Buckeyes Open B1G Slate at Boilermakers
12/16/2020 8:15:56 AM | Men's Basketball
THE BASICS
No. 19/20 Ohio State at Purdue • Wed., Dec. 16 • When: 7 p.m. • Where: Mackey Arena • TV: BTN • Radio: 97.1 The Fan
It was 279 days ago – March 12, 2020 – that Ohio State and Purdue were to meet in the Big Ten tournament, but the game and the tournament were canceled that day and life as we knew it … changed.
Ohio State starts its 109th season of Big Ten Conference play on the hardwood with a 7 p.m. game at Mackey Arena Wednesday evening against the Purdue Boilermakers. The Buckeyes are 5-0 in the fourth season of the Chris Holtmann era while Purdue is 4-2 in the 16th year under the direction of coach Matt Painter. Holtman is 3-2 vs. Purdue; 39-33 vs. the B1G.
Ohio State recognizes Purdue with an 88-85 lead in the all-time series that began in 1904-05. Last year in Columbus, the Buckeyes topped the Boilermakers, 68-52, sparked by a career-high 16 points by Kyle Young.
SENIOR LEADER
Senior C.J. Walker has scored in double ?gures 11 consecutive games for the longest stretch of his career. He is averaging 13.2 points, a team-leading 4.0 assists and 3.2 rebounds per game in a team-high 31.6 minutes of action per game. Walker has also buried 30 of 31 free throw attempts so far, good for a .968 pct.
BALL CONTROL
Ohio State is averaging less than 10 turnovers per game through its ?rst ?ve with 44 total and an 8.8 per game average. The team has had just 10, 9, 7, 8 and 10 turnovers, respectively, in its ?ve games.
THE PURDUE SERIES
Ohio State recognizes Purdue with an 88-85 lead in the all-time series that began in 1904-05. Ohio State is 27-57 all-time in games played at Purdue, but the Buckeyes are 3-3 in their last six meetings at Mackey, dating to the 2012-13 season. Purdue won, 86-51, in Ohio State’s last visit (3/2/19).
FOR OPENERS
Ohio State is 812-724 all-time in regular season Big Ten Conference games and has 20 Big Ten titles, the last coming in the 2011-12 campaign.
BALANCED ATTACK
The Buckeyes have four players averaging in the teens although leading scorer (15.5) and rebounder (7.5) E.J. Liddell will miss his second consecutive game because of a non-COVID-19 related illness. Duane Washington Jr. (14.8), Justice Sueing (14.0) and C.J. Walker (13.2) have been reliable scorers with 14 double ?gure games combined so far.
WELCOME BACK “MOOSE”
Junior guard Musa Jallow, out in 2019-20 because of an ankle injury, returned vs. Notre Dame and was outstanding defensively. The Buckeyes were +10 when he was on the ?oor vs. ND, which led the team. He turned in a season-high 24:33 mins/6 rebs. vs. Cleveland State last Sunday.
SCHEDULE NOTE
The Ohio State/North Carolina game Saturday in Cleveland will tip at 4:15 p.m. instead of 2 p.m. Ohio State’s football team will be playing Northwestern at noon Dec. 19 on FOX in the B1G title game at noon Dec. 19 on FOX in Indianapolis.
