Ohio State Basketball: Biggest Lessons Learned in Nonconference Play

Frustrated Ohio State basketball fans will tell you that there was one lesson learned during nonconference play—this team cannot compete with the nation’s elite.

Of course, a two-game sample size is far too small to jump to any lasting conclusions, but it is understandable that some within Buckeye Nation have questioned this group after two convincing losses to Louisville and North Carolina.

That is especially the case because the wins have all come against lackluster competition.

The good news is, the team gets a blank slate once Big Ten play begins Tuesday against Iowa. There will be plenty more opportunities against nationally ranked competition within the conference that the Buckeyes need to take advantage of before Selection Sunday.

Before the team digs into Big Ten play, though, let’s take a look back at some of the most important lessons learned in the nonconference portion of the schedule.

Tempo is a Good Thing

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Throw out the slow and prodding Big Ten stereotypes when the Buckeyes take the floor this season.

Ohio State is 34th in adjusted tempo in Ken Pomeroy's rankings and has experienced success pushing the pace against some of the weaker opponents on the schedule.

Shannon Scott has been the main catalyst behind the faster pace, and his 7.7 assists and 2.5 steals per game demonstrate his effectiveness on both sides of the ball.

What’s more, the Buckeyes have the athletes on the wing in D’Angelo Russell, Sam Thompson, Kam Williams and Marc Loving, among others, to get out in transition and score at will when the shots are falling. After all, there is a reason Ohio State is seventh in the nation in points per game.

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Tempo also opens up looks from behind the three-point line, which is why the Buckeyes are shooting 42 percent as a team from deep. Loving is hitting at a blistering 57.8 percent clip as well, largely because defenses run straight back toward the basket when retreating in transition, which opens up looks for the trailers.

The Buckeyes also go 10-deep this season, which is why they are able to push the tempo without worrying as much about fatigue.

D’Angelo Russell Won’t be in Columbus Long

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Russell will be the first to tell you that he fell short of expectations in the two national spotlight games against Louisville and North Carolina, but he is still a unique talent who will be lacing it up in the NBA sooner rather than later.

Yes, he shot a combined 10-of-37 with six turnovers against the Cardinals and Tar Heels, but he has done enough in the other games to prove himself to Buckeyes fans and scouts.

He even took control of the offense in the second half against Louisville and almost directed an impressive comeback in the final minutes.

Russell can shoot from three-point range (46.7 percent), score at will (17.7 points per game and double figures in every contest but one), set up his teammates (5.3 assists per game) and attack the basket off the dribble.

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He is also 6’5” and versatile enough to play either guard position. 

There is a lot to like in terms of NBA potential in Russell’s game, and there is little chance he will be in Columbus for four seasons. In fact, two seasons may even be asking for too much when it comes to the dynamic guard.

This Team Still has a Ways to Go to Compete for a Big Ten Title

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There is no dancing around the main issue with the Ohio State basketball team through nonconference play: The 11-2 record is hollow until it beats an opponent of note—and Marquette does not count.

Some of the areas for improvement immediately jump out when watching the film from the Louisville and North Carolina games, such as the fact that the Buckeyes allowed a combined 36 offensive rebounds in those two contests.

That simply cannot happen in the physically bruising Big Ten if Ohio State hopes to walk away with a conference crown.

As a whole, the Buckeyes are 65th in the nation in total rebounding, but that number should be higher considering some of the competition they have played.

The zone defense has also proven porous against teams with formidable ball-handlers and passers who can navigate the initial pressure and swing the ball from one side of the court to the other.

Crisp passes are always going to move faster than the defender, which is why Louisville and North Carolina were able to create so many open looks against the Buckeyes defense.

The impressive and deep offense that is there against weak competition simply faded away in the losses to Louisville and North Carolina as well, and CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein noted that perhaps that starts at the individual level:

There is room for improvement on this relatively young basketball team, and that is ultimately the way it should be at this point. The only way head coach Thad Matta will prove his mettle this season is if the Buckeyes are a better squad in March than they are in December anyway.

Perhaps then fans can witness a marquee win or two.

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