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LGHL Bloomington Blowout: Indiana easily handles Ohio State, 86-70
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Bloomington Blowout: Indiana easily handles Ohio State, 86-70
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
The first 15 minuted were fun-ish... the rest was not.
The good news: Ohio State’s game Saturday night closed out a stretch where the Buckeyes (11-10, 3-7) played four of five games on the road. After this one, Chris Holtmann’s squad returns home to play three of their next four games in Columbus.
The bad news: To close this gruesome stretch with a 2-3 record, Ohio State was tasked with walking into a raucous Saturday night crowd at Assembly Hall and emerging victorious. After a horrid start to the season, the Hoosiers (15-6, 6-4) came into this game as winners of four straight. Star forward Trayce-Jackson Davis has averaged 27.3 points, 14.3 rebounds, and just under five blocks per game during the winning streak — the best basketball of his career.
And wouldn’t you know it, TJD and his friends let Ohio State have it on Saturday night, too, sending the Buckeyes to their seventh loss in their last eight games, 86-70. Jalen Hood-Schifino led Indiana in scoring with 24 points — 20 of which were in the first half alone. Brice Sensabaugh had 23 for the Buckeyes.
Chris Holtmann went with the same starting lineup he relied on early in the season, going with Bruce Thornton, Sean McNeil, Sensabaugh, Justice Sueing, and Zed Key. Mike Woodson — who returned to the bench after missing Indiana’s last game with an illness — went with a starting five of Trey Galloway, Hood-Schifino, Miller Kopp, Race Thompson, and Jackson-Davis.
Ohio State took control early, taking a 9-2 lead before Hood-Schifino buried a deep three-pointer from the left wing to make it a 9-5 game heading into the first media timeout at the 15:42 mark. Both Hood-Schifino and Sensabaugh had five points by the first media timeout, but Indiana’s star freshman did it in two shots (2-2) while it took Sensabaugh five (2-5).
The two teams played to a tie until the eight-minute mark, but after Thompson missed a layup, IU’s Kaleb Banks corralled the miss and put it back up, scoring over the top of Thornton. Thornton was called for the foul, and Holtmann was irate. The Ohio State head coach was issued a technical foul after he went after a referee, and Indiana hit two of the three free throws to make it a 25-21 Indiana lead with 7:50 left in the first half.
Ohio State tied the game momentarily, but Indiana closed the first half on a 17-1 run (!) to go into halftime up 46-30. The Hoosiers hit seven of their final eight shots before the break, putting Ohio State in the biggest halftime hole they’ve been in all season long. Hood-Schifino had 20 first-half points for Indiana — racking up his third 20-point game of the season after just the first half tonight. Sensabaugh had 12 first-half points and was Ohio State’s only double-digit scorer in the first half.
Ohio State had an opportunity to cut the lead back to 10 points when they were down 51-39 with 15:58 remaining, but Thornton was unable to get the ball in below Ohio State’s basket and they were called for a five-second violation. Indiana then outscored Ohio State 12-7 over the next several minutes and led 63-46 at the under-12 media timeout.
More basketball certainly happened over the final 12 or so minutes of this game, but Ohio State wasn’t in this game for a single second during the second half. On the rare occasion that Sensabaugh scored for the Buckeyes, the Hoosiers almost always answered it at the other end immediately — making it impossible to mount a comeback. The Buckeyes end their brutal seven-game stretch (five on the road, two at home) with a record of 1-6.
If you weren’t around tonight to catch Ohio State’s seventh loss in their last eight games, here’s a few of the big plays and runs that carried the Hoosiers to their big victory and extended their winning streak to five games.
Sensabaugh and Hood Schifino are the two most talented freshmen in the Big Ten and are both likely first-round NBA draft picks in a few months. Both freshmen scored five points before the very first timeout of the game Saturday night — Sensabaugh had five of Ohio State’s nine, while Hood-Schifino had Indiana’s first five points of the game.
And the scoring didn’t stop there. Hood-Schifino — who scored a combined eight points in the Hoosiers’ last two games — kept it going, racking up 11 points over the first six minutes. Sensabaugh splashed another three to get Ohio State back within a point after they’d fallen behind by four. By the under-12 media timeout, Sensabaugh had eight of Ohio State’s 14 and Hood-Schifino had 11 of IU’s 15.
IU’s star freshman guard hadn’t scored 14 points since Indiana’s win over Wisconsin on January 14, but he did that in just over nine minutes during tonight’s game. A loose ball that resulted in a wrestling match between Isaac Likekele and Jackson-Davis was called a jump ball, and the Hoosiers got possession. They ran their out-of-bounds play to Hood-Schifino in the corner, who drained a triple from directly in front of Ohio State’s bench.
Hood-Schifino turned around and said something to Chris Holtmann, as he’d just tied the game at 18 with a bit over 10 minutes remaining in the first half.
With the game tied 21-21 and 7:50 remaining in the first half, Thompson tried an over-the-shoulder floater that was no good. IU’s Banks corralled the miss and put it back up for a basket and was fouled by Thornton.
Chris Holtmann lost his marbles at the foul call and was issued a technical foul immediately, and Tamar Bates hit both free throws. Banks missed his free throw (for the foul on Thornton), but Sensabaugh slipped and fell after the rebound. Indiana got the ball back, and Malik Reneau scored below the basket to make it 27-21 Hoosiers.
Reneau flew under the radar, but the 6-foot-9 freshman from Miami tied his career-high with 15 points on 6-10 shooting over 23 minutes. He also had eight rebounds, three assists, and one steal.
With Ohio State down 29-23 with just over six minutes remaining until halftime, McNeil went on a 6-0 run all on his lonesome, single-handedly tying the game at 29.
McNeil hit a long two and was fouled by Kopp with 6:27 until halftime, getting Ohio State back within three. points. On Ohio State’s, very next possession McNeil hit a baseline floater and was fouled by Bates, hitting the free throw with 5:37 left until halftime to knot things up at 29-all.
McNeil struggled mightily outside of that stretch, however, and finished with nine points on 3-11 shooting (including 0-5 from three) over 31 minutes.
After McNeil tied the game at 29, the Hoosiers closed the half on a 17-1 run over the final 5:37 to put them up 46-30 going to the locker room. Five different Hoosiers scored during that run, headlined by six points from TJD. Indiana hit seven of their final eight shots before the break and shot 48.6% in the first half to Ohio State’s 34.5%.
There wasn’t much to talk about in the second half of this game, since Indiana put this thing away before halftime. But I guess it’s noteworthy that Zed Key knocked one down from beyond the arc, because that’s fun.
After TJD dunked to open the second half for IU and put the Hoosiers up 48-30, Key was left open on the right wing (for good reason, probably). Down nearly 20 points, Key said “screw it” and took one with plenty of time and nobody in his face. He canned it, and it was his first made three since December 17 against North Carolina. Ohio State still trailed 48-33, however.
Key finished with 12 points on 4-6 shooting over 26 minutes, and also had four rebounds.
Ohio State (11-10, 3-7) returns home and will play three of its next four games in Columbus, starting with Wisconsin (12-8, 4-6) on Thursday night. The Badgers lost to Illinois Saturday afternoon, 61-51, and are in the middle of a three-game losing streak.
Ohio State’s game against the Badgers will tip off at 7 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on FS1.
Continue reading...
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
The first 15 minuted were fun-ish... the rest was not.
The good news: Ohio State’s game Saturday night closed out a stretch where the Buckeyes (11-10, 3-7) played four of five games on the road. After this one, Chris Holtmann’s squad returns home to play three of their next four games in Columbus.
The bad news: To close this gruesome stretch with a 2-3 record, Ohio State was tasked with walking into a raucous Saturday night crowd at Assembly Hall and emerging victorious. After a horrid start to the season, the Hoosiers (15-6, 6-4) came into this game as winners of four straight. Star forward Trayce-Jackson Davis has averaged 27.3 points, 14.3 rebounds, and just under five blocks per game during the winning streak — the best basketball of his career.
And wouldn’t you know it, TJD and his friends let Ohio State have it on Saturday night, too, sending the Buckeyes to their seventh loss in their last eight games, 86-70. Jalen Hood-Schifino led Indiana in scoring with 24 points — 20 of which were in the first half alone. Brice Sensabaugh had 23 for the Buckeyes.
Chris Holtmann went with the same starting lineup he relied on early in the season, going with Bruce Thornton, Sean McNeil, Sensabaugh, Justice Sueing, and Zed Key. Mike Woodson — who returned to the bench after missing Indiana’s last game with an illness — went with a starting five of Trey Galloway, Hood-Schifino, Miller Kopp, Race Thompson, and Jackson-Davis.
Ohio State took control early, taking a 9-2 lead before Hood-Schifino buried a deep three-pointer from the left wing to make it a 9-5 game heading into the first media timeout at the 15:42 mark. Both Hood-Schifino and Sensabaugh had five points by the first media timeout, but Indiana’s star freshman did it in two shots (2-2) while it took Sensabaugh five (2-5).
The two teams played to a tie until the eight-minute mark, but after Thompson missed a layup, IU’s Kaleb Banks corralled the miss and put it back up, scoring over the top of Thornton. Thornton was called for the foul, and Holtmann was irate. The Ohio State head coach was issued a technical foul after he went after a referee, and Indiana hit two of the three free throws to make it a 25-21 Indiana lead with 7:50 left in the first half.
TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS@TrayceJackson x @IndianaMBB pic.twitter.com/oli6tHr48N
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) January 29, 2023
Ohio State tied the game momentarily, but Indiana closed the first half on a 17-1 run (!) to go into halftime up 46-30. The Hoosiers hit seven of their final eight shots before the break, putting Ohio State in the biggest halftime hole they’ve been in all season long. Hood-Schifino had 20 first-half points for Indiana — racking up his third 20-point game of the season after just the first half tonight. Sensabaugh had 12 first-half points and was Ohio State’s only double-digit scorer in the first half.
Ohio State had an opportunity to cut the lead back to 10 points when they were down 51-39 with 15:58 remaining, but Thornton was unable to get the ball in below Ohio State’s basket and they were called for a five-second violation. Indiana then outscored Ohio State 12-7 over the next several minutes and led 63-46 at the under-12 media timeout.
More basketball certainly happened over the final 12 or so minutes of this game, but Ohio State wasn’t in this game for a single second during the second half. On the rare occasion that Sensabaugh scored for the Buckeyes, the Hoosiers almost always answered it at the other end immediately — making it impossible to mount a comeback. The Buckeyes end their brutal seven-game stretch (five on the road, two at home) with a record of 1-6.
If you weren’t around tonight to catch Ohio State’s seventh loss in their last eight games, here’s a few of the big plays and runs that carried the Hoosiers to their big victory and extended their winning streak to five games.
Diaper dandies, baby! (in my best Dickie V voice)
Sensabaugh and Hood Schifino are the two most talented freshmen in the Big Ten and are both likely first-round NBA draft picks in a few months. Both freshmen scored five points before the very first timeout of the game Saturday night — Sensabaugh had five of Ohio State’s nine, while Hood-Schifino had Indiana’s first five points of the game.
And the scoring didn’t stop there. Hood-Schifino — who scored a combined eight points in the Hoosiers’ last two games — kept it going, racking up 11 points over the first six minutes. Sensabaugh splashed another three to get Ohio State back within a point after they’d fallen behind by four. By the under-12 media timeout, Sensabaugh had eight of Ohio State’s 14 and Hood-Schifino had 11 of IU’s 15.
Hood-Schifino the first-half terror
JHS has attempted 5⃣ early 3s.
The freshman has hit all of them.
The proof is here.@jalenhs x @IndianaMBB pic.twitter.com/JpyUAR9KuW
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) January 29, 2023
IU’s star freshman guard hadn’t scored 14 points since Indiana’s win over Wisconsin on January 14, but he did that in just over nine minutes during tonight’s game. A loose ball that resulted in a wrestling match between Isaac Likekele and Jackson-Davis was called a jump ball, and the Hoosiers got possession. They ran their out-of-bounds play to Hood-Schifino in the corner, who drained a triple from directly in front of Ohio State’s bench.
Hood-Schifino turned around and said something to Chris Holtmann, as he’d just tied the game at 18 with a bit over 10 minutes remaining in the first half.
Holtmann gets T’d up, Indiana extends the lead
With the game tied 21-21 and 7:50 remaining in the first half, Thompson tried an over-the-shoulder floater that was no good. IU’s Banks corralled the miss and put it back up for a basket and was fouled by Thornton.
Chris Holtmann lost his marbles at the foul call and was issued a technical foul immediately, and Tamar Bates hit both free throws. Banks missed his free throw (for the foul on Thornton), but Sensabaugh slipped and fell after the rebound. Indiana got the ball back, and Malik Reneau scored below the basket to make it 27-21 Hoosiers.
Reneau flew under the radar, but the 6-foot-9 freshman from Miami tied his career-high with 15 points on 6-10 shooting over 23 minutes. He also had eight rebounds, three assists, and one steal.
McNeil’s 6-0 run
With Ohio State down 29-23 with just over six minutes remaining until halftime, McNeil went on a 6-0 run all on his lonesome, single-handedly tying the game at 29.
McNeil hit a long two and was fouled by Kopp with 6:27 until halftime, getting Ohio State back within three. points. On Ohio State’s, very next possession McNeil hit a baseline floater and was fouled by Bates, hitting the free throw with 5:37 left until halftime to knot things up at 29-all.
McNeil struggled mightily outside of that stretch, however, and finished with nine points on 3-11 shooting (including 0-5 from three) over 31 minutes.
Indiana closes the half on a 17-1 run
After McNeil tied the game at 29, the Hoosiers closed the half on a 17-1 run over the final 5:37 to put them up 46-30 going to the locker room. Five different Hoosiers scored during that run, headlined by six points from TJD. Indiana hit seven of their final eight shots before the break and shot 48.6% in the first half to Ohio State’s 34.5%.
Key hit a three?
There wasn’t much to talk about in the second half of this game, since Indiana put this thing away before halftime. But I guess it’s noteworthy that Zed Key knocked one down from beyond the arc, because that’s fun.
After TJD dunked to open the second half for IU and put the Hoosiers up 48-30, Key was left open on the right wing (for good reason, probably). Down nearly 20 points, Key said “screw it” and took one with plenty of time and nobody in his face. He canned it, and it was his first made three since December 17 against North Carolina. Ohio State still trailed 48-33, however.
Key finished with 12 points on 4-6 shooting over 26 minutes, and also had four rebounds.
Up Next:
Ohio State (11-10, 3-7) returns home and will play three of its next four games in Columbus, starting with Wisconsin (12-8, 4-6) on Thursday night. The Badgers lost to Illinois Saturday afternoon, 61-51, and are in the middle of a three-game losing streak.
Ohio State’s game against the Badgers will tip off at 7 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on FS1.
Continue reading...
LGHL Column: Should Bronny James commit to Ohio State?
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Column: Should Bronny James commit to Ohio State?
meganhusslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
The Buckeyes could definitely use him.
The biggest name in high school basketball has yet to make a decision on where he will play college basketball. Bronny James has announced that Oregon, USC and Ohio State are his final three schools, and is expected to announce his decision at the end of Sierra Canyon’s season. Should/could/will he end up as a Buckeye?
First off, how good is Bronny, really? There’s a lot of people who say he’s only getting recruited because of his name, but most experts agree that he is a top-50 player in the nation. He was previously a five-star recruit before being bumped down to a four-star. However, he has maintained his top-50 status for the entirety of his high school career, which is an impressive feat.
So, no, he’s not the best player in his class. Kentucky and Duke aren’t giving him any offers. However, he has shown flashes of greatness. He is a bit of a streaky player, going off for a few games in a row and then settling back down for a couple of games. Experts say that he isn’t always the dynamic playmaker like his dad is, but every time he asserts himself as that, he shows how good he really is.
He is a very selfless player, a true team player. However, it seems that sometimes that selflessness translates to timidness. The all-around talent is there, but he just needs to consistently play more aggressive.
Everyone is wondering what the next steps are for him. As previously mentioned, he is a very solid player who definitely will start at a Power 5 school. The question is, which one?
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24392658/usa_today_19645027.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
John Hulkenberg/ThisWeek / USA TODAY NETWORK
His recruitment and decision-making process has been very hush hush, so truly the James family are the only people who knows what he is going to do. There’s rumors of playing in the G League, going overseas or, the most obvious option, taking the college route.
I do believe he will play in college for a few reasons. He seems to be truly a team-first player, and so you’d think he would really enjoy the college environment and the goal of winning a national championship. Additionally, as a push for him to choose the Buckeyes, Ohio State is a Nike campus, and with his father’s ties to Nike, it would be nice for him to stay with the Nike family.
Also, the NIL money he could reel in as a student-athlete would probably be historic, not that that matters to him too much. But still, something to consider.
I think Ohio State would be a great fit for Bronny, and I believe there is a real chance he chooses the Buckeyes. Obviously, with Lebron growing up in Akron and being a lifelong Buckeye fan, one would think that Ohio State would have a slight edge over USC and Oregon alone just because of that — but who knows!
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24392660/usa_today_18982726.jpg "NCAA Football: Notre Dame at Ohio State")
Kyle Robertson-USA TODAY Sports
From a basketball standpoint, the Buckeyes could use him. There is only one other guard in the 2023 recruiting class in four-star Taison Chatman. Barring any transfers, the only guards on the roster next year are Bruce Thornton, Gene Brown and Roddy Gayle Jr. Ohio State is clearly still trying to figure out the lineup that works best for them, and it is possible that Bronny could be the answer they are looking for.
So, should he commit to Ohio State? Yes! Could he? I think it’s definitely possible. Will he? Thats the answer we are all waiting for.
I think the Buckeyes have a really good chance as of now, but again, we don’t know the internal talks he is having with his family about what is best for him. I obviously want him to go wherever is best for him, but selfishly, it would be great to see Lebron James Jr. in scarlet and gray.
Continue reading...
meganhusslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
The Buckeyes could definitely use him.
The biggest name in high school basketball has yet to make a decision on where he will play college basketball. Bronny James has announced that Oregon, USC and Ohio State are his final three schools, and is expected to announce his decision at the end of Sierra Canyon’s season. Should/could/will he end up as a Buckeye?
First off, how good is Bronny, really? There’s a lot of people who say he’s only getting recruited because of his name, but most experts agree that he is a top-50 player in the nation. He was previously a five-star recruit before being bumped down to a four-star. However, he has maintained his top-50 status for the entirety of his high school career, which is an impressive feat.
So, no, he’s not the best player in his class. Kentucky and Duke aren’t giving him any offers. However, he has shown flashes of greatness. He is a bit of a streaky player, going off for a few games in a row and then settling back down for a couple of games. Experts say that he isn’t always the dynamic playmaker like his dad is, but every time he asserts himself as that, he shows how good he really is.
He is a very selfless player, a true team player. However, it seems that sometimes that selflessness translates to timidness. The all-around talent is there, but he just needs to consistently play more aggressive.
Everyone is wondering what the next steps are for him. As previously mentioned, he is a very solid player who definitely will start at a Power 5 school. The question is, which one?
His recruitment and decision-making process has been very hush hush, so truly the James family are the only people who knows what he is going to do. There’s rumors of playing in the G League, going overseas or, the most obvious option, taking the college route.
I do believe he will play in college for a few reasons. He seems to be truly a team-first player, and so you’d think he would really enjoy the college environment and the goal of winning a national championship. Additionally, as a push for him to choose the Buckeyes, Ohio State is a Nike campus, and with his father’s ties to Nike, it would be nice for him to stay with the Nike family.
Also, the NIL money he could reel in as a student-athlete would probably be historic, not that that matters to him too much. But still, something to consider.
I think Ohio State would be a great fit for Bronny, and I believe there is a real chance he chooses the Buckeyes. Obviously, with Lebron growing up in Akron and being a lifelong Buckeye fan, one would think that Ohio State would have a slight edge over USC and Oregon alone just because of that — but who knows!
From a basketball standpoint, the Buckeyes could use him. There is only one other guard in the 2023 recruiting class in four-star Taison Chatman. Barring any transfers, the only guards on the roster next year are Bruce Thornton, Gene Brown and Roddy Gayle Jr. Ohio State is clearly still trying to figure out the lineup that works best for them, and it is possible that Bronny could be the answer they are looking for.
So, should he commit to Ohio State? Yes! Could he? I think it’s definitely possible. Will he? Thats the answer we are all waiting for.
I think the Buckeyes have a really good chance as of now, but again, we don’t know the internal talks he is having with his family about what is best for him. I obviously want him to go wherever is best for him, but selfishly, it would be great to see Lebron James Jr. in scarlet and gray.
Continue reading...
Ohio State at Indiana, Jan 28th, 8 PM EST, FOX
- By ScriptOhio
- Buckeye Basketball
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Prediction: Indiana 72, Ohio State 67
The Sensabaugh matchup is of the most concern for Indiana. The Hoosiers have struggled to contain wing scorers with the most recent example being Jamison Battle on Wednesday in Minneapolis.
Indiana is playing with a lot of confidence and Trayce Jackson-Davis has been playing as well as anyone in the country. He’ll be a tough cover for Ohio State, particularly with Key less than 100 percent healthy. With a road trip to Maryland (unbeaten at home in league play) looming followed by home games against Purdue and Rutgers, the Hoosiers would be well served to take care of business on Saturday night and keep momentum rolling.
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HOW IT PLAYS OUT
LINE: INDIANA -3.5, O/U: 145.5
Ohio State hasn’t won a game at Assembly hall in four years, and given how well Jackson-Davis and company have been playing in recent weeks, it will be tough for the Buckeyes to break that streak on Saturday.Prediction: Indiana 72, Ohio State 67
What to Expect: Ohio State at Indiana
Indiana will seek its fifth straight victory when it hosts Ohio State on Saturday night at Assembly Hall.
www.insidethehall.com
WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO
The KenPom projection is Indiana by three with a 61 percent chance of victory. The Sagarin numbers like the Hoosiers by 3.5 points.The Sensabaugh matchup is of the most concern for Indiana. The Hoosiers have struggled to contain wing scorers with the most recent example being Jamison Battle on Wednesday in Minneapolis.
Indiana is playing with a lot of confidence and Trayce Jackson-Davis has been playing as well as anyone in the country. He’ll be a tough cover for Ohio State, particularly with Key less than 100 percent healthy. With a road trip to Maryland (unbeaten at home in league play) looming followed by home games against Purdue and Rutgers, the Hoosiers would be well served to take care of business on Saturday night and keep momentum rolling.
LGHL Ohio State men’s basketball vs. Indiana: Game preview and prediction
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Ohio State men’s basketball vs. Indiana: Game preview and prediction
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
After playing at Illinois on Tuesday, Ohio State is on the road again tonight battling the Indiana Hoosiers in Bloomington.
Following last Saturday’s win over Iowa that snapped a five-game losing streak, Ohio State wasn’t able to keep the good vibes rolling, falling 69-60 at Illinois on Tuesday night. The Buckeyes had no answer for what the Fighting Illini threw at them, falling behind by as many as 17 points in the second half. Now Ohio State has another tough road test tonight when they take on the Indiana Hoosiers at Assembly Hall in Bloomington.
The performance from Chris Holtmann’s team in Champaign on Tuesday night left a lot to be desired. There was very little energy and urgency from the Buckeyes, who are looking at an uphill battle if they want to earn an NCAA Tournament bid. Ohio State shot just 36.7 percent from the field, and were outrebounded 44-30 by Illinois. Only two Buckeyes reached double figures in scoring in the game. Brice Sensabaugh finished with a team-high 14 points, while Justice Sueing added 13 points in 21 minutes off the bench.
With his scoring output on Tuesday night, Sueing is now just 10 points away from 1,500 career points. 604 of his 1,490 career points have come during his time at Ohio State. Smart money is on Sueing reaching the career milestone tonight. Not only is Sueing averaging 13 points per game this year, he has failed to reach double figures in scoring in just six of the 20 games he has planned in this year.
Meanwhile, Sensabaugh leads Ohio State in scoring, averaging 17.4 points per game. Sensabaugh also leads Big Ten freshmen in scoring this year. Earlier this week, Sensabaugh was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week, marking the fourth time this year he has earned the honor. No matter how the season plays out for the Buckeyes, Sensabaugh is making a strong case to be named the Big Ten’s Freshman of the Year.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24391417/usa_today_19859362.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Indiana at Minnesota")
Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
Tonight Ohio State will travel to Bloomington for their only meeting of the regular season with Indiana. Last year the schools split their meetings, with the Hoosiers winning 67-51 at Assembly Hall, and the Buckeyes earning a victory in the return leg in Columbus, winning 80-69 in overtime. Indiana leads the all-time series 109-88, but Ohio State has won six of the last eight meetings with the Hoosiers.
After a three-game losing streak, Mike Woodson’s team has righted the ship with a four-game winning streak. The most recent of those victories came on Wednesday night, when the Hoosiers escaped Minneapolis with a 61-57 win over Minnesota. Not only did Indiana survive the upset attempt from the Golden Gophers, they did so without Woodson on the bench, as the head coach of the Hoosiers missed the game while recovering from COVID-19.
Powering Indiana to victory on Wednesday was Trayce Jackson-Davis, the Big Ten’s reigning Player of the Week. The junior is stating his case to be in the conversation for National Player of the Year with his play of late. During Indiana’s four-game winning streak, Jackson-Davis is averaging 27.3 points per game, 14.3 rebounds per game, and 4.8 blocks per game.
By scoring 25 points, pulling down 21 rebounds, and swatting six shots on Wednesday, Jackson-Davis became the first player to score at least 25 points, record 20 rebounds, and block at least five shots in a game since Hasheem Thabeet did so for UConn in 2009. Jackson-Davis’ layup with 43 seconds to go ended up being the game-winning bucket, giving the Hoosiers a 59-57 lead.
Indiana has needed Jackson-Davis to step up becasue they have had to deal with a couple injuries over the last month. Pitt transfer Xavier Johnson hasn’t played since mid-December, and is out indefinitely with a foot injury. Race Thompson suffered a knee injury earlier this month that caused him to miss four games. The senior has appeared in the last two games, but Wednesday night’s game was the first time since before Christmas that he was on the court for more than 10 minutes in a game. Thompson is averaging 7.6 points per game and 5.6 rebounds per game this year.
If teams are able to put clamps on Jackson-Davis, Indiana is a very beatable team because they don’t have consistent production behind him. Even though Jalen Hood-Schifino is the team’s second-leading scorer with 12.1 points per game, the guard is still only a freshman. Hood-Schfinio has had a hard time getting any offense going over the last two games. Prior to scoring just six points on 2-11 shooting from the field against Minnesota, he only scored two points on 1-6 shooting in a win over Michigan State.
A familiar name in this game is Miller Kopp, who transferred to Indiana prior to last season after spending the first three years of his college career at Northwestern. With 11 points in Wednesday night’s win over Minnesota, Kopp eclipsed 1,200 points in his college career. The scoring output from Kopp against the Golden Gophers was the first time in over a month that he has scored more than 10 points in a game. Before transferring to Indiana, Kopp had three games against Ohio State where he scored at least 16 points against the Buckeyes.
A few other players that play important roles for the Hoosiers are Tamar Bates, Trey Galloway, and Malik Reneau. Lately it has been either all or nothing from Bates, with the sophomore guard posting goose eggs in the scoring column in three of the last five games, but scoring 11 points against Penn State, and 17 points against Michigan State in those other two games. Bates is a threat from behind the arc, as he has three games where he has hit at least our three-pointers this year.
While Galloway hasn’t been shutout from scoring in as many games, the Hoosiers are going to need more consistency from the guard if they want to make a run in the NCAA Tournament. To round out the group, Reneau gave Indiana a lift off the bench on Wednesday, scoring 10 points in 12 minutes of action.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24386168/usa_today_19850453.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Ohio State at Illinois")
Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
It is very difficult to have any confidence in Ohio State right now, especially on the road in a tough environment like Assembly Hall. If the Buckeyes can’t respond with even the slightest bit of effort on Tuesday at Illinois after snapping a five-game losing streak, there isn’t a lot of hope for Ohio State to show much energy tonight against Indiana and one of college basketball’s top talents.
If Ohio State wants to have any shot at winning in Bloomington tonight, they need to slow down Jackson-Davis. Even though Jackson-Davis is on a heater right now, the Buckeyes do have some experience at taking on some of the top bigs in the country and not letting them have a ton of success. Earlier this month Ohio State took Purdue down to the wire, holding Zach Edey to 16 points and 11 rebounds, which is actually pretty tame compared to what Edey has been able to do to some other Big Ten teams.
Ohio State feels like the more complete team than Indiana, the issue is for whatever reason the parts aren’t fitting together for the Buckeyes. Brice Sensabaugh and Justice Sueing have done their part, but there needs to be a few more of their teammates that step up on both ends of the floor. Injuries have kept Zed Key from reaching the levels we saw from him earlier in the season, while Sean McNeil and Issac Likekele have been inconsistent.
The Buckeyes desperately need to win this game, especially with three of their next four games at home, if they want to give themselves any shot of making the NCAA Tournament with an at-large bid. Unfortunately, asking Ohio State to slow a streaking Jackson-Davis and beat Indiana on their own floor is just a little too tall of a task for Chris Holtmann’s team.
ESPN BPI: Indiana 63.4%
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
TV: FOX
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After playing at Illinois on Tuesday, Ohio State is on the road again tonight battling the Indiana Hoosiers in Bloomington.
Following last Saturday’s win over Iowa that snapped a five-game losing streak, Ohio State wasn’t able to keep the good vibes rolling, falling 69-60 at Illinois on Tuesday night. The Buckeyes had no answer for what the Fighting Illini threw at them, falling behind by as many as 17 points in the second half. Now Ohio State has another tough road test tonight when they take on the Indiana Hoosiers at Assembly Hall in Bloomington.
The performance from Chris Holtmann’s team in Champaign on Tuesday night left a lot to be desired. There was very little energy and urgency from the Buckeyes, who are looking at an uphill battle if they want to earn an NCAA Tournament bid. Ohio State shot just 36.7 percent from the field, and were outrebounded 44-30 by Illinois. Only two Buckeyes reached double figures in scoring in the game. Brice Sensabaugh finished with a team-high 14 points, while Justice Sueing added 13 points in 21 minutes off the bench.
With his scoring output on Tuesday night, Sueing is now just 10 points away from 1,500 career points. 604 of his 1,490 career points have come during his time at Ohio State. Smart money is on Sueing reaching the career milestone tonight. Not only is Sueing averaging 13 points per game this year, he has failed to reach double figures in scoring in just six of the 20 games he has planned in this year.
Meanwhile, Sensabaugh leads Ohio State in scoring, averaging 17.4 points per game. Sensabaugh also leads Big Ten freshmen in scoring this year. Earlier this week, Sensabaugh was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week, marking the fourth time this year he has earned the honor. No matter how the season plays out for the Buckeyes, Sensabaugh is making a strong case to be named the Big Ten’s Freshman of the Year.
Preview
Tonight Ohio State will travel to Bloomington for their only meeting of the regular season with Indiana. Last year the schools split their meetings, with the Hoosiers winning 67-51 at Assembly Hall, and the Buckeyes earning a victory in the return leg in Columbus, winning 80-69 in overtime. Indiana leads the all-time series 109-88, but Ohio State has won six of the last eight meetings with the Hoosiers.
After a three-game losing streak, Mike Woodson’s team has righted the ship with a four-game winning streak. The most recent of those victories came on Wednesday night, when the Hoosiers escaped Minneapolis with a 61-57 win over Minnesota. Not only did Indiana survive the upset attempt from the Golden Gophers, they did so without Woodson on the bench, as the head coach of the Hoosiers missed the game while recovering from COVID-19.
Powering Indiana to victory on Wednesday was Trayce Jackson-Davis, the Big Ten’s reigning Player of the Week. The junior is stating his case to be in the conversation for National Player of the Year with his play of late. During Indiana’s four-game winning streak, Jackson-Davis is averaging 27.3 points per game, 14.3 rebounds per game, and 4.8 blocks per game.
By scoring 25 points, pulling down 21 rebounds, and swatting six shots on Wednesday, Jackson-Davis became the first player to score at least 25 points, record 20 rebounds, and block at least five shots in a game since Hasheem Thabeet did so for UConn in 2009. Jackson-Davis’ layup with 43 seconds to go ended up being the game-winning bucket, giving the Hoosiers a 59-57 lead.
Indiana has needed Jackson-Davis to step up becasue they have had to deal with a couple injuries over the last month. Pitt transfer Xavier Johnson hasn’t played since mid-December, and is out indefinitely with a foot injury. Race Thompson suffered a knee injury earlier this month that caused him to miss four games. The senior has appeared in the last two games, but Wednesday night’s game was the first time since before Christmas that he was on the court for more than 10 minutes in a game. Thompson is averaging 7.6 points per game and 5.6 rebounds per game this year.
If teams are able to put clamps on Jackson-Davis, Indiana is a very beatable team because they don’t have consistent production behind him. Even though Jalen Hood-Schifino is the team’s second-leading scorer with 12.1 points per game, the guard is still only a freshman. Hood-Schfinio has had a hard time getting any offense going over the last two games. Prior to scoring just six points on 2-11 shooting from the field against Minnesota, he only scored two points on 1-6 shooting in a win over Michigan State.
A familiar name in this game is Miller Kopp, who transferred to Indiana prior to last season after spending the first three years of his college career at Northwestern. With 11 points in Wednesday night’s win over Minnesota, Kopp eclipsed 1,200 points in his college career. The scoring output from Kopp against the Golden Gophers was the first time in over a month that he has scored more than 10 points in a game. Before transferring to Indiana, Kopp had three games against Ohio State where he scored at least 16 points against the Buckeyes.
A few other players that play important roles for the Hoosiers are Tamar Bates, Trey Galloway, and Malik Reneau. Lately it has been either all or nothing from Bates, with the sophomore guard posting goose eggs in the scoring column in three of the last five games, but scoring 11 points against Penn State, and 17 points against Michigan State in those other two games. Bates is a threat from behind the arc, as he has three games where he has hit at least our three-pointers this year.
While Galloway hasn’t been shutout from scoring in as many games, the Hoosiers are going to need more consistency from the guard if they want to make a run in the NCAA Tournament. To round out the group, Reneau gave Indiana a lift off the bench on Wednesday, scoring 10 points in 12 minutes of action.
Prediction
It is very difficult to have any confidence in Ohio State right now, especially on the road in a tough environment like Assembly Hall. If the Buckeyes can’t respond with even the slightest bit of effort on Tuesday at Illinois after snapping a five-game losing streak, there isn’t a lot of hope for Ohio State to show much energy tonight against Indiana and one of college basketball’s top talents.
If Ohio State wants to have any shot at winning in Bloomington tonight, they need to slow down Jackson-Davis. Even though Jackson-Davis is on a heater right now, the Buckeyes do have some experience at taking on some of the top bigs in the country and not letting them have a ton of success. Earlier this month Ohio State took Purdue down to the wire, holding Zach Edey to 16 points and 11 rebounds, which is actually pretty tame compared to what Edey has been able to do to some other Big Ten teams.
Ohio State feels like the more complete team than Indiana, the issue is for whatever reason the parts aren’t fitting together for the Buckeyes. Brice Sensabaugh and Justice Sueing have done their part, but there needs to be a few more of their teammates that step up on both ends of the floor. Injuries have kept Zed Key from reaching the levels we saw from him earlier in the season, while Sean McNeil and Issac Likekele have been inconsistent.
The Buckeyes desperately need to win this game, especially with three of their next four games at home, if they want to give themselves any shot of making the NCAA Tournament with an at-large bid. Unfortunately, asking Ohio State to slow a streaking Jackson-Davis and beat Indiana on their own floor is just a little too tall of a task for Chris Holtmann’s team.
ESPN BPI: Indiana 63.4%
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
TV: FOX
LGHL score prediction: Indiana 77, Ohio State 68
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