Youth to play critical role for OSU men’s basketball in 2015-16 season

Then-freshman forward Jae’Sean Tate (1) fights to dribble around a defender during a Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal game against Michigan State on March 13 in Chicago. OSU lost, 76-67. Credit: Lantern File Photo After finishing the 2014-15 season in sixth place in the Big Ten and an early tournament exit, the Ohio State men’s basketball team is returning with five new faces after the loss of four starters. The experience lost to graduation and the professional world could be a big blow to the Buckeyes, and even coach Thad Matta isn’t yet sure what this team is capable of. “There are a lot of unknowns about this basketball team … it’s not by design, but there are some unknowns,” Matta said during the team’s media day on Tuesday. Last season’s leading scorer and first-team All-American D’Angelo Russell, who averaged 19.3 points per game, was lost to the NBA draft, where he went second overall to the Los Angeles Lakers. Four-year forward and high-flyer Sam Thompson was lost to graduation. The combination of the two lost starters equated to 29.5 points and 9.6 rebounds per game last season. Additionally, lack of leadership and experience could prove to be the biggest obstacle coming into the season for Matta’s team. Much of that element was lost in point guard Shannon Scott. “We’ve been young before, been inexperienced, but like this? I’m not sure,” Matta said. Sophomore guard Jae’Sean Tate, who earned a spot on the Big Ten All-Freshman team last year, said the team is aware of its inexperience. “With this year having such a young team, this summer we’ve been really, really putting emphasis on creating leadership, being leaders to the young guys and bring them along,” Tate said. With 19 starts last season, junior Marc Loving is the most veteran member of the team as its lone junior…

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