Basketball Preview: VMI at Ohio State

By Tim Shoemaker on December 5, 2015 at 8:45 am
Kam Williams against Virginia.
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Ohio State head coach Thad Matta is aware of his team's 2-4 record. Matta says, to his knowledge, this season is the first time he's ever been under .500 during his tenure with the Buckeyes.

He knows these things, yet he doesn't think about them. He has a goal in mind and wants to think about the end result. Matta wants to keep the big picture in mind despite what has been a brutal start to the 2015-16 season for Ohio State. 

WHO WHERE WHEN TV
Virginia Military Institute (3-3) Schottenstein Center 4:30 p.m. BTN

"I know what our record is but my whole focus is more on just how do we get better?" Matta said Friday. "I’ve been 24-0 before and never thought about the 24 wins that we’ve had. That’s just something you do as a coach, you just sort of stay the course and you’ve got to have a big picture in mind in terms of what you want this team to become."

The Buckeyes are in the middle of a four-game losing streak after failing to earn a come-from-behind win against No. 10 Virginia on Tuesday night. In order for Ohio State to stop its skid, it will have to beat Virginia Military Institute on Saturday afternoon at the Schottenstein Center.

Opponent Breakdown

VMI enters Saturday's game with a 3-3 record on the season. The Keydets have wins over Tusculum, Presbyterian and, most recently, a 107-72 victory against Central Pennsylvania. VMI has losses on the year to Penn State, Virginia Tech and Campbell.

The Keydets are led by a pair of high-volume scorers in QJ Peterson and Julian Eleby. Peterson is the team's leading scorer at 20.2 points per game while Eleby averages 16.3 points per game. Matta said Peterson and Eleby have attempted over half of VMI's field-goal attempts this season. Containing the two of them will be crucial to the Buckeyes getting back to their winning ways.

VMI ranks just 226th overall in KenPom's advanced statistical ratings. The Keydets shoot it at 42.4 percent from the field and 35.5 percent from behind the 3-point line. 

"[VMI] has the capability of putting up huge numbers," Matta said. "It's getting our guys to understand the runs and it’s one of those don’t-be-surprised type of games."

Buckeye Breakdown

Ohio State played what was arguably its best game of the season in Tuesday's game against the 10th-ranked Cavaliers, but it still wasn't enough as the Buckeyes eventually fell, 64-58.

Matta isn't one for moral victories, and his players aren't either, but after a pair underwhelming performances against mid-major teams, there was clear progress made against Virginia. Now, Ohio State needs to translate that to a victory and get the ship righted.

"We played a real close game against a really good team," sophomore wing Keita Bates-Diop said. "We definitely took some positives out of it, but we’re still working on some negatives” 

Added freshman point guard JaQuan Lyle: "I think we’ve gotten better game by game and sooner or later we’re going to reach the point that we need to be and we’re going to get the outcome that we want.”

Marc Loving continues to lead the way for the Buckeyes, and the junior forward scored a team-high 19 points and grabbed five rebounds in that loss to the Cavaliers. Loving is averaging 17 points per game to lead the way for Ohio State. Bates-Diop (12.8 points), Jae'Sean Tate (10.5) and Lyle (10.0) are also averaging double-figures for the Buckeyes.

Right now, though, Ohio State is struggling with consistency on both ends of the floor and getting all of its players to play well together. If it gets that consistency back, the hope is that wins will follow.

“Obviously we’ve got high expectations," Lyle said. "I don’t think anybody in this program imagined us starting the season 2-4 and I mean that’s pretty rough, but still every day we come in and work hard. That’s all we can do is come in and work hard every day.”

How It Plays Out

Another home loss to an inferior mid-major team to extend this to a five-game losing streak would be absolutely brutal for Ohio State. Fortunately for the Buckeyes, this seems to be an extremely winnable game.

Ohio State players have talked about how they're starving to get a win and this matchup with VMI seems to be as sure-fire as it gets for the Buckeyes. But with this team, there is no such thing as a sure thing. 

In the end, though, Ohio State should cruise in this matchup. Anticipate the Buckeyes playing hard from the opening tip with the intent to bury the overmatched Keydets. 

"Since we’ve gotten better every game we’re going to try to come out and do the same thing, it’s not like a formula," Bates-Diop said. "We’ve just got to [win] now.”


Tim's prediction: Ohio State 81, VMI 70

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