Even casual fans know that records don’t matter when Ohio State and Michigan face off in any sport.
Just a few months ago, the unranked Michigan football team, a three-touchdown underdog, surprised the Buckeyes in Columbus, Ohio. After that, the Buckeyes went on to win four straight games, all by double-digit margins, securing the College Football Playoff title.
This Sunday in Columbus, a similar situation will play out on the basketball court, as unranked Ohio State (15-10, 7-7 Big Ten) will try to upset No. 20 Michigan (19-5, 11-2) and spoil their surprising hopes for the conference title.
“I don’t believe in minimizing that game and this rivalry,” said Ohio State coach Jake Diebler. “We’ll certainly talk, and there’s even an educational component to this game to make sure our guys understand the history of this game.”
He continued, “There’s no minimizing it. There’s more to it, certainly in this time of the year and all of that, but make no mistake. This is a rivalry game, and we’ll embrace everything that comes with that.”
The Wolverines took over the top spot in the conference on Tuesday with their fifth straight win, a 75-73 victory over No. 7 Purdue, as first-year coach Dusty May tries to lead the team from worst to first. Michigan finished last in the conference last season (8-24, 3-17 Big Ten) under Juwan Howard.
“We’ve got some tough games in front of us,” May said. “But this is exciting to be in mid-February playing extremely meaningful games, competing for a championship with programs, coaches, and players that are at the top of college basketball.”
May and Michigan junior guard Roddy Gayle Jr. add an extra layer to this rivalry. May was rumored to be a leading candidate for the Ohio State job after Chris Holtmann was fired in February 2024 and Diebler took over as interim coach.
Ohio State (NCAA)After Diebler led the Buckeyes to a 6-2 record, including a strong Big Ten tournament showing, he was named permanent coach on March 17. About a week later, May left Florida Atlantic to take the Michigan job.
One of May’s first transfers was Gayle, who played two seasons for the Buckeyes and will likely face a tough reception from Ohio State fans.
Gayle started the first 21 games for Michigan but was moved to a reserve role two games ago. He responded with 14 points against Purdue, his highest total since scoring 15 against Washington on Jan. 12. He is averaging 10.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists.
“Obviously everyone has seen that Roddy hasn’t been as good as we know he is,” said Michigan center Danny Wolf. “I don’t want to say slump, but everyone goes through it throughout the season. The way that guy’s bounced back, it makes me so happy, and we know that Roddy is someone you want to have in your locker room.”
The Buckeyes are relying on a transfer as well. Former San Diego State guard Micah Parrish followed a career-high 30 points at Nebraska on Sunday with 21 points in a 93-69 win over visiting Washington on Thursday, marking the first time in his 159-game collegiate career that he posted consecutive 20-plus point games.
“When we recruited Micah, we really wanted him to have a good opportunity (offensively),” Diebler said. “I think that is what made Ohio State special for him. Sometimes when you transfer to a new program, it takes some time to settle in. We’re starting to see that now. He’s playing confident, and we have great confidence in him.”
