Thoughts on Ohio State basketball’s 69-60 road loss to Illinois

It looked like Ohio State found their offensive groove again in their win against Iowa, but the Fighting Illini had a say in that. Illinois would put the clamps on the Buckeyes, holding the offense down and getting a 69-60 home win.

Not much went right for Ohio State in this one, another frustrating effort from Chris Holtmann’s bunch. The loss snapped a six-year win streak in Champaign for the Buckeyes.

There were plenty of thoughts after an effort like this, most of them being very similar to what we saw during the recent five-game losing streak. Find out below my thoughts on another difficult to watch Ohio State loss.

The offense we saw against Iowa was not there tonight

Why it mattered

After the offense broke out against Iowa for 93 points, you would have thought the Buckeyes got their mojo back. Well, that was not the case, as they struggled mightily against the Illini. The lack of ball movement reared its ugly head again and it showed. The Buckeyes would shoot under 40% from the field and just 60% from the line. On the 22 made shots, Ohio State had just 8 assists, further expanding on the non-existent offensive flow. You can’t expect to go on the road in the Big Ten and win with bad shooting and no ball movement.

The Illini’s length gave the Buckeyes issues

Why it mattered

The home team started three players 6-foot, 9-inches or taller, and that bothered the smaller Buckeyes. It wasn’t just the rebounding that hurt, it was contested shots and passing lanes too. The Illini out-rebounded the Buckeyes, 44 to 30, while forcing 6 turnovers (even though it seemed like more). The home team’s long arms slowed down the transition game and didn’t allow an Ohio State fast-break basket. There isn’t much to counter length and it made the night very difficult on the Buckeyes.

Zed Key’s struggles continue

Why it mattered

We didn’t know if the veteran Buckeye big man would play after tweaking his knee late against Iowa. [autotag]Zed Key[/autotag] ended up starting the game but he didn’t make much of an impact again. He would foul out late after scoring just 8 points and grabbing just 3 rebounds. It’s been a big-time battle for Key this season with injuries, but you can’t deny that he’s a warrior. He needs a rest though. Knee, shoulder, and any other aches or pains Key has could use a week off even as the losses continue to mount.

Sensabaugh struggled

Why it mattered

The first half was a solid effort from [autotag]Brice Sensabaugh[/autotag] but the second was a different story. Nine points at the half looked like the freshman would be off to another 20-point effort. That didn’t happen.

Sensabaugh scored his first points in the second half with just under five minutes left to play. He would add a few more points to end up with 14, some of the scoring coming when the Illini had the game in hand. For as efficient as a scorer he was against Iowa, it was a complete 180 against Illinois. For this team to score at a high level, its best player has to be exactly that.

Ice was cold

Jan 24, 2023; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini forward Matthew Mayer (24) blocks the shot of Ohio State Buckeyes guard Isaac Likekele (13) during the first half at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Why it mattered

After almost putting up a triple-double in the last game, [autotag]Isaac Likele[/autotag] was rewarded with another start. He wasn’t nearly as effective in this one, shooting 2-of-8 and totaling just 5 points. Likelele added just two assists and five rebounds, while committing a turnover.  The urgency that “Ice” played with in the last game was not present against Illinois. He needs to produce better if the Buckeyes stand a chance at winning, and tonight was not the best effort for Likelele.

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Story originally appeared on Buckeye Wire