Records
Ohio State 18-13 (8-12), Indiana 17-14 (8-12)
Broadcast, TV, Game Time
Date: Thursday, March 14
Game Time: 12:30 PM
Venue: United Center, Chicago, IL
Network: BTN | You can also tune in online with FuboTV. (Try it for free)
It can get bigger than this, but not by much. Both Ohio State and Indiana are right at that cut line when it comes to getting into the NCAA Tournament, and it just so happens they are matching up in both teams’ first game of the Big Ten Tournament.
The winner might punch a ticket to the Big Dance, while the loser has a good shot at being relegated to the NIT. It might be a play-in game to get to a play-in game of the NCAA.
The teams could not be coming in on different paths either. Ohio State has lost three in a row without Kaleb Wesson on the floor. Indiana on the other hand is on a four game winning streak just when it looked like its chance at a NCAA invite was dead.
It’s a big one folks if one of your measuring sticks is to make the NCAA Tournament (and it should be).
Next … The Ohio State Game Plan
Ohio State cliff notes gameplan
Kaleb Wesson is back, but the team has to remember what it did well in his absence. It can’t just be back to the standard half-court offense that ran through the post prior to his suspension.
It’s good to have the big-man back on the blocks, and there’s no doubt the coaching staff will go to that well often, but now it’s time to get the guards involved as well. Ohio State found a little something with pressure defense packages and dribble drives that it can use when it makes sense.
It’ll still be solid man-to-man most of the time with double teams on Juwan Morgan when he gets it down low. Whomever is guarding Romeo Langford will also need to be cognizant of his ability to drive in the lane and allow the jump shot as opposed to giving up penetration.
But mix up the defense now. Don’t let Indiana sit back and run its sets. When Wesson’s on the floor, it’ll be more man-to-man and zone to save his conditioning, but look for the Buckeyes to dial up a little more pressure when he’s out.
Next … Key Player And Prediction
Key Player For Ohio State
Kaleb Wesson. What? You thought we’d go with someone else instead of the obvious? Wesson is back and he has to be effective in this game. He took part in conditioning drills while he was in the penalty box, but that’s different than running up and down the court in live action of a game. Can he stay out of foul trouble? Can he provide some resistance against Juwan Morgan down low, grab boards and chip in at least double-figures in points? Without showing some of those things, Ohio State will have a hard time walking out a winner in this one.
How It’ll All Go Down
Kaleb Wesson’s lack of playing time over the last three games is going to be a problem. He won’t be able to shake off the rust and have the stamina to be the player we all know he can be because it’s hard to just flip the switch. Indiana is on a roll as of late, and it’ll pull away thanks to a big one-two punch from Juwan Morgan in the paint and Romeo Langford on the perimeter. It’ll be close for awhile, but OSU goes down in this one and waits for the selection committee to go through its due process to see if it sneaks into the Big Dance. It won’t end well.
Final Score
Indiana 68, Ohio State 62
Line
Indiana -1.5
