Ohio State basketball: Why Buckeyes have a great shot at making the Sweet 16

The Ohio State basketball team matches up really well with Villanova

One thing that is huge for the Buckeyes is that they match up with the Wildcats really well. Villanova’s tallest player in their starting lineup is 6’8, just like Ohio State with Kyle Young and Zed Key. This benefits the Buckeyes as it will help them compete even more on the glass in this game.

I like the idea of Jamari Wheeler taking the challenge of guarding Collin Gillespie. We all know how great Wheeler can be defensively and he was great against Loyola Chicago. He got deflections and forced turnovers. Gillespie doesn’t make many bad decisions, but if Wheeler can frustrate him even a little bit it would give this Buckeyes team a massive advantage.

Ohio State also did a great job rebounding in the win over Loyola Chicago, winning the battle on the glass by 10. Villanova averages a little over 10 offensive rebounds a game. The Buckeyes need another good day on the boards and limit second-chance opportunities against the Wildcats. Rebounding has been a main focus all year but with no difference in size, I think the Buckeyes can be a force on the glass.

Villanova is a well-rounded team. They can spread you out and they are really unselfish, always looking to make that extra pass. They have three starters that average double-figures in points and the other two starters are almost at ten points per game. The Buckeyes are going to need another outstanding defensive performance in this game if they are going to win.

The Buckeyes are also getting healthier and that gives them a huge boost moving forward.