Chris Holtmann, not too long ago, coached in the state of Indiana, so he doesn't need a reminder about the passion for the Hoosiers.
Therefore, he probably also has an accurate idea of how those a couple hundred miles west of Columbus took their team's home losses to Ohio State in the past couple years. Saturday afternoon, the Buckeyes will try to steal another victory in Bloomington in a game featuring a pair of struggling teams.
| Who | Where | When | TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana (12-3, 2-2) | Assembly Hall (Bloomington, Indiana) | 12 p.m. | FOX |
“I think (they’re) a highly, highly motivated group, for sure,” Holtmann said. “I don't think there's any question about that. Obviously we're coming off a couple losses. We should be as well.”
A late Indiana comeback on Wednesday against Northwestern saved Saturday’s showdown from being between two teams on three-game losing streaks. Instead, it’s an Ohio State team that has lost three games in a row versus an Indiana that has lost two out of the past three games and barely slid by Northwestern this week.
There won't be any parades after Saturday's game. One team, though, will get back on track, and the Buckeyes certainly hope it'll be them.
Opponent Preview
By default, offensively it all starts down low.
Indiana hasn’t found consistent outside shots this year, hitting 30.2 percent of its 3-pointers, the 290th-best rate in the nation. Senior guard Devone Green (37.9) and junior guard Aljami Durham (36.2) are the only Hoosiers hitting triples better than a 33 percent clip. Because of the lacking range, Indiana relies heavily on its big men.
That puts freshman Trayce Jackson-Davis (6-9, 245) and redshirt junior Joey Brunk (6-11, 245) in the spotlight. Holtmann has familiarity with both, having extensively recruited Jackson-Davis and coached Brunk at Butler.
“Tough and physical and big,” Holtmann said. “They're one of the bigger teams, probably the biggest team we've played in college basketball right now with their length, particularly across the front line.”
Jackson-Davis poses a challenge for Kaleb Wesson and the rest of the big men on whom Ohio State relies. In his first year after entering the program as the No. 30 overall recruit in the 2019 cycle, he averages a team-high 15.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in 28.4 minutes per game.
With a 46.6 free-throw rate, the second-best in the nation, Indiana wins by getting to the line. And nobody on the team does that better than Jackson-Davis, who has averaged 6.2 free throws per game.
“Big, strong, physical,” Holtmann said of Jackson-Davis. “Elite at getting to the free-throw line. He's everything as advertised. A really difficult matchup. Even though he's a freshman, he's a really difficult matchup.”
With the 10th-best offensive-rebounding rate in the country, the Hoosiers also do well at keeping possessions alive on the boards.
Ohio State Preview
To combat Indiana’s post presence, Kyle Young’s status could play a significant role on Saturday. And based on Holtmann’s comments on Friday afternoon, there’s an increasing probability that he’ll be back on the court after a two-game absence stemming from a removed appendix.
“It's going to be really kind of up until game time,” Holtmann said roughly 24 hours before Saturday’s game tips off. “He was able to do a few more things yesterday. He was able to move and do some things. But it's probably too early to determine exactly what his status is going to be.”
Holtmann officially designated him as a “game-time decision.”
Young wouldn't singlehandedly fix some of the offensive issues the Buckeyes have faced recently. He could, though, provide a boost of energy and rebounding, including with some cleanups on the boards that indirectly lead to points. Holtmann said whether he plays or not will be dictated by his fatigue level.
Either way, Ohio State needs more on offense from a backcourt that hasn’t produced enough recently. The guards’ issues sometimes finding open shots and other times knocking them down have been apparent.
“I think it's a combination of they have to be more disciplined and more patient in what they're doing, and they've got to make some open shots,” Holtmann said. “They're capable of making some open shots. They've got to make some open shots, and they've got to stay aggressive. I think it's been different in different situations. In (Duane Washington Jr.’s) case, it's been a little bit more a shot selection that has created some inefficiency for him. Luther (Muhammad) and CJ (Walker) maybe not as much. But they need to stay confident and take good ones.”
Other Notes
- Holtmann on Duane Washington Jr.’s recent struggles: “I don't think he'd want the injury to be an excuse in any way. Maybe he got out of rhythm a little bit. I think that's possible. He's got to get back to a rhythm. We've got to help him get back to a rhythm. But I wouldn't attribute it to the injury.”
- Holtmann on Luther Muhammad’s shot selection: “He's a capable 3-point shooter. What we've found when we've kind of looked at him is he's actually more effective catch-and-shoot than he is finishing at the rim.”
- Holtmann on Alonzo Gaffney’s recent performances: “I thought Zo played hard. He's had a turnover issue. We've known that since dating into the preseason.”
- Indiana has a 105-81 lead in the all-time series with Ohio State. Whichever team is hosting the matchup has had a stark advantage, with the Hoosiers holding a 63-27 record at Assembly Hall and the Buckeyes having a 53-36 record at the Schottenstein Center.
- Kaleb Wesson was named on Thursday to the 25-player John R. Wooden Award midseason watch list. The Big Ten leads all conferences with six players on the list.
- Indiana fans can breath easy. C.J. Jackson won’t be eligible to hit any more 3-pointers in Memorial Hall. Holtmann: “We've had some really close games with them in Bloomington that the ball's kind of bounced our way. C.J. Jackson made a couple really tough shots in both games, I believe, that were kind of clinchers and game-changers.”
- Throughout the week, rumblings of former head coach Bob Knight’s potential return to Bloomington for Saturday’s game have permeated the rumor mill. Nothing one way or the other, though, has been confirmed by the university.
How It Plays Out
As poorly as Ohio State has played offensively, it should find itself matching up relatively well against Indiana.
The Hoosiers’ lack of outside shooting plays into the Buckeyes’ strengths of defending inside the 3-point arc, which should tilt one end of the court in the road team’s favor. Provided Kaleb Wesson and others have strong games in the interior, Ohio State should be able to take advantage of Indiana’s lack of offensive diversity. And on the other end, Wesson will do his best to get the Hoosiers’ big men into foul trouble, which should allow for some open shots. Those around him have to knock them down to ensure a victory.
Prediction: Ohio State 69, Indiana 61
