Ohio State only has three opportunities to build its resume in the nonconference portion of its schedule, and Tuesday represents the easiest chance of the three to impress the NCAA tournament selection committee.
Marquette comes to Columbus for an early Big Ten and Big East showdown in a rematch of last year’s 52-35 Buckeyes win.
Considering Ohio State’s other two marquee nonconference games come away from home against North Carolina and Louisville, it needs to pick up a win in this one. In order to do that, there are a few keys that Thad Matta’s bunch must take care of during the course of the game.
For one, this represents D’Angelo Russell’s first chance to really announce himself to the rest of the college basketball world because few outside of Columbus were probably paying close attention to the opening win against UMass Lowell.
Russell finished with 16 points, six assists, four rebounds, three steals and two made three-pointers, and it was clear from the opening tip that he is the most talented player on the team and the eventual go-to guy on offense. Yes, there are a number of formidable options at Matta’s disposal, but Russell is the one who can create his own shot, spot up off passes or set up teammates for success.
He caught the eye of ESPN’s Myron Medcalf in the season opener:
Still, Russell is only a freshman and is yet to play against solid college competition. This game will be a barometer for where he…
Continue Reading: Ohio State Basketball: What to Watch for Against Marquette
