Buckeyes' E.J. Liddell makes steady progress

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Ohio State’s E.J. Liddell tested the draft waters last year and then returned to school knowing what he wanted to accomplish.

"I was expecting to be able to play in the NBA and stay in there for a long time," the junior forward said before the season. "That’s what I’m looking forward to. I felt like it wasn’t the time. I felt like I could come back and win some more basketball games here. There’s no rush."

That’s exactly what Liddell has been doing. And he’s made himself a better player in the process.

Liddell said he wanted to upgrade his all-around game and improve his 3-point shooting and rebounding. Sure enough, Liddell is shooting 39.7% from beyond the arc and collecting 7.5 rebounds per game, up from 33.8% and 6.7 last season.

Those aren’t the only areas in which he’s improved. The 6-foot-7 junior forward is averaging 19.7 points, 2.8 assists and 2.7 blocks while shooting 51.5%. Last season, he averaged 16.2 points, 1.8 assists and 1.1 blocks while shooting 47.4%.

"He’s a phenomenal kid from a phenomenal family," Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann said. "He’s made an incredible mark. His legacy’s going to be one that’s significant because of who he is as a player and who he is as a kid."

Ohio State forward E.J. Liddell, left, fights for a rebound with Purdue guard Ethan Morton (25) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in West Lafayette, Ind., Sunday, Jan. 30, 2022. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

Liddell also has shown plenty of consistency and has delivered against top opponents. He has scored at least 18 points in five of his last six games, the lone exception being a 13-point performance in an 83-37 blowout of IUPUI.

He made