After three video games in Chapel Hill, the Tar Heels head to Atlanta for the CBS Sports Classic, the place they’ll face a possible NCAA Tournament workforce in Ohio State.
The Buckeyes carry an 8-2 report, a #40 KenPom rating, and a #47 NET rating. The two losses could also be Ohio State’s most notable outcomes of the season thus far – for reverse causes. OSU misplaced on a buzzer-beater to a foul Pitt workforce on Nov. 28 (at the moment rated as a Q3 loss by NET), then took a prime 25-ranked Illinois squad down to the wire on Dec. 9 (it was a three-point sport with simply over a minute to go). In their most up-to-date outing, the Buckeyes beat West Virginia in double additional time final Saturday after trailing by 14 within the second half.
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Ohio State is led by Jake Diebler, who’s in his second full season as head coach and seventh with the Buckeyes. He was named interim head coach when Chris Holtmann was fired in February 2024 and secured the job completely after successful six of his first eight video games. Last season, the Buckeyes completed 17-15 and earned a bid to the inaugural College Basketball Crown, which they declined due to accidents and sickness. OSU hasn’t been to the NCAA Tournament since 2022.
Saturday’s matchup between Carolina and Ohio State is the primary for the reason that 2022 CBS Sports Classic (which was performed at Madison Square Garden). UNC trailed for many of that sport earlier than Pete Nance hit a turnaround jumper as time expired to ship it to additional time, the place the Tar Heels finally received the win. Whether or not this assembly is that shut will probably depend upon how effectively Carolina can comprise Ohio State’s Bruce Thornton.
Thornton, a four-year starter for the Buckeyes (he scored 17 factors against the Tar Heels in 2022), is without doubt one of the top-producing gamers within the nation via his first 10 video games. He’s averaging 21.8 factors (eighth-most in Division I) on excellent capturing splits: 60% from the sphere, 50% on threes, and 86% on free throws. The different elements of his sport are robust as effectively; he averages 5 rebounds (third on the workforce), 4.4 assists (workforce chief) and 1.3 steals (workforce chief). What’s extra, he’s remarkably sturdy – he by no means got here off the ground against Illinois, and performed 49 of fifty minutes against West Virginia. As of Thursday night time, Seth Trimble’s standing for this sport stays unknown, however it will make a big distinction if he’s out there to guard Thornton even for restricted minutes.
Thornton’s accomplice within the backcourt is John Mobley Jr. Though much less spectacular by comparability, the sophomore’s numbers are strong: he averages 13.8 factors (on 40/36/80 splits), 2.5 assists, and a pair of.3 rebounds. He’s the Buckeyes’ second choice and almost definitely to shoot the three.
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Ohio State’s frontcourt is anchored by senior 7-footer Christoph Tilly (13.8 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 2.8 APG), who transferred in after three seasons at Santa Clara. Alongside him are junior Devin Royal (13.3 PPG, 5.7 RPG) and fifth-year Wright State switch Brandon Noel (8.4 PPG, 4.7 RPG). Noel is an attention-grabbing case, as he went off for 29 factors in a win over Northwestern on Dec. 6 however scored a complete of 9 factors against Illinois and West Virginia. His beginning job may very well be in jeopardy if freshman Amare Bynum (8.4 PPG, 4.4 RPG), who’s been the primary participant off the bench for the Buckeyes, continues his upward trajectory; the previous 4-star recruit had one of the best sport of his younger profession against West Virginia, posting 17 factors, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and three blocks.
As regular for this season, Carolina has a peak benefit within the frontcourt (7’0”—6’10”–6’10” vs 7’0”–6’8”–6’6”), however it’s value noting that Ohio State is heavier: Tilly weighs 240 kilos to Henri Veesaar’s 225, and Noel and Royal weigh 240 and 230 (Bynum additionally weighs 240) to Caleb Wilson and Jarin Stevenson’s 215 and 215. That may very well be a difficulty if the Buckeyes play bodily.
Overall, this matchup feels comparable to Georgetown: a winnable sport against a good-but-not-great opponent. If the Tar Heels can assert themselves within the paint and restrict alternatives for Ohio State’s guard tandem, it needs to be a profitable journey south.