Key Player For Ohio State
D.J. Carton. With Duane Washington. Jr. reportedly out because of a rib injury in this one, someone has to step up to provide scoring and explosiveness at the guard position. The most likely candidate is the athletically gifted freshman D.J. Carton.
D.J. Carton is doing some work right now for @OhioStateHoops.
Which was better: the reverse or the triple? pic.twitter.com/DLXeVSTFtz
— Ohio State on BTN (@OhioStateOnBTN) November 7, 2019
As gifted as he is, Carton has shown a bit of a learning curve as he makes the transition to the next level. He’s been great at times, but has forced some action that’s led to turnovers at others. He’s going to be fantastic as he comes along, but the coaching staff needs him to look for his shot more and be strong and confident with the ball in a hostile environment.
Welcome to a Big Ten road game young man. Now, go get it done.
How It’ll All Go Down
This is a mismatch on paper and in the talent department. If Ohio State plays its game, this one shouldn’t be much of a contest. However, Williams Arena has had a history of shockers in its venerable past, and taking a team that has some youth at important positions could be a challenge.
But Ohio State is just too good this year. It should win the battle on the boards, lock it down on defense, and come away with yet another win in a business-like fashion. Low and behold, we might then be looking at the prospects of this team being ranked No. 1 when the rankings next come out this week.
Final Score
Ohio State 72, Minnesota 61
Line
Ohio State -8.5