Game 23: Michigan at Ohio State Preview

Michigan heads to Columbus on Sunday (1:00 p.m., CBS) for its second game against Ohio State this season. The Wolverines won the first meeting in Ann Arbor, 74-62, and will now look to complete the sweep less than three weeks later.

The Buckeyes are 15-7 (7-5 Big Ten) and look like a quintessential bubble team at No. 38 on KenPom and +3.4 points per 100 possessions in Big Ten play.

Jake Diebler’s squad hasn’t won more than two games in a row since Thanksgiving, but hasn’t lost back-to-back games at any point either. Ohio State’s best wins in Big Ten play are home over UCLA and at Northwestern, but it has only lost two home games — Nebraska and Illinois.

Because these teams met two weeks ago, most takeaways from the preview and the recap still apply, so we’ll go with a different format focused on key areas of the game, matchups, and potential adjustments.

An elite offensive group

Ohio State’s identity is on the offensive end of the floor. The Buckeyes are ranked 22nd in adjusted offensive efficiency and are scoring 1.18 points per trip in Big Ten games — 4th best in the conference.

The Ohio State offense is heavy on off-ball movement — 95th percentile off-screen volume, 91st percentile cutting volume, 78th percentile dribble handoffs — and relies on some of the most talented offensive players in the conference to make shots.

Michigan did a great job containing 6-foot-2 senior Bruce Thornton in the first meeting, holding him to 10 points on 3-of-11 shooting, but he’s one of the most efficient guards in the sport. He’s capable of scoring at every level — rim, mid-range, and 3-point range — and can heat up in a hurry.

6-foot-2 sophomore John Mobley is more of a 3-point specialist, but equally as dangerous. Mobley scored 22 points in Ann Arbor and has hit at least four 3-pointers in five of his last six games. For the year, he’s shooting 41% from deep on 165 attempts and hits shots off the catch, on the move or off the bounce.