Ohio State vs Villanova: 2022 NCAA Tournament game preview, TV schedule

Ohio State looks to pull off the upset against Villanova and make a Sweet 16 appearance. But will the Wildcats simply be too good?

TV schedule: Sunday, March 20th, 2:40 pm ET CBS

Arena: PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The opening game of Day 2 of the Round of 64 action was between Loyola-Chicago and Ohio State. But unfortunately for the viewers, the standalone game didn’t have much to offer, especially when it comes to trying to get the ball into the basket. The teams combined for 20 points in the first 10 minutes and both shooting under 30% from the field.

What ended up being the difference in that game was that the Buckeyes were able to get a few shots to go down, while the Ramblers never could get it going. Ohio State’s defense does deserve some credit for that, as they never allowed Loyola to get anything easy inside. On the offensive end, freshman Malaki Branham‘s 10 early points kept the Buckeyes in the game while star forward E.J. Liddell struggled, not making a single field goal in the first half.

That changed in the final 20 minutes, with the All-Big Ten big finishing the game with a game-high 16 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks. Branham had 14 and the team made 14 more free throws than the Ramblers, which made up for going 1/15 from deep in the game.

It looked like Ohio State’s next opponent may have been up in the air after Delaware raced out to an 8-point lead early on Villanova. But after the Wildcats started making three-pointers, and went on an eventual 16-0 run to create the separation that made it clear who was winning this game. Justin Moore had 17 points in the second half alone, part of his 21 total to end up with the team winning, 80-60. He was one of five Cats’ in double figures, with Collin Gillespie going for 14 points and four assists, including four made three-pointers.

Villanova is one of the best offenses in the country but if Ohio State plays defense like it did against Loyola, they have a shot. They also have the frontcourt, led by Liddell and what looked like a healthy Kyle Young and Zed Key, to cause problems to a smaller Villanova squad. Of course, the Buckeyes will have to deal with an experienced and offensively potent set of guards.

This game could ultimately come down to whether or not Brahman, Meechie Johnson, and Eugene Brown will be up to the task against the likes of Gillespie, Moore, and Caleb Daniels as well, who flies under the radar compared to the other two.

If Liddell can go for 25+ and Ohio State’s frontcourt can dominate, this will be a game they can win. However, I’m having trouble seeing them beat out Villanova’s guards, which should prove the difference at the end of the game.

Prediction: Villanova 75, Ohio State 67