Ohio State head coach Thad Matta has been vocal all season that no matter who is playing the role of man in the middle — Amir Williams, Anthony Lee or Trey McDonald — the Buckeyes need to have production out of the spot.
There may not be a game more important to have that production than Wednesday's matchup at Purdue.
"We’ve talked about this all year long that the position that we felt we needed productivity from," Matta said Tuesday. "If Anthony, Amir and Trey could combine and give us X amount of numbers, points and rebounds, we were going to be ok with it."
At times this year, though, Ohio State hasn't gotten the production it has needed from that center spot. It's the main reason why Matta has elected to go with a smaller lineup over the Buckeyes' recent hot streak.
But against the Boilermakers — a team that has a pair of 7-footers inside — playing small might not be an option for Ohio State.
"We did it a little bit last year over there, I think we were in foul trouble or something I can’t remember, but we did and got hurt on it," Matta said. " (A.J.) Hammons had a really, really good game over there and I think Jae’Sean (Tate) is a guy that has some strength and he’s got some intelligence, but size is definitely a factor when you are going against size.”
Hammons and freshman Isaac Haas are rarely on the court together. But the two towering Purdue big men often rotate in and out to replace one another, giving the Boilermakers one fresh big guy on the floor in most situations.
It would be hard for the Buckeyes to combat that with the 6-foot-4 Tate or the 6-8 Marc Loving. So, Ohio State may need to have one of Lee, Williams or McDonald at the floor at all times.
"I’ve had experience in being in small lineups and being at the 5 and being able to play. So, just however the matchups are, however the coaches see fit, I don’t take that as a bad thing," Lee said. "I’m confident in my abilities so I know that they want me to play and if they give me a job to do I know I can do it.”
Hammons and Haas combine to average roughly 20 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks per game between the two of them. That's a big difference from the 13 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks per game the Buckeyes get from their trio of big men.
There could be plenty of other reasons why either team wins as both teams are looking for their fourth-straight victory. Right now, though, it looks like a big game in the Big Ten that could very well be determined by the big guys.
“They have tons of confidence right now and their big men are playing great. Having two 7-footers down there is really hard to stop," Ohio State point guard Shannon Scott said. "Coach (Matt) Painter has them playing at a really high level right now.”
