Hoosiers face tall task against No. 2 Ohio State

The IU men’s basketball team looks to rebound from a disappointing loss at home to Penn State with what would be a major upset when No. 2 Ohio State enters Assembly Hall.

Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. with the game airing on ESPN2.

History: Ohio State has won its last four meetings with IU, including its last two games in Bloomington. The Buckeyes routed the Hoosiers twice last season – 79-54 at Ohio State and 69-52 in Assembly Hall.

Player to watch – IU: Derek Elston, sophomore forward: After scoring 19 points against Northern Iowa on Dec. 22, Elston has posted two consecutive two-point outings against Colorado and Penn State. His offense, though, will be secondary to his defense Friday. The Buckeyes have four players 6-8 or taller and have shown the ability to dominate the post game.

Player to watch – OSU: Jared Sullinger, freshman forward: He has already scored 40 points this season, adding 13 rebounds against IUPUI earlier this month. He averages 17.5 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. He has a ticket punched for the NBA lottery following this season.

So how will IU stop him? The Hoosiers might dust off the old game plan they used against Kentucky forward Terrence Jones. He seemed as unstoppable as Sullinger does now, and IU held him to 10 points on 3-of-11 shooting.

Numbers game – 7: Number of consecutive true road games won by OSU. The Buckeyes beat then-No. 9 Florida on the road earlier this season.

What they’re saying: IU coach Tom Crean: “They have anywhere from six players on up that will have the opportunity to play at the NBA level someday.  They will be a challenge for us for 40 minutes.”

- Ryan Winn