Ohio State junior center Kaleb Wesson (34) dunks the ball in the second half against Maryland Feb. 23. Ohio State won 79-72. Credit: Cori Wade | Assistant Photo Editor
At the beginning of February, Ohio State handed Michigan its fifth loss in seven games, a three-point loss on its home court that could’ve been the breaking point in an up-and-down Wolverine season.
Instead, it was a rallying point for Michigan, which rattled off wins against its next five opponents, surging back into the top 20 in national rankings before losing to Wisconsin this past Thursday.
The teams were each amid tumultuous stretches when last they met, but both No. 23 Ohio State (19-9, 9-8 Big Ten) and No. 19 Michigan (18-10, 9-8) enter their Sunday rematch on a tear.
“Like any team in college basketball, they had their struggles, like we did, in January. They’re playing terrific now,” head coach Chris Holtmann said.
Michigan averaged 75 points per game in its past six matchups — nearly seven points better than its previous seven contests. Ohio State has allowed 75 points to just three opponents all season.
Senior guard Zavier Simpson scored a career-high 32 points in Michigan’s defeat to Wisconsin, and the 81-74 loss was the first time the Wolverines have allowed 70 or more points to an opponent since Jan. 22.
“Simpson, I think he’s one of the really elite competitors I’ve ever coached against,” Holtmann said. “I think he’s one of the best competitors in college basketball.”
Ohio State has won seven of its past nine, and junior forward Kaleb Wesson had one of his most aggressive offensive performances of the season in the Buckeyes’ previous meeting with the Wolverines.
Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann yells plays at the team in the second half against Maryland Feb. 23. Ohio State won 79-72. Credit: Cori Wade | Assistant Photo Editor
Wesson’s 23 points –– the second-most of his season –– accounted for nearly 38 percent of Ohio State’s total, and on 9-for-14 shooting, Wesson hasn’t made more shots in a game this year, and has only attempted more than 14 shots once.
Ohio State junior forward Kyle Young is doubtful for Sunday’s game with a high ankle sprain, Holtmann said. Young missed Thursday’s game with the injury, which he suffered in the first half against Maryland this past Sunday.
Michigan junior forward Isaiah Livers, who missed the first matchup with a groin injury, is expected to play against Ohio State despite injuring his ankle against Indiana Feb. 16 and missing the ensuing game.
Livers, who averages a Wolverine best 13.4 points per game, has played 36-plus minutes in Michigan’s past two games.
“The last time we played them, they were missing a very key player in Livers,” Holtmann said. “Livers is tremendous. He’s a tremendous player.”
The Buckeyes have already done something against Michigan that they’ve been hard-pressed to do against most other Big Ten teams: win on the road.
Ohio State is 4-6 on the road this season, with two of those wins coming against Northwestern and Nebraska — the two worst teams in the conference. The other road win besides Michigan was against nonconference North Carolina, a team that’s gone 5-15 since the loss to Ohio State.
The Buckeyes’ offensive and defensive statistics improve nearly across the board at home, where they’ve won 14 of 16 games this season.
Of each team Ohio State has played twice this season –– save Nebraska, which it blew out on both occasions –– the Buckeyes have put on markedly better performances in the home matchup, even if it resulted in a loss.
By that logic, Ohio State should coast to victory against a Michigan team it already beat on the road. But things aren’t that simple in the Big Ten.
Ohio State has played Penn State, Indiana, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Maryland and Minnesota twice this season. Nebraska is the lone team the Buckeyes have bested twice.
In fact, the result of the first game has often had little to no bearing on what occurs in the second.
Tied for seventh place in the Big Ten standings, the Buckeyes and Wolverines will continue to grapple for conference and NCAA Tournament seeds when they tip off at 4 p.m. Sunday at the Schottenstein Center.
