Ohio State vs Auburn: 2024-25 College basketball game preview, TV schedule
By Joey Loose
Ohio State meets Auburn in Atlanta as part of the Holiday Hoopsgiving; will the Tigers keep rolling this season or do the Buckeyes get back on track with a marquee victory?
TV schedule: Saturday, December 14, 1:00 pm ET. ESPN2
Arena: State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia
Trying to ride the high of last season’s ending, Ohio State (6-3) showed promise in a season-opening victory over Texas but recent weeks have been less prosperous. Jake Diebler’s first full season in command has had its share of challenges, including a recent overtime loss to Pittsburgh and tough showing in road losses against Maryland and Texas A&M. Regardless, this trip to Atlanta brings major opportunity.
Much like last season, the Buckeyes lean heavily on junior guard Bruce Thornton (16.2 ppg, 5.7 apg), a great shooter and the key cog in running this offense. After coming off the bench last year, Devin Royal (14.1 ppg, 7.4 rpg) has taken a nice step forward as a sophomore, carving out a major role in this frontcourt. A few of the newer pieces in the lineup are still adjusting, though freshman John Mobley (12.9 ppg) is satisfying early expectations, shooting 56% from outside the arc.
The Buckeyes have been unranked as a result of their recent defeats, though they sit 29th in KenPom and were 23rd in the most recent NET rankings. This program is still figuring things out for this season, especially with their new faces in the frontcourt not exactly standing out. The offense was putrid just over a week ago against the Terrapins, though the shooting for the most part has been solid this season. In this matchup, Ohio State clearly needs to put together a complete game, much like against Texas in early November.
Things are far clearer at Auburn (8-1), as these Tigers just might be one of the elite teams in the nation this season. This program has already stockpiled impressive wins including Houston, Iowa State, and North Carolina and their lone loss came last week at Duke, a tough place for anyone to win. Much like with the Buckeyes, the Tigers see the opportunity in Atlanta and won’t show up flat.
The leading story with Auburn is clearly Johni Broome (19.6 ppg, 11.9 rpg), the fifth-year senior forward who just might be the best frontcourt player in the entire country. He’s been impressive throughout the Tigers’ awesome opening month. Chad Baker-Mazara (13.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg) is another name to watch, as he’s developed into quite the leader and scorer for Auburn in his second year in town. This senior-laden lineup does have some young talent, as freshman Tahaad Pettiford (11.3 ppg, 2.8 apg) has been playing some inspired ball in recent weeks.
Last week’s loss in Durham only dropped Auburn to #2 in the AP Top 25, while they still sit atop the KenPom rankings and 2nd in the NET. The Tigers boast the most efficient offense in the nation; this team takes care of the ball, makes their shots and does all the little things you expect from a championship-level team. The defense really let them down agains the Blue Devils and can be a letdown, but there aren’t many weaknesses with this squad.
The initial concern in this matchup is how Ohio State is going to defend Broome and the rest of this talented offense. Getting Aaron Bradshaw back from that internal investigation is good news, but the production from the Buckeyes’ frontcourt has been underwhelming. Do they actually have the answers to stop this elite attack when they couldn’t limit Maryland just last week?
If the Tigers make their shots, they will win this game in Atlanta without issue. We’re not saying it’s a done deal; it’s all about if Thornton and the Buckeyes can keep up with Auburn on the offensive end. They’ll need to fight hard for second chances because Broome is going to be hard to stop on the boards. They’ll give it a great shot, but Auburn is just too much for Ohio State to handle right now.
Prediction: Auburn 85, Ohio State 75