Ohio State once again lost the battle at the basket, and it cost them another game. The Buckeyes were beaten soundly in rebounding the basketball and points in the paint. They’ve struggled at the rim all season, and it cost them the game against That Team up North. It didn’t help that the Buckeyes struggled from the free-throw line (shooting 66.7%), where if they made just 4 of the 11 shots they missed, they would have won the game. The final blow that sank the Buckeyes was no support from their bench.
The Buckeye stars shone brightly as usual. Devin Royal (26), Bruce Thornton (17), and John Mobley Jr. (16) all scored in double figures. Even Micah Parrish, who had a cold game with 9 points, scored as much as the Buckeye bench did combined and had one more than the Buckeye big men did together (8). The Buckeyes won the turnover battle 12-9, had 17 points off of turnovers to that team up north’s 12, and outscored them in transition 12-9.
The interior game, again, was so thoroughly beaten that it was the primary reason for the loss. Ohio State was out-rebounded by 15, 46-31. They were outscored in the paint by 12, 46-34. They’ve lost in those key categories consistently this year and usually big double figures like today. When you’re routinely out-rebounded and outscored around the rim by 10-plus, you’re not going to win too many games where that happens.
Ohio State has to find a way to turn that around, and not just in games with teams at the bottom of the Big Ten, like Washington. They’ll have another team they should out talent this Wednesday when 13-12 (4-10) Northwestern comes to town.
However, next week, when they travel to 19-7 (10-7) UCLA, they will need an inside presence if they hope to win and find a way into the NCAA tournament. If they don’t, and their 15-11 (7-8) record doesn’t improve and continues to only beat the teams they outmatch and play poorly inside, Ohio State may be looking at a second straight year of the NIT in March.