No. 16 Ohio State basketball vs. Rutgers preview: TV info, key players, stats, prediction
Updated 6:05 AM; Posted 6:00 AM
CBK Value City Arena, OH
PRE-GAME
RutgersScarlet Knights
-
Ohio StateBuckeyes
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Ohio State Buckeyes
Total
Tue Feb 20 Status: Pre-Game
0shares
By Bill Landis, cleveland.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State basketball plays its final home game on Tuesday against Rutgers. Here's everything you need to know before tip-off:
GAME INFORMATION
Who: Rutgers Scarlet Knights (13-16, 3-13 Big Ten) at No. 16 Ohio State Buckeyes (22-7, 13-3).
When: Tuesday, 7 p.m.
Where: Value City Arena.
TV: Big Ten Network, with Lisa Byington and Robbie Hummel on the call.
Latest line: Ohio State (-16).
PROJECTED STARTERS
Rutgers: G Geo Baker (6-4, Fr., 10.9 ppg); G Corey Sanders (6-2, Jr., 14.2 ppg); G Issa Thiam (6-9, Soph., 7.4 ppg); F Eugene Omoruyi (6-6, Soph., 7.9 ppg); F Mamadou Doucore (6-9, Fr., 2.9 ppg).
* Full Rutgers stats
Ohio State: G C.J. Jackson (6-2, Jr., 12.2 ppg); F Andre Wesson (6-6, Soph., 2.8 ppg); F Jae'Sean Tate (6-4, Sr., 12.7 ppg); F Keita Bates-Diop (6-7, Jr., 19.5 ppg); C Kaleb Wesson (6-9, Fr., 10.9 ppg).
* Full Ohio State stats
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
* Ohio State will be honoring four players on Tuesday as part of its Senior Day festivities. Jae'Sean Tate, Kam Williams, Andrew Dakich and Keita Bates-Diop will all be honored. Bates-Diop has junior eligibility, but has already graduated. The players will be honored with their families pregame. After the game, all four will have the opportunity to address the crowd along with head coach Chris Holtmann.
* The Buckeyes, losers of two straight, need a bounce back in the worst way. Rutgers will look to make that an uncomfortable endeavor. The Scarlet Knights are No. 17 in the country in KenPom's adjusted defensive efficiency, and No. 42 in defensive turnover percentage (21.2 percent). They're also awful offensively -- No. 308 in the country in offensive efficiency, No. 350 (out of 351 Division I teams) in effective field goal percentage. If there's an upset, it's because Rutgers defense will have been too much for Ohio State to handle.
* It wasn't the last time the teams met, a 68-46 Ohio State win at Rutgers on Jan. 14. OSU needs a game like this. Not that Rutgers it a total pushover, but this is the worst team in the league and the Buckeyes could use some feel-good after losses to Penn State and Michigan.
Keita Bates-Diop has labored through the past few games, seeing his efficiency drop against aggressive defenses. C.J. Jackson needs to find an offensive rhythm again, not as much scoring (though that would be good) but getting the offense back to the pace it had during an eight-game winning streak last month. Watch those two closely on Tuesday night.
* Fatigue seemed to creep in some for the Buckeyes on Sunday at Michigan. Tuesday's game will be their third game in six days. Rutgers has played one game in that stretch, and had an extra day to prep. How are Ohio State's legs?
http://www.cleveland.com/osu/2018/02/no_16_ohio_state_basketball_vs.html
* Andre Wesson remained in the starting lineup against Michigan, seeming to have fully taken over Kam Williams' spot among the first five after Willams' three-game suspension. Expect that to continue in principle, but Williams could get the start in his final game at Value City Arena.
* Another lineup thing to note: How much will sophomore center Micah Potter play? He didn't play at all against Michigan. Freshman Kyle Young played a season-high 22 minutes in that loss, taking Potter's place in the rotation. Holtmann said some if it had to do with matching up with Michigan. Potter had been playing about 10 minutes per game in Big Ten play.
* Ohio State is in second place in the Big Ten standings, one game behind Michigan State. The Spartans host Illinois on Tuesday (7 p.m., ESPN). A Michigan State loss and an Ohio State win puts the Buckeyes back in position to claim at least a share of the regular season championship.
Updated 6:05 AM; Posted 6:00 AM
CBK Value City Arena, OH
PRE-GAME
RutgersScarlet Knights
-
Ohio StateBuckeyes
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Ohio State Buckeyes
Total
Tue Feb 20 Status: Pre-Game
- GAME IS NOT LIVE YET.
0shares
By Bill Landis, cleveland.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State basketball plays its final home game on Tuesday against Rutgers. Here's everything you need to know before tip-off:
GAME INFORMATION
Who: Rutgers Scarlet Knights (13-16, 3-13 Big Ten) at No. 16 Ohio State Buckeyes (22-7, 13-3).
When: Tuesday, 7 p.m.
Where: Value City Arena.
TV: Big Ten Network, with Lisa Byington and Robbie Hummel on the call.
Latest line: Ohio State (-16).
PROJECTED STARTERS
Rutgers: G Geo Baker (6-4, Fr., 10.9 ppg); G Corey Sanders (6-2, Jr., 14.2 ppg); G Issa Thiam (6-9, Soph., 7.4 ppg); F Eugene Omoruyi (6-6, Soph., 7.9 ppg); F Mamadou Doucore (6-9, Fr., 2.9 ppg).
* Full Rutgers stats
Ohio State: G C.J. Jackson (6-2, Jr., 12.2 ppg); F Andre Wesson (6-6, Soph., 2.8 ppg); F Jae'Sean Tate (6-4, Sr., 12.7 ppg); F Keita Bates-Diop (6-7, Jr., 19.5 ppg); C Kaleb Wesson (6-9, Fr., 10.9 ppg).
* Full Ohio State stats
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
* Ohio State will be honoring four players on Tuesday as part of its Senior Day festivities. Jae'Sean Tate, Kam Williams, Andrew Dakich and Keita Bates-Diop will all be honored. Bates-Diop has junior eligibility, but has already graduated. The players will be honored with their families pregame. After the game, all four will have the opportunity to address the crowd along with head coach Chris Holtmann.
* The Buckeyes, losers of two straight, need a bounce back in the worst way. Rutgers will look to make that an uncomfortable endeavor. The Scarlet Knights are No. 17 in the country in KenPom's adjusted defensive efficiency, and No. 42 in defensive turnover percentage (21.2 percent). They're also awful offensively -- No. 308 in the country in offensive efficiency, No. 350 (out of 351 Division I teams) in effective field goal percentage. If there's an upset, it's because Rutgers defense will have been too much for Ohio State to handle.
* It wasn't the last time the teams met, a 68-46 Ohio State win at Rutgers on Jan. 14. OSU needs a game like this. Not that Rutgers it a total pushover, but this is the worst team in the league and the Buckeyes could use some feel-good after losses to Penn State and Michigan.
Keita Bates-Diop has labored through the past few games, seeing his efficiency drop against aggressive defenses. C.J. Jackson needs to find an offensive rhythm again, not as much scoring (though that would be good) but getting the offense back to the pace it had during an eight-game winning streak last month. Watch those two closely on Tuesday night.
* Fatigue seemed to creep in some for the Buckeyes on Sunday at Michigan. Tuesday's game will be their third game in six days. Rutgers has played one game in that stretch, and had an extra day to prep. How are Ohio State's legs?
http://www.cleveland.com/osu/2018/02/no_16_ohio_state_basketball_vs.html
* Andre Wesson remained in the starting lineup against Michigan, seeming to have fully taken over Kam Williams' spot among the first five after Willams' three-game suspension. Expect that to continue in principle, but Williams could get the start in his final game at Value City Arena.
* Another lineup thing to note: How much will sophomore center Micah Potter play? He didn't play at all against Michigan. Freshman Kyle Young played a season-high 22 minutes in that loss, taking Potter's place in the rotation. Holtmann said some if it had to do with matching up with Michigan. Potter had been playing about 10 minutes per game in Big Ten play.
* Ohio State is in second place in the Big Ten standings, one game behind Michigan State. The Spartans host Illinois on Tuesday (7 p.m., ESPN). A Michigan State loss and an Ohio State win puts the Buckeyes back in position to claim at least a share of the regular season championship.