Ahrens brothers to meet Saturday when Michigan State plays Ohio State

Versailles graduates both playing in the Big Ten

Versailles High School graduates Kyle Ahrens and Justin Ahrens will face each other for the first time in college basketball Saturday when No. 8 Michigan State (12-2) plays at No. 14 Ohio State (12-1) at noon.

Kyle, a 6-foot-6 redshirt junior guard/forward at Michigan State, is a 2015 Versailles graduate. His brother Justin, a 6-5 freshman forward at Ohio State, graduated in 2018.

"It's going to be something else," Kyle told MLive.com on Thursday. "Our little town sold a bunch of tickets, from what I hear. A bunch of people are going to the game. We've been talking about this game for a long time, a couple of years now, so it's kind of surreal that it's about to happen."

» RELATED: No beating these driven Ahrens brothers | Five things to know about Versailles basketball

Kyle has started five of 14 games for the Spartans, averaging 6.0 points and 2.7 rebounds in 18.6 minutes per game. He returned to the court this season after missing all of the 2017-18 season with a broken foot. He helped lead Versailles to a state runner-up finish in 2013.

Justin has appeared in seven games for the Buckeyes, averaging 1.1 points in 5.4 minutes per game. He was the Ohio Division III Co-Player of the Year in 2017 and 2018.

“Kyle, he’s one of the main reasons I’m where I’m at today,” Justin told the Dayton Daily News during his senior season. “Him going through it and all the special defenses, him telling me what to do and leading the path for me. And my dad (assistant coach Kevin Ahrens) and (brother) A.J. on the team, it’s really fun to be a part of and have the last name that I have.”

About the Author