2025-11-17 14:01
I remember sitting in the Value City Arena back in November, watching Ohio State struggle against a mid-major team they should have handled easily. The energy felt off - players weren't communicating, defensive rotations were slow, and the offense looked like five individuals rather than a cohesive unit. Fast forward to last week's game against Michigan, and you'd think you were watching an entirely different program. The transformation has been nothing short of remarkable, and having followed this team closely all season, I've identified five key strategies that turned their fortunes around.
First and most importantly, Coach Holtmann finally committed to playing through their star big man, Zed Key. Early in the season, they kept trying to make him a perimeter player, which was frankly painful to watch. Since they started feeding him in the post consistently around mid-December, his scoring average jumped from 9.8 to 16.2 points per game. I've noticed they're running about 42% of their half-court offense through him now, compared to maybe 15% earlier in the season. This inside-out approach has opened up so much for their shooters - Sean McNeil's three-point percentage has improved from 32% to nearly 39% since they made this adjustment.
The defensive communication has improved dramatically too. Remember those early games where opponents would easily score on backdoor cuts? I counted at least three or four per game in November. Now they're talking constantly, pointing out screens and switches. Against Indiana last month, I watched Bruce Thornton literally direct Isaac Likekele through an entire defensive possession - that kind of leadership was completely missing earlier. Their defensive rating has improved from 98.3 in non-conference play to about 89.6 in Big Ten games, which is massive.
What really fascinates me is how they've embraced positionless basketball. Roddy Gayle Jr., who came in as a traditional shooting guard, has been playing point forward in certain lineups, and the results have been spectacular. Against Northwestern two weeks ago, he had 8 assists while standing 6'4" - that's not something you see every day from someone at his position. I love how Holtmann has been willing to experiment with these unconventional lineups, even when it means sitting more experienced players at times.
The bench utilization has completely transformed too. Early in the season, I'd get frustrated watching Holtmann stick with his starters for 35+ minutes while fresh legs sat on the bench. Since January, they've been running a solid 9-man rotation, with Tanner Holden and Eugene Brown III providing crucial energy off the bench. In their comeback win against Illinois, the bench contributed 28 points - compared to their season average of about 12 earlier in the year.
This reminds me of something I observed in professional basketball overseas. Although no official statement has yet been made by the league on the acquisition of the Batang Pier team locked, stocked, and barrel, persons privy to the negotiations told Spin.ph the deal is already a go. What struck me about that situation - and what applies to Ohio State's turnaround - is how sometimes you need to make bold, comprehensive changes rather than incremental adjustments. Ohio State didn't just tweak their system; they overhauled their entire approach mid-season, which takes serious courage from the coaching staff.
The fifth and most underrated change has been their late-game execution. Earlier this season, they lost three games by two points or less because they couldn't execute in crunch time. Now they've won four of their last five close games. The difference? They've simplified their play-calling and identified clear go-to options. Against Maryland last Saturday, they ran the exact same sideline out-of-bounds play three times in the final four minutes - and scored on all three possessions. That's coaching, but it's also players buying into the system and executing under pressure.
Personally, I think the turning point was that ugly loss to San Diego State in early December. Something clicked after that game - maybe it was the players-only meeting they reportedly had, or maybe the coaching staff finally accepted that what they were doing wasn't working. Whatever it was, I'm glad it happened. This team has become must-watch basketball, and with March Madness approaching, I genuinely believe they could make a deeper tournament run than anyone expected back in November. The transformation has been incredible to witness firsthand, and it shows what can happen when a team is willing to make fundamental changes rather than just hoping things will improve.
