After last season ended with a loss to Villanova in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament, Chris Holtmann’s Ohio State Buckeyes are out for redemption this offseason, rebuilding into a new-look roster with the departures of several key players.
OHIO STATE TRANSFER ADDITIONS:
ISAAC LIKEKELE, OKLAHOMA STATE
7.1 PTS / 5.5 REB / 3.4 AST / 43.7 FG%
SEAN MCNEIL, WEST VIRGINIA
12.2 PTS / 1.8 3FG/G / 37% 3FG%
TANNER HOLDEN, WRIGHT STATE
20.1 PTS / 7.1 REB / 34% 3FG
Likekele is a 6-foot-5 guard with over 110 games of high-major experience with the Cowboys. He will come in and run the point for the Buckeyes, using his slashing skills to get to the rim and set up his teammates. McNeil is another experienced vet coming into the program, and is a knockdown shooter from the wing. High-level scorer in the Big 12, averaging 12+ points per game in the Big 12 each of the past two years. Holden was a star with Wright State, and now makes the move to Columbus where he will play a big role out of the gates for the Buckeyes.
Will these newcomers be able to replicate what EJ Liddell, Kyle Young, Malaki Branham and company did? Probably not right away. But Holtmann has done a good job of bringing in high-major veterans and a big-name mid-major talent to bolster next season’s roster.
TPR’S PROJECTED LINEUP FOR OHIO STATE:
ISAAC LIKEKELE, G
SEAN MCNEIL, G
TANNER HOLDEN, G
JUSTICE SUEING, F
ZED KEY, F
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