Kentucky will have a chance to seek revenge against Ohio State in this year’s CBS Sports Classic on December 21 at Madison Square Garden. The Wildcats will be looking to snap their two-game losing streak against the Buckeyes, with their last victory coming in 2011 in an upset victory during the Sweet 16.
The last two matchups between Kentucky and Ohio State saw the Buckeyes come out on top, winning by a combined 13 points. Ohio State will once again have a new head coach leading the team as they face Kentucky in December. The Buckeyes previously upset Kentucky in 2015 under Thad Matta and in 2019 under Chris Holtmann.
This year’s game will feature first-year head coach Diebler leading Ohio State against first-year Kentucky head coach Mark Pope. The CBS Sports Classic will be in its 11th edition, with North Carolina, UCLA, Kentucky, and Ohio State participating. All four teams are ranked in the top 20 of Andy Katz’s preseason Power 36 rankings.
Ohio State has a 2-0 record in games played in New York, and Diebler will aim to extend both the team’s three-game winning streak against Kentucky and their winning streak in New York. It will be an exciting matchup between two talented teams seeking to make a statement on the court.