Iowa WBB Tip Time Preview - Ohio State

BIG TEN TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

#14 OHIO STATE BUCKEYES (25-6) (12-6) vs #7 IOWA HAWKEYES (25-6) (15-3)

TIME: 4:00pm

TV: ESPN

SERIES: 75th Meeting – Series tied at 37

THE NUMBERS

OFFENSE: IOWA: 87.0 PPG, 50.5% FG, 36.8% 3PT, 14.2 TO OHIO STATE: 81.0 PPG, 46.8% FG, 34.2% 3PT, 13.9 TO

DEFENSE: IOWA: 71.3 PPG, 40.2% FG, 29.7% 3PT, 14.3 TO, +6.0 REB MARGIN OHIO STATE: 67.1 PPG, 42.0% FG, 29.6% 3PT, 20.4 TO, -1.5 REB MARGIN

PROJECTED LINEUPS

IOWA HAWKEYES

6’0 PG Caitlin Clark – 26.9 PPG, 7.4 REB, 8.1 AST, 37.6% 3PT

5’9 G Gabbie Marshall – 5.7 PPG, 35.5% 3PT

6’0 G Kate Martin – 7.4 PPG, 4.3 REB, 3.5 AST, 46.3% FG

6’1 F McKenna Warnock – 11.2 PPG, 5.8 REB, 39.8% 3PT

6’3 C Monika Czinano – 17.0 PPG, 6.5 REB, 66.6% FG

OHIO STATE BUCKEYES

5’10 G Rikki Harris – 7.4 PPG, 4.4 REB, 3.5 AST, 34.1% FG

6’0 G Taylor Thierry – 14.0 PPG, 6.8 REB, 62.4% FG

5’11 G Taylor Mikesell – 17.1 PPG, 3.1 REB, 40.2% 3PT

6’0 F Cotie McMahon – 14.4 PPG, 5.3 REB, 51.9% FG

6’0 F Eboni Walker – 4.4 PPG, 3.4 REB, 47.0% FG

RECAPING THE REGULAR SEASON MEETING

January 23rd: Iowa 83 Ohio State 72 (Columbus, OH)

• The Iowa defense held the Buckeyes to 27/71 (38.0%) from the floor and 4/25 (16.0%) from three-point range. Taylor Mikesell was 2/10 from behind the arc.
• Caitlin Clark logged a triple-double with 28 points, ten rebounds and 15 assists.
• Monika Czinano had 22 points on 11/13 shooting.
• Iowa built a nine-point halftime lead and had 15 assists to six turnovers. Finished with 24 assists to 17 turnovers. Buckeyes scored just 13 points off of Iowa turnovers.
• The Hawkeyes outrebounded Ohio State 51-31. They grabbed 40% of offensive rebounds and 82.3% of defensive rebounds.
• OSU underclassmen Cotie McMahon and Taylor Thierry combined for 41 points, 17 rebounds and six assists.
• Jacy Sheldon missed the game due to injury.

IOWA PLAYER TO WATCH: C Monika Czinano

Rebeka Mikulasikova is a unique matchup for the Hawkeyes on defense because of her ability to play in the post and step out to three-point range. However, Monika Czinano has been very successful against the Buckeyes post player the last two seasons. In two games, Czinano has scored 45 points on 22/26 (84.6%) shooting.

Monika has scored over 15+ points just three times in the last nine games and is averaging just 8.8 shots per game. She averaged 11.5 shots per game over the first 22 games of the season. She is due for a really big game and the Buckeyes are a matchup she has done well with.

OHIO STATE PLAYER TO WATCH: G Jacy Sheldon

The 2022 First Team All-Big Ten selection has played in just three games since November 30th and did not play in the first matchup against the Hawkeyes. She played 12 minutes in the quarterfinal and 15 minutes yesterday against Indiana. Sheldon finished with 12 points and four steals in their win over the Hoosiers. It will be interesting to see how many minutes she gets today and how much of an impact she can make. When fully healthy last year, she averaged nearly 20 points and 5 assists per game.

BIGGEST KEY FOR THE HAWKEYES: Handle the Buckeyes press and make it a high scoring affair

Ohio State is forcing 20.4 turnovers per game and they are averaging 22.97 points per game off of turnovers. That makes up 28.4% of the Buckeyes 81.0 points per game. The key to beating them? Force them to score in the half court. In Ohio State’s six losses, they are averaging just 12.5 points off turnovers.

Don’t let the Buckeyes 81.0 points per game fool you completely. They are 6-6 when opponents score 70+ points. Why is that good for Iowa? The Hawkeyes have scored 70+ points in 29 of 31 games and 80+ points in 24 of 31 games. If Iowa can limit the Buckeyes points off turnovers and make it a game in the 80’s, you have to like their chances.

Here are some important stats to know for today’s championship game…

2pt FG: Iowa 1st (59.3%) Ohio State 10th (53.6%)

3pt FG: Iowa 17th (36.8%) Ohio State 42nd (34.8%)

3pt Rate: Iowa 71st (38.1%) Ohio State 140th (33.6%)

TO: Ohio State 58th (13.6) Iowa 68th (13.8)

FORCED TO: Ohio State 13th (20.5) Iowa 268th (14.4)

Off Pts/100 Possessions: Iowa 3rd (116.6) Ohio State 15th (109.5)

Def Pts/100 Possessions: Ohio State 124th (90.7) Iowa 234th (95.5)

Possessions Per Gm: Iowa 31st (74.0) Ohio State 33rd (73.7)

Off Rebounding: Ohio State 227th (29.2%) Iowa 284th (27.0%)

Def Rebounding: Iowa 7th (76.2%) Ohio State 183rd (69.0%)

THE PICK

The Hawkeyes find themselves in the Big Ten Tournament Championship for the third season in a row and all the sudden a win against Ohio State could give Lisa Bluder’s squad an argument for 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

The Buckeyes have had a solid week in Minneapolis, but it’s going to be a tough test for them going up against what will certainly be a mostly black and gold crowd. Caitlin Clark has been playing well, Gabbie Marshall has been shooting lights out from three-point range and the Hawkeyes are seeking back-to-back Big Ten Tournament Titles. They get it done. IOWA 85 OHIO STATE 78