The Minnesota Golden Gophers will take on the Ohio State Buckeyes on Sunday evening in their Big Ten opener in Columbus.
The Golden Gophers enter the game with a 5-2 record through the first month of the season with losses to San Francisco and Missouri. The Buckeyes are 6-1, winners of five straight after falling to Texas A&M in their second game of the season on November 10.
Last season, the Gophers defeated Ohio State in their only matchup, a 70-67 win in Columbus.
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WHERE, WHEN, HOW TO WATCH, SPREAD
WHEN: December 3, 2023 5:00 p.m. CT
WHERE: Value City Arena (19,049) -- Columbus, Ohio
TV/STREAM: BTN
Radio: KTLK (1130 AM/103.5 FM)
SPREAD: Ohio State -12.5 / 143.5 Over/Under
Who is Minnesota's projected starting five?
Who is Ohio State's projected starting five?
One name should look familiar in Ohio State's starting five, that being former Golden Gopher Jamison Battle.
The Robbinsdale, Minnesota native left the Gophers this offseason, transferring to Ohio State, the second transfer of his career after starting his career at George Washington. During his two years for the Gophers, Battle played and started in 56 games, averaging 15.1 points, 1.3 assists, and 5.1 rebounds per game.
Rankings Comparison
Four Factors
Prediction: Ohio State 80 - Minnesota 65
This is a poor matchup for the Golden Gophers against Ohio State on Sunday as this Buckeyes team is looking like one of the best programs in the country despite the early setback to Texas A&M this season. They picked up an impressive win over Alabama on Black Friday. The Buckeyes are extremely efficient on both offense and defense so far this season, the 14th most efficient team on offense and the 23rd ranked team when it comes to defensive efficiency.
The Golden Gophers, on the other hand, are around the average mark in both categories in the country this season, 142nd ranked in offensive efficiency and 143rd in defensive efficiency this season.
For a Minnesota team that doesn't do any something particularly well, this will be an issue they run into quite a bit in Big Ten play. They may be able to compete for a half or so but most likely, Ohio State will pull away in the second half and ultimately win big.
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