Jake Diebler has high expectations going into the 2026-27 Ohio State Basketball season, as the Buckeyes look to begin the 2026-27 campaign with a win against No. 25 BYU Cougars. 

SALT LAKE CITY – The 2026-27 Ohio State Men’s Basketball team may be one of the deepest rosters in program history. Jake Diebler brought in five-star recruit and future top-ten draft pick Anthony Thompson, while retaining two key members of the 2025-26 roster: John Mobley Jr. and Amare Bynum. 

Coach Diebler also landed a few key pieces from the transfer portal; Andrija Jelavic was a known name in European basketball before he committed to Kentucky last season. Jelavic was a valuable member of the Wildcat rotation, but could never carve out a true starting role alongside Malachi Moreno.

The Buckeyes also added Jimmie Williams and Curtis Givens from Duquesne and LSU/Memphis to boost the backcourt and wing with a mix of shooting and perimeter defense. The addition of Justin Pippen to replace Bruce Thornton has also been noticeable; Pippen was one of the best-defending guards in college basketball last season, and the Buckeyes were weak in depth at the position.

Gabe Cupps transferred to Illinois-Chicago this offseason, and Bruce Thornton was drafted 31st overall by the Houston Rockets; This left the Buckeyes needing to find a replacement for one of the greatest players to put an Ohio State jersey on.  

Jake Diebler on his challenge to John Mobley Jr. this season:

🗣️ “I’ve really been challenging Juni to manage the game…being a gunslinger isn’t always the answer.” https://t.co/cARY1MMiVI

— Blake T. Biscardi (@BlakeBiscardi) October 28, 2026

Diebler and the staff also convinced 2027 five-star LJ Smith to reclassify into the class of 2026 so he could join the Buckeyes instantly this season, and the decision has been an amazing one so far. In two exhibition games against Butler and Cincinnati, Smith has gotten to the rim and been a sniper from beyond the arc.

The true freshman went 4-for-5 from deep against Butler to finish with 12 points, and against Cincinnati he finished with 11 points. Another addition was Alex Smith from Profilic Prep, where he transferred from Upper Arlington High School, 20 minutes away from Ohio State’s campus.

I watched Smith as a sophomore at Upper Arlington High School when his team faced my alma mater, Teays Valley High School. Smith proceeded to do anything and everything to help lead the Golden Bears to a win. The Buckeye staff was impressed with his development at Prolific Prep and thought he could be a major player in the rotation in the future. 

What to Know About BYU 

BYU is fresh off producing the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, AJ Dybansta. The Cougars added another five-star prospect in Bruce Branch III, who went to the same high school as Alex Smith.

Branch has one of the best all-around games in the current freshman class, but he is also one of the more green prospects who looks to develop this season. Kevin Young and his staff also added Jaxson Kohler from Michigan State to their roster because of the Five for Five rule that went into place this offseason.

The Buckeyes have plenty of experience guarding Kohler, as the forward faced them six times while with the Spartans; in each matchup, Ohio State kept Kohler under ten points. Colin Chandler also returned to Utah, joining the Cougars after an amazing sophomore season with the Wildcats. The Farmington, Utah native shot 41% from three and looks to provide a much-needed second option to Robert Wright III.

Wright entered the transfer portal this past season, and a headline suggested his decision was coming down to Kentucky or Ohio State before he returned to the Cougars. BYU also added Nate Pickens, a UC Riverside transfer who averaged 10 points per game before suffering a season-ending injury last season that kept him out of a single contest. Tyler Betsey from Syracuse also transferred to the Cougars and looks to add length and athleticism to replace Dybansta.

BYU retained Dawson Baker, a three-point magician. Baker shot 47% from three last season before injuries kept him out for most of the season. 

Keys to Win for Ohio State

The Buckeyes need to come out of the gate hot; the staff has mentioned all offseason that they want to see the tempo increase a lot. John Mobley Jr. has looked like he took the next step over the offseason, but this game gives him a chance to prove it in real game action. 

Colin Chandler is one of the best long-distance shooters in the country; to start the season with a win in the column, they need to be able to close out on the 41% three-point shooter. 

The Buckeyes need their true freshman five-star to mature instantly. Anthony Thompson needs to play with few mistakes if Ohio State has a real chance to win. Thompson is arguably one of the best prospects in the country, and his athleticism around the rim gives Ohio State a real lethal weapon. 

The front court has been a key issue for the Buckeyes over the past few seasons; if Andrija Jelavic, Josh Ojianwuna, and Lee Aailya can all hold their own forts, they should be able to keep Jaxson Kohler from passing the ten-point mark.