Ohio State offense rises to the occasion against ‘elite’ Wisconsin defense
If a good defense beats a good offense, it might be time to start thinking about this Ohio State offense as elite once again.
Needing to replace its primary ballhandlers from a team that finished with the nation’s No. 4 team in adjusted offensive efficiency according to Kenpom.com, Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann spent much of the preseason stressing that these Buckeyes had a chance to be pretty good offensively but might struggle to reach last year’s numbers.
Then, on Friday, Holtmann looked at the challenge that No. 22 Wisconsin posed in Saturday’s Big Ten home opener for the No. 21 Buckeyes and described the Badgers as “elite” defensively.
Despite a rash of first-half turnovers, Ohio State put up 73 points against a team that had held five of its first nine opponents below 60. The Buckeyes built a 23-point second-half lead in an 18-point win. The performance moved Ohio State to No. 5 nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency and, perhaps, showed the potential of what could still be ahead.
“When we run our stuff, I feel like we’re the best team in the nation, easily,” third-year forward E.J. Liddell said. “When everybody’s doing the simple things, making the right plays, taking the right shots, I feel like we can be up there with anybody.”
His stat line backed up his bravado. After scoring 14, 14 and 15 points in Ohio State’s past three games, Liddell put up a Big Ten career-high 28 on 11-of-16 shooting against a Wisconsin team ranked No. 15 in adjusted defensive efficiency. It wasn’t the most efficient game of the season for the Buckeyes — their rating of 102.5 was their fourth-lowest of the season — but it was the secondworst mark allowed the Badgers this season.
Although Liddell did plenty of heavy lifting, the production came from across the roster. Zed Key was the only other player in double figures with 11 points while five other players finished between 5-9 points. The only hiccup — and it was persistent for much of the first half — came in the form of turnovers. The Buckeyes had 10 by halftime but finished with 14.
“We’ve been one of the best offensive teams in the country in spite of our turnovers, really,” Holtmann said. “We have a top-10 offense again. We’ll see if it can be consistent with that, but our versatility on the front line really helps and then if our guard play can continue to grow — we had some good moments from some of those guys tonight — that will really help us continue to have an elite offense.”
Key and Liddell’s growing partnership, along with the offensive emergence of Kyle Young, have allowed the Buckeyes to create mismatches in the frontcourt as their young backcourt figures things out. All four of Liddell’s assists came during the second half, with two going to Key for dunks and a third to Young for a layup.
“It’s so important in today’s game to have versatile front-line guys because it gives you flexibility and freedom in your offense,” Holtmann said. “I don’t think you can have a top-10 offense, an elite offense, without versatility on your front line, the ability to deck it and in some cases be three-level scorers.”
Four of those turnovers came from Malaki Branham, who was scoreless in 13:54. Fellow freshman Meechie Johnson stepped in, scoring 8 points in 19:01 and single-handedly powering a second-half run with a 3-pointer, a steal and a hockey assist on a Key dunk all on consecutive possessions.
The Buckeyes ran, too: their 14 fastbreak points were a season-high mark.
“In the first half, we had some turnovers we didn’t like that was on ourselves (that) they didn’t force us into,” said guard Jamari Wheeler, who had 9 points, five assists and two turnovers in 30:08. “Once we take care of the ball, get good shots and execute like we want to, we get anything we want.”
The Buckeyes have a week to rest after winning three games in seven days. Ohio State’s next game will be Saturday in Las Vegas against No. 10 Kentucky as part of the Cbssports Classic.