Wisconsin will be among the biggest challenges Ohio State faces all year.
With the No. 15 Badgers set to come to Value City Arena on Wednesday, Buckeye head coach Chris Holtmann and center Felix Okpara met with the media to discuss areas where the team needs to grow and the challenges of facing this year's Wisconsin squad.
Holtmann was particularly complimentary of the Badgers, saying that it's “as deep and as talented” a team as he's seen emerge from Madison during his time coaching Ohio State.
Chris Holtmann
- A variety of players will guard star Wisconsin small forward AJ Storr, Holtmann said.
- Roddy Gayle Jr. needs to take a step in managing the offense when the ball is in his hands, Holtmann said. "It's decision-making combined with his ball skills growing and getting better. ... He's gotta make some corrections in terms of simplifying his attack, reading situations better."
- More on Gayle: "He needs to be more consistent. ... We need that from Roddy, we need to that to experience the kind of growth that he wants to experience."
- On Felix Okpara and whether his effort stood out where Ohio State's defense might have fallen short as a whole against Indiana: "He's got real gifts and we're different defensively when he's on the floor. ... It's gotta be a team effort, and I think we were good at times but not good enough. But at the end of the day, it was really turnovers that got us in that game."
- Gayle's also had difficulties now that teams have more film on him, Holtmann said. "His minutes weren't as consistent until the end of the year (last year). ... Now that's changed. Now there's more film on you, there's more tendencies. That's changed, so he needs to adjust."
- On Wisconsin: "I think it's probably as deep and as talented of a Wisconsin team as we've seen. ... They have a number of guys. The addition of a couple of freshmen has helped them."
- On Badger forward Tyler Wahl: "Really tough, tremendous motor and really smart."
- Wisconsin can be a threat from the perimeter, though Holtmann sees their attack as balanced overall. "We just need to have great awareness, they have a number of guys that can make shots."
- With Gayle and star point guard Bruce Thornton combining to shoot 7-of-34 against Indiana, Holtmann wanted to see other players step up. "We really needed to be a little better collectively across the board when two of your top players aren't shooting well and one is struggling."
- Devin Royal has missed time with an illness, but Holtmann said that he's recovering well and that it "thankfully" hasn't spread to other players yet.
Felix Okpara
- On the mentality of this year's squad: "It's definitely better than last year's team. I feel like this year's team has more guys that just care and have bought in."
- On how his consistency has improved: "It's more responsibility for me being on the court. ... I give my all every game."
- Rebounding continues to be among Okpara and the team's top focuses: "If a team doesn't have really good defensive rebounding, that's a difference between winning and losing the game."
- On playing alongside Zed Key for long stretches against Indiana: "It went well. ... We have different plans of attack we have to complete."
- On how bulking up physically has aided his game: "It really helped me on the offensive side, grabbing rebounds."
- On Wisconsin's frontcourt: "It's gonna be a really good game. ... We want this game to be a redemption game, get our payback (for last year). The key to success tomorrow is going to be on the defensive side. Their post play is really good, but so are their guards."
- Okpara agreed with Holtmann that turnovers were the main thing that cost the Buckeyes at Indiana. "Taking care of the ball, that was the key. ... I feel like we were playing good, it's just the shots weren't falling."
- Handling the stress of his increased role this season has been about leaning on people he trusts in the program. "It's tough some days. I have good people around me."
- On trying to continue to gain weight during the season: "It's been tough because you're playing a lot more. I've got to take in a lot more food. ... We have good guys, the nutritionists really helping us with that."
- On playing his friend Terrance Williams at Michigan on Monday: "Terrance and me are good players. I'm really happy for him. ... I'm looking forward to the game. Last year we didn't get to play each other a lot."
