Men’s Basketball: No. 25 Ohio State set to face Rutgers in Big Ten opener

The No. 25 Ohio State males’s basketball crew will tackle Rutgers on the Schottenstein Heart in its first convention matchup of the season. 

The Buckeyes (6-2) at present sit No. 7 within the Large Ten Convention, coming off a 96-59 win towards St. Francis Crimson Flashes Saturday. Ohio State final confronted off towards Rutgers Feb. 9 when the Scarlet Knights snapped the Buckeyes’ four-game profitable streak 66-64.

Head coach Chris Holtmann highlighted Rutgers’ improved protection, noting it is going to be a key issue into how the Buckeyes strategy the sport.

“I believe they’re probably the greatest defensive groups within the nation,” Holtmann stated. “It’s at all times very bodily with Steve’s [Pikiell] crew.”

Rutgers (6-2) comes off a 63-48 win Saturday towards No. 10 Indiana in its first convention matchup of the season. Pikiell has been with the crew since 2016 and took Rutgers to the NCAA Event final 12 months for the primary time since 1991.

Senior guard Cam Spencer leads Rutgers in assists and steals, and junior heart Clifford Omoruyi at present leads the Scarlet Knights behind 15.4 factors and 9.8 rebounds per sport and a team-best 14 blocks. 

“He’s probably the greatest bigs within the nation,” Holtmann stated. “Actually probably the greatest bigs within the Large Ten.”

The Scarlet Knights sit at No. 5 within the NCAA in scoring protection, holding groups to a mean of 54.1 factors per sport and a 35.4-percent subject objective proportion. 

Comparatively, the Buckeyes rank No. 63 within the NCAA in scoring protection, however rank No. 44 in whole offense whereas Rutgers doesn’t crack the highest 100. 

Freshman ahead Brice Sensabaugh at present leads the Buckeyes with 14.3 factors per sport, and stated there’s been “fixed progress” throughout the crew that includes 10 newcomers amongst its 14 rostered gamers.

“I really feel like we’ve gotten off to a very good begin as a crew,” Sensabaugh stated. “We’re a bunch of recent folks, and we’re gelling. All people’s effectively related, simply permitting the crew captains to steer us and all of us stepping into roles goes to be vital.”

Ohio State cracked the AP High 25 for the primary time this season earlier than its matchup towards then-No. 17 Duke within the ACC/Large Ten Problem, remaining at that spot after their 81-72 loss Nov. 30 to the Blue Devils.

Freshman guard Roddy Gayle Jr., averaging round 5 factors per sport this season, touched on the Buckeyes’ potential and discovering the correct mindset for the primary Large Ten matchup of the season.

“My mindset is to only play exhausting, to manage what you’ll be able to management and simply give every little thing you bought,” Gayle stated.

With the Rutgers matchup being the primary Large Ten outing of the season for Ohio State, Holtmann harassed the significance of specializing in the sport at hand. 

“I simply don’t get labored up about something exterior of how we’re performing this time of 12 months as a result of we obtained numerous video games in entrance of us,” Holtmann stated. “Loads of nice Large Ten video games that we’re going to play beginning on Thursday night time after which choosing again up in January.”

Ohio State suggestions off towards Rutgers Thursday on the Schottenstein Heart at 7 p.m. ESPN2 will broadcast.