Ohio State's Tanner Holden entering transfer portal after one year
Adam JardyHe hit the most iconic shot of the season, but Tanner Holden will be playing his final season of college basketball somewhere else.
After transferring to Ohio State after three years at Wright State, the veteran wing is leaving the Buckeyes after falling out of the rotation as the year progressed, The Dispatch has confirmed. He has one final year of eligibility remaining.
The 6-6, 200-pound Holden arrived at Ohio State projected as an eventual impact player. At the team’s preseason media day, coach Chris Holtmann described his path as that of a highly talented freshman, one that would take some lumps along the way before adapting to the level and emerging as a key contributor by the latter weeks of the season.
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For reasons not publicly known that never transpired. Holden appeared in 27 games, averaging 3.6 points and 2.4 rebounds in 13.5 minutes per appearance but those numbers took a significant dip as the season progressed. Through the first 19 games of the year, Holden appeared in each one and averaged 16.3 minutes, 4.6 points and 2.9 rebounds. None were more memorable than a Dec. 8 home win against Rutgers, a game Holden ended with a game-winning (albeit controversial), buzzer-beating 3-pointer.
In the final 16 games, though, Holden would total 56 minutes of playing time (3.5 per game), score 9 points and pull down the same number of rebounds. After playing in all 92 games during his three seasons with the Raiders, Holden was a healthy, unused substitute in eight games including seven in a row as Holtmann tightened his rotation with the veteran wing on the outside looking in.
“Tanner’s had a good approach,” Holtmann said March 6. “Been working in practice, working to get better on some of those areas that we’ve challenged him with. The rotation, I like where it’s at, but Tanner’s done a really good job in practice.”
In three years at Wright State, Holden averaged 16.1 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists while starting 91 of 92 games. In his final season with the Raiders, Holden averaged 20.1 points and 7.1 rebounds and came to Ohio State rated the No. 69 overall transfer in the nation by EvanMiya.com.
It's not immediately clear what his next step could be. Holden would not be eligible to be a graduate transfer and could potentially have to return to Wright State in order to be immediately eligible.
Holden is the second member of the 2022-23 team to enter the transfer portal, joining third-year wing Gene Brown III. Ohio State has also landed a transfer commitment from Minnesota's Jamison Battle, a fifth-year forward, and a commitment from Baylor guard Dale Bonner.
Holden's departure means that Ohio State's roster is full for 2023-24, but another spot could open as projected first-round NBA Draft pick Brice Sensabaugh has entered the draft process but retained his eligibility for now.