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

Chris Holtmann

Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann questions a call during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Iowa, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020, in Iowa City, Iowa. Iowa won 85-76.AP

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- On Feb. 23, 2019, Ohio State basketball walked into a matchup with Maryland holding a 17-9 overall record, 7-8 in the Big Ten.

The Buckeyes were 27 games into a season where they’d gone from looking like a team bound for a deep NCAA Tournament run following an impressive 10-1 non-conference schedule, to one trying to hold on to a possible tournament spot after a rough January.

Ohio State finished the season 19-14 (8-12 Big Ten), which was good enough to be an 11 NCAA seed. The Buckeyes reached the second round and overachieved, given the talent on the roster.

An upgraded roster for 2019-20 meant higher expectations for a team returning all but two scholarship players. The Buckeyes were ranked 15th in the preseason, and again they put together a 10-1 non-conference season. Again a rough January with six losses in seven games put a team once ranked No. 2 in the county in jeopardy of needing a fast finish to assure an NCAA invitation.

When Feb. 23 rolled around this time, Ohio State’s record inside and out of conference were the same. Despite the many similarities, head coach Chris Holtmann assured that this team is in a much better position than last season.

“Despite the records being somewhat similar, we’re very different in terms of when you look at the quality of wins across the board it’s a significant difference than it was last year,” Holtmann said before a loss to Iowa. “In a lot of ways the numbers back that up ... the seasons are very different even though they can appear on the surface to be similar in a lot of ways. When you look at the numbers, they’re definitely different."

If Holtmann is coming to this conclusion based on most easily reviewed numbers, then he’s wrong. Through 27 games, the two teams have similar production -- though one is acclaimed as the more talented roster.

Comparing Ohio State’s 2018-19 to 2019-20 through 27 games

2018-192019-20
Points70.071.9
Rebounds32.236.7
Assists14.013.9
Steals5.94.9
Blocks2.63.4
Field Goal44.7%44.8%
Three-Point35.1%37.9%
Free Throw72.6%73.7%

Ohio State is producing at the same rate, albeit against better competition, as last year. Its non-conference schedule featured four games against ranked opponents; there were none in 2018-19. Eight Big Ten teams made the tournament last season with Ohio State having the lowest seed at No. 11. There are up to 10 projected to make it this season with OSU currently projected as a No. 6.

On Feb. 23, 2019, Ohio State walked away from playing Maryland with a 72-62 loss. It was the fifth time in six seasons that the Buckeyes had suffered 10 or more losses in a season. Last Sunday, the Buckeyes had an impressive home win over the Terrapins. Sure, they will likely get that 10th loss this season with three of four games left against ranked teams or just outside. But for now, at least they can say they have a better record than 365 days ago.

Individually, players have shown improvement in increased roles. Six players with significant playing time last season are key factors this season. Here is a look at how Holtmann and his six returning rotation players compare from last year to this.

Chris Holtmann

Last season: 19-14 (8-12 Big Ten), Second round of Big Ten Tournament, Second round of NCAA Tournament

This season: 18-9 (8-8 Big Ten), TBD.

It seems that Holtmann is still trying to figure out how to sustain some Big Ten success. That was easy to do in Year One, where he inherited a veteran team trying to end their college careers on a high note. But with young teams the past two seasons, OSU has displayed a high ceiling, but also a low floor. Starting the schedule hot before the competition stiffens -- and teams have enough film to figure OSU out -- remains an issue.

Justin Ahrens

Last season: 3.2 points, 1.8 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 41.0%, 38.8%, 90.9%, 9.6 minutes

This season: 3.5 points, 1.4 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 44.1%, 42.6%, 50.0%, 10.8 minutes

Ahrens has occasionally had moments -- a 29-point night against Iowa last season and lower-scoring, but more consistent, performances this season. The problem is his defensive limitations is frequently the deciding factor in playing time. Ahrens is essentially the same player he was a year ago. That’s neither a good or a bad thing.

Luther Muhammad

Last season: 7.6 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.9 steals, 37.4%, 37.5%, 75.7%, 26.6 minutes

This season: 6.9 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.9 steals, 38.0%, 36.0%, 84.6%, 23.7 minutes

Muhammad came out the gate last season knocking down shots, but hit a wall late in the season. He started slowly in Year Two, finally finding his touch in recent games. But he’s on the floor for his defense, and that remains a strength. He’s why Maryland’s Anthony Cowan struggled to score unless he was on the free-throw line in two games and is possibly OSU’s most important player as it faces some of the best guards in the country to close out the season.

Duane Washington Jr.

Last season: 7.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 37.0%, 30.6%, 17.2 minutes

This season: 10.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 41.2%, 38.1%, 82.0%, 23.4 minutes

Washington Jr. has been a much better player as a sophomore, largely because he playing a more comfortable role. He’s become OSU’s backup point guard, and without D.J. Carton, the sophomore’s playmaking ability is a necessity. He’s better with the ball in his hands than he is as a spot-up shooter. Holtmann has given him the chance to facilitate, but is still willing to pull him when decision-making is poor.

Andre Wesson

Last season: 8.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 43.0%, 33.6%, 74.7%, 30.0 minutes

This season: 9.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 45.8%, 44.6%, 79.1%, 30.2 minutes

No player has shown more improvement in 12 months than Andre Wesson. The lone senior has turned himself into one of the best shooters in the country. He’s gone from 32.5 percent in his first three years to 44.6 percent, which sits second in the Big Ten behind Iowa’s C.J. Frederick. Though he doesn’t put up eye-popping numbers, he’s been consistent on a nightly basis.

Kaleb Wesson

Last season: 14.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.7 blocks, 50.0%, 34.7%, 73.4%, 25.9 minutes

This season: 14.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.7 steals, 1.0 blocks, 45.5%, 41.9%, 71.5%, 29.2 minutes

The younger Wesson is one of the best big men in the country even if he isn’t the 20-point, 10-rebound threat which Iowa’s Luka Garza is. His skill set opens up so much for his teammates that his absence is felt to an alarming extent. He isn’t scoring as much as he was last season, but he’s rebounding at a higher rate while shooting 40 percent from three-point range. His improved conditioning has allowed him to make an impact in critical moments, which was best shown in a 61-58 road win over Michigan when he put up a statline of 23 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Kyle Young

Last season: 6.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 67.2%, 16.7%, 58.3%, 20.5 minutes

This season: 7.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 58.5%, 15.4%, 65.6%, 22.9 minutes

Young hasn’t been nearly as efficient around the rim as a season ago, but he gets valuable minutes as Ohio State’s glue guy. But he hasn’t played at 100 percent since having a stress fracture in his right leg last seasn. That injury still lingers, along with missed games for an appendectomy and now a right ankle sprain.


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