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LGHL Ohio State can’t corral Georgia in 79-77 season-ending NIT loss
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Ohio State can’t corral Georgia in 79-77 season-ending NIT loss
Connor Lemons 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
Ohio State’s season ends at the hands of the Georgia Bulldogs.
After Ohio State’s second-round win over Virginia Tech On Saturday night, head coach Jake Diebler made it a point to say that there would only a handful of teams left playing basketball by Tuesday night, and he’s glad that his team is one of them.
“Come Tuesday night, there aren’t going to be many teams playing college basketball still, and we’ll be one of them. And we have earned that.”
Indeed, there were just 24 teams remaining between the NCAA Tournament and the NIT, but that number shrunk again Tuesday — starting with Ohio State’s game vs Georgia.
Ohio State was without Scotty Middleton for a third consecutive game Tuesday night, as the team determined he was not prepared to play after being home with family for over a week dealing with a personal matter. Bruce Thornton was listed as questionable with a lower leg injury, but went through full warmups and did not look limited pre-game.
With a trip to Hinkle Fieldhouse on the line for the NIT Semifinals, Diebler stuck with the same starting lineup the Buckeyes have leaned on all season long — Thornton, Roddy Gayle, Jamison Battle, Evan Mahaffey, and Felix Okpara. Second-year head coach Mike White rolled with a starting five of Noah Thomasson, Blue Cain, Silas Demary Jr., Dylan James, and Frank Anselem-Ibe.
Cain, a freshman guard from Knoxville, Tennessee, scored five of Georgia’s first 11 points as the Bulldogs took an 11-8 lead into the first media timeout. As most teams have tried to do, Georgia was putting multiple defenders on Thornton when he tried to find a screen to get himself open. The Buckeyes weren’t doing a very good job moving to get in position for Thornton to find them out of the double, and the offense sagged a bit because of it.
The Buckeyes momentarily tied the game at 15 on a Taison Chatman baseline jumper with just under 11 minutes left in the half, but Georgia outscored Ohio State 6-4 over the next four-plus minutes to take a 21-19 lead into the under-eight media timeout. Thornton and Gayle combined for two points through the first 13 minutes of Tuesday night’s game.
The teams took turns going at each other’s necks for the final six minutes of the first half, with the lead changing hands six times over the final six minutes. Demary Jr. missed a layup with four seconds remaining, but nobody boxed him out and the freshman guard was able to grab his own rebound and score to put the Bulldogs up 36-35 at halftime.
Okpara led the Buckeyes with 10 points in the first half on 5-of-7 shooting. Six different Bulldogs chipped in at least four points, with Thomasson leading all of them with seven on 3-of-7 shooting.
First half team stats almost identical, with Ohio State shooting 46.9% in the first half and Georgia shooting 50%. Both teams had 17 rebounds total and four offensive rebounds each. Ohio State was 2-of-9 from beyond the arc, Georgia was 3-for-11.
Georgia came out spicy hot to start the second half, outscoring Ohio State 10-2 over the first 3:09 to take a 46-37 lead — its largest of the game to that point. A screen moved Okpara onto Thomasson — not the best matchup — and the graduate senior buried a three over his outstretched arms to put Georgia up nine points, causing Diebler to use a timeout and regroup.
Shortly thereafter Georgia stretched its lead out to 12 points, which was the biggest deficit Ohio State had faced in the entire NIT. But when things looked bleak, Zed Key sparked an 8-0 run. The senior playing in his (likely) final home game grabbed the rebound off a missed Dale Bonner three and scored through contact, drawing the foul from James and completing the three-point play. After Devin Royal blocked RJ Melendez, Battle hit a three, and on the very next possession Thornton found Key below the basket for a dunk to make it 51-47 with 13:47 remaining — Ohio State cut the lead from 12 to four in less than two minutes.
The Bulldogs responded to Ohio State’s run with one of their own, going on a 9-0 run in 64 seconds to push the lead back to 60-47. Ohio State was getting a lot of good looks below the basket, but were also giving up a ton on the glass on the other end. Georgia was out-efforting Ohio State around the basket and the scoreboard reflected it.
After Georgia pushed the lead out to 13, the Buckeyes punched back, putting together another 7-0 run and making it 64-60 with 7:38 remaining. Battle — maybe seeing the sand tumbling to the bottom of then hourglass when he looked up at the scoreboard — knocked down a three in transition and then made a great cut for a dunk, which was fed from Felix Okpara for his first assist of the day.
As was the story for the whole day, Ohio State withstood Georgia’s run and then laid a haymaker on the Bulldogs in the form of a 17-0 run. After falling behind 64-53 on a Thomasson triple, the Buckeyes strung together 17 consecutive points over the next 5:01 to take a 70-64 lead with 4:50 remaining. Georgia then answered with back-to-back triples from Cain and Thomasson to tie things up 70-70, until Battle ran through traffic and slammed one down on top Cain to take back the lead, 72-70. By the under-four media timeout with 1:51 remaining, Ohio State had reclaimed a 76-75 lead.
It came down to the wire, and ultimately Ohio State’s leaky defense that plagued them for most of the evening was their undoing in the final two minutes, giving up a crucial basket to Thomasson with 34 seconds left and ultimately falling, 79-77. The Buckeyes put together an impressive run to take control late, but Georgia remained composed, punched back, and landed the final blow to end the Buckeyes’ season.
If you weren’t around on Tuesday night to catch Georgia beat the Buckeyes at home and end their season (and NIT run), here are a few key moments and plays from the Bulldogs’ second-biggest win over Ohio State in the past 15 months:
Ohio State’s biggest deficit against Virginia Tech was seven points, when the Hokies jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first few minutes. The Bulldogs matched that on Tuesday night, getting a three-pointer from Thomasson 3:12 into the game to put Georgia up 15-8 early in the first half.
Georgia was middle of the pack in the SEC this season shooting from beyond the arc, as they made just under eight per game and their 34.3% mark as a team was seventh in the conference. They got two early ones from Cain and Thomasson to put them in the driver’s seat.
With Ohio State trailing 19-15, Taison Chatman shot faked on the baseline, got a defender to bite, and then dished off to Battle below the basket for an easy layup to get the Buckeyes back within two with 9:38 remaining in the first half.
The basket also marked 2,000 career points for Battle — an astounding benchmark to reach, even in five seasons.
With Ohio State trailing 23-22 and 5:24 remaining in the game, Gayle was double teamed by Cain and Thomasson and Cain popped the ball in the air, away from Gayle. However, Mahaffey was nearby and alertly snagged the ball out of the air and flipped it back to Gayle on top of the three-point line.
Before Georgia could collect itself and re-set its defense from the loose ball scrum, Gayle tossed up a lob to Okpara, who slammed it home to give the Buckeyes a 24-23 lead.
After a Roddy Gayle dunk put Ohio State up 35-34 with 34 seconds remaining, Georgia held the ball for the final shot of the half. They forced Demary into taking a contested layup, which he missed, but nobody boxed out the shooter and Demary was able to put his own miss back in to make it 36-35 Georgia at halftime.
Jake Diebler was forced to use a timeout when Okpara got switched onto the smaller and quicker Thomasson and the Bulldogs’ guard buried a triple to put Georgia up, 46-37. It was Georgia’s largest lead of the game to that point.
After Georgia went up by 13 with just over 12 minutes remaining, the Buckeyes strung together buckets from Gayle and Thornton to get back within seven in just under two minutes.
But with the crowd roaring and feeling the momentum swinging back, Royal lunged out and fouled Thomasson shooting a three — awarding him three at the line and a great opportunity for Georgia to silence the crowd and stifle momentum. Thomasson — a 61% free throw shooter — hit one of three to make it 61-53 with 10:24 remaining.
The Bulldogs went up by 11 once again, but Ohio State used a 17-0 run to take a 70-64 lead with 4:50 remaining. Georgia got back-to-back three points to tie things up, but Thornton dropped in a scoop layup with 2:02 left to put the Buckeyes back up, 76-75.
After Bruce Thornton’s layup that would’ve put Ohio State up three went strong off the glass and came back to Georgia, Thomasson nailed a clutch three-pointer from the left wing to put the Bulldogs up 77-76 with 36 seconds remaining.
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Connor Lemons 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
Ohio State’s season ends at the hands of the Georgia Bulldogs.
After Ohio State’s second-round win over Virginia Tech On Saturday night, head coach Jake Diebler made it a point to say that there would only a handful of teams left playing basketball by Tuesday night, and he’s glad that his team is one of them.
“Come Tuesday night, there aren’t going to be many teams playing college basketball still, and we’ll be one of them. And we have earned that.”
Indeed, there were just 24 teams remaining between the NCAA Tournament and the NIT, but that number shrunk again Tuesday — starting with Ohio State’s game vs Georgia.
Ohio State was without Scotty Middleton for a third consecutive game Tuesday night, as the team determined he was not prepared to play after being home with family for over a week dealing with a personal matter. Bruce Thornton was listed as questionable with a lower leg injury, but went through full warmups and did not look limited pre-game.
With a trip to Hinkle Fieldhouse on the line for the NIT Semifinals, Diebler stuck with the same starting lineup the Buckeyes have leaned on all season long — Thornton, Roddy Gayle, Jamison Battle, Evan Mahaffey, and Felix Okpara. Second-year head coach Mike White rolled with a starting five of Noah Thomasson, Blue Cain, Silas Demary Jr., Dylan James, and Frank Anselem-Ibe.
Cain, a freshman guard from Knoxville, Tennessee, scored five of Georgia’s first 11 points as the Bulldogs took an 11-8 lead into the first media timeout. As most teams have tried to do, Georgia was putting multiple defenders on Thornton when he tried to find a screen to get himself open. The Buckeyes weren’t doing a very good job moving to get in position for Thornton to find them out of the double, and the offense sagged a bit because of it.
The Buckeyes momentarily tied the game at 15 on a Taison Chatman baseline jumper with just under 11 minutes left in the half, but Georgia outscored Ohio State 6-4 over the next four-plus minutes to take a 21-19 lead into the under-eight media timeout. Thornton and Gayle combined for two points through the first 13 minutes of Tuesday night’s game.
The teams took turns going at each other’s necks for the final six minutes of the first half, with the lead changing hands six times over the final six minutes. Demary Jr. missed a layup with four seconds remaining, but nobody boxed him out and the freshman guard was able to grab his own rebound and score to put the Bulldogs up 36-35 at halftime.
Okpara led the Buckeyes with 10 points in the first half on 5-of-7 shooting. Six different Bulldogs chipped in at least four points, with Thomasson leading all of them with seven on 3-of-7 shooting.
First half team stats almost identical, with Ohio State shooting 46.9% in the first half and Georgia shooting 50%. Both teams had 17 rebounds total and four offensive rebounds each. Ohio State was 2-of-9 from beyond the arc, Georgia was 3-for-11.
Georgia came out spicy hot to start the second half, outscoring Ohio State 10-2 over the first 3:09 to take a 46-37 lead — its largest of the game to that point. A screen moved Okpara onto Thomasson — not the best matchup — and the graduate senior buried a three over his outstretched arms to put Georgia up nine points, causing Diebler to use a timeout and regroup.
Shortly thereafter Georgia stretched its lead out to 12 points, which was the biggest deficit Ohio State had faced in the entire NIT. But when things looked bleak, Zed Key sparked an 8-0 run. The senior playing in his (likely) final home game grabbed the rebound off a missed Dale Bonner three and scored through contact, drawing the foul from James and completing the three-point play. After Devin Royal blocked RJ Melendez, Battle hit a three, and on the very next possession Thornton found Key below the basket for a dunk to make it 51-47 with 13:47 remaining — Ohio State cut the lead from 12 to four in less than two minutes.
The Bulldogs responded to Ohio State’s run with one of their own, going on a 9-0 run in 64 seconds to push the lead back to 60-47. Ohio State was getting a lot of good looks below the basket, but were also giving up a ton on the glass on the other end. Georgia was out-efforting Ohio State around the basket and the scoreboard reflected it.
After Georgia pushed the lead out to 13, the Buckeyes punched back, putting together another 7-0 run and making it 64-60 with 7:38 remaining. Battle — maybe seeing the sand tumbling to the bottom of then hourglass when he looked up at the scoreboard — knocked down a three in transition and then made a great cut for a dunk, which was fed from Felix Okpara for his first assist of the day.
As was the story for the whole day, Ohio State withstood Georgia’s run and then laid a haymaker on the Bulldogs in the form of a 17-0 run. After falling behind 64-53 on a Thomasson triple, the Buckeyes strung together 17 consecutive points over the next 5:01 to take a 70-64 lead with 4:50 remaining. Georgia then answered with back-to-back triples from Cain and Thomasson to tie things up 70-70, until Battle ran through traffic and slammed one down on top Cain to take back the lead, 72-70. By the under-four media timeout with 1:51 remaining, Ohio State had reclaimed a 76-75 lead.
It came down to the wire, and ultimately Ohio State’s leaky defense that plagued them for most of the evening was their undoing in the final two minutes, giving up a crucial basket to Thomasson with 34 seconds left and ultimately falling, 79-77. The Buckeyes put together an impressive run to take control late, but Georgia remained composed, punched back, and landed the final blow to end the Buckeyes’ season.
If you weren’t around on Tuesday night to catch Georgia beat the Buckeyes at home and end their season (and NIT run), here are a few key moments and plays from the Bulldogs’ second-biggest win over Ohio State in the past 15 months:
Thomasson’s triple puts Georgia up a touchdown (sorry, wrong sport)
Ohio State’s biggest deficit against Virginia Tech was seven points, when the Hokies jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first few minutes. The Bulldogs matched that on Tuesday night, getting a three-pointer from Thomasson 3:12 into the game to put Georgia up 15-8 early in the first half.
Georgia was middle of the pack in the SEC this season shooting from beyond the arc, as they made just under eight per game and their 34.3% mark as a team was seventh in the conference. They got two early ones from Cain and Thomasson to put them in the driver’s seat.
Battle reaches 2,000 career points
With Ohio State trailing 19-15, Taison Chatman shot faked on the baseline, got a defender to bite, and then dished off to Battle below the basket for an easy layup to get the Buckeyes back within two with 9:38 remaining in the first half.
The basket also marked 2,000 career points for Battle — an astounding benchmark to reach, even in five seasons.
Gayle loses it, sticks with the play to put Ohio State up 24-23
With Ohio State trailing 23-22 and 5:24 remaining in the game, Gayle was double teamed by Cain and Thomasson and Cain popped the ball in the air, away from Gayle. However, Mahaffey was nearby and alertly snagged the ball out of the air and flipped it back to Gayle on top of the three-point line.
Before Georgia could collect itself and re-set its defense from the loose ball scrum, Gayle tossed up a lob to Okpara, who slammed it home to give the Buckeyes a 24-23 lead.
Demary Jr. gives Georgia the lead at halftime
After a Roddy Gayle dunk put Ohio State up 35-34 with 34 seconds remaining, Georgia held the ball for the final shot of the half. They forced Demary into taking a contested layup, which he missed, but nobody boxed out the shooter and Demary was able to put his own miss back in to make it 36-35 Georgia at halftime.
Thomasson gives Georgia its biggest lead of the game
Jake Diebler was forced to use a timeout when Okpara got switched onto the smaller and quicker Thomasson and the Bulldogs’ guard buried a triple to put Georgia up, 46-37. It was Georgia’s largest lead of the game to that point.
Royal fouls Thomasson beyond the arc, hands Georgia three at the line
After Georgia went up by 13 with just over 12 minutes remaining, the Buckeyes strung together buckets from Gayle and Thornton to get back within seven in just under two minutes.
But with the crowd roaring and feeling the momentum swinging back, Royal lunged out and fouled Thomasson shooting a three — awarding him three at the line and a great opportunity for Georgia to silence the crowd and stifle momentum. Thomasson — a 61% free throw shooter — hit one of three to make it 61-53 with 10:24 remaining.
Buckeyes use 17-0 run to take the lead, Georgia ties it back up
The Bulldogs went up by 11 once again, but Ohio State used a 17-0 run to take a 70-64 lead with 4:50 remaining. Georgia got back-to-back three points to tie things up, but Thornton dropped in a scoop layup with 2:02 left to put the Buckeyes back up, 76-75.
Thomasson knocks down a big three to put Georgia up with 36 seconds left
After Bruce Thornton’s layup that would’ve put Ohio State up three went strong off the glass and came back to Georgia, Thomasson nailed a clutch three-pointer from the left wing to put the Bulldogs up 77-76 with 36 seconds remaining.
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LGHL Ohio State men’s basketball vs Georgia: Game preview and prediction
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Ohio State men’s basketball vs Georgia: Game preview and prediction
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Buckeyes will look to punch their ticket to Indianapolis for the NIT Final Four.
After wins over Cornell and Virginia Tech, The Ohio State men’s basketball team (22-13 overall, 15-4 at home) finds itself one win away from earning a trip to Indianapolis and Hinkle Fieldhouse for the NIT Final Four.
Standing in the way of the Buckeyes will be the No. 4 seed Georgia Bulldogs (19-16 overall, 5-6 on the road).
Georgia took down No. 5 seed Xavier 78-76 in the first round and defeated No. 1 seed Wake Forest 72-66 behind 21 points from Justin Hill. Hunter Sallis, the leading scorer for Wake Forest, missed this contest with an ankle injury, and Georgia took advantage, going up early on the Deacs and never relinquishing the lead.
Jamison Battle notched his first double-double of the season against Virginia Tech, pulling down 10 rebounds to go along with his 21 points. Battle is just six points from 2,000 in his career and will look to accomplish that historic feat against Georgia tonight in front of the home fans.
With his 21 points, Battle also joined Thornton as the only other Buckeye to score 500 or more points this season. This is the first season in which multiple Buckeyes have scored 500 points in the same season since Jared Sullinger, Deshaun Thomas, and William Buford all reached the mark during the 2011-12 season. Roddy Gayle Jr. is just 25 points away from 500 points this season as well.
Felix Okpara has blocked a shot in 41 consecutive games, which is the longest streak in program history. He passed Ken Johnson, the Big Ten’s all-time leader in blocked shots. The sophomore center followed up a 16-point showing against Cornell with 13 against Virginia Tech, making it the first time this season he has scored in double digits in back-to-back games.
Ohio State freshman wing Scotty Middleton has missed both NIT games, as he has been home dealing with a personal matter, but he is back with the team and active for this contest, giving the Buckeyes a full availability sheet.
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Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK
Georgia is led into this one by senior guard Noah Thomasson, who is averaging 12.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. Senior guard Jabri Abdur-Rahim is averaging 12.2 points and 3.5 rebounds per game.
Illinois transfer R.J. Melendez is averaging 9.7 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. Senior guard Justin Hill and freshman guard Silas Demary Jr. are both averaging 9.6 points per game. Hill averages 3.2 assists per game, and Demary also averages 3.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. Senior center Russel Tchewa is averaging 7.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per game.
Georgia shoots the three-ball at 33.6 percent on the season and is a 72.3 percent free-throw shooting team.
For Ohio State, sophomore guard Bruce Thornton is averaging 15.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game. Battle, the graduate transfer from Minnesota, averages 15.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. Battle shoots 43.3 percent from three-point range, the top number in the Big Ten. Battle’s former team bowed out if the NIT on Sunday afternoon, falling to Indiana State 76-64.
Sophomore guard Roddy Gayle is averaging 13.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game. Okpara averages 6.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. The sophomore big man from Lagos, Nigera is second in the Big Ten with 2.4 blocks per game.
The three-headed scoring monster has been effective for the Buckeyes this season, especially when Thornton is at his best in terms of facilitating and running the offense.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25355330/usa_today_22813796.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
This is bound to be a close battle, as both teams will be looking to lock up a spot in the Final Four in Indy and play at Hinkle Fieldhouse next Tuesday.
The Buckeyes got a little banged up after the Virginia Tech game, with Bruce Thornton and Roddy Gayle both suffering injuries in the game. Gayle appeared to re-injure his wrist that was initially hurt in the Big Ten Tournament. Thornton tried to split a double team and took a knee to his lower leg, and did not return to the game. However, coach Jake Diebler said on Monday they are both healthy and ready to go for the quarterfinal matchup.
I think the Buckeyes have enough offensive power to pull away in this contest late to win. Georgia ranked No. 7 in the SEC in defense, giving up 74.4 points per game, and Ohio State has scored 80-plus in both NIT games thus far.
It will be a close game because Georgia shoots it well enough to stay close, but Ohio State wins and heads to Indianapolis.
ESPN BPI: Ohio State 65.6%
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN Plus
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justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Buckeyes will look to punch their ticket to Indianapolis for the NIT Final Four.
After wins over Cornell and Virginia Tech, The Ohio State men’s basketball team (22-13 overall, 15-4 at home) finds itself one win away from earning a trip to Indianapolis and Hinkle Fieldhouse for the NIT Final Four.
Standing in the way of the Buckeyes will be the No. 4 seed Georgia Bulldogs (19-16 overall, 5-6 on the road).
Georgia took down No. 5 seed Xavier 78-76 in the first round and defeated No. 1 seed Wake Forest 72-66 behind 21 points from Justin Hill. Hunter Sallis, the leading scorer for Wake Forest, missed this contest with an ankle injury, and Georgia took advantage, going up early on the Deacs and never relinquishing the lead.
Jamison Battle notched his first double-double of the season against Virginia Tech, pulling down 10 rebounds to go along with his 21 points. Battle is just six points from 2,000 in his career and will look to accomplish that historic feat against Georgia tonight in front of the home fans.
With his 21 points, Battle also joined Thornton as the only other Buckeye to score 500 or more points this season. This is the first season in which multiple Buckeyes have scored 500 points in the same season since Jared Sullinger, Deshaun Thomas, and William Buford all reached the mark during the 2011-12 season. Roddy Gayle Jr. is just 25 points away from 500 points this season as well.
Felix Okpara has blocked a shot in 41 consecutive games, which is the longest streak in program history. He passed Ken Johnson, the Big Ten’s all-time leader in blocked shots. The sophomore center followed up a 16-point showing against Cornell with 13 against Virginia Tech, making it the first time this season he has scored in double digits in back-to-back games.
Ohio State freshman wing Scotty Middleton has missed both NIT games, as he has been home dealing with a personal matter, but he is back with the team and active for this contest, giving the Buckeyes a full availability sheet.
Preview
Georgia is led into this one by senior guard Noah Thomasson, who is averaging 12.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. Senior guard Jabri Abdur-Rahim is averaging 12.2 points and 3.5 rebounds per game.
Illinois transfer R.J. Melendez is averaging 9.7 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. Senior guard Justin Hill and freshman guard Silas Demary Jr. are both averaging 9.6 points per game. Hill averages 3.2 assists per game, and Demary also averages 3.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. Senior center Russel Tchewa is averaging 7.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per game.
Georgia shoots the three-ball at 33.6 percent on the season and is a 72.3 percent free-throw shooting team.
For Ohio State, sophomore guard Bruce Thornton is averaging 15.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game. Battle, the graduate transfer from Minnesota, averages 15.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. Battle shoots 43.3 percent from three-point range, the top number in the Big Ten. Battle’s former team bowed out if the NIT on Sunday afternoon, falling to Indiana State 76-64.
Sophomore guard Roddy Gayle is averaging 13.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game. Okpara averages 6.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. The sophomore big man from Lagos, Nigera is second in the Big Ten with 2.4 blocks per game.
The three-headed scoring monster has been effective for the Buckeyes this season, especially when Thornton is at his best in terms of facilitating and running the offense.
Prediction
This is bound to be a close battle, as both teams will be looking to lock up a spot in the Final Four in Indy and play at Hinkle Fieldhouse next Tuesday.
The Buckeyes got a little banged up after the Virginia Tech game, with Bruce Thornton and Roddy Gayle both suffering injuries in the game. Gayle appeared to re-injure his wrist that was initially hurt in the Big Ten Tournament. Thornton tried to split a double team and took a knee to his lower leg, and did not return to the game. However, coach Jake Diebler said on Monday they are both healthy and ready to go for the quarterfinal matchup.
I think the Buckeyes have enough offensive power to pull away in this contest late to win. Georgia ranked No. 7 in the SEC in defense, giving up 74.4 points per game, and Ohio State has scored 80-plus in both NIT games thus far.
It will be a close game because Georgia shoots it well enough to stay close, but Ohio State wins and heads to Indianapolis.
ESPN BPI: Ohio State 65.6%
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN Plus
LGHL score prediction: Ohio State 80, Virginia Tech 75
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LGHL Defensive adjustment, rebounding shorten Ohio State women’s basketball’s season
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Defensive adjustment, rebounding shorten Ohio State women’s basketball’s season
ThomasCostello 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
After a strong start, Sunday’s final score shows a tale of diminishing returns for the Buckeyes.
Things couldn’t have started any better for Ohio State women’s basketball on Sunday. The Duke Blue Devils were stifled offensively, frustrated defensively and the Buckeyes continued to exploit the young visiting side. Then it all went wrong. Here’s how lack of adjustment and a continued thorn in the Buckeyes’ side has Ohio State looking to next season.
Entering the final NCAA Tournament game of the weekend in Columbus, a storyline was the experienced Buckeyes facing a young Blue Devils team. Looking at the five players who played the most for each side this year, Ohio State’s roster averaged 41 more college appearances than Duke.
It showed in the first 15 minutes of the game.
Ohio State jumped out to a 12-4 lead, stretching it to 10 points by the end of the first quarter. Look in the details of the quarter and it reeked of Buckeyes dominance. Of Duke’s 10 points scored, six of them came from the free throw line, and after forward Reigan Richardson hit a midrange jumper with 8:05 left in the quarter, the Blue Devils couldn’t muster another made shot from the field until 6:53 left in the second quarter.
Head coach Kevin McGuff’s group benefited from an opponent playing man coverage. Players found space in behind the defense, and the Buckeyes owned a 26-to-6 points in the paint first half advantage.
Even with all the post success, the Buckeyes were outrebounded 10-to-7 in the first 10 minutes, but considering the five forced turnovers for the home side, it didn’t really impact the game. After all, the height and size advantage of Duke was likely going to end in a negative rebounding margin for Ohio State. Then things began to unravel.
It began offensively with Richardson propelling the Blue Devils. After hitting two three-point shots, the lead was trimmed to 11 points and the Buckeyes went cold, taking just two shots in the final two minutes of the first half.
A nine-point Duke run gave Ohio State a four-point lead heading into halftime, and the rest of the game was an attempt to hang on.
For Ohio State, forward Cotie McMahon did everything she could to propel the team. In the third quarter, the sophomore scored nine of the Buckeyes’ 14 points. The Buckeyes kept going into the paint.
“As the game wore on, we really got out of sync on offense,” said head coach Kevin McGuff. “And Duke was playing really good defense, so they had a hand in that.”
The Blue Devils knew that the Buckeyes wanted to go into the paint, and Ohio State gave the ACC side exactly what they expected. Layup attempts by McMahon and Taylor Thierry stopped falling, and whistles weren’t blowing on the inside shots.
All-in-all, the Buckeye offense became one dimensional. It was a move by design for the Blue Devils.
“I think they were obviously keying on the three-point line, so our counter to that is to kind of spread ‘em out and attack,” said McGuff. “I think that was working for awhile. Then when we did get some opportunities at the three-point line, we weren’t connecting.”
By the end of the third quarter, Ohio State had only eight three-point attempts in total — none of which came in the second quarter. It wasn’t until 14 seconds remaining in the game that guard Jacy Sheldon hit a three, the lone make from deep all game. No makes came for Rebeka Mikulášiková, Celeste Taylor, Rikki Harris or Thierry. Bench shooter Emma Shumate never saw a minute on the court.
Rebounding also got worse.
Each quarter, Duke out-rebounded Ohio State by five. The Buckeyes ended the day with 20 rebounds, compared to 38 for the opposition. The continued offensive moves to the basket drew attention from the Blue Devils. Plus, with Ohio State attacking the basket, missed shots had three Duke players and sometimes only one Buckeye available to battle, with the rest outside the arc waiting to get back on defense.
While experience benefited the Buckeyes, and propelled its quick start, it was complacency against a young team committed to its strategy that ended the Scarlet and Gray’s season.
“They made mistakes, but they kept playing hard, and they’re very athletic and they made enough plays to win the game,” said McGuff.
Richardson, one of the lone starting upperclassmen for head coach Kara Lawson, seemingly willed the Blue Devils to victory. The guard had 10 points, four rebounds and no turnovers in the final 10 minutes. A 24-point quarter against 13 for Ohio State, with each quarter of scoring less than the last. Richardson’s 28 points and seven rebounds move Duke to the Sweet Sixteen.
Now, what’s left for Ohio State are questions that won’t be answered until at least November.
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
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
After a strong start, Sunday’s final score shows a tale of diminishing returns for the Buckeyes.
Things couldn’t have started any better for Ohio State women’s basketball on Sunday. The Duke Blue Devils were stifled offensively, frustrated defensively and the Buckeyes continued to exploit the young visiting side. Then it all went wrong. Here’s how lack of adjustment and a continued thorn in the Buckeyes’ side has Ohio State looking to next season.
Entering the final NCAA Tournament game of the weekend in Columbus, a storyline was the experienced Buckeyes facing a young Blue Devils team. Looking at the five players who played the most for each side this year, Ohio State’s roster averaged 41 more college appearances than Duke.
It showed in the first 15 minutes of the game.
Ohio State jumped out to a 12-4 lead, stretching it to 10 points by the end of the first quarter. Look in the details of the quarter and it reeked of Buckeyes dominance. Of Duke’s 10 points scored, six of them came from the free throw line, and after forward Reigan Richardson hit a midrange jumper with 8:05 left in the quarter, the Blue Devils couldn’t muster another made shot from the field until 6:53 left in the second quarter.
Head coach Kevin McGuff’s group benefited from an opponent playing man coverage. Players found space in behind the defense, and the Buckeyes owned a 26-to-6 points in the paint first half advantage.
Even with all the post success, the Buckeyes were outrebounded 10-to-7 in the first 10 minutes, but considering the five forced turnovers for the home side, it didn’t really impact the game. After all, the height and size advantage of Duke was likely going to end in a negative rebounding margin for Ohio State. Then things began to unravel.
It began offensively with Richardson propelling the Blue Devils. After hitting two three-point shots, the lead was trimmed to 11 points and the Buckeyes went cold, taking just two shots in the final two minutes of the first half.
A nine-point Duke run gave Ohio State a four-point lead heading into halftime, and the rest of the game was an attempt to hang on.
For Ohio State, forward Cotie McMahon did everything she could to propel the team. In the third quarter, the sophomore scored nine of the Buckeyes’ 14 points. The Buckeyes kept going into the paint.
“As the game wore on, we really got out of sync on offense,” said head coach Kevin McGuff. “And Duke was playing really good defense, so they had a hand in that.”
The Blue Devils knew that the Buckeyes wanted to go into the paint, and Ohio State gave the ACC side exactly what they expected. Layup attempts by McMahon and Taylor Thierry stopped falling, and whistles weren’t blowing on the inside shots.
All-in-all, the Buckeye offense became one dimensional. It was a move by design for the Blue Devils.
“I think they were obviously keying on the three-point line, so our counter to that is to kind of spread ‘em out and attack,” said McGuff. “I think that was working for awhile. Then when we did get some opportunities at the three-point line, we weren’t connecting.”
By the end of the third quarter, Ohio State had only eight three-point attempts in total — none of which came in the second quarter. It wasn’t until 14 seconds remaining in the game that guard Jacy Sheldon hit a three, the lone make from deep all game. No makes came for Rebeka Mikulášiková, Celeste Taylor, Rikki Harris or Thierry. Bench shooter Emma Shumate never saw a minute on the court.
Rebounding also got worse.
Each quarter, Duke out-rebounded Ohio State by five. The Buckeyes ended the day with 20 rebounds, compared to 38 for the opposition. The continued offensive moves to the basket drew attention from the Blue Devils. Plus, with Ohio State attacking the basket, missed shots had three Duke players and sometimes only one Buckeye available to battle, with the rest outside the arc waiting to get back on defense.
While experience benefited the Buckeyes, and propelled its quick start, it was complacency against a young team committed to its strategy that ended the Scarlet and Gray’s season.
“They made mistakes, but they kept playing hard, and they’re very athletic and they made enough plays to win the game,” said McGuff.
Richardson, one of the lone starting upperclassmen for head coach Kara Lawson, seemingly willed the Blue Devils to victory. The guard had 10 points, four rebounds and no turnovers in the final 10 minutes. A 24-point quarter against 13 for Ohio State, with each quarter of scoring less than the last. Richardson’s 28 points and seven rebounds move Duke to the Sweet Sixteen.
Now, what’s left for Ohio State are questions that won’t be answered until at least November.
Continue reading...
LGHL What is the ceiling for Ohio State’s wide receivers?
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What is the ceiling for Ohio State’s wide receivers?
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images
Each wide receiver class under Brian Hartline seems to unlock a new level of talent.
Ohio State’s embarrassment of riches at the wide receiver position has become cliché at this point. Whether an unheralded recruit like Chris Olave or a highly prized one like Carnell Tate, the Buckeyes always find talent at the position.
That has almost always been the case, but Brian Hartline has elevated Ohio State’s ability to attract top national wideouts to unprecedented heights. It’s gotten to the point where it’s more surprising when a top receiver doesn’t opt to attend Ohio State, but there are a few.
Whether they are unwilling to compete against the best of the best or simply secure better NIL deals elsewhere, there are some who take their talents to other schools. In that rare occurence, Hartline simply finds another gem to take that recruit’s place.
The old timers among us may have grown up watching the OG stud, Paul Warfield (on black-and-white televisions, no doubt), while those around my age grew up watching Doug Donley, Gary Williams, Mike Lanese, and Cris Carter. Others had the pleasure of discovering the Buckeyes while Joey Galloway or David Boston or Terry Glenn were torturing Big Ten defenses. A little later, it was Ted Ginn Jr., Santonio Holmes, and Michael Jenkins.
To summarize, Ohio State has had ridiculous wideouts for many years. Even some of the second receivers who didn’t excel at the NFL level were outstanding college players.
As good as the school’s wide receiver history has been, the recent times have seen a whole new level. It begs the question: How high is the ceiling at Ohio State?
Olave burst onto the scene late in his freshman season and went on to a stellar OSU career. This coincided on the timeline with Hartline becoming Ohio State’s wide receivers coach. While Olave may have had the talent all along, Hartline helped him develop into a first-round pick (No. 11 overall) in 2022.
Olave was joined at Ohio State by an even better teammate in Garrett Wilson. The two of them terrorized defensive coordinators on Ohio State’s schedule, and Wilson went to the New York Jets one pick higher than Olave went to the Saints in the 2022 NFL Draft, and edged out his college teammate for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (Olave finished fourth, despite having similar numbers in two fewer games played).
The short-lived nickname of Earth, Wind & Fire surfaced to describe Olave, Wilson, and younger teammate Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Both Olave and Wilson declared that Smith-Njigba was the best receiver of the three. Indeed, Smith-Njigba’s performance seemed to prove their point.
Smith-Njigba finished with more receptions and yards than his teammates in 2021, although both Olave and Wilson recorded more touchdowns. But the real proof seemed to be the 2022 Rose Bowl. Smith-Njigba set an Ohio State record, a new high mark for any bowl game, and an FBS receiving record with 347 yards on 15 receptions, averaging more than 23 yards per catch in a wild win over Utah. The rising star was on pace to rewrite the OSU record books at the position.
Unfortunately, what was supposed to be a celebratory final season at Ohio State for Smith-Njigba was marred by injuries. The Dallas native was limited to just three games and five receptions in 2022, and still managed to be the No. 20 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, going to the Seattle Seahawks.
But a funny thing happened while Smith-Njigba was sidelined for much of 2022. Marvin Harrison Jr., and Emeka Egbuka showed the nation that Ohio State’s starting wide receiver tandem wasn’t interested in taking steps backward.
Harrison, who had his coming out party in that 2022 Rose Bowl with six catches for 71 yards and three touchdowns, led Ohio State with 77 receptions for 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns. Egbuka was hot on his tail, catching 74 balls for 1,151 yards and 10 touchdowns of his own.
Like Smith-Njigba in 2022, Egbuka was slowed by injuries last season, cutting his receptions by almost half and his yards and touchdowns by more than half. Saddled with Ohio State’s first year starting quarterback and an unusually poor passing season under Ryan Day, Harrison managed 67 catches for 1,211 yards and 14 more touchdowns — despite everyone in the stadium knowing he was getting the ball whenever possible when Kyle McCord dropped back to throw.
Harrison was a Heisman Trophy finalist, and is about to make a lot of money as a high, first-round pick next month.
While Ohio State was struggling offensively in 2023, Carnell Tate found a way to leave his mark on the program as a freshman wide receiver. Tate caught 18 passes for 264 yards and a touchdown — not eye-popping numbers, but for a freshman at Ohio State, that’s not bad. Tate figures to have an expanded role in 2024, and Egbuka returns to try to build on his legacy and lead Ohio State to a championship, while improving his own future draft stock.
And despite Tate’s obvious talent, there is a new name already on every Ohio State fan’s lips when it comes to wide receivers — Jeremiah Smith.
Smith, the No. 1 prospect in the 2024 class per 247Sports, has been turning heads the last couple of seasons at Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory School in Hollywood, Florida. But perhaps even more eye-catching was the fact that he has already set a new record at Ohio State.
On March 21, Smith had the black stripe removed from his helmet after only four spring practices. It was the fastest any freshman has lost his black stripe in spring practice. The guy whose record he broke is Tate, someone he’ll likely be on the field with a lot this fall.
It remains to be seen what kind of college careers Tate and Smith will have. However, what Hartline has done to the position group borders on the absurd. Presumably, there is a ceiling for how impressive Ohio States receivers’ room can be. Have we reached that ceiling yet?
No one can say. But every time it seems as if there’s no way to top it, Hartline somehow does. Whether that’s because he just keeps landing better talent, has himself developed as a coach with the ability to better unlock it, or a combination of the two is unknowable.
It will be fun watching the Tate and Smith show to see where they end up on Ohio State’s list of all-time greats. It seems premature — and maybe even a bit arrogant — to even use the phrase “all-time greats” when discussing a true freshman and a true sophomore, but that is what Ohio State’s success at the position dictates.
For now, it’s wise to just enjoy the ride and see where it goes.
Continue reading...
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images
Each wide receiver class under Brian Hartline seems to unlock a new level of talent.
Ohio State’s embarrassment of riches at the wide receiver position has become cliché at this point. Whether an unheralded recruit like Chris Olave or a highly prized one like Carnell Tate, the Buckeyes always find talent at the position.
That has almost always been the case, but Brian Hartline has elevated Ohio State’s ability to attract top national wideouts to unprecedented heights. It’s gotten to the point where it’s more surprising when a top receiver doesn’t opt to attend Ohio State, but there are a few.
Whether they are unwilling to compete against the best of the best or simply secure better NIL deals elsewhere, there are some who take their talents to other schools. In that rare occurence, Hartline simply finds another gem to take that recruit’s place.
The old timers among us may have grown up watching the OG stud, Paul Warfield (on black-and-white televisions, no doubt), while those around my age grew up watching Doug Donley, Gary Williams, Mike Lanese, and Cris Carter. Others had the pleasure of discovering the Buckeyes while Joey Galloway or David Boston or Terry Glenn were torturing Big Ten defenses. A little later, it was Ted Ginn Jr., Santonio Holmes, and Michael Jenkins.
To summarize, Ohio State has had ridiculous wideouts for many years. Even some of the second receivers who didn’t excel at the NFL level were outstanding college players.
As good as the school’s wide receiver history has been, the recent times have seen a whole new level. It begs the question: How high is the ceiling at Ohio State?
Olave burst onto the scene late in his freshman season and went on to a stellar OSU career. This coincided on the timeline with Hartline becoming Ohio State’s wide receivers coach. While Olave may have had the talent all along, Hartline helped him develop into a first-round pick (No. 11 overall) in 2022.
Olave was joined at Ohio State by an even better teammate in Garrett Wilson. The two of them terrorized defensive coordinators on Ohio State’s schedule, and Wilson went to the New York Jets one pick higher than Olave went to the Saints in the 2022 NFL Draft, and edged out his college teammate for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (Olave finished fourth, despite having similar numbers in two fewer games played).
The short-lived nickname of Earth, Wind & Fire surfaced to describe Olave, Wilson, and younger teammate Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Both Olave and Wilson declared that Smith-Njigba was the best receiver of the three. Indeed, Smith-Njigba’s performance seemed to prove their point.
Smith-Njigba finished with more receptions and yards than his teammates in 2021, although both Olave and Wilson recorded more touchdowns. But the real proof seemed to be the 2022 Rose Bowl. Smith-Njigba set an Ohio State record, a new high mark for any bowl game, and an FBS receiving record with 347 yards on 15 receptions, averaging more than 23 yards per catch in a wild win over Utah. The rising star was on pace to rewrite the OSU record books at the position.
Unfortunately, what was supposed to be a celebratory final season at Ohio State for Smith-Njigba was marred by injuries. The Dallas native was limited to just three games and five receptions in 2022, and still managed to be the No. 20 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, going to the Seattle Seahawks.
But a funny thing happened while Smith-Njigba was sidelined for much of 2022. Marvin Harrison Jr., and Emeka Egbuka showed the nation that Ohio State’s starting wide receiver tandem wasn’t interested in taking steps backward.
Harrison, who had his coming out party in that 2022 Rose Bowl with six catches for 71 yards and three touchdowns, led Ohio State with 77 receptions for 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns. Egbuka was hot on his tail, catching 74 balls for 1,151 yards and 10 touchdowns of his own.
Like Smith-Njigba in 2022, Egbuka was slowed by injuries last season, cutting his receptions by almost half and his yards and touchdowns by more than half. Saddled with Ohio State’s first year starting quarterback and an unusually poor passing season under Ryan Day, Harrison managed 67 catches for 1,211 yards and 14 more touchdowns — despite everyone in the stadium knowing he was getting the ball whenever possible when Kyle McCord dropped back to throw.
Harrison was a Heisman Trophy finalist, and is about to make a lot of money as a high, first-round pick next month.
While Ohio State was struggling offensively in 2023, Carnell Tate found a way to leave his mark on the program as a freshman wide receiver. Tate caught 18 passes for 264 yards and a touchdown — not eye-popping numbers, but for a freshman at Ohio State, that’s not bad. Tate figures to have an expanded role in 2024, and Egbuka returns to try to build on his legacy and lead Ohio State to a championship, while improving his own future draft stock.
And despite Tate’s obvious talent, there is a new name already on every Ohio State fan’s lips when it comes to wide receivers — Jeremiah Smith.
Smith, the No. 1 prospect in the 2024 class per 247Sports, has been turning heads the last couple of seasons at Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory School in Hollywood, Florida. But perhaps even more eye-catching was the fact that he has already set a new record at Ohio State.
On March 21, Smith had the black stripe removed from his helmet after only four spring practices. It was the fastest any freshman has lost his black stripe in spring practice. The guy whose record he broke is Tate, someone he’ll likely be on the field with a lot this fall.
It remains to be seen what kind of college careers Tate and Smith will have. However, what Hartline has done to the position group borders on the absurd. Presumably, there is a ceiling for how impressive Ohio States receivers’ room can be. Have we reached that ceiling yet?
No one can say. But every time it seems as if there’s no way to top it, Hartline somehow does. Whether that’s because he just keeps landing better talent, has himself developed as a coach with the ability to better unlock it, or a combination of the two is unknowable.
It will be fun watching the Tate and Smith show to see where they end up on Ohio State’s list of all-time greats. It seems premature — and maybe even a bit arrogant — to even use the phrase “all-time greats” when discussing a true freshman and a true sophomore, but that is what Ohio State’s success at the position dictates.
For now, it’s wise to just enjoy the ride and see where it goes.
Continue reading...
Baltimore Bridge Collapse
- By ScriptOhio
- Open Discussion (Work-safe)
- 57 Replies
Maryland: Ship hits Francis Scott Key Bridge causing it to collapse
A ship has hit the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, causing it to collapse, authorities said.
www.foxnews.com
Maryland: Ship hits Francis Scott Key Bridge causing it to collapse
The Francis Scott Key Bridge along I-695 in Maryland collapsed into the Baltimore harbor early Tuesday morning following a "ship strike," Maryland transportation officials said.A livestream of the bridge appeared to show a cargo ship colliding with a support beam, causing the bridge to break and fall into the Patapsco River. Multiple vehicles were on the bridge at the time.
Emergency crews were searching for at least 20 people believed to be in the water, Kevin Cartwright, director of communications for the Baltimore Fire Department, told The Associated Press around 3 a.m. Officials have described this as a mass casualty event. There were no specific number of deceased.
"Our focus right now is trying to rescue and recover these people," Cartwright said, calling the collapse a "developing mass casualty event."
It is believed that a Singapore-flagged cargo ship struck the heavily-traveled bridge. The large vessel then caught fire before it sank.
The Maryland Transportation Authority said on social media that all lanes are closed in both directions and that traffic is being detoured. Later, it urged drivers to avoid the I-695 southeast corridor and to instead use I-95 or I-895.
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Mayor Brandon M. Scott and Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. confirmed emergency personnel were responding and rescue efforts were underway.
Cartwright said agencies received 911 calls around 1:30 a.m. that a vessel traveling from Baltimore had struck the bridge, causing it to collapse.
"This is a dire emergency," Cartwright added.
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