Head coach Chris Holtmann reacts to game action during the Ohio State-Purdue game on Jan. 19. Ohio State lost 65-67. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor
The Buckeyes may receive a reprieve from life on the road against a ranked Big Ten team Saturday, but head coach Chris Holtmann knows the challenge that awaits his team.
No. 4 Ohio State (16-4, 10-4) is riding a five-game win streak into its matchup with Indiana (11-8, 6-6). Although the Hoosiers do not provide the Buckeyes with a chance to add a seventh ranked win to their resume, Holtmann said his team will have their hands full against a team that downed Iowa twice.
Led by sophomore forward Trayce Jackson-Davis’ 19.4 points and 9.4 rebounds per game, Holtmann said the Hoosiers have star power and balance to threaten the Buckeyes’ momentum.
“This year’s team is good offensively and they’re good defensively,” Holtmann said. “They’re a veteran group and you can tell with a group that’s played together a lot and a star in Trayce.”
Despite his commanding 5-1 record against Indiana since arriving at Ohio State, Holtmann and the Buckeyes have seen 3-of-5 wins decided by less than 5 points.
Holtmann’s arrival to the Big Ten coincided with the arrival of Indiana head coach Archie Miller, who Holtmann said prepares his team on the defensive end.
“They’re always tough, they’re always physical and I think they always play really, really hard on both ends but particularly defensively,” Holtmann said. “In our short time playing against Indiana, that’s really been the hallmark of the teams, and most of all of our games have went down to the wire and we’ve been fortunate on a couple wins for sure.”
The Hoosiers defense, which has struggled to defend Big Ten competition, is surrendering 73.3 points per game since the beginning of conference play.
Although this lands Indiana in the bottom half of the league defensively, Miller’s squad sits in the top half offensively — scoring 72.6 points per game against Big Ten foes.
The tip of the spear for Indiana’s attack is Jackson-Davis.
In his freshman campaign, Jackson-Davis struggled against the Buckeyes as he combined for only 13 points and 10 rebounds in the two matchups.
Despite his struggles last season, Holtmann said Jackson-Davis has made strides in his game.
“I think he continues to get to the foul line, I think he just impacts the game,” Holtmann said. “He’s a terrific shot blocker, elite rebounder, runs the floor really well, I think every area of his game has improved.”
The Indiana backcourt has also provided an offensive lift. Sophomore guard Armaan Franklin and senior guard Aljami Durham round out the double-digit scorers for the Hoosiers.
Junior forward Race Thompson, who averages 9.9 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, resides next to Jackson-Davis in Indiana’s frontcourt.
“I think their guard play has really helped them and Race Thompson kinda coming into his own has really helped them,” Holtmann said. “They’ve got a deep bench, they’ve got a variety of guys they can go to and that they do play.”
The Hoosiers also have the ability to play spoiler as they have given top-15 teams fits all season.
Indiana earned two wins over No. 15 Iowa when the Hawkeyes were ranked in the top 10, and took then-No. 8 Wisconsin and then-No. 12 Illinois to overtime.
As the Hoosiers have given ranked teams fits all season, they have also amassed plenty of close-game experience — playing in five overtimes this season. Indiana is 2-3 in games that go to overtime.
With his own history with Indiana and the Hoosiers taking five teams to overtime this season, Holtmann said he is preparing his team to compete down the stretch to earn a win Saturday.
“They have a real resilience to them as a group, I think we do as well, so we expect it to go down to the last couple minutes, I think that’s typical of most games,” Holtmann said. “That’s been the tone of a lot of their league games.”
The game is set to tip off on ESPN Saturday at noon inside the Schottenstein Center.
