The Ohio State men’s basketball team begins the 2018-2019 season Wednesday with a 6:00 pm tip-off at the University of Cincinnati. The game will air on ESPN2.
The Buckeyes will be replacing stars Keita Bates-Diop and Jae’Sean Tate from last season and relying on new leaders to step up. Wednesday will be the first good look at how that process is going to go.
OSU’s starting lineup for their exhibition game last week against UNC-Pembroke was C.J. Jackson and freshman Luther Muhammad in the backcourt, with Andre Wesson, Kyle Young, and Kaleb Wesson in the frontcourt. Head coach Chris Holtmann has said that Wake Forest transfer Keyshawn Woods could also see time in the starting lineup this season.
Opening Tip
Who: Ohio State at Cincinnati
What: Men’s Basketball
Where: Cincinnati, Ohio — Fifth-Third Arena
When: Wednesday, 6:01 pm (ESPN2)
Why: Because it is time for the Buckeyes to assert their in-state dominance.
Three-Point Territory
• Chris Holtmann and the coaching staff welcomed its first full recruiting class to campus in June. Guards Luther Muhammad and Duane Washington Jr. along with forwards Jaedon LeDee and Justin Ahrens comprise the freshman class. Fifth-year transfer Keyshawn Woods along with Florida State transfer C.J. Walker also joined the squad last summer. Woods is eligible immediately for one year. Walker will sit out the 2018-19 season and will have two remaining years of eligibility beginning with the 2019-20 season.
• The Buckeyes open the season on the road at Cincinnati Nov. 7 at renovated Fifth-Third Arena. The teams have not met in the regular season since 1921. The Buckeyes have played just once at Cincinnati. That game took place in 1920. The teams last met in 2012, an 81-66 Ohio State win in the NCAA East Regional Semifinals in Boston.
• C.J. Jackson and Keyshawn Woods both started their college basketball careers elsewhere prior to being added to the Ohio State men’s basketball program. Jackson is a senior and is in his third year after leaving junior college Eastern Florida State following the 2015-16 season. Now in his third year in the Ohio State program, Jackson will be looked upon for his leadership and experience in 2018-19. Woods started his career at Charlotte before transferring to Wake Forest. He left the Demon Deacons as a graduate transfer following the 2017-18 season to join the Buckeyes for one year as a graduate transfer. He will also be asked to provide leadership to Ohio State’s young roster at the point guard position. Jackson will run the point as well with the ability to move to the off guard position as well.
The Bearcats
What You Should Know
• Cincinnati plays its first regular-season game inside Fifth Third Arena when the Bearcats welcome Ohio State on Wednesday. The facility began a 20-month, $87 million renovation in March 2017 following the 2016-17 season. Cincinnati has won the last 26 games played at Fifth Third Arena dating back to a 76-57 win over Tulsa on Jan. 2, 2016. The Bearcats played the 2017-18 season at BB&T Arena on the campus of NKU.
• Cincinnati is one of four programs to win 30 or more games each of the past two seasons. Its 61 victories since the start of 2016-17 rank behind only Gonzaga (69), Villanova (68) and Kansas (62). Cincinnati is one of six schools in the nation to have appeared in the last eight NCAA Tournaments, joining Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas, Michigan State and North Carolina.
• UC junior guard Jarron Cumberland was named a preseason first team all-conference selection by the league’s coaches at AAC Media Day in October. Cumberland also has been named to the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year preseason watch list. Cumberland (11.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.9 assists a year ago), along with senior guards Justin Jenifer (4.8 points, 3.79-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio) and Cane Broome (7.9 points, 2.8 assists), lead Cincinnati in 2018-19.
• Cincinnati is 58-46 (.558) all-time against current members of the Big Ten Conference: Illinois (1-3), Indiana (3-12), Iowa (6-2), Maryland (2-2), Michigan (1-3), Michigan State (4-9), Minnesota (7-2), Nebraska (5-1), Northwestern (0-0), Ohio State (4-6), Penn State (1-1), Purdue (3-0), Rutgers (16-4) and Wisconsin (5-1). The Bearcats have won six of the last seven matchups against Big Ten opponents since their 2012 NCAA Tournament loss to the Buckeyes. UC’s only setback during the stretch came in a 56-55 double overtime loss at Nebraska (12/13/14). Mick Cronin owns a 13-8 (.619) all-time coaching mark against current members of the Big Ten Conference.