Buckeyes Start 2015 at Home vs. Illinois Saturday – Ohio State Buckeyes

Jan. 2, 2015

Sam Thompson

No. 20 Ohio State Buckeyes (11-3, 0-1) vs. the Illinois Fighting Illini (10-4, 0-1)

Date:	Jan. 3, 2015
Site:	Value City Arena (19,049)
Game Time:	3:32 p.m. ET
Television:	ESPN2
Talent:	Clay Matvick (Play-By-Play) Dan Dakich (Expert Analysis)
Radio:	OSU-IMG Sports Network (56 stations)
Satellite Radio:	Sirius 135/XM 195
Local Radio:	WBNS FM-97.1 AM-1460
Radio Talent:	Paul Keels (play-by-play) Ron Stokes (expert analysis)

Scouting the Illinois Fighting Illini
Illinois started the season 6-0 and finished the nonconference schedule 10-4 before taking on Michigan on the road in the league opener last Tuesday. Michigan prevailed in that game 73-65 in overtime. Graduate Rayvonte Rice, a Champaign, Illinois, native, leads the Illini with 17.0 points per game. Now in his second season at Illinois after two years at Drake, Rice is working on 2,000 career points with 1,776 already scored in 113 career games. Malcolm Hill, a sophomore from Belleville, Illinois, also averages double figures for the Illini with 13.4 ppg. Rice (6.9 rpg.) and Hill (5.8 rpg.) also lead Illinois in rebounding.

The Ohio State vs. Illinois Series
Illinois leads the overall series with the Buckeyes 101-68 with Ohio State leading 43-40 in Columbus. The Illini are 60-24 in Champaign and, in two netural site meetings, each teams owns a victory. Thad Matta’s Buckeyes are 14-5 vs. the Illini since the 2004-05 season. In the Matta era, Ohio State is 8-1 in games played at Value City Arena, 5-4 at Illinois and 1-0 in neutral site games. Sam Thompson, Shannon Scott and Amir Williams each have faced Illinois at least five times in their careers. Thompson, a Chicago native, owns six appearances and averages 2.8 points per game vs. the Illini with Williams chipping in 2.4 ppg. and Scott 3.4 ppg. Ohio State has won nine of the last 11 games and the last five in Columbus. Ohio State won both meetings a season ago. The Buckeyes claimed a 62-55 victory in Columbus Jan. 23 then in Champaign Feb. 15, 48-39. As a ranked team, Ohio State is 25-11 vs. the Illini and has won 15 of the last 17 meetings when carrying an Associated Press ranking into the game vs. Illinois. Matta teams are 11-2 when ranked among the AP Top 25 vs. the Illini. Ohio State, the No. 4 team nationally in field goal shooting percentage, has connected on better than 50 percent of its shots vs. the Illini four times in the Matta era. Matta teams are 4-0 vs. Illinois when shooting 50 percent or better. Illinois has made half its shots three times in the last 11 years and are 2-1 in those games.

Ohio State vs. The Big Ten
Ohio State is in its 103rd season as a member of the Big Ten Conference in 2014-15. The Buckeyes own an overall record of 771-686 against current league members. Thad Matta, in 15 seasons as a head coach, owns an overall record of 146-63 vs. league members, including a mark of 142-60 while coaching the Buckeyes.

Buckeyes Open 103rd Season in B1G
This is the 103rd season of Big Ten membership in men’s basketball for the Buckeyes. Ohio State is 56-43 (.566) in conference openers, 67-31 (.684) in league home openers and 36-62 (.367) in the first road game of the season in Big Ten play. When the Buckeyes open the Big Ten season at home, their record is 37-19 (.661). When Ohio State begins Big Ten play on the road, the record is 19-24 (.442). Thad Matta is 8-3 in conference openers at Ohio State. In the last 11 years under Matta, the Buckeyes have opened league play at home six times (5-1) and have a 3-2 road opener mark. Ohio State is 10-1 under Matta in the first home Big Ten game of the year.

Russell Earns 2nd B1G Freshman of the Week
D’Angelo Russell recorded a career high with nine assists vs. Miami, Ohio, then set an Ohio State freshman record with six made 3-pointers in a win vs. Wright State to pace the Buckeyes to a pair of victories vs. intrastate rivals. Russell connected on 12-of-18 field goals (.667) and 10-of-14 from long range (.714) while handing out 12 assists last week. He averaged 19.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in the wins. The award is the second for Russell, who was named the Big Ten’s Freshman of the Week Dec. 8 after averaging 18.0 points at Louisville (17 pts.) and at home vs. Colgate (19 pts.).

Noting the Iowa Game
?    Iowa leads the overall series with the Buckeyes 75-72 with Ohio State leading 46-27 in Columbus. The Buckeyes are 7-5 vs. Iowa at Value City Arena, having dropped its last two home games against the Hawkeyes. No. 20 Iowa defeated No. 3 Ohio State at home, 84-74, on Jan. 12, 2014.
?    The last time Ohio State opened the B1G season at home with a loss was vs. Wisconsin, 64-59, on Jan. 3, 1998.
?    Ohio State’s last B1G loss at home was to Michigan, when the No. 15 Wolverines defeated the No. 22 Buckeyes, 70-60, on Feb. 11, 2014. The last time Ohio State lost to unranked B1G opponent as a ranked team at home was an overtime loss to Penn State, 71-70, on Jan. 29, 2014.
?    Ohio State is 56-43 in conference openers and 67-31 in league home openers. When the Buckeyes open the Big Ten season at home, their record is 37-19.
?    As a ranked team, Ohio State is 23-12 vs. Iowa. Ohio State has won nine of the last 11 vs. Iowa as a ranked team.
?    Three players scored in double figures for the Buckeyes: Sam Thompson (17 points), D’Angelo Russell (13) and Marc Loving (10).
?    The Buckeyes outscored the Hawkeyes, 30-20, in the paint.
?    The Buckeyes scored 12 points off 17 Hawkeye turnovers.
?    Five Buckeyes recorded steals for a combined eight team steals vs. Iowa.
?    Russell and Scott combined for 10 assists vs. the Hawkeyes. The duo averages 12.8 combined assists per game this season.
?    Since the 2009-10 season, Ohio State holds a 99-9 (.917) record at home, the most home wins in the country.
?    Thad Matta is 286-86 during his career at Ohio State and 388-117 overall as a head coach.
?    In the last 11 years under Matta, the Buckeyes have opened league play at home six times and are 5-1 overall.
?    Matta is 8-3 in B1G openers and 10-1 in B1G home openers at Ohio State.
?    Matta is 160-4 in Columbus vs. unranked opponents and Ohio State is 56-3 in Columbus vs. unranked Big Ten opponents.
?    In the Matta era, Ohio State is 12-6 vs. the Hawkeyes.
?    The Buckeyes are 212-49 (.811) when carrying a Top 25 ranking into competition during the Thad Matta era.
?    Ohio State is 69-12 under Matta in the month of December.
?    D’Angelo Russell scored 13 points and has scored in double figures in 12-consecutive games this season
?    Russell totaled four assists and leads the Top 25 true freshman nationally with 73 assists this season.
?    For the season, Russell is recording a PAR (points+assists+rebounds/game) of 27.2.
?    With six helpers vs. Iowa, Scott moves to No. 5 in Ohio State history with 427 assists. He needs 49 to pass Curtis Wilson (475) for No. 4.
?    Scott recorded one steal vs. Iowa. He remains fourth on Ohio State’s all-time steals list with 186 behind David Lighty with 191 thefts. Scott needs 14 more this season to become the third Buckeye all-time to reach 200 steals in a career.
?    Scott scored six points and needs six more to pass 600 for his career.
?    Sam Thompson scored a team-high 17 points vs. Iowa. He has scored in double figures nine times this season.
?    Thompson tied his career high with three steals vs. Iowa.
?    Marc Loving scored 10 points vs. the Hawkeyes. He has scored in double figures five-consecutive games for the Buckeyes.
?    Loving collected six rebounds.
?    Amir Williams scored nine points, going 4-4 from the floor.
?    Amir Williams blocked two shots and has recorded a block in 13-straight games.
?    Tate collected five defensive rebounds for the Buckeyes and has pulled down five or more boards ten times this season.

For more on the Buckeyes click on the Ohio State Notes link above.

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