Ten games into the year, we’re a third of the way into Ohio State’s regular-season slate.
The Buckeyes wrapped up their final high-profile non-conference matchup in Saturday’s overtime loss to North Carolina, and with only Maine and Alabama A&M – two mid-major buy games over the next 10 days – to go before the Big Ten gauntlet begins, it’s the perfect time to take inventory of what we’ve seen so far.
Below, Eleven Warriors has compiled a list of 10 facts, stats and numbers that illustrate the good and bad from Ohio State’s 7-3 start to the 2022-23 campaign.
Fourth-best offense in the country
Ohio State’s offensive efficiency may be the most impressive element of its season-opening 10-game stretch. The Buckeyes rank No. 4 in the country in KenPom in the statistic, which is tops in the Big Ten. and only Arizona, Gonzaga and UCLA have better ratings nationwide. If Ohio State maintains that ranking through the end of the season, it would tie the 2020-21 team for the top-rated offense in the Holtmann era. The Buckeyes also rank among the top 60 teams in the country in scoring offense with an average of 79.5 points per game. The program hasn’t averaged more points per game for an entire season in 31 seasons.
Eight years since a freshman led OSU in scoring
It’s been almost a decade since a true freshman led Ohio State in scoring, when D’Angelo Russell averaged 19.3 points per game for Ohio State before going pro as a one-and-done prospect at the conclusion of the 2014-15 season. Brice Sensbaugh is on track to finish the season as the Buckeyes’ top scorer if he keeps up his current pace. Through 10 games, Sensabaugh’s average of 14.9 points is the most on the team by nearly a full point, and he’s come off the bench in all but two of those games.
Beyond Russell, Jared Sullinger (2010-11) and Greg Oden (2006-07) are the only two freshmen to lead the Buckeyes in scoring for a full season since 2000. If Sensabaugh finishes the season with that same scoring average, it would be the most for a Buckeye freshman since Russell.
BIG BODY BRICE pic.twitter.com/EOl5ZUW5NW
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) December 17, 2022
Zero games played for Eugene Brown
Last season, Chris Holtmann made a habit of touting the significant role he expected Brown to play as a junior. So far, the Georgia native hasn’t been able to play any role at all. Brown finished last season as a regular starter for Ohio State, but he has yet to make his season debut in 2022-23. The 6-foot-6 wing has been in concussion protocol since the season opener and the length of time for which he’s been absent has made some question if Brown’s affliction really is just a concussion. But consider the fact that Brown missed several games with a concussion a year ago, and the Buckeyes have dealt with repeated concussion issues in the not-so-distant past in the case of Kyle Young.
"Whenever his return is, there's gonna be a long progression" before Eugene Brown (concussion) gets back to form, Holtmann says.
— Griffin Strom (@GriffinStrom3) December 5, 2022
Holtmann says Brown tried to do some basketball activities in Maui but ultimately didn't feel up to it.
40.5 rebounds per game
The Buckeyes hold the 24th-best rebounding average in the country. Considering Ohio State’s top center is only 6-foot-8, its backup is a true freshman and its third option is 6-foot-5 guard Isaac Likekele, you wouldn’t necessarily expect the Buckeyes to be an elite rebounding team. In fact, rebounding was one of the major points of emphasis Holtmann harped on early in the year when identifying potential weaknesses from the first scrimmages and exhibitions.
But Ohio State’s outrebounded six of its 10 opponents thus far, and three of the four teams to finish with more boards than the Buckeyes only won that battle by five rebounds or fewer. Zed Key is leading the way with an average of 8.2 rebounds per game, but six Buckeyes are pulling down at least three boards a night, and Brown’s presence should only help in that department whenever he returns to action.
5-0 at home
Ohio State made it all the way to late February before dropping a game at the Schottenstein Center last season, and the Buckeyes are off to another stellar start at home in 2022-23. OSU’s rattled off five straight wins on its home floor, including four blowouts of at least 20 points, and a one-point win over Rutgers courtesy of a Tanner Holden buzzer-beater on Dec. 8. Of course, the Scarlet Knights are the only non-mid-major program the Buckeyes have hosted thus far, but outscoring opponents 401-277 in Columbus is impressive nonetheless.
Ohio State hasn’t given up more than 66 points to any team that’s come to the Schott, and with Maine and Alabama A&M on tap for the next two home games, the Buckeyes’ win streak should continue into the start of the new year.
PANDEMONIUM pic.twitter.com/o4XR9iPc1b
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) December 9, 2022
Only one double-digit loss
All three of Ohio State’s losses have come against quality opponents, and each one was close. Only one of those contests, the Buckeyes’ Nov. 21 matchup with then-No. 17 San Diego State, ended in a double-digit OSU defeat. And even that one was only an 11-point loss in a game that Ohio State trailed by single digits at various stages late. A little over a week later, then-No. 17 Duke only managed to beat the Buckeyes by nine points in Cameron Indoor Stadium. It took a buzzer-beating turnaround jumper at the end of regulation for North Carolina to get a win over Ohio State in overtime in its latest loss. The Buckeyes haven’t been unbeatable, but they have yet to suffer a blowout loss through 10 contests.
Just two starting lineups
Given all the fresh faces and unknowns on the Buckeye roster entering the season, this figured to be a year in which Holtmann employed a litany of different starting lineups while players settled into their roles. But that hasn’t been the case. Ohio State has only started two different groups this season, with Bruce Thornton, Sean McNeil, Justice Sueing and Zed Key getting the nod in all 10 games. Isaac Likekele started the first eight games, and Sensabaugh has started the last two as Likekele has dealt with family matters. Beyond Sensabaugh, none of Ohio State’s reserves have made a compelling case to supplant any of the Buckeyes’ regular starters.
Starting 5 from MSG
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) December 17, 2022
@Bruce2T_
@SeanMcNeil22
@iamzedkey
@JusticeSueing
@bricepsensa #Team124 | #GoBucks
Transfer trio averaging 19 points per game
With their previous teams last season, Likekele, Tanner Holden and Sean McNeil combined to average 39.4 points per game in 2021-22. For the Buckeyes, that trio is putting up more than 20 fewer points a night. All three likely expected to have less productive roles at Ohio State, but their collective offensive numbers might be a bit more underwhelming than many would have thought. That is especially true for Holden, who averaged 20.1 points per game for Wright State this year, but is putting up just 4.8 so far for the Buckeyes.
Holden says "my time will come" at Ohio State after a slow start to the season, buzzer-beater aside.
— Griffin Strom (@GriffinStrom3) December 9, 2022
Four freshmen all playing at least 12.6 minutes
Ohio State’s four freshmen are each playing well over 10 minutes per game, and two (Sensabaugh and Bruce Thornton) are up above 20. In fact, Thornton’s leading the team in average minutes played, with 29.4. When asked about playing the freshman point guard 39 minutes against Rutgers, Holtmann said he’d have played him even more if he could have. But Holtmann also expressed concern about Thornton’s ability to handle that workload throughout the season after playing 35-plus in four of the past five games. Felix Okpara has the smallest role of the bunch, playing 12.6 minutes per game, and Roddy Gayle is averaging just under 15 minutes a night through his first 10 college games.
Brice Sensabaugh throws it down @OhioStateHoops pic.twitter.com/hXY1Jvswq8
— CBS Sports CBB (@CBSSportsCBB) December 17, 2022
Four double-digit scorers
In Holtmann’s first season, Keita Bates-Diop averaged 19.8 points per game, C.J. Jackson put up 12.6, Jae’Sean Tate had 12.3 and Kaleb Wesson averaged 10.2. That was the last time Ohio State had four players finish the season with double-digit scoring averages. Since then, the Buckeyes only had two players who averaged at least 10 points per game in 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2021-22. The Buckeyes had three in 2020-21, but they’re on track to finish with four this year. Sensabaugh’s averaging 14.9, as mentioned above, Key’s putting up a career-high 14 points per game, Justice Sueing is third on the team with an average of 13 points and Thornton is averaging 10.6.
McNeil may even join that group by season’s end, should he pick up his production a bit. He’s already averaging 9.7 points per game through 10 contests.
