Records
No. 2 seed Ohio State 21-9 (12-7), No. 15 seed Oral Roberts 16-10 (10-5 Summit League)
Broadcast, TV, Game Time
Date: Friday, March 19
Game Time: 3 p.m.
Venue: Mackey Arena – West Lafayette, IN
Network: CBS
And so it begins. March Madness gets in full swing on Friday with a slew of first-round games. One of those involves your No. 2 seeded Ohio State Buckeyes taking on upstart, No. 15 seeded Oral Roberts from the Summit League.
It’s not often that a No. 15 seed upsets a No. 2 seed, but it has happened eight times during the NCAA Tournament’s history, the last coming in 2016 with Middle Tennessee’s upset of Michigan State (sorry to bring that up Sparty). And yeah, as we’ve seen, anything can happen in March.
All of that being said, OSU is a heavy favorite and should take care of business. If it does, it’ll face the winner of Florida and Virginia Tech on Sunday.
As is customary, we have all you need to know for this matchup with our game preview and prediction.
Next … The Ohio State game plan
Ohio State Cliffs Notes game plan
Ohio State basketball vs. Oral Roberts: How to watch and listen to the opening round https://t.co/XlZDqVA2Re
— Buckeyes Wire (@BuckeyesWire) March 19, 2021
The game plan on this one seems rather cut and dry. On offense, there should be some prime opportunities in the paint, both with the dribble drive and post-ups. Oral Roberts doesn’t have a ton of length or girth, so guys like Zed Key and E.J. Liddell should be able to get some points with mismatches. Also, look for the guards to penetrate in the lane without a true eraser in the lane.
Defensively, the Golden Eagles shoot a ton of bombs from the outside with regularity. They can hit them from multiple guys, so the Buckeyes might have to play a quicker lineup with length on the perimeter to add some resistance. The OSU defenders will need to camp out on the outside and stay with shooters until penetration occurs, then look for some mild help. More than anything, this one is about being glued to the opposition in a man-to-man scenario and limiting second opportunities by taking advantage of a rebounding advantage.
NEXT … Key Players For Both Teams
Key Player For Ohio State
E.J. Liddell with the big play before the half.
No. 7 @OhioStateHoops cuts into the deficit, and trails No. 4 Illinois by 4. pic.twitter.com/SvA1YqdnyP
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) March 6, 2021
Forward E.J. Liddell – Duane Washington has been the guy here as of late as the playmaker and leading scorer for Ohio State. He’ll be needed of course, but this is a chance for Liddell to shine. He’ll have a significant mismatch down low compared to what he’s seen in the Big Ten. It won’t be as physical of a game and he should have more room to operate. He could have a big, big day.
Key Player to Know for Oral Roberts
Oral Roberts takes down South Dakota State behind Max Abmas' 42 points!
Abmas becomes just the sixth player to hit the 40-point mark this season.pic.twitter.com/Ibbff0Utj5
— Heat Check CBB (@HeatCheckCBB) February 13, 2021
Guard Max Abmas – The Golden Eagles have a slew of guys that shoot the ball well, but the guy to keep an eye on is Abmas. He shoots the ball like the rest of the team, but will use his lightning quickness to get past defenders if they cheat out too far. He leads all of Division I in scoring at 24.2 points per contest. He also leads the team in assists and steals and could be a handful.
NEXT … The prediction
How It’ll All Go Down
It’s been a bit of a trendy pick for some to predict Oral Roberts to knock the Buckeyes off. Don’t buy it. Ohio State’s physicality and size will be an issue for the Golden Eagles. Look for Oral Roberts to shoot their way into the game for awhile, but eventually wear down against a deeper, more talented Ohio State team that is one of the most efficient-scoring ballclubs in the country in its own right.
Final Score
Ohio State 84, Oral Roberts 70
Line
Ohio State -15 (Odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook.)
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