Scarlet Sunrise: Buckeyes hoping to bounce back at Michigan State

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Buckeyes hoping to bounce back at Michigan State

Ohio State has a quick turnaround for its second road game of the week.

The Buckeyes (15-12, 5-11 Big Ten) are in East Lansing Sunday to face Michigan State (17-10, 9-7) just three days after they suffered an eight-point defeat at Minnesota.

Interim head coach Jake Diebler and Ohio State couldn’t harness the momentum the team created in its upset over then-No. 2 Purdue last weekend and instead set a program record with their 17th consecutive “true” road loss against the Golden Gophers. The setback can largely be attributed to how long it took Ohio State to get going in each half but especially how the Buckeyes bookended the opening frame.

They got outscored by Minnesota, 24-6, over the first and last four minutes of the first half.

That won’t get the job done on the road — not out there in Williams Arena or in Michigan State’s Breslin Center.

Set for a 4 p.m. tip, Sunday afternoon marks the only scheduled meeting between Ohio State and Michigan State this season. The teams faced off three times last year, including in the Big Ten Tournament.

It’s now been 420 days since Ohio State last won in an opponent’s arena. What’s more, the Buckeyes have lost their last nine games at Michigan State. The last time they pulled out a win in East Lansing was March 4, 2012, when Ohio State spoiled Senior Day and collected a share of the Big Ten regular season title, thanks to William Buford knocking down a jumper with one second left to clinch a 72-70 victory.

The Spartans also hosted the Buckeyes in the regular season finale last year. Head coach Tom Izzo’s squad built a 17-4 lead, except Ohio State fought all the way back to make it a one-possession game. The Spartans hung on for an 84-78 win, one that the Buckeyes avenged during their run to the Big Ten Tournament semifinals as a 13-seed later that month.

Ohio State allowed a season-high 88 points at Minnesota earlier this week. It can’t afford to do that Sunday against a Michigan State team that ranks second in the Big Ten in points per game allowed (66.2).

The Spartans lead the league in fastbreak points, and Tyson Walker is a big reason why. He’s fifth in the Big Ten in scoring with 18.3 points per game. A one-time Northeastern star, Walker has reached or eclipsed the 20-point barrier 10 times this season, three times piling up at least 25 points.

Forward Malik Hall (12.8 points), as well as guards A.J. Hoggard (11.3) and Jaden Akins (11.0), are all averaging double-digit points, too.

Ohio State’s been outrebounded in each of its first two games since Diebler replaced recently-fired Chris Holtmann. The Buckeyes will have a better chance on the glass against Michigan State, which is outside the top 150 nationally in rebounding margin.

Rebounding, countering the Spartans’ transition efforts with some of their own and finishing halves the right way will be key for the Buckeyes in the Breslin Center.

RELATED

• Buckeyes lack necessary energy, toughness in road loss to Golden Gophers

Are expectations too high for Jeremiah Smith in first Buckeyes spring?

Jeremiah Smith clocked out as the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2024 class. Most places, he’d be a lock to start the season opener as a true freshman. At Ohio State, however, the wide receiver pipeline is so strong that nothing of the sort is guaranteed.

Smith will have to earn the snaps he gets this season, just as Carnell Tate did last year, and Emeka Egbuka and Marvin Harrison Jr. did two years before that.

“He’s jumped right in and you guys see the talent, the talent is there,” head coach Ryan Day said. “I think the thing that’s been the most impressive to me so far is the discipline he’s already built in his life and then the skill of playing the position at such a young age as well.”

All eyes will be on Smith when spring ball begins on March 5. But are the expectations too high for Smith in these 15 upcoming practices? Lettermen Row explored that question here.

‘That’s the real story’: Buckeyes successful offseason all started with returners

When asked about Ohio State’s undeniably successful offseason, head coach Ryan Day acknowledged that you can point to the NIL component and the transfer portal splashes. But, really, what got the ball rolling was the 11 draft-eligible and starter-level players who decided to return to the Buckeyes for 2024.

“Maybe the guys across the country recognized that,” Day said. “They see our guys. They want to be part of our program because of these guys. I can’t give them enough credit. Because, to me, I know we’ve added some pieces. But the guys who decided to come back, to me, that’s the real story.”

For the full story on the impact of those returners, head on over here.

Counting Down

Buckeyes vs. Akron: 188 days
Buckeyes vs. Michigan: 279 days

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