Land-Grant Podcast Network: An Ohio State University podcast

Good Hoops Morning: Upset-minded Ohio State heads to Ann Arbor with momentum

·32 min·3 clips

Ohio State faces the nation's top-ranked Michigan team, which some called the most dominant regular season team ever.

The episode is a solo preview of the Ohio State vs. Michigan college basketball game scheduled for January 23rd at 8 p.m. Eastern in Ann Arbor. Host Connor Lemans provides detailed analysis of both teams, starting with Michigan's dominant season under coach Dusty May. Michigan is 17-1, ranked number one in KenPom and NET, and leads the nation in two-point field goal percentage. Their lineup features three players who could play center: Yaxel Lendeborg, Mares Johnson Jr., and Ade Mara, giving them a significant size advantage. Ohio State, coached by Jake Diebler, is 13-5 and a heavy underdog. The host notes Michigan's statistical strengths, such as offensive and defensive efficiency, but also points out weaknesses like being 15th in the Big Ten in free-throw shooting. He suggests Ohio State could intentionally foul Ade Mara, a 44% free-throw shooter, to disrupt Michigan's rhythm. Another strategy involves exploiting Mara's defensive mobility, similar to how Wisconsin beat Michigan by hitting threes when Mara was forced into no-man's land. The host discusses key players for both teams, including Ohio State's Bruce Thornton and Michigan's Trey McKinney, a freshman guard Ohio State recruited. He reviews betting odds, with Ohio State as a 15.5-point underdog and only a 9-11% chance to win according to analytics. The episode concludes with a prediction of an 88-65 Michigan victory, citing Ohio State's lack of personnel to challenge Michigan's size and speed. Throughout, the host references specific stats from KenPom.com and previous games, providing a comprehensive tactical breakdown.

As heard by us

A focused Michigan matchup preview built on free throws, screen defense, and Ohio State's public confidence.

Ohio State heads to Ann Arbor with plenty of noise around the matchup, and this episode works best when it gets past the noise and into the small details that might leave Michigan exposed.

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Why you'd press play

You want the screen-action detail that might make Michigan look a little less airtight before Ohio State gets to Ann Arbor.

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