Ohio State basketball: Keys for Buckeyes to beat North Carolina
By Jacob Rhymer
2. The Buckeyes need to limit second-chance opportunities
The Ohio State basketball team has another game where they will need to be aggressive on the glass on both ends of the floor. North Carolina hasn’t been the offensive rebounding team that they usually are this year, but they still have one of the best offensive rebounding big men in the country in Armando Bacot.
The Tar Heels big man has battled a handful of injuries so far in this young season. However, he was voted Preseason ACC Player of the Year and named a preseason All-American. Despite the lingering injuries Bacot has had so far, Zed Key is still going to have his hands full down low against the North Carolina big.
Zed Key’s main focus in this one is boxing out Bacot and not allowing him to be a factor on the glass. The Tar Heels are going to play through Bacot in the post majority of this game. Key is going to have to play at an increased physicality level against North Carolina without getting in foul trouble.
This game could be another opportunity for Holtmann to put Key and Okpara on the floor at the same time to match North Carolina’s frontcourt. The attention of Ohio State will all be on Bacot on the inside, but they can’t forget about North Carolina’s other big man Pete Nance.
Holtmann and the Buckeyes are familiar with Nance as he is a transfer from Northwestern. Justice Sueing will probably get the start on Nance, but don’t be surprised if you see Key and Okpara out there together. This matchup with Bacot and Nance will be good for Ohio State to help prepare them for the elite bigs they will face in the Big Ten.
The third key for Ohio State is the Buckeyes need to take and make the three.