Game Day Essentials: Game #19 vs Ohio St

Ohio State Info

Head Coach: Chris Holtmann

Location: Columbus, OH
Conference: B1G
Nickname: Buckeyes

Mascot: Brutus Buckeye

Line: Ohio St by
Typical Rotation Depth: 10

KenPom rank: 17

A couple of Famous Alumni: John Havlieck, Jim Jackson

Other:  

• Ohio St has lost 4 in a row coming into this game
• Nebraska has lost 5 straight to Ohio St at home
• If the name Isaac Likekele sounds familiar it's because he played for the Oklahoma St team that Nebraska played up in Souix Falls back in 2019

KenPom Analysis: Keeping OSU off the offensive boards will be a major priority for the Huskers especially without Juwan Gary. Seems like a team not likely to be able to pressure Nebraska into turnovers

Player to watch: F Brice Sensabaugh

Freshman wing Sensabaugh is already a force in the B1G, leading the Buckeyes in scoring at 16.9 ppg. Not sure Nebraska has anyone active who card guard this beefy 235# force who is shooting 46.1% from outside; Can operate as a small ball center

Player to watch: F Zed Key

Key is a monster on the offensive boards and converts at a Walker-like pace when he gets the ball inside

Player to watch: F Justice Sueing

Sueing is a scorer who can draw contact but he's also one of the more inefficient scorers for OSU. Letting him try and beat you from outside is a good strategy.

KenPom most used lineup

Others to watch

• Freshman point guard Thorton is dealing with a sore wrist but otherwise is a 44.9% 3pt shooter
• Former WV Mountaineer Sean McNeil is yet another capable 3pt shooter on this team
• Freshman Center Felix Okpara has been a servicable backup to Key

Probable starters for Nebraska
5    Sam Griesel    G    6-7
25  Emmanuel Bandoumel    G    6-4

0   C.J. Wilcher    G    6-5

32  Wilhelm Breidenbach    F    6-10

13  Derrick Walker    F    6-9

Bench

15   Blaise Keita C   6-11

30  Keisei Tominaga    G    6-2

10  Jamarques Lawrence - G  6-3

12  Denim Dawson - F  6-6

33  Oleg Kojenets    F    7-0
12   Sam Hoiberg    G    6-0

31  Cale Jacobsen  G  6-4

35  Henry Burt  F  6-6

24  Jeffrey Grace III  G  6-3

Injured

3   Quaran McPherson   G   6-3 - Out for the Year

4   Juwan Gary  F  6-6

Hoiberg and Walker presser

Talked about Dawson and Lawrence filling in for Gary

The Skinny: 

Ohio St has struggled offensively in the conference though they've been shooting well from outside. It's possible that Nebraska taking away the middle will mean success for the Buckeyes. On the other side of the ball, OSU is running 3pt shooters off the line which lines up with what Nebraska wants to do.

If I'm being honest here I think Ohio St wins but at this point in the season we're running on a dream.

Prediction: Nebraska 68 - OSU 67