Ohio State Basketball: Lyle the Key to Buckeyes Making a Run?
If JaQuan Lyle steps up his scoring, could that be the answer for Ohio State to turn their season around?
Ohio State had a balanced scoring attack versus Michigan State, shot the ball fairly well and played pretty good defense. That has been the situation in many of the Buckeyes’ games so far this season but there was one difference. JaQuan Lyle scored 22 points and was a key factor in Ohio State winning their first Big Ten game.
The Buckeyes have five players who have averaged double figures on the season. But to have one player step up and become a legitimate threat to score 20 or more every time he steps on the court changes the dynamic of the offense, and the way opposing teams defend. If Lyle can become that guy, could Ohio State get on a run in Big Ten play?
He is the most likely candidate to become that every game scoring threat. While the other starters are fine scorers and all are capable of having a big game from time to time, it’s not likely they can do it on a consistent basis.
Jae’Sean Tate’s 14.1 ppg and Trevor Thompson’s 10 7 aren’t like to spike too much as most of their points come down low and the Big Ten is loaded with talented centers and power forwards. Kam Williams is a perimeter scorer and it’s just a matter if his shots are falling on a given night. And it’s hard to imagine Marc Loving’s game going to another level the last half of his senior season.
Could Lyle step up and become an every game scoring threat like D’Angelo Russell did two years ago. That worked out pretty well for Ohio State.
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In the 2014-15 season, Russell had four games in which he scored 20 points or more before the Big Ten Conference schedule began. He had 12 such games the rest of the season and 4 more in which he scored 17 or more points.
Russell was a better shooter from behind the arc but Lyle has proven he can hit the 3 as well. And when he decides to take the ball to the basket, the sophomore is difficult to stop. If Lyle could approach Russell’s 20.3 ppg Big Ten average two years ago, things could turn around for Ohio State.
It will open up opportunities for the other Ohio State players to get easy baskets because opposing teams will have to adjust their defense accordingly. One of the starters scoring an extra 4-6 points could be the difference in a close game.
The Buckeyes were sitting at 3-3 after 6 Big Ten games in the 2014-15 season. They then won 8 of the last 12 and made the NCAA Tournament. Could a similar situation happen this season?
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A win in Ohio State’s next game versus Nebraska would give the Buckeyes a 2-4 record, so it’s not out of the question that they could still win 10 conference games. It just may be matter of one player stepping up and becoming a real scoring threat, and my money is on JaQuan Lyle to be that guy.