Chris Holtmann says concerns over Ohio State's fatigue are 'fair'

After a difficult regular season, Chris Holtmann and Ohio State made a deep run into the Big Ten Tournament, eventually falling to Purdue. By the end of the game, there were concerns over the Buckeyes’ fatigue, though.

As Holtmann admitted, those concerns were pretty fair.

“Yeah, it’s fair,” Chris Holtmann said. “It’s fair. I think Bruce [Thornton] in particular felt it. He said he felt it more today, much more today than he has any other game.”

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“They did a good job picking him up down the court trying to wear him down. Obviously they knew he played a lot of minutes the past three days.”

Purdue ended up winning the Big Ten Tournament after having won the Big Ten regular season. The Boilermakers earned a one-seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Chris Holtmann went on to emphasize that it wasn’t just Thornton but several players who were dealing with fatigue by the end of the Big Ten Tournament.

“Yeah, for sure. I think it wasn’t just him. Felix felt it a little bit. I think all of them to a degree did, but certainly Bruce, Sean [McNeil], Felix [Okpara], I noticed it with those guys.”

Chris Holtmann hinted injuries could have forced Ohio State to miss the NIT

The Buckeyes thought that their strong Big Ten Tournament run could help them make the NIT. They didn’t. However, even if they did, Chris Holtmann explained that injuries could have forced Ohio State to miss the tournament.

“I have thought about it,” said Holtmann.

“We have some injuries beyond kind of what’s public that make it difficult right now, to be quite honest with you, that we have to really get — we have to get some of our guys back. They’re not significant, but they need to be tended to, and they need some time off. So that might answer your question.”