Ohio State could seriously compete for a Big Ten Conference Championship

Confidence in the period 2024-2025 Ohio State Buckeyes The men’s basketball team should rise after their excellent performance against the Texas Longhorns at a neutral venue to open the season. Not only did the Buckeyes beat the No. 19 team in the country in Las Vegas, but on national television, this team should have put the entire Big Ten Conference on notice.

In recent seasons the Purdue Boilermakers have been the kings of the conference. Not only was 6-foot-4 Zach Edey nearly impossible to stop, but Matt Painter’s squad also had a strong supporting cast around their big star. With Edey now playing in the NBA with the Memphis GrizzliesPurdue has a strong team, but may have taken a step back in second UConn last season.

The Boilermakers won their opening game 90-73 against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, but they should still be tested sooner rather than later. After matchups against Northern Kentucky And Jalethe nation’s No. 14 team will face off against the No. 2 seed Alabama and no. 18 Marquette in back-to-back games.

If Purdue falters this season, the Indiana Hoosiers UCLA Bruins, Rutgers Scarlet Knights, Illinois fights Illini, Michigan State Spartans And Michigan Glutton will all be in the mix to be the favorites in the Big Ten.

Ohio State should really be viewed as a real contender in this conference this season and could possibly even win the regular season crown.

One game doesn’t tell the whole story, so jumping too far ahead would be foolish. However, for those who watched Ohio State play at the end of last season and on Monday night, it is clear that this coaching staff has helped bring a new level of energy and intensity within this program.

In the backcourt, Meechie Johnson didn’t have his best game, going just 2-11 from the field for six points. His speed with the basketball, his lack of fear to shoot and his experience as a scorer will still likely see him score a lot of points this season. He will find his rhythm sooner or later.

Bruce Thornton played an excellent game and led the way with 20 points. While it was no surprise that Thornton shined, freshman guard John Mobley Jr. his nickname “Sniper” from the bench is true. He added 14 points and was perfect from three-point range (4-4).

Senior Micah Parrish is listed as a guard, but could also be considered a wing. Not only were his 17 points, six rebounds and five assists crucial against the Longhorns, but his defensive presence was also impressive.

If the Buckeyes can get a lot of production from Thornton, Johnson, Mobley and Parrish this season, especially from three-point range, then Ohio State should be in great shape.

Looking at the front court, Devin Royal was great off the bench with 16 points in 25 minutes. Starters Aaron Bradshaw and Sean Stewart weren’t asked to score much in this game, but their length on the defensive end was valuable. It’s refreshing to see Ohio State have two players 6-foot-10 or taller in the starting lineup.

Despite only playing 15 minutes, Evan Mahaffey deserves a lot of credit for putting in a big performance and securing eight rebounds. Bradshaw, Stewart, Royal and Mahaffey in the front field form a strong rotation with the potential for Austin Parks to get some time if needed.

Here’s what’s clear with the Buckeyes so far. They have shooters and natural scorers, they are big and they play much faster in Jake Diebler’s system. These are keys to success everywhere.

The Buckeyes are playing Youngstown State home on Monday before I went home Texas A&M on November 15. The scheduled non-conference is packed with tough tests for Ohio State, but in recent years the Buckeyes have generally done quite well early in the season. Where things fell apart was in January and February.

I don’t expect this to happen with this group. Instead, Ohio State fans should keep a close eye on this team, as the Big Ten is wide open for the taking and the Buckeyes should be among the best in the conference.