Since upsetting the No. 1-ranked Michigan State Spartans on Jan. 7, Ohio State had struggled to get off to a hot start.
That changed Tuesday night.
After dealing with significant, early deficits in games against Maryland, Northwestern, Minnesota, Nebraska and Penn State, the Buckeyes had a 14-5 run to open Tuesday night's 71-56 win over Indiana, leading for all but 23 seconds of the contest.
Ohio State's impressive start to the game did not come by accident, as it was discussed at length by both players and coaches in the locker room leading up to the matchup with the Hoosiers.
"That was our primary goal. Like I told you guys last game, we had a stretch where we would come out and not be the aggressive team," Tate said of Ohio State's six-game stretch following the Michigan State win. "Coach called it, 'We are going back hunting.' I think we did a great job of playing with aggressiveness, but I think we can do better."
Prior to taking on Indiana, Kam Williams discussed that Ohio State's players had conversations following an 82-79 loss to Penn State, in which the Buckeyes talked at length about why they fell to the Nittany Lions.
Chris Holtmann said after defeating Indiana that it has been evident his team recognizes the sense of urgency that is needed to start the game, a realization that was refreshing for him to see Tuesday in Columbus.
“Coach called it, 'We are going back hunting.' I think we did a great job of playing with aggressiveness but I think we can do better.”– Jae'Sean Tate on Ohio State's hot start against Indiana.
"Our guys recognize that if we don't (start well), it is going to be another long night," Holtmann said. "You don't necessarily win or lose a game in the first four minutes, but there is a tone to be set that you hope your guys recognize is really important. I was pleased with it."
Ohio State began the game by connecting on seven of its first nine shots, six of which came from inside the painted area. After Holtmann questioned his team's physicality following the Penn State loss, Indiana head coach Archie Miller said he felt the Buckeyes brought a more physical brand of basketball to the game.
"Good win by Ohio State. I thought they set the tone really early with their physicality on both ends of the floor and knocked us on our heels pretty quick," Miller said. "We were working uphill from there for most of the night."
The Buckeyes were perhaps aided by the same thing that hampered them against the Nittany Lions: Fresh legs. After playing five games in 11 days, Ohio State earned four days off after the Penn State loss, while Indiana was coming off of an emotional loss to in-state rival Purdue just two days earlier.
Holtmann said he believed part of Ohio State's success had to do with the fatigue Indiana might have been feeling as it traveled to Columbus.
"They played a rivalry game on Sunday, and I think the reality is, that is a really tough turnaround," he said. "I do think that played in our favor."
Ohio State will get another extended break before hosting Illinois on Sunday, a game that will cap a four-game home stand for the Buckeyes. Until then, the Scarlet and Gray will sit at 19-5, 10-1 with seven games left to play in the regular season.
When asked about Ohio State's players diagnosing their own problems at the start of games amongst themselves in the locker room after the Penn State loss, Holtmann said it is encouraging to have a veteran locker room leading his team down the stretch. Like he has all year, he gave credit to Jae'Sean Tate and Keita Bates-Diop for their leadership skills both on and off the floor.
"You really want to be a player-led team as much as possible, particularly this time of year," Holtmann said. "I think if you're not a player-led team, you could have issues. Certainly guys are going to listen if I say something, but they are really going to pay attention when J.T. says it, because he has earned the right to grab their attention, and so has Keita and our older guys."
With a premier matchup against Purdue looming on Feb. 7, Ohio State has just one game separating it from the No. 3-ranked Boilermakers. Illinois comes to Value City Arena Sunday at noon, fresh off of its second conference win, blowing out Rutgers 91-60 on Tuesday night.
Holtmann said his Buckeyes will have to once again get off to a hot start, or the Illini could pull the upset.
"Illinois is going to come at our throats from the opening tip, and we have to be able to come back with a better approach," he said.
