Game Day Essentials: Game #20 vs Ohio State

Ohio State Info

Head Coach: Chris Holtmann

Location: Columbus, OH
Conference: B1G
Nickname: Buckeyes

Mascot: Brutus Buckeye

Last time out: Beat Penn State

Point Spread: Nebraska by 2.5

Typical Rotation Depth: 7

KenPom rank: 44

Nota bene:  

• This will be Nebraska's 2nd and final game on Peacock. 
• This game will be part of Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers Week
• At 14-5, this is Nebraska's best record at this point in a B1G season and their best start since 1994-95 (15-4). 
• Nebraska has won their last 2 games vs Ohio St. Prior to that, Nebraska was 2-16 vs the Buckeyes since joining the B1G.

KenPom most used lineups

Player to watch: Bruce Thorton

The sophomore PG leads the team in scoring, assists and steals and is a 3 level scorer as he is drawing 5 fouls per 40 minutes. Thorton has struggled from the field, especially from 3 as he's shooting 31.7% from deep

Player to watch: Roddy Gayle

The sophomore SG is a lot like Thorton where he's a lot better drawing contact in the lane than he is shooting from the outside. Watch for Gayle to be the player tasked with denying Keisei.

Player to watch:    Jamison Battle

The Minnesota transfer is a well known commodity in the conference and is shooting a white-hot 45.5% from 3 this season. WIth Thorton, Gayle, and Battle leading the Buckeyes in scoring, we'll see if Nebraska will give Battle more attention on the outside than the other guys.

Others to watch

Penn St transfer Evan Mahaffey isn't a huge threat to score but he'll kill you on the boards and is a plus defender. The Buck's have a two man center rotation with different skillsets though both are dominant rebounders. Felix Okpara is a rim protector who can run the court. Senior 6'8" 250# Zed Key is more of a bruiser down low on both sides. Dale Bonner, a 6'2" Senior combo guard from Baylor, fills in for both guards but is struggling even more from them to score.  6'6" freshman wing Scotty Middleton is shooting 40% from 3.

UNL Game Notes

Roster/infirmary report

Will update if needed when the B1G releases their injury 

Out indefinitely 

5   Ahron Ulis     6-3    190 lbs    Junior - Likely out for the season

Questionable 

15  Blaise Keita     6-11    257 lbs    Junior - Ongoing ankle injury recovery

4   Juwan Gary                   6-6    221 lbs    Junior - Calf Strain

Possible starters for Nebraska

10    Jamarques Lawrence  6-3    183 lbs    Sophomore

30   Keisei Tominaga           6-2    179 lbs    Senior

3     Brice Williams               6-7    213 lbs    Junior

53   Josiah Allick                 6-8    231 lbs    Senior

51    Rienk Mast                 6-10    248 lbs    Junior

Bench

0    C.J. Wilcher                  6-5    214 lbs    Junior

9    Jarron Coleman            6-5    213 lbs    Senior
1    Sam Hoiberg                 6-0    183 lbs    Sophomore
11    Eli Rice                         6-8    213 lbs    Freshman
21    Matar Diop                 6-10    213 lbs    Freshman

35    Henry Burt                  6-7    216 lbs    RS Freshman

2    Ramel Lloyd Jr.             6-6    210 lbs    RS Freshman

31    Cale Jacobsen            6-4    200 lbs    RS Freshman

24    Jeffrey Grace III         6-3    197 lbs    Sophomore 

Hoiberg/Hoiberg/Lawrence Presser

Gary will be a game time decision. Emphasis on making simple plays to limit turnovers and especially on rebounding.

The Skinny: 

Chris Holtmann won 20+ games his first five seasons at Ohio St before last year's team underperformed, going 16-19. This year the Buckeye's still aren't back, currently existing as a fringe tourney team. Beating Nebraska would qualify as the 2nd best win for a team that could use them. Are the Buckeyes up to the task of winning their first road game?

The Huskers will likely need to continue their torrid shooting as Ohio St is one of the best in the conference at not putting the other team on the line. On the other end, Ohio St will try and need to get their spotty shooting going against Nebraska's hospitable defense.  Quite possibly the key to the game will boil down to how well Nebraska can clean up the defensive boards as Ohio St doesn't need to shoot lights out if they greatly out possession the Huskers.

This matchup isn't bad but isn't great for Nebraska. Look for them to have a good chance to out offense another team at home.

Prediction: Nebraska 78 - Ohio St 74