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Ohio State Men’s Basketball vs. Michigan State: Game Preview and Prediction
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Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK
Can the Buckeyes end their road losing streak and pick up a big win in the process?
The Ohio State men’s basketball team (15-12, 5-11) has two more chances to secure a road win this season and break its program-record 17-straight road losses. One of those comes today at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan.
The Buckeyes will face the Michigan State Spartans (17-10, 9-7), who are coming off a disappointing loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes at home, snapping a three-game winning streak over Illinois, Penn State, and Michigan.
Michigan State came into the season ranked in the top five in the preseason poll, but outside of some flashes, this season in general has been disappointing for the Spartans. They want to end the season strong to establish their spot in the NCAA Tournament and avoid any slip-ups as the season finishes.
Ohio State fired its head coach, Chris Holtmann, a week and a half ago, and it has been a roller coaster ride ever since. The Buckeyes upset the No. 2 ranked Purdue Boilermakers last Sunday to start 1-0 with interim head coach Jake Diebler, but lost at Minnesota on Thursday night, 88-79.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25303584/usa_today_22590536.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Ohio State at Minnesota")
Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
Ohio State is led into this contest by sophomore point guard Bruce Thornton, averaging 16.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. Minnesota transfer Jamison Battle is averaging 14.2 points and 5.1 boards per contest, and sophomore guard Roddy Gayle averages 13.7 and 4.2, respectively. Battle has been the top shooter in the conference this season, as he leads the Big Ten in three-point percentage at 44.0 percent and three-pointers made at 73.
Michigan State is led by Tyson Walker, who has put up 18.3 points, 3.0 assists and 1.9 steals per game in his third season in East Lansing. Malik Hall averages 12.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, while A.J. Hoggard and Jaden Akins are averaging 11.3 and 11.0 points per contest, respectively.
This will be a challenge offensively for the Buckeyes, as the Spartans are second in the conference in defense, giving up only 66.2 points per game. The Buckeyes are ninth in scoring in the conference, scoring 74.2 points per game.
Michigan State has struggled to find any consistency this season, but the talent is undeniable, and they look like a team that can make a deep run in the tournament when all the wheels are clicking in order. Ohio State is just trying to find any type of footing this season, as they are going to finish under. 500 in conference play for the second-straight season.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25303588/usa_today_22523030.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Michigan State at Penn State")
Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports
Michigan State has two key advantages coming into this game. The first one is the obvious home-court advantage. Ohio State has lost 17 road games in a row, and is going into one of the toughest places to win in the conference.
The second one is rest. Ohio State played Thursday at 8:00 pm ET, while Michigan State played on Tuesday at 7:00 pm ET. Sometimes, the schedule shakes out a little weirdly, and this is one of those examples where the traveling team has over two days less rest time. That will make it more difficult for the Buckeyes to prepare for this one.
At this point, I will predict the Buckeyes lose every road game until they win one. They have two more opportunities this season, with this trip to Sparty and then the final game of the season at Rutgers. Eventually they will break the road losing streak, and it very well may be this game, but at some point you have to be shown something, and they have not shown me anything to predict them winning a road game — especially at the Breslin Center.
I think Ohio State will keep it close throughout, but a combination of Michigan State’s defense and Ohio State’s late-game execution struggles will give the Spartans a win.
ESPN BPI: Michigan State 84.4
Time: 4 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
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justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK
Can the Buckeyes end their road losing streak and pick up a big win in the process?
The Ohio State men’s basketball team (15-12, 5-11) has two more chances to secure a road win this season and break its program-record 17-straight road losses. One of those comes today at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan.
The Buckeyes will face the Michigan State Spartans (17-10, 9-7), who are coming off a disappointing loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes at home, snapping a three-game winning streak over Illinois, Penn State, and Michigan.
Michigan State came into the season ranked in the top five in the preseason poll, but outside of some flashes, this season in general has been disappointing for the Spartans. They want to end the season strong to establish their spot in the NCAA Tournament and avoid any slip-ups as the season finishes.
Ohio State fired its head coach, Chris Holtmann, a week and a half ago, and it has been a roller coaster ride ever since. The Buckeyes upset the No. 2 ranked Purdue Boilermakers last Sunday to start 1-0 with interim head coach Jake Diebler, but lost at Minnesota on Thursday night, 88-79.
Preview
Ohio State is led into this contest by sophomore point guard Bruce Thornton, averaging 16.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. Minnesota transfer Jamison Battle is averaging 14.2 points and 5.1 boards per contest, and sophomore guard Roddy Gayle averages 13.7 and 4.2, respectively. Battle has been the top shooter in the conference this season, as he leads the Big Ten in three-point percentage at 44.0 percent and three-pointers made at 73.
Michigan State is led by Tyson Walker, who has put up 18.3 points, 3.0 assists and 1.9 steals per game in his third season in East Lansing. Malik Hall averages 12.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, while A.J. Hoggard and Jaden Akins are averaging 11.3 and 11.0 points per contest, respectively.
This will be a challenge offensively for the Buckeyes, as the Spartans are second in the conference in defense, giving up only 66.2 points per game. The Buckeyes are ninth in scoring in the conference, scoring 74.2 points per game.
Michigan State has struggled to find any consistency this season, but the talent is undeniable, and they look like a team that can make a deep run in the tournament when all the wheels are clicking in order. Ohio State is just trying to find any type of footing this season, as they are going to finish under. 500 in conference play for the second-straight season.
Prediction
Michigan State has two key advantages coming into this game. The first one is the obvious home-court advantage. Ohio State has lost 17 road games in a row, and is going into one of the toughest places to win in the conference.
The second one is rest. Ohio State played Thursday at 8:00 pm ET, while Michigan State played on Tuesday at 7:00 pm ET. Sometimes, the schedule shakes out a little weirdly, and this is one of those examples where the traveling team has over two days less rest time. That will make it more difficult for the Buckeyes to prepare for this one.
At this point, I will predict the Buckeyes lose every road game until they win one. They have two more opportunities this season, with this trip to Sparty and then the final game of the season at Rutgers. Eventually they will break the road losing streak, and it very well may be this game, but at some point you have to be shown something, and they have not shown me anything to predict them winning a road game — especially at the Breslin Center.
I think Ohio State will keep it close throughout, but a combination of Michigan State’s defense and Ohio State’s late-game execution struggles will give the Spartans a win.
ESPN BPI: Michigan State 84.4
Time: 4 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
LGHL Score Prediction: Michigan State 70, Ohio State 64
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