The Lantern — Sept. 30, 2021

THE LANTERN ALLIE FEHR Lantern reporter fehr.35@osu.edu

Gateway brings classics to the big screen for Hitchcocktober

Black and white film is back in theaters at Gateway Film Center, giving audiences a taste of classical cinema.

Friday will mark the beginning of Hitchcocktober, a month-long program at Gateway dedicated to highlighting the work of acclaimed filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock, screening one of his films at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, according to the center’s website.

Entering its 12th year, the program will feature 10 of Hitchcock’s thrillers, creating an eerie buildup to the playing of his iconic horror film “Psycho” to conclude the series on Halloween night.

“The film center is about fostering respect and appreciation for the art of film, and there really isn’t a better example than Hitchcock,” Grace Cole, vice president of marketing and communications for Gateway, said. “We really do see that Hitchcock has a

legacy in the world of film, not only from a film literacy standpoint, but also [his films] are wildly entertaining.”

Cole said Hitchcocktober is an opportunity for those who are familiar with Hitchcock to see his films once more, perhaps on the big screen for the first time, or for someone who is unfamiliar with his work to discover it.

“I think having the option to see classic films at Gateway is amazing,” Annmarie Julian, a fifth-year in international studies and self-proclaimed Hitchcock fan, said.

“You might get pushed a little bit outside your comfort zone and be like, ‘I’ve heard about that, but I’ve never actually seen it.’ ” At 14 years old, Julian said she was introduced to her first Hitchcock movie through her grandfather. Having now watched five of his films, she said she considers “​​ The Birds” — the story of a brewing romance interrupted by unexplained bird attacks in a small California town — to be her favorite.

Sean O’Sullivan, a professor in the Department of English who teaches HITCHCOCKTOBER CONTINUES ON 4

Page 2

Thursday, September 30, 2021

CAMPUS

Orange Shirt Day can be honored on Ohio State’s campus Sept. 30 by wearing an orange shirt.

ON PAGE 5

Vaccine deadline approaches, campus appointments dwindle GABE BURGGRAF Design Editor burggraf.34@osu.edu The university’s Oct. 15 deadline to receive the required first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is steadily approaching, and students would be wise to arrange an appointment before the date while they still can.

Individuals waiting until the last minute to schedule their shot may face difficulties and potential delay to their vaccination due to narrow appointment availability, Ryan Haley, senior director of ambulatory services at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, said.

“In addition to inpatient surge, the hospitals are overwhelmed,” Haley said. “Makes it very difficult to find a litany of resources to be able to provide vaccine everywhere every day, and so we have sort of a limited number of times and slots that we can do.”

Dr. Iahn Gonsenhauser, chief quality and patient safety officer at the medical center, said despite Ohio State’s first-dose vaccination deadline of Oct. 15, there is no cutoff for scheduling appointments.

“We’re doing everything that we can to accommodate as many folks as sign up,” Gonsenhauser said. “We want to do everything that we can to deliver as many vaccines as efficiently as possible.”

Opportunities to receive booster shots, once approved, could be delayed as well, Gonsenhauser said.

MACKENZIE SHANKLIN | PHOTO EDITOR

The Oct. 15 deadline to receive the required first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is steadily approaching, and students would be wise to arrange an appointment before the date — while they still can.

“We would expect that the booster approvals will continue to expand, just like initially vaccinations started small and expanded,” Gonsenhauser said.

“There is going to be an increased demand for vaccination and so certainly, if you can schedule right now, you’re going to save yourself a potential delay on the back end.”

Gonsenhauser said spaces and procedures have been planned to handle high capacity and high demand before the Oct. 15 deadline.

“It did strain us, because we had to build new functions, new capacities that we’d never had before,” Gonsenhauser said.

“Because we built such large functional delivery mechanisms

from the beginning, we’ve really been able to adapt them based on the demands that we are experiencing.”

Due to vaccine demand plateauing, the university and the medical center have moved from the Schottenstein Center and other mass vaccination sites to smaller locations, Gonsenhauser said.

Local clinics and retail pharmacies offering the vaccine can also help to accommodate demand, Gonsenhauser said.

Depending on the nature of demand, staffing could range from as little as one nurse with a cooler full of vaccines to a more substantial setup with multiple personnel, Gonsenhauser said.

“In general, you want to have

a clinician, a licensed medical provider that can oversee a vaccination arena, or vaccination environment, so that they can monitor for any adverse effects, any allergic reactions, things of that nature,” Gonsenhauser said.

“That’s really dependent on the size and scope of the system that you want to put together.”

The general public can schedule vaccine appointments at Outpatient Care East sites in Upper Arlington and Worthington, and some at McCampbell Hall, Haley said.

The medical center discourages individuals from waiting until the last minute to schedule vaccination appointments. With more retail vaccine availability, there are additional opportunities

off campus for students to use as an alternative, Haley said.

“It’s going to be tougher and tougher, understanding that Ohio State is going to do their best to try to provide some access, but there’s other options in town,” Haley said.

Gonsenhauser said as the public realizes how effective and safe the vaccines can be, demand is starting to rise.

“I really encourage people to talk to as many of their friends, colleagues and acquaintances as they can to try and encourage them to go out, schedule their vaccine, get their vaccine, get their booster — if they’re eligible for it — and help us in this pandemic,” Gonsenhauser said.

thelantern.com

@TheLantern

Orange Shirt Day to honor Indigenous school victims

Thursday, September 30, 2021 | The Lantern | 3

COURTESY OF MOLLY RAMBEAU

Orange Shirt Day originated in Canada with a purpose to open the door for conversations about residential school survivors and victims.

MADISON SCHAUER Lantern reporter schauer.47@osu.edu An important part of Indigenous peoples’ history can be honored on Ohio State’s campus by a simple gesture Thursday — wearing an orange shirt.

Orange Shirt Day is meant to promote global conversations surrounding residential schools, state-funded, Christianassimilation programs that over 150,000 children of First Nations were required to attend, beginning in the 19th century until the 1970s, according to AP News.

Many children were verbally abused and beaten, forced to assimilate into Canadian society.

Molly Rambeau, vice president of the Native American and Indigenous Peoples Cohort

and member of the Cheyenne River Sioux tribe, said the day originated in Canada when residential school survivors wanted to commemorate and honor the victims.

“Be an ally and be willing to have those hard conversations and speak up,” Rambeau, a fourth-year in forestry, fisheries and wildlife, said. “Being uncomfortable is where you have growth.”

Sept. 30 represents the time of year when children were taken from their homes for residential schools, according to the website.

The day of recognition returned to the spotlight after the discovery of hundreds of bodies of Indigenous children under residential schools in Canada in June, according to AP News.

Rambeau said her grandmother and great-grandmother are

residential school survivors of St. Joseph’s Residential School in South Dakota.

“Being vocal about it and creating a space for not only young people to talk about, but as well as our elders to come together and feel comfortable to talk about it because they’re the ones who went through it and lived through it,” Rambeau said.

Rambeau said the schools have created generational trauma and caused many Indigenous peoples to lose elements of their culture.

“We were exploited — culturally, physically, emotionally, sexually abused at the hands of this nation,” Rambeau said.

Madison Eagle, coordinator of Student Services and intercultural specialist at the Multicultural Center, said it’s important to bring attention to this issue and create

as many allies as possible for the small population of Indigenous people at Ohio State.

“Not a lot of people know about this issue, especially being in Ohio; we don’t have a federally recognized tribe,” Eagle said.

Another way to show support is to shop at Indigenous-owned shops, Eagle said.

“If people can purchase stuff from Indigenous people and artists, that’s a tremendous influx of support that is so needed,” Eagle said.

Eagle said the Native American Indian Center of Central Ohio and the Native Alliance Wellness Center are both resources available in Columbus.

“On Sept. 30, wear orange,” Eagle said. “It doesn’t have to be an official T-shirt — anything orange, and let people know why.”

Page 4

Thursday, September 30, 2021 HITCHCOCKTOBER FROM 1

ARTS&LIFE

The Columbus Symphony kicks off its seventh decade of performances

‘Napoleon Dynamite’ cast to speak at Palace Theatre SOPHIE YATES Lantern reporter yates.288@osu.edu

AMAL SAEED | LANTERN FILE PHOTO

The annual tribute to the distinguished director Alfred Hitchcock returns to the Gateway Film Center for its 12th year this October.

“Special Topics in Film — Alfred Hitchcock and Christopher Nolan,” also listed “The Birds” as a favorite of his and said he has a strong admiration toward Hitchcock’s work and filmmaking style in general.

O’Sullivan said Hitchcock relished in the ability to draw an audience into a film and then either present them with information not readily available to the characters on screen or withhold that information from the audience altogether, creating anticipation for what would happen next.

“He did have a very strong sense of control,” O’Sullivan said. “When you watched one of his films, there was a sense you were under his eye. He was shaping something very clearly for you.”

Hitchcock’s approach towards suspense is what Julian said redefined her definition of a scary movie.

“I don’t think of a slasher film, I think of something like a slow burn, something that builds up,” she said. “I think Hitchcock.”

If students can jump over the barrier and accept the black-and-white presentation

ON PAGE 5

of classical films, Julian said she believes other young people may appreciate Hitchcock more than they realize.

“We have been exposed to so many, I don’t want to say terrible, but lesser-quality films that don’t really do a good job at weaving an intricate storyline and building suspense and using things other than blood and gore to instill fear in an audience,” Julian said.

Audiences who attend the program will get a taste of what it was like to be Hitchcock’s original audience as the movies will be presented on film — an increasingly rare opportunity, Cole said, as most venues do not have access to the kind of equipment or expertise needed to show Hitchcock in this way.

Julian said the experience offered at Gateway is one students should take advantage of.

“Go in with no expectations,” Julian said. “Turn your phone off and just sit and enjoy one of the greats because I think you’re going to remember the first time you see a Hitchcock film.”

During filming, cast members from the 2004 indie comedy “Napoleon Dynamite” said they had no idea how well known the film would become.

Even after 17 years, the film’s popularity has endured, and cast members are traveling to theaters around the country to talk with fans. On Oct. 7, the Palace Theatre will screen the movie before a moderated discussion in their event, “Napoleon Dynamite: A Conversation with Jon Heder, Efren Ramirez, & Jon Gries,” according to the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts’ website.

Although he knew they were making something special, Jon Heder, who played the socially awkward title character, said his expectations for the film’s success were far from reality.

“We were an independent film. We had no promise of distribution, so my expectations were that this may just be in a few film festivals and that’s it,” Heder said. “I didn’t know that we’d be blessed so much with the continued success, the snowballing effect it had.”

When he became part of the “Napoleon Dynamite” cast, Jon Gries, who played Uncle Rico, Dynamite’s relative, said he similarly did not know what to expect with regards to the popularity of the film.

“It was only $365,000 that was privately financed, so they had no distribution whatsoever,” Gries said. “The film went to Sundance, and then the rest is history.”

Now, as a way of celebrating that success with fans of the movie, the cast of “Napoleon Dynamite” has taken to the

road. Heder said they only started doing shows like this a few years ago as a way of allowing the cast to connect with fans of the cult classic on a deeper level.

“It’s just fun to be on the road, to travel, to see different places and people from different walks of life coming to enjoy the same thing,” Heder said. “It gives us that common ground.”

Rich Corsi, vice president of programming at CAPA, said he believes the Q&A component adds to the screening of the film by allowing the audience to connect directly with the cast.

“Folks like Jon, Efren and Jon –– they’re very personable, and it’s like when you go to these events you feel like you get to know them, even though it’s just that brief half-hour of Q&A,” Corsi said. “You’re talking back and forth, and you’re finding out that they’re just human beings.”

Efren Ramirez, who played Pedro, an exchange student from Juarez, Mexico, and Dynamite’s best friend, said the Q&A discussions are reflective of the community that fans of “Napoleon Dynamite” have formed over the years.

“It’s a film that brings everybody together,” Ramirez said. “We’re all trying to do good, we’re trying to figure life out, and that’s what happened to the characters in the movie. When you see that response from the audience when we do a Q&A, and they talk to us about how even though they felt alone, they feel like they’re part of something.”

More information about “Napoleon Dynamite: A Conversation with Jon Heder, Efren Ramirez, & Jon Gries” is available on CAPA’s website. Tickets for the show begin at $25 and can be purchased on the CBUSArts website.

thelantern.com

@TheLantern

Thursday, September 30, 2021 | The Lantern | 5

Columbus Symphony Orchestra kicks off 70th season EMMA WOZNIAK Lantern reporter wozniak.82@osu.edu The Columbus Symphony Orchestra, accompanied by featured performer Renée Fleming, hosted its first concert of the 2021-2022 season Saturday.

The concert, held in the Ohio Theatre, marked a big occasion for the orchestra — the first performance of its 70th season, Denise Rehg, executive director of the orchestra, said. She said members of the orchestra prepared tirelessly for this performance and were met with relief from patrons who were once again able to safely see live classical music.

“The pandemic was both a fearful period and an exciting period of growth for the symphony,” Rehg said.

Although many musical groups were forced to halt performances due to the pandemic, the orchestra received national recognition from organizations such as the New Yorker for their ability to thrive during such a dark and uncertain time, Rehg said.

“It forced us to really think creatively about how we could provide for the community,” Rehg said.

Between increasing the number of local children being served by the orchestra from 20,000 to 60,000, hosting 28 free, outdoor concerts for Columbus residents and forming a partnership with Columbus City Schools in order to integrate music into the third-grade curriculum, Rehg said the orchestra never stopped thinking about how to make a difference in the community.

“The goal really is to make sure that we have opportunities for every man, woman and child in central Ohio to participate with classical music, [and] other types of music, but to have the experiences and the opportunities that music can bring to us,” Rehg said.

Despite still finding ways to stay involved with the community, the symphony decided to stream concerts online and perform without an audience from October 2020 to February 2021, Rossen Milanov, music director of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, said. During this time, many members struggled to create the same feeling through a screen as they did when

they played in person.

“We are like one big family, one big team, and music only happens when we are together,” Milanov said. “We tried several versions of making music virtually, and it was not even close to what the real experience is for us on stage.”

While working carefully to ensure the protection of all symphony members and patrons by enforcing social distancing, requiring masks and limiting audience capacity, the orchestra was able to come together and perform with a live audience once again in February, Milanov said.

Over the past several weeks, the orchestra prepared for the opening concert of the 2021-2022 season and Grammy-winning Fleming, Milanov said. Now, the orchestra is turning its attention to its performance with one of the country’s paramount violinists, Stefan Jackiw.

Jackiw said he is already looking forward to his performance with the orchestra, which will take place Oct. 22 and 23 at 7:30 p.m. at the Ohio Theatre.

“When I walk on stage with an orchestra, the few times that I’ve done it since things have opened back up, it feels like such a warm relief for me, and I can also see that in the other musicians,” Jackiw said.

Jackiw said he always appreciates the feeling of newness that comes with performing with a group for the first time.

“In terms of visiting a new orchestra, that is one of the exciting parts of my life as a traveling musician,” Jackiw said.

“The Brahms Violin Concerto, what I’ll be playing, is a piece that I first learned in my late teens and have been playing for nearly two decades now, but it’ll be my first time playing it with this orchestra and this conductor. So, you know, there’s an element of surprise and unpredictability that I always look forward to.”

Tickets for Jackiw’s performance alongside the Columbus Symphony Orchestra begin at $30 and are available for purchase on the Columbus Symphony Orchestra’s website.

JOIN OUR MAILING LIST

www.thelantern.com/email

COURTESY OF STEPHEN PARISER

The Columbus Symphony Orchestra during a concert in fall 2020.

6 | The Lantern | Thursday, September 30, 2021

thelantern.com

@TheLantern

Burke bursts into spotlight after weeks of strong play

Ohio State freshman cornerback Denzel Burke (29) celebrates after a play during the Ohio State-Tulsa game Sept. 18. Ohio State won 41-20.

JACK EMERSON Sports Editor emerson.131@osu.edu Denzel Burke learned from competing against the best.

The freshman defensive back was thrown into the fire as soon as he arrived in Columbus, battling with Ohio State’s elite duo of receivers: senior Chris Olave and junior Garrett Wilson. Burke said his battles against the top-tiered pair in practices have prepared him to play at the level he’s played to this point in the season.

“I guard the best players in the nation,” Burke said. “Just going against other teams, I really don’t worry too much. I kind of feel settled in. I just know what they’re going to give me is not like what Chris and Garrett are going to give me and the rest of the guys here.”

Burke quickly rose through the ranks in the Ohio State secondary, starting in the Buckeyes’ season opener against Minnesota.

Not only did Burke earn his first start

during his first opportunity to see the field, he shined against the Golden Gophers — picking up four tackles while collecting three pass breakups.

Burke said getting the start was a culmination of his entire football career.

“It’s a testament to all the hard work I put in my whole life,” Burke said. “I worked my butt off. I just want to keep going and keep going harder because I still got a lot to prove.”

Since that first game, Burke has continued to be a bright spot in an Ohio State secondary still trying to find his identity.

The Scottsdale, Arizona, native is tied for second in the Big Ten in pass breakups, racking up six on the season.

It appeared that Burke collected his first career interception against Tulsa, when he dug the ball out of the hands of redshirt senior receiver Sam Crawford Jr. while going to the ground. But, the referees overturned the interception, calling Crawford down before Burke ripped the ball out of his hands.

“They said the receiver called the ball, but I definitely had my hands on the ball,” Burke said. “And then when I went to the ground, it was definitely in my possession.”

While Burke has gotten off to a hot start at defensive back, he also spent time as a wide receiver in high school.

Despite splitting time on defense and offense for Saguaro High School, Burke said defensive back was always his true position.

“I’ve always loved corner,” Burke said.

“Receiver was more of like a fun thing for me, but defense is my thing.”

Although he has only collected four starts in his young career, Burke said he’s already seen the game slowing down for him.

With his in-game experience building up, he has seen his confidence grow alongside his skill.

“The first game, I was kind of getting into it because I hadn’t played a game since, it was a year since I played my first game, was in high school,” Burke said. “Fourth game in right now, I feel real confident. I got my

MACKENZIE SHANKLIN | PHOTO EDITOR

feet wet, so it feels like high school.”

Head coach Ryan Day said the young cornerback has done everything the right way since he became a Buckeye.

“I think that he’s shown in the games what he’s shown in practice. I thought that they went after him a couple times downfield. He did a really good job in that area,” Day said. “I think for a young player stepping into a couple of these spots, he’s done a good job. The future is bright with him and a bunch of the younger guys that we have.”

While his duels against Wilson and Olave have helped him grow developmentally, his practice opponents have recognized his talent.

Olave said he’s proud of how far Burke has come since his arrival in Columbus.

“I’m a huge fan of Denzel. He’s been balling since camp,” Olave said. “I’m not surprised that he’s played this well so far.

I can’t wait to see what he does the rest of the season.”

thelantern.com

@TheLantern

Thursday, September 30, 2021 | The Lantern | 7

Ohio State looks to keep momentum in difficult week BRYCE HIRAYAMA Lantern Reporter hirayama.6@osu.edu After splitting a pair of games to improve to 2-1 in Big Ten play, Ohio State will head into this week’s matchups with Indiana and Rutgers.

While the Buckeyes continue through Big Ten play against two talented teams in Indiana (8-21) and No. 9 Rutgers (7-2), head coach Lori Walker-Hock said she wants the team to push forward and recognize the importance of these two games following last week’s Big Ten matches, including a 4-2 home loss to Minnesota Thursday.

“What happened last Thursday was out of character,” WalkerHock said. “You’re going to have those games.”

Both Indiana and Rutgers are top five in the Big Ten in all statistical categories and offer a tough matchup for the Buckeyes.

However, Ohio State is also in the top five in the Big Ten, proving that this week’s matches offer some high stakes for Big Ten standings as the season rolls on.

Indiana comes to town Thursday and is currently 2-1 in conference play with its only loss coming against Michigan State by a score of 1-0.

The leading scorer for the Hoosiers is junior midfielder Paige Webber, who currently has five goals this year.

The head coach of the Hoosiers is Erwin Van Bennekom, who is in his third year with the program and holds a record of 22-16-4 since taking over at Indiana.

Rutgers comes to town Sunday while boasting the best record in the Big Ten. Senior forward Frankie Tagliaferri leads the Scarlet Knights and has a conferencebest eight goals on the year.

Ohio State senior forward Kayla Fischer (2) fights for the ball during the Ohio State-TCU game Sept. 12. Ohio State lost 1-4.

Rutgers is led by head coach Mike O’Neill, who’s in his eighth season with the Scarlet Knights.

Senior defender Izzy Rodriguez, who scored the game-winning goal against Penn State Sunday, said the Buckeyes need to keep their momentum going forward.

“Penn State was a big win, but we need to put that behind us and try and get better every game,” Rodriguez said.

Thursday’s matchup with Indiana starts at 7 p.m. at Jesse Owens Memorial Field and Sunday’s matchup against Rutgers takes place at noon at the same venue, and will be broadcast on Big Ten Network.

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM

@thelanternosu

JOHNSON FROM 8

workouts, and Johnson said working with current Minnesota Timberwolves guard D’Angelo Russell left a mark on him.

Former guard CJ Walker served as a leader and allowed the then-first-year to learn as well, Johnson said. He benefited from watching a veteran like Walker average 30 minutes per game and having junior forward E.J. Liddell provide an ultracompetitor mindset, while also being someone to talk to.

“I feel like Meechie has always had the same mentality since he was a freshman in high school,” Liddell said. “I watched him drop 40 points as a freshman in high school. Just learning from CJ Walker and learning the college game, I feel like he’ll be really good.”

Watching film on NBA players like Russell, Portland Trail Blazers forward Damian Lillard and Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving is among Johnson’s daily activities, he said. He said he watches between one and two hours of basketball video to see things he doesn’t when on the court.

Johnson said the pace of the game has slowed down and his buy-in to strength and conditioning increased. Incoming graduate transfer guard Jamari Wheeler said he’s noticed Johnson’s basketball IQ through his hard work, and graduate forward Kyle Young is impressed by it.

“He really should be a freshman, so it’s impressive, the jump he was able to make last year

CHRISTIAN HARSA | SPECIAL PROJECTS DIRECTOR

and contribute to what we were doing,” Young said. “Excited to see what he can do this year.”

With his first full season as a Buckeye on the horizon, Johnson said he had to grow up fast as he reflected on his still-young career.

Ohio State opens its season Nov. 9 and has its first exhibition game just eight days prior, and Johnson said he wants to make an impact on an Ohio State team with his show-me-don’t-tell-me mindset.

“I believe in myself, I believe in my craft and I believe in my game,” Johnson said. “I wasn’t really able to show that much.

You see me come in, hit a couple three’s last year. There’s a lot more that I can do. I just want to do everything I can to help this team win.”

Page 8

Thursday, September 30, 2021

SPORTS

Denzel Burke shines in first weeks as starter

ON PAGE 6

How Johnson Jr. will show ‘a lot more’ in Year 2 JACOB BENGE Assistant Sports Editor benge.30@osu.edu

Ohio State’s men’s basketball season is still over a month from tipoff, but freshman guard Meechie Johnson Jr. checks the Buckeyes’ scrimmage and regular-season schedule every day.

Despite being listed as a freshman, Johnson will enter his second season with the Buckeyes after reclassifying to the class of 2020 last November. Nonetheless, the guard said the 2021-22 campaign will be like starting again at square one — but one where he can show his true colors.

“I’ve been working my butt off in the summer, in the weight room, on the court.

This is like year one to me, honestly,” Johnson said. “I did my senior year of high school. I sacrificed and I came here to be a part of a winning culture. That helped me.

I wouldn’t take that back.”

Upon joining the Buckeyes in December, Johnson made his debut Jan. 9 at Rutgers, playing four minutes. In the team’s next game against Northwestern, he made a quick impact by splashing his first 3-point attempt and later swishing another.

Through his first four games, Johnson played 42 minutes, but he saw just 48 minutes of action through 13 games for the rest of the season. The 6-foot-2 guard said joining the Buckeyes a year early was a learning experience.

“I felt like I was going to play more coming in, but I also knew that I had to learn. I wouldn’t take it back,” Johnson said. “I took from what I learned into the summer, and now I got to take the summer to the season. I’m just happy to be here. I feel like I’ve grown in a lot of areas. I’m just ready to show it.”

Johnson was seen wearing a boot on his right leg during the summer. He said he played through a nagging ailment all of last season, but the boot was a “precautionary thing.”

“I feel great. Coach said they’re going to need me this year to be a bigger impact and a role for the team, so it was best to treat it now,” Johnson said. “Do what I can now, attack it so it don’t linger throughout the season and I’m missing time in the season.

It was nothing crazy, I didn’t want people worrying about it. I had to be careful and make sure I’m healthy for the season.”

The Cleveland native shot 38.9 percent from the field during limited action, totaling 21 points over 17 games. Interestingly,

Johnson shot 50 percent from behind the 3-point line, which stood as tops among the Buckeyes.

Ohio State welcomed back alumni from previous Buckeye teams during summer JOHNSON CONTINUES ON 7

MACKENZIE SHANKLIN | PHOTO EDITOR

Ohio State freshman guard Meechie Johnson Jr. (0) moves the ball down the court during the Ohio State-Purdue game on Jan. 19. Ohio State lost 65-67.