The No. 18 Ohio State Buckeyes host the Minnesota Gophers at Value City Arena in Columbus today on BTN at 8:30 pm ET.

Buckeye Recap:

The Buckeyes went 1-1 this past week, dropping a close game at Rutgers and securing a huge road win over Michigan. These results caused them to drop to 18^th in the AP poll. They now sit at 15-6 overall but have an 8-4 conference record which keeps them in the hunt for the regular-season championship, they are currently two games back of Big Ten leader Illinois.

A 68-57 victory over Michigan on Saturday was secured after player of the year candidate EJ Liddell tallied 28 points, while going a perfect 11-11 from the free throw line. He shot and made two times as many free throws as the entire Michigan team. Another valuable contributor was transfer guard Cedric Russell who added 12 points in 24 minutes off the bench, ranking second on the team in scoring on the day.

We saw Ohio State respond in a big way against their rival, on the road despite suffering a devastating loss just days before. This momentum boost and confidence builder was just what this team was looking for heading into the home stretch of conference play.

Who is Minnesota?:

The Gophers currently hold a record of 12-10 on the season and sit at 12^th overall in the conference. They are coming off a 1-1 week of their own, which featured a double-digit loss at Nebraska and a home win over Penn State. They have struggled to find any sort of rhythm as injuries, COVID pauses, and player availability has had quite the impact on this team.

The Gophers are led in scoring by Jamison Battle and Payton Willis, who average just over 16.5 points per game. However, they saw a big performance from sixth-year senior Eric Curry versus Penn State when he tallied a career-high 22 points. He missed the last meeting between these two teams and could add a valuable force in the paint for the Gophers.

What to expect:

For the Gophers this is a must-win contest if they hope to salvage this season and make a bid for the NIT. In the last matchup, they were dominated on the glass losing the battle by a margin of 26 to the Buckeyes. If they are to have any chance that must not repeat. Adding Curry to the mix may help, but ultimately, the Gophers rebound at the worst clip in the conference. Thus, it will be important for their guards to play at a high level and light up the scoreboard, a tough ask against Ohio State’s stout defense.

The Buckeyes are looking to move to 11-0 at home this season and complete the season sweep of the Gophers. As freshman guard Meechie Johnson remains day to day, players such as Eugene Brown, Malaki Branham, and Cedric Russell must continue to step up and fill up the stat sheet in any way they can. The Buckeyes must continue to take care of the ball, dominate the glass, and feed EJ Liddell, who continues to prove he is one of the best players in America.

Injury News:

-Meechie Johnson remains day to day with his foot injury, he will most likely miss this contest as well.

-Justice Sueing: for the first time in a while we heard some optimism from the coaching staff in regard to Sueing. Per assistant coach Ryan Pedon, he is “incrementally improving”, but still no timeline has been given.

Gabe’s Guess:

-Ohio State is a 12.5-point favorite at home, where they are currently 10-0. If the Buckeyes control the glass, continue taking care of the basketball, and just play their game they are a tough matchup. Barring a monster night from one of the Gopher guards it should be a good night for the Buckeyes who will secure a double-digit victory.

Final: 81-66, Ohio State

How to watch:

Catch all the action at 8:30 pm ET on BTN

Featured Image: Rick Osentoski, USA Today Sports