Ohio State at Iowa: 5 biggest storylines for top-10 matchup

The steals category

This storyline goes beyond not turning the ball over, for even though Ohio State leads the Big Ten in forced turnovers at over nine per game, every time the whistle blows it allows the Iowa defense to be able to set up. Iowa’s defense is only eleventh in the Big Ten as they surrender over 75 points per game, basketball is about match-ups although.

Due to Iowa featuring a zone for extended periods of time, it will be even more difficult for the Buckeye’s, who attempt the thirteenth most two-point field-goals in the Big Ten, and are the owners of the seventh-best three-point percentage in the conference.

Ohio State will need to get as many uncontested shots as possible and in order to do so they will have to improve on their conference worst steals per game which sits at under four.  Combine the Buckeye’s lack of ball pressure with the fact that the Hawkeye’s opponents are averaging under six steals per game because their backcourt combination of Bohannon, Frederick, and Toussaint have turned the ball over slightly over three times per game.

Steals as opposed to turnovers will be just as important for the Hawkeye’s if they are to score against the conference’s fifth-best defense. Not only do the Buckeye’s surrender less than 69 points per game, they force the most turnovers per game, which is a clear indication their half-court defense is elite. As mentioned the Buckeye’s steals per game is last in the conference which suggests Ohio State depends on setting up their defense as a team as opposed to depending on individual talent.