Ohio State’s first look at its new roster gave fans plenty to like.
The Buckeyes rolled past Los Boris in Puerto Rico, 117-55, in a game they were supposed to control and did exactly that. More important than the lopsided score were the early signs from the newcomers who weren’t part of the team a year ago.
Anthony Thompson, one of Ohio State’s two five-star freshmen, opened his college career with 14 points on 6-for-10 shooting in a little more than 18 minutes. For a player carrying that much hype, it was a strong first competitive run in Scarlet and Gray.
LJ Smith, the other five-star freshman, also made a quick impression. He finished with 15 points in 17 minutes and hit 3 of 7 from 3-point range. Smith reclassified to join the program a year early, and the early returns were encouraging.
The biggest scoring burst, though, came from Jimmie Williams. The Duquesne transfer, who averaged 15 points per game last season, caught fire from deep and knocked down six of his seven 3-point attempts on the way to 20 points. That kind of shooting stands out even more because he shot just under 34 percent from beyond the arc a year ago.
For Ohio State, the broader picture is what makes this opener matter. After last March’s trip to the Big Dance - the program’s first in four seasons - Jake Diebler’s group is heading into the 2026-27 season with real expectations and a roster built to look different.
There’s a path here for the Buckeyes to push toward the top four in the conference. And if they can turn performances like Williams’ into something closer to a regular occurrence, that only helps. But the real hinge point remains the freshmen.
Thompson and Smith bring the kind of shot creation Ohio State has needed, outside of Bruce Thornton. With Thornton in Houston, the Buckeyes need more players who can score on their own and steady the offense. That’s why those two freshmen matter so much - and why this first scrimmage gave fans reason to pay attention.
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