On Friday afternoon, Ohio State basketball head coach Chris Holtmann provided new information regarding an updated schedule for the 2020-21 season.

Facing a tighter budget and a more compact season, Holtmann said the non-conference schedule will be “completely different” than the previously released version.

“On paper right now, it’ll certainly measure up as the hardest in the history of our program, just given how unique the year is,” Holtmann said.

On Sep. 16, the official start date to men’s and women’s college basketball was pushed back two weeks, from Nov. 10 to Nov. 25.

“Moving the start date back from Nov. 10 is intended to have contests begin when at least three-quarters of Division I schools will have concluded their fall terms or moved remaining instruction and exams online,” the statement said.

Ohio State had three contests scheduled for before Nov. 25: home games against Oakland, Niagara, and Akron, respectively. Those games will be scratched from the schedule, with Holtmann adding that home games against “smaller schools” are not likely to be on the new schedule.

The Buckeyes were also scheduled to be in the Caribbean the week of Thanksgiving, competing in the Battle 4 Atlantis against the likes of Duke, West Virginia, and Memphis, among others. However, the tournament has since been canceled and a new event based in South Dakota has been rumored to take its place.

Holtmann said he could not give any information on the South Dakota schedule or timeline, but did voice confidence in Ohio State’s two other marquee non-conference events.

“The ACC-Big Ten Challenge I would fully expect to play. We’re on the road in that contest. And our game versus North Carolina in the CBS Sports Classic- that will be played as well, I believe on the same date,” Holtmann said. “Not sure about the same location. Beyond that, I couldn’t give you really any more specifics, even including the South Dakota event.”

This will be year No. 7 for Ohio State in the CBS Sports Classic, and its twentieth appearance in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge. It has not participated in an early-season tournament during Holtmann’s tenure in Columbus.

As for Big Ten play, Holtmann was fairly certain it would remain at 20 games, a format the conference implemented two seasons ago.

“I think everybody knows we were in the best league in the country last year,” Holtmann said. “I assume it will be that and then some this coming year. They’re looking at 20 games. Could it be increased? It’s possible. If it is increased- and we’ll know that soon- it’ll change the rest of our schedule to some degree.”

The Big Ten’s coaches are meeting twice a week now to discuss the conference plans, Holtmann said. He is also on a “scheduling subcommittee” with other Big Ten coaches and athletic directors.

Urgency has been Holtmann’s main focus when in those meetings. Major football decisions have delayed some of the Big Ten’s focus on winter sports, but with the beginning of preseason practice just a few weeks out, the season is looming.

“We’ve gotta make some really important decisions,” Holtmann said. “So I’m saying the same thing on those calls, that we really do need to finalize the number. I believe it to be 20, I expect that it’s leaning in that direction, but if there’s an increase it just changes.”

At this point, everything beyond the major early-season events is still up in the air. It all depends on the Big Ten’s final decision- whenever that comes.

“I think everybody’s concerned about over-scheduling to some point right now. I think everybody is gonna play a really challenging schedule, but that’s what you're dealing with- waiting on a final word from the Big Ten on how many games,” Holtmann said.