Ohio State basketball: Keys to winning the Maui Invitational

The Ohio State Buckeyes have to defend at a high level

Each key for Ohio State this week has been based on the offense. These keys for the offense are very important, but their play on the defensive end is just as vital this week.

Through three games, Ohio State’s defense has looked significantly better than last season. They rank sixth in all of college basketball in the fewest points allowed per game at 50.7. I know the quality of opponents they have played isn’t near as good as the opponents they are about to play, but it’s still a massive increase from last season at 67.7 points allowed per game.

While in Maui, Ohio State is going to have to win the turnover battle. They need to make the opposition turn it over more times than they turn it over. The Buckeyes will also need to control the boards and not allow many second-chance opportunities. These are good rebounding teams so that’s easier said than done.

According to FanDuel, Ohio State has the sixth-best odds to win the Maui Invitational at +950. Their first opponent, San Diego State, has the third-best at +430. A lot of people like the Aztecs as a team to win this tournament. If the Buckeyes can do the three keys mentioned, I like their chances to create a lot of chaos and come out of Maui with some hardware.

This will be Ohio State’s first true test of the season. We’re going to have a lot to take away from this team once their trip to Maui concludes.