Ohio State vs. Kansas: How they match up

Kansas starters

Pos., Player, Ht, Wt , Stats

F Thomas Robinson, 6-10, 237, 17.7 ppg

C Jeff Withey, 7-0, 235, 6.2 rpg

G Tyshawn Taylor, 6-3, 185, 17.3 ppg

G Travis Releford, 6-6, 210, 8.5 rpg

G Elijah Johnson, 6-4, 195, 9.6 ppg

Kansas reserves

G Conner Teahan, 6-6, 212, 5.9 ppg

F Kevin Young, 6-8, 195, 3.6 ppg

Ohio State starters

Pos., Player, Ht., Wt., Stats

F Deshaun Thomas, 6-7, 225, 15.4 ppg

F Jared Sullinger, 6-9, 265, 17.6 ppg

G Aaron Craft, 6-2, 190, 4.6 apg

G William Buford, 6-6, 220, 14.7 ppg

G Lenzelle Smith Jr., 6-4, 205, 6.1 ppg

Ohio State reserves

Evan Ravenel, 6-8, 260, 3.7 ppg

F Sam Thompson, 6-7, 190, 2.3 ppg

SCOUTING REPORT: Ohio State’s 78-67 loss at Kansas on Dec. 10 comes with a huge asterisk because the Buckeyes’ best player, Jared Sullinger, sat out the game with back spasms. Sullinger has made 27 free throws in four NCAA tournament games, the most of any player in the field. Sullinger’s inside matchup with Kansas’ Thomas Robinson may require a boxing judge and a cut man. Kansas wants to run more than Ohio State, a half-court team. On defense, Buckeyes guard Aaron Craft is a great on-ball defender. Kansas played mostly man to man in the regular season but has effectively used a triangle-and-two zone defense at key moments to win close NCAA games. Kansas really hadn’t played that well in three NCAA wins, two by a total of six points, and got to play North Carolina minus star guard Kendall Marshall.

KEY TO THE GAME: The question is whether Kansas star guard Tyshawn Taylor and Ohio State guard William Buford can play like stars. Taylor broke out of his scoring slump with 22 points in the regional final win over North Carolina but is 0 for 17 from three-point range in the tournament. Buford has not shot more than 50% in any of Ohio State’s four NCAA wins and has made only 13 of 44 attempts in the tournament. Buford, who is Ohio State’s fourth all-time leading scorer, was four for 20 in the Boston regional.