Marc Loving, Keita Bates-Diop, Jae’Sean Tate named All-Big Ten Honorable Mention

For just the third time in head coach Thad Matta’s 11-year tenure at Ohio State, no Buckeye was named to the All-Big Ten first team. For that matter, no player made any all-B1G team this season. All the Bucks got this season were three honorable mentions: junior Marc Loving and sophomores Keita Bates-Diop, and Jae’Sean Tate.

The Buckeyes’ leading scorer this season, Loving averaged 13.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game in his third season in Columbus. He shot 41.1 percent from the floor and 34 percent from beyond the arc. The 6-7 junior was one of Ohio State’s top shooters and the only upperclassman to see significant playing time.

Bates-Diop, a 6-7 sophomore, averaged 11.9 points, 6.4 rebounds (tied for team-high), 1.1 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game. One of the Buckeyes’ top defenders in 2015-16, the sophomore proved his worth on both sides of the ball. He shot 46.1 percent from the field and 32.4 percent on threes.

Tate, whose season was ended by a shoulder injury in the last week of February, was the heart and soul of the Buckeyes this season. Whether it was coming up with a big bucket or getting that critical rebound or assist, the sophomore came through. Tate averaged 11.7 points, 6.4 rebounds (tied for team-high), 1.5 assists, and 1.3 steals. He shot an impressive 52.1 percent from field and 35 percent from beyond the arc.

Ohio State guard JaQuan Lyle, the only freshman in the conference to average 10 points, four rebounds, and four assists during the regular season, wasn’t even named to the All-Freshman team.

The only other seasons that Ohio State didn’t have a single all-Big Ten first-team selection were 2004-05 (Matta’s first season in Columbus) and 2013-14 (Aaron Craft’s senior year).

All-Big Ten teams:

First-team

• Denzel Valentine, Michigan State
• Yogi Ferrell, Indiana
• Jarrod Uthoff, Iowa
• A.J. Hammons, Purdue
• Nigel Hayes, Wisconsin

Second-team

• Malcolm Hill, Illinois
• Peter Jok, Iowa
• Melo Trimble, Maryland
• Bryn Forbes, Michigan State
• Shavon Shields, Nebraska (Coaches)
• Matt Costello, Michigan State (Media)

Third-team

• Thomas Bryant, Indiana (Coaches)
• Troy Williams, Indiana
• Diamond Stone, Maryland
• Derrick Walton Jr., Michigan (Coaches)
• Bronson Koenig, Wisconsin (Coaches)
• Matt Costello, Michigan State (Coaches)
• Shavon Shields, Nebraska (Media)
• Brandon Taylor, Penn State (Media)
• Ethan Happ, Wisconsin (Media)