The spotlight for Thursday night’s top-25 showdown between Ohio State and Purdue will shine on the battle in the paint. Without a clear counterpart who can match the size and production of 7-4 center Zach Edey, No. 24 Ohio State will rely on 6-8 starter Zed Key to battle his fellow big using strength, aggressiveness and maybe some moxie. But the real engine behind the game, and the battle that could determine whether the Buckeyes can hand No. 1 Purdue a second straight loss, lies in the backcourt where three of the projected starters are freshmen. Purdue starts two first-year players in its backcourt, point guard Braden Smith and shooting guard Fletcher Loyer, while Ohio State has handed the keys to its offense to freshman point guard Bruce Thornton. All three have been critical to their team’s success this season. The battle between Thornton and Smith could be critical to…
Continue Reading: With focus on big men, backcourt could swing battle between Ohio State, Purdue
