No. 3 Michigan and No. 4 Ohio State will meet Sunday in the first top-five meeting between the Big Ten rivals.
Game time is scheduled for 1 pm at the Value City Arena in Columbus. It’s a potential No. 1 seed battle in the 2021 NCAA Tournament.
Ohio State (17-4) swept last year’s matchups and third-year coach Chris Holtmann is 3-2 against the Wolverines. Michigan (14-1) continues to roll under second-year coach Juwan Howard, who has experience in rivalry as a player and coach. He’s still looking for that first regular-season win against the Buckeyes.
MORE: NCAA Tournament Draw Predictions
While the soccer rivalry between the two schools gets more publicity, those two coaches could elevate the basketball rivalry to new heights.
That starts on Sunday. Sporting News takes an in-depth look at the best of the Ohio State-Michigan basketball rivalry heading into the game.
The best showdown
No. 15 Michigan 75, No. 3 Ohio State 71 (March 29, 1992)
Ohio State, led by consensus All-American guard Jim Jackson, was the No. 1 seed in the 1992 NCAA Tournament. The Buckeyes won both regular-season meetings with No. 6 seed Michigan, who was led. by the Fab Five. Those teams collided in an Elite Eight classic at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky. Jackson scored 20 points and Ohio State had a chance to win late in regulation before Chris Jent’s jump shot missed a lot. The Wolverines walked away in overtime behind Chris Webber and Jalen Rose. This remains the most notable chapter in the rivalry between the schools. Howard’s reaction said it all.
Best ending
No. 5 Ohio State 69, Michigan 68 (March 12, 2010)
The Buckeyes and Wolverines met in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament in 2010, and Michigan needed to run for consideration for the NCAA tournament. Michigan seemed to have the surprise in hand after a Manny Harris jump shot with 2.2 seconds left, but Evan Turner took an inning pass, dribbled just inside the middle of the court and buried a buzzer that sent Michigan out. to home. Thad Matta’s reaction says it all.
First ranked pairing
No. 18 Ohio State 91, No. 12 Michigan 85 (February 27, 1971)
In a showdown between two Big Ten heavyweights, Jim Cleamons led the Buckeyes to a victory at Crisler Arena. Ohio State won the Big Ten that season and Michigan finished second. It was their only meeting that season. Western Kentucky eliminated the Buckeyes from the NCAA Tournament at Elite Eight.
The best decade
2010
This was the first time both shows had consistently ranked when they played in a heated rivalry with coaches John Beilein and Thad Matta. High school teammates Jared Sullinger and Trey Burke were star players on both sides.
The Wolverines and Buckeyes played seven consecutive games from 2012 to 2014 in which both teams qualified.
Michigan held a 4-3 lead in those games. The Buckeyes reached the Final Four in 2012 and Elite Eight in 2013. Michigan reached the NCAA championship in 2013 and Elite Eight in 2014.
Those matchups set the standard for the current rivalry between Holtmann and Howard.
Top-10 matchups
Ohio State and Michigan have played in two top-10 matchups in school history. The Buckeyes and Wolverines split those two matchups:
No. 7 Ohio State 77, No. 10 Michigan (March 10, 2012)
The Buckeyes and Wolverines split two regular season matchups, but the Buckeyes took this semifinal of the Big Ten tournament. Sullinger scored 24 points and Deshaun Thomas added 22 points. The Buckeyes limited Burke to just five points. Ohio State made the Final Four that season. Michigan lost in the first round to Ohio.
No. 3 Michigan 76, No. 10 Ohio State 74 (February 5, 2013)
This would be the best regular season matchup between the schools. They played an overtime classic at Crisler Arena, and Tim Hardaway Jr. rallied the Wolverines with six triples and 23 points. Hardaway also blocked Aaron Craft’s shot in the ending. This was a memorable season win for Michigan, which ended in a national championship loss against Louisville.
The 25 best matches
Michigan and Ohio State have played 15 matchups when both teams are ranked in the AP Top 25. The Buckeyes have an 8-7 lead in those games. A closer look:
| DATE | FINAL SCORE |
| February 27, 1971 | No. 18 Ohio State 91, No. 12 Michigan 85 |
| January 16, 1989 | No. 6 Michigan 99, No. 16 Ohio State 73 |
| February 2, 1992 | No. 10 Ohio State 68, No. 15 Michigan 58 |
| March 3, 1992 | No. 6 Ohio State 77, No. 18 Michigan 66 |
| March 29, 1992 * | No. 15 Michigan 75, No. 3 Ohio State 71 |
| February 9, 2006 | No. 19 Ohio State 94, No. 22 Michigan 85 |
| January 29, 2012 | No. 4 Ohio State 64, No. 20 Michigan 49 |
| February 18, 2012 | No. 17 Michigan 56, No. 6 Ohio State 51 |
| March 10, 2012 ** | No. 7 Ohio State 77, No. 10 Michigan 55 |
| January 13, 2013 | No. 15 Ohio State 56, No. 2 Michigan 53 |
| February 5, 2013 | No. 3 Michigan 76, No. 10 Ohio State 74 |
| February 11, 2014 | No. 15 Michigan 70, No. 22 Ohio State 60 |
| March 15, 2014 ** | No. 8 Michigan 72, No. 24 Ohio State 69 |
| February 18, 2018 | No. 22 Michigan 74, No. 8 Ohio State 62 |
| March 1, 2020 | No. 23 Ohio State 77, No. 19 Michigan 63 |
* Denotes Elite Eight Showdown
** Denotes showdown in Big Ten tournament
Michigan vs. Ohio State in 2020
The Buckeyes are one of the hottest teams in a loaded Big Ten. EJ Liddell, Duane Washington and Justice Suenig all average double figures for Ohio State, which has lost just one game at home this season.
Michigan returned from a prolonged hiatus due to COVID-19 last week, and the Wolverines did not miss a beat in a win against Wisconsin. Isaiah Livers, Hunter Dickinson and Franz Wagner average double figures for the Wolverines. Michigan’s only loss this season came on the road against Minnesota.
That sets up the big Big Ten showdown for Sunday.
This game, along with a possible rematch in the Big Ten tournament, will go a long way in determining his seeded position in March.
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Eddie is an Australian news reporter with over 9 years in the industry and has published on Forbes and tech crunch.