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LGHL Bucketheads Podcast: Joe Jackson joins to preview Big Ten Tournament, Ohio State’s path
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Bucketheads Podcast: Joe Jackson joins to preview Big Ten Tournament, Ohio State’s path
justingolba 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
We preview the entire Big Ten Tournament, talk about Ohio State’s path to the NCAA Tournament, and recap the Indiana game.
“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. In every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in college hoops.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
We are back for episode 153 of the Bucketheads Podcast, and it is conference tournament time. We had to bring in the bug guns for this one, so Connor and Justin were joined by Joe Jackson of Feed the Post as a third mic for a full preview of the Big Ten Tournament.
Before we do that, we discuss the Indiana loss and what went wrong down the stretch. How did Indiana dominate Ohio State on the glass, and does Jake Diebler run offensive sets? The answer may surprise you, especially out of timeouts.
To close, Joe gives us some rapid-fire predictions for the Big Ten and NCAA Tournaments.
Remember to like and subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen, leave a comment, and review!
Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Connect with Joe:
Twitter: @joejacksonCBB
Continue reading...
justingolba 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
We preview the entire Big Ten Tournament, talk about Ohio State’s path to the NCAA Tournament, and recap the Indiana game.
“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. In every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in college hoops.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
We are back for episode 153 of the Bucketheads Podcast, and it is conference tournament time. We had to bring in the bug guns for this one, so Connor and Justin were joined by Joe Jackson of Feed the Post as a third mic for a full preview of the Big Ten Tournament.
Before we do that, we discuss the Indiana loss and what went wrong down the stretch. How did Indiana dominate Ohio State on the glass, and does Jake Diebler run offensive sets? The answer may surprise you, especially out of timeouts.
To close, Joe gives us some rapid-fire predictions for the Big Ten and NCAA Tournaments.
Remember to like and subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen, leave a comment, and review!
Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Connect with Joe:
Twitter: @joejacksonCBB
Continue reading...
LGHL BOOM!!! Four-star OL Maxwell Riley commits to Ohio State
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- 0 Replies
BOOM!!! Four-star OL Maxwell Riley commits to Ohio State
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2026 four-star offensive tackle Maxwell Riley | via @bigmax2026 on Twitter
Ohio State earned its fifth commitment in the 2026 recruiting class — and at a position of great need.
BOOM!!!
Ohio State kicked off the week with some fireworks, as the Buckeyes earned a commitment from 2026 four-star offensive lineman Maxwell Riley (Avon Lake, OH / Avon Lake).
Riley has long been a priority recruit for Ohio State, as he checks a lot of boxes the coaching staff looks for. Ryan Day has placed a focus on keeping Ohio’s best recruits in the state, and not only is Riley an in-state talent, he also plays one of the biggest priority position for the Buckeyes in this recruiting cycle.
Ohio State offered him in March two years ago following a spring practice, and almost exactly two years later, he announced his commitment to the Buckeyes.
Riley is now the fifth member of the Ohio State 2026 recruiting class, and the Buckeyes now sit at No. 20 in the 247Sports Class Rankings. He had an impressive offer list, and in the summer he narrowed down his list of suitor to seven. His list included Ohio State, Clemson, Alabama, Oklahoma, Missouri, Michigan State and Florida State.
Ohio State was able to get him on campus multiple times in the two years it recruited him, and those visits allowed the Ohio State coaching staff to develop a strong relationship with him, which is what kept him in Ohio. New position coach Tyler Bowen was then able to seal the deal.
Riley is the No. 9 OT in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 114 overall recruit. He is also the No 4 recruit from Ohio.
Spring is in the air in Columbus, Ohio. Temperatures are warmer, it is lighter out later and Ohio State spring practices are now less than a week away. Spring may start earlier for the Ohio State football team than the rest of us, but it is later than usual for the Buckeyes following a championship season.
With the late start and combined with a recruiting dead period, the last few weeks have felt quiet for Ohio State football news. This will all end soon as the dead period will soon be lifted and players, coaches and recruits will be hitting the practice field.
Recruits have been scheduling spring and summer visits leading up to spring practices and Monday was no different as another group of recruits scheduled upcoming visits with the Ohio State football team.
One of those recruits is 2026 four-star safety Donovan Webb (Frisco, TX / Panther Creek). The rising safety prospect has seen his stock rise in recent months and his offer sheet proves it. Webb has received well over 30 scholarship offers from some of the best programs in the nation, including Ohio State.
With the recent rise in his recruitment, Webb announced his scheduled official visits and Ohio State will be one of them.
Ohio State will be hosting him on his official visit on May 30, but they are obviously not alone. Webb has official visits scheduled with Texas Tech, TCU, Baylor, SMU, Kansas State, Michigan, LSU and Oklahoma.
Webb is the No. 25 safety and the No. 296 overall prospect in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and he will likely see his ranking increase even further in the next update.
Another player to scheduling an upcoming visit with Ohio State is 2027 five-star wide receiver Dakota Guerrant (Harper Woods, MI / Harper Woods). The Michigan native is one of the top recruits in next year’s class and because of this, his recruitment has already taken off.
Despite only playing high school football for two seasons, Guerrant has received more than 30 scholarship offers already. Monday he released his upcoming spring visits and he will be at Ohio State later this month on March 24.
Ohio State will not be the only school he visits, as he is one of the top recruits in the country. Guerrant also has visits lined up with his home state school Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, Tennessee and Oregon.
Guerrant is seemingly mainly focusing on Big Ten schools at least in the spring, so a good visit with the Buckeyes could go a long way if they do not want to have to play against him every year. Heis the No. 4 WR in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 22 overall recruit. He is also the No. 2 recruit out of Michigan.
Also adding his name to Ohio State’s spring visitor list was 2026 four-star edge Asharri Charles (Venice, FL / Venice) who is scheduled to make the trip to Columbus March 29.
Charles is another recruit who has seen his stock rise the last few months. Because of this, he also has an impressive offer sheet and it shows with his upcoming visit schedule. Charles has spring visits scheduled with LSU, Miami, Texas A&M, Colorado and Penn State.
It should also be said, Charles also has official visits scheduled, although they are in the summer and could change before they begin. His official visits are scheduled with Missouri, Louisville, Kentucky and Miami. The Hurricanes are the only school he currently has two visits scheduled with and it could be tough to convince him to leave his home state of Florida. A solid visit in Columbus has been known to go a long way before though.
Charles is the No. 20 edge in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and he is the No. 213 overall prospect. He is also the No. 32 recruit from the talent-rich state of Florida.
Continue reading...
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2026 four-star offensive tackle Maxwell Riley | via @bigmax2026 on Twitter
Ohio State earned its fifth commitment in the 2026 recruiting class — and at a position of great need.
BOOM!!!
Ohio State kicked off the week with some fireworks, as the Buckeyes earned a commitment from 2026 four-star offensive lineman Maxwell Riley (Avon Lake, OH / Avon Lake).
Riley has long been a priority recruit for Ohio State, as he checks a lot of boxes the coaching staff looks for. Ryan Day has placed a focus on keeping Ohio’s best recruits in the state, and not only is Riley an in-state talent, he also plays one of the biggest priority position for the Buckeyes in this recruiting cycle.
Ohio State offered him in March two years ago following a spring practice, and almost exactly two years later, he announced his commitment to the Buckeyes.
Riley is now the fifth member of the Ohio State 2026 recruiting class, and the Buckeyes now sit at No. 20 in the 247Sports Class Rankings. He had an impressive offer list, and in the summer he narrowed down his list of suitor to seven. His list included Ohio State, Clemson, Alabama, Oklahoma, Missouri, Michigan State and Florida State.
Ohio State was able to get him on campus multiple times in the two years it recruited him, and those visits allowed the Ohio State coaching staff to develop a strong relationship with him, which is what kept him in Ohio. New position coach Tyler Bowen was then able to seal the deal.
Riley is the No. 9 OT in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 114 overall recruit. He is also the No 4 recruit from Ohio.
Ohio State adds to spring visitor list
Spring is in the air in Columbus, Ohio. Temperatures are warmer, it is lighter out later and Ohio State spring practices are now less than a week away. Spring may start earlier for the Ohio State football team than the rest of us, but it is later than usual for the Buckeyes following a championship season.
With the late start and combined with a recruiting dead period, the last few weeks have felt quiet for Ohio State football news. This will all end soon as the dead period will soon be lifted and players, coaches and recruits will be hitting the practice field.
Recruits have been scheduling spring and summer visits leading up to spring practices and Monday was no different as another group of recruits scheduled upcoming visits with the Ohio State football team.
One of those recruits is 2026 four-star safety Donovan Webb (Frisco, TX / Panther Creek). The rising safety prospect has seen his stock rise in recent months and his offer sheet proves it. Webb has received well over 30 scholarship offers from some of the best programs in the nation, including Ohio State.
With the recent rise in his recruitment, Webb announced his scheduled official visits and Ohio State will be one of them.
Ohio State will be hosting him on his official visit on May 30, but they are obviously not alone. Webb has official visits scheduled with Texas Tech, TCU, Baylor, SMU, Kansas State, Michigan, LSU and Oklahoma.
Webb is the No. 25 safety and the No. 296 overall prospect in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and he will likely see his ranking increase even further in the next update.
Another player to scheduling an upcoming visit with Ohio State is 2027 five-star wide receiver Dakota Guerrant (Harper Woods, MI / Harper Woods). The Michigan native is one of the top recruits in next year’s class and because of this, his recruitment has already taken off.
Despite only playing high school football for two seasons, Guerrant has received more than 30 scholarship offers already. Monday he released his upcoming spring visits and he will be at Ohio State later this month on March 24.
Ohio State will not be the only school he visits, as he is one of the top recruits in the country. Guerrant also has visits lined up with his home state school Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, Tennessee and Oregon.
Guerrant is seemingly mainly focusing on Big Ten schools at least in the spring, so a good visit with the Buckeyes could go a long way if they do not want to have to play against him every year. Heis the No. 4 WR in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 22 overall recruit. He is also the No. 2 recruit out of Michigan.
Also adding his name to Ohio State’s spring visitor list was 2026 four-star edge Asharri Charles (Venice, FL / Venice) who is scheduled to make the trip to Columbus March 29.
Charles is another recruit who has seen his stock rise the last few months. Because of this, he also has an impressive offer sheet and it shows with his upcoming visit schedule. Charles has spring visits scheduled with LSU, Miami, Texas A&M, Colorado and Penn State.
It should also be said, Charles also has official visits scheduled, although they are in the summer and could change before they begin. His official visits are scheduled with Missouri, Louisville, Kentucky and Miami. The Hurricanes are the only school he currently has two visits scheduled with and it could be tough to convince him to leave his home state of Florida. A solid visit in Columbus has been known to go a long way before though.
Charles is the No. 20 edge in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and he is the No. 213 overall prospect. He is also the No. 32 recruit from the talent-rich state of Florida.
Continue reading...
LGHL No. 1 LB schedules Ohio State visit, five-star RB puts Buckeyes in top six
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No. 1 LB schedules Ohio State visit, five-star RB puts Buckeyes in top six
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2027 LB/S Cooper Witten | Via @CooperWitten_ on Twitter
Catch up on the latest Ohio State recruiting happenings.
We are exactly one week away from the start of Ohio State’s spring practice schedule, with the Buckeyes getting a later start than usual this year after their national championship season lasted well into January. Getting to hear from Ryan Day and his new-look staff last week, we are deep in the heat of the college football news cycle even despite what the calendar says.
With the players returning to the practice field and the NCAA dead period giving way to a quiet period — where recruits are allowed to have in-person contact with coaches on-campus — the recruiting world is about to get a lot busier. For Ohio State, that means a bunch of the nation’s top prospects flocking to Columbus to watch the defending champs prep for the 2025 season.
One of those guests will be five-star linebacker/safety Cooper Witten, the son of 11-time NFL Pro Bowler, Jason Witten. The Texas native plays multiple positions at Liberty Christian, and is listed as the No. 1 safety and No. 24 player overall in the 2027 class, per the 247Sports Composite, while On3 has him as the No. 1 linebacker and No. 21 player nationally.
Witten has a busy spring ahead of him with visits all across the country, but he is slated to see Ohio State on March 21, right after rival Michigan and before national title runner-up Notre Dame. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound defender is yet to receive an offer from the Buckeyes, but it would not be surprising to see him leave Columbus with one in hand from James Laurinaitis, as Witten likely projects as a linebacker at the next level.
The Buckeyes are also slated to receive a trio of visits from four-star 2026 safety, Simeon Caldwell. The Florida native ranks as the No. 7 safety and the No. 95 overall prospect per the 247Sports Composite, as is notably the nephew of Ohio State co-defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach, Tim Walton.
The Buckeyes offered Caldwell in January 2024, and there is clearly mutual interest between himself and the program. The 6-foot-2 defensive back will be at Ohio State twice during spring practice, on March 29 and April 12, and then again for an official visit at the end of June. Caldwell has already been to Columbus several times, including for a game day visit this past fall, and is also teammates with 2026 OSU tight end commit, Corbyn Fordham.
Elsewhere, Ohio State made the short list for one of the country’s top running backs. Ezavier Crowell, the No. 2 RB and No. 28 player overall in the 2026 class per the 247Sports Composite, hails from Jackson, Alabama as the No. 2 player in the state. Cutting his list down from nearly three dozen offers to a final six, the Buckeyes made the cut alongside Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Georgia and Texas.
Crowell is coming off a huge junior season, rushing for just under 2,000 yards with 31 touchdowns on 11.7 yards per carry, adding another 250 yards and two scores through the air. The Buckeyes had success in Alabama in the 2025 class with commitments from Zion Grady and Turbo Rogers, and will look to parlay that success with Crowell. The 5-foot-11, 205-pound tailback has official visits scheduled with all five of his other finalists, but not yet with Ohio State.
Continue reading...
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2027 LB/S Cooper Witten | Via @CooperWitten_ on Twitter
Catch up on the latest Ohio State recruiting happenings.
We are exactly one week away from the start of Ohio State’s spring practice schedule, with the Buckeyes getting a later start than usual this year after their national championship season lasted well into January. Getting to hear from Ryan Day and his new-look staff last week, we are deep in the heat of the college football news cycle even despite what the calendar says.
With the players returning to the practice field and the NCAA dead period giving way to a quiet period — where recruits are allowed to have in-person contact with coaches on-campus — the recruiting world is about to get a lot busier. For Ohio State, that means a bunch of the nation’s top prospects flocking to Columbus to watch the defending champs prep for the 2025 season.
One of those guests will be five-star linebacker/safety Cooper Witten, the son of 11-time NFL Pro Bowler, Jason Witten. The Texas native plays multiple positions at Liberty Christian, and is listed as the No. 1 safety and No. 24 player overall in the 2027 class, per the 247Sports Composite, while On3 has him as the No. 1 linebacker and No. 21 player nationally.
NEWS 2027 No. 1 LB Cooper Witten has locked in multiple spring visits, @MikeTSinger reports
Cooper is the son of 11-time Pro Bowler Jason Witten.
Read: https://t.co/x0Z65DrHGs pic.twitter.com/6S1D2kmpvC
— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) March 6, 2025
Witten has a busy spring ahead of him with visits all across the country, but he is slated to see Ohio State on March 21, right after rival Michigan and before national title runner-up Notre Dame. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound defender is yet to receive an offer from the Buckeyes, but it would not be surprising to see him leave Columbus with one in hand from James Laurinaitis, as Witten likely projects as a linebacker at the next level.
The Buckeyes are also slated to receive a trio of visits from four-star 2026 safety, Simeon Caldwell. The Florida native ranks as the No. 7 safety and the No. 95 overall prospect per the 247Sports Composite, as is notably the nephew of Ohio State co-defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach, Tim Walton.
NEWS: Four-Star Safety Simeon Caldwell has locked inSpring Visits &
The 6’2 195 S from Jacksonville, FL is ranked as a Top 95 Recruit in the ‘26 Class (per On3)https://t.co/63e0JszfVM pic.twitter.com/8St210VsTN
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) March 7, 2025
The Buckeyes offered Caldwell in January 2024, and there is clearly mutual interest between himself and the program. The 6-foot-2 defensive back will be at Ohio State twice during spring practice, on March 29 and April 12, and then again for an official visit at the end of June. Caldwell has already been to Columbus several times, including for a game day visit this past fall, and is also teammates with 2026 OSU tight end commit, Corbyn Fordham.
Elsewhere, Ohio State made the short list for one of the country’s top running backs. Ezavier Crowell, the No. 2 RB and No. 28 player overall in the 2026 class per the 247Sports Composite, hails from Jackson, Alabama as the No. 2 player in the state. Cutting his list down from nearly three dozen offers to a final six, the Buckeyes made the cut alongside Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Georgia and Texas.
NEWS: Elite 2026 RB Ezavier Crowell is down toSchools, he tells me for @on3recruits
The 5’11 215 RB from Jackson, AL is ranked as the No. 2 RB in the ‘26 Class (per On3)
Where Should He Go? https://t.co/NmTdrWFgnN pic.twitter.com/hnFPKKBJfI
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) March 6, 2025
Crowell is coming off a huge junior season, rushing for just under 2,000 yards with 31 touchdowns on 11.7 yards per carry, adding another 250 yards and two scores through the air. The Buckeyes had success in Alabama in the 2025 class with commitments from Zion Grady and Turbo Rogers, and will look to parlay that success with Crowell. The 5-foot-11, 205-pound tailback has official visits scheduled with all five of his other finalists, but not yet with Ohio State.
Quick Hits
- Not all good news this past weekend, four-star offensive lineman and Ohio native Adam Guthrie committed to Clemson. Guthrie, the No. 20 OT and No. 10 player in Ohio in the 2026 class, still has an official visit scheduled with the Buckeyes for June 6. While they are now well behind the eight-ball, maybe new position coach Tyler Bowen can find a way to get Ohio State back in the conversation in the coming months.
Continue reading...
B1G MBT, #10 Ohio State vs #15 Iowa, Wednesday, 12 March @ ≈ 6 PM ET, Peacock
- By ScriptOhio
- Buckeye Basketball
- 71 Replies
The Game 1 will start at 3:30 ET and Ohio state /Iowa (i.e. Game 2) will start 25 minutes after the conclusion of Game 1.
hawkeyesports.com
The 15th-seeded University of Iowa men’s basketball team will face 10th-seeded Ohio State in the opening round of the 2025 TIAA Big Ten Tournament on Wednesday at approximately 5 p.m. (CT) from Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The game will be streamed on Peacock.
FOLLOW LIVE
TV: Wednesday’s game will be streamed on Peacock with Paul Burmeister (play-by-play), Robbie Hummel (color) and Nicole Auerbach (sideline) on the call.
OPENING TIP
• The 15th-seeded Hawkeyes open Big Ten Tournament play against 10th-seeded Ohio State on Wednesday in Indianapolis. It is the third straight year the two teams have squared off in the tournament.
• Iowa earned the final spot in the tournament field with an 83-68 road win at Nebraska on March 9. The Hawkeyes swept the season series over the Huskers for the first time since 2014-15.
• Senior Payton Sandfort surpassed 1,500 career points against Washington on Feb. 22 and is currently 13th in career scoring (1,572) and third in career 3-pointers (261). He is one 3-pointer behind Jeff Horner for second place on Iowa’s all-time list.
• Sandfort is the second Hawkeye all-time with 1,500+ points, 500+ rebounds and 250+ 3-pointers.
• In the 10 games without injured forward Owen Freeman, Payton Sandfort (16.7) and Dix (15.9) are combining to average 32.6 points and 11.1 rebounds per game.
• Sophomore Pryce Sandfort is Iowa’s third-leading scorer during the stretch, averaging 10 points per contest. Sandfort posted his first career double-double (16 points, 11 rebounds) in the road win at Nebraska on March 9.
• Payton Sandfort and Dix combined for 50 points against No. 7 Purdue on Feb. 4, 46 points in the Feb. 12 road win at Rutgers, 44 points in the two-point loss to Oregon on Feb. 19 and 42 points in the win over Washington.
• Iowa is second in the Big Ten and 16th nationally, averaging 82.3 points per game. The Hawkeyes have the second-best field goal (.486) and effective field goal percentage (.563) in the league. The team has averaged 80+ points in five consecutive seasons -- the longest stretch in program history.
• Sandfort has scored 20+ nine times in the last 17 games, giving him a team-best 13 20+ point games this season. The Hawkeyes are 9-4 this season when Sandfort goes for 20+ points.
• The Hawkeyes have made at least eight 3-point field goals in 26 games, including 10+ in 14 contests -- the most in a season since 2021-22. Iowa is second in the Big Ten (33rd nationally), averaging 9.7 per game. Iowa is 11-3 when making 10+ 3s.
• Iowa is leading the Big Ten in assists (18.3, 4th in NCAA) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.85, 2nd in NCAA). The team has had 20+ assists in nine games. The Hawkeyes have had fewer than 10 turnovers in six of their last nine games.
SCOUTING OHIO STATE
• The Buckeyes finished the regular season with a 17-14 overall record and finished 10th in league play with a 9-11 mark. Ohio State lost four of its final six games and went 4-6 in its final 10 games.
• Ohio State has four players averaging in double figures with Bruce Thornton leading the team in scoring (17.5), assists (4.5) and steals (1.1). The guard has splits of .497/.426/.846 on the year and has the best assist-to-turnover ratio (3.23) in the Big Ten (seventh nationally).
• Devin Royal (13.6), Micah Parrish (13.2) and John Mobley, Jr. (13.2) also average in double digits. Royal also leads the team in rebounding (6.9), while Mobley has a team-high 75 3s.
• The Buckeyes have the second-best 3-point field goal defense (.301), which ranks 14th nationally. Opponents make an average of 6.5 3s per game.
• Ohio State averages 79.1 points per game, while surrendering 73.4. The Buckeyes average 8.3 3-point field goals and shoot 46.7 percent as a team.
SERIES HISTORY
• Wednesday’s game is the 172nd meeting in the all-time series between Iowa and Ohio State, dating back to 1915. The Buckeyes lead 86-85.
• The Buckeyes have won two straight over Iowa, including an 82-65 win in Columbus on Jan. 27. It is the first time Ohio State has won consecutive games over the Hawkeyes since the 2017-18 season. The two teams have split the last 20 meetings.
• Ohio State downed Iowa,90-78, in the 2024 Big Ten Tournament in Minneapolis and 83-75 at the 2023 Big Ten Tournament in Chicago.
• Iowa is 2-5 all-time against the Buckeyes in the Big Ten Tournament, including a 67-60 win in the championship game in 2006.
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MBB Preview \\ vs. Ohio State \\ Big Ten Tournament
MBB Preview \\ vs. Ohio State \\ Big Ten Tournament
The 15th-seeded Iowa men’s basketball team will face 10th-seeded Ohio State in the opening round of the 2025 TIAA Big Ten Tournament on Wednesday at approximately 5 p.m. (CT) from Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The game will be streamed on Peacock.The 15th-seeded University of Iowa men’s basketball team will face 10th-seeded Ohio State in the opening round of the 2025 TIAA Big Ten Tournament on Wednesday at approximately 5 p.m. (CT) from Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The game will be streamed on Peacock.
FOLLOW LIVE
TV: Wednesday’s game will be streamed on Peacock with Paul Burmeister (play-by-play), Robbie Hummel (color) and Nicole Auerbach (sideline) on the call.
OPENING TIP
• The 15th-seeded Hawkeyes open Big Ten Tournament play against 10th-seeded Ohio State on Wednesday in Indianapolis. It is the third straight year the two teams have squared off in the tournament.
• Iowa earned the final spot in the tournament field with an 83-68 road win at Nebraska on March 9. The Hawkeyes swept the season series over the Huskers for the first time since 2014-15.
• Senior Payton Sandfort surpassed 1,500 career points against Washington on Feb. 22 and is currently 13th in career scoring (1,572) and third in career 3-pointers (261). He is one 3-pointer behind Jeff Horner for second place on Iowa’s all-time list.
• Sandfort is the second Hawkeye all-time with 1,500+ points, 500+ rebounds and 250+ 3-pointers.
• In the 10 games without injured forward Owen Freeman, Payton Sandfort (16.7) and Dix (15.9) are combining to average 32.6 points and 11.1 rebounds per game.
• Sophomore Pryce Sandfort is Iowa’s third-leading scorer during the stretch, averaging 10 points per contest. Sandfort posted his first career double-double (16 points, 11 rebounds) in the road win at Nebraska on March 9.
• Payton Sandfort and Dix combined for 50 points against No. 7 Purdue on Feb. 4, 46 points in the Feb. 12 road win at Rutgers, 44 points in the two-point loss to Oregon on Feb. 19 and 42 points in the win over Washington.
• Iowa is second in the Big Ten and 16th nationally, averaging 82.3 points per game. The Hawkeyes have the second-best field goal (.486) and effective field goal percentage (.563) in the league. The team has averaged 80+ points in five consecutive seasons -- the longest stretch in program history.
• Sandfort has scored 20+ nine times in the last 17 games, giving him a team-best 13 20+ point games this season. The Hawkeyes are 9-4 this season when Sandfort goes for 20+ points.
• The Hawkeyes have made at least eight 3-point field goals in 26 games, including 10+ in 14 contests -- the most in a season since 2021-22. Iowa is second in the Big Ten (33rd nationally), averaging 9.7 per game. Iowa is 11-3 when making 10+ 3s.
• Iowa is leading the Big Ten in assists (18.3, 4th in NCAA) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.85, 2nd in NCAA). The team has had 20+ assists in nine games. The Hawkeyes have had fewer than 10 turnovers in six of their last nine games.
SCOUTING OHIO STATE
• The Buckeyes finished the regular season with a 17-14 overall record and finished 10th in league play with a 9-11 mark. Ohio State lost four of its final six games and went 4-6 in its final 10 games.
• Ohio State has four players averaging in double figures with Bruce Thornton leading the team in scoring (17.5), assists (4.5) and steals (1.1). The guard has splits of .497/.426/.846 on the year and has the best assist-to-turnover ratio (3.23) in the Big Ten (seventh nationally).
• Devin Royal (13.6), Micah Parrish (13.2) and John Mobley, Jr. (13.2) also average in double digits. Royal also leads the team in rebounding (6.9), while Mobley has a team-high 75 3s.
• The Buckeyes have the second-best 3-point field goal defense (.301), which ranks 14th nationally. Opponents make an average of 6.5 3s per game.
• Ohio State averages 79.1 points per game, while surrendering 73.4. The Buckeyes average 8.3 3-point field goals and shoot 46.7 percent as a team.
SERIES HISTORY
• Wednesday’s game is the 172nd meeting in the all-time series between Iowa and Ohio State, dating back to 1915. The Buckeyes lead 86-85.
• The Buckeyes have won two straight over Iowa, including an 82-65 win in Columbus on Jan. 27. It is the first time Ohio State has won consecutive games over the Hawkeyes since the 2017-18 season. The two teams have split the last 20 meetings.
• Ohio State downed Iowa,90-78, in the 2024 Big Ten Tournament in Minneapolis and 83-75 at the 2023 Big Ten Tournament in Chicago.
• Iowa is 2-5 all-time against the Buckeyes in the Big Ten Tournament, including a 67-60 win in the championship game in 2006.
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LGHL Power Two: Breaking down the men’s and women’s conference basketball tournaments
- News
- 0 Replies
Power Two: Breaking down the men’s and women’s conference basketball tournaments
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 M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
DJ and Jordan also look ahead to the 10 best ACC football games in 2025.
Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Podcast Network’s Power Two Podcast. On this show, we talk about Big Ten and SEC football… and everyone else. This show is for the die-hard fans and the casual college football fans.
After every week of action, we will catch you up on all the major matchups of the previous weekend and look ahead at the games, storylines, and players you should be paying attention to for the next week. My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host DaNaysia Jones. Lock in as we run a power sweep through the college football landscape.
In this episode, Jordan and DJ discuss why you should not take your dogs everywhere. In the news, they celebrate the hiring of Eddie George as the Head Coach at Bowling Green. Jordan and DJ also marvel at Myles Garrett becoming the highest paid non-QB player in the NFL. Jordan also discusses the Raiders trading for Geno Smith and the Seahawks potentially entering tanking.
In the two-minute drill, Jordan and DJ discuss champ week for women’s college basketball. DJ shares her excitement about the upcoming matchups because March Madness has officially started! They pick their favorites to win the ACC, SEC, B1G, Big East, and the BIG 12. There is so much parity in women’s basketball that any of these teams could go on to hoist the championship trophy in late March.
In the pre-game power sweep, DJ and Jordan discuss their top matchups for ACC Football.
Jordan’s were: Notre Dame vs. Miami, Clemson vs. SMU, Louisville vs. Pitt, Boston College vs. Pitt, and Duke vs. Cal.
DJ’s were: Miami vs. SMU, Louisville vs. Miami, Pitt vs. FSU, Louisville vs. SMU, and Duke vs. Clemson.
In the two-minute drill, Jordan shares his excitement about JID releasing a new album. DJ stands up for Angel Reese since people are yet again misunderstanding what she said about pay in the WNBA.
If you like the show, please share it with friends and family and leave a five-star review. If you want to keep up with the show, subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network Feed where new episodes drop every Monday. You can also find Jordan’s article including B1G Thoughts on the Land-Grant Holy Land website.
Follow the show on YouTube: @GetDefensiveSportsNetwork
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @GetDefensiveSportsNetwork
Connect with us on Twitter: Jordan: @JordanW330 and DJ:@dj_danaysia
Continue reading...
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 M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
DJ and Jordan also look ahead to the 10 best ACC football games in 2025.
Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Podcast Network’s Power Two Podcast. On this show, we talk about Big Ten and SEC football… and everyone else. This show is for the die-hard fans and the casual college football fans.
After every week of action, we will catch you up on all the major matchups of the previous weekend and look ahead at the games, storylines, and players you should be paying attention to for the next week. My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host DaNaysia Jones. Lock in as we run a power sweep through the college football landscape.
In this episode, Jordan and DJ discuss why you should not take your dogs everywhere. In the news, they celebrate the hiring of Eddie George as the Head Coach at Bowling Green. Jordan and DJ also marvel at Myles Garrett becoming the highest paid non-QB player in the NFL. Jordan also discusses the Raiders trading for Geno Smith and the Seahawks potentially entering tanking.
In the two-minute drill, Jordan and DJ discuss champ week for women’s college basketball. DJ shares her excitement about the upcoming matchups because March Madness has officially started! They pick their favorites to win the ACC, SEC, B1G, Big East, and the BIG 12. There is so much parity in women’s basketball that any of these teams could go on to hoist the championship trophy in late March.
In the pre-game power sweep, DJ and Jordan discuss their top matchups for ACC Football.
Jordan’s were: Notre Dame vs. Miami, Clemson vs. SMU, Louisville vs. Pitt, Boston College vs. Pitt, and Duke vs. Cal.
DJ’s were: Miami vs. SMU, Louisville vs. Miami, Pitt vs. FSU, Louisville vs. SMU, and Duke vs. Clemson.
In the two-minute drill, Jordan shares his excitement about JID releasing a new album. DJ stands up for Angel Reese since people are yet again misunderstanding what she said about pay in the WNBA.
If you like the show, please share it with friends and family and leave a five-star review. If you want to keep up with the show, subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network Feed where new episodes drop every Monday. You can also find Jordan’s article including B1G Thoughts on the Land-Grant Holy Land website.
Follow the show on YouTube: @GetDefensiveSportsNetwork
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @GetDefensiveSportsNetwork
Connect with us on Twitter: Jordan: @JordanW330 and DJ:@dj_danaysia
Continue reading...
LGHL Everything that went wrong for Ohio State women against UCLA
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Everything that went wrong for Ohio State women against UCLA
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Coaching, missing shots, injuries and lack of team chemistry. The laundry list of issues facing the Buckeyes after Saturday
Basketball coaches have a long list of role responsibilities and one of them is as a lobbyist. Watch them during games and they are usually trying to win favor with the officiating crew. Every coach does it and some make a bigger scene than others. Coaches talk to referees because, honestly, it works. Mind games are real and in a game of small margins, a coach will take any advantage they can get.
In the second half of Saturday night’s Big Ten Tournament semifinal, Ohio State women’s basketball head coach Kevin McGuff was not garnering favor with the officiating crew. With a whole quarter to go, the game was already over.
The Buckeyes ended the third quarter down 37 points to the eventual conference championship-winning Bruins. It was a program record for the Scarlet and Gray but not the kind fans want to see. It eclipsed the side’s previous three-quarter deficit high of 36 points. Not exactly a moment going up in the rafters of the Schottenstein Center.
For the last 10 minutes, Ohio State did not have the services of guard Jaloni Cambridge, due to a tough ankle roll, and forward Cotie McMahon, who left the game holding her wrist after falling on a rebound attempt, both injuries coming in the third quarter.
After the game, the team’s mood was not reeking with distraught or anger. It was not a last second loss where the stages of grief set in immediately at the final whistle. McGuff was already at the acceptance stage.
“They [UCLA] showed up focused, ready to go,” said McGuff. “They kind of jumped us early, and we didn’t respond very well. We didn’t coach very well. We didn’t play very well. Like I said, UCLA was ready, and we were not today.”
It was blunt honesty from McGuff.
Following an emotional, grind it out, win over the Iowa Hawkeyes, Ohio State was a shadow of itself, and it was not all UCLA. After all, the Buckeyes played UCLA before and built a double-digit lead against them in Los Angeles, in the first half. It was only in the fourth quarter that the Bruins pulled away in that February matchup. On Saturday, the Bruins pulled away on their first basket.
Ohio State went 3-of-14 in the first quarter and despite holding center Lauren Betts to no points in the opening 10 minutes, the other UCLA players found ample space to work in the post to the tune of 10 points in the paint to start off the game, compared to eight total points for the Buckeyes.
That was despite Ohio State crashing inside the post. It was not that Betts took a defender away, because four other UCLA players ran into that congested paint without a defender trying to stop them. Players stood around and seemed to wait for a teammate to do something, or their back was turned to the play altogether.
“We talked about a lot of things because any adjustment we made didn’t work,” McGuff said. “Everything we did differently, UCLA executed in a way that made us pay. That shows you that they were ready and they were focused.”
A key adjustment was moving from the press to half court defense. Ohio State has forced 12.6 steals per game, which leads the conference and is two more per game than last season, but that does not mean the press is working. Steals come in all sorts of ways, like Jaloni Cambridge forcing a guard into the corner of the half court or guard Taylor Thierry intercepting a pass.
The Buckeye full court press is not causing the havoc of past seasons, which makes sense with the number of changes to the roster in the offseason. Teams are finding their way around by passing long and getting to open players on the offensive end of the court.
In the half court defense, the double teams on Betts did not stop and UCLA reigned down three-point baskets with frequency. The Bruins had four in the first half and seven in the second. Ohio State had three total.
UCLA on defense closed down shooters and forced poor shot selection. When shots did get open, the Buckeyes missed them. Their zone defense made it nearly impossible to get inside near the rim, neutralizing the game of McMahon and Jaloni Cambridge, with the latter leading the team with 10 points, the only player on the team in double figures, and she played only three quarters.
So, what is the bigger problem? Is it coaching decisions? Lack of team chemistry? Unknown injuries slowing players down? Too tired from the emotional game against Iowa?
Saturday was a combination of all of those factors. The coaching staff did not make decisions quickly enough to catch Bruins head coach Cori Close off guard. Ohio State’s focus on certain plays that were not working made the team look lethargic and confused. Freshman center Elsa Lemmilä, who came on strong for the Buckeyes in the latter parts of the regular season, did not move as easily, visibly playing through pain.
Then there is the Hawkeyes piece. Multiple players on the team mentioned Iowa’s lack of respect towards the Buckeyes before and after the game. There was more to Friday than playing the next team up. McGuff does not believe the Iowa game had anything to do with Saturday’s loss to UCLA, maybe.
“If you’re on like day 3 or 4, I think maybe there’s a physical element, but on day 2 that shouldn’t be the case at all,” McGuff said. “We did put a lot into last night’s game, but they played hard too. They had to really play hard against Nebraska. I don’t think it was that. Well, it shouldn’t have been. How’s that?”
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
Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Coaching, missing shots, injuries and lack of team chemistry. The laundry list of issues facing the Buckeyes after Saturday
Basketball coaches have a long list of role responsibilities and one of them is as a lobbyist. Watch them during games and they are usually trying to win favor with the officiating crew. Every coach does it and some make a bigger scene than others. Coaches talk to referees because, honestly, it works. Mind games are real and in a game of small margins, a coach will take any advantage they can get.
In the second half of Saturday night’s Big Ten Tournament semifinal, Ohio State women’s basketball head coach Kevin McGuff was not garnering favor with the officiating crew. With a whole quarter to go, the game was already over.
The Buckeyes ended the third quarter down 37 points to the eventual conference championship-winning Bruins. It was a program record for the Scarlet and Gray but not the kind fans want to see. It eclipsed the side’s previous three-quarter deficit high of 36 points. Not exactly a moment going up in the rafters of the Schottenstein Center.
For the last 10 minutes, Ohio State did not have the services of guard Jaloni Cambridge, due to a tough ankle roll, and forward Cotie McMahon, who left the game holding her wrist after falling on a rebound attempt, both injuries coming in the third quarter.
After the game, the team’s mood was not reeking with distraught or anger. It was not a last second loss where the stages of grief set in immediately at the final whistle. McGuff was already at the acceptance stage.
“They [UCLA] showed up focused, ready to go,” said McGuff. “They kind of jumped us early, and we didn’t respond very well. We didn’t coach very well. We didn’t play very well. Like I said, UCLA was ready, and we were not today.”
It was blunt honesty from McGuff.
Following an emotional, grind it out, win over the Iowa Hawkeyes, Ohio State was a shadow of itself, and it was not all UCLA. After all, the Buckeyes played UCLA before and built a double-digit lead against them in Los Angeles, in the first half. It was only in the fourth quarter that the Bruins pulled away in that February matchup. On Saturday, the Bruins pulled away on their first basket.
Ohio State went 3-of-14 in the first quarter and despite holding center Lauren Betts to no points in the opening 10 minutes, the other UCLA players found ample space to work in the post to the tune of 10 points in the paint to start off the game, compared to eight total points for the Buckeyes.
That was despite Ohio State crashing inside the post. It was not that Betts took a defender away, because four other UCLA players ran into that congested paint without a defender trying to stop them. Players stood around and seemed to wait for a teammate to do something, or their back was turned to the play altogether.
“We talked about a lot of things because any adjustment we made didn’t work,” McGuff said. “Everything we did differently, UCLA executed in a way that made us pay. That shows you that they were ready and they were focused.”
A key adjustment was moving from the press to half court defense. Ohio State has forced 12.6 steals per game, which leads the conference and is two more per game than last season, but that does not mean the press is working. Steals come in all sorts of ways, like Jaloni Cambridge forcing a guard into the corner of the half court or guard Taylor Thierry intercepting a pass.
The Buckeye full court press is not causing the havoc of past seasons, which makes sense with the number of changes to the roster in the offseason. Teams are finding their way around by passing long and getting to open players on the offensive end of the court.
In the half court defense, the double teams on Betts did not stop and UCLA reigned down three-point baskets with frequency. The Bruins had four in the first half and seven in the second. Ohio State had three total.
UCLA on defense closed down shooters and forced poor shot selection. When shots did get open, the Buckeyes missed them. Their zone defense made it nearly impossible to get inside near the rim, neutralizing the game of McMahon and Jaloni Cambridge, with the latter leading the team with 10 points, the only player on the team in double figures, and she played only three quarters.
So, what is the bigger problem? Is it coaching decisions? Lack of team chemistry? Unknown injuries slowing players down? Too tired from the emotional game against Iowa?
Saturday was a combination of all of those factors. The coaching staff did not make decisions quickly enough to catch Bruins head coach Cori Close off guard. Ohio State’s focus on certain plays that were not working made the team look lethargic and confused. Freshman center Elsa Lemmilä, who came on strong for the Buckeyes in the latter parts of the regular season, did not move as easily, visibly playing through pain.
Then there is the Hawkeyes piece. Multiple players on the team mentioned Iowa’s lack of respect towards the Buckeyes before and after the game. There was more to Friday than playing the next team up. McGuff does not believe the Iowa game had anything to do with Saturday’s loss to UCLA, maybe.
“If you’re on like day 3 or 4, I think maybe there’s a physical element, but on day 2 that shouldn’t be the case at all,” McGuff said. “We did put a lot into last night’s game, but they played hard too. They had to really play hard against Nebraska. I don’t think it was that. Well, it shouldn’t have been. How’s that?”
Continue reading...
