The Drought is Over
Caleb Downs scores Ohio State’s first punt return touchdown since 2014.
Ohio State is hopeful this test goes better than the previous one.
The last time we saw the 12th-ranked Buckeyes on the national stage against a ranked team, they looked lost. At least it was that way in the first half against Louisville back on Dec. 2 as Ohio State fell behind early and couldn't overcome an 18-point halftime deficit.
| WHO | WHERE | WHEN | TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. 24 North Carolina (7-3) | United Center (Chicago) | 1 p.m. | CBS |
Since that loss to the Cardinals, the Buckeyes have regrouped. They've rattled off four straight wins, all of which by at least 16 points. It was against less-than-stellar competition, but it's safe to say Ohio State is rolling once again.
Now sitting at 9-1 on the season, the Buckeyes are set to face their second true test on the young season as they take on 24th-ranked North Carolina (7-3) today at the United Center in Chicago as part of the inaugural CBS Sports Classic.
It's the first year of the four-team event which also features UCLA and Kentucky. That matchup will take place approximately 3:30 p.m., following the Buckeyes and Tar Heels. The CBS Sports Classic is a three-year event featuring these four teams which will take place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. next season and in Las Vegas in 2016.
"I think Saturday we're going to be on the biggest stage in college basketball to this point of the season," Ohio State head coach Thad Matta said Thursday on the CBS Sports Classic teleconference. "You've got four great college programs."
Opponent Breakdown
It's been somewhat of an up-and-down start to the 2014-15 season for Roy Williams and his Tar Heels.
North Carolina came into the season ranked as the No. 6 team in the country, but an early-season loss to Butler in the Bahamas was an eye-opener. The Tar Heels rebounded with wins over UCLA and Florida, but followed those up with a loss at home to Iowa in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
Shortly after that loss to the Hawkeyes, North Carolina got blown out by Kentucky — the only team it probably should have lost to so far this year. Nonetheless, consistency has been the biggest problem early on for the Tar Heels.
"We've got to do a better job of not fouling and not turning the ball over," North Carolina coach Roy Williams said. "Those two things right there, it's easy to point out that we've got to do a heck of a lot better job of."
It's not like Carolina doesn't have the talent.
The Tar Heels are led by preseason All-American Marcus Paige, but haven't exactly received All-American type play thus far from their junior point guard. On the year, Paige is averaging just 13.1 points per game and 3.5 assists while shooting less than 35 percent from the field. Last year, Paige averaged 17.5 points and 4.2 assists as he was a first-team All-ACC selection.
But Carolina also has other big contributors, too. The 6-foot-9 Kennedy Meeks leads the team in scoring (13.8 ppg.) and rebounding (9.1 rpg.), while fellow big man Brice Johnson chips in 11.3 points and 6.8 boards per game. The Tar Heels also have athletic guys on the wings like freshman Justin Jackson and junior J.P. Tokoto.
Like Louisville, North Carolina is one of the top rebounding teams in the country. As a team, the Tar Heels average 44.3 rebounds per game, which is fifth in the nation. It will be crucial for the Buckeyes to at least neutralize UNC on the glass.
"Their size is something that Carolina has always had," Matta said. "I think one of the biggest things I’ve noticed is their interior passing, they do a great job. A lot like a Louisville, they’re going to really try to pound the ball inside on us and try to rebound. We’ve got to do a great job with that.”
Buckeye Breakdown
Much like it was going into the Louisville game, Ohio State is firing on all cylinders on both ends of the floor.
The Buckeyes are coming off a 42-point win over North Carolina A&T on Wednesday night where they forced 26 turnovers that led to 40 points. They shot over 50 percent from the field for the seventh time in 10 games this season.
But most of those gaudy statistics were put up against competition not on the same level as Ohio State. North Carolina, however, is somewhat of a different animal — one similar to a Louisville team the Buckeyes have already played.
"We're a smarter team now and we've been in big games before," Ohio State senior point guard Shannon Scott said. "We know what we did that we shouldn't do next game and I think that can help us out. I think we'll be ready."
Freshman D'Angelo Russell continues to lead Ohio State as he's second in the country in scoring amongst true freshmen at 18.0 points per game. Russell also averages 5.2 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game, while shooting 48 percent from the field and 43 percent from 3-point range. He's been as good as advertised for the Buckeyes.
But Ohio State has also gotten much-improved play so far this year from sophomore wing Marc Loving, who is the team's second-leading scorer at 11.3 per game. Loving has also drastically improved his jumper and is shooting a sizzling 17 for 30 (56.7 percent) from 3-point range on the year.
"I just give a credit to our point guards," Loving said recently about his improvement. "Shannon and D'Angelo do a great job of finding me and getting me in positions to put the ball in the basket."
How It'll Play Out
The Louisville debacle could end up being a blessing in disguise for Ohio State as it insists it's more prepared to play in a big-time game now. Also, the matchup with the Tar Heels being played at a neutral site should help.
North Carolina is just as talented as the Cardinals, but Louisville was more athletic as a team. And the biggest weakness for Ohio State is a team with athletic big guys.
The Tar Heels have talented and skilled big guys, but they aren't the type of athletes Louisville threw at the Buckeyes. It will be critical for Ohio State's rotation of big men — Amir Williams, Trey McDonald and Anthony Lee — to play well in order to win this game.
Another fantastic matchup to watch will be that between the two point guards: Paige and Scott. The last time Ohio State was on the big stage, Scott sat on the bench for the final eight minutes for a poor performance and you'd have to think it'll be difficult for the Buckeyes to win if he doesn't play well.
On paper, this game should be extremely competitive. Expect it to play out like that where one key stretch could determine the outcome.
"Going against North Carolina, they've got a tremendous team," Matta said. "It's a great challenge for us as we head into Big Ten play so we're excited and look forward to getting there."
