Illinois Fighting Illini at Ohio State Buckeyes Preview

Illinois has rebounded from that loss, and they finished in second place in the mighty Big Ten. The Fighting Illini have won three straight games, including a 23-point win over the hated Michigan Wolverines.

The Buckeyes are heading in the opposite direction, having lost three straight games. If Ohio State does not find a way to win this game, the potential number 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament goes out the window.

The Ohio State Buckeyes are slim 1.5-point favorites over the Illinois Fighting Illini.

Buckeyes Need to Make Shots

If the Buckeyes are going to right the ship and turn things back around then, they must find a way to make more shots from deep. Ohio State is shooting better than 36 percent from the arc this season, but they have really struggled during this losing streak.

E.J. Liddell continues to lead this team on offense, pouring in 15.9 points per game. Liddell dominated Illinois in the first matchup of the season, and you know that Illinois will be looking to slow him down.

Ohio State will also need to find a way to slow this game down as they don’t have the depth to keep up with Illinois. The Buckeyes simply need to play much better all-around if they want to sweep Illinois.

Fighting Illini Are Scary

The Fighting Illini just went to Michigan and beat the Wolverines by 23 points without their best player on the court. Illinois completely overwhelmed Michigan, and hopefully, that game served as a wake-up call to the Buckeyes.

Ayo Dosunmu leads Illinois with 21.0 points and 5.3 assists per game, but this is a roster that is loaded with talent. Center Kofi Cockburn is a big problem in the paint, and that’s on both ends of the floor.

Seniors Trent Frazier and Damonte Williams provide toughness and leadership for this team, and freshman Andre Curbelo provides a spark. The Fighting Illini are averaging 81 points per game, and they can take over a game in a hurry.

Can Ohio State Stop Skid?

There is no doubt that Ohio State has what it takes to turn this thing around before the start of the Big Ten Tournament. The Buckeyes beat the Fighting Illini once before, and this time they have the game on their home floor.

It’s never easy to win any games in the Big Ten Conference, and this one is no exception. Illinois has been on a remarkable tear, but it just feels like Ohio State is due for a win to kickstart a long run.

Can the Buckeyes find a way to slow down the flying Illini, or will this become the fourth straight loss for the number 7 team in the country? Either way, this should be one of the best games of the year to close out the regular season.