The undefeated Ohio State Buckeyes gear up for two key non-conference battles prior to conference play beginning when they welcome the Hens of Delaware into town on Wednesday.
OSU boasts the number one defense in America and has an athletic and versatile roster that is already beginning to generate some Final Four buzz. While Delaware has its share of limitations, they also have tremendous scoring power at the guard position and have played competitively in road games with the likes of Villanova and Notre Dame.
Delaware also has Devon Saddler back as he played in the North Dakota State game following a suspension of seven games. Saddler is the most accomplished of Delaware’s five players currently averaging double figures in points.
But the primary concern for Delaware will come down to their productivity on the glass and ability to play against a disciplined defense. The beneficial aspect to the latter challenge is that they rely on the three point shot to a serious degree, and that’s difficult for any team to stop.
Defense will be a major issue for the Hens here, however. They don’t play much of it, and allowing Ohio State to get momentum going early will only fuel their defensive efforts over the course of 40 minutes. LaQuinton Ross poses a match-up nightmare for most teams and the Hens are no different. They are severely undersized and will be forced to go zone for long stretches.
Utilizing a zone look should enhance the Buckeye’s efficiency on the boards as Amir Williams and Sam Thompson will become even more problematic without box out assignments allocated to them.
I look for an up and down game of sorts, more so than what the Buckeyes typically are involved in. I have this game at OSU -16.5, but do think the Hens pose an interesting threat. We have seen non conference opponents come in and give the Buckeyes some trouble when those groups have proven scoring.
Ohio and American were able to keep games tight earlier this year, and Winthrop effectively used the three ball last year to engineer a near upset in Columbus.
There is a possibility of OSU becoming a tad bit complacent given their recent run of underwhelming opponents.
They also play Notre Dame on a neutral floor this Saturday, and look ahead potential could be in play.
I’d look to play Delaware here if the number is sufficiently inflated. Anything exceeding 18 would fit that criteria for me, but right now it looks fair. Delaware’s performance here could be an added indication of what they could be capable of as they move into CAA play.
