After a week off, Chris Holtmann's squad is back in action Saturday night as Ohio State is set to square off with Appalachian State inside the confines of Value City Arena.
| Who | Where | When | TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appalachian State (5-6) | Value City Arena | 6 p.m. | BTN |
The Buckeyes are riding a three-game winning streak, including a pair of Big Ten wins followed by a thrashing of William & Mary on Dec. 9.
Holtmann said after defeating the Tribe that the games before and after final exams can be tricky, but added he is hopeful the Buckeyes will come out focused against the Mountaineers.
"I am interested to see how we will respond after a week of final exams. You are always concerned about the game after finals," Holtmann said. "We haven't spent all week with two-and-a-half hour practices because of the demands of the week, but I think we have had good attentiveness."
Giving Ohio State its first test after finals is a Mountaineer team that has dropped three of its last four games, but features a highly athletic backcourt.
Opponent Breakdown
Appalachian State is led by point guard Ronshad Shabazz, who leads the Mountaineers in points per game (21.8) and assists per game (3.5). Shabazz has good size for his position, as he is listed at 6-foot-5 and weighs in at 217 pounds.
His length and strength makes him comparable to a player on Ohio State's roster, in terms of stature, Holtmann said Friday.
"I was trying to think of another team that has as good of positional size at the one, two and three," Holtmann said. "Their point guard is 6-5 and is really good and really talented offensively. He is a lefty that can score at every level. He is an older kid, strong and built a little bit like (Ohio State senior forward Jae'Sean Tate). He can do it all in terms of scoring and facilitating for his team."
Shabazz's backcourt mate Justin Forrest is also a threat on the offensive end, doing a good portion of his damage from behind the three-point line. The freshman guard leads the Mountaineers in shooting from behind the arc, converting on an even 40 percent this season from long range.
On the defensive end, forward Tyrell Johnson has been a force in the paint this season for Appalachian State, leading the team in blocked shots with 19. Fellow forward Isaac Johnson leads the Mountaineers in rebounds with 8.5.
Reserve center Jake Wilson gives the Mountaineers good size off the bench, as the redshirt-junior checks in at 7-foot-1. He averages just 8.8 minutes per contest, but has played in all 11 games this season for Appalachian State.
Buckeye Breakdown
Ohio State's game against Appalachian State serves as a prelude to a much bigger day in the eyes of a pair of Buckeyes, as Jae'Sean Tate and Keita Bates-Diop are set to graduate on Sunday afternoon in the same arena they have played in for the last four years.
Tate said both he and Bates-Diop will have family in attendance for both the game and graduation on Sunday.
"For anybody, this is a big milestone. One of the biggest days in both of our lives," Tate said. "We will have a lot of family support to not only watch us play, but also see us walk across the stage. It's a good feeling to know you got it done. That's something no one can ever take away from you."
Before graduation, however, there is business for the Buckeyes to take care of. Ohio State has rattled off three straight wins with a number of different lineups and rotations, which remain fluid for the Buckeyes this season.
Holtmann has been without center Micah Potter for the better part of a month now. Potter suffered a high ankle sprain against Northeastern in November and after playing sparingly in games against Stanford, Butler and Wisconsin, the Buckeyes announced Potter would be out indefinitely as he focused solely on his rehab.
Holtmann said Friday that Potter suffered a minor setback in practice leading up to the matchup with Appalachian State and that both Potter and freshman Kyle Young would be game-time decisions after both missed Ohio State's most recent win over William & Mary.
"Both guys practiced yesterday. Micah had a little bit of a scare two days ago where he banged it again, so I would say he is more limited than Kyle," Holtmann said. "He didn't re-injure it, but it was a concern. He fell awkwardly. I think both guys will be a gameday, right-before-tip kind of a decision."
If neither Potter nor Young can go, the majority of the play inside will fall on Kaleb Wesson's shoulders. The freshman is averaging 12.2 points and 4.6 rebounds per game this season.
Bates-Diop will also likely be asked to play some in the post if Potter and Young are out. He played a majority of Ohio State's win over William & Mary in the post, and finished with a career-high 27 points against the Tribe.
How It Plays Out
The Buckeyes have risen to their highest ranking in Ken Pomeroy's advanced statistical rating system, checking in at No. 48 as of Friday night. For reference, Ohio State opened the season ranked No. 78 by KenPom. The Mountaineers check in at No. 186 in the same rankings this week.
If Ohio State comes out focused and is able to build a lead early, the Buckeyes should have no problems coming away with a win. However, the Mountaineers are one of the more athletic teams OSU has played this season, and could catch the Buckeyes flat-footed with a deeper bench.
Prediction: Ohio State 81, Appalachian State 65
