Ohio State basketball players who need to shine for a deep Big Ten Tournament run

The Ohio State basketball team is at the end of the line. They have just one more guaranteed game this season and it's Thursday evening against Iowa. If they win that game, they will take on Illinois on Friday. The Buckeyes must win both games to have a shot to get into the NCAA Tournament.

A deep run in the Big Ten tournament is the only way in which the Buckeyes can extend their season, not including an NIT bid. They don't want to go to the NIT. Their focus is getting to the Big Dance where they are hoping they can make a miracle run at the title.

In order for the Ohio State basketball team to do that, a few players must shine. The first one is Jamison Battle. Battle is by far the best shooter the Buckeyes have on the team. Lately, he's been even more confident in his stroke, shooting step-back threes and making them with ease. He shoots it 44% from three.

His shooting opens everything else up on the floor. When he is making outside shots and is aggressive in taking them, the rest of the half-court offense is more efficient for the Buckeyes. That also helps a couple of other guys off the bench.

Zed Key is going to need to be big on the defensive end of the floor. His offense has taken a hit since moving to the bench this year but his defense is what helped Ohio State beat Purdue. Since he's a more stout body than Felix Okpara, he doesn't get moved off his spot as easily. He can defend the post a bit better.

Devin Royal is also going to be key. His versatility to play inside and outside the paint on both sides of the ball is something they need against both Iowa and Illinois. They only need him to put up 6-8 points for him to make an impact. Those points could be enough to put them over the edge for a win.

If the Ohio State basketball team can get contributions from all of these guys, they might be dancing after all.