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LGHL You’re Nuts: Should Ohio State have fouled USC up three in the final seconds?
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You’re Nuts: Should Ohio State have fouled USC up three in the final seconds?
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo courtesy of Ohio State Hoops on Twitter/X (@OhioStateHoops)
Wesley Yates missed the game-tying three-pointer with six seconds remaining on Wednesday night.
The Ohio State men’s basketball team (16-13, 8-10) needs to win its final two games of the season to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament. The only reason that the final two games matter right now, is because the Buckeyes were able to win a road game late on Wednesday night, knocking off the USC Trojans in Los Angeles, 87-82. That win improved Ohio State’s record to 16-13 on the season and was their sixth quad-1 win of the season.
Despite shooting nearly 80% in the first half, the win was not easy. The Buckeyes led 52-35 with 1:02 remaining in the first half. 18:55 later, with just over a minute left on the game clock, a layup from USC’s Rashaun Agee tied everything up, 80-80.
The Trojans successfully came back from a 17-point deficit, and were on the brink of handing Ohio State a win that would put their season in the grave. A Devin Royal and-one basket put the Buckeyes back up by three points with 41 seconds left, and they would not trail again from that point on.
However, with 17 seconds left, John Mobley Jr. had the opportunity to make it a four-point game with a pair of free throws. He split the pair, making it 85-82 with 17 seconds remaining.
USC’s Saint Thomas grabbed the rebound and got the ball to Wesley Yates. The freshman dribbled around the top of the key, guarded by Royal. Ohio State opted not to foul, and instead allowed the Trojans to take the potential game-tying shot with six seconds left. Yates’ three-pointer was no good, and Thomas tapped the ball out of bounds on the rebound, sending it back to the Buckeyes with three seconds left. Ballgame.
Last week, Connor and Justin debated whether or not Ohio State’s rebounding issues are fixable or not. 75% of the readers sided with Justin, who said that what you see is what you get with this team, and the rebounding will not get better.
Connor- 86
The big question — should Ohio State have fouled Yates in the final seconds, forcing USC to go to the line and take two free throws while down three points? Some coaches will always foul up three, others feel secure that “the worst that can happen is overtime” and allow their defense to play it out.
Sometimes, the process is correct but you don’t get the result you wanted.
Other times, the process was incorrect, but you still lucking out and getting exactly the result you wanted.
The second one was true on Wednesday night. Ohio State needed to foul Yates before he took the potential game-tying three-pointer. The freshman is a 42% three-point shooter this season, and he got a very clean look from straight away, guarded loosely by Devin Royal. If Yates hits the shot, you’re almost definitely going to overtime.
He took the shot with six seconds remaining, so if the ball came through the net cleanly and Ohio State immediately inbounded the ball cleanly, they would’ve had three-ish seconds to take a shot for the win.
Teams have done this to Ohio State numerous times, and the math almost always worked against the Buckeyes. When you’re up by three, you send the other team to the line to shoot two free throws. If — and that’s a big if — they hit both free throws, your lead still stands at one point, and you get the ball back.
Once Ohio State inbounds the ball, USC would probably foul them again, and the Buckeyes would just need to continue hitting free throws to mathematically eliminate the Trojans from the game.
Ohio State had its best four free throw shooters on the floor in Bruce Thornton, John Mobley Jr., Micah Parrish, and Royal. Sean Stewart was also out there, but there was no chance they would’ve put the ball in his hands on the inbound play.
What you couldn’t do is allow USC to take the last shot and then send the game to overtime on the road, with the Trojans having just roared back from down 17. Yates should’ve never taken that shot, but Ohio State got lucky and were able to survive regardless.
I am in favor of fouling up three 90% of the time, but there is a 10% of the time when I feel the flow of the game and the context of what is happening in the game matter.
First of all, teams have started fouling up three too early in the game. Recently, I have seen teams do it with as much as 15 seconds left on the clock. That still leaves four or five possessions left in the game if you continue to foul, which leaves a lot of room for error from the team that is winning and fouling.
You should foul up three with six seconds or less left on the clock. The reason is that you are forcing the other team to either miss the second foul shot on purpose or if they make both, they likely will not have enough time to get a good look on the other end.
Also, if a team takes a shot with eight seconds left in the game, as USC did against Ohio State, the absolute worst-case scenario is that they make it, and Ohio State has plenty of time to get a good look on the other end.
Another reason I was against it, specifically in the game between USC and Ohio State, was the Buckeyes were 2-for-4 on the free-throw line in the last minute of the game. If you foul USC up three, and they make both, you know you have to inbound the ball, break the press, and make both free throws, all things the Buckeyes struggle with at times down the stretch.
The bottom line for me is simple. Foul up three under seven seconds. Other than that, let it play out if they want to shoot an early three.
Continue reading...
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo courtesy of Ohio State Hoops on Twitter/X (@OhioStateHoops)
Wesley Yates missed the game-tying three-pointer with six seconds remaining on Wednesday night.
The Ohio State men’s basketball team (16-13, 8-10) needs to win its final two games of the season to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament. The only reason that the final two games matter right now, is because the Buckeyes were able to win a road game late on Wednesday night, knocking off the USC Trojans in Los Angeles, 87-82. That win improved Ohio State’s record to 16-13 on the season and was their sixth quad-1 win of the season.
Despite shooting nearly 80% in the first half, the win was not easy. The Buckeyes led 52-35 with 1:02 remaining in the first half. 18:55 later, with just over a minute left on the game clock, a layup from USC’s Rashaun Agee tied everything up, 80-80.
The Trojans successfully came back from a 17-point deficit, and were on the brink of handing Ohio State a win that would put their season in the grave. A Devin Royal and-one basket put the Buckeyes back up by three points with 41 seconds left, and they would not trail again from that point on.
However, with 17 seconds left, John Mobley Jr. had the opportunity to make it a four-point game with a pair of free throws. He split the pair, making it 85-82 with 17 seconds remaining.
USC’s Saint Thomas grabbed the rebound and got the ball to Wesley Yates. The freshman dribbled around the top of the key, guarded by Royal. Ohio State opted not to foul, and instead allowed the Trojans to take the potential game-tying shot with six seconds left. Yates’ three-pointer was no good, and Thomas tapped the ball out of bounds on the rebound, sending it back to the Buckeyes with three seconds left. Ballgame.
Last week, Connor and Justin debated whether or not Ohio State’s rebounding issues are fixable or not. 75% of the readers sided with Justin, who said that what you see is what you get with this team, and the rebounding will not get better.
After 193 weeks:
Connor- 86
Justin- 82
Other- 19
(There have been six ties)
The big question — should Ohio State have fouled Yates in the final seconds, forcing USC to go to the line and take two free throws while down three points? Some coaches will always foul up three, others feel secure that “the worst that can happen is overtime” and allow their defense to play it out.
This week’s question: Should Ohio State have fouled USC, up three?
Connor: Yes
Sometimes, the process is correct but you don’t get the result you wanted.
Other times, the process was incorrect, but you still lucking out and getting exactly the result you wanted.
The second one was true on Wednesday night. Ohio State needed to foul Yates before he took the potential game-tying three-pointer. The freshman is a 42% three-point shooter this season, and he got a very clean look from straight away, guarded loosely by Devin Royal. If Yates hits the shot, you’re almost definitely going to overtime.
He took the shot with six seconds remaining, so if the ball came through the net cleanly and Ohio State immediately inbounded the ball cleanly, they would’ve had three-ish seconds to take a shot for the win.
Teams have done this to Ohio State numerous times, and the math almost always worked against the Buckeyes. When you’re up by three, you send the other team to the line to shoot two free throws. If — and that’s a big if — they hit both free throws, your lead still stands at one point, and you get the ball back.
Once Ohio State inbounds the ball, USC would probably foul them again, and the Buckeyes would just need to continue hitting free throws to mathematically eliminate the Trojans from the game.
Ohio State had its best four free throw shooters on the floor in Bruce Thornton, John Mobley Jr., Micah Parrish, and Royal. Sean Stewart was also out there, but there was no chance they would’ve put the ball in his hands on the inbound play.
What you couldn’t do is allow USC to take the last shot and then send the game to overtime on the road, with the Trojans having just roared back from down 17. Yates should’ve never taken that shot, but Ohio State got lucky and were able to survive regardless.
Justin: No
I am in favor of fouling up three 90% of the time, but there is a 10% of the time when I feel the flow of the game and the context of what is happening in the game matter.
First of all, teams have started fouling up three too early in the game. Recently, I have seen teams do it with as much as 15 seconds left on the clock. That still leaves four or five possessions left in the game if you continue to foul, which leaves a lot of room for error from the team that is winning and fouling.
You should foul up three with six seconds or less left on the clock. The reason is that you are forcing the other team to either miss the second foul shot on purpose or if they make both, they likely will not have enough time to get a good look on the other end.
Also, if a team takes a shot with eight seconds left in the game, as USC did against Ohio State, the absolute worst-case scenario is that they make it, and Ohio State has plenty of time to get a good look on the other end.
Another reason I was against it, specifically in the game between USC and Ohio State, was the Buckeyes were 2-for-4 on the free-throw line in the last minute of the game. If you foul USC up three, and they make both, you know you have to inbound the ball, break the press, and make both free throws, all things the Buckeyes struggle with at times down the stretch.
The bottom line for me is simple. Foul up three under seven seconds. Other than that, let it play out if they want to shoot an early three.
Continue reading...
Bowling Green Falcons (Official Thread)
- By ScriptOhio
- College Football
- 5 Replies
March 30, 2023: BGSU Football Head Coach Scot Loeffler inks contract extension through 2025
Bowling Green's Loeffler takes QB job with Eagles
Bowling Green coach Scot Loeffler is leaving the school after six seasons to become quarterbacks coach of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Bowling Green coach Scot Loeffler takes QB job with Eagles
Bowling Green coach Scot Loeffler is leaving the school after six seasons to become quarterbacks coach of the Philadelphia Eagles.Loeffler, 50, went 27-41 at Bowling Green but led the Falcons to bowl appearances in each of the past three seasons, posting a 16-10 record in MAC play during the span.
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The coaching change means Bowling Green players now have a 30-day window to enter the NCAA transfer portal. The Falcons had already lost three All-MAC performers to the portal in December in running back Terion Stewart (Virginia Tech), offensive tackle Alex Wollschlaeger (Kentucky) and linebacker Joseph Sipp Jr. (Kansas). Bowling Green also is losing record-setting tight end Harold Fannin Jr. to the NFL draft.
Athletic director Derek van der Merwe will lead the search for Loeffler's replacement. In a statement, Van der Merwe praised Loeffler for building "a very successful program in a challenging climate in collegiate sports.
"I am looking forward to this process of finding the next great leader for our program who embraces what it means to be a Falcon," Van der Merwe added.
LGHL A look inside Ohio State women’s two-headed monster of Ajae Petty and Elsa Lemmilä
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A look inside Ohio State women’s two-headed monster of Ajae Petty and Elsa Lemmilä
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State University athletic department
How Ajae Petty and Elsa Lemmilä showed what’s possible for Ohio State heading into the postseason.
For three seasons, Ohio State women’s basketball suffered from a vast inferiority inside the paint. Turnovers became the top means of earning extra possessions as the Buckeyes sat at or near the bottom of the conference in rebounding, which still paid dividends, and the Buckeyes won an outright regular season title and made it to the 2023 Elite Eight.
On Wednesday though, head coach Kevin McGuff’s offseason focus of improving in the post finally came to fruition, and showed what’s possible in the Big Ten Tournament and March Madness.
When the transfer portal opened, McGuff was focused on improving three-point shooting and adding size and rebounding inside the paint, landing on Kentucky forward Ajae Petty to fill the gap in the post.
Petty was one of only four players averaging a double-double in the SEC in the 2023-24 season, but the graduate senior got off to a slow start in scarlet and gray. On Thanksgiving week, the forward had a double-double against Old Dominion and nearly added a second in a row against the Utah State Aggies, showing the promise McGuff hoped when he earned her offseason commitment.
After a few good starts in December and early January, Petty began a 10-game slump where the starting forward averaged 5.0 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. As Petty’s production shrunk, so did her minutes, taken by freshman center Elsa Lemmilä whose confidence began to soar.
Lemmilä averaged 6.8 minutes per game in the first six games of the Big Ten schedule, starting against Rutgers on Dec. 29. By Wednesday afternoon, Lemmilä’s role and production grew to 21 minutes per game where the center averaged 5.9 rebounds (almost two offensive rebounds per game) and 2.3 blocks per game. Ohio State didn’t have a high offensive output by the Finnish freshman, but the defensive gains and uncharacteristic calm for a first year player made the Buckeyes a better team when Lemmilä was on the court.
Then on Sunday, things changed. Out of seemingly nowhere, Petty showed signs that the slump was over. It began with a 12-point, 14-rebound double-double against the Purdue Boilermakers, although it felt like a game needing an asterisk with the West Lafayette side sitting in 16th place in the Big Ten on game day. Plus, the double-double came late in the game when Purdue was more than on the ropes, they were already one foot out of the Schottenstein Center, eventually falling by 52 points.
Combine the overwhelming edge the Buckeyes had over Purdue with the winter drought, and Petty needed to do more to prove that the slump was over. Wednesday put the slump out of the rearview mirror and showed that what was going on behind the scenes was working on the court.
“We had a little more specific conversation,” said McGuff. “Just making sure that she was focusing on what we were trying to do with her: rebound the heck out of the ball, play stout defense around the basket, simple, aggressive moves on offense. And, you know, maybe just crystallized for her.”
It more than crystallized against the Michigan State Spartans, the pressure formed a diamond. From the jump, Petty was the aggressor with eight quick points. In the second quarter, Petty scored nine more points plus eight rebounds (three on the offensive boards). In 13 first half minutes, Petty was already a rebound away from a double-double. Petty hit it quickly in the second half, grabbing a Buckeye season high 15 rebounds.
The graduate senior excelled against forward Grace Vanslooten, a former Oregon Duck star and AAU teammate of Chance Gray and Cotie McMahon. Combine Vanslooten with the play of stretch guard Julia Ayrault and the two combine for 14.5 rebounds per game, with Ayrault hauling in 7.7 per contest.
Against Ohio State, Vanslooten picked up nine, but Ayrault only grabbed three rebounds, all on the defensive end of the court. Petty out-dueled Ayrault with five offensive boards.
“She’s [Vanslooten] a really good player. I sat down and watched a lot of film on her. I was able to see what her different tendencies were,” said Petty. “Then I just went out there and jumped and tried to go grab some boards.”
Petty didn’t only rebound well, she also had a record shooting day, becoming only the third Ohio State player in program history to go perfect from the field with at least 10 shot attempts. Petty went 11-of-11, scoring 23 points. That put the forward near three-time All-American Jessica Davenport in the Scarlet and Gray history books.
The former Kentucky Wildcat gave all the glory to God for the enhanced shooting performance. On the court, Pretty didn’t hesitate on any shots. During the slump, Petty visibly second-guessed herself on shots. Hesitating before going for a basket or midrange shot. That either gave time for a defender to close in or Petty to get into her own head. Against the Spartans, Petty didn’t take time to think, just score.
For Petty’s struggles in some games this season, the results show that she is improving the Buckeyes on the boards. Petty’s six double-doubles are more than anyone has had on the team since the 20-21 season when Dorka Juhász had 12 in 17 games. Ohio State also has four Big Ten teams below them in rebounds per game this season, an improvement over being dead last in that department last year.
What about Lemmilä though? For all the freshman gains, continued play like Wednesday from Petty means less minutes. Does that mean less productivity and impact? Not exactly.
Lemmilä came into the game Wednesday and was a force on defense. The freshman tied her single game high with five blocks. Early in the season, Lemmilä attributed her five block game to playing a much shorter Ohio Bobcats team. Against Michigan State, it was against a 6-foot-3 McDonald's All-American in Vanslooten and a 6-foot-2 Ayrault. It began with a block where Lemmilä kept pace with Ayrault trying to score under the basket.
Against Vanslooten, Lemmilä blocked her four times. On one possession, Lemmilä blocked the forward twice within a few seconds after Vanslooten grabbed the loose ball on the first swat.
Petty and Lemmilä playing this way isn’t hampering one player or another. It’s making life difficult for opponents.
“The one thing I really like about it is, you know, last couple games, we’ve kind of seen what we’ve envisioned in terms of a little bit of a two-headed monster,” said McGuff. “Where you keep those two fresh and rotate them, and they can they can really wear on other teams post players.”
The two-head monster continues to devour opponents like they did against the No. 23 ranked Spartans, it makes an already dangerous defensive team even more frightening because the forced turnovers and steals aren’t going away. This edition of the Buckeyes is actually getting more steals than last year’s group led by guards Jacy Sheldon and Celeste Taylor.
Now the only question surrounding Petty and Lemmilä is can it continue Sunday against the Maryland Terrapins and beyond through the conference and NCAA tournaments?
Continue reading...
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State University athletic department
How Ajae Petty and Elsa Lemmilä showed what’s possible for Ohio State heading into the postseason.
For three seasons, Ohio State women’s basketball suffered from a vast inferiority inside the paint. Turnovers became the top means of earning extra possessions as the Buckeyes sat at or near the bottom of the conference in rebounding, which still paid dividends, and the Buckeyes won an outright regular season title and made it to the 2023 Elite Eight.
On Wednesday though, head coach Kevin McGuff’s offseason focus of improving in the post finally came to fruition, and showed what’s possible in the Big Ten Tournament and March Madness.
When the transfer portal opened, McGuff was focused on improving three-point shooting and adding size and rebounding inside the paint, landing on Kentucky forward Ajae Petty to fill the gap in the post.
Petty was one of only four players averaging a double-double in the SEC in the 2023-24 season, but the graduate senior got off to a slow start in scarlet and gray. On Thanksgiving week, the forward had a double-double against Old Dominion and nearly added a second in a row against the Utah State Aggies, showing the promise McGuff hoped when he earned her offseason commitment.
After a few good starts in December and early January, Petty began a 10-game slump where the starting forward averaged 5.0 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. As Petty’s production shrunk, so did her minutes, taken by freshman center Elsa Lemmilä whose confidence began to soar.
Lemmilä averaged 6.8 minutes per game in the first six games of the Big Ten schedule, starting against Rutgers on Dec. 29. By Wednesday afternoon, Lemmilä’s role and production grew to 21 minutes per game where the center averaged 5.9 rebounds (almost two offensive rebounds per game) and 2.3 blocks per game. Ohio State didn’t have a high offensive output by the Finnish freshman, but the defensive gains and uncharacteristic calm for a first year player made the Buckeyes a better team when Lemmilä was on the court.
Then on Sunday, things changed. Out of seemingly nowhere, Petty showed signs that the slump was over. It began with a 12-point, 14-rebound double-double against the Purdue Boilermakers, although it felt like a game needing an asterisk with the West Lafayette side sitting in 16th place in the Big Ten on game day. Plus, the double-double came late in the game when Purdue was more than on the ropes, they were already one foot out of the Schottenstein Center, eventually falling by 52 points.
Combine the overwhelming edge the Buckeyes had over Purdue with the winter drought, and Petty needed to do more to prove that the slump was over. Wednesday put the slump out of the rearview mirror and showed that what was going on behind the scenes was working on the court.
“We had a little more specific conversation,” said McGuff. “Just making sure that she was focusing on what we were trying to do with her: rebound the heck out of the ball, play stout defense around the basket, simple, aggressive moves on offense. And, you know, maybe just crystallized for her.”
It more than crystallized against the Michigan State Spartans, the pressure formed a diamond. From the jump, Petty was the aggressor with eight quick points. In the second quarter, Petty scored nine more points plus eight rebounds (three on the offensive boards). In 13 first half minutes, Petty was already a rebound away from a double-double. Petty hit it quickly in the second half, grabbing a Buckeye season high 15 rebounds.
The graduate senior excelled against forward Grace Vanslooten, a former Oregon Duck star and AAU teammate of Chance Gray and Cotie McMahon. Combine Vanslooten with the play of stretch guard Julia Ayrault and the two combine for 14.5 rebounds per game, with Ayrault hauling in 7.7 per contest.
Against Ohio State, Vanslooten picked up nine, but Ayrault only grabbed three rebounds, all on the defensive end of the court. Petty out-dueled Ayrault with five offensive boards.
“She’s [Vanslooten] a really good player. I sat down and watched a lot of film on her. I was able to see what her different tendencies were,” said Petty. “Then I just went out there and jumped and tried to go grab some boards.”
Petty didn’t only rebound well, she also had a record shooting day, becoming only the third Ohio State player in program history to go perfect from the field with at least 10 shot attempts. Petty went 11-of-11, scoring 23 points. That put the forward near three-time All-American Jessica Davenport in the Scarlet and Gray history books.
The name’s AP & the A stands for AUTOMATIC
All 11 of Petty’s baskets on full display @AjaePetty | #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/deGEhBRmMw
— Ohio State Women’s Basketball (@OhioStateWBB) February 27, 2025
The former Kentucky Wildcat gave all the glory to God for the enhanced shooting performance. On the court, Pretty didn’t hesitate on any shots. During the slump, Petty visibly second-guessed herself on shots. Hesitating before going for a basket or midrange shot. That either gave time for a defender to close in or Petty to get into her own head. Against the Spartans, Petty didn’t take time to think, just score.
For Petty’s struggles in some games this season, the results show that she is improving the Buckeyes on the boards. Petty’s six double-doubles are more than anyone has had on the team since the 20-21 season when Dorka Juhász had 12 in 17 games. Ohio State also has four Big Ten teams below them in rebounds per game this season, an improvement over being dead last in that department last year.
What about Lemmilä though? For all the freshman gains, continued play like Wednesday from Petty means less minutes. Does that mean less productivity and impact? Not exactly.
Lemmilä came into the game Wednesday and was a force on defense. The freshman tied her single game high with five blocks. Early in the season, Lemmilä attributed her five block game to playing a much shorter Ohio Bobcats team. Against Michigan State, it was against a 6-foot-3 McDonald's All-American in Vanslooten and a 6-foot-2 Ayrault. It began with a block where Lemmilä kept pace with Ayrault trying to score under the basket.
NOT IN ELSA'S HOUSEpic.twitter.com/zlrpe8ZxaM
— Ohio State Women’s Basketball (@OhioStateWBB) February 27, 2025
Against Vanslooten, Lemmilä blocked her four times. On one possession, Lemmilä blocked the forward twice within a few seconds after Vanslooten grabbed the loose ball on the first swat.
Petty and Lemmilä playing this way isn’t hampering one player or another. It’s making life difficult for opponents.
“The one thing I really like about it is, you know, last couple games, we’ve kind of seen what we’ve envisioned in terms of a little bit of a two-headed monster,” said McGuff. “Where you keep those two fresh and rotate them, and they can they can really wear on other teams post players.”
The two-head monster continues to devour opponents like they did against the No. 23 ranked Spartans, it makes an already dangerous defensive team even more frightening because the forced turnovers and steals aren’t going away. This edition of the Buckeyes is actually getting more steals than last year’s group led by guards Jacy Sheldon and Celeste Taylor.
Now the only question surrounding Petty and Lemmilä is can it continue Sunday against the Maryland Terrapins and beyond through the conference and NCAA tournaments?
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State makes the cut for a pair of top 2026 targets, will host a 2027 tight end in the coming weeks
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Ohio State makes the cut for a pair of top 2026 targets, will host a 2027 tight end in the coming weeks
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Buckeyes recruiting keeps on rolling during the offseason.
Thursday was another great day for marketing the Ohio State brand at the NFL Combine events, as the Buckeyes continued to steal the show with plenty of good vibes surrounding the 15 players invited.
The NFL is the end game and ultimate goal for most of the prized recruits, so seeing Ohio State have that much success both on the field and during their interview processes, it further proves the ‘Developed Here’ slogan by Ohio State is working at an all-time high.
As one of the premier programs in college football, Ohio State tends to find their name included when it comes to top recruits naming their top schools lists. A run that has no signs of slowing down, Thursday saw not just one, but two more top guys keep the Buckeyes in the mix when each of them trimmed their considerations down to a final group.
First on the board, four-star safety Jett Washington out of Bishop Gorman cut his list down to 11 schools remaining, and with 30 offers to his name, narrowing it down to less than half shows he’s on his way toward a decision.
The No. 23 player nationally and the second best safety in the 2026 class per the 247Sports Composite, Ohio State is hoping to bring in their top priorities at the position, and currently continue to sit well for multiple guys who fit that mold. Players like Bralan Womack and Blaine Bradford are atop of the leaderboard for the Buckeyes, but being in the mix for the top three safeties in the country is right where you want to be if you have a real shot.
Keeping Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, UNLV, Oregon, Penn State, USC, Texas, Texas A&M, and Ohio State all in the fold, the Buckeyes join several other heavy hitters to still be in the running. Again, Ohio State has every intention to land another Caleb Downs caliber safety, and 2026 looks like it could be the class to come the closest in doing so.
Next on the board, Ohio State also made the cut for IMG Academy product, Jake Kruel. Another high profile type player in the 2026 class, Kruel is currently the No. 35 player nationally and the fourth ranked edge rusher per the 247Sports Composite with an offer list spanning 50 programs, including every top school in the country.
At 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, Kruel has some growing to do, but seeing his film and list of schools with heavy interest tells you all you need to know regarding his high ranking. Cutting it down to a final dozen, removing nearly 40 schools from his considerations is impressive and shows he is well on his way to making a decision for where he will end up at the next level.
Including Colorado, Florida, Florida State, Miami, Michigan, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, and Ohio State in his list, it’s another group of many of the best schools in the country from a football standpoint and the Buckeyes will have no easy challenge. Fortunately, they’re fresh off the ultimate prize and did so with elite defensive line play which has to speak volumes to any impressionable recruit.
Unranked and currently without an offer to his name, Sams is 6-foot, 225 pound thumper that could very well start to gain some more interest in the coming months. Army, Indiana, and Kentucky look to be schools who have been in contact, but visits to Ohio State will help get his name more public.
Unranked right now on his 247Sports profile, Williams is a 6-foot-5, 210 pound athlete with offers from the likes of Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Penn State, USC, Tennessee, and several others in addition to Ohio State. When rankings are updated for his cycle, he’ll be among the top players at his position and one the Buckeyes will continue to be all over.
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
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Buckeyes recruiting keeps on rolling during the offseason.
Thursday was another great day for marketing the Ohio State brand at the NFL Combine events, as the Buckeyes continued to steal the show with plenty of good vibes surrounding the 15 players invited.
The NFL is the end game and ultimate goal for most of the prized recruits, so seeing Ohio State have that much success both on the field and during their interview processes, it further proves the ‘Developed Here’ slogan by Ohio State is working at an all-time high.
Ohio State makes the cut for a pair of top prospects
As one of the premier programs in college football, Ohio State tends to find their name included when it comes to top recruits naming their top schools lists. A run that has no signs of slowing down, Thursday saw not just one, but two more top guys keep the Buckeyes in the mix when each of them trimmed their considerations down to a final group.
First on the board, four-star safety Jett Washington out of Bishop Gorman cut his list down to 11 schools remaining, and with 30 offers to his name, narrowing it down to less than half shows he’s on his way toward a decision.
The No. 23 player nationally and the second best safety in the 2026 class per the 247Sports Composite, Ohio State is hoping to bring in their top priorities at the position, and currently continue to sit well for multiple guys who fit that mold. Players like Bralan Womack and Blaine Bradford are atop of the leaderboard for the Buckeyes, but being in the mix for the top three safeties in the country is right where you want to be if you have a real shot.
Keeping Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, UNLV, Oregon, Penn State, USC, Texas, Texas A&M, and Ohio State all in the fold, the Buckeyes join several other heavy hitters to still be in the running. Again, Ohio State has every intention to land another Caleb Downs caliber safety, and 2026 looks like it could be the class to come the closest in doing so.
NEWS: Elite 2026 Safety Jett Washington is down toSchools, he tells me for @on3recruits
The 6’4 205 S from Las Vegas, NV is ranked as the No. 1 Safety in the ‘26 Class (On3 Industry)
Where Should He Go? https://t.co/k42A6LqhBJ pic.twitter.com/WgJtJLQguB
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) February 27, 2025
Next on the board, Ohio State also made the cut for IMG Academy product, Jake Kruel. Another high profile type player in the 2026 class, Kruel is currently the No. 35 player nationally and the fourth ranked edge rusher per the 247Sports Composite with an offer list spanning 50 programs, including every top school in the country.
At 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, Kruel has some growing to do, but seeing his film and list of schools with heavy interest tells you all you need to know regarding his high ranking. Cutting it down to a final dozen, removing nearly 40 schools from his considerations is impressive and shows he is well on his way to making a decision for where he will end up at the next level.
Including Colorado, Florida, Florida State, Miami, Michigan, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, and Ohio State in his list, it’s another group of many of the best schools in the country from a football standpoint and the Buckeyes will have no easy challenge. Fortunately, they’re fresh off the ultimate prize and did so with elite defensive line play which has to speak volumes to any impressionable recruit.
NEWS: Four-Star EDGE Jake Kreul is down toSchools, he tells me for @on3recruits
The 6’3 235 EDGE from Orlando, FL is ranked as one of the Top EDGEs in the ‘26 Class
Where Should He Go? https://t.co/GovI29JzXI pic.twitter.com/o02cyNucgC
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) February 27, 2025
Quick Hits
- Another day and another opportunity to share more names regarding upcoming visit plans, Ohio State will play host to in-state linebacker Landen Sams on March 24 for an unofficial visit.
Unranked and currently without an offer to his name, Sams is 6-foot, 225 pound thumper that could very well start to gain some more interest in the coming months. Army, Indiana, and Kentucky look to be schools who have been in contact, but visits to Ohio State will help get his name more public.
I will be at THE Ohio State University March 24th for a spring practice and an unofficial visit @CSAPrepStar @SWiltfong_ @mickdwalker @AllenTrieu @gccs_athletics @ramoneconley @ryandaytime @JLaurinaitis55 @Bucknuts247 @adamgorney pic.twitter.com/zq664H5jaq
— Landen Sams 3️ (@landensams15) February 27, 2025
- One more name worth sharing with upcoming plans to see Ohio State, 2027 tight end target, Brock Williams (Libertyville, IL/Libertyville) will be on campus April 5.
Unranked right now on his 247Sports profile, Williams is a 6-foot-5, 210 pound athlete with offers from the likes of Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Penn State, USC, Tennessee, and several others in addition to Ohio State. When rankings are updated for his cycle, he’ll be among the top players at his position and one the Buckeyes will continue to be all over.
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LGHL Uncut: Cambridge talks respect, Petty discusses perfect shooting night
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Uncut: Cambridge talks respect, Petty discusses perfect shooting night
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 Jason Mowry/Getty Images
Coach Kevin McGuff also talks the double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament and what he calls a one-two punch on his roster.
Throughout the year, Land-Grant Holy Land will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
The No. 12 Ohio State women’s basketball team played its final home game of the regular season on Wednesday, welcoming the No. 23 Michigan State Spartans. It was a chance for the Buckeyes to go undefeated at home for the 2024-25 season, secure an important quad one win for NCAA Tournament consideration and secure a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament.
Ohio State built up a 20-point lead in the third quarter and defeated the Spartans 89-78. Following the win, head coach Kevin McGuff, guard Jaloni Cambridge and forward Ajae Petty spoke with the media.
McGuff talked about the performance being the closest his team has come to a 40-point performance, controlling a vast majority of the game. He also commented on the 33-point night for Cambridge and Petty going a perfect 11-of-11 from the floor in the win.
After Coach McGuff, Cambridge and Petty took to the media table, fielding questions about Petty’s double-double, how the forward’s worked with assistant coaches to improve her inside game and Cambridge was open about feeling disrespected by the Spartans, and how she chose to respond.
That and more on the latest “Uncut.”
Connect with Thomas:
Bluesky: @ThomasCostello
Twitter: @1ThomasCostello
Theme music provided by www.bensound.com
Continue reading...
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 Jason Mowry/Getty Images
Coach Kevin McGuff also talks the double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament and what he calls a one-two punch on his roster.
Throughout the year, Land-Grant Holy Land will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
The No. 12 Ohio State women’s basketball team played its final home game of the regular season on Wednesday, welcoming the No. 23 Michigan State Spartans. It was a chance for the Buckeyes to go undefeated at home for the 2024-25 season, secure an important quad one win for NCAA Tournament consideration and secure a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament.
Ohio State built up a 20-point lead in the third quarter and defeated the Spartans 89-78. Following the win, head coach Kevin McGuff, guard Jaloni Cambridge and forward Ajae Petty spoke with the media.
McGuff talked about the performance being the closest his team has come to a 40-point performance, controlling a vast majority of the game. He also commented on the 33-point night for Cambridge and Petty going a perfect 11-of-11 from the floor in the win.
After Coach McGuff, Cambridge and Petty took to the media table, fielding questions about Petty’s double-double, how the forward’s worked with assistant coaches to improve her inside game and Cambridge was open about feeling disrespected by the Spartans, and how she chose to respond.
That and more on the latest “Uncut.”
Connect with Thomas:
Bluesky: @ThomasCostello
Twitter: @1ThomasCostello
Theme music provided by www.bensound.com
Continue reading...
LGHL Freshman Jaloni Cambridge teaches Michigan State a lesson in respect
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Freshman Jaloni Cambridge teaches Michigan State a lesson in respect
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 Jason Mowry/Getty Images
Tension in the matchup turned into a career night for the freshman, sending a message to B1G upperclassmen
Life is about growth. For a freshman in college basketball, there’s a lot of it from trying to adjust to the college game, play against the best players in the country, and learning to choose your battles. On Wednesday night, freshman point guard Jaloni Cambridge wasn’t learning — she was teaching.
Ohio State women’s basketball welcomed the Michigan State Spartans to Columbus in a game full of intrigue. From former teammates Chance Gray and Grace Vanslooten playing against each other for the first time to the return of former Ohio State bench guard Emma Shumate, who left the program in the summer for an in-conference transfer.
Gameplay-wise, the defense was the area of focus for those interested only in on-court drama. The Buckeyes, who lead the conference in forcing turnovers and steals, played the second-place team sitting near them in both categories. It was two full-court pressing teams who frustrate opponents. The thought being that whichever side was the least frustrated would come away as the victors.
It looked like one way the Spartans hoped to achieve their desired result was to make the night difficult for Cambridge. Michigan State senior forward Jocelyn Tate and junior guard Theryn Hallock didn’t give the freshman much rest, and tried playing with more physicality to leverage their experience over Cambridge — it did not work.
The Michigan State Spartans didn’t only leave Columbus with a double-digit defeat, they took with them a clear message that Cambridge isn’t a player easily rattled.
Cambridge delivered that message with her play on the court, scoring 33 points, which is a new career high for the first-year point guard. In the third quarter, Cambridge let them know that their strategy wasn’t effective when she went up for a layup, got fouled by Tate, and Cambridge stood there and stared. It’s a reaction that Cambridge has shown in past games, but this one meant something.
“I give the same energy back that people give to me. If you’re going to do something to me, I’m going to give it right back,” said Cambridge. “I don’t start anything. You’ll never see me start anything.”
It was a big moment in an important game for both sides. For Ohio State, they could clinch a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament and solidify their chances of hosting early rounds of March Madness. For Michigan State, it kept them in the running for a top-four spot in the conference for tournament seeding.
The second half of the game was chippier than the first, with the two sides combining for 24 fouls and the refs calling 15 of them on the Buckeyes. So, the ref approached Cambridge on the stare that didn’t follow Tate necessarily, but the message was sent. Cambridge didn’t get a foul called for the reaction, but had to defend herself, throwing her hands up and telling the referee “I didn’t do nothing!”
What Michigan State didn’t do was stop Cambridge, scoring 14 points in the stare-down quarter and going 3-of-3 from beyond the arc in the process.
“Just because I’m a freshman doesn’t mean I’m a baby,” Cambridge said. “I’ve been around basketball for a long time. At the end of the day, I feel like I deserve the respect.”
In the fourth quarter, Michigan State ramped up their full court defense and sent two defenders to Cambridge on every inbound pass. Despite Cambridge getting knocked down twice on inbounds, a foul wasn’t called against the Spartans, but none of the times ended with Cambridge giving the ball away.
On the other end, the Spartans picked up foul after foul. The visitor’s last six points of the game were free throws, and the first two of those six cut the Ohio State deficit to seven points when the quarter began with a 20-point advantage for the home side. Cambridge responded with four of Ohio State’s final eight to put the game away.
“I do think some of those calls, they were just kind of giving to them. But we played through it,” said Cambridge. “We didn’t let the ref get in our head. We kept fighting to the end of the game.”
Cambridge ran into early season knocks, taking big contact and hurting her shoulder and hip in the process, but quickly adjusted and emerged as the Buckeyes’ number one offensive weapon.
The guard’s performance against Michigan State was a level that Ohio State had not seen from her this season. Sure, Cambridge has two 29-point games already in Big Ten play, but the strategy of rattling the guard backfired in a big way. It brought out a different level. A level the Spartans aren’t likely to forget.
Continue reading...
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 Jason Mowry/Getty Images
Tension in the matchup turned into a career night for the freshman, sending a message to B1G upperclassmen
Life is about growth. For a freshman in college basketball, there’s a lot of it from trying to adjust to the college game, play against the best players in the country, and learning to choose your battles. On Wednesday night, freshman point guard Jaloni Cambridge wasn’t learning — she was teaching.
Ohio State women’s basketball welcomed the Michigan State Spartans to Columbus in a game full of intrigue. From former teammates Chance Gray and Grace Vanslooten playing against each other for the first time to the return of former Ohio State bench guard Emma Shumate, who left the program in the summer for an in-conference transfer.
Gameplay-wise, the defense was the area of focus for those interested only in on-court drama. The Buckeyes, who lead the conference in forcing turnovers and steals, played the second-place team sitting near them in both categories. It was two full-court pressing teams who frustrate opponents. The thought being that whichever side was the least frustrated would come away as the victors.
It looked like one way the Spartans hoped to achieve their desired result was to make the night difficult for Cambridge. Michigan State senior forward Jocelyn Tate and junior guard Theryn Hallock didn’t give the freshman much rest, and tried playing with more physicality to leverage their experience over Cambridge — it did not work.
The Michigan State Spartans didn’t only leave Columbus with a double-digit defeat, they took with them a clear message that Cambridge isn’t a player easily rattled.
Cambridge delivered that message with her play on the court, scoring 33 points, which is a new career high for the first-year point guard. In the third quarter, Cambridge let them know that their strategy wasn’t effective when she went up for a layup, got fouled by Tate, and Cambridge stood there and stared. It’s a reaction that Cambridge has shown in past games, but this one meant something.
“I give the same energy back that people give to me. If you’re going to do something to me, I’m going to give it right back,” said Cambridge. “I don’t start anything. You’ll never see me start anything.”
It was a big moment in an important game for both sides. For Ohio State, they could clinch a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament and solidify their chances of hosting early rounds of March Madness. For Michigan State, it kept them in the running for a top-four spot in the conference for tournament seeding.
The second half of the game was chippier than the first, with the two sides combining for 24 fouls and the refs calling 15 of them on the Buckeyes. So, the ref approached Cambridge on the stare that didn’t follow Tate necessarily, but the message was sent. Cambridge didn’t get a foul called for the reaction, but had to defend herself, throwing her hands up and telling the referee “I didn’t do nothing!”
What Michigan State didn’t do was stop Cambridge, scoring 14 points in the stare-down quarter and going 3-of-3 from beyond the arc in the process.
“Just because I’m a freshman doesn’t mean I’m a baby,” Cambridge said. “I’ve been around basketball for a long time. At the end of the day, I feel like I deserve the respect.”
In the fourth quarter, Michigan State ramped up their full court defense and sent two defenders to Cambridge on every inbound pass. Despite Cambridge getting knocked down twice on inbounds, a foul wasn’t called against the Spartans, but none of the times ended with Cambridge giving the ball away.
On the other end, the Spartans picked up foul after foul. The visitor’s last six points of the game were free throws, and the first two of those six cut the Ohio State deficit to seven points when the quarter began with a 20-point advantage for the home side. Cambridge responded with four of Ohio State’s final eight to put the game away.
“I do think some of those calls, they were just kind of giving to them. But we played through it,” said Cambridge. “We didn’t let the ref get in our head. We kept fighting to the end of the game.”
Cambridge ran into early season knocks, taking big contact and hurting her shoulder and hip in the process, but quickly adjusted and emerged as the Buckeyes’ number one offensive weapon.
The guard’s performance against Michigan State was a level that Ohio State had not seen from her this season. Sure, Cambridge has two 29-point games already in Big Ten play, but the strategy of rattling the guard backfired in a big way. It brought out a different level. A level the Spartans aren’t likely to forget.
Continue reading...
