Ohio State Coach Puts Michigan on Notice With Stern Message

The Ohio State Buckeyes' fierce rivalry with the Michigan Wolverines is most notable on the football stage, but make no mistake: the rivalry transcends the gridiron.

It doesn't matter if it's football, baseball or hopscotch: if you are from Columbus, you detest anything that has to do with Ann Arbor. Period.

Basketball is obviously included under that umbrella, and this Sunday, Ohio State will be hosting Michigan in a pivotal Big Ten clash.

When asked about the upcoming matchup, Buckeyes head coach Jake Diebler didn't pull any punches when discussing what it entails.

"I don't believe in minimizing that game and that rivalry," Diebler said, via Andy Anders of Eleven Warriors. "... There's more to it in this time of year, but make no mistake, this is a rivalry game and we'll embrace everything that comes with that."

Ohio State is entering the battle with a record of 15-10. The Buckeyes have gone just 7-7 in conference play, but thanks to some impressive wins over Kentucky, Purdue and Maryland on their resume, they are viewed as a bubble team with the NCAA Tournament right around the corner.

Of course, a victory over No. 20 Michigan would significantly bolster Ohio State's tourney chances.

The Wolverines are 19-5 and sit in first place in the Big Ten with an 11-2 mark in conference play. They are currently riding a five-game winning streak, most recently defeating the Boilermakers.

This will mark the only regular-season matchup between Ohio State and Michigan, so we'll see if the Buckeyes can avenge their football loss to the Wolverines from back in November.

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