Ohio State coach Thad Matta is rewarding players who practice well with playing time.

“I’m gaining trust and faith in these guys, and they’ve deserved that,” Matta said. “Hopefully, we can continue to widen our scope of who we’re playing.”

No starter is averaging more than 32 minutes in Big Ten games; last season, all five starters averaged 31 or more.

Six reserves are averaging more than six minutes in Big Ten games; last season, two did.

“The rotation not only gives those guys early confidence that we’ll need as a team when we get to tournament time,” sophomore Lenzelle Smith Jr. said, “but it also provides rest for some of us who do play a lot of minutes, so next game we’re not burned out.”