Virginia Military Institute Keydets @ Ohio State Basketball Preview and Gamethread

What: VMI vs. Ohio State Buckeyes

When: Wednesday, November 23rd; 7:00 p.m.

Where: Value City Arena; Columbus, Ohio

Television: Big Ten Network

Keydet's Record: (3-1)

Opposing Coverage: Cadet Ball

Thad Matta and the basketball program have labored under the shadow of Ohio State's football team these past few years, a shadow that has only grown with the news that Urban Meyer will be the new head football coach. Yet Matta's job performance deserves accolades of its own, and there's still a promising basketball season to be played.

The VMI Keydets come to town after winning three of their first four games in head coach Duggar Baucom's seventh season. Led by senior guard Keith Gabriel, who averages a tad under 20 points per game, the Keydets run an up-tempo style that Baucom installed during his third season. Utilizing an aggressive pressure defense and heavy 3-point shooting, the Keydets have averaged 88.2 points per game, the sixth most in college basketball.

The up-tempo style has adversely affected VMI's defensive play, however. They've given up at least 70 points per game in each contest, including 79 to an awful Maryland-Baltimore squad that ranks 259th nationally in points per game and has yet to see the victory column this season. For the Keydets to pull off the upset, they will need to maintain their peak offensive performance and have Ohio State struggle from the field.

Due to differing styles, the Bucks hold large advantages in Free Throw Shooting % and Offensive Rebounding %. VMI will not try to play the same game as the Buckeyes, which leaves an opportunity for Jared Sullinger to impose his will in the paint. If he can out-muscle the VMI interior, he should rack another double-double.

College Basketball Stats

Notes, Quotes, and Stats

• Jared Sullinger's warming up against the soft underbelly of Ohio State's schedule. He notched his second straight double-double versus North Florida, scoring 27 points and 13 rebounds. Sullinger, seeing the Buckeyes busy schedule these next seven days, pointed out how important focus will be leading up to Duke. "This is a mental toughness week," Sullinger said. "With a game, practice, game, practice, game, we only have to get better. If we get worse, it’s not a good sign for this basketball team."
• Keydet Freshman forward Jordan Weethee has started his career off strong. He's averaging a bit more than 10 points per game and was runner-up for the StatSheet Atlantic Sun Freshman of the Week.
• Many guards, many forwards. The top seven Keydets in minutes played are all guards and forwards. Jarid Watson, 6''7 freshman, is the only center to have started a game, and averages a mere 11 minutes per game.
• VMI players have totaled 10,834 minutes played while the Bucks have only spent 7,153 minutes on the court.
• Freshman guard LaQuinton Ross may soon be joining the team. He posted this message on Twitter yesterday, leading many to speculate that the academic issues keeping him from enrolling at Ohio State have been cleared up: "Just gave the good news to the staff now headed to the gym for this workout!!"