Ohio State Basketball: Buckeyes' Keys to a Strong Regular-Season Finish

All aboard the D’Angelo Russell express.

Ohio State is suddenly back in the mix for a Big Ten title after a three-game winning streak that included blowout victories over Maryland and Indiana, thanks largely to the brilliance of Russell. Now the question is whether the future pro can lead the Buckeyes to a strong regular-season finish to put them in position for a favorable NCAA tournament seed.

While he may be the most important one, Russell is far from the only key for Ohio State the rest of the way. Here is a look at some of the factors that will determine where Thad Matta’s squad stands at the end of the year both in the Big Ten and the national picture.

D’Angelo Russell’s Continued Brilliance

In the past five games alone—all against Big Ten competition—Russell has 121 points, 45 rebounds, 30 assists and nine steals. He has taken the conference and country by storm and could very well be playing himself into an NBA contract of a lifetime.

Ohio State’s offense has changed during this winning streak because Shannon Scott is playing off the ball more, while Russell is asked to be the creator at the end of the shot clock. It makes sense considering Russell is Ohio State’s best playmaker, and he has responded accordingly by creating scoring opportunities for both himself and his teammates.

With only five players on the floor at once, a single and transcendent talent can control the flow of an entire basketball game. That is what Russell has done recently and what he must continue to do for the Buckeyes moving forward.

He certainly caught the attention of ESPN’s Jeff Goodman and Big Ten Network’s Brent Yarina:

Matta also offered incredibly high praise, via Doug Lesmerises of Northeast Ohio Media Group:

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It's a little bit like with Michael Conley in '07, his demeanor in terms of kind of running our basketball team, he was such a likeable kid, all you knew he wanted to do was win. D'Angelo is along those same lines in terms of his competitive nature and those types of things. 

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Russell is a special, once-in-a-generation type of player. It wouldn’t be that surprising if he was making plays like James Harden within a year or two in the NBA, so Buckeye Nation had better enjoy him while it can.

Rebound Like the Maryland Game

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Ohio State hasn’t exactly dominated on the boards this season, and many would point to the big guys on the roster (Amir Williams, Trey McDonald and Anthony Lee) as a weakness.

However, the Buckeyes controlled the glass against Maryland and limited any second-chance opportunities as the Terrapins clanked 17 three-pointers. Ohio State enjoyed a 51-32 advantage in the rebounding department and even snagged 16 offensive rebounds of its own.

Lee played with plenty of energy on both ends of the floor, Williams snagged eight rebounds off the bench and Russell led the way from the guard position with 14 boards of his own.

Jamie Sabau/Getty Images

Now the Buckeyes have to face A.J. Hammons in the upcoming game against Purdue, so rebounding will take on even more importance. 

Outside of that one game, though, the only way Matta can realistically stick with his small-ball lineup that has been so effective during this winning streak is if the Buckeyes continue to rebound. It is not feasible to stick with a small, more athletic group if it continuously gives up possession by losing the battles for rebounds.

Continue the Strong Man-to-Man Defense

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Ever since Ohio State switched from a 2-3 zone to man-to-man defense in the middle of the game against Illinois, things have gone much better. The Buckeyes are 6-2 since the change, and Tim Shoemaker of Eleven Warriors illustrated why that is:

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In those eight games since the full-time switch to man, the Buckeyes have allowed more than 70 points only twice — against Minnesota in an overtime win and in a road loss to Iowa.

Ohio State has allowed its opponents to shoot just 42 percent from the floor in those eight games and 34 percent from behind the 3-point line. Just two teams—Iowa and Indiana—have shot over 50 percent from the floor against the Buckeyes since the switch.

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The Buckeyes have the athletes to keep up with any team in the Big Ten when it comes to playing man-to-man defense. It also allows Scott and Sam Thompson to get up in the grills of opposing ball-handlers and create havoc, turnovers and contested, low-percentage shots. 

As long as Ohio State continues to play effective, shutdown defense on one end, the offense should be able to do enough on the other to keep it in the conference title race.

Marc Loving’s Shooting

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As special as Russell is, Ohio State isn’t going to win the Big Ten without another consistent scorer.

It is unrealistic to expect Russell to play 40 minutes a night, and the offense can’t simply fall apart when he’s off the floor. That is where Marc Loving comes into play. More specifically, that is where Loving’s shooting comes into play.

Loving is hitting a blistering 53.2 percent of his shots from downtown, which is a higher clip than some players shoot from the free-throw line.

Thanks to that shooting, Loving can space the floor and force the defense to pick its poison when the two are on the court together. If opponents collapse on Russell, Loving will make them pay with a three, but it is game over if they don’t double on Russell’s penetration.

Loving is also important in the rebounding department as well at 6’7” if and when Matta sticks with the small lineup. 

However, as long as Loving is drilling more than half of the threes he takes alongside Russell, the Buckeyes should be a factor in the Big Ten race the rest of the season. That is just a lethal pairing on the offensive side.

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