To preview the upcoming game The State News talked with Wyatt Crosher, OSU men’s basketball reporter and assistant sports editor for The Lantern, the school’s student publication.

Here’s what he had to say:

Q: It looks like Ohio State has taken a turn as of late, can you explain what has happened in these last few games. 

Crosher: “I guess you could say that the first Michigan State game is the turning point. I think that was actually a pretty solid game for Ohio State because MSU is the better team, as you’ve seen recently. But since then, you’ve seen Ohio State fall into the same sort of issues with not really finding a reliable scorer once Kaleb Wesson gets into foul trouble, which is pretty much every game at this point. And it's really the turnovers that cost them a lot, especially in the last game against Illinois. … Any team that can really force Ohio State to turn the ball over, they’ll make them turn it over 15-20 times a game.

“I don’t think these are necessarily new problems that are in this recent stretch of games. I think they were issues that non-conference opponents just couldn’t exploit as much as teams in the Big Ten because the Big Ten is a very impressive conference. 

Q: Nick Ward and Caleb Wesson part two is going to be the matchup to look for, especially down low, but what have you seen out of Caleb and how different does this team play when he’s not on the floor?

Crosher: “They’re a much different team without Kaleb Wesson. Kaleb Wesson is clearly the top guy whenever he’s out there. He’s the guy they want to run the offense through and against weaker opponents, they’re really able to. The second time Ohio State played Rutgers, Kaleb Wesson just dominated on the floor, but when teams start to double team him and start to make him have these offensive fouls, he really doesn’t do a good job at keeping his composure.

“It’s something like in 11 of the past 14 games he’s finished with four or five fouls, so recently he’s really had issues with staying in the game and keeping composed when the team needs him to. I think Nick Ward is one of those matchups that I don’t think will give (Wesson) any favors in doing so. I think you might see a little bit more of an aggressive Wesson after this brutal loss, definitely the worst loss they’ve had all season. But if he can’t stay in the game, Ohio State really starts to falter.

Q: So what does Ohio State have to do to come out of East Lansing with a win?

Crosher: “That’s a tough question because, quite honestly, I don’t see it happening. But if they were to do it, I think: one, Kaleb Wesson would need to stay in the game. Kaleb Wesson cannot get into the foul trouble that he’s been getting into pretty much since Big Ten play started. I think that would be huge, especially because of the big matchup he has against Nick Ward.

“I think Ohio State would have to shoot from the three well, which I know Michigan State defends very well, so that’s a whole other thing on its own. But I think if they can shoot well from the perimeter, it’ll help Kaleb Wesson and find some space. I also think another guy will have to step up like Luther Muhammad, Andre Wesson or C.J. Jackson, one of these guys needs to be that secondary scorer. But I think above all they have to play better than they have since they last played Michigan State. 

Score prediction:

Crosher: “I don't expect Ohio State to win. The thing I'm really curious about in this game is that Ohio State just had their worst loss of the season pretty much unarguably at home against Illinois. I don’t know if they’re going to come out dead or with more fire than they have had all season. I think it could be a close game for a bit, but I don’t see them pulling it out because I think Michigan State, even with Langford out, is still maybe the most talented team in the Big Ten, and Ohio State just hasn’t proven anything to me that they can compete with them, especially in East Lansing.”

MSU 75, OSU 62.