Ohio State Buckeyes Offer Princeton Tigers Transfer Guard Matt Allocco

Jake Diebler's Ohio State Buckeyes are looking to build on their backcourt.

Princeton guard Matt Allocco has been a highly efficient shooter since joining the Tigers. / CHRIS LACHALL/USA TODAY NETWORK ATLANTIC

The Ohio State Buckeyes are in the process of rebuilding their team.

The same day freshman guard Scotty Middleton announced he was entering the transfer portal, Ohio State offered a scholarship to Princeton senior guard Matt Allocco.

The Hilliard, Ohio, native attended Hilliard Bradley High School, just 15 miles away from Ohio State's Columbus campus.

Allocco averaged 12.7 points and 3.3 assists on north of 50-40-90 splits en route to helping the Tigers win a regular season Ivy League title. Although he went through a rough patch in shooting midseason, Allocco both started and finished the season very strong, averaging 16.9 points through the first nine games and 14.8 through the last five.

Posting these numbers allowed Allocco to be named to the All-Ivy League Second Team. He joined former teammates in sophomores Xaivian Lee and Caden Pierce as the only Tigers players be named to an all-conference team.

Allocco was part of the Tigers' NCAA Tournament team last season which upset Arizona and Missouri before falling to Creighton in the Sweet Sixteen. He played at least 37 minutes in all three of those games but only put up a total of 23 points.

With Allocco, the Buckeyes would gain some much-needed shooting — Ohio State placed in the bottom half in team 3-point shooting in the Big Ten. In addition, Jake Diebler's squad relied a lot on sophomore guards Bruce Thornton and Roddy Gayle Jr. and senior forward Jamison Battle this season for scoring.

With Battle graduating from the program, Allocco would bring in yet another 3-point shooting threat as well as some more facilitation to help Thornton.

In addition to Middleton's transfer and Battle's graduation, senior guard Dale Bonner will also likely be graduating from the program, while sophomore guard Bowen Hardman has already announced he is transferring.

Allocco visited Ohio State this weekend, per multiple reports.