According tooddsmakers at BetDSI, Ohio State is favored at home in this game, as the Buckeyes are getting odds of -5.5 points against the Zips. They had 57 rebounds (18 offensive), 12 turnovers and 9 assists. Ohio State was 4-0 against those teams.
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“We had the ball at the rim, we had some shots that we just missed”, Ohio State head coach Thad Matta said. Akron can shoot well from 3-point land and its bench should be deep than that of the Buckeyes.
“Obviously I’m torn, being a huge supporter of Ohio State, but I’m also a big supporter of my high school coach in Keith Dambrot”, James said Monday night, per Jason Lloyd and Dan Kadar of the Akron Beacon Journal. “It’ll be a unique experience for our guys just in terms of how they play”. This follows the example set by IU a couple of seasons ago (“We’re IN, we don’t play IN the CBI.”). Buckeyes have three Big Ten Honorable Mention players in Keita Bates-Diop (6.4 rpg), Marc Loving (13.7 ppg) and Jae’Sean Tate (52% field goals). Ohio State outscored Akron 10-1 in the overtime period.
Akron was lead by Isiah Johnson (16 pts, 12 rebs), Reggie McAdams (12, 11) and Jake Kretzer (12 pts). The Buckeyes would take their first lead of the half after Trevor Thompson hit a pair of free throws to go up 34-33.
“I will say this, I thought the crowd was as good as it could possibly be”, Matta said. Johnson tallied 16 points and 12 rebounds on the night, but that was not enough to offset the team’s uncharacteristic struggles from beyond the arc.
But Lyle would answer by scoring Ohio State’s last six points of regulation and the teams would tie it up at 62-all with 2:17 to go. Victor of this game will play against the victor of Florida vs. North Florida.
When Ohio State and Akron kickoff the National Invitational Tournament Tuesday night, many basketball fans will keep an eye on the matchup featuring the two in-state opponents, including one of the best basketball players in the world.
Akron led by four at the half and by three with just under five minutes to play.
“Looking back on this season, we had a lot of opportunities where we didn’t achieve what we really wanted to achieve”, Jackson said.
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The Buckeyes roll into the postseason not just as a 3-seed, but as the 2nd-place finishers in the Big 10 Conference regular season behind Maryland, finishing the regular season 23-6 and lost in the Big 10 tournament semifinals to eventual runner-up Michigan State.
