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LGHL Ohio State pops the Privateers 78-36 without Holtmann, Okpara
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Ohio State pops the Privateers 78-36 without Holtmann, Okpara
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
For the second consecutive game, the Buckeyes struggled offensively for a bit but were able to win the game with suffocating defense.
The Ohio State men’s basketball team (10-2, 1-1) is one day away from a much-needed four day Christmas break. But first, they had to dance with the New Orleans Privateers (5-7) out of the Southland Conference on Thursday night.
Four of New Orleans’ five wins this season have been over non-Division-I opponents, and they were recently blown out by Minnesota by 33 points on the road. The Privateers briefly began a transition to Division-II in 2011, but changed course and stayed D-I. They were the No. 283 team in the country entering this game, according to KenPom — the worst remaining team on Ohio State’s schedule.
The Buckeyes had to play tonight’s game without starting center Felix Okpara and head coach Chris Holtmann, who were both dealing with the flu, according to an official statement from the team. Jake Diebler, who also filled in for Holtmann for one game in January 2022 when the head coach fell ill with COVID-19, filled in as acting head coach once again Thursday evening.
Diebler went with a starting five of Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle, Jamison Battle, Evan Mahaffey, and Zed Key in place of Okpara. New Orleans, led by Mark Slessinger in his 12th year, rolled out a starting five of Jordan Johnson, Jamond Vincent, Khaleb Wilson-Rouse, D’Ante Bell, and Tyson Jackson.
Whether it was not having Holtmann on the bench or something else entirely, Ohio State did not look comfortable early on against one of the least talented teams they’ll see all year. The Buckeyes hit just one of their first six shots, four of their first 12, and held a 11-7 lead at the under-eight media timeout. The Privateers weren’t doing much better, although that’s expected of them in this matchup.
Things didn’t get much better for Ohio State, which looked on track to easily pass its season average of 11 turnovers per game halfway through the first half. With Okpara out and Key saddled with foul trouble, things just didn’t look quite right. The issues were purely offensive, however, as New Orleans struggled mightily scoring the basketball in this one — as expected. With 7:21 left in the first half, Ohio State led 14-11.
After giving up the lead very briefly, Ohio State ended the half on a 17-2 run to take a 31-17 lead into the locker room. In stunning fashion, the Buckeyes shot just 36.4% overall and scored 31 points against a team that gave up a whopping 97 points to Minnesota just three weeks ago. OSU’s best performer in the first half was Battle, who scored eight points and grabbed seven rebounds. Mahaffey had four points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block in the first half. Wilson-Rouse had five first-half points for the Privateers.
Much like the game against UCLA last weekend, Ohio State was much better in the second half on Thursday, stretching its 14-point halftime lead to 27 by the under-eight media timeout. After sitting for a good chunk of the first half with two fouls, Zed Key was a man possessed in the second half, scoring in double dgits and leading the Buckeyes in scoring over the final 20 minutes. Devin Royal was a big-time difference maker on the glass, too — the freshman forward played 15 minutes and yanked down seven rebounds — three of them offensive.
By the time the final horn blew, Ohio State had wrapped up a 78-36 win over their Southland Conference foe. Jamison Battle’s 17 points led all scorers and was his third-highest point total of the season thus far. Key (16), Thornton (11), and Bonner (10) all scored in double digits as well. Jordan Johnson had eight points for New Orleans.
If you don’t have BTN+ and missed Ohio State’s rout of New Orleans on Thursday night, here are a few key moments from a game that was never really in doubt:
Gayle attempted a dribble-drive move on Ohio State’s first possession of the game, but Bell used his long arm’s to tip the pass and then take it, starting a fast break for the Privateers. The ball ultimately ended up in Wilson-Rouse’s hands, who dropped in an elbow jumper 51 seconds into the game to put New Orleans up 2-0 to start the game.
Before the first media timeout of the game, Key — who was starting in place of Felix Okpara, who was dealing with an illness — was pushed to the ground away from the ball during an Ohio State possession. He got back up and ran back to the other end, but one possession later was escorted to an area behind the bleachers with a trainer.
It turns out Zed hit the back of his head on the fall, and was likely being examined for a concussion. Key went back to the bench after the media timeout, headband on, ready to play.
Meanwhile, the Buckeyes led 4-2 at the first media timeout 4:14 into the game, having hit just one of its first six shots.
After New Orleans briefly took the lead back, 15-14, Ohio State’s two key transfers — Dale Bonner and Battle — took it right back. Bonner snagged an offensive rebound off of a Battle miss and scored to make it 16-15, and was fouled going to the basket on the very next possession, hitting one of two free throws.
On the very next possession, Battle missed a three but Gayle got the rebound kicked it back out to Battle, and he knocked down his second try. Battle connected on his second three-pointer of the game on the very next possession, putting Ohio State up 23-15 with 3:51 to go in the first half.
Leading 41-23 with 14:10 remaining in the game, Thornton attempted a reverse layup on the baseline but was fouled by Vincent, sending him to the line. The sophomore guard knocked down both at the line, pushing Ohio State’s lead to a game-high (at the time) 20 points, 43-23.
Scotty Middleton has seen the most action of the freshmen this year, but both Austin Parks and Devin Royal got some valuable minutes in tonight’s game.
Royal played the second-most minutes that he’s played all season, scoring four points and grabbing seven rebounds over 15 minutes on Thursday — the second-most minutes he’s played this year. He leapt up and secured a big offensive rebound in the second half that eventually led to a Zed Key and-one dunk.
Parks made his sixth appearance of the season on Thursday, checking in at the 13:22 mark with Ohio State up, 44-23. He played seven minutes, scored one point (split free throws) and grabbed one rebound.
With 13:03 left in the game and Ohio State up 44-23 still, Thornton drove to the basket and missed a layup, but landed funny below the basket. Ohio State was able to corral the offensive rebound and get the ball out to Parks, who had the ball stolen away by New Orleans’ Jah Short.
After the play, Thornton had to be escorted back to the locker room by the training staff. Thornton was able to walk back on his own, and returned to the bench a few minutes later. He did not re-enter the game.
Ohio State (10-2, 1-1) will take four day off of practice to go home and see their families for the holidays, before returning on Tuesday, December 26th to resume practice. Then they’ll have four days to prepare for West Virginia, who they will face in Cleveland as part of the Legends of Basketball Showcase on December 30.
The Mountaineers (4-7) are struggling in the first year of the post-Bob Huggins era, having just lost back-to-back games against UMass and Radford. West Virginia is currently the No. 185 team in the nation, according to KenPom.
Ohio State’s game against West Virginia will tip off at 7:00 p.m. on FOX.
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
Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
For the second consecutive game, the Buckeyes struggled offensively for a bit but were able to win the game with suffocating defense.
The Ohio State men’s basketball team (10-2, 1-1) is one day away from a much-needed four day Christmas break. But first, they had to dance with the New Orleans Privateers (5-7) out of the Southland Conference on Thursday night.
Four of New Orleans’ five wins this season have been over non-Division-I opponents, and they were recently blown out by Minnesota by 33 points on the road. The Privateers briefly began a transition to Division-II in 2011, but changed course and stayed D-I. They were the No. 283 team in the country entering this game, according to KenPom — the worst remaining team on Ohio State’s schedule.
The Buckeyes had to play tonight’s game without starting center Felix Okpara and head coach Chris Holtmann, who were both dealing with the flu, according to an official statement from the team. Jake Diebler, who also filled in for Holtmann for one game in January 2022 when the head coach fell ill with COVID-19, filled in as acting head coach once again Thursday evening.
Diebler went with a starting five of Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle, Jamison Battle, Evan Mahaffey, and Zed Key in place of Okpara. New Orleans, led by Mark Slessinger in his 12th year, rolled out a starting five of Jordan Johnson, Jamond Vincent, Khaleb Wilson-Rouse, D’Ante Bell, and Tyson Jackson.
Whether it was not having Holtmann on the bench or something else entirely, Ohio State did not look comfortable early on against one of the least talented teams they’ll see all year. The Buckeyes hit just one of their first six shots, four of their first 12, and held a 11-7 lead at the under-eight media timeout. The Privateers weren’t doing much better, although that’s expected of them in this matchup.
Things didn’t get much better for Ohio State, which looked on track to easily pass its season average of 11 turnovers per game halfway through the first half. With Okpara out and Key saddled with foul trouble, things just didn’t look quite right. The issues were purely offensive, however, as New Orleans struggled mightily scoring the basketball in this one — as expected. With 7:21 left in the first half, Ohio State led 14-11.
The Buckeyes ended that half on a-
run
#Team125 | #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/Dt6rcZS4mt
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) December 21, 2023
After giving up the lead very briefly, Ohio State ended the half on a 17-2 run to take a 31-17 lead into the locker room. In stunning fashion, the Buckeyes shot just 36.4% overall and scored 31 points against a team that gave up a whopping 97 points to Minnesota just three weeks ago. OSU’s best performer in the first half was Battle, who scored eight points and grabbed seven rebounds. Mahaffey had four points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block in the first half. Wilson-Rouse had five first-half points for the Privateers.
Much like the game against UCLA last weekend, Ohio State was much better in the second half on Thursday, stretching its 14-point halftime lead to 27 by the under-eight media timeout. After sitting for a good chunk of the first half with two fouls, Zed Key was a man possessed in the second half, scoring in double dgits and leading the Buckeyes in scoring over the final 20 minutes. Devin Royal was a big-time difference maker on the glass, too — the freshman forward played 15 minutes and yanked down seven rebounds — three of them offensive.
By the time the final horn blew, Ohio State had wrapped up a 78-36 win over their Southland Conference foe. Jamison Battle’s 17 points led all scorers and was his third-highest point total of the season thus far. Key (16), Thornton (11), and Bonner (10) all scored in double digits as well. Jordan Johnson had eight points for New Orleans.
If you don’t have BTN+ and missed Ohio State’s rout of New Orleans on Thursday night, here are a few key moments from a game that was never really in doubt:
Stop the count! New Orleans scores first
Gayle attempted a dribble-drive move on Ohio State’s first possession of the game, but Bell used his long arm’s to tip the pass and then take it, starting a fast break for the Privateers. The ball ultimately ended up in Wilson-Rouse’s hands, who dropped in an elbow jumper 51 seconds into the game to put New Orleans up 2-0 to start the game.
Key taken away from the bench as Ohio State starts slow
Before the first media timeout of the game, Key — who was starting in place of Felix Okpara, who was dealing with an illness — was pushed to the ground away from the ball during an Ohio State possession. He got back up and ran back to the other end, but one possession later was escorted to an area behind the bleachers with a trainer.
It turns out Zed hit the back of his head on the fall, and was likely being examined for a concussion. Key went back to the bench after the media timeout, headband on, ready to play.
Meanwhile, the Buckeyes led 4-2 at the first media timeout 4:14 into the game, having hit just one of its first six shots.
Battle knocks rings the long distance bell x 2
After New Orleans briefly took the lead back, 15-14, Ohio State’s two key transfers — Dale Bonner and Battle — took it right back. Bonner snagged an offensive rebound off of a Battle miss and scored to make it 16-15, and was fouled going to the basket on the very next possession, hitting one of two free throws.
On the very next possession, Battle missed a three but Gayle got the rebound kicked it back out to Battle, and he knocked down his second try. Battle connected on his second three-pointer of the game on the very next possession, putting Ohio State up 23-15 with 3:51 to go in the first half.
Thornton knocks down a pair, pushes lead to 20
Leading 41-23 with 14:10 remaining in the game, Thornton attempted a reverse layup on the baseline but was fouled by Vincent, sending him to the line. The sophomore guard knocked down both at the line, pushing Ohio State’s lead to a game-high (at the time) 20 points, 43-23.
Parks, Royal get some valuable time on the floor
Scotty Middleton has seen the most action of the freshmen this year, but both Austin Parks and Devin Royal got some valuable minutes in tonight’s game.
Royal played the second-most minutes that he’s played all season, scoring four points and grabbing seven rebounds over 15 minutes on Thursday — the second-most minutes he’s played this year. He leapt up and secured a big offensive rebound in the second half that eventually led to a Zed Key and-one dunk.
Parks made his sixth appearance of the season on Thursday, checking in at the 13:22 mark with Ohio State up, 44-23. He played seven minutes, scored one point (split free throws) and grabbed one rebound.
Thornton injures lower leg/ankle, does not return to game
With 13:03 left in the game and Ohio State up 44-23 still, Thornton drove to the basket and missed a layup, but landed funny below the basket. Ohio State was able to corral the offensive rebound and get the ball out to Parks, who had the ball stolen away by New Orleans’ Jah Short.
After the play, Thornton had to be escorted back to the locker room by the training staff. Thornton was able to walk back on his own, and returned to the bench a few minutes later. He did not re-enter the game.
Up Next
Ohio State (10-2, 1-1) will take four day off of practice to go home and see their families for the holidays, before returning on Tuesday, December 26th to resume practice. Then they’ll have four days to prepare for West Virginia, who they will face in Cleveland as part of the Legends of Basketball Showcase on December 30.
The Mountaineers (4-7) are struggling in the first year of the post-Bob Huggins era, having just lost back-to-back games against UMass and Radford. West Virginia is currently the No. 185 team in the nation, according to KenPom.
Ohio State’s game against West Virginia will tip off at 7:00 p.m. on FOX.
Continue reading...
LGHL Bucketheads Podcast: Joe Jackson of “Feed The Post” joins the show
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Bucketheads Podcast: Joe Jackson of “Feed The Post” joins the show
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Jordan Godfree-USA TODAY Sports
Discussing the Buckeyes’ big win over UCLA.
“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
On episode 97 of Bucketheads, we are joined by the host of Feed The Post and the co-host of Boilers in the Stands, Joe Jackson.
Before we talk to Joe, we recap the Buckeyes’ win over UCLA in the CBS Sports Classic last Saturday, in what can only be described as a grind it out win.
In our interview with Joe, we discuss all things Big Ten, Bruce Thornton, Jamison Battle, and the trajectory of Ohio State under Chris Holtmann. You won’t want to miss the conversation.
Be sure to like and subscribe to the podcast and leave a review of your thoughts on the show!
Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Connect with Joe:
Twitter: @joejacksonCBB
Continue reading...
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Jordan Godfree-USA TODAY Sports
Discussing the Buckeyes’ big win over UCLA.
“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
On episode 97 of Bucketheads, we are joined by the host of Feed The Post and the co-host of Boilers in the Stands, Joe Jackson.
Before we talk to Joe, we recap the Buckeyes’ win over UCLA in the CBS Sports Classic last Saturday, in what can only be described as a grind it out win.
In our interview with Joe, we discuss all things Big Ten, Bruce Thornton, Jamison Battle, and the trajectory of Ohio State under Chris Holtmann. You won’t want to miss the conversation.
Be sure to like and subscribe to the podcast and leave a review of your thoughts on the show!
Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Connect with Joe:
Twitter: @joejacksonCBB
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State Men’s Basketball vs. New Orleans: Game preview and prediction
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Ohio State Men’s Basketball vs. New Orleans: Game preview and prediction
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
In their final home game of 2023, Ohio State hosts New Orleans tonight at Value City Arena.
Before the Ohio State men’s basketball team can enjoy Christmas they have one game left before the holiday. Fresh off a 67-60 win over UCLA in Atlanta on Saturday in the CBS Sports Classic, the Buckeyes (9-2, 1-1) host the New Orleans Privateers tonight at Value City Arena. This will be the second-to-last non-conference game of the regular season for Ohio State, as their final one will come next Saturday when they travel up to Cleveland to take on West Virginia. Tonight’s game marks the second time Ohio State and New Orleans have met on the basketball court, with the Buckeyes winning 74-66 in the Sugar Bowl Tournament during the 1989-90 season.
Following their loss to Penn State last Saturday, the Buckeyes had a week to try and put their late-game failures against the Nittany Lions behind them. After heading to the halftime break trailing the Bruins 23-22, Ohio State and UCLA went back-and-forth for the first 12 minutes of the second half before the Buckeyes took the lead for good when Bruce Thornton hit a jumper with just under eight minutes to go to give Ohio State a 48-47 lead. Chris Holtmann’s team would put a little distance on UCLA the rest of the way, earning a hard-fought 67-60 victory.
Leading the way for the Buckeyes against UCLA was Roddy Gayle Jr., who finished the game with 19 points and six rebounds. Gayle currently sits second on the team, averaging 14.7 points per game. Along with his scoring, Gayle has also been solid in other areas on the court, pulling down 5.1 rebounds per contest and dishing out 3.5 assists per game. It has become clear that the sophomore from Niagara Falls has embraced more responsibility this year as his time on the court has nearly doubled. Gayle has already matched his scoring total from last season of 162 points
Aside from Gayle, Ohio State had three other players reach double figures in scoring against UCLA. Jamison Battle finished with 14 points, Bruce Thornton added 13 points, and Felix Okpara scored 10 points, hitting double figures in scoring for the second time this season. Okpara also blocked two shots in the victory, marking the fifth time this year he has swatted at least two shots in a game. The contributions from Gayle and company were able to offset some dreadful shooting from behind the arc from the Buckeyes, who hit just one of their 15 three-point attempts. The lone triple did extend Ohio State’s streak to 316 consecutive games with at least one three-pointer.
Next up for the Buckeyes are the New Orleans Privateers, who enter tonight’s contest with a 5-6 record. The last time New Orleans took the court was a week ago when they beat up on Division-III foe Birmingham-Southern 91-51. The talent gap was quite obvious, as the Privateers never trailed in the game and took a 49-24 lead into halftime. Jordan Johnson led the team with 16 points, Dorian Booker added 12 points off the bench in 19 minutes, and Tyson Jackson finished with 11 points and five rebounds.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25174910/usa_today_21945411.jpg "NCAA Basketball: New Orleans at Oklahoma State")
William Purnell-USA TODAY Sports
The bulk of the damage done on offense for New Orleans this year has been done by Jordan Johnson, who is leading the team with 23.1 points per game. The only other Privateer to average double figures in scoring through 11 games is Khaleb Wilson-Rouse, who enters tonight’s game averaging 10.9 points per game. Along with those two, Jamond Vincent not only is responsible for 8.0 points per game, but he also is pulling down 6.4 rebounds per contest.
Roaming the sideline for New Orleans is head coach Mark Slessinger. This marks the 13th year in charge at the school for Slessinger. Following last week’s victory over Birmingham-Southern, Slessinger is 164-203 as New Orleans head coach. During his time as head coach, New Orleans has made the NCAA Tournament once, losing to Mount St. Mary’s 67-66 in a First Four game in the 2017 NCAA Tournament. The Privateers will be looking to rebound from last year’s disappointing season that saw them post a 10-19 record.
Aside from possibly having a bit of a hangover from Saturday’s win over UCLA in Atlanta, Ohio State shouldn’t have too much of a problem with New Orleans tonight in Columbus. The Buckeyes are not only a deeper team than the Privateers, they have a definite size advantage with Felix Okpara and Zed Key. What Chris Holtmann is hoping for is a complete effort out of his team to add to their confidence before they get some time off ahead of next Saturday’s game against West Virginia in Cleveland.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25168192/usa_today_22119247.jpg "NCAA Basketball: CBS Sports Classic-Ohio State at UCLA")
Jordan Godfree-USA TODAY Sports
New Orleans has struggled when playing against power conference Division-I teams so far this year, losing by 33 points to Minnesota and 28 points to Oklahoma State. It’s hard to see tonight’s game going much differently than those two contests earlier in the year. Aside from Johnson, the Privateers struggle to score, and those issues aren’t going to go away against an Ohio State team that can get after it on the defensive end. The Buckeyes should hold a double-digit lead at halftime and extend their advantage over the final 20 minutes of the game.
ESPN BPI: Ohio State 96.5%
Time: 6 p.m. ET
TV: B1G+
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
In their final home game of 2023, Ohio State hosts New Orleans tonight at Value City Arena.
Before the Ohio State men’s basketball team can enjoy Christmas they have one game left before the holiday. Fresh off a 67-60 win over UCLA in Atlanta on Saturday in the CBS Sports Classic, the Buckeyes (9-2, 1-1) host the New Orleans Privateers tonight at Value City Arena. This will be the second-to-last non-conference game of the regular season for Ohio State, as their final one will come next Saturday when they travel up to Cleveland to take on West Virginia. Tonight’s game marks the second time Ohio State and New Orleans have met on the basketball court, with the Buckeyes winning 74-66 in the Sugar Bowl Tournament during the 1989-90 season.
Preview
Following their loss to Penn State last Saturday, the Buckeyes had a week to try and put their late-game failures against the Nittany Lions behind them. After heading to the halftime break trailing the Bruins 23-22, Ohio State and UCLA went back-and-forth for the first 12 minutes of the second half before the Buckeyes took the lead for good when Bruce Thornton hit a jumper with just under eight minutes to go to give Ohio State a 48-47 lead. Chris Holtmann’s team would put a little distance on UCLA the rest of the way, earning a hard-fought 67-60 victory.
Leading the way for the Buckeyes against UCLA was Roddy Gayle Jr., who finished the game with 19 points and six rebounds. Gayle currently sits second on the team, averaging 14.7 points per game. Along with his scoring, Gayle has also been solid in other areas on the court, pulling down 5.1 rebounds per contest and dishing out 3.5 assists per game. It has become clear that the sophomore from Niagara Falls has embraced more responsibility this year as his time on the court has nearly doubled. Gayle has already matched his scoring total from last season of 162 points
Aside from Gayle, Ohio State had three other players reach double figures in scoring against UCLA. Jamison Battle finished with 14 points, Bruce Thornton added 13 points, and Felix Okpara scored 10 points, hitting double figures in scoring for the second time this season. Okpara also blocked two shots in the victory, marking the fifth time this year he has swatted at least two shots in a game. The contributions from Gayle and company were able to offset some dreadful shooting from behind the arc from the Buckeyes, who hit just one of their 15 three-point attempts. The lone triple did extend Ohio State’s streak to 316 consecutive games with at least one three-pointer.
Next up for the Buckeyes are the New Orleans Privateers, who enter tonight’s contest with a 5-6 record. The last time New Orleans took the court was a week ago when they beat up on Division-III foe Birmingham-Southern 91-51. The talent gap was quite obvious, as the Privateers never trailed in the game and took a 49-24 lead into halftime. Jordan Johnson led the team with 16 points, Dorian Booker added 12 points off the bench in 19 minutes, and Tyson Jackson finished with 11 points and five rebounds.
The bulk of the damage done on offense for New Orleans this year has been done by Jordan Johnson, who is leading the team with 23.1 points per game. The only other Privateer to average double figures in scoring through 11 games is Khaleb Wilson-Rouse, who enters tonight’s game averaging 10.9 points per game. Along with those two, Jamond Vincent not only is responsible for 8.0 points per game, but he also is pulling down 6.4 rebounds per contest.
Roaming the sideline for New Orleans is head coach Mark Slessinger. This marks the 13th year in charge at the school for Slessinger. Following last week’s victory over Birmingham-Southern, Slessinger is 164-203 as New Orleans head coach. During his time as head coach, New Orleans has made the NCAA Tournament once, losing to Mount St. Mary’s 67-66 in a First Four game in the 2017 NCAA Tournament. The Privateers will be looking to rebound from last year’s disappointing season that saw them post a 10-19 record.
Prediction
Aside from possibly having a bit of a hangover from Saturday’s win over UCLA in Atlanta, Ohio State shouldn’t have too much of a problem with New Orleans tonight in Columbus. The Buckeyes are not only a deeper team than the Privateers, they have a definite size advantage with Felix Okpara and Zed Key. What Chris Holtmann is hoping for is a complete effort out of his team to add to their confidence before they get some time off ahead of next Saturday’s game against West Virginia in Cleveland.
New Orleans has struggled when playing against power conference Division-I teams so far this year, losing by 33 points to Minnesota and 28 points to Oklahoma State. It’s hard to see tonight’s game going much differently than those two contests earlier in the year. Aside from Johnson, the Privateers struggle to score, and those issues aren’t going to go away against an Ohio State team that can get after it on the defensive end. The Buckeyes should hold a double-digit lead at halftime and extend their advantage over the final 20 minutes of the game.
ESPN BPI: Ohio State 96.5%
Time: 6 p.m. ET
TV: B1G+
LGHL Score Prediction: Ohio State 82, New Orleans 61
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LGHL A debrief on what turned out to be a wild, but successful signing day for Ohio State
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A debrief on what turned out to be a wild, but successful signing day for Ohio State
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Lori Schmidt / Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
It wasn’t for a lack of drama, but Ohio State signed a very talented 2024 class yesterday.
If you follow Ohio State recruiting and were near the internet at all yesterday, you know how nerve-racking things got concerning the status of the No. 1 player nationally, Jeremiah Smith. Easily the tensest signing of the day, the Buckeyes had to wait on pins and needles late into the night to receive his National Letter of Intent, but eventually the team landed the top player in the cycle, which made the dramatics of it all more than worth it.
The background, Smith was set up for a 12 noon ET signing ceremony at his high school with several of his Chaminade-Madonna teammates. Ryan Day — who had a press conference scheduled for the same time — gave his real-time reaction (although he almost certainly knew ahead of time) to the news that Smith had stuck to his commitment.
According to some, it came down to the last few minutes before the ceremony, thanks to the antics of Miami pitching its best NIL deal. Smith went as far as to say that he had two hats in his backpack with Miami joining the Buckeyes, but in the end, he opted to stick with Ohio State because of the team’s track record of developing wide receivers and, of course, position coach Brian Hartline.
After Smith’s ceremony, and the one in Buford, Georgia for Eddrick Houston (more on him later), it looked like Ohio State’s class was officially locked in, with the paperwork in hand for everyone in the class that they were expecting... except it wasn’t. Hours passed and the Ohio State social media accounts had yet to officially announce Smith as is Buckeyes, so naturally, rumors began to swirl.
Whether it was his potential flip to Miami, or even Florida and Florida State, seemingly every narrative was out there while the Buckeyes awaited his LOI. Outlets such as 247Sports and analyst Andrew Ivins added zero insight to help calm down Buckeye fans. The recruiting analyst said that he was informed that “this could be a roller coaster down the stretch.”
This led Buckeye fans, who have been conditioned to expect the worst recently, to assume that the delay was because Smith was considering backing out of his commitment, despite reiterating it just a few hours before. However, just after 10 p.m. ET, @OhioStateFootball confirmed the everything was signed, sealed, and delivered, officially making the No. 1 player in the country a Buckeye.
Reports last night indicated that the delay was not so much about a potential flip, but rather than Smith and his family were making sure that before the Letter of Intent was submitted that they had all of the NIL details in place. While this might ruffle the feathers of college football traditionalists, given all of the stories that we have heard about NIL promises not being kept (especially at Miami), this is smart.
Now that he is officially in, you can’t overstate how much Smith means to this 2024 haul overall. Getting Smith locked in was not easy with folks from all over the CFB world in his ear, but the Buckeyes and their NIL resources came out on top late and gave every Ohio State coach, staffer, and fan a solid night’s rest. The Buckeyes officially have the top player in the nation in the fold, and we are all looking forward to welcoming him to Columbus as an early enrollee on Jan. 7. This one is finally over!
In addition to the Smith signing, there was one other major member of the class that had Ohio State on the ropes up until the final hour. Five-star defensive end Eddrick Houston committed to the Buckeyes in August and was about as easy of a recruitment as it gets thereafter... until it wasn’t. This past weekend, the situation started to get uneasy for OSU and it appears to have been because of negative recruiting from other schools, trying to undermine Houston’s confidence as to who his position coach would be.
Alabama and Clemson were both able to get Houston on campus in the past week, putting his pledge to the Buckeyes in serious danger; something that has already happened in multiple ways for an elite defensive line commit in the 2024 class. Putting doubts in Eddrick’s mind of Larry Johnson’s status with the program and talking about the portal and how many guys were leaving due to poor culture, Alabama was throwing anything at the wall hoping it would stick and, down the stretch, the feeling that Houston would flip to the Crimson Tide was pretty strong.
Just before he signed, the Director of Recruiting for 247Sports flipped his crystal ball for the five-star talent from Ohio State to Alabama, but Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts.com kept his with the Buckeyes. Once again, during Day’s presser, he took a phone call and left the room, but came back looking thrilled with the news he must have been given. That news of course was that Houston was staying with his Ohio State commitment and giving the Buckeyes his signature in the coming moments.
In reality, Eddrick staying with the Buckeyes made the day. You can certainly imagine what it would look like if Houston had flipped to Alabama, leaving Ohio State with only one single defensive lineman in the class. A major win for Johnson, this goes to show that though his stock has decreased a bit over the years, LJ still can go and get some of the best talent the country can offer, and the reminder couldn’t have come at a better time.
One negative coming out of yesterday was the loss, four-star receiver Jeremiah McClellan flipped to Oregon. Committed to Ohio State since the summer, McClellan was betting on himself and wanted to go against the best in the country during his college career, which is why he originally selected the Buckeyes.
At the end of his recruitment though, it was Oregon that stayed in the mix and gave him reason to believe that he was just another guy for Ohio State, but was “the” guy for the Ducks. That sentiment swayed McClellan away from the Buckeyes and their 2024 class as early Wednesday morning, the staff was made aware that he was headed elsewhere.
Fortunately, Mylan Graham and Jeremiah Smith help soften the blow as those two WRs are higher-ranked players and will certainly help add major talent to an already loaded position group. The Buckeyes wanted McClellan in this class, make no mistake about it, but if there’s one area on this roster that can take a loss it’s at receiver.
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Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Lori Schmidt / Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
It wasn’t for a lack of drama, but Ohio State signed a very talented 2024 class yesterday.
Signed, sealed, and delivered
If you follow Ohio State recruiting and were near the internet at all yesterday, you know how nerve-racking things got concerning the status of the No. 1 player nationally, Jeremiah Smith. Easily the tensest signing of the day, the Buckeyes had to wait on pins and needles late into the night to receive his National Letter of Intent, but eventually the team landed the top player in the cycle, which made the dramatics of it all more than worth it.
The background, Smith was set up for a 12 noon ET signing ceremony at his high school with several of his Chaminade-Madonna teammates. Ryan Day — who had a press conference scheduled for the same time — gave his real-time reaction (although he almost certainly knew ahead of time) to the news that Smith had stuck to his commitment.
According to some, it came down to the last few minutes before the ceremony, thanks to the antics of Miami pitching its best NIL deal. Smith went as far as to say that he had two hats in his backpack with Miami joining the Buckeyes, but in the end, he opted to stick with Ohio State because of the team’s track record of developing wide receivers and, of course, position coach Brian Hartline.
After Smith’s ceremony, and the one in Buford, Georgia for Eddrick Houston (more on him later), it looked like Ohio State’s class was officially locked in, with the paperwork in hand for everyone in the class that they were expecting... except it wasn’t. Hours passed and the Ohio State social media accounts had yet to officially announce Smith as is Buckeyes, so naturally, rumors began to swirl.
Whether it was his potential flip to Miami, or even Florida and Florida State, seemingly every narrative was out there while the Buckeyes awaited his LOI. Outlets such as 247Sports and analyst Andrew Ivins added zero insight to help calm down Buckeye fans. The recruiting analyst said that he was informed that “this could be a roller coaster down the stretch.”
This led Buckeye fans, who have been conditioned to expect the worst recently, to assume that the delay was because Smith was considering backing out of his commitment, despite reiterating it just a few hours before. However, just after 10 p.m. ET, @OhioStateFootball confirmed the everything was signed, sealed, and delivered, officially making the No. 1 player in the country a Buckeye.
Reports last night indicated that the delay was not so much about a potential flip, but rather than Smith and his family were making sure that before the Letter of Intent was submitted that they had all of the NIL details in place. While this might ruffle the feathers of college football traditionalists, given all of the stories that we have heard about NIL promises not being kept (especially at Miami), this is smart.
Now that he is officially in, you can’t overstate how much Smith means to this 2024 haul overall. Getting Smith locked in was not easy with folks from all over the CFB world in his ear, but the Buckeyes and their NIL resources came out on top late and gave every Ohio State coach, staffer, and fan a solid night’s rest. The Buckeyes officially have the top player in the nation in the fold, and we are all looking forward to welcoming him to Columbus as an early enrollee on Jan. 7. This one is finally over!
The signing that saved the class
In addition to the Smith signing, there was one other major member of the class that had Ohio State on the ropes up until the final hour. Five-star defensive end Eddrick Houston committed to the Buckeyes in August and was about as easy of a recruitment as it gets thereafter... until it wasn’t. This past weekend, the situation started to get uneasy for OSU and it appears to have been because of negative recruiting from other schools, trying to undermine Houston’s confidence as to who his position coach would be.
Alabama and Clemson were both able to get Houston on campus in the past week, putting his pledge to the Buckeyes in serious danger; something that has already happened in multiple ways for an elite defensive line commit in the 2024 class. Putting doubts in Eddrick’s mind of Larry Johnson’s status with the program and talking about the portal and how many guys were leaving due to poor culture, Alabama was throwing anything at the wall hoping it would stick and, down the stretch, the feeling that Houston would flip to the Crimson Tide was pretty strong.
Just before he signed, the Director of Recruiting for 247Sports flipped his crystal ball for the five-star talent from Ohio State to Alabama, but Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts.com kept his with the Buckeyes. Once again, during Day’s presser, he took a phone call and left the room, but came back looking thrilled with the news he must have been given. That news of course was that Houston was staying with his Ohio State commitment and giving the Buckeyes his signature in the coming moments.
In reality, Eddrick staying with the Buckeyes made the day. You can certainly imagine what it would look like if Houston had flipped to Alabama, leaving Ohio State with only one single defensive lineman in the class. A major win for Johnson, this goes to show that though his stock has decreased a bit over the years, LJ still can go and get some of the best talent the country can offer, and the reminder couldn’t have come at a better time.
Quick Hits:
One negative coming out of yesterday was the loss, four-star receiver Jeremiah McClellan flipped to Oregon. Committed to Ohio State since the summer, McClellan was betting on himself and wanted to go against the best in the country during his college career, which is why he originally selected the Buckeyes.
At the end of his recruitment though, it was Oregon that stayed in the mix and gave him reason to believe that he was just another guy for Ohio State, but was “the” guy for the Ducks. That sentiment swayed McClellan away from the Buckeyes and their 2024 class as early Wednesday morning, the staff was made aware that he was headed elsewhere.
Fortunately, Mylan Graham and Jeremiah Smith help soften the blow as those two WRs are higher-ranked players and will certainly help add major talent to an already loaded position group. The Buckeyes wanted McClellan in this class, make no mistake about it, but if there’s one area on this roster that can take a loss it’s at receiver.
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LGHL Ohio State Wrestling pulls off impressive trio of victories, including upset of No. 2 NC State
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Ohio State Wrestling pulls off impressive trio of victories, including upset of No. 2 NC State
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State Wrestling - X/Twitter @wrestlingbucks
Competing at the 2023 Collegiate Wrestling Duals in Nashville, Tom Ryan’s guys enjoyed a busy and (very, very) successful Tuesday.
Ho, ho, ho! It was a merry ‘Wrestlemas’ (sorry, not sorry) for the Ohio State wrestling team on Tuesday, as Tom Ryan’s squad competed in not one, not two, but three duals as part of the 2023 Collegiate Wrestling Duals in Nashville, Tennessee.
And while competing in three consecutive duals certainly seems daunting, Ryan’s guys were more than up to the task. Facing a tough trio of No. 21 Northern Iowa, Lock Haven, and No. 2 North Carolina State, the 8th-ranked Buckeyes finished with a perfect 3-0 team record, highlighted by their upset of the previously red-hot Wolfpack.
In addition to handing NC State their first team loss of the season, several Buckeyes enjoyed individual success in Nashville. True freshman Rocco Welsh (174 pounds) and reserve heavyweight Hogan Swenski were among Scarlet and Gray grapplers who finished 2-0, while Jesse Mendez (141) dominated throughout the entire event, notching three victories.
Additionally, Brendan McCrone (125) and Nic Bouzakis (133) pulled off massive upsets – via pin (!) – of top-5 ranked opponents, presumably boosting their confidence and own ranking(s) in the process.
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Ohio State Wrestling - X/Twitter @wrestlingbucks
Unfortunately, the Collegiate Duals were not televised or available via any of the major streaming services. Fans were required to either attend in person or have nuclear launch codes in order to watch the action, which is a massive, massive bummer, considering 5 of the top 13-ranked teams in the country were competing. But OSU’s social media team is top-notch, so Buckeye Nation could at least track results in something resembling real-time.
Tuesday’s highlight – arguably of the entire Collegiate Duals event, not just for Ohio State and its fans – was the dual between the Buckeyes and the Wolfpack. NC State was heavily favored and would have been even against a fully loaded (healthy) version of OSU... Which was not available.
Carson Kharchla (174) did not make the trip to Nashville, and Gavin Hoffman (184) was limited to just one match against Lock Haven, while Nick Feldman (HWT) was likely a ‘game time’ decision. In the end, the latter did compete against NC State, dropping a close match in the final seconds.
But by then, the damage had already been done by Ohio State. Feldman just needed to avoid a loss by major decision, tech fall, or pin — which he did. And so the Buckeyes were able to hang on by the skin of their teeth against the Wolfpack, thanks to an incredible and almost unfathomable start to this dual.
In the dual’s first match, OSU’s McCrone faced NC State’s Jakob Camacho, who is/was ranked No. 1 at 125 heading into Tuesday. But before the latter could blink, McCrone had taken him down and locked him in a cradle. The shocking pin came just 37 seconds into the match, giving the Buckeyes a 6-0 lead.
Not to be outdone, Bouzakis nearly matched McCrone, pinning his top-5 NC State opponent in a mere 51 seconds. Two matches, two pins of top-5 nationally ranked members of the Wolfpack... With Mendez on deck.
Ohio State’s superstar needed a little more time than McCrone and/or Bouzakis, pinning fourth-ranked Ryan Jack (not Jack Ryan) of NC State in the third period of their highly anticipated match. Mendez’s pin and subsequent bonus points gave OSU an 18-0 lead, which turned out to be juuuust enough of a cushion.
After three pins in the first three matches, things got a bit dicey for the Buckeyes. The resilient Wolfpack won six of the seven remaining matches, nearly completing an epic comeback.
Welsh, competing in his first collegiate dual, was the only other Scarlet and Gray grappler to notch a victory, doing so against top-25 opponent Alex Faison. In reality, Welsh’s impressive dub turned out to be the ‘real’ difference for Ohio State.
There would have been no shame in losing to NC State, but coughing up an 18-0 lead? That would have been a tough pill to swallow.
But alas, Tuesday wound up being a rousing success for OSU. Not only did the Buckeyes knock off NC State, but their win over UNI was impressive as well.
While the Panthers might not boast the same depth as most top-10 programs, they still trotted out four nationally-ranked grapplers in Nashville, including top-ranked 184-pounder Parker Keckeisenz. However, Ohio State won 8 out of 10 matches on their way to a 26-7 team result.
The Buckeyes will now enjoy a short break before welcoming a top-10 Cornell squad to Covelli Center on Jan. 5. And fortunately, that one will be available on Big Ten Network at 8 p.m. ET.
Happy holidays and Go Bucks!
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Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State Wrestling - X/Twitter @wrestlingbucks
Competing at the 2023 Collegiate Wrestling Duals in Nashville, Tom Ryan’s guys enjoyed a busy and (very, very) successful Tuesday.
Ho, ho, ho! It was a merry ‘Wrestlemas’ (sorry, not sorry) for the Ohio State wrestling team on Tuesday, as Tom Ryan’s squad competed in not one, not two, but three duals as part of the 2023 Collegiate Wrestling Duals in Nashville, Tennessee.
And while competing in three consecutive duals certainly seems daunting, Ryan’s guys were more than up to the task. Facing a tough trio of No. 21 Northern Iowa, Lock Haven, and No. 2 North Carolina State, the 8th-ranked Buckeyes finished with a perfect 3-0 team record, highlighted by their upset of the previously red-hot Wolfpack.
In addition to handing NC State their first team loss of the season, several Buckeyes enjoyed individual success in Nashville. True freshman Rocco Welsh (174 pounds) and reserve heavyweight Hogan Swenski were among Scarlet and Gray grapplers who finished 2-0, while Jesse Mendez (141) dominated throughout the entire event, notching three victories.
Additionally, Brendan McCrone (125) and Nic Bouzakis (133) pulled off massive upsets – via pin (!) – of top-5 ranked opponents, presumably boosting their confidence and own ranking(s) in the process.
Unfortunately, the Collegiate Duals were not televised or available via any of the major streaming services. Fans were required to either attend in person or have nuclear launch codes in order to watch the action, which is a massive, massive bummer, considering 5 of the top 13-ranked teams in the country were competing. But OSU’s social media team is top-notch, so Buckeye Nation could at least track results in something resembling real-time.
Tuesday’s highlight – arguably of the entire Collegiate Duals event, not just for Ohio State and its fans – was the dual between the Buckeyes and the Wolfpack. NC State was heavily favored and would have been even against a fully loaded (healthy) version of OSU... Which was not available.
Carson Kharchla (174) did not make the trip to Nashville, and Gavin Hoffman (184) was limited to just one match against Lock Haven, while Nick Feldman (HWT) was likely a ‘game time’ decision. In the end, the latter did compete against NC State, dropping a close match in the final seconds.
But by then, the damage had already been done by Ohio State. Feldman just needed to avoid a loss by major decision, tech fall, or pin — which he did. And so the Buckeyes were able to hang on by the skin of their teeth against the Wolfpack, thanks to an incredible and almost unfathomable start to this dual.
In the dual’s first match, OSU’s McCrone faced NC State’s Jakob Camacho, who is/was ranked No. 1 at 125 heading into Tuesday. But before the latter could blink, McCrone had taken him down and locked him in a cradle. The shocking pin came just 37 seconds into the match, giving the Buckeyes a 6-0 lead.
Not to be outdone, Bouzakis nearly matched McCrone, pinning his top-5 NC State opponent in a mere 51 seconds. Two matches, two pins of top-5 nationally ranked members of the Wolfpack... With Mendez on deck.
Ohio State’s superstar needed a little more time than McCrone and/or Bouzakis, pinning fourth-ranked Ryan Jack (not Jack Ryan) of NC State in the third period of their highly anticipated match. Mendez’s pin and subsequent bonus points gave OSU an 18-0 lead, which turned out to be juuuust enough of a cushion.
After three pins in the first three matches, things got a bit dicey for the Buckeyes. The resilient Wolfpack won six of the seven remaining matches, nearly completing an epic comeback.
Welsh, competing in his first collegiate dual, was the only other Scarlet and Gray grappler to notch a victory, doing so against top-25 opponent Alex Faison. In reality, Welsh’s impressive dub turned out to be the ‘real’ difference for Ohio State.
There would have been no shame in losing to NC State, but coughing up an 18-0 lead? That would have been a tough pill to swallow.
But alas, Tuesday wound up being a rousing success for OSU. Not only did the Buckeyes knock off NC State, but their win over UNI was impressive as well.
While the Panthers might not boast the same depth as most top-10 programs, they still trotted out four nationally-ranked grapplers in Nashville, including top-ranked 184-pounder Parker Keckeisenz. However, Ohio State won 8 out of 10 matches on their way to a 26-7 team result.
The Buckeyes will now enjoy a short break before welcoming a top-10 Cornell squad to Covelli Center on Jan. 5. And fortunately, that one will be available on Big Ten Network at 8 p.m. ET.
Happy holidays and Go Bucks!
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