The No. 23 Ohio State Buckeyes remain at home to face the unranked Michigan State Spartans. Tip-off is set for 7:00 pm ET on ESPN, live from Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

Buckeye Recap:

The 18-9 Buckeyes find themselves in a danger zone, fighting for a double-bye in the conference tournament. On Tuesday the Buckeyes were handed a devastating home loss to last place Nebraska, by a score of 78-70. This is the first time all season that the Buckeyes have lost back-to-back games. Winning the next two games and an Iowa loss is likely the only path to a double-bye.

The Buckeyes were already short-handed Tuesday as Zed Key sat with an ankle injury, then Kyle Young left the game due to illness after playing only eight minutes. EJ Liddell led the way with 27 points, 14 rebounds, and 6 blocked shots, he was really the only Buckeye to have any sort of rhythm to his play. Malaki Branham also added 16 points, aided by a late scoring surge in the final minutes of the game. The injuries and offensive woes were too much for the Buckeyes to overcome as they would drop their second straight game.

Who is Michigan State:

Michigan State is 19-10 on the year and sits in 7th place in the conference, going 10-8 up to this point. They suffered a 17-point loss to Michigan on Tuesday and have gone just 2-6 over their past 8 games, despite upsetting No. 4 Purdue just two games ago. This will be their first and only meeting with the Buckeyes during the regular season and then they will wrap up with Maryland later this week.

The Spartans are led in scoring by forward Gabe Brown, who averages just over 11.4 points per game. However, the stats will tell you that the Spartan offense relies more on a collective scoring effort as the other four starters all average around 8-9 points themselves. Malik Hall, Marcus Bingham Jr., and Julius Marble are all guys that could be huge factors in tonight’s game. These three guys are all utilized well by coach Izzo and could cause issues for Ohio State defensively. Freshman Max Christie is also another guy for the Spartans that provides an interesting aspect to their offense. The potential to be a star is there with his ability to get to the basket and knock down shots from anywhere but with no consistency.

What to expect:

This is a crucial game for both teams, and as such expect it to be a typical Big Ten grinder until the final buzzer. The Spartans desperately need a win to save their season and defeating ranked Ohio State, on the road would do just that. The Buckeyes need this win to give themselves a chance at the double-bye in the conference tournament.

Michigan State’s plan of attack will be the paint, trying to exploit Ohio State’s potential size and depth issues. Their four forwards who can do work down low may present huge issues for the Buckeyes. The extra attention should lead to better shots for the likes of Christie and Tyson Walker.

Ohio State wins come from stout defense, solid three-point shooting, and winning the battle on the glass. The status of Key and Young will be very important to the Buckeye game plan. Ultimately, someone besides EJ Liddell and Malaki Branham is going to have to step up and make an impact. Guys like Wheeler, Russell, and Brown need to perform if the Buckeyes want to win tonight and going forward.

Gabe’s Guess:

The Buckeyes are favored by six points despite being on a two-game losing streak. If the Buckeyes are again without Young and Key concern over depth and size will remain a concern. Whoever overcomes their personal adversities will win this game. I think that this Ohio State team will band together and find a way, despite the injuries and fatigue.

Score Prediction: 71-68, Ohio State

Catch all the action on ESPN at 7:00 pm ET.

Featured Image: Joseph Maiorana, USA TODAY Sports