Ohio State basketball cruises past Michigan State

The Ohio State basketball team was able to beat a struggling Michigan State team by playing sound on both sides of the ball.

The Ohio State basketball team was able to focus today. That was the issue in Wednesday’s game against Penn State. In that game, they struggled to finish the deal. That was not the problem in today’s game against the Spartans as they beat them 79-62.

E.J. Liddell once again led the way. He had 20 points for the fourth time in the last five games. He did so on 50% shooting and added 8 rebounds as well. Justice Sueing added 17 points with 9 of those coming from the free-throw line. He was much more aggressive than he normally is.

C.J. Walker added 10 points and 3 steals off the bench. His presence continues to help Ohio State close out these games when the times start to get tough. They need him to keep playing at his high level because Duane Washington continues to struggle with his shooting.

Washington was a paltry 2-10 from the field for just 8 points. His shot selection continues to be poor, but he missed a lot of easy shots today. It was just another example of his shooting struggles. He is now shooting just 37% from the field.

The good news is that the Buckeyes have played this well despite Washington’s poor shooting. It just goes to show how much depth this team has. Chris Holtmann has done an excellent job of gathering that depth. It’s the main reason why this team is going to be a problem in the NCAA tournament.

How far the Buckeyes go in that tournament will rely on whether or not Washington can break free from his shooting slump. If he can do that while Seth Towns continues to get healthier, this team can make some serious noise and be a darkhorse contender.