Records
Ohio State 18-10 (8-9), Purdue 21-7 (14-3)
Broadcast, TV, Game Time
Date: Saturday, March 2
Game Time: 2:00 PM
Venue: Mackey Arena, West Lafayette, IN
Network: ESPN | You can also tune in online with FuboTV. (Try it for free)
After getting a crucial win at home against Iowa, Ohio State now hits the road to take on first place Purdue at their place. The Buckeyes hung with the Boilermakers in the first half at home in January, but lost the focus and execution it needed in the second half and the game got away.
Now it’s faced with the daunting task of going to one of the most raucous venues in the Big Ten against a team that is likely going to win at least a share of the regular season conference title. Oh, and it has to do it without Kaleb Wesson, who has been suspended because of a “violation of Ohio State Athletic Department policy,” — whatever that means.
A loss wouldn’t be a surprise and is expected. A win would shock the college basketball world — maybe even those outside of the Milky Way Galaxy.
Next … The Ohio State game plan
Ohio State cliff notes game plan
Throw the staple game plan out the window. Without Kaleb Wesson, things will have to revolve around the perimeter game. Look for Ohio State to space the floor out with a small lineup and try to penetrate and get to the rim as much as possible.
If help defense comes, then a dish out to shooters in position to catch and shoot is a must. To win without its best player, Ohio State will need to draw fouls by getting to the interior, or hope to bomb away from the outside with hot shooting.
On defense, it’s going to be tough. Purdue can simply outman Ohio State on the blocks without Wesson, and you can expect a heavier than normal dose of the inside game. All OSU can hope to do is double down with help defense, allow open looks outside and pray for a bad shooting night.
If Purdue is anywhere near being on its game, it could be a long, long day at the office.
Next … Key Player And Prediction
Key Player For Ohio State
Duane Washington. All the guards and small forwards will need to shoot the ball well, and it’ll help if Aherns goes off again, but Washington has the ability to drive the basketball and hit open spot up looks from outside. He’s also one of the few guys on the team that can go get his own shot most of the time, and without Wesson in the game, somebody has to make plays. He can’t try to shoulder all the load, but he must look to score more than normal in this one.
How It’ll All Go Down
Is there possibly a flu epidemic breaking out in West Lafayette? Ohio State might need a communicable disease to help in this one. It’s not like the Buckeyes won’t play with effort and attitude, but against the first place team in the league, at their place, without your best player on the blocks, there’s no way the Buckeyes get this one done. The good news is that it won’t hurt the resume that bad. The Boilermakers win easily.
Final Score
Purdue 77, Ohio State 62
Line
Purdue – 12
