[7:00 PM] Providence @ Ohio State

Who will WIN this matchup?

Providence Friars (1-0)

@ Ohio State Buckeyes (2-0)

 

• Ohio State won in spite of itself the last time out and will need to clean up its act when Providence pays a visit Thursday night in a Gavitt Tipoff Games affair. The Buckeyes struggled from beyond the arc (28.6 percent), at the foul line (11-of-23) and were slow to put away North Carolina Central at home Monday night before surviving a 69-63 decision.

• The Friars are not as formidable on paper as they were last season when Kris Dunn ran the show, but they looked dominant in the second half of an 80-58 win over Vermont on Monday. Emmitt Holt, a junior transfer, scored a career-high 22 points in his Providence debut and Kyron Cartwright handed out a career-high 12 assists. The only prior meeting between the Friars and Buckeyes took place in the first round of the 1990 NCAA Tournament, when Ohio State prevailed 84-83 in overtime.

• Holt was 8-of-12 from the floor and fellow forward Rodney Bullock buried 3-of-5 from 3-point range en route to 18 points against Vermont. Ryan Fazekas also had three 3-pointers and Jalen Lindsey recorded three of the Friars’ nine steals.

• One issue for the early sluggishness has been the play of sophomore guard JaQuan Lyle, who is averaging four points on 33 percent shooting and saw little action down the stretch Monday night. The beneficiary of Lyle’s struggles has been sophomore C.J. Jackson, who has 17 assists in 50 minutes off the bench through the first two games. Juniors Kam Williams (16 points per game) and Jae’Sean Tate (15.5) are handling the bulk of the scoring, while big man Trevor Thompson is 7-of-9 from the floor and is averaging six rebounds.

• Buckeyes freshman C Micah Potter had 13 points in 22 minutes versus North Carolina Central after he was held scoreless in 21 minutes against Navy last Friday.

 

StreakSmarts Pick: Ohio State Buckeyes

Confidence: 5/10

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