How Duane Washington Jr. has assumed the Keyshawn Woods role for the Ohio State basketball team

CBS Sports Classic

Ohio State basketball's postseason success may depend on Duane Washington Jr.'s ability to successfully assume the role Keyshawn Woods held in the Big Ten and NCAA Tournament.Getty Images

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Keyshawn Woods only played one season for the Ohio State basketball team after spending the first four years of his career at Charlotte and Wake Forest, and it took him some time to find his footing.

In 31 regular-season games, he averaged 7.1 points and shot just 39.7 percent from the field and 28.4 percent from 3-point range.

But when the Big Ten Tournament came around, he turned himself into the Buckeyes’ go-to player on the perimeter, perfectly complementing Kaleb Wesson’s inside presence. In four games between the Big Ten and NCAA Tournament, he averaged 15.8 points on 52.1 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from three.

Woods was why the Buckeyes secured a spot in the NCAA Tournament and why they upset the Big 12 Tournament Champions Iowa State in the first round.

Not having a perimeter threat plagued OSU last year, just as it has this season. Coach Chris Holtmann has an idea of who he thinks will fill that void in those moments.

“I think we’re getting a little more of that with Duane (Washington Jr.),” Holtmann said after Sunday’s 79-72 win over Maryland. “A guy that can initiate the offense and make the right play. Be a weapon yet also move the ball. C.J.'s been as solid as can be. C.J.'s been terrific, but we’re getting a little bit of that with Duane.”

The first step in Washington becoming this year’s version of Woods was Holtmann making him a point guard. The sophomore came to Columbus as a three-star combo guard who’d spent his senior year of high school living in California attending Sierra Canyon High School. He was used to having the ball in his hands, which made adjusting to being more of a stand-still shooter as a freshman a difficult transition. The result was a 37.0 percent field goal percentage and 30.6 percent from three.

“I definitely feel like I’ve done this before,” Washington said. “I had the ball in my hands a lot more in high school and AAU. It’s not something that I’ve never done before.”

The idea behind him the backup floor general behind C.J. Walker was to free up D.J. Carton to be more of a scorer while giving Washington a role more suited to his skill set. Carton has since removed himself from the program to deal with some mental-health issues, and though he’s back on campus, there’s no timeline for when he’ll return to team activities. In the seven games since, Washington has averaged 10.3 points and two assists per game.

Washington and Woods have plenty of similarities in the way their seasons progressed. Both showed promise in the first two months of the season before going through tough stretches that mirror the January lows the Buckeyes were having. Washington saw how Woods handled the ups and downs of his final season and applied those lessons to his process.

“It was nothing different from when we started at the beginning of the season,” Washington said. “It was the same thing from November to February. That’s what I really noticed is that nothing changed. He didn’t try to work harder. He didn’t try to work less. He just did the same exact thing he was doing all year. From that consistency, he got comfortable and got into a rhythm. That was super important for our success toward the end of the year last year.”

Washington is a rhythm player, as was Woods. Standing in the corner being asked to just catch-and-shoot doesn’t work to his advantage the same way it would for someone like Justin Ahrens. Having the ball in his hands keeps him engaged with what’s happening on the floor, even if the play doesn’t end with him shooting the ball. It’s why he’s shooting 41.2 percent from the field and 38.1 percent from three this season and has scored in double figures in 12 games.

“For me, having the ball a little bit more puts me in a better rhythm,” Washington said. “You’re feeling the ball more. You’re apart of the actions and stuff like that. You get a little more comfortable with getting into a rhythm. Definitely like playing the ball a little more and being able to play-make and create for others.”

Games against Iowa and Maryland last season are when Woods started to establish himself as Ohio State’s go-to player on the perimeter. From that point on, he scored in double figures in all but two games while averaging 13 points on 46.4 percent from the field and 35.5 percent from three. Washington has had conversations with Holtmann about having a similar trajectory this season. That started with 15 points against Iowa and 13 points Maryland.

The Buckeyes’ win over Maryland may have secured them a spot in the NCAA Tournament, but their plans for deep runs in March will depend on Washington’s ability to flourish in his newfound role that’s tailor-made for his skills.

“When we talk about certain things that obviously came up a little bit,” Washington said. “For me, just to keep attacking and keep being strong offensively, keep playing defense and staying confident and having trust in my coach and my teammates as well as they have trust in me.”


Get Buckeyes Insider texts in your phone from Doug Lesmerises, Nathan Baird and Stephen Means: Cut through the clutter of social media and communicate directly with the OSU football reporters, just like you would with your friends. Sign up for insight on the Buckeyes for $3.99 a month quickly by registering below with your phone number.


More Buckeyes coverage

J.K. Dobbins still bothered by ankle injury at NFL Scouting Combine

K.J. Hill came to the combine to prove he is more than a slot receiver

2020 spring preview: Can the Buckeye receivers keep reloading?

Should Ryan Day be the Big Ten’s highest-paid football coach? Buckeye Talk Podcast

Why Jonah Jackson believes OSU offensive line could be better in 2020

How much better is the 2019-20 Ohio State basketball team than the 2018-19 edition?

Ohio State basketball’s Kyle Young considered a game-time decision for Nebraska

Holtmann takes offense to Maryland coach Mark Turgeon describing Kaleb Wesson as a “bully”


Buy Buckeyes gear: Fanatics, Nike, Amazon, Lids


If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.