Ohio State vs VCU Preview: A Ram and a Buckeye Walk Into a Gym…

Since 2009, March in Ohio has meant one thing: The Ohio State University Buckeyes are wearing their dancing shoes. For the seventh straight year the men’s basketball team has a shot at the championship. The Buckeyes will face Virginia Commonwealth University in the Round of 64 this Thursday in Portland, Oregon. Before the Madness begins, however, let’s take a look at the matchup and what it could hold:

History Lesson:

Ohio State and VCU have never played before. However, each team has had recent success in the tournament. From 1980-2009 the Rams went 5-9 in the NCAAs, never making it past the second round. In 2011 they arrived in a big way by winning the inaugural First Four matchup over fellow #11 USC. They went on to defeat Georgetown, Purdue, Florida State, and Kansas before ultimately losing to Butler in the Final Four. VCU has made every Dance since then as well, but has not been able to recreate their success from 2011.

Ohio State most recently made the Final Four in 2012. After an Elite 8 run in 2013, the Buckeyes faceplanted last year against intra-state “little brother” Dayton. This year’s #10 seed is the lowest of the Thad Matta coaching era and is emblematic of the up-and-down season the Buckeyes have had. OSU finished sixth in the conference and did not look especially sharp in the Big Ten Tournament, losing to Michigan State in the quarterfinals.

Style of Play:

“We are going to wreak havoc on our opponents’ psyche and their plan of attack.” That quote comes from VCU head coach Shaka Smart’s introductory press conference in 2009. Since then his teams have lived up to that challenge. VCU is known for its swarming, relentless defensive style. They use a full court press to stymie opponents and this year led the Atlantic 10 with an average of 10.2 steals per contest. The Rams held opponents to 65.5 points per game this season. For a Buckeye team whose offense can run hot-and-cold that could be a problem.

Few outside Columbus were sad to see Aaron Craft leave after the 2014 season. His rosy cheeks seemed to rub fans the wrong way and his floor burn, pickpocket style flustered many a Big Ten foe. Even without Craft, however, the Buckeyes have maintained head coach Thad Matta’s defense-first approach. The Buckeyes finished second in conference in blocks (4.8 per game), steals (7.0 per game), and turnover margin (+1.83). They will need to continue that strong presence if their tournament game features the same slow start that has plagued them all year.

Key Player:

Senior Treveon Graham paces the Rams offensively. Recently minted A10 tournament MVP, Graham averages 16.3 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. Overall the team has a balanced team of youngsters and veterans with postseason experience. Plus Virginia Commonwealth has won five straight games including the Atlantic 10 Tournament. They seem to be peaking at just the right time.

D’Angelo Russell. The enigmatic freshman from Louisville is the unquestioned key to how far into March this Buckeye team will play. Worst case scenario: Russell throws bricks in Rip City and Ohio State has a long plane ride home. Best case scenario: Russell impersonates Shabazz Napier circa 2011 and leads the Buckeyes on a deep tournament run. Either is possible and neither would surprise me. This week Russell (19.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg) was named to the Freshman All-American team and is likely preparing for his final collegiate games. A major storyline this week will be what kind of impact Russell makes before his presumptive exit from OSU.

Verdict:

This matchup looks fairly even on paper. Two defense-first teams with few skilled big men should result in a give-and-take game. I still have Ohio State moving on in my bracket, let’s say 66-63. The Buckeyes will dance on for one more song.