Amare Bynum Makes First Career Start For Ohio State Against North Carolina in CBS Sports Classic

Eventually, the top-75 prospect in the 2025 class was going to start for the Buckeyes as a freshman. That opportunity happened 11 games into his college career, as Bynum made his first career start for OSU against North Carolina in the CBS Sports Classic in Atlanta on Saturday afternoon.

Following his best performance of the season in Ohio State's last game, finishing with a career-high 17 points, nine rebounds, three assists, one steal and three blocks in a career-high 38 minutes in the Buckeyes' double-overtime win over West Virginia last weekend, the freshman replaced Brandon Noel in the starting lineup.

Made for the moment

17 PTS (career high) | 9 REB#GoBucks | @amarebynumm pic.twitter.com/y5c6XulWE7

— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) December 14, 2025

Much like he did last weekend, Jake Diebler praised Bynum – both his effort and what he brings to the team already as a freshman – while previewing the matchup against North Carolina.

"I think he's definitely going to keep playing a lot," Diebler said of Bynum on Thursday. "Minutes do matter more than the starting. So, I think what we're trying to figure out is how we can play a more complete first half. And looking at lineup analytics and all of that stuff to determine that. Practice plays a really important role in determining some of that stuff. So we're evaluating that. It won't be a game-time decision necessarily, where we're going to wake up that day and say, 'okay, this is what we're going to do.

"But certainly trying to figure out – not exclusive to Amare, because he's playing really well in his role right now – but figuring out, okay, how can we as a team be better in the first half? And there's no denying his energy, his physicality, the motor he's playing with is really impactful. No denying it."

While starters' minutes are what matter in the end, it's also important that Ohio State's offense doesn't start slow and potentially dig itself into too big a hole early. The Buckeyes' offense has done so in three of their last four games, two of which were losses:

• Trailed 16-4 just over five minutes into the game in the loss at Pittsburgh
• Trailed 24-15 just over eight minutes into the game in the loss against Illinois
• Only scored 11 points in nearly the first 11.5 minutes of the game in the 2OT win over West Virginia

By inserting Bynum into the starting lineup, Ohio State is putting its five best players on the court to begin the game. Without that, it creates the possibility of over-rotating players in and out of the lineup, especially early on, while basically admitting that one player is better than the other but not playing said player in the first four-plus minutes of the game.

Through 10 games this season, Bynum is averaging 8.4 points and 4.4 rebounds while shooting 54.1% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc in 22 minutes per game. His 9.2% offensive rebounding rate and 3.1% blocks rate lead the Buckeyes.

For comparison's sake, Noel has played 22.4 minutes per game while Bynum has notched 22 minutes per contest so far this season, as the senior has only played four more total minutes than the freshman thus far. In 10 starts, Noel has averaged 8.4 points and 4.7 rebounds per game while shooting 67.9% from the field and 25% from 3-point range. The forward scored a season-high 29 points while making 13 of 15 shots in Ohio State's win over Northwestern on Dec. 6.

And-1 poster

Amare Bynum showed off the strength on this @OhioStateHoops finish.

: FS1 pic.twitter.com/dHLGxTAbjM

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 16, 2025

As a freshman, Diebler and company have tried not to put too much on Bynum's plate early on, but he has certainly earned the opportunity for his increased minutes and now a starting spot with the amount of trust his head coach has in him already.

"I think he's earned everything he's gotten, too," Diebler said. "It wasn't necessarily saying 'okay, we got to protect him or anything like that.' I think there have been games where you just feel his activity and he impacts winning, where you can't take him off the floor unless he gets tired. And whether you're a freshman or senior, in the level of games we've been playing, all you're thinking about in that stretch is winning, and he's been really impactful for us.

"So I think he's earned the increased minutes, and he's playing with more and more consistency at a high level. I'm not surprised that it's happening. Again, I've talked about this. He approaches a game with just such maturity and great work ethic, and joy. But, he's not going to be perfect the rest of the year. I think he's just got to keep focusing on impact and winning and just keep working hard. And if he does, I just believe he's going to continue to play better and better. And that's a great thing for us.

"We just got to stay the course, and sometimes stay the course right now means he's going to play a ton of minutes. And hey, if it's a game where maybe he's struggling a little bit more, maybe he's not playing as many minutes, but like he has earned the right to play through those types of games, too. And to be able to play through some of that and figure it out because I trust him."

The fact that Diebler already has so much trust in Bynum as the coaching staff continues to give the freshman a bigger role and longer leash while on the court says a lot. It's not only because of what Bynum has proven in 10 games, but also what he has done in practice.

With Thornton sitting to his right and Bynum sitting to his left following the comeback win over West Virginia last Saturday night in Cleveland, Jake Diebler compared the freshman to the senior, who is the first four-time captain in school history, and to how Thornton in his first year at Ohio State.

"I see a lot of similarities in the way that he approaches the game every single day to how (Thornton) did as a freshman," Diebler said with a smile. "I think that's why you're seeing him play at a higher level with more consistency, because he shows up every single day, and all he cares about is getting better and helping Ohio State win.

"And that approach and that mentality, that's how young players – like Bruce was – are so impactful, and that's why he's becoming more and more impactful because you can't tell when you walk in our gym if he had 50 points, if he had zero points. if he played 40 minutes, or if he played none. He just shows up every single day, and that's the power of having a guy (like Bruce) who does that."

With a new-look starting frontcourt, Ohio State will certainly have its hands in a big matchup against North Carolina, literally and figuratively. The Tar Heels are the biggest team in the country, according to KenPom, with a starting frontcourt that consists of two 6-10 forwards and a 7-0 center.

Tipoff between the Buckeyes and Tar Heels is set for 3 p.m. on CBS.