Preview:
WHO: Ohio State Buckeyes (11-14, 3-11 Big Ten)
WHEN: 8:05 PM CT (Thursday, February 16, 2023)
WHERE: Carver-Hawkeye Arena (Iowa City, IA)
TV: ESPN2 (Kevin Brown and Robbie Hummel)
RADIO: Hawkeye Radio Network (Gary Dolphin and Bobby Hansen) | XM 382 or SXM 972
MOBILE: www.espn.com/watch
ONLINE: www.espn.com/app
FOLLOW: @IowaAwesome |
@IowaHoops | @IowaonBTN
LINE: Iowa-7.5
KENPOM: Iowa -5 (68% chance of winning)
PROJECTED STARTING FIVE
Iowa
G
Tony Perkins (11.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.4 spg, 0.4 bpg, 40.5 FG%, 30.4 3FG%)
G
Ahron Ulis (6.4 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 2.5 apg, 0.6 spg, 0.2 bpg, 39.7 FG%, 32.1 3FG%)
F
Connor McCaffery (7.1 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 3.2 apg, 1.5 spg, 0.0 bpg, 40.8 FG%, 36.8 3FG%)
F
Kris Murray (21.0 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 1.8 apg, 0.9 spg, 1.2 bpg, 50.3 FG%, 35.6 3FG%)
F
Filip Rebraca (14.1 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 2.1 apg, 0.6 spg, 1.2 bpg, 56.8 FG%, 33.3 3FG%)
Ohio State
G
Bruce Thornton (9.0 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.6 apg, 0.8 spg, 0.0 bpg, 43.8 FG%, 37.0 3FG%)
G
Sean McNeil (9.4 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.3 apg, 0.4 spg, 0.1 bpg, 40.8 FG%, 36.6 3FG%)
F
Justice Sueing (12.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.8 apg, 0.7 spg, 0.4 bpg, 44.4 FG%, 23.5 3FG%)
F
Brice Sensabaugh (16.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 0.9 apg, 0.6 spg, 0.4 bpg, 47.9 FG%, 43.0 3FG%)
C
Zed Key (11.1 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 0.8 apg, 0.6 spg, 1.0 bpg, 55.1% FG, 29.2 3FG%)
PREVIEW
The first 14 games of the Big Ten schedule for
Iowa this season featured 13 unique opponents;
Rutgers was the only team Iowa played twice in that stretch of games (the Hawkeyes won both games over the Scarlet Knights). The final six games of Iowa's 2023 Big Ten schedule are nothing
but rematch games; the Hawkeyes play four teams that beat them earlier this season (
Ohio State,
Wisconsin,
Michigan State, and
Nebraska) as well as two teams that they beat earlier in the year (
Northwestern and
Indiana). Sweeping Northwestern and/or Indiana would be very nice, but an even bigger priority might be avenging those prior losses -- especially given where most of those teams sit in the Big Ten standings.
The first team on Iowa's potential Revenge Tour is Ohio State, who blasted the doors off Iowa in Columbus three weeks ago. Since then, Iowa has won four of six games, while Ohio State has lost six straight. In fact, that mid-January win over Iowa is Ohio State's only win since January 1; the Buckeyes have lost 11 of their last 12 games entering Thursday night. The bottom has well and truly fallen out on their season.
Ohio State beat Iowa in the
first meeting this season because of some absolutely torrid shooting. The Buckeyes shot 56% from the field, scored 93 points (56 in the second half alone), and averaged 1.31 points per possession. They shot well from long range (8/16), but the Buckeyes did most of their damage closer to the basket. Ohio State was 28/48 (58%) on 2-point shots and outscored Iowa 50-32 in points in the paint.
It wasn't a case of Ohio State's bigs dominating down low, either -- big man
Zed Key had 11 points and 9 rebounds, but shot just 4/10 from the floor. Most of the damage came from Ohio State's guards and wings, who sliced through Iowa's perimeter defense like it wasn't there. Freshman
Brice Sensabaugh led Ohio State with 27 points, which included a 5/7 performance inside the 3-point arc (he was also 4/5 from deep, so Iowa wasn't really able to stop him anywhere on the court).
Isaac Likekele had 18 points and
Sean McNeil added 10 points; they combined to shoot 8/14 on 2-point attempts. The Ohio State game was a very long day, and a real low point for Iowa's guards.
MORE HERE:
https://iowa.rivals.com/news/preview-iowa-mbb-vs-ohio-state
