COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio State basketball team will face Kentucky as part of the 2019 CBS Sports Classic in Las Vegas. The Buckeyes are 5-8 all-time against the Wildcats winning their most recent matchup in 2015.
What: No. 5 Ohio State (10-1, 1-1 Big Ten) vs No. 6 Kentucky (8-2).
Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
When: Today, 5:15 p.m.
TV: CBS
Projected Starters
Ohio State: C.J. Walker (7.5 ppg), Andre Wesson (8.9 ppg) Luther Muhammad (7.5 ppg), Kyle Young (8.7 ppg), Kaleb Wesson (14.3 ppg).
Kentucky: Tyrese Maxey (12.9 ppg), Immanuel Quickley (11.3 ppg), Ashton Hagans (13.9 ppg), EJ Montgomery (9.6 ppg), Nick Richards (12.9 ppg).
What to Watch For
Duane Washington Jr. has been dealing with a rib injury and could return depending on how he looked in practice on Friday. His return would give the Buckeyes a scoring boost it lacked in an 84-71 loss to Minnesota.
This is the third time the two teams have met when both are ranked inside the top 10 splitting the two prior games in 1962 and 1980.
Prediction
Stephen’s pick: This isn’t one of those John Calipari teams fueled by a recruiting class with a handful of top 10 NBA Draft picks. Ohio State may actually be the more talented team and are also 2-0 this season against ranked opponents. Wesson has shown the capability to dominate a game in a variety of ways other than just scoring. If Washington Jr. returns combined with a better defensive effort in the backcourt, the Buckeyes will improve to 3-3 in the CBS Sports Classic. 85-74 Ohio State.
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