Scarlet Sunrise: Injuries would 'make it difficult right now' for Ohio State to participate in NIT

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Injuries would ‘make it difficult right now’ for Ohio State to participate in NIT

Ohio State’s storybook Big Ten Tournament run ended Saturday afternoon when the 13th-seeded Buckeyes lost to top-seeded Purdue, 80-66, in the league’s semifinals at the United Center in Chicago. Head coach Chris Holtmann’s team, remarkably, was two wins away from stealing an auto bid to the NCAA Tournament despite having lost 14 of 15 games earlier this season.

Even though the Buckeyes — now 16-19 overall — are set to miss The Dance for the first time since Holtmann took over the program in 2017-18 (outside of the COVID-19 year, of course), they appeared to be making a significant case for another postseason tournament, namely the NIT.

Ohio State won five of its final seven games, taking down Illinois, Maryland, Wisconsin, Iowa and Michigan State. Starting three-to-four freshmen every game in that stretch, aside from Senior Day, the Buckeyes looked like a different team, rivaling the iteration of itself that started the season 10-3 and infiltrated the AP Top 25 before its 2023 collapse.

Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith even told The Columbus Dispatch Friday that the Buckeyes are “a team that should be in the NIT.”

It’s technically possible. The NIT no longer has a rule preventing sub-.500 teams from entering, however, no sub-.500 team has actually be invited since the change. It’s not crazy to think that Ohio State could be the first of that kind, considering that the Buckeyes are 23rd nationally in BartTorvik’s T-Rank since suffering a 27-point loss at Purdue on Feb. 19 — the team’s largest margin of defeat in 2022-23.

But Holtmann doesn’t sound like he’s convinced continuing the season would be the right decision for his group, which has already lost two of its three All-Big Ten honorees for the season (center Zed Key and, most recently, star freshman forward Brice Sensabaugh).

“I have thought about it,” Holtmann said, when asked about the prospect of playing the NIT or another postseason tournament.

“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.”

What’s more, fatigue played a role in the Buckeyes bowing out to Purdue Saturday. Ohio State, playing its fourth game in four days, could only do so much against a physical Boilermakers squad headlined by National Player of the Year frontrunner Zach Edey.

“I think Bruce [Thornton] in particular felt it,” Holtmann said of the fatigue. “He said he felt it more today, much more today than he has any other game. 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.”

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

If this really was the end of the Buckeyes’ season, Holtmann said he needs time to reflect on what has been the most turbulent year of his Ohio State career. For all the negativity surrounding the program in January and February, though, the Buckeyes really turned things around down the stretch, with their freshmen stepping up when it mattered most.

“Certainly you leave here feeling really proud of how we competed, and yet we also recognize the struggles,” Holtmann said. “So I need some time to process it.”

Zach Edey, Purdue end Buckeyes magical Big Ten Tournament ride

At 7-foot-4, 305 pounds, Edey is hard enough to guard. The Purdue center is an even more difficult cover when you have only one true center available in your rotation. That’s the problem that Ohio State, once again, faced against the Boilermakers.

Edey registered his 25th double-double of the season Saturday, this time going for 32 points and 14 rebounds, not to mention a trio of assists. Thanks to some incredible shot making — led by Roddy Gayle Jr.‘s five 3-pointers and 16 first-half points — the Buckeyes staked themselves to a 29-21 advantage. The turning point was a six-point Purdue swing that stemmed from Edey drawing a hook-and-hold flagrant 1 on Eugene Brown III, a 6-foot-7, 195-pound Ohio State wing who has been asked to help at the five since Key was shut down for the season last month.

That was part of a 21-5 Boilermakers run, and head coach Matt Painter’s team never gave back the lead, even though Ohio State did pull within six points with under six minutes to go in the second half.

Purdue advanced to the Big Ten Tournament Championship and will play 10th-seeded Penn State for the title Sunday. Meanwhile, Ohio State is headed back to Columbus.

For the full game story, go here.

Buckeyes linebackers already seeing benefits of having James Laurinaitis on coaching staff

Ohio State added program legend James Laurinaitis to its coaching staff as an assistant linebackers coach this offseason. Laurinaitis was a three-time consensus All-American (2006-08), a two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a three-time All-Big Ten first-team honoree. He also won the Bronco Nagurski Trophy in 2006, the Butkus Award in 2007 and the Lott Trophy in 2008. Plus, he played in two national title games before launching his eight-year NFL career.

That’s a resume that has impressed the Buckeyes linebackers of today.

They talked about Laurinaitis and his early impact on the position group, even in spring ball.

Lettermen Row has the story. Check it out here.

Counting down

Buckeyes vs. Indiana: 174 days

Buckeyes vs. Michigan: 258 days

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