Ohio State potential game plan
E.J. Liddell also shoots threes in case anyone was wondering! Pretty much can do whatever you want when it comes to basketball, really.#GoBucks #Team123 pic.twitter.com/seK9eCvGrB
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) November 2, 2021
You’re not going to see a whole lot different from Ohio State on offense unless point guard Jamari Wheeler can’t go. He’s a game-time decision with a foot injury he’s been dealing with, but we say he ends up on the court.
As usual, everything will go through All-American candidate E.J. Liddell. He’ll post up, get in the lane for mid-range jumpers, and step outside as a matchup nightmare for Minnesota. From there, the wings and guards will spot up and dribble-drive around him to create space and easy looks. As the defense tries to collapse on Liddell, it’ll be important to knock down the three-ball on the perimeter as he finds open guys.
On defense, look for Ohio State to pressure the ball a little more than normal. Minnesota will only go about six or seven players deep, so running guys out there and making the Gophers work to get into their sets and spend a lot of energy could benefit the Buckeyes in the long run. As shots go up though, defenders have to find and locate their man to box out and rebound. Ohio State is the better shooting team and if it can limit turnovers and keep the second-chance points to a minimum, it should have the advantage.