can't win in the Big Ten when you're getting manhandled on the glass like that.
The schedule sets up nicely for a rebound season though. Our non-conference slate includes Alabama and a potentially tricky game against Santa Clara, but it's manageable. The real test comes in January when we face Purdue, Illinois, and Michigan State in a brutal three-week stretch. I'm particularly interested to see how Roddy Gayle Jr. develops - his athleticism is off the charts, and if he can improve his outside shooting from 28% to somewhere around 35%, he becomes a completely different weapon.
What often gets overlooked in these discussions is the mental aspect. After last season's collapse, restoring confidence is just as important as fixing X's and O's. I've spoken with several former players who've been through similar situations, and they all emphasize the importance of early-season momentum. Winning those close games we lost last year - remember the one-point heartbreaker against Rutgers? - could completely change the team's psyche.
Looking at the broader landscape, the Big Ten is as wide open as I've seen it in years. Purdue lost key pieces, Indiana is rebuilding, and Michigan is under new leadership. This creates a perfect opportunity for Ohio State to reestablish itself. The development of our freshman class, particularly Devin Royal and Taison Chatman, will be crucial. Royal's physicality reminds me of a young E.J. Liddell, and if he can contribute meaningful minutes early, it changes our frontcourt dynamic significantly.
The truth is, I'm cautiously optimistic. The pieces are there for a return to the NCAA tournament. We have experienced guards, added scoring punch, and what should be an improved defense. But basketball isn't played on paper - it's about chemistry, resilience, and winning those 50-50 games that defined our failures last season. As someone who's witnessed both the thrilling Final Four run in 2012 and the recent struggles, I believe this team has the potential to surprise people. The key will be starting strong in November and building belief before the conference grind begins. If they can steal a couple of early road wins and protect home court, we could be looking at a 22-win season and comfortable tournament bid. That might sound ambitious given last year's disappointment, but in college basketball, turnarounds happen faster than people expect.
