Beilein On Upcoming Road Game Against Ohio State: 'This Would Be A Huge Win'

By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak

ANN ARBOR (CBS DETROIT) - The Michigan Wolverines have already experienced a signature loss or two this season. Tuesday they can collect a signature win.

Since a four-game losing streak that included shocking upsets by New Jersey Institute of Technology and Eastern Michigan, the Wolverines have won four of their last five. Tuesday they go on the road to face Ohio State. The Buckeyes, who are undefeated in Columbus this season, were ranked 22nd nationally before they were dropped from the rankings Monday after losing on the road to Indiana.

"This would be a huge win," Michigan head coach John Beilein said Monday. "As I've said before for my eight years here, you get a road win over a ranked team ... it just doesn't happen. It just doesn't happen, and we were very fortunate last year to have it happen a lot, so that just fed our confidence. We beat Wisconsin last year on the road. To beat Michigan State on the road and Ohio State on the road was, 'All right, we've already beat Wisconsin on the road.'

"It's really helpful for us," Beilein concluded, "but it wouldn't mean anything when the next game – when Northwestern comes in here, it won't mean anything."

In Big Ten play, the Buckeyes have a record of 2-2, and one of the losses came on their home court against unranked Iowa. While winning on the road may be difficult, it certainly is not impossible, which Beilein wants his players to understand.

"I think we're seeing ... an inordinate amount of road victories right now, which is showing great parity in the league," Beilein said. "I think that's the beauty of college basketball ... We can win any game. We can win any game, and we can lose any game, and we have to play our best and be ready every night."

Beilein and players said the toughest aspect of playing the Buckeyes will be handling their aggressive defense, which is 13th in the nation with 9.18 steals per game.

"[Ohio State head coach] Thad [Matta] really does a good job of just individual defense," Beilein said. "They're forcing a lot of turnovers. They really guard their man, a lot of steals. It is a challenge ... They're a challenge defensively, very good defensive coach as well as offense. Scoring points is not easy."

Michigan guard Spike Albrecht said it will be key for the Wolverines to stay calm and keep true to their identity on offense despite Ohio State's pressure and the intensity of its fans.

"The main thing is just going to be being strong with the ball, staying poised, things like that, making sure, because they're going to be climbing into us, pressuring us, their crowd's going to get into it, so we've just got to have that calm demeanor and make sure we do what we do," Albrecht said.

The leading scorer for Ohio State is freshman D'Angelo Russell, who is averaging 17.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.8 steals. Beilein spoke glowingly of him.

"He's got the unique skill set right now, he's really shooting the ball well," Beilein said. "A lot of young kids do not come in and just are shooting, and with his assist numbers, he's got a flow to his game that is just – he snap-passes the ball, he sees, he's got great quickness, he's got a nose for the rim, gets to the foul line enough. It just looks like – a 6-4, 6-5 guard ... Defensively his numbers are really good too.

"Really a talented, talented freshman," Beilein added.

The coach said the Wolverines will use several different players to guard Russell, and Michigan guard Caris LeVert noted that, more than just giving Russell different looks defensively, assigning Russell to various players at different times will ensure Michigan always accounts for him.

"He is the most dangerous player on their team," LeVert said.

Both Michigan and Ohio State have yet to record a win against a Top 25 opponent. The Buckeyes fell short in their opportunities against Louisville and North Carolina, and the Wolverines lost their upset bids against Villanova and Arizona.