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LGHL You’re Nuts: Is it time to have the Bowen Hardman conversation?
- News
- 0 Replies
You’re Nuts: Is it time to have the Bowen Hardman conversation?
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports
The sophomore guard from Cincinnati scored a career-high 11 points in Ohio State’s loss to Nebraska Tuesday night.
Ah yes, Ohio State men’s basketball. The big beautiful dumpster fire that looks to once again be headed in the wrong direction as we approach the final stretch of the season.
After a loss to Nebraska on Tuesday night, the Buckeyes are now 3-5 in Big Ten play, and have fallen out of everyone’s bracket predictions for the NCAA Tournament. Just a few weeks ago, this team was projected to be a six or seven-seed. Boy, how things can change quickly.
While it wasn’t the headline of Tuesday night’s game, something funny happened with 7:35 remaining — Bowen Hardman checked in. Ohio State was trailing by 16 on the road, and nothing was working. It was clearly a “throw everything at the wall and see if something sticks” move by Chris Holtmann. Hardman responded by scoring 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting, including 3-of-7 from three. More on him in a bit.
Last week, Connor and Justin debated what Ohio State would need to improve on if they wanted to even the score with Penn State at home (spoiler alert, they did). Connor said the Buckeyes need to guard Ace Baldwin and Kanye Clary better. Justin said the Buckeyes just need to hit more three-pointers. 67% of the people sided with Justin, and Ohio State won, too!
Connor- 64
By most accounts, Bowen Hardman has been Ohio State’s best shooter since he stepped foot on campus. He hasn’t played because pretty much every other aspect of his game lags far behind what is needed to compete at this level. But after his tryout of sorts on Tuesday, should Hardman see the floor more often?
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25249272/usa_today_21686278.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Things are heading south quickly for Ohio State, and unlike past seasons where the Buckeyes’ offense kept chugging along despite a bad defense, right now they’re struggling at both ends of the floor. Ohio State has been held under 70 points six times this season, but four of those games have come in the last few weeks (four of their last five games).
One of those games was Nebraska this past week, when Ohio State struggled offensively and put up 69 points. During the second half, as the Cornhuskers pulled away, Chris Holtmann subbed in Hardman with 7:35 left to go, in place of Dale Bonner. Hardman responded by scoring 11 points over the last seven minutes or so, knocking down four of his eight shots.
More than a few fans have asked why Hardman never plays, when his teammates say he is the team’s best shooter and that part of his game was already pretty refined coming out of high school. Chris Holtmann said last year that Hardman’s just not physically built or ready for this level of basketball, and truth be told if that’s really true, there’s never going to be a path for him to play.
But if the season is spiraling, Ohio State needs guys out there who can hit shots. Maybe he can’t defend and maybe he’s not going to viciously attack the glass for rebounds, but Hardman can hit shots. So at this point, why not?
I’m not advocating for Hardman to play 15 minutes a game, nor should he take minutes away from Bruce Thornton or Roddy Gayle. But five or six minutes per game, maybe Hardman knock down a three or two that sparks his teammates when things go dry.
It’s okay to say it like it is — Hardman was an early commitment in the class of 2022 that didn’t pan out. He looks physically overmatched on the floor, and has already been passed over by freshmen on the depth chart. But if we’re in, “just throw anything against the wall” mode, that should also include Hardman.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25249198/usa_today_22338419.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
It was hard to judge Bowen Hardman off his play in the Nebraska game, as he was clearly brought in to give them a spark shooting and shot the ball every possession. He was solid, shooting 3-for-6 from the field, 2-for-5 from three-point range, with eight points.
I am not opposed to Bowen Hardman’s minutes off the bench. He looked good against Nebraska, and we know he can shoot at a high level, but Taison Chatman did not play in this one, and that is where I want those minutes to go if they are looking for a spark.
I understand why it was Hardman and not Chatman in this contest, because Chris Holtmann was clearly looking for a shooting spark, and Hardman provided that over Chatman. However, Chatman provides a higher ceiling.
Chatman has not played much this season as he recovers from two separate injuries and missed a lot of the offseason. He has looked okay in the minutes he has played, but at this point in the season and the position the team is in, it really can’t hurt to give Chatman some more minutes and let him get more comfortable.
Dale Bonner has struggled at times, and Bruce Thornton and Roddy Gayle can’t play 40 minutes a game. Maybe Chatman is the bridge player to help that.
At this point, it is all hands on deck to save the season. Also, you want Chatman to be here next season.
Continue reading...
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports
The sophomore guard from Cincinnati scored a career-high 11 points in Ohio State’s loss to Nebraska Tuesday night.
Ah yes, Ohio State men’s basketball. The big beautiful dumpster fire that looks to once again be headed in the wrong direction as we approach the final stretch of the season.
After a loss to Nebraska on Tuesday night, the Buckeyes are now 3-5 in Big Ten play, and have fallen out of everyone’s bracket predictions for the NCAA Tournament. Just a few weeks ago, this team was projected to be a six or seven-seed. Boy, how things can change quickly.
While it wasn’t the headline of Tuesday night’s game, something funny happened with 7:35 remaining — Bowen Hardman checked in. Ohio State was trailing by 16 on the road, and nothing was working. It was clearly a “throw everything at the wall and see if something sticks” move by Chris Holtmann. Hardman responded by scoring 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting, including 3-of-7 from three. More on him in a bit.
Last week, Connor and Justin debated what Ohio State would need to improve on if they wanted to even the score with Penn State at home (spoiler alert, they did). Connor said the Buckeyes need to guard Ace Baldwin and Kanye Clary better. Justin said the Buckeyes just need to hit more three-pointers. 67% of the people sided with Justin, and Ohio State won, too!
After 136 weeks:
Connor- 64
Justin- 53
Other- 15
(There have been four ties)
By most accounts, Bowen Hardman has been Ohio State’s best shooter since he stepped foot on campus. He hasn’t played because pretty much every other aspect of his game lags far behind what is needed to compete at this level. But after his tryout of sorts on Tuesday, should Hardman see the floor more often?
Today’s Question: Is it time to have the Bowen Hardman conversation?
Connor: Sure, why not?
Things are heading south quickly for Ohio State, and unlike past seasons where the Buckeyes’ offense kept chugging along despite a bad defense, right now they’re struggling at both ends of the floor. Ohio State has been held under 70 points six times this season, but four of those games have come in the last few weeks (four of their last five games).
One of those games was Nebraska this past week, when Ohio State struggled offensively and put up 69 points. During the second half, as the Cornhuskers pulled away, Chris Holtmann subbed in Hardman with 7:35 left to go, in place of Dale Bonner. Hardman responded by scoring 11 points over the last seven minutes or so, knocking down four of his eight shots.
More than a few fans have asked why Hardman never plays, when his teammates say he is the team’s best shooter and that part of his game was already pretty refined coming out of high school. Chris Holtmann said last year that Hardman’s just not physically built or ready for this level of basketball, and truth be told if that’s really true, there’s never going to be a path for him to play.
But if the season is spiraling, Ohio State needs guys out there who can hit shots. Maybe he can’t defend and maybe he’s not going to viciously attack the glass for rebounds, but Hardman can hit shots. So at this point, why not?
I’m not advocating for Hardman to play 15 minutes a game, nor should he take minutes away from Bruce Thornton or Roddy Gayle. But five or six minutes per game, maybe Hardman knock down a three or two that sparks his teammates when things go dry.
It’s okay to say it like it is — Hardman was an early commitment in the class of 2022 that didn’t pan out. He looks physically overmatched on the floor, and has already been passed over by freshmen on the depth chart. But if we’re in, “just throw anything against the wall” mode, that should also include Hardman.
Justin: Give me extended Taison Chatman minutes instead
It was hard to judge Bowen Hardman off his play in the Nebraska game, as he was clearly brought in to give them a spark shooting and shot the ball every possession. He was solid, shooting 3-for-6 from the field, 2-for-5 from three-point range, with eight points.
I am not opposed to Bowen Hardman’s minutes off the bench. He looked good against Nebraska, and we know he can shoot at a high level, but Taison Chatman did not play in this one, and that is where I want those minutes to go if they are looking for a spark.
I understand why it was Hardman and not Chatman in this contest, because Chris Holtmann was clearly looking for a shooting spark, and Hardman provided that over Chatman. However, Chatman provides a higher ceiling.
Chatman has not played much this season as he recovers from two separate injuries and missed a lot of the offseason. He has looked okay in the minutes he has played, but at this point in the season and the position the team is in, it really can’t hurt to give Chatman some more minutes and let him get more comfortable.
Dale Bonner has struggled at times, and Bruce Thornton and Roddy Gayle can’t play 40 minutes a game. Maybe Chatman is the bridge player to help that.
At this point, it is all hands on deck to save the season. Also, you want Chatman to be here next season.
Continue reading...
The B1G Conference Basketball Tournament
- By ScriptOhio
- Buckeye Basketball
- 2 Replies
Big Ten Sticking With 20-Game Conference Schedule, Tournament Going to 15 Teams With Additions of Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington
Big Ten conference schedules will remain at 20 games but the league will move forward with a 15-team conference tournament after its expansion next season.
BIG TEN STICKING WITH 20-GAME CONFERENCE SCHEDULE, TOURNAMENT GOING TO 15 TEAMS WITH ADDITIONS OF OREGON, UCLA, USC AND WASHINGTON
Changes are coming with the Big Ten's expansion to 18 teams, but one thing that will remain the same is the number of conference games played by the league's teams.
With Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington all joining the Big Ten basketball ranks starting in the 2024-25 season, each Big Ten team will continue to play 20 conference games each year, per College Hoops Today.
One thing that is changing, however, is the Big Ten Tournament, which will move to a 15-team bracket starting with the 2025 tourney.
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A 15-team bracket would mean that the bottom three teams in the conference are excluded from conference tournament action. No seed lower than the No. 8 Michigan State men's team in 2017 has ever won the Big Ten Tournament.
Just sayin': With 15 teams only the #1 seed gets a bye in the 1st round.
2026 GA WR Devin Carter (Florida State decommit)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
- 9 Replies
247
Rivals
Twitter
HudL
Class: 2026
Position: WR
School: Ellenwood(GA)Cedar Grove
Height: 6ft
Weight: 165lbs
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Rivals
HudL
Class: 2026
Position: WR
School: Ellenwood(GA)Cedar Grove
Height: 6ft
Weight: 165lbs
Login to view embedded media
LGHL Ohio State dishes out new offers in both the 2025 and 2026 classes
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Ohio State dishes out new offers in both the 2025 and 2026 classes
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Buckeyes’ staff used Wednesday to send out a handful of offers to new targets.
After a successful weekend of hosting several top targets from all over the country, the Buckeyes are back on the trail and making their presence known early and often. Wasting no time in adding new names to their prospect list, Ohio State dished out multiple offers on Wednesday in both the 2025 and 2026 classes.
James Laurinaitis has been taking advantage of the Buckeyes being down one position coach, finally being able to go out on the road for recruiting efforts and is looking like a natural. Heading back to his home state of Minnesota, the Buckeyes sent out one of their latest offers to a 2025 linebacker who is starting to become a name more and more major programs are paying attention to.
Taking to Twitter to share the latest, Emmanuel Karmo announced the Buckeyes have extended an offer. A 6-foot-2, 210-pound athlete, Karmo is currently the No. 49 athlete in the country, but the top player in Minnesota for the 2025 class per 247Sports. Now at double-digit offers, Karmo has schools such as Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas State, Michigan State, USC, and now Ohio State to his name, but others are sure to follow soon.
The Buckeyes are likely to take at the very least two and probably even three at the position for the 2025 cycle, and with Eli Lee already locked in, the staff is off to a strong start. Guys such as Tarvos Alford are of course the other top target so it seems, but Karmo is the newest name worth paying attention to and probably won’t be the last.
Moving along to the next player the Buckeyes were in on, Ohio State is also in pursuit of offensive linemen in the 2025 class, and looked no further than New Jersey. Making the stop at Paramus Catholic, Malachi Goodman was on the receiving end of his latest offer, and for good reason to say the least.
A 6-foot-5, 315-pound athlete, Goodman oddly enough is not yet ranked on his 247Sports profile but has recent offers from the likes of Oklahoma and others such as Georgia, Florida, Miami, Penn State, USC, and several more to his name. Seeing the size he’s listed at it makes sense why so many top-tier schools are in the mix, but when you take into consideration where he plays his prep football, you know just how impressive of a player he really is. Paramus Catholic continuously churns out D1 talent, and Malachi is next on the list.
Another position the coaches will look to load up on in the 2025 class, Ohio State is going to look to take a larger number of guys and Goodman certainly fits that mold of player they’re looking for. Odds are with how many schools have offered he will be among the higher-ranked tackles in the country when 247Sports updates their rankings.
To the 2026 class for the last offer sent out on Wednesday, Ohio State capped off the busy day by heading to Texas to offer a big-time defensive back seeing plenty of attention early on in his recruiting process.
Taking to his Twitter as well to share the news, Isaiah Williams now holds an Ohio State offer. A 6-foot, 185-pound safety, Williams is only a high school sophomore but has nearly 20 offers to his name from the likes of LSU, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Texas A&M, and more. Also an unranked player right now due to class, it’s not going to be long before Williams sees his stock among some of the best in the country for the 2026 cycle.
With how well Tim Walton has been recruiting lately, you’d have to think Ohio State’s offer speaks volumes to Williams, but the Buckeyes also now have Matt Guerrieri to take the reigns of the safety position recruiting, and he too seems to know how to get the job done on the trail. Sure there’s a ton of time still before Isaiah has to decide his college plans, but it’s more likely than not that the Buckeyes will be a player for his services both now and for the long haul.
While recruiting Texas yesterday, Sanchez was able to see his future coaches and by the looks of his time, he had quite the guest list of visitors as multiple coaches stopped to check in. The No. 4 player nationally and the top corner in the country per 247Sports, Sanchez is bought in, and maybe even more importantly, so is his family.
A 6-foot-2, 270-pound athlete, Rink is the No. 316 player nationally and 32nd best player at his position for the 2025 class per the 247Sports Composite grades.
Continue reading...
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Buckeyes’ staff used Wednesday to send out a handful of offers to new targets.
After a successful weekend of hosting several top targets from all over the country, the Buckeyes are back on the trail and making their presence known early and often. Wasting no time in adding new names to their prospect list, Ohio State dished out multiple offers on Wednesday in both the 2025 and 2026 classes.
James Laurinaitis has been taking advantage of the Buckeyes being down one position coach, finally being able to go out on the road for recruiting efforts and is looking like a natural. Heading back to his home state of Minnesota, the Buckeyes sent out one of their latest offers to a 2025 linebacker who is starting to become a name more and more major programs are paying attention to.
Taking to Twitter to share the latest, Emmanuel Karmo announced the Buckeyes have extended an offer. A 6-foot-2, 210-pound athlete, Karmo is currently the No. 49 athlete in the country, but the top player in Minnesota for the 2025 class per 247Sports. Now at double-digit offers, Karmo has schools such as Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas State, Michigan State, USC, and now Ohio State to his name, but others are sure to follow soon.
The Buckeyes are likely to take at the very least two and probably even three at the position for the 2025 cycle, and with Eli Lee already locked in, the staff is off to a strong start. Guys such as Tarvos Alford are of course the other top target so it seems, but Karmo is the newest name worth paying attention to and probably won’t be the last.
Moving along to the next player the Buckeyes were in on, Ohio State is also in pursuit of offensive linemen in the 2025 class, and looked no further than New Jersey. Making the stop at Paramus Catholic, Malachi Goodman was on the receiving end of his latest offer, and for good reason to say the least.
A 6-foot-5, 315-pound athlete, Goodman oddly enough is not yet ranked on his 247Sports profile but has recent offers from the likes of Oklahoma and others such as Georgia, Florida, Miami, Penn State, USC, and several more to his name. Seeing the size he’s listed at it makes sense why so many top-tier schools are in the mix, but when you take into consideration where he plays his prep football, you know just how impressive of a player he really is. Paramus Catholic continuously churns out D1 talent, and Malachi is next on the list.
Another position the coaches will look to load up on in the 2025 class, Ohio State is going to look to take a larger number of guys and Goodman certainly fits that mold of player they’re looking for. Odds are with how many schools have offered he will be among the higher-ranked tackles in the country when 247Sports updates their rankings.
To the 2026 class for the last offer sent out on Wednesday, Ohio State capped off the busy day by heading to Texas to offer a big-time defensive back seeing plenty of attention early on in his recruiting process.
Taking to his Twitter as well to share the news, Isaiah Williams now holds an Ohio State offer. A 6-foot, 185-pound safety, Williams is only a high school sophomore but has nearly 20 offers to his name from the likes of LSU, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Texas A&M, and more. Also an unranked player right now due to class, it’s not going to be long before Williams sees his stock among some of the best in the country for the 2026 cycle.
With how well Tim Walton has been recruiting lately, you’d have to think Ohio State’s offer speaks volumes to Williams, but the Buckeyes also now have Matt Guerrieri to take the reigns of the safety position recruiting, and he too seems to know how to get the job done on the trail. Sure there’s a ton of time still before Isaiah has to decide his college plans, but it’s more likely than not that the Buckeyes will be a player for his services both now and for the long haul.
Quick Hits
- Ohio State’s 2025 class is sure to be among the best in college football come signing day, and no recruit may be as impressive as current commit Devin Sanchez. A five-star in every aspect, the Buckeyes know exactly what they’re getting with his services and make sure to keep him atop of their priorities.
While recruiting Texas yesterday, Sanchez was able to see his future coaches and by the looks of his time, he had quite the guest list of visitors as multiple coaches stopped to check in. The No. 4 player nationally and the top corner in the country per 247Sports, Sanchez is bought in, and maybe even more importantly, so is his family.
- Another visit the staff decided to make in Texas, 2025 defensive lineman Landon Rink also got to see several of Ohio State’s coaches on Wednesday.
A 6-foot-2, 270-pound athlete, Rink is the No. 316 player nationally and 32nd best player at his position for the 2025 class per the 247Sports Composite grades.
Continue reading...
LGHL Bucketheads Podcast: Thomas Costello recaps OSU women’s team’s huge win over Iowa
- News
- 0 Replies
Bucketheads Podcast: Thomas Costello recaps OSU women’s team’s huge win over Iowa
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
Plus, do the men still have a path to the tournament?
“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. Every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in the college hoops world.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
This is episode 102 of the Bucketheads Podcast, and the Ohio State Men’s Basketball team is in trouble. Connor is out sick, so we went to the bullpen and brought in LGHL’s Ohio State Women’s basketball beat writer Thomas Costello to talk about the huge win over the No. 2 ranked Iowa Hawkeyes.
Before that, we talked about the Men’s team, the win over Penn State, and the loss to Nebraska.
What does the rest of the season look like? What are Ross Bjork’s options this offseason if things keep trending downhill? Is there a path to the postseason for Ohio State? We touched on it all.
Make sure to like, subscribe, comment, and leave a review on the show!
Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Connect with Thomas:
Twitter: 1ThomasCostello
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
Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
Plus, do the men still have a path to the tournament?
“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. Every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in the college hoops world.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
This is episode 102 of the Bucketheads Podcast, and the Ohio State Men’s Basketball team is in trouble. Connor is out sick, so we went to the bullpen and brought in LGHL’s Ohio State Women’s basketball beat writer Thomas Costello to talk about the huge win over the No. 2 ranked Iowa Hawkeyes.
Before that, we talked about the Men’s team, the win over Penn State, and the loss to Nebraska.
What does the rest of the season look like? What are Ross Bjork’s options this offseason if things keep trending downhill? Is there a path to the postseason for Ohio State? We touched on it all.
Make sure to like, subscribe, comment, and leave a review on the show!
Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Connect with Thomas:
Twitter: 1ThomasCostello
Continue reading...
LGHL No. 12 Ohio State women’s basketball overcome another double-digit deficit, beat Illinois 67-59
- News
- 0 Replies
No. 12 Ohio State women’s basketball overcome another double-digit deficit, beat Illinois 67-59
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State University athletic department
Despite an 11-point deficit, and record breaking scoring drought, the Buckeyes come away with the win over the Fighting Illini.
After a historic victory for Ohio State women’s basketball Sunday, head coach Kevin McGuff’s side headed to Champaign, Illinois. The task was defeating the Illinois Fighting Illini, a team struggling for results a year after surprising the Big Ten on its way to the first NCAA Tournament birth in 20 years.
Like last season though, the Buckeyes overcame a double-digit Fighting Illini deficit. Instead of 17 points, it was 11, beating Illinois 67-59 to increase Ohio State’s winning streak to six games.
Before the game, things were already off for the Buckeyes who had to travel to Illinois the day of the game, due to inclement weather. At first, Ohio State looked well rested.
Forward Cotie McMahon, who scored 33 points and won multiple Player of the Week honors for her work, continued that work from the jump ball. After both sides struggled to get going offensively, McMahon scored the first five points for Ohio State. Starting oddly enough with a three-point shot, after entering the game shooting 22.2% from deep.
It didn’t take long for guard Jacy Sheldon to join in the scoring, grabbing the next seven points. The Illini, who entered the day second in the Big Ten in fewest turnovers allowed, gave away the ball four times in the first eight minutes of the game, and Ohio State capitalized.
By the end of the first quarter, it was 18-13 in the Buckeyes’ favor. For how well forward Kendall Bostic’s played against Ohio State in three career games (averaging 16.6 points and 15.6 rebounds), the forward had seven rebounds in the first 10 minutes, but took and made only one shot.
Part of the limited scoring was bench forward Taiyier Parks. The former Michigan State Spartan teammate, playing one year with Bostic, gave the Buckeyes physicality in the paint, not letting Bostic take over offensively.
With 15 minutes played in the first half, Ohio State lost its lead due to self-inflicted mistakes. The Buckeyes forced turnovers early, and built a six point lead, but gave the ball away eight times. The Fighting Illini responded, topping Ohio State 9-to-2 in points scored off turnovers.
The media timeout was well timed for the scarlet and gray, giving them time to regroup. However, Illinois’ run couldn’t be stopped. The Fighting Illini went on a 14-point run, increasing its lead to nine points with the Buckeyes making its first shot of the quarter and then missing its next seven attempts from the floor.
Overall, the second quarter was historically bad for Ohio State on offense. Coach McGuff’s side scored only four points, the fewest amount of points the Buckeyes have scored in a quarter in program history.
Because of that 2-for-9 shooting performance, and Illinois hitting its last five shots of the half, the Buckeyes went into halftime down 22-33.
Rebounding played a part. In the first quarter, the Buckeyes and Illini each grabbed nine but the second quarter, Illinois surged ahead. Ohio State grabbed four, compared to 13 for the home team. By halftime, Bostic already had 12 rebounds, one less than the scarlet and gray to that point.
In a minute and a half, Sheldon already beat the entire second quarter team scoring. The guard hit double digit scoring on the night, hitting the first two shots for Ohio State in the quarter, cutting Illinois’ lead to six points. The Illinois lead continued to shrink.
Ohio State cut the Illinois lead to one, thanks improved shooting and a nine-point run, featuring five turnovers by the Fighting Illini. Guard Celeste Taylor, who was quiet in the first half, came up big, alongside Sheldon. The pair of graduate seniors scored 12 of the Buckeyes 16 points to trim the deficit to one possession.
The momentum wouldn’t last, and the nine-point turn swung into a quick four points from the home side. Down five points, Coach McGuff called a timeout to try and regroup to avoid the deficit increasing.
Out of the timeout, with Illinois in the bonus, the end of the third quarter slowed down. The Fighting Illini went 2-for-4 to end the quarter from the free throw line. Compared to 4-for-4 from the line for the Buckeyes. It trimmed Illinois’ 11-point lead to start the quarter down to three with 10 minutes remaining.
Starting the fourth quarter, Illinois looked to have figured out how to get through the Buckeyes’ press, scoring two quick baskets on the fast break. However, Taylor turned on the offense. The guard hit a three-point shot, then grabbed a steal and ultimately hit a midrange jumper on the possession she earned. That tied the game at 49-49.
The Fighting Illini had the chance tot score again, finding a fast break opportunity for guard Camille Hobby. but the NC State transfer missed the open opportunity. McMahon didn’t miss. The sophomore put Ohio State back into the lead, the first time since 7:43 remaining in the first half.
That lead grew.
Ohio State went on a 12-point run, featuring five points by McMahon and the aforementioned Taylor. It gave the visiting Buckeyes a seven-point lead with just over four minutes remaining in the game.
Illinois came out of a timeout with guard Makira Cook hitting a three-point shot. It started back and forth baskets for each side. With 2:10 remaining, guard Adalia McKenzie collided with Taylor. That foul put Ohio State in the bonus, with the chance to ice the victory. McMahon hit one of two, increasing the lead to five points.
Sheldon followed it up with a layup, putting Ohio State up seven points. The lead stayed with the Buckeyes, who took the 67-59 victory out of Champaign.
That layup was two of Sheldon’s game-leading 25 points on the evening. McMahon played strong behind the graduate senior guard, hitting a second-straight double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds.
On the Illinois side, Bostic continued her impressive games against Ohio State, all in defeat, grabbing 18 rebounds on 11 points. Cook led the way for Illinois with 16 points and five assists.
Following three games where the Buckeyes lacked an efficient press, it was that havoc-inducing defense that put Ohio State back into the game. Following the historically poor second quarter of only four points scored, the scarlet and gray played with renewed defensive intensity.
Coach McGuff’s side had a +9 turnover margin in the second half, forcing 15 turnovers and giving the ball away only six times. Those 15 second half turnovers were already more than Illinois’ average of 11.4 turnovers per game entering Thursday. Overall, Ohio State forced 20 against the Fighting Illini.
Although the Slovakian big scored only two points in the win, Rebeka Mikulášiková had a record-setting day in assists. The forward had six, eclipsing her previous high of five assists she achieved against the Belmont Bruins and Iowa Hawkeyes.
The passing gives the number-five for Ohio State more ways to help on the court. Especially when shots weren’t falling for Mikulášiková, as they weren’t on Thursday.
Like in turnovers, the game was a tale of two halves on the boards too. After having a -9 rebounding margin in the first half (13 to 22), the Buckeyes out rebounded the Illinis 21-20 in the second half.
Leading the way in the final 20 minutes were Sheldon and McMahon, stretching their impact beyond scoring baskets.
Ohio State returns home to Columbus, but not for long. Sunday, the scarlet and gray play at the Purdue Boilermakers, in West Lafayette, Indiana.
Purdue welcomes the Buckeye on the back of a five-game losing streak. Featuring defeats to the Iowa Hawkeyes, Penn State Nittany Lions and Indiana Hoosiers. Ohio State ends arguably the toughest stretch for the Boilermakers this season.
That game tips at 2 p.m. ET on B1G+.
Continue reading...
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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Ohio State University athletic department
Despite an 11-point deficit, and record breaking scoring drought, the Buckeyes come away with the win over the Fighting Illini.
After a historic victory for Ohio State women’s basketball Sunday, head coach Kevin McGuff’s side headed to Champaign, Illinois. The task was defeating the Illinois Fighting Illini, a team struggling for results a year after surprising the Big Ten on its way to the first NCAA Tournament birth in 20 years.
Like last season though, the Buckeyes overcame a double-digit Fighting Illini deficit. Instead of 17 points, it was 11, beating Illinois 67-59 to increase Ohio State’s winning streak to six games.
Before the game, things were already off for the Buckeyes who had to travel to Illinois the day of the game, due to inclement weather. At first, Ohio State looked well rested.
Forward Cotie McMahon, who scored 33 points and won multiple Player of the Week honors for her work, continued that work from the jump ball. After both sides struggled to get going offensively, McMahon scored the first five points for Ohio State. Starting oddly enough with a three-point shot, after entering the game shooting 22.2% from deep.
It didn’t take long for guard Jacy Sheldon to join in the scoring, grabbing the next seven points. The Illini, who entered the day second in the Big Ten in fewest turnovers allowed, gave away the ball four times in the first eight minutes of the game, and Ohio State capitalized.
By the end of the first quarter, it was 18-13 in the Buckeyes’ favor. For how well forward Kendall Bostic’s played against Ohio State in three career games (averaging 16.6 points and 15.6 rebounds), the forward had seven rebounds in the first 10 minutes, but took and made only one shot.
Part of the limited scoring was bench forward Taiyier Parks. The former Michigan State Spartan teammate, playing one year with Bostic, gave the Buckeyes physicality in the paint, not letting Bostic take over offensively.
With 15 minutes played in the first half, Ohio State lost its lead due to self-inflicted mistakes. The Buckeyes forced turnovers early, and built a six point lead, but gave the ball away eight times. The Fighting Illini responded, topping Ohio State 9-to-2 in points scored off turnovers.
The media timeout was well timed for the scarlet and gray, giving them time to regroup. However, Illinois’ run couldn’t be stopped. The Fighting Illini went on a 14-point run, increasing its lead to nine points with the Buckeyes making its first shot of the quarter and then missing its next seven attempts from the floor.
Overall, the second quarter was historically bad for Ohio State on offense. Coach McGuff’s side scored only four points, the fewest amount of points the Buckeyes have scored in a quarter in program history.
Because of that 2-for-9 shooting performance, and Illinois hitting its last five shots of the half, the Buckeyes went into halftime down 22-33.
Rebounding played a part. In the first quarter, the Buckeyes and Illini each grabbed nine but the second quarter, Illinois surged ahead. Ohio State grabbed four, compared to 13 for the home team. By halftime, Bostic already had 12 rebounds, one less than the scarlet and gray to that point.
In a minute and a half, Sheldon already beat the entire second quarter team scoring. The guard hit double digit scoring on the night, hitting the first two shots for Ohio State in the quarter, cutting Illinois’ lead to six points. The Illinois lead continued to shrink.
Ohio State cut the Illinois lead to one, thanks improved shooting and a nine-point run, featuring five turnovers by the Fighting Illini. Guard Celeste Taylor, who was quiet in the first half, came up big, alongside Sheldon. The pair of graduate seniors scored 12 of the Buckeyes 16 points to trim the deficit to one possession.
The momentum wouldn’t last, and the nine-point turn swung into a quick four points from the home side. Down five points, Coach McGuff called a timeout to try and regroup to avoid the deficit increasing.
Out of the timeout, with Illinois in the bonus, the end of the third quarter slowed down. The Fighting Illini went 2-for-4 to end the quarter from the free throw line. Compared to 4-for-4 from the line for the Buckeyes. It trimmed Illinois’ 11-point lead to start the quarter down to three with 10 minutes remaining.
Starting the fourth quarter, Illinois looked to have figured out how to get through the Buckeyes’ press, scoring two quick baskets on the fast break. However, Taylor turned on the offense. The guard hit a three-point shot, then grabbed a steal and ultimately hit a midrange jumper on the possession she earned. That tied the game at 49-49.
The Fighting Illini had the chance tot score again, finding a fast break opportunity for guard Camille Hobby. but the NC State transfer missed the open opportunity. McMahon didn’t miss. The sophomore put Ohio State back into the lead, the first time since 7:43 remaining in the first half.
That lead grew.
Ohio State went on a 12-point run, featuring five points by McMahon and the aforementioned Taylor. It gave the visiting Buckeyes a seven-point lead with just over four minutes remaining in the game.
Illinois came out of a timeout with guard Makira Cook hitting a three-point shot. It started back and forth baskets for each side. With 2:10 remaining, guard Adalia McKenzie collided with Taylor. That foul put Ohio State in the bonus, with the chance to ice the victory. McMahon hit one of two, increasing the lead to five points.
Sheldon followed it up with a layup, putting Ohio State up seven points. The lead stayed with the Buckeyes, who took the 67-59 victory out of Champaign.
That layup was two of Sheldon’s game-leading 25 points on the evening. McMahon played strong behind the graduate senior guard, hitting a second-straight double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds.
On the Illinois side, Bostic continued her impressive games against Ohio State, all in defeat, grabbing 18 rebounds on 11 points. Cook led the way for Illinois with 16 points and five assists.
Press Makes Triumphant Return
Following three games where the Buckeyes lacked an efficient press, it was that havoc-inducing defense that put Ohio State back into the game. Following the historically poor second quarter of only four points scored, the scarlet and gray played with renewed defensive intensity.
Coach McGuff’s side had a +9 turnover margin in the second half, forcing 15 turnovers and giving the ball away only six times. Those 15 second half turnovers were already more than Illinois’ average of 11.4 turnovers per game entering Thursday. Overall, Ohio State forced 20 against the Fighting Illini.
Mikulášiková Personal Record
Although the Slovakian big scored only two points in the win, Rebeka Mikulášiková had a record-setting day in assists. The forward had six, eclipsing her previous high of five assists she achieved against the Belmont Bruins and Iowa Hawkeyes.
The passing gives the number-five for Ohio State more ways to help on the court. Especially when shots weren’t falling for Mikulášiková, as they weren’t on Thursday.
Rebounding Rebounds
Like in turnovers, the game was a tale of two halves on the boards too. After having a -9 rebounding margin in the first half (13 to 22), the Buckeyes out rebounded the Illinis 21-20 in the second half.
Leading the way in the final 20 minutes were Sheldon and McMahon, stretching their impact beyond scoring baskets.
What’s Next
Ohio State returns home to Columbus, but not for long. Sunday, the scarlet and gray play at the Purdue Boilermakers, in West Lafayette, Indiana.
Purdue welcomes the Buckeye on the back of a five-game losing streak. Featuring defeats to the Iowa Hawkeyes, Penn State Nittany Lions and Indiana Hoosiers. Ohio State ends arguably the toughest stretch for the Boilermakers this season.
That game tips at 2 p.m. ET on B1G+.
Continue reading...
2025 NC DT Isaiah Campbell (Tennessee Signee)
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LGHL Three Buckeye teams are No. 1 in the nation right now!
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Three Buckeye teams are No. 1 in the nation right now!
Megan.Husslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
@OhioStAthletics Twitter
Women’s hockey, men’s tennis and men’s volleyball!
Ohio State sports are absolutely thriving right now. Two programs have been the best of the best for the past few years, and now men’s volleyball has joined in on the fun! Read on to hear a little bit about each of their seasons so far.
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@OhioStAthletics Twitter
The men have started the season on a 6-0 run, which includes taking down No. 1 UCLA this past Friday in five sets! The Bruins are the reigning national champs. The Bucks also defeated No. 13 USC in five sets over the weekend.
Ohio State is the defending Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association regular-season and tournament champions. The player to watch on this team is senior outside hitter Jacob Pasteur. He was named an Off the Block First Team preseason All-American and the MIVA Preseason Player of the Year by the league coaches.
Prior to their huge upset win, they were ranked No. 4 in the country. The last time they were at the top was in 2017 when they finished the season as National Champions.
They will face off against No. 9 Penn State today at 6 p.m. The last time these two teams played each other was the 2023 NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals last year in Virginia. where the Nittany Lions were victorious. It will certainly be a good one, and you can tune in at home on BTN+.
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@OhioStateWHKY Twitter
Once again, the women’s ice hockey team is at the head of the national rankings. This year, they’ve amassed a 20-2-0 record. They have been No. 1 since Nov. 20, when they swept the then-No. 1 Wisconsin Badgers, and moved up one spot to the top.
Their last loss came on Dec. 1 to St. Cloud State. Since then, they have been absolutely dominant. On Jan. 12, they soundly defeated No. 2 Minnesota 7-0, then did it again the next day, 6-1.
During all of this, head coach Nadine Muzerall became the program’s winningest head coach in program history when she got her 179th win on Jan. 19.
This weekend, the Bucks will play its third top-10 opponent in as many weeks with a matchup against No. 9/10 St. Cloud State this weekend in St. Cloud, Minn. They will play at 4 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday, with both games being streamed on BTN+.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25248275/Screen_Shot_2024_01_25_at_1.29.32_PM.png)
@OhioStateMTEN Twitter
The Buckeyes opened their season this past Sunday when they ranked No. 2 in the nation. The team had a really solid fall, as four of their doubles teams are ranked at the end of it. Additionally, in singles, JJ Tracy finished ranked No. 4, Jack Anthrop No. 11, and Alex Bernard No. 103.
After defeating Xavier and Eastern Carolina Sunday, Ohio State ascended to the No. 1 ranking Wednesday, before defeating Northern Kentucky and Toledo. Now, it is 4-0 on the young season.
This weekend, the Buckeyes will host the ITA Kickoff Weekend. They will take on Vanderbilt at 10 a.m. on Saturday. The championship match is slated for noon on Sunday with the consolation set for 9 a.m. The winner of the weekend will qualify for the ITA Indoor Team National Championship on Feb. 16-19 in New York.
Continue reading...
Megan.Husslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
@OhioStAthletics Twitter
Women’s hockey, men’s tennis and men’s volleyball!
Ohio State sports are absolutely thriving right now. Two programs have been the best of the best for the past few years, and now men’s volleyball has joined in on the fun! Read on to hear a little bit about each of their seasons so far.
Men’s Volleyball
The men have started the season on a 6-0 run, which includes taking down No. 1 UCLA this past Friday in five sets! The Bruins are the reigning national champs. The Bucks also defeated No. 13 USC in five sets over the weekend.
Ohio State is the defending Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association regular-season and tournament champions. The player to watch on this team is senior outside hitter Jacob Pasteur. He was named an Off the Block First Team preseason All-American and the MIVA Preseason Player of the Year by the league coaches.
Prior to their huge upset win, they were ranked No. 4 in the country. The last time they were at the top was in 2017 when they finished the season as National Champions.
They will face off against No. 9 Penn State today at 6 p.m. The last time these two teams played each other was the 2023 NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals last year in Virginia. where the Nittany Lions were victorious. It will certainly be a good one, and you can tune in at home on BTN+.
Women’s Ice Hockey
Once again, the women’s ice hockey team is at the head of the national rankings. This year, they’ve amassed a 20-2-0 record. They have been No. 1 since Nov. 20, when they swept the then-No. 1 Wisconsin Badgers, and moved up one spot to the top.
Their last loss came on Dec. 1 to St. Cloud State. Since then, they have been absolutely dominant. On Jan. 12, they soundly defeated No. 2 Minnesota 7-0, then did it again the next day, 6-1.
During all of this, head coach Nadine Muzerall became the program’s winningest head coach in program history when she got her 179th win on Jan. 19.
This weekend, the Bucks will play its third top-10 opponent in as many weeks with a matchup against No. 9/10 St. Cloud State this weekend in St. Cloud, Minn. They will play at 4 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday, with both games being streamed on BTN+.
Men’s Tennis
The Buckeyes opened their season this past Sunday when they ranked No. 2 in the nation. The team had a really solid fall, as four of their doubles teams are ranked at the end of it. Additionally, in singles, JJ Tracy finished ranked No. 4, Jack Anthrop No. 11, and Alex Bernard No. 103.
After defeating Xavier and Eastern Carolina Sunday, Ohio State ascended to the No. 1 ranking Wednesday, before defeating Northern Kentucky and Toledo. Now, it is 4-0 on the young season.
This weekend, the Buckeyes will host the ITA Kickoff Weekend. They will take on Vanderbilt at 10 a.m. on Saturday. The championship match is slated for noon on Sunday with the consolation set for 9 a.m. The winner of the weekend will qualify for the ITA Indoor Team National Championship on Feb. 16-19 in New York.
Continue reading...
