Rejoice because college basketball is back. We get our first peek at the Ohio State basketball team today and though it snuck up on you no doubt, it’s great to have hoops back.
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again — with so many fresh faces on this year’s team, we don’t really know what to expect. So, we’ll be watching like the rest of you to figure out where the scoring will come from, what this team’s identity will be — and most importantly — can the collective gel to exceed expectations?
No matter what we see, the Buckeyes simply can’t afford to get out of the gate with a loss against an Illinois State team that frankly isn’t expected to be very good. And on that note, here are three keys to a Buckeyes victory on the hardwood Wednesday.
Ohio State vs. Illinois State basketball preview, prediction, and odds https://t.co/rhknzVSVQ5
— Buckeyes Wire (@BuckeyesWire) November 25, 2020
Next … Get out to a quick start
Ohio State needs a quick start
Ohio State basketball vs. Illinois State: How and where to watch and listen to the game Saturday https://t.co/dwKzfJqsVX
— Phil Harrison (@PhilHarrisonBW) November 25, 2020
Nothing spells upset more than letting an inferior team hang around. The best way to keep that from happening is to jump all over Illinois State from the get-go. That means playing solid defense, getting good looks, and working hard on the boards.
Effort and athleticism should spell an easy victory in this one, so if Ohio State can play with emotion and purpose early on, all while not trying to make the spectacular play, it can step on the neck of the Redbirds early and get the psychological advantage that the inevitable is about to happen.
Next … Take care of the basketball
Don’t make careless turnovers on offense
During this 4 game losing streak, Ohio State has committed 64 turnovers (16/game) and has only 38 assists (9.5/game). You don’t have to be a basketball genius to understand that’s an awful ratio.
— Matt McCoy (@MattMcCoyRadio) January 11, 2020
Ohio State struggled with turnovers at times last season and it really limited the scoring options for a team that struggled to put the ball in the hoop in the first place.
Really, the only way Illinois State pulls this thing off is if it can get significantly more possessions than Ohio State. That can be done several ways, but the easiest way is to take advantage of the extra opportunities the other team provides.
If the Buckeyes have less than ten turnovers in this game, I say that’s a good start to the season and a good measuring stick for how well this team is taking care of the basketball. It’s also something to watch as the season unfolds.
Next … Get organized
Run offensive sets and get good looks
You want some keys to the season for the #Buckeyes? Here you are. Key players, important stretches, stats that much change and where they'll ultimately end up in the standings: https://t.co/O2mRXUROag
— Adam Jardy (@AdamJardy) November 25, 2020
There’s no reason to get cute in this game. Ohio State has the superior skill, but that doesn’t mean there needs to be a whole lot of one-on-one, players on different pages basketball. That happened at times last season and can’t be the norm in 2019-2020.
Ohio State has guys like Duane Washington, Jr., Justice Sueing, and E.J. Liddell that can make good on solid opportunities, and if the offensive sets are run patiently, there will be good looks to knockdown.
I’m most especially looking for Washington’s growth in this era. He can be such a scoring option, but also a liability when he’s going off his own script. The team in general has to run an efficient offense and hit those open looks when it gets them.
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