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LGHL Ohio State offers 2026 offensive tackle prospect, four-star RB schedules visit
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Ohio State offers 2026 offensive tackle prospect, four-star RB schedules visit
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Kelvin Obot is the latest 2026 prospect to earn an offer from the Buckeyes.
On Thursday Ohio State officially named its new coaches and announced the promotions that were already public knowledge, but had not previously been confirmed by the program. All in all, the Ohio State coaching staff for the 2025 campaign seems to be set, and though that’s a while off, we’re actually just weeks away from spring football already.
With recruiting being a major theme all offseason, Thursday was no different with more visit news coming forth and yet another offer being dished out. Here’s the latest on all things Ohio State football recruiting.
With Tyler Bowen now at the helm of the Ohio State offensive line, one of the main aspects that has been talked about are his recruiting abilities. It’s no secret that Ryan Day wanted his new position coach to have more of a recruiting resume when it comes to not only success on the trail, but also in effort. Looking like it in just his short time wearing the Block O, the hope is his approach will pay off in big ways.
Seeming to be casting a wider net than in year’s past, more names are being added to the offer list. On Thursday that was the case once again, as Idaho native Kelvin Obot took to his social media to share the latest news in his recruitment that Ohio State had offered.
A 6-foot-5, 265 pound offensive tackle, Obot is currently the No. 147 player nationally and the 12th best offensive tackle in the 2026 class per the 247Sports Composite. Holding over 20 offers to his name, schools such as Auburn, Michigan, Oregon, Tennessee, USC, and Washington are some of the bigger programs to already be in the mix, but Ohio State joining the fold brings another heavy hitter he’ll likely consider.
These latest offers seem to show a newer approach when it comes to offensive line recruiting. Yes, targeting only a handful allows a coach to really dial in relationships, but if it doesn’t result in commitments it’s a real shot to that strategy. A wider selection is what the Buckeyes need, and that is under way.
Fresh off a national championship run led in part by two of the best running backs in the country, Ohio State’s recruiting of the position should speak for itself. What the Buckeyes were able to do with a pair of elite players was a perfect recipe for success, and it’s not out of the cards to believe that single recruiting pitch can be used to further the running back success as they look for the next great talents in line to come to Columbus.
Looking at taking two running backs in the 2026 class, Ohio State has yet to land a commitment at the position, but certainly has options among the best players in the country at that spot. Trying to secure top targets, it will be the goal of the staff to make sure the visits in the months to come are major difference makers.
Adding elite players daily to the summer official visit opportunities, yesterday Florida native Derrek Cooper had his official visit with Ohio State locked in with a June 20-22 stay. The No. 24 player nationally and third best running back in the 2026 class per the 247Sports Composite, Cooper completely fits the bill for what Ohio State and every other top program in the country is looking for.
A product of Chaminade-Madonna, the Buckeyes struck gold with Jeremiah Smith coming from the same prep program, and would love to see that pipeline continue. June will be a major opportunity for this staff, and Carlos Locklyn will be dialed in.
The No. 276 player nationally and 46th best receiver in class per the 247Sports Composite, Robinson is a different type of offensive weapon with his stature, but make no mistake about it — his offer list is a tell-all in terms of how well he plays the game.
Continue reading...
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Kelvin Obot is the latest 2026 prospect to earn an offer from the Buckeyes.
On Thursday Ohio State officially named its new coaches and announced the promotions that were already public knowledge, but had not previously been confirmed by the program. All in all, the Ohio State coaching staff for the 2025 campaign seems to be set, and though that’s a while off, we’re actually just weeks away from spring football already.
With recruiting being a major theme all offseason, Thursday was no different with more visit news coming forth and yet another offer being dished out. Here’s the latest on all things Ohio State football recruiting.
2026 offensive linemen grabs Ohio State offer
With Tyler Bowen now at the helm of the Ohio State offensive line, one of the main aspects that has been talked about are his recruiting abilities. It’s no secret that Ryan Day wanted his new position coach to have more of a recruiting resume when it comes to not only success on the trail, but also in effort. Looking like it in just his short time wearing the Block O, the hope is his approach will pay off in big ways.
Seeming to be casting a wider net than in year’s past, more names are being added to the offer list. On Thursday that was the case once again, as Idaho native Kelvin Obot took to his social media to share the latest news in his recruitment that Ohio State had offered.
A 6-foot-5, 265 pound offensive tackle, Obot is currently the No. 147 player nationally and the 12th best offensive tackle in the 2026 class per the 247Sports Composite. Holding over 20 offers to his name, schools such as Auburn, Michigan, Oregon, Tennessee, USC, and Washington are some of the bigger programs to already be in the mix, but Ohio State joining the fold brings another heavy hitter he’ll likely consider.
These latest offers seem to show a newer approach when it comes to offensive line recruiting. Yes, targeting only a handful allows a coach to really dial in relationships, but if it doesn’t result in commitments it’s a real shot to that strategy. A wider selection is what the Buckeyes need, and that is under way.
Big time running back locks in Ohio State official visit
Fresh off a national championship run led in part by two of the best running backs in the country, Ohio State’s recruiting of the position should speak for itself. What the Buckeyes were able to do with a pair of elite players was a perfect recipe for success, and it’s not out of the cards to believe that single recruiting pitch can be used to further the running back success as they look for the next great talents in line to come to Columbus.
Looking at taking two running backs in the 2026 class, Ohio State has yet to land a commitment at the position, but certainly has options among the best players in the country at that spot. Trying to secure top targets, it will be the goal of the staff to make sure the visits in the months to come are major difference makers.
Adding elite players daily to the summer official visit opportunities, yesterday Florida native Derrek Cooper had his official visit with Ohio State locked in with a June 20-22 stay. The No. 24 player nationally and third best running back in the 2026 class per the 247Sports Composite, Cooper completely fits the bill for what Ohio State and every other top program in the country is looking for.
A product of Chaminade-Madonna, the Buckeyes struck gold with Jeremiah Smith coming from the same prep program, and would love to see that pipeline continue. June will be a major opportunity for this staff, and Carlos Locklyn will be dialed in.
Quick Hits
- One more official visit planned worth noting, Ohio State will also play host to Texas native athlete, Brayden Robinson (Red Oak, Texas/Red Oak) for a multi-day stay this coming June. Slotted for the 13-15th, Robinson will spend much of his time with Brian Hartline as the 5-foot-8, 160 pound receiver takes in Columbus.
The No. 276 player nationally and 46th best receiver in class per the 247Sports Composite, Robinson is a different type of offensive weapon with his stature, but make no mistake about it — his offer list is a tell-all in terms of how well he plays the game.
#GoBucks @brianhartline @CoachJordan82 @ryandaytime pic.twitter.com/v7nRU4q0Rt
— Brayden “Quick6ix” Robinson️ (@_Quick6ix) February 20, 2025
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LGHL B1G Thoughts: The top 10 conference games of the 2024 season
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B1G Thoughts: The top 10 conference games of the 2024 season
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Tom Hauck/Getty Images
The 2024 season was huge for the Big Ten, as they played some of the most entertaining games of the season.
Welcome to B1G Thoughts, a weekly column for all the B1G news, happenings, and analysis for the Big Ten Conference. Every week, I will bring you some B1G thoughts on the Big Ten Conference, its coaches, players, and administration as it continues to separate itself from the Power Five into the Power Two. Check out the I-80 Football Show for a more in-depth analysis of the Big Ten Conference.
The Big Ten provided some major moments in the 2024 season, including multiple top-five matchups and a few major upsets. With 18 teams and over 162 games played, I’m taking it upon myself to rank my top 10 games of the 2024 season.
For this article, I am only ranking conference games, but the Big Ten also played some great non-conference games, including Penn State-Notre Dame, USC-LSU, Duke-Northwestern, and Iowa State-Iowa.
Ohio State vs. Penn State, 20-13
Creating a top 10 list was harder than I thought, and I wanted to give credit to two games that didn’t quite make the list. Ohio State-Penn State is one of the best games of the season every year. No matter how dominant we think Ohio State is, they always get into a rock fight with the Nittany Lions — and this year was no different. This iteration saw an early pick-six and two goal line stands, and ended on a dominant run heavy drive.
Nebraska played Ohio State when they were reeling from losing their left tackle for the season due to injury. Nebraska took advantage of it and beat Ohio State in the trenches, making life miserable for quarterback Will Howard. Freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola isn’t known as a runner, but he thrived by escaping the pocket up the middle to extend drives. Ohio State needed another goal line stand to avoid an upset that would’ve ended their season.
Illinois-Nebraska was a banger between two programs looking to have their best season in years. Dylan Raiola and Luke Altmyer battled in this game, combing for 512 yards and seven touchdowns. After a missed field goal by Nebraska opened the door, Illinois completed a comeback and secured the win in overtime.
USC made this list three times, and could have made it a few more times honestly. USC had a roller coaster of a season and almost all of their games involved some sort of comeback, with USC storming back or losing a big lead resulting in a lot of one score games.
USC-Maryland was just one of many which saw USC blow a 14-point fourth quarter lead, as Billy Edwards Jr. and Roman Hemby led Maryland to their first conference win of the season. Miller Moss and Edwards combined for 709 passing yards and five touchdowns in this Big Ten showdown.
Michigan scored 27 points and beat USC in a game where their starting quarterback threw for 32 yards. That tells you everything you need to know about both programs in 2024.
USC’s defense was better than previous years, but its offense was also not as strong. Michigan ran the ball down USC’s throat to the tune of 290 yards and three touchdowns on 6.3 yards per carry. Moss didn’t play awful, but it was hard to overcome four sacks and eight tackles for loss as well as a back-breaking pick-six by Michigan corner Will Johnson.
What would you say if I told you last summer that James Franklin went for it on fourth down three times in one drive — including a fake punt on his own 34-yard line. You would probably think I was lying, but that’s exactly what he did to run out the clock and secure a one-point victory over Minnesota.
I’m not sure we need any more proof, but this is exactly why you shouldn’t resort to cowardly field goals with the game on the line. Minnesota, down four points, kicked a 26-yard field goal to make it a one-point game with 5:48 minutes left in the fourth... and never saw the ball again.
Penn State survived an upset because James Franklin decided it was time to be aggressive late in the game.
For years we’ve argued that Penn State would be the biggest beneficiary of the 12-team playoff and getting rid of divisions in the Big Ten. They immediately proved that by making the Big Ten championship game and pushing Oregon to its limit.
Allowing Penn State to score 37 points may have been a precursor to their short stint in the CFP, but this was one of the best games of the year to end the Big Ten regular season. This game had a combined 992 yards and 82 points with the No. 1 seed in the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff on the line.
Penn State lost this game off two Drew Allar picks, but they played one of their best games and gained momentum for the playoff.
This game was fun. Sure, I may be biased because I attended this game in person, but watching UCLA quarterback Ethan Garbers throw a perfect game to end a five-game losing streak was awesome. Garbers went 32-38 for 383 yards and four touchdowns. He also led UCLA in rushing with nine carries for 48 yards and a touchdown.
Despite losing, Rutgers showed pride on their homecoming, coming back from down 16 points to make it a one-score game late in the fourth. This back and fourth affair showcases one of the beauties of college football: Sometimes the game you overlook ends up being the best game of the weekend.
How about a walk off win for drama?
Illinois started the fourth quarter down nine and proceeded to more than double their score by exploding for 23 fourth quarter points, including a walk off 40-yard touchdown reception by tight end Pat Bryant with four seconds left in the game.
Luke Altmyer Myer and Bryant refused to lose this game, Atlmyer threw for 249 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another touchdown and 74 rushing yards. Bryant had one of the best single games of the 2024 season with seven receptions for 197 yards and the walk off score.
These teams combined for 32 points through the first three quarters and 37 in the fourth. Don’t change the channel — anything can happen in college football.
3. Penn State vs. USC 33-30,
Heading into the 2024 season, many fans and media pundits circled Oct. 12 as one of the best weekends of the season due to all the big matchups. That Saturday featured a top-five showdown in Ohio State-Oregon, as well as two ranked SEC matchups with Texas-Oklahoma and LSU-Ole Miss.
There was also excitement around Penn State-USC, Tennesse-Florida, and Kansas State-Colorado. All of those games delivered and more.
In the Big Ten alone we had three instant classics all decided by a total of five points.
Penn State fell into an early hole after USC went to the half with a 20-6 lead and an offense that scored on four out of six first-half possessions. Penn State bounced back immediately in the second half, scoring on their first two possessions to tie the game. The second half went back and forth, but USC opened the door in overtime after missing a 45-yard field goal. Penn State survived the upset bid despite three Drew Allar interceptions.
Purdue, despite being in the midst of one of the worst seasons in recent memory, decided they didn’t want to be upstaged on this day among all the heavyweight matchups. In one of the most shocking results of the 2024 season, freshman quarterback Ryan Browne threw for 297 yards and three touchdowns along with being the game’s leading rusher with 118 yards on 17 carries.
Altmyer didn’t want to be outdone, throwing for 379 yards and three touchdowns to stave off the upset. With the game on the line, Altmyer found Pat Bryant again, but Purdue wouldn’t go away, matching their overtime touchdown but failing to win the game on a two-point conversion. This game may get forgotten in the story of this season, but it was awesome.
Ohio State-Oregon part one was the best game of the season to me, and this comes from an Ohio State fan who suffered an agonizing defeat. This matchup had everything: player ejections, questionable calls, a massive defensive tackle literally ripping the ball away from the opposing running back. It had big plays, a potentially genius 12 man on the field penalty, and a quarterback who lost track of time while trying to set up a field goal.
Ohio State-Oregon delivered on all the hype as a top-three matchup, and set the table for what we thought would be a rematch in the Big Ten Championship Game. While the rematch had to wait until the Rose Bowl — and it was ultimately a blowout — this game had everyone wanting more.
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JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Tom Hauck/Getty Images
The 2024 season was huge for the Big Ten, as they played some of the most entertaining games of the season.
Welcome to B1G Thoughts, a weekly column for all the B1G news, happenings, and analysis for the Big Ten Conference. Every week, I will bring you some B1G thoughts on the Big Ten Conference, its coaches, players, and administration as it continues to separate itself from the Power Five into the Power Two. Check out the I-80 Football Show for a more in-depth analysis of the Big Ten Conference.
The Big Ten provided some major moments in the 2024 season, including multiple top-five matchups and a few major upsets. With 18 teams and over 162 games played, I’m taking it upon myself to rank my top 10 games of the 2024 season.
For this article, I am only ranking conference games, but the Big Ten also played some great non-conference games, including Penn State-Notre Dame, USC-LSU, Duke-Northwestern, and Iowa State-Iowa.
Honorable Mentions:
Ohio State vs. Penn State, 20-13
Ohio State vs. Nebraska, 21-17
Creating a top 10 list was harder than I thought, and I wanted to give credit to two games that didn’t quite make the list. Ohio State-Penn State is one of the best games of the season every year. No matter how dominant we think Ohio State is, they always get into a rock fight with the Nittany Lions — and this year was no different. This iteration saw an early pick-six and two goal line stands, and ended on a dominant run heavy drive.
Nebraska played Ohio State when they were reeling from losing their left tackle for the season due to injury. Nebraska took advantage of it and beat Ohio State in the trenches, making life miserable for quarterback Will Howard. Freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola isn’t known as a runner, but he thrived by escaping the pocket up the middle to extend drives. Ohio State needed another goal line stand to avoid an upset that would’ve ended their season.
10. Illinois vs. Nebraska, 31-24
Illinois-Nebraska was a banger between two programs looking to have their best season in years. Dylan Raiola and Luke Altmyer battled in this game, combing for 512 yards and seven touchdowns. After a missed field goal by Nebraska opened the door, Illinois completed a comeback and secured the win in overtime.
9. Maryland vs. USC, 29-28
USC made this list three times, and could have made it a few more times honestly. USC had a roller coaster of a season and almost all of their games involved some sort of comeback, with USC storming back or losing a big lead resulting in a lot of one score games.
USC-Maryland was just one of many which saw USC blow a 14-point fourth quarter lead, as Billy Edwards Jr. and Roman Hemby led Maryland to their first conference win of the season. Miller Moss and Edwards combined for 709 passing yards and five touchdowns in this Big Ten showdown.
8. Michigan vs. USC, 27-24
Michigan scored 27 points and beat USC in a game where their starting quarterback threw for 32 yards. That tells you everything you need to know about both programs in 2024.
USC’s defense was better than previous years, but its offense was also not as strong. Michigan ran the ball down USC’s throat to the tune of 290 yards and three touchdowns on 6.3 yards per carry. Moss didn’t play awful, but it was hard to overcome four sacks and eight tackles for loss as well as a back-breaking pick-six by Michigan corner Will Johnson.
7. Penn State vs. Minnesota, 26-25
What would you say if I told you last summer that James Franklin went for it on fourth down three times in one drive — including a fake punt on his own 34-yard line. You would probably think I was lying, but that’s exactly what he did to run out the clock and secure a one-point victory over Minnesota.
I’m not sure we need any more proof, but this is exactly why you shouldn’t resort to cowardly field goals with the game on the line. Minnesota, down four points, kicked a 26-yard field goal to make it a one-point game with 5:48 minutes left in the fourth... and never saw the ball again.
Penn State survived an upset because James Franklin decided it was time to be aggressive late in the game.
6. Oregon vs. Penn State, 45-37 (B1G title game)
For years we’ve argued that Penn State would be the biggest beneficiary of the 12-team playoff and getting rid of divisions in the Big Ten. They immediately proved that by making the Big Ten championship game and pushing Oregon to its limit.
Allowing Penn State to score 37 points may have been a precursor to their short stint in the CFP, but this was one of the best games of the year to end the Big Ten regular season. This game had a combined 992 yards and 82 points with the No. 1 seed in the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff on the line.
Penn State lost this game off two Drew Allar picks, but they played one of their best games and gained momentum for the playoff.
5. UCLA vs. Rutgers, 35-32
This game was fun. Sure, I may be biased because I attended this game in person, but watching UCLA quarterback Ethan Garbers throw a perfect game to end a five-game losing streak was awesome. Garbers went 32-38 for 383 yards and four touchdowns. He also led UCLA in rushing with nine carries for 48 yards and a touchdown.
Despite losing, Rutgers showed pride on their homecoming, coming back from down 16 points to make it a one-score game late in the fourth. This back and fourth affair showcases one of the beauties of college football: Sometimes the game you overlook ends up being the best game of the weekend.
4. Illinois vs. Rutgers, 38-31
How about a walk off win for drama?
Illinois started the fourth quarter down nine and proceeded to more than double their score by exploding for 23 fourth quarter points, including a walk off 40-yard touchdown reception by tight end Pat Bryant with four seconds left in the game.
Luke Altmyer Myer and Bryant refused to lose this game, Atlmyer threw for 249 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another touchdown and 74 rushing yards. Bryant had one of the best single games of the 2024 season with seven receptions for 197 yards and the walk off score.
These teams combined for 32 points through the first three quarters and 37 in the fourth. Don’t change the channel — anything can happen in college football.
3. Penn State vs. USC 33-30,
2. Illinois vs. Purdue, 50-49
1. Oregon vs. OSU, 32-31
Heading into the 2024 season, many fans and media pundits circled Oct. 12 as one of the best weekends of the season due to all the big matchups. That Saturday featured a top-five showdown in Ohio State-Oregon, as well as two ranked SEC matchups with Texas-Oklahoma and LSU-Ole Miss.
There was also excitement around Penn State-USC, Tennesse-Florida, and Kansas State-Colorado. All of those games delivered and more.
In the Big Ten alone we had three instant classics all decided by a total of five points.
Penn State fell into an early hole after USC went to the half with a 20-6 lead and an offense that scored on four out of six first-half possessions. Penn State bounced back immediately in the second half, scoring on their first two possessions to tie the game. The second half went back and forth, but USC opened the door in overtime after missing a 45-yard field goal. Penn State survived the upset bid despite three Drew Allar interceptions.
Purdue, despite being in the midst of one of the worst seasons in recent memory, decided they didn’t want to be upstaged on this day among all the heavyweight matchups. In one of the most shocking results of the 2024 season, freshman quarterback Ryan Browne threw for 297 yards and three touchdowns along with being the game’s leading rusher with 118 yards on 17 carries.
Altmyer didn’t want to be outdone, throwing for 379 yards and three touchdowns to stave off the upset. With the game on the line, Altmyer found Pat Bryant again, but Purdue wouldn’t go away, matching their overtime touchdown but failing to win the game on a two-point conversion. This game may get forgotten in the story of this season, but it was awesome.
Ohio State-Oregon part one was the best game of the season to me, and this comes from an Ohio State fan who suffered an agonizing defeat. This matchup had everything: player ejections, questionable calls, a massive defensive tackle literally ripping the ball away from the opposing running back. It had big plays, a potentially genius 12 man on the field penalty, and a quarterback who lost track of time while trying to set up a field goal.
Ohio State-Oregon delivered on all the hype as a top-three matchup, and set the table for what we thought would be a rematch in the Big Ten Championship Game. While the rematch had to wait until the Rose Bowl — and it was ultimately a blowout — this game had everyone wanting more.
Subscribe to the podcast: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
Connect with me on Twitter: @JordanW330
Follow I-80 Football Show on Instagram: @GetDefensiveSportsNetwork
Follow The I-80 Football Show on YouTube: @GetDefensiveSportsNetwork.
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2026 ID OL Kelvin Obot (Utah Verbal)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
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247
Rivals
Twitter
HudL
Class: 2026
Position: OT
School: Fruitland (ID)Fruitland
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 285lbs
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Rivals
HudL
Class: 2026
Position: OT
School: Fruitland (ID)Fruitland
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 285lbs
Login to view embedded media
LGHL Game Preview: No. 8 Ohio State women face Indiana, in Bloomington
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Game Preview: No. 8 Ohio State women face Indiana, in Bloomington
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images
The Buckeyes head to Hoosier country in hopes of picking up a quality win on the road against an up and down Indiana.
After three top-four finishes in the past four seasons, the Indiana Hoosiers (16-9, 8-6) are in a period of transition following the exit of forward Mackenzie Holmes, the program’s all-time leading scorer. For Ohio State women’s basketball (22-3, 11-3), Thursday’s trip to Assembly Hall is full of opportunities.
A win gives the Buckeyes a quad-one victory, the highest level of victory the NCAA Tournament Committee considers for March Madness seeding, beating the Hoosiers on the road for the first time in four years and the opportunity for new members of the Scarlet and Gray to play in a hostile environment.
Despite a subpar record compared to recent current Indiana success, the Hoosiers still feature strong names from seasons past. Also, a pair of transfers who joined head coach Teri Moren to help solidify an Indiana side that’s still in position for postseason basketball after the conference tournament.
Over the past four seasons, matchups between the Buckeyes and Hoosiers have trended towards the Scarlet and Gray. After losing five consecutive games against Indiana in three seasons, Ohio State erased a 24-point Hoosier lead in the 2023 Big Ten Tournament, beating Indiana 79-75.
The Buckeyes won their next matchup against Hoosiers in Columbus, but Thursday is the first time the Scarlet and Gray head back to Bloomington since Jan 2023. From those teams, guards Yarden Garzon, Chloe Moore-McNeil and Sydney Parrish still feature for coach Moren. Moore-McNeil provides veteran leadership at the point guard position, while Garzon and Parrish are dangerous shooters from beyond the arc.
Joining the trio of guards is former Penn State guard Shay Ciezki who transferred to Indiana in the offseason. While Ciezki doesn’t have the same shooting from beyond the arc as now-graduated Hoosier Sara Scalia, the junior attacks the basket aggressively and will challenge the Ohio State defense.
The glaring reason the Hoosiers are down this season is post play. Former two-time AP All-American Holmes left for the WNBA in the offseason, taking with her a 65 percent shooting efficiency, mainly coming inside the paint.
Coach Moren brought in senior forward Karoline Striplin from the Tennessee Volunteers to help fill the void. The 6-foot-3 forward adjusted slowly to Indiana’s system after appearing 91 times for the Volunteers in three seasons, but enters Thursday starting the last eight games for Indiana and averaging 12.8 points per game.
However, Indiana still struggles picking up second chance scoring opportunities and extra possessions. The Hoosiers have 80 offensive rebounds in 14 games, the lowest of any team in the Big Ten, with the next team above them grabbing 112 offensive boards and Ohio State coming in at No. 16 with 125. That gives a rare offensive rebounding edge to forward Ajae Petty and center Elsa Lemmilä.
Turnover-wise, Indiana commits the fifth-fewest turnovers in the Big Ten (14.2) but the Minnesota Golden Gophers only gave the ball away 10.1 times per game until they lost the ball 19 times against the Buckeyes.
What could potentially stop the turnover margin is the level of experience in the Indiana backcourt with graduate seniors Moore-McNeil and Parrish.
The matchup to watch is Moore-McNeil against Ohio State freshman point guard Jaloni Cambridge. Moore-McNeil started the last 89 games for the Hoosiers, a leader on and off the court for coach Moren.
Even so, Cambridge is on a tear. The freshman scored a personal Big Ten single game high of 29 points against Iowa and averages 16.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, four assists and 2.2 steals per game over the last five games. How will the Buckeyes’ star underclassmen play in an environment that promises to be loud and aggressive?
Indiana has a three-game winning streak at Assembly Hall, although it sandwiches two losses. The Hoosiers lost two of their last three and don’t have a win against any team in the top half of the conference standings.
All perimeter players for the Scarlet and Gray need to be prepared for a barrage of three-point attempts. Indiana leads the conference in Big Ten play with 8.36 three-point shots made per game. Ohio State is third in conference play, holding teams to 30.1 percent from beyond the arc, but allowed the Golden Gophers and Iowa Hawkeyes to shoot 33.3 percent and 40 percent from deep in the last two games.
Should that trend continue Thursday, it won’t only feed the Hoosier faithful, but it will dig the Buckeyes into a hole in which they can’t recover. Defense overall will be a focal point. Junior forward Cotie McMahon hasn’t minced words lately talking about the lack of intensity and players not doing what they need to be doing on defense.
Is Thursday the game Ohio State strings together a full 40 minutes of consistent defense? It’s clear that the Buckeyes haven’t reached their peak this season, but with four games remaining, head coach Kevin McGuff’s side is looking for evidence that the team is climbing towards it.
Recently, McGuff’s favored the 6-foot-6 freshman Lemmilä and redshirt sophomore guard Kennedy Cambridge, and their defensive presence paid off for the Buckeyes. Will McGuff leverage the two more against the Hoosiers or give his entire starting five the opportunity to take the lead?
The Buckeye coach isn’t playing favorites on the court this season, not afraid to put a starter on the bench if the play isn't there. McGuff’s also played around with who he has on the court together. In the last three games, graduate senior guard Madison Greene began playing on the court with Jaloni Cambridge, giving the freshman more freedom offensively while Greene brings stability. It’s a pairing to expect Thursday where all of the Hoosiers’ four starting guards are upperclassmen with big game experience.
Regardless of who gets Ohio State there, if the Buckeyes win it earns the team a third quad one win. Entering Thursday, the Scarlet and Gray’s four quad one games is the lowest in the top-16 released by the NCAA Tournament Committee on Sunday. A win will further solidify the Buckeyes’ chances of hosting the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament. Lose and it could strengthen the argument of sending the Scarlet and Gray out on the road for March Madness.
G- Jaloni Cambridge
G- Chance Gray
G- Taylor Thierry
F- Cotie McMahon
F- Ajae Petty
G- Chloe Moore-McNeil
G- Shay Ciezki
G- Sydney Parrish
G- Yarden Garzon
F- Karoline Striplin
The Hoosiers have more to gain from beating the Buckeyes than the inverse. Indiana is still searching for a marquee victory against a top team in the conference and Ohio State has struggled against the Hoosiers in recent history.
Indiana will get off to a hot start, feeding off the crowd early, but the noise will also help the visitors succeed in the full court press. Communication will be key for the Hoosiers but when the decibels are high in Assembly Hall, the Buckeyes will force mistakes.
Taylor Thierry will have a strong performance, with an advantage inside the post offensively with her athletic ability unmatched by Indiana. Ohio State will use Thierry, Petty, McMahon and Cambridge’s ability to get inside to their advantage against a less physical interior presence from Indiana.
Ohio State will pull away in the second half, and win the game in regulation.
Date: Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, Bloomington, Indiana
Watch: Peacock
On Thursday, head coach Kevin McGuff joined UCLA’s Cori Close and USC’s Lindsay Gottlieb as the lone Big Ten representatives on the Naismith Werner Ladder Coach of the Year watchlist.
McGuff won the Big Ten Coach of the Year last season after winning the Big Ten regular season championship with the Buckeyes. This season, two of the team’s three losses came against the Bruins and Trojans, making it fitting that McGuff joins the other two coaches leading top-10 Big Ten teams in the nation.
Also included are other big name coaches like UConn’s Geno Auriemma, Notre Dame’s Noelle Ivey and South Carolina’s Dawn Staley. The Gamecocks head coach won three of the last four National Coach of the Year honors, with former Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer winning the fourth.
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ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images
The Buckeyes head to Hoosier country in hopes of picking up a quality win on the road against an up and down Indiana.
After three top-four finishes in the past four seasons, the Indiana Hoosiers (16-9, 8-6) are in a period of transition following the exit of forward Mackenzie Holmes, the program’s all-time leading scorer. For Ohio State women’s basketball (22-3, 11-3), Thursday’s trip to Assembly Hall is full of opportunities.
A win gives the Buckeyes a quad-one victory, the highest level of victory the NCAA Tournament Committee considers for March Madness seeding, beating the Hoosiers on the road for the first time in four years and the opportunity for new members of the Scarlet and Gray to play in a hostile environment.
Despite a subpar record compared to recent current Indiana success, the Hoosiers still feature strong names from seasons past. Also, a pair of transfers who joined head coach Teri Moren to help solidify an Indiana side that’s still in position for postseason basketball after the conference tournament.
Preview
Over the past four seasons, matchups between the Buckeyes and Hoosiers have trended towards the Scarlet and Gray. After losing five consecutive games against Indiana in three seasons, Ohio State erased a 24-point Hoosier lead in the 2023 Big Ten Tournament, beating Indiana 79-75.
The Buckeyes won their next matchup against Hoosiers in Columbus, but Thursday is the first time the Scarlet and Gray head back to Bloomington since Jan 2023. From those teams, guards Yarden Garzon, Chloe Moore-McNeil and Sydney Parrish still feature for coach Moren. Moore-McNeil provides veteran leadership at the point guard position, while Garzon and Parrish are dangerous shooters from beyond the arc.
Joining the trio of guards is former Penn State guard Shay Ciezki who transferred to Indiana in the offseason. While Ciezki doesn’t have the same shooting from beyond the arc as now-graduated Hoosier Sara Scalia, the junior attacks the basket aggressively and will challenge the Ohio State defense.
The glaring reason the Hoosiers are down this season is post play. Former two-time AP All-American Holmes left for the WNBA in the offseason, taking with her a 65 percent shooting efficiency, mainly coming inside the paint.
Coach Moren brought in senior forward Karoline Striplin from the Tennessee Volunteers to help fill the void. The 6-foot-3 forward adjusted slowly to Indiana’s system after appearing 91 times for the Volunteers in three seasons, but enters Thursday starting the last eight games for Indiana and averaging 12.8 points per game.
However, Indiana still struggles picking up second chance scoring opportunities and extra possessions. The Hoosiers have 80 offensive rebounds in 14 games, the lowest of any team in the Big Ten, with the next team above them grabbing 112 offensive boards and Ohio State coming in at No. 16 with 125. That gives a rare offensive rebounding edge to forward Ajae Petty and center Elsa Lemmilä.
Turnover-wise, Indiana commits the fifth-fewest turnovers in the Big Ten (14.2) but the Minnesota Golden Gophers only gave the ball away 10.1 times per game until they lost the ball 19 times against the Buckeyes.
What could potentially stop the turnover margin is the level of experience in the Indiana backcourt with graduate seniors Moore-McNeil and Parrish.
The matchup to watch is Moore-McNeil against Ohio State freshman point guard Jaloni Cambridge. Moore-McNeil started the last 89 games for the Hoosiers, a leader on and off the court for coach Moren.
Even so, Cambridge is on a tear. The freshman scored a personal Big Ten single game high of 29 points against Iowa and averages 16.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, four assists and 2.2 steals per game over the last five games. How will the Buckeyes’ star underclassmen play in an environment that promises to be loud and aggressive?
points from a Freshman? Light work for ‘Loni
#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/TUL4pPwJGq
— Ohio State Women’s Basketball (@OhioStateWBB) February 19, 2025
Indiana has a three-game winning streak at Assembly Hall, although it sandwiches two losses. The Hoosiers lost two of their last three and don’t have a win against any team in the top half of the conference standings.
All perimeter players for the Scarlet and Gray need to be prepared for a barrage of three-point attempts. Indiana leads the conference in Big Ten play with 8.36 three-point shots made per game. Ohio State is third in conference play, holding teams to 30.1 percent from beyond the arc, but allowed the Golden Gophers and Iowa Hawkeyes to shoot 33.3 percent and 40 percent from deep in the last two games.
Should that trend continue Thursday, it won’t only feed the Hoosier faithful, but it will dig the Buckeyes into a hole in which they can’t recover. Defense overall will be a focal point. Junior forward Cotie McMahon hasn’t minced words lately talking about the lack of intensity and players not doing what they need to be doing on defense.
Is Thursday the game Ohio State strings together a full 40 minutes of consistent defense? It’s clear that the Buckeyes haven’t reached their peak this season, but with four games remaining, head coach Kevin McGuff’s side is looking for evidence that the team is climbing towards it.
Recently, McGuff’s favored the 6-foot-6 freshman Lemmilä and redshirt sophomore guard Kennedy Cambridge, and their defensive presence paid off for the Buckeyes. Will McGuff leverage the two more against the Hoosiers or give his entire starting five the opportunity to take the lead?
The Buckeye coach isn’t playing favorites on the court this season, not afraid to put a starter on the bench if the play isn't there. McGuff’s also played around with who he has on the court together. In the last three games, graduate senior guard Madison Greene began playing on the court with Jaloni Cambridge, giving the freshman more freedom offensively while Greene brings stability. It’s a pairing to expect Thursday where all of the Hoosiers’ four starting guards are upperclassmen with big game experience.
Regardless of who gets Ohio State there, if the Buckeyes win it earns the team a third quad one win. Entering Thursday, the Scarlet and Gray’s four quad one games is the lowest in the top-16 released by the NCAA Tournament Committee on Sunday. A win will further solidify the Buckeyes’ chances of hosting the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament. Lose and it could strengthen the argument of sending the Scarlet and Gray out on the road for March Madness.
Projected Starters
Ohio State
G- Jaloni Cambridge
G- Chance Gray
G- Taylor Thierry
F- Cotie McMahon
F- Ajae Petty
Lineup Notes
- Cotie McMahon hit 500 career rebounds in Ohio State’s win over Iowa on Monday.
- Jaloni Cambridge’s 2.1 steals per game is fifth best in the Big Ten.
- The three Ohio State starters not named Jaloni Cambridge or Cotie McMahon combined to score 11 points against the Hawkeyes on Monday.
Indiana
G- Chloe Moore-McNeil
G- Shay Ciezki
G- Sydney Parrish
G- Yarden Garzon
F- Karoline Striplin
Lineup Notes
- Yarden Garzon leads Hoosiers starters in deep shooting, hitting 2.4 per game at a team-high 39.9 percent.
- Karoline Striplin played once against Ohio State, scoring five points with one rebound in 11 minutes last season when the Buckeyes defeated the Volunteers in Knoxville.
- Indiana is third in the conference in free throw percentage, going 79.7 percent from the line.
Prediction
The Hoosiers have more to gain from beating the Buckeyes than the inverse. Indiana is still searching for a marquee victory against a top team in the conference and Ohio State has struggled against the Hoosiers in recent history.
Indiana will get off to a hot start, feeding off the crowd early, but the noise will also help the visitors succeed in the full court press. Communication will be key for the Hoosiers but when the decibels are high in Assembly Hall, the Buckeyes will force mistakes.
Taylor Thierry will have a strong performance, with an advantage inside the post offensively with her athletic ability unmatched by Indiana. Ohio State will use Thierry, Petty, McMahon and Cambridge’s ability to get inside to their advantage against a less physical interior presence from Indiana.
Ohio State will pull away in the second half, and win the game in regulation.
How to Watch
Date: Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, Bloomington, Indiana
Watch: Peacock
LGHL Score Prediction: 72-64, Ohio State Buckeyes
McGuff Earns Watchlist Spot
On Thursday, head coach Kevin McGuff joined UCLA’s Cori Close and USC’s Lindsay Gottlieb as the lone Big Ten representatives on the Naismith Werner Ladder Coach of the Year watchlist.
Another year another watchlist for Coach McGuff
Congrats to the leader of our program @CoachMcGuff on being named to the 2025 Naismith Women’s College Coach of The Year Watch List
https://t.co/vnIzTaERJ2 pic.twitter.com/bioOn1KQQt
— Ohio State Women’s Basketball (@OhioStateWBB) February 19, 2025
McGuff won the Big Ten Coach of the Year last season after winning the Big Ten regular season championship with the Buckeyes. This season, two of the team’s three losses came against the Bruins and Trojans, making it fitting that McGuff joins the other two coaches leading top-10 Big Ten teams in the nation.
Also included are other big name coaches like UConn’s Geno Auriemma, Notre Dame’s Noelle Ivey and South Carolina’s Dawn Staley. The Gamecocks head coach won three of the last four National Coach of the Year honors, with former Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer winning the fourth.
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LGHL Ohio State men’s basketball vs. Northwestern: Game preview and prediction
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Ohio State men’s basketball vs. Northwestern: Game preview and prediction
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
David Banks-Imagn Images
The Buckeyes host the Wildcats in a must-win game for Ohio State to stay on the right side of the NCAA tournament bubble.
The Ohio State Buckeyes (15-11 overall, 7-8 in conference) will host the Northwestern Wildcats (13-13 overall, 4-11 in conference) on Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. ET at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio.
This is a must-win for the Buckeyes to stay on the right side of the NCAA tournament bubble.
According to Ohio State Athletics, Ohio State has dominated the all-time series with Northwestern 123-50. The Buckeyes are 71-16 in Columbus vs. the Wildcats, including 15-2 at Value City Arena. The Buckeyes have also done well on this particular date, as they are 7-0 against the Wildcats on Feb. 20, with the most recent win coming in 2019.
Last year, in the team’s only meeting of the season, the Wildcats shot out to an early lead and held on down the stretch for an 83-58 victory in Evanston on Jan. 27.
The Buckeyes are currently No. 29 in the NET rankings and No. 27 in KenPom. Northwestern, on the other hand, is 62 in the NET and 58 in KenPom.
Ohio State is coming off a back-and-forth game with Big Ten-leading Michigan on Sunday. The game featured 16 lead changes, and the Wolverines made the last stop in an 86-83 victory.
According to Ohio State Athletics, Bruce Thornton has dished out 27 assists with just four turnovers in the last five games. That’s a 6.75-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. His career ratio of 2.97-to-1 would be second among active players once he qualifies with his 400th assist (just 26 away).
Ohio State has played eight one-possession games this season. That is the most for the Buckeyes since the 2016-17 season when they also played eight games decided by three points or less.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25880266/usa_today_25433221.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Nebraska at Northwestern")
David Banks-Imagn Images
Forward Nick Martinelli is the gas that makes the Wildcats go. He averages a Big Ten-leading 19.8 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. He is shooting 47 percent from the field, 70 percent from the free-throw line, and 37 percent from three-point range. He is one of three Northwestern starters — along with Ty Berry and Jalen Leach — shooting better than 37 percent from beyond the arc.
Martinelli also leads the Big Ten in minutes at 37.7 minutes per game. Thornton is third at 35.6 minutes per game.
Unfortunately for the Wildcats, their second-leading scorer, senior guard Brooks Barnhizer, is out for the season with a season-ending foot fracture.
Barnhizer was one of the best players in the conference leading up to his injury, averaging 17.1 points and 8.8 rebounds per game over 17 games. He was averaging 36.8 minutes per game.
Leach has done a good job stepping up in Barnhizer’s absence, averaging 14.3 points per game and 3.4 assists per game. Ty Berry is averaging 10.1 points and 3.0 rebounds per game. Center Matt Nicholson averages 5.2 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.
For Ohio State, junior point guard Bruce Thornton leads the team with 17.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game. He is shooting 52 percent from the field, 83 percent from the free throw line, and 46 percent from three-point range. Thornton’s 35.6 minutes per game leads Ohio State.
Sophomore forward Devin Royal is averaging 14.0 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. Royal is coming off a 26-point performance against Michigan last Sunday, his fifth game of 20+ points this season.
Freshman guard John Mobley Jr. averages 13.5 points per game and leads the Big Ten in three-pointers made with 66 and in three-point percentage at 41.8 percent.
Micah Parrish averages 12.3 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. Aaron Bradshaw and Sean Stewart average 6.6 and 5.8 points per game, respectively. Stewart also averages 6.0 rebounds per game.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25873211/usa_today_25403722.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
It is pretty simple for Ohio State. This is a must-win if they want to play in the NCAA tournament.
Northwestern is one of the teams in danger of missing the Big Ten Tournament, and this is a home game for Ohio State. Northwestern is 0-8 on the road this season and are down their second-best player.
This is like the recent Washington, Penn State, and Iowa games. Just win and move on. Something Ohio State has done well this year has been handling games like this, winning all of them by double digits.
Northwestern is a decent team that has had a bad season, and Ohio State will take some of its frustration from the loss against Michigan out on Thursday.
ESPN BPI: Ohio State 77.1%
Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
TV: FS1
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justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
David Banks-Imagn Images
The Buckeyes host the Wildcats in a must-win game for Ohio State to stay on the right side of the NCAA tournament bubble.
The Ohio State Buckeyes (15-11 overall, 7-8 in conference) will host the Northwestern Wildcats (13-13 overall, 4-11 in conference) on Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. ET at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio.
This is a must-win for the Buckeyes to stay on the right side of the NCAA tournament bubble.
According to Ohio State Athletics, Ohio State has dominated the all-time series with Northwestern 123-50. The Buckeyes are 71-16 in Columbus vs. the Wildcats, including 15-2 at Value City Arena. The Buckeyes have also done well on this particular date, as they are 7-0 against the Wildcats on Feb. 20, with the most recent win coming in 2019.
Last year, in the team’s only meeting of the season, the Wildcats shot out to an early lead and held on down the stretch for an 83-58 victory in Evanston on Jan. 27.
The Buckeyes are currently No. 29 in the NET rankings and No. 27 in KenPom. Northwestern, on the other hand, is 62 in the NET and 58 in KenPom.
Ohio State is coming off a back-and-forth game with Big Ten-leading Michigan on Sunday. The game featured 16 lead changes, and the Wolverines made the last stop in an 86-83 victory.
According to Ohio State Athletics, Bruce Thornton has dished out 27 assists with just four turnovers in the last five games. That’s a 6.75-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. His career ratio of 2.97-to-1 would be second among active players once he qualifies with his 400th assist (just 26 away).
Ohio State has played eight one-possession games this season. That is the most for the Buckeyes since the 2016-17 season when they also played eight games decided by three points or less.
Preview
Forward Nick Martinelli is the gas that makes the Wildcats go. He averages a Big Ten-leading 19.8 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. He is shooting 47 percent from the field, 70 percent from the free-throw line, and 37 percent from three-point range. He is one of three Northwestern starters — along with Ty Berry and Jalen Leach — shooting better than 37 percent from beyond the arc.
Martinelli also leads the Big Ten in minutes at 37.7 minutes per game. Thornton is third at 35.6 minutes per game.
Unfortunately for the Wildcats, their second-leading scorer, senior guard Brooks Barnhizer, is out for the season with a season-ending foot fracture.
Barnhizer was one of the best players in the conference leading up to his injury, averaging 17.1 points and 8.8 rebounds per game over 17 games. He was averaging 36.8 minutes per game.
Leach has done a good job stepping up in Barnhizer’s absence, averaging 14.3 points per game and 3.4 assists per game. Ty Berry is averaging 10.1 points and 3.0 rebounds per game. Center Matt Nicholson averages 5.2 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.
For Ohio State, junior point guard Bruce Thornton leads the team with 17.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game. He is shooting 52 percent from the field, 83 percent from the free throw line, and 46 percent from three-point range. Thornton’s 35.6 minutes per game leads Ohio State.
Sophomore forward Devin Royal is averaging 14.0 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. Royal is coming off a 26-point performance against Michigan last Sunday, his fifth game of 20+ points this season.
Freshman guard John Mobley Jr. averages 13.5 points per game and leads the Big Ten in three-pointers made with 66 and in three-point percentage at 41.8 percent.
Micah Parrish averages 12.3 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. Aaron Bradshaw and Sean Stewart average 6.6 and 5.8 points per game, respectively. Stewart also averages 6.0 rebounds per game.
Prediction
It is pretty simple for Ohio State. This is a must-win if they want to play in the NCAA tournament.
Northwestern is one of the teams in danger of missing the Big Ten Tournament, and this is a home game for Ohio State. Northwestern is 0-8 on the road this season and are down their second-best player.
This is like the recent Washington, Penn State, and Iowa games. Just win and move on. Something Ohio State has done well this year has been handling games like this, winning all of them by double digits.
Northwestern is a decent team that has had a bad season, and Ohio State will take some of its frustration from the loss against Michigan out on Thursday.
ESPN BPI: Ohio State 77.1%
Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
TV: FS1
LGHL score prediction: Ohio State 82, Northwestern 68
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