Michigan Basketball and Ohio State are tied for 7th in the Big Ten. For the first time in five weeks, both teams are ranked in the top 25 by the Associated Press. On the line, is avoiding Maryland until the conference finals.
The weather in Ohio may not have March coming in like a lion, but the match-up at Value City Arena sure does. On Sunday, March 1st the Ohio State Buckeyes will play host to their rival Michigan Basketball.
The initial match-up between these two at Crisler Arena on February 4th did nothing to quell the fire that dates back to the Toledo War. The end result was a 61-58 victory by the visiting Buckeyes.
A lot more is on the line this Sunday, 4 pm on CBS with not just the respective fan bases, but the nation watching as both sides are gunning for a decisive victory this time around.
Michigan (18-10, 9-8, 7th in Big Ten) just had their five-game win streak snapped by Wisconsin on Thursday. During that win streak, the Wolverines averaged 75.2 points per game and went from being unranked to 19th.
Ohio State (19-9, 9-8 7th in Big Ten) has won 4 out of the last 5 games, including an impressive 79-72 win over Maryland last Sunday. This Sunday, they will look to maintain their tight defense which held Michigan to thirty-three percent shooting.
On top of the poor shooting, coach Juwan Howard only saw his team get a lead seven times in the game, for a total of five minutes and forty-seven seconds. Four of those lost leads were by a three-pointer from Ohio State, including the 55-54 lead they held with one minute and thirty-eight seconds remaining. The culprits were sophomore guard Duane Washington Jr. and junior forward Kaleb Wesson who both went three for six from beyond the arc.
Despite Ohio State holding the lead for the vast majority of the game, the largest deficit the Wolverines faced was 16-7. With 18 seconds remaining after 2 made free throws by CJ Walker put the Buckeyes up 61-58, the Wolverines came out of a time out, but Eli Brooks was unable to connect on the game-tying three-point jumper.
There is every indication that the rematch will be just as intense, but this is a different Michigan team than the last game, and they have a path to victory, it is just not a clear one and they will have to work to get through it.