After a win against Penn State, Minnesota came into this matchup with OSU motivated to steal a game on the road. Although the defense in the first half was promising, Minnesota couldn't get anything going in the second and ultimately fell 70-45 to a tough Buckeye team. Here are three key takeaways from the game.
Long Season Taking A Toll
It just didn't seem like the Gophers had much in the tank in that second half last night, and that could be a sign that this long season with limited depth is starting to take a toll on the team. Ohio State plays a deep rotation, and they were just fresher and more energetic in the second half. They had the legs to elevate on their jumpers to finish while Minnesota wasn't able to hit anything. The Gophers shot just 16-52 from the field, and 26.9% from three last night, and you have to think that some tired legs play a role in that number. This week doesn't get any easier, as the Gophers now have games on Thursday and Saturday to try to get fresh and prepare for.
Ohio State Too Physical Down Low
Particularly early in the second half, Ohio State made it a priority to get the ball in deep post position, and they were just going to work around the rim. Zed Key was establishing position right under the basket whenever he wanted to, and it doesn't matter who's defending you at this level, if you catch the ball one foot away from the rim you're probably going to score. That in turn forced Minnesota to start crashing the paint a bit more defensively, and left Ohio State's shooters wide open to start hitting shots over the remainder of the second half. Size down low has been a major issue for this Minnesota team all season, and is something that will have to be addressed over the next few years with recruiting and the transfer portal.
Poor Shooting Night Hurts
Let's face it, Minnesota just couldn't buy a shot in the second half last night. I already talked about how fatigue likely played a role in this, but some nights shots just don't want to go in. Payton Willis scored just 5 points, Eric Curry only had 2, and EJ Stephens went scoreless on the night. Those are three of Minnesota's top scorers, and they combined for just 7 points! On the other end, Ohio State had five players who scored 9+ points. Payton Willis has been so good all year, but Ohio State did a great job of forcing tough shots out of him last night, even when one of their bigs got switched on to him. They always had a hand up to make things difficult for the Gopher shooters, and shots just weren't going in like they normally do. Tough game but have to look ahead and prepare for Thursday now.
Key Performers For Minnesota
Luke Loewe- 12 points, 3 rebounds
Jamison Battle- 11 points, 5 rebounds
Key Performers For Ohio State
EJ Liddell- 16 points, 10 rebounds
Zed Key- 9 points, 7 rebounds
Jamari Wheeler- 13 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists
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