Ohio State failed its first road test of the season after marching through an opening five-game home stretch. It will have an opportunity to regain some confidence against lesser competition before having to leave Columbus again.The 14th-ranked Buckeyes begin a four-game stretch at Value City Arena when it faces Colgate on Saturday.Ohio State (5-1) plays 13 of its first 15 at home and won those first five by an average of 30 points, with Shannon Scott leading the nation in assists at 10.4 per game through that stretch.The Buckeyes couldn’t overcome No. 5 Louisville’s stifling defense on the road Tuesday, though, falling 64-55 in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. They shot 30.4 percent and Scott was held to one assist and 1-for-7 shooting.Ohio State trimmed a 19-point deficit to 56-53 late, but couldn’t complete the comeback.”Every shot we took, there was never a bad shot,” said guard D’Angelo Russell, who nearly matched his average with 17 points but went 6 of 20 from the floor. “We just couldn’t knock them down. I feel like if we would have knocked them down, we would have won by 20.”Senior forward Sam Thompson scored seven points – more than four below his average – and was 4 of 10 from the free-throw line.”We allowed the crowd to take us out of the game,” Thompson said. ”We allowed the stage to take us out of the game. We weren’t thinking like we need to think in a game like this. When that happens against a good team, you see what happens. We get down 20.”The Buckeyes probably won’t be threatened on this homestand, as they face High Point, Morehead State and North Carolina A&T following this matchup with Colgate (1-6).The only game away from Columbus that Ohio State plays before traveling to Minnesota on Jan. 6 is a meeting with No. …
Continue Reading: Colgate-Ohio St. Preview
