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LGHL Ohio State’s men’s and women’s hockey compete in conference tournament action this weekend

Ohio State’s men’s and women’s hockey compete in conference tournament action this weekend
Brett Ludwiczak
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch

Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The women’s team will look to win the WCHA Final Faceoff, while the men’s team opens up Big Ten Tournament play.

While the eyes of the hockey world were on the Columbus Blue Jackets over the weekend because of the NHL’s Stadium Series game, both Ohio State hockey teams had notable weekend series.

The Buckeye men’s team closed out their regular season schedule by splitting a series with the Michigan Wolverines. The women’s team had little trouble with St. Thomas in the first round of the WCHA Tournament, securing a spot in the WCHA Final Faceoff this weekend.

Now both squads will look to add to their resumés to bolster their seeding for their upcoming NCAA Tournament runs.


Women’s hockey


We’ll start off with the Ohio State women’s hockey team, since they will be wrapping up their conference tournament, while the men’s team will just be starting the Big Ten Tournament this weekend.

Nadine Muzerall’s squad swept St. Thomas in Columbus over the weekend, beating the Tommies 5-1 on Friday, followed by a 4-1 win on Saturday. With the victories, the Buckeyes will now face Minnesota on Friday afternoon in a WCHA Final Faceoff semifinal.

Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch
Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Joy Dunne opened up the scoring for Ohio State 1:31 into the game on Friday night. Dunne also scored the first goal of Saturday’s game at the 1:36 mark of the first period. With goals in both games, Dunne has now put a puck in the back of the net in each of the last six games. The Buckeye star also added three assists over the two games, increasing her team-high point total to 52 points on the season. The 23 goals Dunne has scored is just two shy of tying Jocelyn Amos for the team lead.

The star of Friday night’s game was undoubtedly Mira Jungåker, who scored two goals and dished out two assists in the 5-1 win over St. Thomas. The freshman defenseman from Sweden also had an assist in Saturday’s victory. After a slow start to the season, it is obvious that Jungåker is gaining comfort on the ice and could be a big factor for the Buckeyes the rest of the season.

Winning both games for Ohio State over the weekend was goaltender Amanda Thiele, who continues to add to her impressive Buckeye career between the pipes. Thiele is now 18-5-2 on the season, giving her 69 career wins as an Ohio State goaltender. Although Hailey MacLeod has seen a decent amount of time at goalie for the Buckeyes, expect to see Thiele the rest of the way because of her tremendous amount of experience in high pressure postseason games.

Now Ohio State will take on a Minnesota team who they defeated in three of their four meetings during the regular season. The Buckeyes won the first game between the teams 4-3 on October 11th in Columbus, followed by a shootout win the next night.

The Golden Gophers and Buckeyes would meet in Minneapolis a few months later. Minnesota’s 3-1 win on Jan. 31 would be their only one over Ohio State so far this season, but the Buckeyes did earn some revenge the next day with a 7-3 triumph. The most notable performance in those games was in the final matchup when Sloane Matthews recorded a hat trick to lead Ohio State to victory.

The Golden Gophers enter Friday’s semifinal with a 27-10-1 record after winning two of three games over Minnesota State over the weekend. Minnesota won the first game 6-1 but Minnesota State was able to avoid the sweep by winning the second game 5-4 in double overtime. The Golden Gophers righted the ship in Sunday’s game, winning 6-2. Emma Kreisz had two goals and three assists to lead the way in game one, while Abbey Murphy netted two goals in game three.

There’s no question that Abbey Murphy is the star for Minnesota after she has recorded 29 goals and 30 assists so far this season. The only other Golden Gopher skater with more than 40 points is Ella Huber, who has 44 points on the season. Peyton Hemp and Natalie Mlynkova each have been credited with 31 points.

In goal, Hannah Clark has done the bulk of the work this season, starting 32 games, posting a 23-8-1 record with a 2.25 goals against average and .907 save percentage.

The winner of Friday’s second semifinal will go on to face the winner of the game between Wisconsin and Minnesota-Duluth that will be played first on Friday. The final will take place on Saturday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. ET. All games from the WCHA Final Faceoff can be seen on B1G+.


Men’s hockey


When it comes to Ohio State’s men’s hockey team, the Buckeyes already had clinched a top-three spot in the Big Ten standings heading into last weekend’s action, ensuring they would play at home in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament. Even though the pressure was off when it came to having an edge in the first round, Ohio State still wanted to best their rival when the Michigan Wolverines came to Columbus for two games last week.

Ohio State opened up the two-game series with a 2-1 overtime victory over the Wolverines before Michigan was able to win Friday night’s game 4-3. William Smith scored the game-winner 1:22 in overtime on Thursday to earn the win for the Buckeyes. Friday night’s game saw Michigan jump out to a 4-1 lead.

While Ohio State showed fight with two goals in the third period, they weren’t able to complete the comeback and send the game into overtime.

Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch
Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With how the last weekend of the Big Ten regular season shook out, the Buckeyes will host Wisconsin in a best-of-three series this weekend at Nationwide Arena. Ohio State swept all four meetings with the Badgers this season, winning 2-1 in overtime and 2-1 in regulation in Madison back in October, followed by 4-1 and 4-2 wins in Columbus last month. Wisconsin enters this weekend’s games with a 12-19-3 record on the season.

Max Montes was a force in the games in Madison, scoring both goals in the overtime win in the first meeting between the schools. Riley Thompson would score 21 seconds into the second game, while Montes added some insurance with a goal a minute into the third to win the next night. Thompson would go on to score two goals in the first game in Columbus, and Montes would tie the final meeting of the regular season in the second period before Damien Carfagna and Davis Burnside netted goals to complete the regular season sweep of the Badgers.

Ohio State can’t take Wisconsin lightly because anything can happen on the ice. While Ohio State has Gunnerwolfe Fontaine, Riley Thompson, and Davis Burnside as 30-point scores this season, the Badgers counter with Quinn Finley, Ryland Mosley, and Gavin Morrissey. At goaltender, Tommy Scarfone can be tough to get pucks past, posting a 2.64 goals against average and three shutouts this season.

All of this weekend’s games between Ohio State and Wisconsin are scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m. ET, and can be seen on B1G+. The winner will move on to the next round of the Big Ten Tournament, with their opponent depending on how the rest of the action around the conference over the weekend shakes out.

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LGHL Uncut: Jake Diebler discusses ridiculous double overtime win over Nebraska

Uncut: Jake Diebler discusses ridiculous double overtime win over Nebraska
Connor Lemons
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Buckeyes blew a lead, then came back in dramatic fashion.

Throughout the season, Land-Grant will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences but also from individual interview sessions.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:


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In the early morning hours of Wednesday, March 5, Jake Diebler spoke to the collective Ohio State and Nebraska media contingent about the game, how proud he was of his team, and what it was like on the sideline on every final possession.

Micah Parrish and Bruce Thornton spoke briefly as well, giving big grins when the NCAA Tournament came up. Parrish said this was the wildest game he’s played in since transferring to Ohio State.

Nebraska head coach Fred Hoiberg also spoke, saying Ohio State has a “great roster” and that the coaching staff does a great job running designed actions for all five starters.



Connect with Connor:
Twitter:
@lemons_connor

Theme music provided by www.bensound.com


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LGHL Ohio State offers 2029 California running back, makes the cut for 2026 RB

Ohio State offers 2029 California running back, makes the cut for 2026 RB
Caleb Houser
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


NCAA Football: CFP National Championship-Ohio State Practice

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Ohio State’s latest offer goes out on Wednesday to an eighth grade California native.

Ohio State’s coaching staff has many great aspects when it comes to recruiting, but the ability to build relationships many times what sticks out the most. Sure, the program pillars of winning and development also stand atop of the list, but the coaches the Buckeyes have do a fantastic job of making sure their mantra of the brotherhood rings true on the recruiting trail.

Longer lasting relationships in recruiting tend to help more compared to knowing a player for less time, and the Buckeyes got a big time jump start on Wednesday when they offered their latest running back prospect by way of the 2029 recruiting class.

Taking to social media to share his latest recruiting update, California native Makai Buchanan made it clear how excited he was to have Ohio State now officially in his recruitment. Position coach Carlos Locklyn made quite the impression when the two spoke about his newest offer.

Just an eighth grader, there’s a long time before any decision is coming, but offering this early on in the process shows not only the caliber of player he is and will be, but also a chance for the Ohio State staff to really build a strong bond with Makai over the next few years of his recruitment.

At any rate, the 6-foot, 165 pound middle school phenom can now add Ohio State to the mix joining the likes of Arizona, Arizona State, Ole Miss, Syracuse, and Texas A&M as the schools who have gotten an early start to recruiting what looks to be one of the top class of 2029 players when the rankings come available.


THANK YOU JESUS AGTG! After an amazing conversation and FaceTime call with Coach @Locklyn33 I am super blessed and honored to receive an offer from THEE NATIONAL CHAMPS OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY!! @GregBiggins @adamgorney @ChadSimmons_ @Andrew_Ivins @Bucknuts247 @CoachTroop3pic.twitter.com/fqFEa67uIJ

— Makai Buchanan (@MakaiBuchanan24) March 6, 2025

Ohio State remains in the mix for 2026 running back target​


Sticking to the running back theme, Wednesday also brought some good news to Ohio State’s efforts recruiting the position in the current 2026 cycle. A class for the Buckeyes that wants two at the position, Locklyn has offers out to many if not all of the top backs in the country, and is in good position for multiple.

Narrowing down his top schools list to just six and keeping the Buckeyes right in the mix, Alabama native Ezavier Crowell also has Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, and Texas still in his consideration. An impressive cut down from his nearly 40 offers, Crowell is on his way to making a final push towards a commitment, and the Buckeyes are thrilled to still be in contention for another top player.

The No. 27 player nationally and the second ranked running back per the 247Sports Composite, Crowell won’t be an easy one to steal out of prime SEC country. What the Buckeyes can tote however is the fact that Locklyn is an Alabama native himself, which doesn’t hurt, and in addition Ohio State did just sign Anthony “Turbo” Rogers to their 2025 class, who is also an Alabama product.

It won’t be a surprise to see the Buckeyes lean in on their ties to Alabama both from their position coach and their recent recruiting success. Needing two guys to reload the room in 2026, Crowell’s name is one worth continued monitoring.


NEWS Elite RB Ezavier Crowell is down to 6 schools, @Hayesfawcett3 reports.

Crowell is the No. 2 RB in the 2026 class.

Read: https://t.co/pH2svwWKZx pic.twitter.com/kDOcruVaP6

— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) March 6, 2025

Quick Hits​

  • Continuing to add names to their visit list for spring ball in the coming weeks, Ohio State will play host to a local prospect when 2027 linebacker Jackson Reynolds makes his way to campus for an unofficial visit on April 5.

An unranked in-state linebacker, the 6-foot-3, 198 pound athlete out of Bishop Waterson has yet to land an offer, but does have the attention of several programs. Kentucky, Northwestern, Notre Dame, and now Ohio State have all extended invites for him to be on their campuses.

One to keep an eye on moving forward, the Buckeyes love recruiting in-state linebackers and he very well could be a more serious target in the near future.


April 5th Locked In @OhioStateFB

Thanks for the invite @etwill21

Looking forward to seeing @JLaurinaitis55 in action. He always brings the juice! Can't wait to see what the "D" looks like with Coach Patricia too. Always love being in the WHAC! #intothestormpic.twitter.com/yG97XCsqCh

— Jackson Reynolds | C/O '27 | 6'3 195 (@JW_Reynolds44) March 5, 2025

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LGHL I-80 Football Show: Disaster for the Mavericks, previewing the Big Ten WBB Tournament

I-80 Football Show: Disaster for the Mavericks, previewing the Big Ten WBB Tournament
JordanW330
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


USC v UCLA

Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images

The guys are back talking basketball on a football podcast!

Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Podcast Network’s I-80 Football Show. On this show, we travel down I-80 to talk all things Big Ten Football. After every week of action, we will catch you up on all the conference’s games and look ahead at the matchups, 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 Dante Morgan.


In this week’s episode, there is little news in the Big Ten or college football as a whole, so we turn our attention to basketball.

In the NBA, Kyrie recently suffered an ACL injury, ending his season and adding on to Anthony Davis’ injury. After trading away Luka Doncic because of his injury concerns, the Mavericks’ rent is due immediately and their three-year championship window is effectively closed before it could open. Meanwhile, the Lakers keep winning despite Luka playing poorly. This trade may have opened their championship window sooner than expected.

On to college basketball, the Big Ten’s Women’s Basketball Tournament has started, and the guys marvel at the schedule the players are held to. Five games in five days means at least a couple of teams are playing three-straight days in hopes of capturing the Big Ten crown. The condensed schedule is one of many reasons the real March Madness starts during conference tournaments, and doesn’t wait until the NCAA Tournament begins a few weeks later.

While realignment may not have been kind to many of the West Coast football schools, it brought two powerhouses into the women’s basketball as USC and UCLA are two of the best teams in the country. It should be a USC-UCLA Big Ten title game, but the real question is can one of them bring home the title this season?

They’re joined by Maryland and Ohio State as the other top contenders in women’s college basketball. There will be stiff challenges from South Carolina, Notre Dame, and Texas, but can the Big Ten win a national championship for the first time since Purdue won in 1999?

In their weekly pitstop, we talk about video games. Jordan played Cyberpunk 2077 for the first time, and while may have been broken on release, it’s worth it now. Dante is mad at 2K Sports as they keep ruining his favorite video games. First, they ruined NBA 2K, and now they’re adding virtual currency (VC) to WWE 2K25 and creating an island similar to the city in the basketball game.



If you like the show, please share it with friends and family and leave a five-star review. To keep up with the show, you can subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network Feed, where new episodes drop every Thursday.

You can also find Jordan’s article ‘B1G Thoughts’ on Land-Grant Holy Land.

Follow the show on YouTube: @GetDefensiveSportsNetwork

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @GetDefensiveSportsNetwork

Connect with us on Twitter: Jordan: @JordanW330 and Dante: @DanteM10216

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