Breaking Down Ohio State's Win Over Iowa
This game was billed by some as the one where Buckeye fans would really see what their team is made of - how would they play on the road against the best team they've played this year, and frankly one of the best teams in all of college basketball?
If that was the question you found yourself asking before tipoff on Thursday night, then I have to think you like the answer you got two hours later.
Chris Holtmann knew his team would have its work cut out against the Hawkeyes. Iowa entered the night as the No. 1 offensive efficiency team in the country and the No. 2 scoring offense in all of college basketball. They have the best player in the nation who is a virtual lock to win the Wooden Award and who is putting up numbers not seen in college basketball maybe since Shaquille O'Neal was at LSU in the early 1990's.
But with a spirited defensive effort and some incredibly clutch shooting late in the game, Ohio State pulled off yet another road win against a top-15 team. That is their fourth such win this season, which is a school record ... pretty impressive, considering this is the 122nd season in Ohio State basketball history.
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"I'm sure that was a fun game to watch," Holtmann said afterwards. "It was a fun game to be a part of. Not as much when we were down 11, but we have an incredibly resilient bunch, as much as any group I've coached.
Ohio State used a balanced offensive attack, with three players scoring 16 points in the win. Meanwhile, Luka Garza, who was recognized pregame for scoring his 2,000th career point on Tuesday night against Michigan State, scored 16 points on just 13 shots. He averaged 26+ per game entering the night.
Brett Hiltbrand and I gave our instant analysis after the game on why this was such an impressive win for the Buckeyes.
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