Ohio State cliff notes game plan
With the size of Matt Haarms underneath, this could be a game that’s a problem for Kaleb Wesson and company to score in the paint. The 7-3, 250 lb. center for Purdue is a rim protector that’s more agile than your average seven-footer. He may only average two blocks a game, but he changes a slew of others in and around the post.
Matt Haarms with the BIG BLOCK for @BoilerBall 💪😤 pic.twitter.com/VtE16pwngG
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) February 12, 2020
Look for Ohio State to move the younger Wesson out of the post and on the perimeter more than normal so that Haarms has to come out and defend away from the paint. That will open up dribble drives and post-ups for others when he’s in the game. And Purdue will have to honor that with Wesson splashing home more than 40 percent of his long daggers this year.
On defense, the Buckeyes must defend the three-point shot almost to a fault. Allowing drives as opposed to letting a hot-shooting Purdue team bomb away from beyond the arc seems like more of a recipe for winning. Let the dump down in the post happen, don’t collapse and instead take the chances at one-on-one on the post and locate shooters on the perimeter.
Then, rebound like crazy, and take care of the basketball.
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