The No. 22 Ohio State Buckeyes travel to the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois to take on the No. 15 Illinois Fighting Illini at 9:00 pm ET.
Buckeye Recap:
The Buckeyes moved to 17-7 and now sit at fourth in the Big Ten following an overtime thriller against Indiana on Monday. With just 2:47 left in regulation, the Buckeyes trailed by four, but after a couple of strong defensive possessions, the Buckeyes would eventually tie the game with just six seconds remaining. Freshman Malaki Branham weaved his way through the defense, drawing all the attention, before a low post feed led to an EJ Liddell dunk. Despite the Hoosiers scoring the first points of OT, the Buckeyes would absolutely dominate the extra period, outscoring their opponent 17-6 and winning the game 80-69.
Branham continues to show his potential as he scored a game-high 27 points, adding 5 rebounds and 3 assists. Coach Holtmann proved he has a lot of trust in Branham despite his age because all the offense was flowing through him down the home stretch. EJ Liddell also added 16 points and 7 rebounds, the most important of which was his game-tying dunk. Overall, we continue to see the minutes of Cedric Russell and Eugene Brown grow while those of Justin Ahrens diminish as his offensive slump remains steady.
Who is Illinois?:
Illinois is 19-7 on the season and currently sit ahead of the Buckeyes at 2nd in the conference with a record of 12-4, due to a tie for first. Most recently they defeated 19th ranked Michigan State in East Lansing as part of a classic Big Ten brawl. However, they are 2-2 over their last 4 which includes losses to Purdue and Rutgers.
The Illini offense is centered around their monstrous center, Kofi Cockburn. In their recent win over Michigan State, he scored 27, exceeding his average of 21.7 points per game to go along with 11.2 rebounds. He is a beast in the paint and will obviously pose a huge threat to a Buckeye team that doesn’t have a guy that matches up with his physical attributes. Another important scorer for the Illini is Guard Trent Frazier with 12.4 points per game, he has plenty of Big Ten experience in his time in Champaign and is never afraid to take the big shot, in fact, he hit the three that sealed MSU’s fate on Saturday. Lastly, is Utah transfer Alfonso Plummer, he is the team’s second-leading scorer in his first year with the program tallying 14.7 per game. Plummer is a lethal scorer and creates a big challenge for the Buckeye guards.
What to expect:
This is the first meeting of the season for the two teams that squared off for the 2021 Big Ten Championship. That game was decided in overtime when the Illini would win 91-88 after a fantastic battle throughout regulation and the extra period. This meeting carries just as much weight for both teams, as they are both very much alive in the race for the regular-season title. With a win, the Buckeyes edge closer to the top and would be tied in the loss column with Illinois, and a win for Illinois would move them into a three-way tie for first place with Purdue and Wisconsin.
The Illini will most likely work to get Cockburn on the block as much as possible; whether that results in scoring buckets or shooting free throws makes no difference to them. On the defensive end, they will try and force EJ Liddell to work for shots and try and limit Malaki Branham’s effectiveness. Look for the Illini guards to press heavily in the half-court, making Ohio State work for every shot.
The Buckeyes will likely continue to run the offense through a confident and talented Branham. His success and ability to drive the lane should lead to better looks for Liddell and also for their teammates. It is going to take more than Branham and Liddell to upset the Illini in Champaign, so look for the likes of Johnson, Brown, Wheeler, and company to have a big impact.
Expect this game to be an instant classic, despite Illinois being a powerhouse the Buckeyes know what’s at stake and will most likely bring their A-game in Champaign.
Injury News:
-Justice Sueing: no change in stats
Prediction:
-Ohio State is a six point underdog against one of the league powerhouses, despite sitting at 4-5 on the road this season and playing their 3rd game in six days I expect the Buckeyes to make this a nail biter. In fact, I think the Buckeyes squeak out the upset on the back of Branham and Liddell, while a HUGE night for Eugene Brown is also in order.
Final: 78-76, Ohio State
How to watch:
Catch all the action at 9:00 pm ET on Fox Sports 1.
Featured Image: AP Photo
Gabe Woodcox is a content contributor for The Silver Bulletin. He is a native of Cleveland, Ohio, and a graduate of The Ohio State University with a major of Sport Industry. Gabe has been working closely with Ohio State athletics during his sport industry tenure, writing for BuckeyesNews and working most recently with 97.1 The Fan. He is an avid Buckeye basketball and sports betting fanatic and will continue his education in a Turf Management Masters program next fall.