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Buckeyes Seek Revenge Against Michigan
8 Feb
Summary
- Ohio State aims for revenge after a recent road loss to Michigan.
- Late-game execution and turnovers were critical in the previous loss.
- Bench production, especially from Taison Chatman, has improved significantly.
Ohio State is set to host No. 2 Michigan this Sunday, aiming to avenge a recent 74-62 road loss. In their last encounter, the teams were tied multiple times before Michigan pulled away in the final eight minutes.
Coach Jake Diebler identified turnovers and a lack of late-game execution as the primary reasons for the previous defeat. He noted that Ohio State drove into traffic and gave up transition points due to these mistakes.
Bruce Thornton, Ohio State's leading scorer, was limited to 10 points in the prior game. Diebler expressed confidence in Thornton's ability to bounce back and play aggressively.
Significant improvement has been observed in Ohio State's bench production since their last meeting with Michigan, with Taison Chatman emerging as a key contributor. Chatman has achieved double-digit scoring in recent games, including a career-high 14 points.
Matching Michigan's physicality will be crucial, potentially requiring combined efforts from Christoph Tilly and Ivan Njegovan. Tilly's offensive execution in the paint and playmaking abilities will be important.
Diebler acknowledged fatigue played a role previously and stated the team has trained to better manage such situations. Ohio State has also improved ball security, committing fewer than 10 turnovers in their last three contests.
The Buckeyes understand the rivalry's significance and the potential impact of a win on their NCAA Tournament aspirations. Diebler described the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry as one of the best in sports.
