Ohio State has already made two big splashes in the transfer portal this offseason, adding former Kentucky center Aaron Bradshaw and former South Carolina guard Meechie Johnson, but it appears the Buckeyes are still not done fishing for some high-impact additions.
According to a report from the Columbus Dispatch, Ohio State is set to host both former Central Arkansas guard Tucker Anderson and Oakland forward Trey Townsend this upcoming weekend.
Townsend (6-6, 212) is the most notable visitor out of the two. He is coming off a stellar senior season with the Greg Kampe-led Grizzlies where he started each of the team’s 36 games and was named the Horizon League Player of the Year, averaging 17.3 points, 8.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game on 45.5 percent shooting.
Townsend was one of the driving forces behind Oakland’s unlikely run to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. He scored a career-high 38 points along with 11 rebounds and five assists in the Grizzlies’ Horizon League Tournament Championship Game, and notched 17 points, 11 rebounds and five assists in the team’s first round upset win over No. 3 seed Kentucky. He also recorded 30 points on 11-of-25 shooting in Oakland’s second round loss to eventual Final Four-bound N.C. State.
Townsend — who started all but one game he appeared in for Oakland across his four seasons, averaging 14.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game — would fill in a significant area of need for Ohio State at the forward/wing, a position that was occupied last season by sharpshooter and former fifth-year forward Jamison Battle.
While Townsend does not possess the three-point ability that Battle had — he made just 50 of his 159 three-point attempts in his career, or 31.4 percent — he has an ability to score in both the inside and perimeter that will likely make him a starter at Ohio State if he chooses to commit.
Townsend, who has one year of collegiate eligibility remaining, also visited Arizona from April 16-17 and plans to visit Louisville after the Buckeyes from April 20-21.
Anderson (6-9, 190) can also provide some depth at forward for the Buckeyes next season. A former unranked prospect out of Centerton (Ark.) Bentonville West with three years of eligibility remaining, he put together a strong freshman season at Arkansas State, starting 29 of 31 games and averaging a team-high 14.5 points along with 3.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. His efforts earned him Rookie of the Year in the Atlantic Sun Conference.
Ohio State’s frontcourt is currently led by junior center Felix Okpara and Bradshaw — who committed to Ohio State on Monday — while sophomore Austin Parks and redshirt junior Kalen Etzler are also slated to return. The Buckeyes have two roster spots remaining following the offseason portal additions of Bradshaw and Johnson and the losses of Roddy Gayle Jr., Bowen Hardman, Zed Key and Scotty Middleton.
