Three Things To Watch for During No. 15 Virginia’s Matchup vs. Ohio State

Are the Virginia Cavaliers approaching another victory?

Virginia Cavaliers forward Thijs De Ridder | Melina Myers-Imagn Images

The Virginia Cavaliers are just a few short hours away from their 8 p.m. ET road matchup against Ohio State. This will be Virginia's third Big Ten meeting of the year, previously having defeated Maryland in December (80-72) and Northwestern in November (83-78). Now, the Cavaliers are preparing to face the Buckeyes, who are currently 16-8 overall and 8-6 in conference play.

UVA is on a five-game winning streak and a six-game road win streak, and given that this is a neutral site in Nashville, Tenn., the Cavaliers should be entering the matchup with a higher level of confidence.

At the time of this writing, FanDuel Sportsbook lists Virginia as a 4.5-point favorite to win over underdog Ohio State, with the over/under set at 147.5. However, a victory is never promised—there's always a chance that the Buckeyes will upset the Cavaliers.

Fans who are planning to tune in to the game should keep their eyes on three key elements that will impact the outcome of the game. This includes players and game aspects, all of which will dictate how tonight plays out.

Ohio State Is a Jack of All Trades, but a Master of None

Ohio State Buckeyes guard John Mobley Jr. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Simply put, the Buckeyes are a very capable program in multiple categories, yet they don't stand out as a top team on the stat sheet when stacked up against other programs. It must be noted that although they aren't at the top of the standings in their conference, the Big Ten is threatening. Between Michigan, Illinois, Nebraska, Purdue and Michigan State, there is serious competition here.

Having said that, Ohio State brings notable players to the court, some of whom include Bruce Thornton, John Mobley Jr. and Devin Royal. This trio is a key squad to watch tonight, as they tend to dominate on both sides of the ball. For the most part, they've been carrying the Buckeyes throughout their campaign.

UVA's Defense vs. Ohio State's Key Offensive Players

Ohio State Buckeyes guard Bruce Thornton | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Once again, this primarily includes Thornton, Mobley Jr. and Royal. Thornton leads his program with an average of 193 points per game, and averages 5.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists. As for Mobley Jr., he averages 15.1 points per game, while Royal logs 14.0. Royal also leads the Buckeyes in rebounds (5.7).

Virginia has shown significant improvements on defense as of late, but they must keep this momentum high in order to fend off Ohio State's key trio.

UVA's Turnover Woes

Virginia Cavaliers guard Dallin Hall | Melina Myers-Imagn Images

This has been another point of emphasis for the Cavaliers—they've been getting themselves into turnover trouble. While they certainly aren't the worst in this category, they still average 10.8 per game. The Cavaliers must be mindful of this tonight, as the Buckeyes could certainly take advantage of them. As head coach Ryan Odom stated during his postgame media appearance earlier this week:

"... We turned the ball over too much, but it was one of those gritty games where we were able to just kind of hang in there and figure it out and find the way at the end. Certainly, our defense kept us in it. Our offense left a lot to be desired. Jacari was huge with the shot-making test down the stretch..."

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