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GAME NOTES: The surging Ohio State Buckeyes invade Assembly Hall in Bloomington for this evening's Big Ten Conference clash with the Indiana Hoosiers.

Ohio State has plenty of reason to enter this game with confidence, as the club has won seven of its last eight games to move to 18-6 overall and 8-3 in league play. The Buckeyes, who are currently ranked 13th in the country, are coming off a 68-58 decision over Iowa on Sunday and they have won the last three games by double figures. While they are a stellar 15-0 at home this season, they enter this evening's affair with a 2-5 mark in true road games.

As for Indiana, it has lost four consecutive bouts to fall to 9-13 overall and 3-7 in conference. The Hoosiers were clearly outclassed in Sunday's 78-61 road setback against Northwestern, but if there is any reason for confidence tonight it stems from the fact that seven of the team's nine wins have come at home.

Indiana owns a 101-74 series lead over Ohio State, but the Buckeyes crushed the Hoosiers in a 79-54 final last month.

There is no question that Ohio State's Evan Turner is one of the best players in all of college basketball. Turner missed six games with a back injury, and he is averaging 19.7 ppg and 9.4 rpg. The standout swingman is shooting 55.8 percent from the floor and has handed out 102 assists. William Buford checks in with 14.0 ppg for OSU, which is getting 12.8 ppg from John Diebler and 12.7 ppg from David Lighty. The Buckeyes are netting 74.6 ppg overall on 49.8 percent shooting, and the club is holding foes to 60.8 ppg on 41.1 percent field goal efficiency. Turner exploded for 32 points in Sunday's victory over Iowa, and Diebler added 12 points. Only six Buckeyes saw action in that tilt, and the team earned a decisive 22-10 edge in points from the foul line.

Verdell Jones III was outstanding for Indiana on Sunday against Northwestern, as he poured in 28 points to go along with six assists. Jones hit 12-of-13 free throws, key to his success. The only double-digit scorer on the day for the Hoosiers was Christian Watford, as he tallied 16 points in 30 minutes of action. Indiana committed just eight turnovers in the tilt and shot an efficient 23-of-27 from the charity stripe. Unfortunately, the Hoosiers connected on only 35.3 percent of their field goal attempts, including 2-of-17 from three-point range. Defensively, they allowed the Wildcats to shoot 52.1 percent. Jones is scoring 14.9 ppg this season, and Watford provides 12.4 ppg. While Indiana is generating 69.4 ppg, the team is allowing an almost identical 69.6 ppg.

There is no reason to expect anything other than a convincing Ohio State victory tonight. Clearly, Turner will be the best player on the court.