Ohio State Basketball: TTUN more than a football rival

The #4 Ohio State basketball team plays host to the #3 Michigan Wolverines on Sunday. This is the biggest and most important Big Ten game of the season and will be a battle for not only bragging rights but conference supremacy.

When you think of Ohio State vs. Michigan, you probably think of two teams on a football field. You may think of the iconic Buckeye leaf-covered helmets clashing with the maize and blue Wolverine helmet. Or perhaps you think of Curtis Samuel’s 2OT walk-off touchdown, or Desmond Howard striking the Heisman pose in the end zone after escaping Ohio State defenders.

But now, it’s time to think of the rivalry on the hardwood instead of the football field. Chris Holtmann and the Buckeyes have a phenomenal season in progress, the Bucks are 19-4 and the fourth-ranked team in the entire country. Pretty remarkable for a team that was picked to finish seventh in the Big Ten preseason media poll.

Michigan is having an equally great season thus far. The Wolverines enter the game with a 16-1 record. The maize and blue have the third-best scoring offense in the Big Ten, paired with an elite defense that allows fewer than 65 points per game.

The hype around Sunday’s game is starting to get noticed. Obviously a top-four match-up is big enough on its own, but the game will also be nationally televised on CBS and both fan bases have had their healthy share of trash-talking on social media platforms.

Ohio State Head Coach Chris Holtmann has introduced a new reward for beating Michigan. If a sweep of TTUN is completed, players will be rewarded with a gold jersey medallion, similar to the Gold Pants the football team gets after beating their archrival.

Ohio State leads the all-time series 99-72 and is enjoying a short-but-sweet two-game winning streak over the Wolverines.

Sunday’s game will determine who the best team truly is in the talent-rich Big Ten conference, and will also impact potential seeding in the NCAA Tournament, as both teams have their eyes set on a one seed. Tip-off is scheduled for 1:00 PM ET and will be televised on CBS.