Ohio State college basketball preview: It looks like a rebuilding year for the Buckeyes

So, now what?

That seems to be the feeling here in Columbus as Chris Holtmann enters his 4th season as head coach of Ohio State’s men’s basketball team. The first 3 should be deemed successes, with 2 NCAA Tournament appearances and what would have been a 3rd had there been a tourney last year. Most fans would agree this is a much better feeling than the last few disappointing years under former head coach Thad Matta.

Now, many wonder what comes next. What else can a Holtmann-led Buckeyes team do? How far can they make it in the NCAA Tournament?

It would be hard not to call the 2020-21 year a rebuilding one. Five players — starters Andre Wesson and Kaleb Wesson, as well as contributors D.J. Carton, Luther Muhammad and Alonzo Gaffney — either graduated or transferred. On top of that, 5 new faces will come in to replace them, bringing a lot of uncertainty about who will even be in the starting lineup when the season begins.

Seems fitting for a season that has already featured so much uncertainty, right?

But Holtmann has shown that he can build a team over the course of a season, which is what many expect him to do again. He must take a talented backcourt of CJ Walker and Duane Washington, along with wings Justin Ahrens and Kyle Young, and blend them with the likes of much-hyped Harvard transfer Seth Towns, Cal transfer Justice Sueing and solid Bucknell transfer guard Jimmy Sotos.

But many of these newcomers are also coming back from injuries. It’s uncertain when Towns, who many think could be the best player on the team, will be back to 100 percent.

Then there’s sophomore forward E.J. Liddell, who at 6-7 and 240 pounds looks like he could be poised for a big season. Liddell really came into his own during the last part of last year. In the Buckeyes’ last 6 games, he put up 10 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. In the final game against Illinois, he posted 17 points and 11 rebounds in a 71-63 win.

“He’ll be critical for us,” Holtmann told the media. “On a consistent basis, he’s going to need to be one of our better players on both ends. That means his game will have to continue to grow. He is going to shoot more from the perimeter than he ever has. He’ll be used through the post more than he ever has.

“He’s in better shape,” Holtmann continued. “He is more consistent in his effort than certainly what he was last year. … He’s still a sophomore, but he’s certainly going to be a more featured part of what we do this year.”

So what do we think of the Buckeyes team as a whole this season?

Best player: Well … Washington? Liddell? Towns?

It’s a tossup here. Washington, who was the team’s 2nd-leading scorer last year at just more than 11 points per game, could be the leading scorer now.

But Towns could be the best overall player if he’s healthy.

Then again, Liddell could step up and surprise us all with an All-B1G kind of year. Your guess is as good as mine, but there’s definitely some talent on this roster.

Best newcomer(s): Towns and Sueing

Dick Vitale says Towns has to contribute for Ohio State to reach their potential. A Columbus native, Towns was seen as one of the best available transfers on the market after averaging 16 points and 5.7 rebounds per game at Harvard, which earned him Ivy League Player of the Year honors after the 2017-18 season. He can score from anywhere on the court (he shoots 44 percent from behind the arc), but he has spent the past 2 seasons sidelined with knee injuries.

Sueing will also need to provide some scoring punch. Sueing, who was named to Jon Rothstein’s list of 25 Impact Transfers, actually transferred a year ago and spent last season sitting out, so he knows the system and what is expected. He also knows there’s the possibility for him to step into the lineup right away and make a difference. As a sophomore, Sueing averaged 14 points and 6 rebounds per game at California, both of which led the team. He will be expected to do both for the Buckeyes.

Biggest strength (as team): Depth. Backcourt. Perimeter shooting. Coaching.

This team has a ton of options.

Holtmann’s squad is blessed with depth at most positions (other than center). But it’s especially stacked in the backcourt, with shooting, defending and ball-handling talent. Walker, who will start at point guard, got better and better as last year went on and can really defend the position. Washington will slide into the 2-guard spot. And nearly everyone can shoot it from 3 — including true freshman Eugene Brown III, who was ranked as the No. 19 shooting guard recruit in the country. This should be one of the things that makes this team dangerous. If they’re hot, watch out.

And then there’s the head coach. I’ve always been a believer in Holtmann, and I think once this team gets some games under its belt (provided no one gets sick), I think he’ll be able to find the right combination of players.

Biggest weakness: Size and skill in the frontcourt; overall uncertainty

There is one true center on the Buckeyes’ roster. So that might mean Holtmann decides to play small ball, with an undersized center and some guys around him who can shoot. I’ve seen teams win titles like this, and I bet this team can make it work, too.

But that brings us to the main question: There is so much uncertainty around this team, what can fans truly expect? There really isn’t a way to know. Who will start? Who will end games? Who will the Buckeyes go to when they need a big bucket? How will all the new pieces jell together?

No clue. We’ll have to wait and see. But I do know they have enough pieces that it’ll be fun to watch Holtmann figure it out.

Regular season: projected B1G Finish — 7th

As we’ve said, this should be viewed as a rebuilding season, but that doesn’t mean it can’t still be successful.

The Buckeyes can — and will be expected to — finish somewhere around 6th to 8th in a challenging B1G. They will have enough athletes to compete, and if they can find the right combination throughout the year, they will be a tough out when March comes around.

That means another NCAA Tournament bid.

March outlook: 9 seed, NCAA Tournament

I see this team making the NCAA Tournament, even though it’s very difficult to predict what can or will happen.

I’ll peg them as a 9 seed right now, which means they’ll play a close game in the Round of 64, and then be a nightmare matchup for a 1 seed in the Round of 32.

And, as we’ve seen so many times in the past, any team can win that game.

Of course, during a time when we’re supposed to say what we’re thankful for, I’m just thankful it looks like we’re going to see some college basketball at all.

Let’s play!