Records
Ohio State 2-0, Morehead State 1-2
Broadcast, TV, Game Time
Date: Wednesday, December 2
Game Time: 5 p.m. EST
Venue: Covelli Center, Columbus, OH
Network: BTN
After getting out of the gate quickly and coasting to victory in game one of the season against Illinois State, then struggling but winning against UMass-Lowell, Ohio State men’s basketball team looks to go to 3-0 against Morehead State.
The Eagles have been bludgeoned by Kentucky, had a public flogging at the hands of Richmond, but then got their first win of the year against Arkansas State on Sunday. It’s not a team Ohio State should have issues with if it expects to contend for anything in the Big Ten, but this Buckeye squad is clearly looking to find its identity based on what we saw over the weekend.
Now is the time to clean up on some of those things that will make this team much better down the road, and we really need to see a better showing this time out.
Next … The Ohio State game plan
Ohio State cliff notes game plan
Ohio State basketball vs. Morehead State: How and where to watch and listen to the game https://t.co/amUzTVMutQ
— Buckeyes Wire (@BuckeyesWire) December 2, 2020
Based on how we saw the Buckeyes struggle shooting the ball against the UMass-Lowell zone Sunday, you can almost expect the Eagles to use that template to stay in this game and have a shot to pull off the upset.
Ohio State doesn’t have a lot of size underneath but does have good length and quickness with guys like E.J. Liddell and Kyle Young. Those two should be able to find holes in the middle of the zone and hit the mid-range shots they’ve shown they can do.
But it all starts on the perimeter. It can be easy to sit back and toss the ball around on the outside of the zone, then settle for a long bomb. That’s fine if you’re hitting them, but there’s a difference between getting really good looks by way of penetration and kick-outs by the guards vs. just reversing the ball and chucking up a three-pointer.
On defense, you’re still going to see man-to-man mostly from Ohio State, and right now is the time in which the coaching staff is looking for guys that can lock a man down and provide all-out effort on defense. You simply don’t play for Chris Holtmann if you can’t do it on the defensive end.
Next … Key Players for both teams
Key Player For Ohio State
Duane Washington Jr. scored 21 points to help lead @OhioStateHoops to a 74-64 win over UMass-Lowell. pic.twitter.com/cZL9cAx5pb
— Ohio State on BTN (@OhioStateOnBTN) November 29, 2020
Guard, Duane Washington, Jr. – Washington is Ohio State’s best shooter. He can be a really zone buster if he gets his feet set and lets the game come to him in a game like this. If he does, the offense will get him a volume of shots. From there, he needs to show what a weapon he can be by knocking down outside shots and penetrating when given the shot. Again, with Washington, it’s all about staying within himself and not going off-script. Once he learns that, he’ll be much better as a player, and the team will benefit.
Key Player to Know for Morehead State
RECAP: Behind double-doubles from @JohniBroome (25 pts, 12 rbs) & @devoncooper35 (14 pts, career-high 12 rbs), @MSUEaglesMBB won the program's 24th straight home opener Sunday.
Story ➡️ https://t.co/080wKf4bVO#Family | #EaglesAlwaysSoar pic.twitter.com/IkZHoCY1Hx
— Morehead State Athletics (@MSUEagles) November 30, 2020
Forward, Johni Broome – The freshman from Tampa, Florida is quickly emerging as the biggest scoring threat for the Eagles. He’s averaging 14.0 points and almost eight rebounds per game. At 6-foot, 10-inches, he has the height to create mismatches out on the wing or isolation post-ups. His game is still evolving but he likes to do a lot of work in and around the lane and takes high percentage shots. He’s scored 11 points against Kentucky and is coming off of a 25-point performance against Arkansas State.
The prediction
How It’ll All Go Down
There are some concerns going into this game. Ohio State showed some real issues going against a zone defense and will have to deal with some athleticism down in the lane here. Still, OSU showed it could learn a bit in the second half and it’ll carry over to this one. Look for the Buckeyes to have a much better showing and a much improved offensive and shooting display. OSU will run away with this one in the second half.
Final Score
Ohio State 80, Morehead State 62
Line
Ohio State -24.5 (Odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook.)
Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.
Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion.
Download the USA TODAY SportsWire app to follow Buckeyes Wire and your other favorite teams in the Apple Store for iPhones and Google Play for Android devices.
