Jackson State @ Ohio State Basketball Preview and Gamethread

What: Jackson State Tigers vs. Ohio State Buckeyes

When: Friday, November 18th; 9:00 p.m.

Where: Value City Arena; Columbus, Ohio

Television: Big Ten Network

Tigers' Record: (0-2)

Opposing Coverage: The Clarion-Ledger

David and Goliath, meet Ohio State and Jackson State. As the two squads prepare to face each other in the Global Sports Shootout Tournament, a clear favorite exists. The Buckeyes, the 3rd-ranked team in the country and national championship contenders, are fresh off an exciting win over the 8th-ranked Florida Gators, a game in which they overcame an early 8-point deficit amid a Gator 3-point shot explosion.

Jackson State has lost both of their GSS Tournament games, falling to Florida by 40 points and Wright State by 17. Ohio State defeated Wright State, 73-42, earlier in the tournament.

Jackson State senior guard Jenirro Bush leads the team in scoring, averaging 14 points per game through the 2010-11 and early 2011-12 seasons. Sophomore guard Kelsey Howard and junior guard Christian Williams accompany Bush as the Tigers' primary offensive threats, forming an athletic guard triumvirate.

Size may be the most pressing issue for Jackson State head coach Tevester Anderson. While Bush, at 6''7, possesses impressive height for his position, the rest of the Tigers' roster is a bit slight. Anderson has relied upon a guard-heavy rotation during the tournament, and he may need to adjust his style for the bigger Buckeyes, whose starting lineup has three players 6''6 or taller.

Notes, Quotes, and Statistics

• Jared Sullinger and William Buford, as expected, lead the Buckeyes in scoring, but Aaron Craft has picked up the scoring with his increased minutes and expanded role. Craft, who averaged a shade under 7 points per game last season, has scored 10 points in brief time against Wright State and 13 against the Gators.
• When asked why the youngsters saw little playing time last Tuesday, Thad Matta expressed concern over their preparation and ability to handle a stressful environment. "The young guys didn’t get as much (time), but we’ve got time to get them ready," Matta said. "Very similar to what we did last year down there, we played our veterans." Expect heavy playing time for guard Shannon Scott, center Trey McDonald, forward Sam Thompson, and center Amir Williams over this next stretch.
  
• Without Jon Diebler, we knew that our 3-point shot effectiveness would plummet. Still, it's a bit jarring to see William Buford leading the team---disregarding Lenzelle Smith's single made shot---with a 37.5% 3-point percentage after Diebler's 50% rate last year.
• Columbus Dispatch writer Rob Oller has an op-ed piece urging Buckeye fans to enjoy every second of this season, given the gradual passing of the schedule, unlike football, where the games pass in a rush. It's sentimental and mushy, but not a bad way to begin the college basketball season.
• Should be a tune-up, should see some youngsters, should have some fun. Go Bucks!