Iowa-Ohio State breakdown

RECORDS

Iowa 20-7 11-4 Big Ten; Ohio State 18-11, 10-6 Big Ten

TV/RADIO

3 p.m. CBS (Kevin Harlan and Dan Bonner)

600/800 AM (Gary Dolphin and Bobby Hansen)

Sirius 83/XM 195

LOCATION

Value City Arena, Columbus, Ohio (19,500)

LINE

Iowa by 4 1/2

SERIES

Iowa leads 78-77; Iowa has won last two in series; teams' only meeting this year

PROFILE

Iowa is ranked 8th by both AP and USA Today/Coaches poll; Ohio State is unranked

KEY MATCHUP

Iowa G Peter Jok vs. Ohio State F Marc Loving. Few players in the Big Ten — or all of college basketball — can match these two players' shooting prowess when they're on. Jok is tied with teammate Jarrod Uthoff for second in Big Ten scoring in league games with 18.8 per game. Jok has 66 3-pointers and ranks sixth among Big Ten players for 3-pointers made per game (2.5). Jok has averaged 21.3 points per game over Iowa's last seven.

Loving has five career double-doubles, and each time Ohio State has won. Loving was one of the Big Ten's top 3-point shooters last year, making 46.1 percent in Big Ten play on 47-of-102 shooting. He's slumped this year, at 31.3 percent but he still has hit 42 3-pointers. In Ohio State's last three games, Loving has posted a combined 37 points, including 19 against Michigan State.

'The fact he shot such a high number last year was good for him, but when I look at him, I look at a guy who ... he can post, he can drive it, he can shoot the 3,' Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery said. 'I look at him more as a versatile threat. I don't look at him and say 'OK, there's a 3-point shooter you have to chase off the line.' He's got game, and you've got to guard him accordingly in my opinion.'

KEY STATISTICS

SCORING/OPP: Iowa 79.3/68.6; OSU 69.2/64.4

FG%/OPP FG%: Iowa 45.6/41.1; OSU 42.9/42.7

3PT%/OPP 3PT%: Iowa 38.8/30.4; OSU 35.4/38.7

FT%: Iowa 71.9: OSU 71.0

LIKELY STARTERS

Iowa: G Mike Gesell (6-2; 8.3 ppg, 6.1 apg, 3.3 rpg); G Anthony Clemmons (6-2; 9.2 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 3.6 apg); G Peter Jok (6-6; 16.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg); F Jarrod Uthoff (6-9; 18.6 ppg, 6.5 rpg; 2.8 bpg); C Adam Woodbury (7-1; 8.3 ppg, 8.3 rpg)

Ohio State: F Marc Loving (6-7; 12.9 ppg, 5.2 rpg); F Keita Bates-Diop (6-7; 11.9 ppg, 6.6 rpg); G JaQuan Lyle (6-5; 10.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 4.2 apg); C Trevor Thompson (6-11; 6.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg), 1.3 bpg); F Mickey Mitchell (6-7; 1.2 ppg, 1.9 rpg)

KEY RESERVES

Iowa: F Dom Uhl (6-9; 6.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg); F Nicholas Baer (6-7; 4.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg); F Ahmad Wagner (6-5, 2.5 ppg, 2.4 rpg); G Brady Ellingson (6-4; 2.9 ppg, 0.7 rpg)

Ohio State: G Kam Williams (6-2; 7.8 ppg, 1.6; F Daniel Giddens (6-10; 3.7 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.5 bpg); G A.J. Harris (5-9; 2.7 ppg, 1.1 rpg);

WORTH WATCHING

Ohio State forward Jae'Sean Tate is out for the season after needing surgery on his left shoulder. He started 28 games for the Buckeyes and averaged 11.7 points and 6.4 rebounds. Ohio State replaced Tate with Mickey Mitchell, who was 0-for-3 in 21 minutes against Michigan State last Tuesday.

Tate was perhaps Ohio State's best player this season.

'He's a terrific player. He's one of those matchup nightmares,' McCaffery said. 'They do have some other weapons that they can play.

'Any time you take a talented guy like that out, it's going to affect your team. But they have enough; it's not like it's a five- or six-man team that really destroys you. They have other capable personnel.'

BOTTOM LINE/PREDICTION

Frankly, this is Iowa's most important game this season. A win gets some life back into the Hawkeyes after losing three of their last four games. It would be a road victory against a team with double-digit Big Ten wins and keeps Iowa on track for possibly a Big Ten regular-season title.

The game carries similar importance for Ohio State. Despite its 18-10 and 10-6 Big Ten records, the Buckeyes need another big win to inch closer to the NCAA tournament bubble. Ohio State has an RPI of 77, which makes it an easy omission by the NCAA selection committee. Ohio State will be motivated and has lost its last two home games to Iowa.

Both of these teams are among the top four in field-goal defense, 3-point defense and blocked shots. Despite its recent 3-point defensive woes, Iowa is the top team in league play, allowing just 30.7 percent from 3-point range. The difference here is offense. Iowa pushes the ball and scores at a high rate. Ohio State has struggled after continuous turnover the last few years. Iowa is tops in turnover margin; Ohio State is 10th. Iowa is third in scoring; OSU is eighth. Iowa is fourth in 3-point percentage; OSU is ninth.

It's senior day for the Buckeyes, yet the team has no seniors. Iowa starts four. Without Tate, a tough task is even more difficult for the Buckeyes.

Prediction: Iowa 76, Ohio State 72

l Comments: (319) 339-3169; scott.dochterman@thegazette.com