Indiana men’s basketball is set to take on Ohio State on Saturday in Columbus in the final regular season game for both teams.
The Hoosiers’ NCAA Tournament hopes rely on a late run with opportunities looming in the Big Ten Tournament. Should Indiana win this game and one more in tournament play, it’d reach the 20-win mark for the first time since the 2022-23 season.
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Here’s five things to know about the Hoosiers’ opponent, the Buckyes:
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Ohio State is far more than just Bruce Thornton. This game, and those that lay ahead, are pivotal for Thornton, who’s seeking his first NCAA Tournament appearance in his four storied seasons with the Buckeyes. While he’s definitely the star, Ohio State spreads the ball around on offense with four different Buckeyes reaching at least 22% in possessions used and the same amount reaching at least 20% in shots taken, with Amare Bynum right under the line at 19.2%.
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The Buckeyes won’t necessarily have the same size advantage several other Big Ten teams have had over the Hoosiers. They still better on the offensive glass though. Ohio State is actually below Indiana in average height but has a bigger frontcourt while the Hoosiers have a bigger backcourt. Indiana’s going to need to keep players like Ivan Njegovan from getting extra shots.
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Ohio State has beaten better teams than Indiana at home, including both of Wisconsin and Purdue. While the Buckeyes don’t have the best home environment in the Big Ten given the Schottenstein Center’s cavernous nature, there should be plenty of fans in the stands to send off Bruce Thornton. The Hoosiers have a handful of road wins in conference play and will need to bring the same energy they did against UCLA.
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The Buckeyes have a decently balanced offense with scoring beyond and within the 3-point line. Ohio State hits 3-pointers at a high rate of 36% and takes just above the D-I average of 39.5 with 39.7 of their field goal attempts coming from beyond the arc. Better than that, they’re converting on 58% of their attempts inside the arc with a decent amount of midrange mixed in.
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Ohio State avoids blowout losses. If Indiana’s gonna win, it’s gonna be close. The Hoosiers have just barely managed a handful of wins by tight margins this season, so there’s no shortage of experience in winning time.
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