Ohio State Focused On Defense Ahead Of Second-Round Matchup With Villanova

The Buckeyes put forth their best defensive effort of the season on Friday against Loyola Chicago.

After Friday’s first-round NCAA Tournament win over Loyola Chicago, Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann praised his team’s defensive effort.

“I think it really comes down to ownership with them,” Holtmann said. “Obviously as coaches, we're constantly seeking ways we can do a better job at putting our guys in position defensively, but I think, ultimately, the effort piece comes down to ownership on their part and they were as bought-in as they've been all year for sure on that end.

“It was the best defensive performance we've really had in a couple years.”

The Buckeyes entered the game ranked 128th in the country in adjusted defense, but gave up just 41 points to the Ramblers, who shot less than 30 percent from the field, free throw line and behind the arc.

It was the second-fewest points Ohio State has allowed this season, bested only by the 37 points that three-win IUPUI scored in a game that was scheduled at the last minute back on Jan. 18. It was also the fewest points the program has allowed in an NCAA Tournament game since a 46-38 win over Harvard in 1946.

“I feel like we’re just playing for each other right now,” sophomore forward Eugene Brown III said during his media availability on Saturday afternoon. “On the defensive end, we’re connected, flowing with the ball and playing for each other.”

The Buckeyes had more than a week off between their loss to Penn State in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament and the win over Loyola Chicago.

That not only gave the players time to get healthy, with forwards Kyle Young (concussion) and Zed Key (ankle) playing 35 and 12 minutes, respectively, after missing several games. But it also forced them to take responsibility for how the season ended, losing four of their last five contests.

“We kept each other accountable, focused on the details and knew that everybody had us as underdogs,” fifth-year senior point guard Jamari Wheeler said. “Everybody was locked in the whole week knowing coach is going to have the game plan, we just have to go out there and execute it.”

For as much credit as the defense got, Ohio State also struggled offensively on Friday, shooting just 1-of-15 from the three-point line. Those shots are going to have to fall if the Buckeyes are going to beat No. 2 seed Villanova this afternoon (2:40 p.m. on CBS).

“We’re just going to keep shooting,” freshman guard Malaki Branham said, shrugging off any suggestion that the different kind of ball used in the tournament had anything to do with the poor shooting performance. “They’re going to fall eventually.”

Wheeler noted good offense typically flows out of good defense, particularly in terms of turnovers and fast-break opportunities, and knows they must continue to put forth the effort on that side of the ball in order to have success moving forward.

“The offense will take care of itself once we get stops and everything like that,” Wheeler said. “I think we’re going to do it, and we don’t have any choice but to do it if we want to keep dancing.”

While all of the pressure was on Ohio State entering Friday’s game, especially with how last season ended with a first-round loss to No. 15 seed Oral Roberts, the Buckeyes have now advanced further than most people expected.

If they beat the Wildcats to clinch a spot in the Sweet 16, where archrival Michigan awaits in San Antonio, they’ll have a chance to avenge one of those late-season losses. But they also realize that’s a tall task, given Villanova was consistently one of the top-ranked teams in the country all season.

“We’re just trying to focus on one game at a time,” Brown said. “We’re not trying to get too far ahead of ourselves, staying in the moment, staying on the possession. Just keeping goals small.”

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