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Ohio State Basketball: Trip to Rutgers has trap potential

By Willie Lutz

NEW ORLEANS, LA - DECEMBER 23: Head coach Chris Holtmann of the Ohio State Buckeyes reacts during the first half of the CBS Sports Classic against the North Carolina Tar Heels at the Smoothie King Center on December 23, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - DECEMBER 23: Head coach Chris Holtmann of the Ohio State Buckeyes reacts during the first half of the CBS Sports Classic against the North Carolina Tar Heels at the Smoothie King Center on December 23, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /
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It’s been a great week for the Ohio State basketball program, but the trip to New Jersey sets a trap.

One full week ago, Ohio State’s basketball team took down then-No. 1 Michigan State in a statement victory. Today, they’ll travel to face Rutgers, a team that if the Buckeyes overlook, they’ll find themselves in trouble. Victims of the schedule, there’s a trap waiting in Piscataway, NJ.

However, if it’s simply an on-script night from the Buckeyes, the Scarlet Knights aren’t a problem. With losses to Minnesota, No. 5 Purdue, and a pair of losses against No. 4 Michigan State, Rutgers is 1-4 against Big Ten opponents. Their lone conference victory came last week against stumbling Wisconsin.

Furthermore, Rutgers doesn’t have an arsenal to match the Ohio State starting unit. While senior forward Deshawn Freeman scores 12 points and grabs 7.6 rebounds per game, he shouldn’t present a big problem for the Buckeyes.

As a team, their 41.4 shooting percentage is no match for Ohio State’s 49.6 shooting percentage. The scarlet Knights do play tough defense though. They are 11th best in the country, holding opponents to just 38.3-percent from the field so far this season.

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However, Buckeyes’ star Keita Bates-Diop hasn’t seemed particularly interested in defenders this season. Since the calendar flipped to 2018, the junior is averaging 28.3 PPG. Additionally, he’s shooting 60.4-percent from the field and 55.6-percent from three.

Bates-Diop is among the best players in the country and can Rutgers show up ready to stop him? If not, they Scarlet Knights are doomed.

Winners of 9 of their last 10 (the lone loss was to No. 20 North Carolina), Ohio State is playing with all the momentum in the world. Double-digit victories over 2017 NCAA Tournament teams, Maryland and Michigan State, show an on-fire Ohio State team.

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Thanks to some trust issues provided by Urban Meyer’s program, a shoe-in road trip provides plenty of anxiety. Factor in some good wins and you’ve got all the makings of a trap game. Ohio State will inevitably be in the Top 25 with a win, so they need to leave Rutgers with their 15th of the season.

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