Records
Ohio State 19-9 (9-8), Michigan 18-10 (9-8)
Broadcast, TV, Game Time
Date: Sunday, March 1
Game Time: 4:00 PM
Venue: Value City Arena, Columbus, OH
Network: CBS
Ohio State has officially turned things around after a January to forget, but it’s not over. The Buckeyes are most likely locked into the NCAA Tournament no matter what happens the rest of the way, but it can still play itself into a double-round bye in the Big Ten Tournament, and a better seed in the Big Dance if it can finish with a strong finishing kick to the regular season.
But in the OSU’s way is arch-rival Michigan. The Wolverines have had an awfully similar season to what we’ve seen in Columbus, and they too are looking to put a good finishing touch down the stretch to gain some momentum towards the postseason.
Things may not be as hyped up as what we see on the gridiron, but it’s still a big one at the Schott. The games only get bigger from here on out.
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Next … The Ohio State game plan
Ohio State cliff notes game plan
Michigan has a great inside-outside game with John Teske underneath and guards like Isaiah Livers and Zavier Simpson surrounding him. But it all starts with Simpson at the point. He gets Michigan into its sets and can get around his defender and into the lane to collapse defenses. From there, he’ll get his shot off if given room, or dish underneath our back out on the perimeter if the opponent’s defensive shape breaks down.
To beat the Wolverines, you have to disrupt what’s happening at the point guard position to get things out of flow and into reactive mode. Look for Chris Holtmann to use ball pressure on the point to force the issue. It’ll likely be Luther Muhammad tasked with limiting the effectiveness of Simpson, much like what he did against Maryland’s Anthony Cowan.
On offense, it’s much of the same. Get the ball to Kaleb Wesson when you can, but continue to use spot-up shooters on the outside. This team has been the best three-point shooting team in the league, and that’s the identity of this squad at this point. It’s rinse and repeat time.
Next … Key Player And Prediction
Key Player For Ohio State
Luther Muhammad. We’ve already touched on it. Ohio State needs a big game from guard Luther but not on the offensive end. Anything he gets there is the cherry on top. What OSU needs from Muhammad is what it normally gets, and that’s a solid performance defensively. Watch for Holtmann to use him on Zavier Simpson to create chaos at the point of attack. If he can frustrate the Wolverine point guard like he did Maryland’s Anthony Cowan, this one will be another W for the good guys.
How It’ll All Go Down
The Buckeyes are playing much better basketball as of late despite some personnel losses. It’s been an amazing turnaround, and now it gets a shot at Michigan in its home building looking for the season sweep. But the Wolverines will be ready. They didn’t have guard Isaiah Livers the first time around, and are much more dangerous with him in the backcourt. The Buckeyes will be without do-everything Kyle Young but it won’t matter.
Ohio State is looking to send a message against a team that it doesn’t like very much and will feed off the crowd. It’ll be a close one, but Ohio State will pull it out thanks to defense and an opportunistic offense.
Final Score
Ohio State 68, Michigan 64
Line
Ohio State … Coming
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