Kiara Lewis and Tori McCoy exiting Ohio State program
By Mike Peden
The Big Ten transfer wave continues.
On Wednesday, Ohio State announced that freshmen Kiara Lewis and Tori McCoy are leaving the team, marking the third Big Ten team in as many days to report a player transfer.
McCoy was an All-Big Ten Freshmen Team selection. The 6-foot-4 forward started in 10 games, averaging 8.1 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. McCoy was just one of five Big Ten players to surpass 60 percent in field goal shooting this season, ranking third at 62.9. Defensively, she was fourth in the conference in blocks with a 1.7 average.
Lewis earned a starting assignment in the final 15 games of the 2016-17 season. Shooting just under 39 percent from the floor, she finished the year averaging 6.7 points per game.
Ohio State’s depth will shrink with Lewis and McCoy departing, but the impact would have been more severe had Kelsey Mitchell decided to forgo her senior season for a WNBA assignment.
McCoy’s absence, coupled with the graduation of Shayla Cooper, forces the Buckeyes to refit their interior. Stephanie Mavunga, who averaged a double-double, should remain an anchor in the paint, but Alexa Hart could see an increase in responsibilities next year.
Among Ohio State’s guards, the vacancy created by Lewis will have a less pronounced effect. The Buckeyes still possess a plethora of experience, including Mitchell, Sierra Calhoun and Linnae Harper. With a full season to understand each other, the chemistry responsible for a 28-7 record and Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA tournament should remain intact.
Transfers are part of the college process, but the latest in a series of high-profile moves in the Big Ten is proving unsettling to fans who were excited about the conference’s rising prospects.