Column: Scouting the Buckeyes

WHO No. 5 Ohio State (15-3, 3-2)
WHAT IU’s toughest road game of the season
WHEN 4:30 p.m. Sunday
WHERE Columbus, Ohio
HOW CBS, IU Radio Network

Scouting Ohio State

Head coach Thad Matta, eighth season
Leading scorer Sophomore forward Jared Sullinger No. 00, 17.4 ppg
Leading rebounder Sophomore forward Jared Sullinger No. 00, 9.3 rpg
Best win Home against No. 6/8 Duke, 85-63
Worst loss At Illinois, 79-74
What they do well Opponents average just 56.2 points per game against Ohio State, 12th-best in the nation
What needs work The Buckeyes are not a deep team, with just three players accounting for 61.8 percent of scoring

Projected starters

Indiana
G Jordan Hulls 12.4 points per game
G Verdell Jones III 8.2
G Victor Oladipo 11.3
F Christian Watford 12.9
F Cody Zeller 14.7

Ohio State
G William Buford 15.4 points per game
G Aaron Craft 8.1
G Lenzelle Smith Jr. 5.2
F Jared Sullinger 17.4
F Deshaun Thomas 15.3

My take

Even with losses to the Hoosiers and Illini, I still think Ohio State is the best squad in the Big Ten and a potential Final Four team.  After upsetting the Buckeyes 74-70 on Dec. 31 in Bloomington, IU will face a much tougher task facing Ohio State on the road.
Value City Arena will be sold out and rocking with 18,809 in attendance for a nationally-televised Sunday afternoon matchup featuring two top-10 teams. This will be the Hoosiers’ toughest test of the season away from Assembly Hall, and to win, they have to stick to what worked against Ohio State the first time.
If IU can get the Buckeyes, especially sophomore forward Jared Sullinger, into foul trouble and gain an edge from behind the 3-point line, the Hoosiers have a chance.
However, the Buckeyes are 13-0 at home this season and show no signs of slowing down. It would be a realistic goal for the Hoosiers to escape Columbus with a single-digit defeat.