By Danielle Daniels
The teams have split each of the last 10 meetings
Ohio State at Michigan
Date: January 15, 2024
Time: Noon
Venue: Crisler Center – Ann Arbor, Mich.
Watch: FOX
Listen: Ohio State Radio Network from Learfield
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
Game Notes: Ohio State | Michigan
Rosters: Ohio State | Michigan
Season Stats: Ohio State | Michigan
Records: Ohio State 12-4, 2-3 | Michigan 6-10, 1-4
TICKETS: Season, single-game, group and mini plans are available men’s basketball games this season. Visit OhioStateBuckeyes.com or call the Ohio State Athletics Ticket Office in the Schottenstein Center at 1-800-GOBUCKS.
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State heads to Michigan to renew its rivalry with an afternoon meeting on Martin Luther King Day. Tip-off is set for noon on FOX. Gus Johnson and Ohio State legend Jim Jackson will call the action.
- Both teams could certainly use a victory as the Buckeyes have dropped back-to-back games for the first time this season and are 12-4 overall and 2-3 in conference play while Michigan has lost five consecutive games and is 1-4 in the conference and 6-10 overall.
- The Buckeyes also haven’t won a true road game since Jan. 1, 2023, a span of 11 road losses.
- Monday’s game will be the 190th all-time meeting between the two schools. Officially, Ohio State leads the series 101-81.
- The teams have split the last 10 meetings (5-5) and Michigan holds a slim 9-point edge (690-681) in combined points in those games.
- Last year, the teams met just once in Ann Arbor on Feb. 5 and Michigan came away with a 77-69 victory. Bruce Thornton scored a then career-high 22 points on 10-of-13 shooting.
- The Buckeyes are coming off a loss at Indiana on Jan. 6 and a loss at home to Big Ten leading Wisconsin on Wednesday night at home. Jamison Battle led the Buckeyes on Wednesday with 18 points on 4-of-5 from long range. Felix Okpara was 3-of-3 from the floor and had seven points, seven rebounds and three blocks.
- Battle has averaged 18.2 points per game over the last five games. He is shooting 53.2 percent (33-of-62) from the floor and has knocked-down 25-of-43 (58.1 percent) of his shots from long range during that stretch. Battle has also averaged 7.8 rebounds over the last five games.
- Felix Okpara has also begun to step up his play over the last five games. He has averaged exactly 7.6 points and 7.6 rebounds while blocking nearly three shots per game in the last five games. He has also attempted 11 free throws in the five games after attempting 14 free throws in the previous 10 games combined.
- Okpara and Michigan’s sophomore big man Tarris Reed Jr. were high school teammates at Link Year Prep Academy in Branson, Mo. In last year’s meeting, they both came off the bench and played just a combined 17 minutes. Each of their roles have significantly increased this season and should be a fun matchup.
- Head coach Chris Holtmann is one win away from 250 in his career. He has 135 wins at Ohio State, which is the fifth-most by a Buckeye head coach.
- Michigan had an impressive 90-80 victory at Iowa on Dec. 10 but has since dropped 5-of-6 with the lone win coming over Eastern Michigan before the holidays. Thursday night, the Wolverines led by 12 points at the halftime at Maryland but would fall 64-57.
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