Quick hitters from Chris Holtmann presser ahead of two-game home stretch

COLUMBUS — Ohio State is looking to piece together the bright spots from its last two games, play better defensively and finally right the ship with a two-game home stretch this week.

The Buckeyes (13-9, 3-8 Big Ten) host Indiana Tuesday and then Maryland Saturday.

Head coach Chris Holtmann met with the media Monday to answer questions about where Ohio State’s at during its Big Ten tumble.

Lettermen Row has a rundown of what he said.

What Holtmann said Monday…

+ Holtmann was asked about these two home games and the importance of them. “If you can increase how long you’re playing well, you’re going to give yourself a chance,” Holtmann said of the Buckeyes’ recent signs of growth. He emphasized, though, that both Indiana and Maryland are capable teams.

+ Holtmann said Ohio State offensive rebounded better at Iowa and is playing with better purpose offensively the last few games. The Buckeyes previously weren’t playing through the paint enough. They still have to play with better pace, Holtmann said.

+ Holtmann said freshman forward Devin Royal has had a great approach the last month and a half in practice. He’s still adjusting defensively with defending guards, whereas in high school he was guarding in the frontcourt. “He’s going to be a very good player, in terms of being able to score the ball at this level, a very good player,” Holtmann said. “And he’ll be a guy that next year shoots threes at a regular clip. So that’s going to add to his game.”

+ Holtmann has mentioned that when Ohio State dropped 14-of-15 games last year, the Buckeyes started to play better before the wins began to roll in. He was asked if he feels this Ohio State team is at that point after two improved offensive performances against Illinois and Iowa. “I think we’re playing better. But, again, I just have to really stress that I think for us to see the rewards we got to do it better, longer. Sustain an effort longer, more detail for longer stretches. That’s what’s in front of us. And I think if we continue to do that, there’ll be good things that will happen. But yeah, we’ve played better in certain areas for sure these last two games.”

+ Holtmann was asked about Ohio State showing more resilience at Iowa, in terms of responding to runs, than it had previously. “I did like our guys’ approach when that happened,” he said. “I did think they had a good way about them. A good response, good in the huddles, really good communication on the floor. Good poise to them as well. I really did like our response in those moments. Now, a couple of those we made shots. That always makes you feel better when you make a couple of shots to stymie a run. But I did really like our guys’ response in the huddles. From what we were able to see being around them and in the midst of a little bit of game adversity.”

+ Holtmann said every coach would say sustaining an effort offensively is easier than it is defensively for younger players. “It’s a learning curve, and when you get into league play, the margin for error is really small,” he said.

+ Holtmann was asked about Roddy Gayle Jr., who he said is being asked to do a lot defensively. The biggest thing for Gayle is sustaining effort, and high-detailed effort at that, Holtmann said. Gayle cares about defense, but he just has to push through his fatigue. For him to reach his NBA dream, he has to become a two-way player, Holtmann said.

+ Holtmann said freshman wing Scotty Middleton is day-to-day with a foot injury. He injured his foot in practice leading up to the Iowa game.

+ Holtmann said there’s no other point than focusing solely on the game at hand, so in this case Tuesday night’s matchup against Indiana.

+ Holtmann was asked about transition defense. He said it wasn’t as good as it needed to be at Iowa, even though Iowa’s transition offense is a strength of theirs.

+ Holtmann said it was good to see Dale Bonner hit a 3-pointer early in the second half. They wanted him to take a 3-pointer on that final possession at Iowa before he was fouled. Holtmann said Bonner has been as accurate as anyone they’ve had in practice at threes on the run in those kinds of situations.

+ Holtmann said they had an action planned for Gayle on the play late at Iowa where sophomore center Felix Okpara had a double dribble. He said they had Iowa in the right matchup for Gayle, but Okpara — who Holtmann said played a terrific game — just made an error.

+ Holtmann was asked about senior center Zed Key playing only three minutes at Iowa and if it’s hard for Key to get minutes when Okpara and Royal are performing as well as they did in that game. “Yeah, I’m not really too concerned about trying to divvy up minutes,” Holtmann said. “It’s going to be who’s most effective and who’s playing the best at this moment and who gives us the best chance to win, regardless of kind of the class or whatever, and who’s practicing well and who’s really showing in practice that they’re practicing at the level they need to to give us the best chance. Devin’s done a good job of that.”

+ Holtmann said on his radio show that — in addition to Middleton — there were some guys who were banged up during practice. He was asked in his presser if that’s a concern for Tuesday’s game against Indiana. “I think we’ll be alright,” Holtmann said. “I don’t think it’s anything significant. We’ve got another practice today. But I don’t think it’s anything significant to hold a guy out right now.”