CJ Stroud, Dawand Jones take victory lap on Ohio State basketball amid struggles
C.J. Stroud and Dawand Jones took a bit of a shot at the Ohio State basketball team after the Buckeyes’ latest loss.
The Buckeyes fell to 11-14 on the season with a 62-41 loss to Michigan State Sunday. That elicited a response from Jones on Twitter. Jones quote tweeted Ohio State reporter Stephen Means and Stroud seemingly agreed.
“Remember when C.J. Stroud said Ohio State’s football team could beat the basketball team on the court,” Means wrote on Twitter.
Then, Jones came in with a de facto dunk.
“We still can,” Jones wrote.
Stroud did not write anything on Twitter but did retweet Jones’ comment on the site.
It’s easy to say that of course. Ohio State’s football team definitely has some stellar athletes, but beating their own basketball team? Could be a bit of a stretch.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba later got into the act, saying, “I’m in starting 5… y’all sleep,” in a response to Jones.
What Stroud, Jones and Smith-Njigba did not sugarcoat was the fact Chris Holtmann and crew struggled this season.
Tom Izzo defends Ohio State
Even in victory, Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo said Buckeyes fans should be patient with the head coach.
“It’s not as easy as you think,” Izzo said. “I would tell fans, be a little patient. If the recruiting quit going and this and that, I guess I’d be a little more upset. But I do think he’s a good coach. He’s not my best friend. I’m not sticking up for my brother. I’m sticking up for coaches, because I don’t think anybody has any idea how difficult this is.
“But, listen, he’s had two great recruiting classes. I think he’ll rally those freshmen, and it’s just hard to mix everybody together. That’s what I think. But I also think they’ve lost like nine games [where] it’s all been close. And sometimes that’s what happens with young freshman point guards and things like that.”
Stroud has bigger things to worry about, like the NFL Draft at this point. But there’s no question Ohio State struggled on the hardwood this season.
In the loss, Sean McNeil was the lone player in double figures. He finished with 10 points and two rebounds.
Bruce Thornton had just nine points, five, rebounds and two assists. Brice Sensabaugh added eight points on his stat line.
Ohio State returns to action Thursday on the road against Iowa at 9:00 p.m. ET.