Columbus, OH (Sports Network) - Continuing with their eight-game home stand,
the seventh-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes welcome the Long Beach State 49ers to
town for this afternoon's non-conference clash at Value City Arena.
Long Beach State comes in hoping to stop a two-game slide, the team recently
dropping an 84-53 decision to another nationally-ranked foe in Syracuse on
Thursday night. As a result, the 49ers are 3-5 on the young season, and this
game represents the fourth the team has faced a member of the Top-25 already
-- the other two being losses to North Carolina and Arizona in mid-November.
LBSU will open Big West Conference play at home versus Pacific on Dec. 29.
Ohio State has won five of its first six games, with its lone setback coming
at Duke on Nov. 28 as part of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. The Buckeyes
rebounded after that bout to whip visiting Northern Kentucky last Saturday,
70-43. OSU has just one tough non-league game left, versus Kansas on Dec. 22,
before kicking off the Big Ten Conference portion of its schedule against
visiting Nebraska 11 days later.
Ohio State won the only previous meeting between these two squads, that being
a 93-86 decision during the 1987 Lobo Classic in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Long Beach State has had all kinds of trouble establishing itself at the
offensive end of the court this season, shooting a meager 38.5 percent
overall, which includes a 31.6 percent effort from 3-point range. As a result,
the team averages just 63.5 ppg, while foes are putting up 72.2 ppg, despite
knocking down only 41.8 percent of their total shots. The 49ers are guilty of
more than 16 turnovers per outing, and they are being outrebounded by 5.5 rpg.
James Ennis averages 15.6 ppg, although he is just a 41.8 percent shooter who
has missed 26 of his 37 3-point attempts. He does however, have more made free
throws than all but one of his teammates has attempts, and he also heads the
team's effort on the glass with 7.8 rpg while swatting nearly two shots per
game. Mike Caffey (10.5 ppg) is the only other LBSU player currently netting
double digits. Dan Jennings was high man in the recent loss at Syracuse,
scoring 20 points, while Peter Pappageorge finished with 11 points and six
assists, and Ennis chipped in 10 points. Jennings and Ennis each grabbed seven
boards, and Caffey handed out nine helpers. Unfortunately, the 49ers shot just
29.2 percent from the floor, missing 19 of their 24 3-point shots along the
way. They also committed 18 turnovers
Ohio State has been solid at both ends of the floor here in the first month of
the season, lighting up the scoreboard for 76.2 ppg, while holding the
opposition to just 57.5 ppg. For the most part, shooting hasn't been a problem
as the Buckeyes knock down 46 percent of their field goal attempts, which
includes a 40.5 percent showing from beyond the arc. Conversely, foes are
making good on only 37.3 percent of their total shots, among them a mere 31.9
percent from downtown. OSU also owns favorable margins in both rebounding
(+5.0) and turnovers (+5.0). Deshaun Thomas has been a beast, averaging 21.0
points and 6.5 rebounds per game to lead the team in both categories. He is
shooting 44.1 percent from 3-point range and 91.3 percent from the foul line.
Aaron Craft (12.0 ppg, 4.3 apg), who is known more for his playmaking ability,
and backcourt mate Lenzelle Smith, Jr. (10.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg) are solid
complementary pieces to what is another solid Thad Matta-coached team. The
Buckeyes shot just 37.7 percent from the floor the last time out against
Northern Kentucky, but they still managed to win by 27 points. LaQuinton Ross
came off the bench to score 22 points and pull down eight boards, while
starters Thomas and Sam Thompson added 14 and 10 points, respectively. Ohio
State held its severely overmatched opponent to 27.1 percent field goal
accuracy, while goading it into 20 turnovers.
The Sports Network