Tag: Ohio State vs. Illinois

LOOK. Ohio State vs. Illinois Big Ten Championship game most watched college basketball game of season

The Big Ten Championship game between Ohio State and Illinois was the most-watched college basketball game of the season according to CBS.

If you’ve followed our writing nonsense here, you know we’ve always parrotted the notion that Ohio State turns on television sets. But that is generally when we talk about the pigskin flying around, not hoops. It now appears that OSU is garnering interest by college basketball fans (with a caveat) because the Big Ten Championship Game between Ohio State and Illinois was the most watch college basketball game of the entire season.

Ohio State lost to Illinois in overtime 91-88, and the game earned 3.678 million viewers before 6 p.m. according to CBS. Once the game went to overtime, that ballooned up to 5.783 viewers from 6 to 6:09 p.m. Of course, that’s the timeslot plenty of folks turned on their television sets and streaming devices to watch the NCAA selection show, but we’re sure they were pleasantly surprised to watch some high-stakes basketball to warm things up.

As a reminder, CBS will air the first-round matchup between Ohio State and Oral Roberts on Friday.

Ohio State underdog against Illinois according to BetMGM

According to BetMGM, the Ohio State basketball team is a moderate underdog to Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament final Sunday.

Where have we heard this before? Ohio State was a decent underdog to Michigan according to the popular online sportsbook BetMGM, but managed to pull that one out by the narrowest of margins to advance to the Big Ten Tournament Championship game.

Now, the odds are out for the matchup with Illinois in Lucas Oil Stadium and it appears the Buckeyes are once again moderate underdogs by 6.5 points. It makes some sense, with the Illini playing so well and all, but there’s also a little curiosity to it because the Buckeyes beat Illinois at their place and gave the game away in Columbus. However, with the Illini having won six in a row, and a crazy, ridiculous 13 of their last 14, it’s not like this team isn’t on a roll.

Odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook.

All that matters is that there are some rings on the line today, and it’s March. Anything can happen, and that anything involves the prospects of Ohio State cutting down the nets at the end of it all.

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Ohio State basketball’s complete history in the Big Ten Tournament

Ohio State basketball vs. Illinois: How to watch and listen to the Big Ten Championship Game

Get all the information you need to see and hear Ohio State take basketball on Illinois for the 2021 Big Ten Championship game.

How’s your heart folks? Another double-digit lead in the late goings of the game evaporated before our very eyes. And yet somehow, Ohio State was able to hang on once again taking down the No. 1 seed in the Big Ten Tournament, the Michigan Wolverines.

Now the Buckeyes get to play for their first Big Ten basketball championship since 2013. They beat Wisconsin for the title that year. This year, they will have to beat one of the hottest teams in the country in the Illinois Fighting Illini.

The Bucks and Illini split their two previous matchups in the regular season, both winning on the other’s home court.

We’ve got you covered on all the ways you can watch and listen as Ohio State looks for another basketball championship and first in eight years.

NEXT … Television, streaming, and radio information

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What Chris Holtmann said after the loss to Illinois

Here’s everything Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann said after the Buckeyes dropped their fourth straight game, this time to Illinois.

If you watched Ohio State throw the game away against Illinois, there’s no doubt you are a frustrated fan. The Buckeyes didn’t play their best game, but still battled through everything to have control of the game with just under four minutes to play.

But then, the team made horrible decisions, shot the ball poorly, failed to play defense, and let the Illini walk away with the win. It’s the fourth straight loss for an Ohio State team that had so far exceeded expectations.

Chris Holtmann met with the media after the game to face the music and had plenty to say. He didn’t seem as downtrodden as he did after the Iowa loss, but still belabored where this team is right now heading into the postseason.

Here is everything the Buckeye head man said after a very disappointing loss on Saturday.

Ohio State gives game away vs. Illinois for fourth straight loss. Three takeaways.

Ohio State seemed to take control of the game against Illinois at just the right time, only to give it away with poor decision-making.

It’s going to be hard to win games in March if you can’t find a way to close them out. Ohio State played through some sloppy play to take control of the game against Illinois with under four minutes left. From there, the Illini made more plays down the stretch and came out with a 73-68 win. It made more plays because Ohio State failed to make any. It finished the last 3:48 of the game without a single point, and that did the Buckeyes in.

With the loss, OSU is locked in as the No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament and a chance at a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament is likely out the window. There’s still a real possibility for a No. 2 seed, but that’s for another day.

With the win, Illinois has now won eleven of its last twelve games and will finish No. 2 in the Big Ten as it heads to Indy. For Ohio State, it’s another “what if” scenario with few answers here as of late.

Here are three things we took away from this game.

NEXT … Closing games out

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Ohio State hanging tough against Illinois, down four at half

Ohio State has not looked very efficient in the first half against Illinois, but it trails by just for heading to the locker room.

It has not been a clinic for Ohio State on either end of the floor in the first twenty minutes against Illinois, but it’s only down four at halftime 41-37.

The offense has struggled once again to find any consistency, shooting just 42.4% from the field. Duane Washington leads OSU with 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting from the floor, drilling 2-of-4 from beyond the arc. No other Ohio State player is in double figures, though Justice Sueing has nine points heading to the locker room. E.J. Liddell has been held to just five points on 2-of-7 shooting.

Illinois should probably be up by more. The Illini have filled up the hoop at a 62.1% clip and are more or less dictating things on both ends of the floor. The lead has been up to double digits, but OSU was able to claw back just before halftime to be within striking distance. Committing just four turnovers has helped that cause.

If there’s one big issue that needs addressing for Ohio State, it’s how to stop Illinois from getting shots going to the rim. Not only does center Kofi Cockburn have ten points all in the paint, but several dribble drives have gone unchecked, and that’s why the shooting percentage has been so high for the Illini.

It’s still going to be hard to pull this one out for the Buckeyes unless there is a mindset change in the second half, but they are right there. A win would be huge.

Ohio State basketball NCAA Tournament History

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Ohio State very slight favorite over Illinois according to BetMGM

The popular online sportsbook, BetMGM, has made Ohio State basketball an ever-so-slight favorite in the game vs. Illinois Saturday.

The Ohio State basketball team has lost three straight games and seems to be searching for that mojo it had just a week and a half ago. It has gone from competing for the Big Ten conference crown, to now on the outside looking in of a double-bye in the upcoming conference tournament because of falling out of the top four in the standings.

But all is not lost. The Buckeyes could still get into the top four with a win over Illinois Saturday, and a little help. There is also seeding to play for when it comes to the upcoming NCAA Tournament. As it stands right now, the Buckeyes are a No. 2 seed in most bracket projections, but could play their way back into contention for a No. 1 seed with a win and a good showing in the Big Ten tournament next week.

But Illinois is on a roll and playing at a very high level right now. The Illini have won ten of its last eleven games and are now ranked No. 4 in the country. It just got dismantling Big Ten champ Michigan, so it’ll be a massive challenge for OSU.

But don’t tell that to the folks at BetMGM. They have Ohio State as a slight 2.5 point favorite just before tip. It is senior day, and the game is in Columbus, so that might give the team a little boost, though, without fans it’ll be a negligible advantage at best.

Odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook.

It’s another huge game with big implications, and one the Buckeyes desperately need to grab some momentum back heading to the postseason.

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Ohio State basketball NCAA Tournament History

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Ohio State basketball vs. Illinois: How to watch and listen to the game Saturday

Ohio State will try for the season sweep over Illinois at Value City Arena on Saturday. Here’s all you need to find the game.

We’ve reached the end of the Big Ten regular-season as the Ohio State basketball team will host Illinois Saturday and say good-bye to six seniors. Among those who might play their last game in The Schott will be C.J. Walker, and Kyle Young. We say might because the NCAA is allowing players one more year of eligibility because of the COVID-19 pandemic and both Walker and Young have both said they have yet to make a decision.

The Buckeyes are limping to the finish line, dropping their last three games in a row. If ever a team needed a win, it’s this one. And there is a ton on the line when the Illini comes to town. As of now, most experts have dropped OSU to a two-seed, but a win over the No. 4 team in the land could vault the Bucks back into the one-seed conversation. There could also be a double-seed bye on the line for the upcoming Big Ten tournament.

Illinois is flying high into Columbus after dominating the No. 2 Michigan Wolverines earlier in the week. Will Ohio State see a team that is still hungover from such a big win or one playing with extreme confidence?

The Buckeyes need to stop the bleeding and get back in the win column as we head into post-season play. You can watch it all unfold by finding the game and we have all the information you need to do just that.

NEXT … Television, streaming, and radio information

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Watch what Illinois head coach Brad Underwood said about Ohio State postgame

Illinois head coach Brad Underwood met with the media after the loss to Ohio State and had some comments about the Buckeyes. Watch here.

The Ohio State basketball team got a huge win on the road against Illinois on Saturday afternoon. The win improved the Buckeyes’ overall record to 11-3, and move them to fourth in the Big Ten with a 5-3 record.

There’s no doubt OSU head coach Chris Holmann was happy about the win, but that was definitely not the case for Illini head man Brad Underwood. He met with the media via Zoom conference and discussed what he saw from his team and also gave Ohio State some credit for the way they played. More than anything though, Underwood used the word or form of the word frustrated multiple times.

Listen to what he said about Ohio State’s E.J. Liddell, the style of play, and how his team lacked the same toughness that the Buckeyes showed thanks to the YouTube channel of Jim Cotter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCTnltWQbgQ

Ohio State will be in action again Tuesday against Purdue in Value City Arena.

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Ohio State with big win on the road against Illinois. Three takeaways.

Ohio State basketball went on the road and beat a very good Illinois team. Here are 3 takeaways from arguably the best victory of the year.

The Ohio State basketball team just missed out on being ranked in the latest Ferris Motors Coaches Poll. When it comes out again on Monday, there’s no way the Buckeyes won’t be included.

That’s because Ohio State went on the road and beat a very good Illinois team 87-81. If giving a game up on the road against Northwestern earlier in the year was a lost one, this was probably one nobody had going in the win column. However, the Buckeyes played a good team game absorbed some push back from the Illini, responded, and still pulled it out.

It was a big win, and as we sit back and decipher what we just saw, here are three things we took away and learned.

NEXT … This Ohio State team is getting better

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