As a student at Michigan, it is natural for me to hate that team from Columbus. But my hatred for Ohio started long before I even stepped foot in Ann Arbor, let alone even saying the words "Go Blue." It was a dreary January evening in 2011, and the Paint Crew had arrived in Columbus. Everyone was eager to see #12 Purdue take on #1 Ohio after Purdue handled Michigan State that weekend for College GameDay.
The game was awful from the start, and I honestly think it was the worst performance I have ever seen from Purdue. But what stick outs to me were their intelligent and hospitable spelling obsessed fans who gladly welcomed us into Discount Arena. When they weren't showing off their ability to spell 4 letter words, they cheered "Go home, you hicks!", "Start the buses", and used a lovely amount of NSFW language to show us their appreciation for showing up. But hey, at least Ohio fans showed up for the game this time.
Looking back, it seems kind of silly to hold a grudge against them after that game. Most fan bases have their bad fans, most of them located in the upper bowl where we were seated. I have a few friends who went to/still attend OSU and they're good people. Regardless, that night was enough to start my hatred for that school, and being accepted for an internship at The University of Michigan just a few weeks after that game added more fuel to the fire.
But enough about my overblown experience in Columbus. Let's talk about that team from Ohio.
Opponent: |
Ohio State Buckeyes |
From: |
Columbus, OH |
Date: |
2/04/2015 |
Venue: |
Mackey Arena (14,240) |
TV: |
Big Ten Network |
Radio Stream: |
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Satellite Radio: |
SIRI 136, XM |
Odds: |
|
Tickets: |
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Tipoff: |
6:30pm |
KenPom Ranking: |
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RPI: |
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Blog Representation: |
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2014-15 Record: |
17-5, 6-3 |
All-time series |
Ohio State leads 83-88 |
Last Purdue win: |
2/20/2011 at Purdue 76-63 |
Last Ohio State Win: |
3/13/2014 at B1G Tournament (Indy) 63-61 |
2013-14 Record: |
25-10, 10-8 Big Ten |
Last NCAA appearance: |
2014, Lost to (11) Dayton in Round of 64 60-59 |
Coach: |
Thad Matta (292-88 in 11th year at Ohio State, 394-119 overall) |
The last time Purdue beat Ohio State, it was the E'Twaun Moore special. Since then, Ohio has won 6 straight games, with a majority of the games having been competitive and coming down the final shot (exceptions include 3/9/2012 loss in the B1G Tourney 88-71 and on 2/8/2014 at OSU 67-49). In these close games, Ohio State was able to pull away and build just a big enough lead to hold off the Boilers, or just had some dumb luck to pull off the wins.
It's these games, since the 2011 E'Twaun special, that I think hurt the most. The 6 game losing streak has now made OSU the only B1G team Purdue has a losing record against. There is a lot of hype coming into tonight's game, perhaps more than what we have seen in the last 4 years. Could Purdue finally get over the hump and beat the Buckeyes?
It certainly won't be easy, and one player stands out for OSU: D'Angelo Russel, his name might sound familiar. OSU struggled early on this season after losing key veteran players, like red faced Aaron Craft. However, Russel has put this team on his back and carried them back into the Top 25 with impressive performances, most notably when he scored 33 points at Northwestern for the close win. So far this season, he is averaging 19.4 points a game, the highest on the team. However, in the last 5 games, he has averaged 24.2, with the lowest point total coming against an 80-56 drubbing of then #18 Maryland. Purdue's defense will certainly be focused on shutting Russel down, but players like Marc Loving (11.7 ppg) and Sam Thompson (10.0 ppg) also pose as dangerous threats.
Hammons and Haas will likely be sizing up against Amir Williams, their 6-11 senior center. Just like how these two have played in the past, it seems like Williams has his good days and his off days. The Two Towers will certainly have to challenge Williams and continue to attack the paint, which certainly has paid off in the Boilers last 3 victories.
If Purdue can shut down Russel and continue to attack the paint (and make their free throws), I see no reason why Purdue can't win tonight. OSU is a good team, but they certainly have their flaws, and if Purdue can ride this wave of momentum, they should pull off the relative upset. It will be a tight game with multiple lead changes, but I think the Boilers can pull this one off.
Purdue 70, That School from Columbus, 67