Kent St. @ Ohio St. preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 12, 2006 ) Kent St. 59, Ohio St. 81

Ninth-ranked Ohio State will take a step back in time while trying to remain undefeated Monday night in a matchup against in-state opponent Kent State as part of the Ohio State Classic. The throwback game will be played in St. John Arena, the Buckeyes' home before moving to Value City Arena for the 1998-99 season, and they'll be wearing vintage uniforms.

Both teams have yet to lose during the first month of the season and have played one common opponent. Ohio State buried Purdue Fort Wayne 85-46 on Friday night and Kent State defeated the Mastodons 75-68 on Tuesday. Kent State's record is somewhat deceiving because two of the Golden Flashes' five wins came against an NCAA Division II or Division III opponent. Ohio State's beefier resume features wins over No. 15 Villanova and Cincinnati.

TV: 6:30 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network

ABOUT KENT STATE (5-0): Anthony Roberts leads a contingent of four players who average between 15 and 12.4 points. Danny Pippen might be the Golden Flashes' most complete player, averaging 14 points and seven rebounds while leading the team in blocked shots with 12. Troy Simons is shooting 42.1 percent from 3-point range and averaging 13 points, and point guard Antonio Williams can score (12.4) and distribute (team-best 4.8 assists).

ABOUT OHIO STATE (5-0): Big-man Kaleb Wesson is not only the team's leading scorer (11.8 points) and rebounder (10.2), he showed he can make shots from behind the arc after going 0-of-4 on 3-pointers in the first half against Purdue Fort Wayne on Friday before hitting all three of his attempts in the second half. Guards Duane Washington Jr. and D.J. Carton dealt with illness last week and fellow guard C.J. Watson suffered a hip injury in practice, but all three played against Fort Wayne. Senior Andre Wesson saw action in his second game since returning from a fracture eye socket and finished with four points, three rebounds, one assist and one steal in nearly 18 minutes.

TIP-INS

1. Since moving to Value City Arena 20 years ago, Ohio State is 6-0 in St. John Arena - the team's venue from 1956-1998, but the last game played there was in 2010 against Western Carolina.

2. Ohio State ranked seventh nationally entering Sunday in points allowed at 52 per game.

3. Kent State senior F Philip Whittington, an All-Mid-American Conference preseason pick, is leading the Golden Flashes in rebounding (7.4) and field-goal percentage (51.4).

PREDICTION: Ohio State 79, Kent State 59