COLUMBUS, Ohio –– Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann knew well before the end of the 2020-21 season that point guard CJ Walker would opt not to return to the program, despite an extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19.

Amid a 13-game run to end the junior season of shooting guard Duane Washington, a period in which he averaged nearly 19 points per game and consistently showed off NBA range shooting off the dribble, Holtmann began to realize that he could be without either of his top backcourt players come the start of 2021-22.

“As the season went on, we thought we definitely could lose Duane, and CJ was gonna be moving on. We needed some veteran guys,” Holtmann said Tuesday at a press conference.

RELATED: Buckeyes add transfer scorer to the mix

Penn State grad transfer Jamari Wheeler, who committed to the Buckeyes back in March, filled the need for a scrappy floor general and defensive pest at the point guard position. More recently though, with Washington officially opting to remain in the NBA Draft, Holtmann and company suddenly needed an established guard with a knack for putting points on the board.

Enter Cedric Russell, an All-Sun Belt guard at Louisiana this past year who put up 17.2 points per game and shot 40 percent from 3 in his fourth season in the program.