Ohio State basketball team loses 3 more players

Ohio State's freshman class is down to one after three more players were granted transfers on Tuesday.

The school confirmed that guard A.J. Harris and forwards Daniel Giddens and Mickey Mitchell are leaving the program after one season.

"I have given freshman guard A.J. Harris permission to seek a transfer," Buckeyes coach Thad Matta said in a statement. "Mickey Mitchell and Daniel Giddens have asked for their release as well. We appreciate what A.J., Daniel and Mickey did for our program as freshmen and we wish them well."

In December, freshman Austin Grandstaff also transferred out of the program and subsequently landed at Oklahoma, leaving guard JaQuan Lyle as the only remaining member of a five-player recruiting class in 2015.

Harris is a 5-foot-9 guard from Dayton, Ohio, who averaged 2.8 points and 1.6 assists in 35 games this season.

Giddens, a 6-10 center from Mableton, Ga., averaged 3.8 points, 3.6 rebounds and a team-best 1.5 blocks in 33 games.

Mitchell, a 6-7 forward from Plano, Texas, wasn't cleared by the NCAA to play until December because of eligibility issues and then appeared in 23 games, averaging 2.0 points and 2.8 rebounds. He started seven times at the end of the season after forward Jae'Sean Tate underwent season-ending shoulder surgery.

Last week, redshirt sophomore center Trevor Thompson declared his intention to enter the NBA Draft without hiring an agent and could return next season. Thompson averaged 6.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.2 blocked shots in 35 games, including 28 starts, this past season.

Despite the mass departure, Ohio State is expected to return its top six scorers from this past season in 2016-17.