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The 4th-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes will hope to keep their momentum rolling as they host the Indiana Hoosiers for a Big Ten battle on Friday. Carrying a 16-4 overall record into this matchup, the Buckeyes have been fighting to keep pace with the top teams in the conference. The Big Ten features some of the best teams in college basketball and currently boasts six teams ranked in the top 25.
Match Details
Fixture: Indiana Hoosiers vs. Ohio State Buckeyes - NCAA Men's Basketball
Date & Time: Friday, February 12th, 2021, 12 PM ET
Venue: Value City Arena, Columbus, Ohio
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Indiana Hoosiers Preview
The Indiana Hoosiers narrowly defeated the 8th-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes over the weekend and followed that up with a wild 2nd-overtime victory against Northwestern. The Indiana Hoosiers present a very real threat to the Buckeyes in this matchup, despite their 6-6 conference record.
The defense of the Indiana Hoosiers has been limiting opposing offenses to very low-scoring nights, but their offense has been struggling to show off as well. Production from star Trayce Jackson-Davis has been leading the way, but their shooting as a team is lacking thus far.
Key Player - Trayce Jackson-Davis
Trayce Jackson-Davis had a slow night of scoring in the win over Northwestern, tallying just 10 points on 45% shooting. Although his scoring was lower than normal, Jackson-Davis still provided a strong presence on the boards with 14 rebounds.
The sophomore forward is gaining attention from NBA teams for his outstanding numbers thus far, scoring a team-high 20 points per game. Trayce Jackson-Davis is an impact performer any time he steps on the court, but he will need his biggest day yet against the red-hot Ohio State Buckeyes.
Indiana Hoosiers Predicted Lineup
F Trayce Jackson-Davis, F Race Thompson, G Trey Galloway, G Armaan Franklin, G Al Durham
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Ohio State Buckeyes Preview
The Ohio State Buckeyes jumped to 4th in the most recent rankings with the help of a Villanova loss. The Buckeyes carry a 5-game win streak into Friday's matchup and have won 8 of their last 9 games.
The Buckeyes have been tested by ranked opponents and have prevailed, most recently taking down the 8th-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes. Overall, Ohio State is 4-1 against ranked opponents this season and sit just a half-game out of first place in the Big Ten.
Key Player - E.J. Liddell
Ohio State Buckeyes' forward E.J. Liddell will provide a solid matchup for Trayce Jackson-Davis on both ends of the floor. The sophomore is averaging a team-high 14.9 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, controlling the paint for the Buckeyes' offense.
As the Ohio State Buckeyes look to keep their streak alive, the court leadership of E.J. Liddell will be tested. The 6'7" forward can provide a great matchup in the paint and open up space for the Ohio State offense to work.
Ohio State Buckeyes Predicted Lineup
F Kyle Young, F Justice Sueing, F E.J Liddell, G Jimmy Sotos, G Duane Washington Jr.
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Indiana vs. Ohio State Prediction
While the Indiana Hoosiers have taken down some ranked opponents, their offense does not match up well with the Ohio State Buckeyes. With the momentum of a 5-game winning streak behind them, the Buckeyes enter this matchup with a huge advantage. The Indiana Hoosiers' defense will be tested on Friday, and Ohio State will be the favorite to win their 17th game of the season.
Where to watch Indiana vs. Ohio State
The game will be broadcast live on ESPN.
