Ohio State Basketball: Buckeyes look to defeat TTUN yet again

It’s always fun getting a win over That Team Up North, and that is exactly what the Ohio State basketball team has a chance to do on Sunday.

After struggling immensely in January and in the beginning of February, the Ohio State basketball team seems to be back on track after winning four of its last five games, including a 79-72 win over No. 7 Maryland.

After a big win over Maryland and a blowout win over Nebraska, the Buckeyes now have a big game on Sunday against their rival, the No. 19 Michigan Wolverines.

This is absolutely a game that the Buckeyes can win.

Michigan is coming off an 81-74 loss to Wisconsin in which the Wolverines were horrendous from three-point range, shooting 3-for-10 behind the arc. They also struggled defensively as the Badgers shot 47.8 percent from long range.

In Ohio State’s 79-72 win over Maryland, the Buckeyes shot 40 percent from three, so building off that success and emulating what Wisconsin did from long range can be crucial to the Buckeyes’ success on Sunday.

Another thing that could be key to Ohio State winning on Sunday is how well Kaleb Wesson plays. When these teams played earlier this season – a game in which the Buckeyes won 61-58 – Wesson dominated down low by scoring 23 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. Additionally, in Michigan’s loss to Wisconsin, Badger forward Aleem Ford also played well with 18 points and eight rebounds.

The Wolverines seem to struggle guarding prolific post players like Wesson and Ford, so Wesson having success down low on Sunday could ultimately be crucial in the Buckeyes getting the win.

Both Ohio State and Michigan have had some ups and downs this year as the Buckeyes are 19-9 overall and Michigan is 18-10, and this game could ultimately be crucial to the seeding of both teams in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. Hopefully the Buckeyes can get the win though, as it is always fun seeing our team succeed against That Team Up North.