Ohio State vs. Michigan 2020 basketball preview, prediction, and odds

The Ohio State basketball team kicks off the stretch run of the season with a matchup against Michigan. How will it play out?

Ohio State cliff notes game plan

Michigan has a great inside-outside game with John Teske underneath and guards like Isaiah Livers and Zavier Simpson surrounding him. But it all starts with Simpson at the point. He gets Michigan into its sets and can get around his defender and into the lane to collapse defenses. From there, he’ll get his shot off if given room, or dish underneath our back out on the perimeter if the opponent’s defensive shape breaks down.

To beat the Wolverines, you have to disrupt what’s happening at the point guard position to get things out of flow and into reactive mode. Look for Chris Holtmann to use ball pressure on the point to force the issue. It’ll likely be Luther Muhammad tasked with limiting the effectiveness of Simpson, much like what he did against Maryland’s Anthony Cowan.

On offense, it’s much of the same. Get the ball to Kaleb Wesson when you can, but continue to use spot-up shooters on the outside. This team has been the best three-point shooting team in the league, and that’s the identity of this squad at this point. It’s rinse and repeat time.

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