Game Preview: No. 25 Ohio State at No. 21 Minnesota

Here is an inside look at the Buckeyes and the Golden Gophers as they prepare for a conference battle on Sunday in Minneapolis.

Ohio State heads to Minnesota after a huge home win vs. Nebraska this past Wednesday. The Buckeyes (8-2) will look to stay in the win column against the Golden Gophers (9-2) before hosting Penn State on Wednesday.

Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Game Time: 5:30 PM ET
TV Coverage: Big Ten Network
Radio Coverage: 97.1 FM The Fan

The win against the Huskers on Wednesday was an impressive one for Ohio State. The Buckeyes took control of the game early and never looked back. Multiple players contributed big performances for the Bucks, but Justin Ahrens led the team in scoring with 18 points (6-of-9 from 3-point range) in 20 minutes off the bench.

OHIO STATE OVERVIEW

Ohio State is off to an excellent 8-2 start this season. The Buckeyes are flying high after defeating Nebraska by 36 points (90-54) in Columbus on Wednesday. It was their largest margin of victory in a Big Ten game since Jan. 1991.

The Buckeyes came into the 2020-21 season hot out of the gate with a 5-0 record to open the campaign.

The first slip up of the season did not come until Ohio State dropped its Big Ten opener against a solid Purdue team in West Lafayette. E.J. Liddell was unable to play that night due to an illness unrelated to COVID-19. His loss was greatly felt and Purdue ultimately came out on top, 67-60.

Over the past four games, Ohio State has been able to right the ship, going 3-1 throughout that stretch. With wins over UCLA and Rutgers, the Buckeyes have shown that they are worthy of a Top 25 ranking.

A late collapse on the road at Northwestern is the only thing standing between the Buckeyes and a current 4-game win streak. The Wildcats shocked Ohio State on Dec. 26 with a 14-6 run to close the game, over the final seven minutes, sending the Buckeyes home with a 71-70 loss.

It was impressive to see OSU bounce back in such a dominant way on Wednesday against a gritty Nebraska team. The Buckeyes came out scorching hot and kept their foot on the gas for a full 40 minutes. The 36-point Big Ten victory sent Ohio State back to .500 (2-2) in conference play this season.

Junior Justice Sueing has been a key addition for the Bucks this season. The 6-foot-7 forward from Honolulu, Hawai’i sat out last season after transferring from California. Sueing is only four points away from 1,000 career points.

Sophomore Ibrahima Diallo is going to be absent for an extended period of time for the Buckeyes. The 6-foot-10 center from Saly, Senegal suffered a knee injury in practice prior to the Nebraska game. Ohio State will need solid contributions from the other big men on this roster throughout Diallo’s absence.

Freshman Zed Key is expected to be one of those key contributors. The 6-foot-8 forward from Bay Shore, New York continues to produce in his first collegiate season. Key had 14 points and four rebounds in 14 minutes off the bench vs. Nebraska.

MINNESOTA OVERVIEW

Minnesota is off to a rock solid 9-2 start. The Golden Gophers already have multiple impressive wins on their résumé this season.

The Gophers opened up the 2020-21 campaign with blowout wins over Green Bay and Loyola Marymount.

Two days after defeating Loyola Marymount by 15 points, the same Lions put a scare into the Golden Gophers. Minnesota eventually escaped with a 3-point victory.

After defeating North Dakota, Boston College and Missouri-Kansas City, the Gophers entered Big Ten play with a 6-0 record.

Illinois humbled Minnesota with a 27-point beat down. The Gophers then responded in a huge way with three straight quality wins over Saint Louis, Iowa and Michigan State. The Iowa game in particular caught a lot of attention around college basketball because they are widely considered one of the best teams in the country this year and Luka Garza is perhaps the best college basketball player anywhere. Minnesota defeated Hawkeyes, 102-95. The Gophers then flexed their muscles again by dismantling the Spartans of Michigan State, 81-56.

A road trip to No. 6 Wisconsin handed Minnesota its first loss since mid-December. The Badgers handled the Gophers by a score of 71-59. Minnesota now heads into this game with Ohio State sitting at 2-2 in Big Ten play. While it is early in the season, this game could prove to be important when determining Big Ten Tournament seeding a few months from now.

Redshirt-Junior guard Marcus Carr has been unstoppable for the Gophers this season. He is ninth in the nation and fourth in the Big Ten, averaging 22.7 points per game. Carr also leads the conference with 6.2 assists per game. This is a weapon the Buckeyes will have to contain if they want to grab a road victory at Minnesota.

Junior center Liam Robbins is a beast in the middle for Minnesota. The 7-footer leads the Big Ten with 2.6 blocked shots per game. Diallo being unavailable for the Buckeyes could prove costly as Robbins provides Minnesota with a clear size advantage over Ohio State.

Junior guard Gabe Kalscheur is another player to watch for the Gophers. He paced Minnesota with 15 points in the loss at Wisconsin on Thursday. Kalscheur is only shooting 29 percent from the field this season. The Buckeyes should look to keep him in check on Sunday evening.

OHIO STATE KEYS

Here are three keys for the Buckeyes to remain in the win column against a tough Minnesota team:

1. Balanced scoring – Ohio State scored 90 points against Nebraska on Wednesday. It was certainly not a one-man show. Five Buckeyes scored in double figures vs. the Huskers. A similar offensive output should be what the Bucks are looking to accomplish in Minneapolis - that's proven to be a winning formula for them throughout the year.

2. Dig in on the defensive end – Minnesota has been on fire this season on the offensive end. The Gophers scored 99 points vs. Green Bay, 88 vs. LMU, 85 vs. Boston College, 90 vs. UKMC, 90 vs. Saint Louis, 102 vs. Iowa, and 81 vs. Michigan State. At home, the Gophers have had a ton of success offensively. 

Meanwhile, Ohio State has been more than solid defensively. Only Notre Dame managed to score above 71 points, when the Fighting Irish put up 85 in a loss vs. the Buckeyes in early December. The same defensive tenacity Ohio State has displayed all season long must be evident on Sunday.

3. Carry over the momentum – After a dominant win on Wednesday, Ohio State should look to attack early and often in this game. Minnesota is coming off a loss and will likely be hungry for a bounce back win at home. If the Buckeyes come out flat, it could be a long night and a long trip back to Columbus. Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann should look to have his players motivated and ready to go when the ball is tipped at 5:30 PM ET.

MATCHUP TO WATCH

Minnesota’s Both Gach vs. Ohio State's C.J. Walker – This matchup between two veteran guards is an intriguing one to follow Sunday night. 

Both Gach fills the stat sheet in a variety of ways. He is averaging 11.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game this season. The 6-foot-6 junior will look to help his team right the ship after a tough loss to Wisconsin. His ability to grab rebounds from the guard position is crucial to the Gophers’ success. 

C.J. Walker has been a key player for the Buckeyes since transferring from Florida State. His ability to get to the line and knock down free-throws is well-documented. Walker is 40-41 (97.6 pct.) from the charity stripe. While his rebounding numbers are nowhere near Gach’s, the 6-foot-1 senior plays with a fierce physicality and displays a clear leadership presence that Ohio State cherishes. 

After each player struggled in his team’s previous game, the veteran guard who shows up in a bigger way on Sunday could lead his team to victory. A victory that could mean a lot later on this season. Walker and Gach will both be looking to shine in this Big Ten battle.

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