What: Illinois Illini vs. Ohio State Buckeyes

When: Tuesday, February 21st; 7 p.m.

Where: Value City Arena; Columbus, Ohio

Television: ESPN

Illini Record: 16-11 (5-9 in-conference)

Opposing Coverage: Hail to the Orange

We are in must-win territory now. Following a road mishap against Michigan on Saturday, a loss partially due to horrid officiating, Ohio State has officially slipped and lost control over the Big Ten race. Michigan State sits one game ahead of the Buckeyes in the conference standings with only four games remaining. The Spartans and Buckeyes will play once more before the season ends--the last game on both schedules, incidentally--but Ohio State will need help from their conference brethren if they are to win the conference outright.

Michigan State will play Minnesota, Nebraska, and Indiana before their climactic finish at home against Ohio State. A loss versus any one of those teams would even up the championship race once more and establish the final game as winner-take-all. In each earlier matchup, Michigan State beat their opponent handily, yet they will travel to face Minnesota and Indiana on the road, leaving some room for hope.

Of course, Ohio State must take care of its own schedule before the coaches and players can worry about standings. One more loss, against anyone, would doom the Buckeyes to second place, a finish that would be disappointing after such a strong start to the season. Against Illinois, whom upset the Buckeyes, 79-74, earlier in the season, Ohio State cannot afford another lapse. The Illini have stumbled through another mediocre season under Bruce Weber, and they stand far from Big Ten and NCAA Tournament contention.

Junior guard Brandon Paul leads the Illini with 14 points and three assists per game, energizing the offense with electric outbursts like his 43-point performance against Ohio State on January 10th. Paul played beyond exceptional at home, hitting 11 of 15 shots, eight of which came from behind the arc. If there's any certainty heading into tonight's contest, it's that Paul cannot repeat his performance on the road. And without that incredible performance, Illinois will have trouble matching Ohio State point-for-point.

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What: Michigan Wolverines vs. Ohio State Buckeyes

When: Saturday, February 18th; 9:00 p.m.

Where: Crisler Arena; Ann Arbor, Michigan

Television: ESPN

Gopher Record: 19-7 (9-4 in-conference)

Opposing Coverage: Maize N Brew

Following a disappointing loss at home to Michigan State, the Ohio State men's basketball team responded with a comfortable victory against Minnesota four days later. Now, the Buckeyes travel to Ann Arbor to complete their season series against the Michigan Wolverines, an always enjoyable pair of games that have usually ended favorably for the Buckeyes since Thad Matta's hiring seven seasons ago.

The first Buckeye-Wolverine tussle this season culminated in a 15-point victory for Ohio State. Ohio State held a slight lead over Michigan at halftime, but pulled away after outscoring the Wolverines by twelve points in the second half. Lenzelle Smith Jr. led the victory train with 17 points and 12 rebounds, elevating his game for the occasion. Jared Sullinger chipped in with 13 points and 5 rebounds. Michigan head coach John Beilein's unique offense was held to an ineffective 35.8% shooting percentage, while Beilein's defense, which kept Ohio State below 35% shooting in the first half, crumbled in the second, allowing the Buckeye shooters to sink half of their attempted shots.

The largest difference between the first game and the one later today will be the location. Vegas had Ohio State as 14-point favorites at home for the first contest, but the line has been reduced to five, albeit still in Ohio State's favor, now that the team bus must travel to Michigan instead of Value City Arena. Proving the long-held belief possible, recent statistical evidence has emerged indicating that some teams do shoot demonstrably better at home than on the road. Michigan, as a team that relies upon shooting efficiency over the more stable alternative, offensive rebounding, becomes doubly dangerous when playing in their home arena.

Michigan's 3-point shooting, which has hovered around 35% this season, was well defended by the Buckeyes the first game and remains a key figure this go-round. Perimeter defense, especially on guards Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway, who combined for five 3-pointers in Columbus, will be left to Aaron Craft, William Buford, and Lenzelle Smith Jr., who must stem any possible tide before it begins. The worst case scenario for Ohio State would be a deluge of Maize and Blue 3-pointers built upon home momentum.

With only five games left in the regular season, a Buckeye win today would almost statistically end the Wolverines' chances of winning the Big Ten conference and would definitively separate Ohio State and Michigan State from the remaining contenders.

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What: Minnesota Golden Gophers vs. Ohio State Buckeyes

When: Tuesday, February 14th; 9:00 p.m.

Where: Minneapolis, Minnesota

Television: ESPN

Gopher Record: 17-8

Opposing Coverage: The Daily Gopher

What: Michigan State Spartans vs. Ohio State Buckeyes

When: Saturday, February 11th; 6:00 p.m.

Where: Value City Arena; Columbus, Ohio

Television: ESPN

Spartan Record: 19-5

Opposing Coverage: The Only Colors

Online Television Link: ESPN3

When Michigan State and Ohio State tip off today at 6:00 p.m. in Value City Arena, nothing less than control of the Big Ten will be at stake. Seven games remain for both squads, the two clear leaders for the regular-season conference title, two of which will take place against one another. Ohio State (9-2) holds a one-game edge over the Spartans (8-3) in conference play, presenting a wonderful opportunity for the Buckeyes to grab complete control of the conference race with a victory.

Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo commented on the importance of the match-up following the Spartans last game, a win over Penn State. "We've got a lot of work to do, but this is a fun time," Izzo said. "This is a big game and we've put ourselves in a position to have a big game."

If Michigan State is to have a big game, it will probably have something to do with their big man, Draymond Green. The senior forward leads Michigan State in scoring---averaging 15 points per game---and rebounds, functioning as the center of a Spartan offense that has at times been overwhelming for opposing defenses. Green's general prowess combined with guard Keith Appling's scoring ability and a devastating teamwide offensive rebounding efficiency give Michigan State one of the more subtly effective offenses in college basketball, ranking 24th nationally in points per possession.

According to effective Field Goal percentage (eFG%), Ohio State shoots a tad better than the Spartans, but the Buckeyes trail the Michigan State offensive rebounding machine by a full five percent. Four Spartans average at least one offensive rebound per game, and two others miss the mark by a tenth of a percent. Izzo's squads have always been known as strong offensive rebounders, but this year's edition has elevated their production into rarefied air, ranking 9th in the country.

Ohio native Adriean Payne has blossomed in his second season as a Buckeye State defect. Suffering from a shoulder injury much of his freshman season, Payne healed in the offseason and beat out junior Derrick Nix for a starting position. Payne buttresses Green in the paint, providing another big body that teams must contend with and a steady interior defensive presence. Former Buckeye Dallas Lauderdale is an apt comparison for Payne at this time, although Payne's career trajectory, barring injury, is much more promising.

Offensive rebounding being a steadier team attribute than, say, 3-point shooting percentage, it's hard to imagine this game not coming down to the final minutes. Michigan State's traditional tough defense and a spate of tenacious rebounders makes for a real challenge, and one that should be ably met by Jared Sullinger, Aaron Craft, and company, tough defenders and tenacious players in their own right.

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What: Purdue Boilermakers vs. Ohio State Buckeyes

When: Tuesday, February 7th; 9:00 p.m.

Where: Value City Arena; Columbus, Ohio

Television: ESPN

Boilermakers Record: 15-8

Opposing Coverage: Hammer and Rails

What: Wisconsin Badgers vs. Ohio State Buckeyes

When: Saturday, February 4th; 2:00 p.m.

Where: Kohl Center; Madison, Wisconsin

Television: ESPN

Badgers Record: 18-5

Opposing Coverage: Bucky's Fifth Quarter

After dispatching Michigan at home last Sunday, Ohio State will face another challenger for the Big Ten crown when they face Wisconsin on the road Saturday. The Badgers are currently tied with Michigan for second place in the conference standings and should remain contenders until the end, possessing an impressive enough record against RPI Top 50 teams (6-4) to be considered legitimate competition for the Big Ten championship.

Traveling to the Kohl Center is no easy task, as Ohio State's history in the building can attest, yet two Big Ten teams have beaten the Badgers at home this season. Michigan State's tight victory over Wisconsin would not have been quite so damaging on its own if the loss had not taken place one game following Iowa's upset victory over the Badgers. Those two home losses, along with a road loss to Michigan, rang in the New Year on an off-pitch note for Wisconsin and set them back in the Big Ten race.

As expected, star senior guard Jordan Taylor has led the Badgers in scoring this season, averaging 14 points per game with a 39% field goal percentage. Besides Taylor, the bulk of Wisconsin's points comes from four players, Josh Gasser, forward Ryan Evans, combo forward/center Jared Berggren, and guard Ben Brust. Oddly, Evans and Berggren lead the Badgers in rebounding yet forward Mike Bruesewitz holds the team lead in offensive rebounds per game, averaging two per contest.

Wisconsin, in true Bo Ryan-fashion, shoots well, defends well, and does not turn the ball over. The Badgers have limited their opponents to 59 points per game, nine less than even Ohio State, and are decimal points behind Ohio State in offensive efficiency at 1.09 points per possession. For Ohio State, marginal two-point favorites, to win today, they must hammer the inside edge with Jared Sullinger and force Wisconsin to adjust to their athletes rather than slow down and attempt to beat the Badgers at their own game.

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What: Michigan Wolverines vs. Ohio State Buckeyes

When: Sunday, January 29th; 1:00 p.m.

Where: Value Center Arena; Columbus, Ohio

Television: CBS

Wolverines Record: 16-5

Opposing Coverage: Maize N Brew

The Game's 2012 basketball series kicks off with more regular season intrigue than any within the past few seasons. Both Ohio State and Michigan are ranked in the Coaches and AP Polls, and each squad carries a reasonably strong resume. Michigan possesses the 20th best RPI in the country and has faced the 35th toughest schedule, playing five ranked teams along the way, but defeating only two.

Ohio State is unquestionably the superior team, holding both a better record and better efficiency statistics, yet the Wolverines are good enough to be considered legitimate competition for the conference crown. Like the Buckeyes, Michigan lost to Indiana once, 73-71, and slipped against an inferior opponent--Iowa, in Michigan's case--but have battled through the first half of Big Ten play with pluck. Along with Ohio State and Michigan State, Michigan sits tied atop the Big Ten conference standings.

Freshman guard Trey Burke's has energized the Michigan frontcourt and nearly matched junior guard Tim Hardaway Jr. in production. Burke and Hardaway have combined to form one of the best frontcourt duos in the Big Ten, and they average a combined 29 points, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds per game.

Sophomore forwards Evan Smotrycz and Jordan Morgan lead the Wolverines in rebounding, averaging five apiece per game, but in John Beilein's offensive system, which emphasizes shooting efficiency and volume, they are somewhat marginalized. As a further result of Beilein's unique system, Ohio State unsurprisingly holds an edge over the Wolverines in offensive rebounding percentage,

Vegas has the Buckeyes as 14-point favorites, a sum I think is a bit high. While the game is in Columbus--and, incidentally, will see Ohio State host super-recruit Stefon Diggs--I don't see a runaway Buckeye victory unless the Michigan shooters go cold. Michigan lacks an answer for Jared Sullinger, as most teams do, and that will lead to a Buckeye victory, but I think Burkes and Hardaway keep Michigan close until the final minutes.

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What: Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Penn State Nittany Lions

When: Wednesday, January 25th; 6:30 p.m.

Where: Value Center Arena; Columbus, Ohio

Television: Big Ten Network

Nittany Lions Record: 10-11

Opposing Coverage: Black Shoe Diaries

As expected by everyone, except perhaps the corn farmer with red ink Husker tattoos, Ohio State defeated Nebraska handily, 79-45. Ohio State forced an absurd 25 turnovers, and William Buford led three Buckeyes in double-digits with 15 points.

Now a struggling Penn State program, tied for last place in the Big Ten and in possession of a 1-5 record on the road, comes to town looking to remain afloat in the Big Ten race. Head coach Patrick Chambers inherited a depleted roster from his predecessor Ed DeChellis, who surprisingly bolted to Navy last offseason. Against Indiana last Monday, the Nittany Lions were competitive for a time, leading at the half before a disastrous stretch gave way to a Hoosier blowout victory.

Junior Tim Frazier leads the Nittany Lions with 18 points and 5 rebounds per game, but lacks a deft shooting touch, only hitting 40% of his shots and 27% from 3-point range. Frazier's points-per-game average places him atop the conference scorers list, but he undeniably benefits from a paucity of competition from his teammates.

With Talor Battle's exit, Frazier remains the sole consistent scoring threat. Sophomore guard Jermaine Marshall averages 9 points per game, and functions as the next strongest contributor, but he had an awful showing against the Hoosiers, missing all of his shots. Sophomore forward Sasa Borovnak adds size to the mix, but he, too, struggled against Indiana and their talented freshman Cody Zeller. Borovnak is neither as talented nor as polished as Jared Sullinger, and Sullinger should dominate.

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