Zed Key aside, the Ohio State starting lineup struggled mightily against one of the worst opponents it’ll see all season.
Eastern Illinois entered with one of the worst offenses in the country and one of the bottom 10 teams overall in KenPom’s adjusted efficiency margin. The first part of that equation was on full display with the 43 points the Panthers mustered during a 22-point loss, their fourth of the season. But the fact that Ohio State finished with just 65 points and only led by six points at halftime proved that either Eastern Illinois was tougher than expected or the Buckeyes simply had an off night.