The Ohio State men’s basketball team improved to 4-1 following a convincing victory over Campbell, 104-60. Tonight, they host the Green Bay Phoenix, with tip-off slated for 7:00 pm ET on BTN live from Value City Arena.

Green Bay Phoenix:

The Phoenix are 2-4 on the season, with wins over SIUE and Western Illinois. However, their most recent loss was to Evansville by 17, a team Ohio State beat by 50.

Projected Starters:

Marcus Hall – F, #13

Preston Ruedinger – G, #2

Foster Wonders – G, #0

Jeremiah Johnson – G, #3

Anthony Roy – G, #9

The Phoenix are led in scoring by Senior Guard, Anthony Roy, who is averaging 28 points per game on the season. He is shooting over 50% from the field and nearly 48% from beyond the arc. These numbers have allowed Roy to rank as the nation’s leading scorer. Sophomore Forward,  Marcus Hall, has held his own providing 16 points per contest. Despite these two leading the way, the other three starting guards are also capable scorers.

The big story for the Phoenix is first-year head coach, Doug Gottlieb. Most well known for his time in sports radio and as a Sportscenter anchor, Gottlieb now gets the chance at coaching. So far, his team has had a rough go of things, earning a ranking of 257th by KenPom.

Ohio State Buckeyes:

The 4-1 Buckeyes will look to continue handling business against teams they should handle with ease. This is the last tune-up game before a daunting early season stretch of Pitt, Maryland, Rutgers, and Auburn.

The Buckeyes are again expected to be without 3 players: Ques Glover (questionable), Sean Stewart (questionable), and Aaron Bradshaw (not participating in team activities).

Projected Starters:

Devin Royal – F, #21

Evan Mahaffey – F, #12

Micah Parrish – F, #8

Bruce Thornton – G, #2

Meechie Johnson – G, #1

The Buckeyes are facing a bit of adversity with 2 key transfer starters, Bradshaw and Stewart, unable to play. However, this led to more minutes for guys such as Colin White and Evan Mahaffey. White brought the boom against the Camels throwing down a transition tomahawk slam and an alley-oop from Meechie Johnson. In 30 minutes of play, Mahaffey provided 11 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 blocks.

All 5 starters were able to climb into double digits, as part of a dominant and well-rounded offensive effort. Parrish was perfect from distance, going 4-4, on his way to 16 points. Royal was a dominating force inside, attacking and scoring for 17 points and grabbing 8 boards. Johnson and Thornton provided 12 and 11 points respectively. However, the biggest performance came yet again from Juni ‘Sniper’ Mobley, tallying 23 points and knocking down 5 three-pointers. He continues to show his full arsenal, getting into the paint and scoring as well.

Prediction:

Ohio State is a 24.5-point favorite, in a matchup that mirrors Evansville and Campbell as far as the quality of the opponent. The outcome will likely not be much different.

Score: Ohio State 85, Green Bay 55

Featured Image: Adam Cairns, USA Today Network