The No. 18 Ohio State Buckeyes host the Indiana Hoosiers at Value City Arena in Columbus today on Fox Sports 1 at 7:00 pm ET.

Buckeye Recap:
Ohio State moved to 16-7 overall, 9-5 in conference play following a difficult loss at home to Iowa on Saturday. The Buckeyes were handed their first home loss of the season after being outscored by 12 in the second half. The Buckeyes committed 12 turnovers, missed 7 free throws, and allowed 20 offensive rebounds, all statistics that don’t fit into a winning equation.

Malaki Branham lead the way for the Buckeyes with 22 points and 8 rebounds. EJ Liddell added 15 points and five blocks, but struggled overall on the offensive end. The big concern for the Buckeyes was scoring outside that duo. The four guards- Eugene Brown, Meechie Johnson, Cedric Russell, and Jamari Wheeler combined for 9 points while Justin Ahrens added 0. Ultimately, this is a game the Buckeyes will look to move on from in a hurry as their remaining stretch is crucial.

Who is Indiana?
The Hoosiers are 16-9 and 7-8 in conference play, entering this game on a four-game losing skid. Their past four games have been brutal, having faced Michigan State, Wisconsin, and Illinois, three of the league’s best. However, the last time these two teams squared off, they handed the Buckeyes a 16-point loss in Bloomington.

The Hoosiers are led by star forward, Trayce Jackson-Davis, who averages 18 points and 8 rebounds per game. In the last matchup between these teams he couldn’t be stopped, scoring 27 points, cleaning up 12 boards and blocking 5 shots. He is red-hot after dropping 30 in the loss to Wisconsin last Tuesday. Other players to look out for are Race Thompson and Xavier Johnson, the only other Hoosiers averaging double figures. The Hoosiers will be without senior point guard Rob Phinisee, missing his 6th game due to injury as well as Khristian Lander who may as be out with an injury.

What to expect:
Both of these teams need this win desperately, for Indiana they need to end this losing skid and for the Buckeyes they need to right the ship before facing Illinois.

The key for the Hoosiers will be to feed Jackson-Davis and try and exploit that mismatch as much as possible. He couldn’t be stopped in the last game and his play will likely dictate the outcome. Having not played in six days will be a huge advantage, the Hoosiers should be well rested and anxious to get back on the court.

For Ohio State, slowing down Jackson-Davis must be the focal point. Forcing Indiana to find scoring outside of their star would be a winning plan. However, consistent defense must be accompanied by taking care of the basketball and knocking down more shots from long distance. Ultimately, the Buckeyes will go to Liddell and Branham for their scoring, but it’s how their teammates contribute that will determine the final result. Fatigue could certainly be a factor for the Buckeyes as well, who are playing their third game in seven days.

Injury News:
-Justice Sueing: No update to his status

Gabe’s Guess:
-Ohio State is a 7-point favorite, and having just dropped their first game at home to fall to 11-1 I’m sure they are hungry to get back to defending VCA. This game will be decided by the play of Liddell and Jackson-Davis, which star will have the greater impact. However, I think Ohio State has shown it’s the better overall team down the stretch and this will be their edge.

Final: 72-66, Ohio State

How to watch:
Catch all the action at 7:00 pm ET on Fox Sports 1.

Featured Image: Paul Vernon, AP Photo