Heel Tough Blog: Ohio State Preview (CBS Sports Classic)
- Joshua Marlow
- 2 minutes ago
- 4 min read
After beating ETSU on Tuesday, the Tar Heels are back in action this afternoon, as they will take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in what could be the final CBS Sports Classic. The win on Tuesday improved Carolina’s record to 10-1, their best start since the 2017-18 season, and it was powered by Henri Veesaar’s career-high, 26-point performance, as he and Caleb Wilson have formed arguably the best front-court duo in the country. Wilson added 20 points in the win, continuing to increase his points per game average, which is on pace to top Tyler Hansbrough’s mark back in 2005-06.
Ohio State enters the game with a record of 8-2, having already played two games in Big 10 competition. Their losses have come against Pittsburgh (at the buzzer) and to Illinois, while securing respectable wins over West Virginia, Northwestern, and Notre Dame. They feature a high-powered offensive attack, scoring over 87 points per game, behind Bruce Thornton’s 21.8 points per game, on 60% shooting from the field, and 50% shooting from behind the arc. After Thornton, there are three other Buckeyes who average 13.3 points per game or more, and overall, the team boasts six players who average at least 8 points per game.
The big news from Carolina’s perspective is the return of senior guard Seth Trimble, who is officially cleared to play after missing more than a month with a forearm injury. Carolina went 8-1 without him, but their transition offense took a hit without him on the floor, and it forced Luka Bogavac to play out of position. Now Luka can play at the “3”, which should force Jarin Stevenson to the bench, giving Carolina legitimate depth behind Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar, something they don’t currently have. The belief around the sport is that once Trimble returns, UNC will elevate itself into another higher gear, having already cemented itself as a contender in the ACC, and position to earn a healthy seed come NCAA Tournament time.
This is the last test for UNC in non-conference play, as it concludes on Monday with a home date against ECU. UNC has done what it needed to do so far in November and December, but a win today would put it in a strong position, once league play begins after the Christmas holiday. Here’s how they can secure another quality result against a power conference opponent:
Win the Race to 80: Both teams average over 80 points per game, so today’s game very well could be a race to that number, to see who wins. UNC’s offense should get a boost with Seth Trimble back, helping them generate some transition points, which they’ve done without over the last month or so. With as good as Ohio State’s offense is, this is the best defense the Buckeyes have seen this season, as UNC has failed to let an opponent score over 75 points in a game this season.
Protect the Paint: One area where the Ohio State offense excels at is scoring from inside the three-point line, where they shoot 63% from the field, which is top-10 nationally in the sport. When Carolina’s defense has struggled, it has been because they haven’t been able to keep the opponents' guards out of the painted area, like against Michigan State, for example. And mind you, teams no longer shoot long two-point shots, so almost all of Ohio State’s two-point attempts come from the foul line or below. The return of Seth Triimble should help Carolina contain the dribble-drive, and Wilson and Veesaar have proven they can protect the rim, and that needs to be the case in today’s game.
Wilson & Veesaar Limit Foul Trouble: Even with having Jarin Stevenson behind them to provide valuable depth, Carolina can’t afford to play extended minutes without their two best players, in this game, or in the ACC games to come. Hubert Davis has searched to find a reliable backup for either of the two, and neither Zayden High nor James Brown has done enough to earn that trust. While having the option to play Stevenson will be valuable, he’s almost a net-negative with his struggles shooting the basketball from the outside. They need to be available to play 32 minutes or more in this game, because the more that they are on the court, the easier it is to see UNC emerging with a win.
Series History:
UNC is 13-3 all-time against Ohio State, including being 3-0 in the CBS Sports Classic, and 8-1 on neutral floors.
UNC in the CBS Sports Classic:
The Tar Heels are 7-4 all-time in this event, with 3-0 records against Ohio State and UCLA, but just a 1-4 mark against Kentucky. The future of this event is unknown, with the contract set to expire after this year.
KenPom:
North Carolina - 21st overall. Adjusted Offensive Efficiency: 119.0 (37th) Adjusted Defensive Efficiency: 96.9 (22nd)
Ohio State - 39th overall. Adjusted Offensive Efficiency: 118.8 (40th) Adjusted Defensive Efficiency: 100.7 (56th)
NET:
North Carolina - 15th.
Ohio State - 47th.
TV Info:
Today’s game will tip at 3 PM on CBS.
The Four Corners Podcast: