The final home game for the Ohio State basketball team was a successful one, defeating Maryland 73-62, getting an upset over a ranked team and sending the seniors off as winners.
Head coach Chris Holtmann ends the home portion of this season with a record many wouldn’t have expected coming into 2023. The two-game win streak, regardless of how modest, shows that no one on this team threw the towel in late.
There was a lot to like about what the Buckeyes did against the Terrapins tonight. Here are my thoughts on the win that improves Ohio State’s record to 13-17 with one regular season game remaining.
Holtmann did his seniors right
❤️ Thank you, @_Issaaac , @JusticeSueing , and @SeanMcNeil22
Make sure to get to the Schott early for the Senior Night ceremony! pic.twitter.com/D8Wj7mXBof
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) March 1, 2023
Why it mattered
Even though none of the seniors honored tonight started their careers in Columbus, Holtmann still opted to start each one of them. All of them had their moments and were big parts of the Buckeyes’ success tonight.
Isaac Likelele battled hard before fouling out, scoring 11 points with 4 assists. He made every shot he took.
Justice Sueing didn’t shoot quite as well, but still contributed 16 points (a perfect 8-0f-8 at the free throw line) with 6 rebounds. He played with the energy and effort that an outgoing senior should.
Sean McNeil was hot behind the three-point line, hitting both two of his three attempts, and going 3-of-6 overall from the field en route to 10 points. He grabbed three rebounds and added a steal.
They left the court for a final time in a Buckeye uniform as winners.
The players did Holtmann right
Senior night success ✅#GoBucks #Team124 pic.twitter.com/gc5AojUlPR
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) March 2, 2023
Why it mattered
With a ranked Maryland team coming into Value City Arena, the struggling Buckeyes could have very well just played nice hosts and let the Terrapins go home with a win. Instead, they jumped ahead early and withstood the visitor’s comeback attempt, giving them their second win in a row. This season obviously hasn’t been pretty, but there are plenty of things to build on.
Felix Okpara has come a long way
OOP THERE IT IS FOR OKPARA!! 😤 🔥 @Felixokpara24 x @OhioStateHoops pic.twitter.com/RfwT4gUxDH
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) March 2, 2023
Why it mattered
In a perfect world, Okpara would have redshirted while getting stronger and gaining practice experience. That wasn’t the case but since he has been inserted into the starting lineup, he’s shown marked improvements. Starting with Purdue, Okpara is shooting 76%. Even though it’s a small sample size, it’s still encouraging. He’s managed to stay out of foul trouble and will still be a menace at the rim. Tonight he grabbed 12 rebounds for his second career double-double. The Nigerian has grown a lot this season and it bodes well for his future.
Bruce Thornton took positive steps as well
THE OHIO STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM 🗣️🗣️🗣️ pic.twitter.com/funm504f9w
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) March 2, 2023
Why it mattered
The freshman point guard looked lost on offense during the two losing streaks, but after being named a captain he showed why he was so coveted coming out of high school. Over the last three games, Thornton scored 20, 19, and 10 points tonight. Yes, the assists numbers have dipped, but that’s an offset of a higher scoring output. Another first-year player that should bring high expectations next winter.
Brice Sensabaugh will have an interesting decision
TOUGH D ‼️ @bricepsensa with the BIG block for @OhioStateHoops! pic.twitter.com/FmqQyhIYtR
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) March 2, 2023
Why it mattered
It’s safe to assume that Sensabaugh will be a first-round NBA selection, but the question is how high. We’ve seen many picks in the teens having a shuttle between the NBA and G-League. That’s the area he’s expected to go and it very well might suit him to stay another year in Columbus. Sensabaugh could work on his defense and shot selection, along with ball handling, and then leave after next season as a top-10 pick. With Name, Image and Likeness, it’s much more likely that a player would stick around for another developmental year.
Some interesting stats
✌️ at the line from @JusticeSueing
Ohio State: 6️⃣9️⃣
Maryland: 6️⃣0️⃣ pic.twitter.com/LEEWiUk59F— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) March 2, 2023
Why it mattered
Each of the starters ended up scoring in double digits. Add in Sensabaugh’s ten points off the bench and six Ohio State players scored 10 or more. They were perfect from the free-throw line. The Buckeyes were plus-6 in the rebound battle and blocked six shots. Even though they were negative in the assists-to-turnover ratio, the rest of the stats were good enough to get the job done Wednesday night.
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