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LGHL Uncut Podcast: McGuff, Harris, Mikulášiková on Ohio State’s strong defensive win
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Uncut Podcast: McGuff, Harris, Mikulášiková on Ohio State’s strong defensive win
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Buckeyes showed up big at home on Sunday, and after the game they discussed the important victory, with Iowa looming
Throughout the year, Land-Grant Holy Land will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.
Following a two-game stint against teams lower in the Big Ten conference standings, the Buckeyes had the first of three big tests in a week when the Michigan State Spartans visited Columbus. The then 12-3 Spartans entered Sunday’s game flourishing under first-year Big Ten head coach Robyn Fralick and played tough against Ohio State. However, the Buckeyes came out on top 70-65.
Head coach Kevin McGuff, guard Rikki Harris, and forward Rebeka Mikulášiková spoke with the media following the game.
Up first is Coach McGuff. The Buckeyes’ program leader discussed the strong half-court defense that gave Ohio State the win, a strong performance by Harris off the bench, and another diverse scoring game by the scarlet and gray lineup. Then Harris is up, talking about the team’s defensive effort, the play of Mikulášiková, and shutting down the Michigan State guards.
Mikulášiková closes out media availability, discussing the half-court defense work the Buckeyes put in leading to the victory, Harris’ meaningful minutes off the bench, and returning from illness to make big plays in important moments.
That and more on the latest “Land-Grant Uncut.”
Connect with Thomas:
Twitter: @1ThomasCostello
Theme music provided by www.bensound.com
Continue reading...
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Buckeyes showed up big at home on Sunday, and after the game they discussed the important victory, with Iowa looming
Throughout the year, Land-Grant Holy Land will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.
Following a two-game stint against teams lower in the Big Ten conference standings, the Buckeyes had the first of three big tests in a week when the Michigan State Spartans visited Columbus. The then 12-3 Spartans entered Sunday’s game flourishing under first-year Big Ten head coach Robyn Fralick and played tough against Ohio State. However, the Buckeyes came out on top 70-65.
Head coach Kevin McGuff, guard Rikki Harris, and forward Rebeka Mikulášiková spoke with the media following the game.
Up first is Coach McGuff. The Buckeyes’ program leader discussed the strong half-court defense that gave Ohio State the win, a strong performance by Harris off the bench, and another diverse scoring game by the scarlet and gray lineup. Then Harris is up, talking about the team’s defensive effort, the play of Mikulášiková, and shutting down the Michigan State guards.
Mikulášiková closes out media availability, discussing the half-court defense work the Buckeyes put in leading to the victory, Harris’ meaningful minutes off the bench, and returning from illness to make big plays in important moments.
That and more on the latest “Land-Grant Uncut.”
Connect with Thomas:
Twitter: @1ThomasCostello
Theme music provided by www.bensound.com
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State can’t complete comeback in Ann Arbor, falls to Michigan 73-65
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Ohio State can’t complete comeback in Ann Arbor, falls to Michigan 73-65
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Despite going on a 16-0 run in the second half, Ohio State wasn’t able to hang on in Ann Arbor and lost their third consecutive game.
Losers of two in a row entering Monday’s contest against Michigan, the Ohio State men’s basketball team (12-5, 2-4) traveled to Ann Arbor looking to knock off the Wolverines (7-10, 2-4) to get its season back on track. On top of that, the Buckeyes have lost their last two games to the Wolverines, having last beaten the maize and blue February 12, 2022.
While Ohio State has had a rough go of it lately with losses in each of its last two, the Wolverines have been even worse, losing five straight and eight of their last 10. The main culprit? A porous defense that gave up 87 points to McNeese, 94 to Long Beach State, and is currently a Big Ten-worst 144th in KenPom’s defensive efficiency ranking.
With two teams facing off who can’t seem to get out of their own way, we had a classic “stoppable force meets very movable object” situation going on Monday afternoon.
Ohio State, despite its struggles, stuck with the same starting lineup its used all season: sophomores Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle, Evan Mahaffey, and Felix Okpara alongside senior forward Jamison Battle. Juwan Howard’s Wolverines countered with Dug McDaniel, — who was available because his suspension is only road games — Nimari Burnett, Terrence Williams, Olivier Nkamhoua, and Tarris Reed.
Thornton and Mahaffey each scored four points in the opening minutes, helping the Buckeyes establish an early lead on the road. Ohio State knocked down three of its first five shots to take an 8-5 lead at the first media timeout, but Battle fouled Nimari Burnett shooting a three-pointer with 15:31 remaining, sending him to the free throw line with a chance to tie it up. He hit two of three, so the Buckeyes held a one-point lead for the time being.
After Ohio State went up 13-10, the Wolverines went on an 11-2 run to jump ahead by half a dozen points with 8:35 left in the first half. Nkamhoua was knocking down some really tough shots for Michigan, including multiple baseline jumpers over the outstretched arms of Okpara, who is 6-foot-11.
Ohio State cut the deficit to four with 1:28 left in the half, but Michigan ended with five unanswered points — including a McDaniel buzzer-beating-three — to take a 37-28 lead at the break. Michigan shot 41.2% overall and 63.6% from three-point range in the first half, while Ohio State shot 32.3% in the first half and 7% (1-14) from three-point range. Royal and Thornton both had seven points in the first half, while Nkamhoua had a dozen in the first half for Michigan.
Mahaffey continued to have what was maybe his best all-around offensive game of the season, scoring two more times in the first three minutes of the second half to push his point total to eight — his second-highest total of the season — with 17 minutes still to go. Battle also chipped in his first three-pointer of the game and a vicious dunk over Reed for five quick points, as Ohio State cut the Michigan lead to 43-39 just 3:23 into the second half.
Despite cutting it to four multiple times, Ohio State still trailed by that identical nine points by the under 12-timeout, 52-43. Both teams hit exactly six shots over the first eight minutes of the second half, but unfortunately for the Buckeyes, the hole they dug themselves in the first half meant they couldn’t afford to let Michigan go shot-for-shot with them anymore. After Gayle scored four consecutive points to make it 47-43, Michigan responded with a two-point jumper from Nkamhoua and a three from McDaniel to go back up 52-43 with 12 minutes to go.
But, much to the shock of the maize and blue-clad fans in attendance, Ohio State answered with an unlikely (impossible?) 16-0 run over the next 3:48, taking a 59-55 lead over Michigan with 7:21 left in the game. Thornton and Gayle were the catalysts by getting to the basket and free throw line, but Okpara and even Dale Bonner got in on the fun. The three-pointers that were falling at an alarming rate for Michigan for most of the game dried up for just a few minutes, and in that time Ohio State knocked down six out of seven shots to halt and reverse the momentum.
But, as expected playing on the road, Michigan swung back with back-to-back baskets from Burnett and Nkamhoua to go back ahead, 60-59. After a loose ball scrum, Roddy Gayle was able to snag it and slam home a dunk with 4:23 remaining to put the Buckeyes back up, 61-60.
However, as it’s gone the last week or two, the Buckeyes weren’t able to get the critical stops it neended on the defensive end in the closing minutes, eventually falling to the Wolverines, 73-65. The spirited run was for naught, as Ohio State picked up its third consecutive loss in Big Ten play.
If you weren’t around Monday afternoon to see the Buckeyes drop another tough one in Ann Arbor, here are a few key moments that ultimately led to the Wolverines prevailing and snapping their five-game losing streak:
Gayle, Thornton, and Battle have pretty firmly established themselves as Ohio State’s only reliable scoring options to this point in the season, but when two of them are off (or all three), the Buckeyes struggle because nobody else has played consistently well. One of the players who showed above-average instincts to get the ball in the basket in high school is Devin Royal, who to this point has averaged just 2.1 points per game.
During the first half, however, Royal chipped in back-to-back baskets to put the Buckeyes up 15-13 in the first half. The baskets were Royal’s first points he’d scored since December 21 against New Orleans.
Mahaffey, who is averaing 3.6 points per game and whose spot in the lineup is one that Ohio State fans have talked a lot about over the last few weeks, also chipped in four points in the opening minutes of this game.
Michigan had a hell of a hard time putting the ball in the basket from anywhere other than three-point land over the first 10 minutes or so of this game, hitting one of its first nine shots from two-point range, but three of its first seven threes. They did what they had to do to just keep things close early on, before really pouring it on later in the first half and going into the break up nine.
Olivier Nkamhoua, a transfer forward from Tennessee, presented a unique challange for Ohio State. He was too much of a scoring threat for Battle to guard and too much of a shooter for Key to hang with, so for the most part it was Okpara guarding the 6-foot-9 forward. He scored a team-high 12 in the first half, including two three-pointers and multiple baseline jumpers over the outstretched hands of Okpara where Nkamhoua had to alter the arc of his shot higher to get it over the Buckeyes’ center.
The Buckeyes cut the Wolverines’ 10-point lead to just four with a minute remaining in the first half, but after a Tarris Reed layup made it six, McDaniel ran off a screen, caught the inbounds pass from Williams, and knocked down a buzzer-beating three from the very top to make it 37-28 Wolverines at halftime. It was McDaniel’s second three-point make of the game, at the time, despite going 3-for-10 overall.
With Ohio State trailing Michigan 43-39 with 16:12 remaining, the 6-foot-11 Okpara went for a dunk, but it was blocked by a sprinting Burnett, who was able to get a hand on the ball before he flew out of bounds and into the padding below the basket. Okpara came back down with the ball and had an open basket for a dunk, but the whistle blew and a held ball was called, with the possession arrow in Michigan’s favor.
On the other end, Okpara fouled Tschetter below the basket, and Michigan’s sophomore backup center swished both to make it 45-39 Michigan, rather than 43-41.
After cutting it to four with 13:47 left, Michigan went on an 8-0 run to give the Wolverines their biggest lead of the day, 55-43, courtest of a Terrence Williams three-pointer. It was Michigan’s ninth three-point make of the day, and Williams’ third by himself.
After falling behind by a dozen and looking dead in the water with 12 minutes remaining, the Buckeyes responded with a 16-0 run, led by Gayle and Thornton who attacked the basket with no mercy against the likes of Burnet, McDaniel, and Jace Howard. Over a span of 3:48, Ohio State knocked down six of seven shots and hit three free throws, while Michigan missed eight consecutive shots and the Buckeyes went ahead, 59-55.
After Ohio State retook a 61-60 lead, Williams took a three-pointer from dead center on top of the key that bounced around, hit every bit of rim it could find, and eventually dropped in to give Michigan a 63-61 lead with 3:37 left in the game.
Ohio State (12-5, 2-4) returns home to face Penn State (8-9, 2-4) on Saturday afternoon at the Schottenstein Center. The Nittany Lions have a tough week ahead of them, as they will welcome No. 15 Wisconsin to the Bryce Jordan Center Tuesday night before heading to Columbus on Saturday.
The last time these two teams met, Ohio State bungled away an 18-point second-half lead and ultimately lost on the road to the ‘Nits, 83-80.
Ohio State’s game against Penn State on Saturday will tip off at noon and will be broadcast on Big Ten Network.
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
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Despite going on a 16-0 run in the second half, Ohio State wasn’t able to hang on in Ann Arbor and lost their third consecutive game.
Losers of two in a row entering Monday’s contest against Michigan, the Ohio State men’s basketball team (12-5, 2-4) traveled to Ann Arbor looking to knock off the Wolverines (7-10, 2-4) to get its season back on track. On top of that, the Buckeyes have lost their last two games to the Wolverines, having last beaten the maize and blue February 12, 2022.
While Ohio State has had a rough go of it lately with losses in each of its last two, the Wolverines have been even worse, losing five straight and eight of their last 10. The main culprit? A porous defense that gave up 87 points to McNeese, 94 to Long Beach State, and is currently a Big Ten-worst 144th in KenPom’s defensive efficiency ranking.
With two teams facing off who can’t seem to get out of their own way, we had a classic “stoppable force meets very movable object” situation going on Monday afternoon.
Ohio State, despite its struggles, stuck with the same starting lineup its used all season: sophomores Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle, Evan Mahaffey, and Felix Okpara alongside senior forward Jamison Battle. Juwan Howard’s Wolverines countered with Dug McDaniel, — who was available because his suspension is only road games — Nimari Burnett, Terrence Williams, Olivier Nkamhoua, and Tarris Reed.
Thornton and Mahaffey each scored four points in the opening minutes, helping the Buckeyes establish an early lead on the road. Ohio State knocked down three of its first five shots to take an 8-5 lead at the first media timeout, but Battle fouled Nimari Burnett shooting a three-pointer with 15:31 remaining, sending him to the free throw line with a chance to tie it up. He hit two of three, so the Buckeyes held a one-point lead for the time being.
After Ohio State went up 13-10, the Wolverines went on an 11-2 run to jump ahead by half a dozen points with 8:35 left in the first half. Nkamhoua was knocking down some really tough shots for Michigan, including multiple baseline jumpers over the outstretched arms of Okpara, who is 6-foot-11.
Ohio State cut the deficit to four with 1:28 left in the half, but Michigan ended with five unanswered points — including a McDaniel buzzer-beating-three — to take a 37-28 lead at the break. Michigan shot 41.2% overall and 63.6% from three-point range in the first half, while Ohio State shot 32.3% in the first half and 7% (1-14) from three-point range. Royal and Thornton both had seven points in the first half, while Nkamhoua had a dozen in the first half for Michigan.
BATTLE WITH AUTHORITY@battletime510 x @OhioStateHoops pic.twitter.com/NpnXqblj8X
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) January 15, 2024
Mahaffey continued to have what was maybe his best all-around offensive game of the season, scoring two more times in the first three minutes of the second half to push his point total to eight — his second-highest total of the season — with 17 minutes still to go. Battle also chipped in his first three-pointer of the game and a vicious dunk over Reed for five quick points, as Ohio State cut the Michigan lead to 43-39 just 3:23 into the second half.
Despite cutting it to four multiple times, Ohio State still trailed by that identical nine points by the under 12-timeout, 52-43. Both teams hit exactly six shots over the first eight minutes of the second half, but unfortunately for the Buckeyes, the hole they dug themselves in the first half meant they couldn’t afford to let Michigan go shot-for-shot with them anymore. After Gayle scored four consecutive points to make it 47-43, Michigan responded with a two-point jumper from Nkamhoua and a three from McDaniel to go back up 52-43 with 12 minutes to go.
But, much to the shock of the maize and blue-clad fans in attendance, Ohio State answered with an unlikely (impossible?) 16-0 run over the next 3:48, taking a 59-55 lead over Michigan with 7:21 left in the game. Thornton and Gayle were the catalysts by getting to the basket and free throw line, but Okpara and even Dale Bonner got in on the fun. The three-pointers that were falling at an alarming rate for Michigan for most of the game dried up for just a few minutes, and in that time Ohio State knocked down six out of seven shots to halt and reverse the momentum.
But, as expected playing on the road, Michigan swung back with back-to-back baskets from Burnett and Nkamhoua to go back ahead, 60-59. After a loose ball scrum, Roddy Gayle was able to snag it and slam home a dunk with 4:23 remaining to put the Buckeyes back up, 61-60.
However, as it’s gone the last week or two, the Buckeyes weren’t able to get the critical stops it neended on the defensive end in the closing minutes, eventually falling to the Wolverines, 73-65. The spirited run was for naught, as Ohio State picked up its third consecutive loss in Big Ten play.
If you weren’t around Monday afternoon to see the Buckeyes drop another tough one in Ann Arbor, here are a few key moments that ultimately led to the Wolverines prevailing and snapping their five-game losing streak:
Devin Royal, Evan Mahaffey chipped in early
Gayle, Thornton, and Battle have pretty firmly established themselves as Ohio State’s only reliable scoring options to this point in the season, but when two of them are off (or all three), the Buckeyes struggle because nobody else has played consistently well. One of the players who showed above-average instincts to get the ball in the basket in high school is Devin Royal, who to this point has averaged just 2.1 points per game.
During the first half, however, Royal chipped in back-to-back baskets to put the Buckeyes up 15-13 in the first half. The baskets were Royal’s first points he’d scored since December 21 against New Orleans.
Mahaffey, who is averaing 3.6 points per game and whose spot in the lineup is one that Ohio State fans have talked a lot about over the last few weeks, also chipped in four points in the opening minutes of this game.
Wolverines used the three-ball to keep them afloat in the first half
Michigan had a hell of a hard time putting the ball in the basket from anywhere other than three-point land over the first 10 minutes or so of this game, hitting one of its first nine shots from two-point range, but three of its first seven threes. They did what they had to do to just keep things close early on, before really pouring it on later in the first half and going into the break up nine.
Nkamhoua presents a unique challenge
Olivier Nkamhoua, a transfer forward from Tennessee, presented a unique challange for Ohio State. He was too much of a scoring threat for Battle to guard and too much of a shooter for Key to hang with, so for the most part it was Okpara guarding the 6-foot-9 forward. He scored a team-high 12 in the first half, including two three-pointers and multiple baseline jumpers over the outstretched hands of Okpara where Nkamhoua had to alter the arc of his shot higher to get it over the Buckeyes’ center.
McDaniel at the buzzer
The Buckeyes cut the Wolverines’ 10-point lead to just four with a minute remaining in the first half, but after a Tarris Reed layup made it six, McDaniel ran off a screen, caught the inbounds pass from Williams, and knocked down a buzzer-beating three from the very top to make it 37-28 Wolverines at halftime. It was McDaniel’s second three-point make of the game, at the time, despite going 3-for-10 overall.
Burnett gets up, forces a tie-up rather than an open dunk for Okpara
With Ohio State trailing Michigan 43-39 with 16:12 remaining, the 6-foot-11 Okpara went for a dunk, but it was blocked by a sprinting Burnett, who was able to get a hand on the ball before he flew out of bounds and into the padding below the basket. Okpara came back down with the ball and had an open basket for a dunk, but the whistle blew and a held ball was called, with the possession arrow in Michigan’s favor.
On the other end, Okpara fouled Tschetter below the basket, and Michigan’s sophomore backup center swished both to make it 45-39 Michigan, rather than 43-41.
Michigan takes its biggest lead of the day on yet another three
After cutting it to four with 13:47 left, Michigan went on an 8-0 run to give the Wolverines their biggest lead of the day, 55-43, courtest of a Terrence Williams three-pointer. It was Michigan’s ninth three-point make of the day, and Williams’ third by himself.
Ohio State responds with 16-0 run, take a late lead
After falling behind by a dozen and looking dead in the water with 12 minutes remaining, the Buckeyes responded with a 16-0 run, led by Gayle and Thornton who attacked the basket with no mercy against the likes of Burnet, McDaniel, and Jace Howard. Over a span of 3:48, Ohio State knocked down six of seven shots and hit three free throws, while Michigan missed eight consecutive shots and the Buckeyes went ahead, 59-55.
Williams’ three hits every bit of the rim, bounces in to put Michigan back up
After Ohio State retook a 61-60 lead, Williams took a three-pointer from dead center on top of the key that bounced around, hit every bit of rim it could find, and eventually dropped in to give Michigan a 63-61 lead with 3:37 left in the game.
Up Next:
Ohio State (12-5, 2-4) returns home to face Penn State (8-9, 2-4) on Saturday afternoon at the Schottenstein Center. The Nittany Lions have a tough week ahead of them, as they will welcome No. 15 Wisconsin to the Bryce Jordan Center Tuesday night before heading to Columbus on Saturday.
The last time these two teams met, Ohio State bungled away an 18-point second-half lead and ultimately lost on the road to the ‘Nits, 83-80.
Ohio State’s game against Penn State on Saturday will tip off at noon and will be broadcast on Big Ten Network.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State Men’s Basketball vs. Michigan: Game preview and prediction
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Ohio State Men’s Basketball vs. Michigan: Game preview and prediction
Jami Jurich 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
The Buckeyes look to snap a two-game losing streak on the road in Ann Arbor.
The Ohio State men’s basketball team needs a win, having dropped their last two games in rough fashion. After falling to a mediocre Penn State team, 83-80, early in December, the Buckeyes went on a four-game win streak, looking ready to go as they headed into the bulk of conference play. But they stumbled a bit last week, losing to Indiana, 71-65, at Assembly Hall and setting a season-low in points, before following it up with a loss to No. 15 Wisconsin at home, 71-60, and again setting a new season-low in points. Now, the Buckeyes (12-4, 2-3) look to turn things around against their rivals, the Michigan Wolverines, in Ann Arbor on Monday. With the Wolverines currently sitting at the bottom of the Big Ten conference, the Buckeyes need to take this opportunity to get their train back on the tracks as they head into the second half of the season.
The last two games for OSU were tough to watch. They marked two of the Buckeyes’ worst defensive performances of the season, and in both cases, OSU had a chance to win the game but struggled to make big defensive stops in the second half that could have brought them to victory. They’ve been plagued by turnovers and sloppy errors, and they’ll need to clean those things up before heading to Ann Arbor.
Still, it wasn’t all bad for the Buckeyes. Against Wisconsin, they looked good early in the game, hitting five of their first seven shots. At the first media timeout, OSU led, 11-8, and they extended that lead to 25-17 by the under-eight media timeout.
Jamison Battle and Bruce Thornton both played a great 20 minutes of basketball, with Battle shooting 5-of-6 for 14 points, including 4-of-5 three-pointers. Thornton, for his part, put up 11 first-half points.
Still, there were a few reasons to be concerned about the Buckeyes’ performance even while they were leading, including the aforementioned issues. Three early turnovers were just the beginning, in a game in which OSU turned the ball over eight times.
And while the Buckeyes did a good job of shutting down Wisconsin’s open lanes on defense in the first half, they could not find a solution for AJ Storr. Storr finished the first half 7-for-11 with 15 points, despite the Buckeyes putting multiple guys on him. It was the first sign of defensive trouble to come, despite the first half being evenly matched otherwise.
At halftime, the Badgers held a narrow two-point lead. But much like in the Indiana game, things fell apart defensively for the Buckeyes in the second half.
The Buckeyes were unable to cut into Wisconsin’s lead for much of the second half, still trailing by just one basket 14 minutes in. The teams went into the under-eight media timeout all tied up at 52-all. This is where things fell apart.
After the timeout, Wisconsin’s Max Klesmit, a junior guard averaging 7.2 points per game, went on an 8-0 run, finishing the game with 18 points in the second half, and scoring nine of the Badgers’ final 14 points.
The Buckeyes were unable to make the defensive stops they needed to close out the game, despite being neck-and-neck for almost all of it.
Similarly, Indiana’s sophomore forward Malik Reneau scored 19 of his 23 points in the second half, nine of which came on an 11-2 run to tie the game at 48-all with 12 minutes to play. A few more baskets helped boost the Hoosiers to a 10-point lead with under four minutes in the game.
The Buckeyes weren’t helped in either situation by sophomore guard Roddy Gayle’s struggles. While Gayle has been a steady leader on the team so far, the Wisconsin game marked the third game in a slump where he’s struggled to make baskets, shooting just 4-for-13 and going 0-4 for on three-pointers. Against the Badgers, his confidence looked noticeably shaken.
They’ll look to get Gayle and their defensive play back on track, as they’ll need to fire on all cylinders to get the win in Ann Arbor.
Michigan (6-10, 1-4 in the Big Ten), for its part, sits at No. 13 in the conference, having lost their last five games. Most recently, they lost on the road to Maryland, 64-57, despite holding a 33-21 lead at halftime. Michigan was without leading scorer, sophomore guard Dug McDaniel, for the game, as the Wolverines announced last week that he would not travel for road games until further notice as he works toward some academic goals.
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Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports
McDaniel will dress for the game Monday, however, as he is still slated to play in home games. He’s leading the team in points per game, averaging 17.8, and assists, averaging 5.1. Other playmakers for the Wolverines include their pair of senior forwards—Oliver Nkamhoua, who is putting up an average of 16.9 points per game and leads the team in rebounds with an average of 7.6, and Terrence Williams II, who averages 12.6 points per game.
Nkamhoua and Williams II put up 18 and 10 points, respectively, in their loss to the Terrapins.
However, for all of OSU’s defensive struggles in the last two games, they don’t compare to the defensive struggles the Wolverines have faced all season. Against one of the worst defenses in country in this Michigan team, Ohio State will need to seize this opportunity to right their ship.
The Wolverines will have some popular folks in the stands, with Jim Harbaugh and the newly crowned N*tional Ch*mpionship football team rumored to be in attendance to be honored on the court during the game. Their presence could serve as a boost for a team in dire need of a momentum shift.
But the Buckeyes are desperate too (though to a lesser degree). Their next two games, starting Monday in Ann Arbor, and followed by a rematch against Penn State at home, feel like must-wins if they want to keep their season on track and hold onto their NCAA Tournament hopes. Perhaps Harbaugh and Co.’s presence will motivate the Buckeyes too, as handing their rivals an L while the football darlings look on could add to the fun.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25226091/usa_today_22265183.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
While this should be a pretty evenly matched basketball game, Michigan’s defensive challenges far outweigh those of OSU’s. With the exception of the last two games, the Buckeye defense has been pretty solid this season, and the biggest issue defensively in the last two games was closing it out. They’ll need to finish strong against the Wolverines, but Michigan has a much higher hurdle to clear, given that they’re ranked in the bottom third in points allowed and three-point defense this season.
Michigan will have to find a way to keep the ball away from Thornton and Battle if they have any hope of winning this game. This also presents an opportunity for Gayle to return to form, and the Wolverines will need to keep an eye on him as well.
But defensively, the key for the Buckeyes will be Felix Okpara, whose toughness has been a challenge for opponents all season. His performance against the Hoosiers included career-high 15 rebounds and five blocked shots, and if he can continue to put up numbers in that ballpark, it could be enough pressure for the Wolverines to crack, particularly as a team who has been plagued by turnovers all season.
Look to Okpara to try to force some key errors that could keep the game moving in the Buckeyes’ favor.
Still, this should be a competitive matchup between the two teams. The Buckeyes cannot afford to be sloppy, and they will need to hold onto the ball themselves. But barring sloppy errors, the Buckeyes should be able to leave Ann Arbor with a win and leave behind the struggles of last week, but it won’t be handed to them without a fight.
ESPN BPI: Michigan 50.1%
Time: 12 p.m. (noon) ET
TV: FOX
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Jami Jurich 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
The Buckeyes look to snap a two-game losing streak on the road in Ann Arbor.
The Ohio State men’s basketball team needs a win, having dropped their last two games in rough fashion. After falling to a mediocre Penn State team, 83-80, early in December, the Buckeyes went on a four-game win streak, looking ready to go as they headed into the bulk of conference play. But they stumbled a bit last week, losing to Indiana, 71-65, at Assembly Hall and setting a season-low in points, before following it up with a loss to No. 15 Wisconsin at home, 71-60, and again setting a new season-low in points. Now, the Buckeyes (12-4, 2-3) look to turn things around against their rivals, the Michigan Wolverines, in Ann Arbor on Monday. With the Wolverines currently sitting at the bottom of the Big Ten conference, the Buckeyes need to take this opportunity to get their train back on the tracks as they head into the second half of the season.
Preview
The last two games for OSU were tough to watch. They marked two of the Buckeyes’ worst defensive performances of the season, and in both cases, OSU had a chance to win the game but struggled to make big defensive stops in the second half that could have brought them to victory. They’ve been plagued by turnovers and sloppy errors, and they’ll need to clean those things up before heading to Ann Arbor.
Still, it wasn’t all bad for the Buckeyes. Against Wisconsin, they looked good early in the game, hitting five of their first seven shots. At the first media timeout, OSU led, 11-8, and they extended that lead to 25-17 by the under-eight media timeout.
Jamison Battle and Bruce Thornton both played a great 20 minutes of basketball, with Battle shooting 5-of-6 for 14 points, including 4-of-5 three-pointers. Thornton, for his part, put up 11 first-half points.
Still, there were a few reasons to be concerned about the Buckeyes’ performance even while they were leading, including the aforementioned issues. Three early turnovers were just the beginning, in a game in which OSU turned the ball over eight times.
And while the Buckeyes did a good job of shutting down Wisconsin’s open lanes on defense in the first half, they could not find a solution for AJ Storr. Storr finished the first half 7-for-11 with 15 points, despite the Buckeyes putting multiple guys on him. It was the first sign of defensive trouble to come, despite the first half being evenly matched otherwise.
At halftime, the Badgers held a narrow two-point lead. But much like in the Indiana game, things fell apart defensively for the Buckeyes in the second half.
The Buckeyes were unable to cut into Wisconsin’s lead for much of the second half, still trailing by just one basket 14 minutes in. The teams went into the under-eight media timeout all tied up at 52-all. This is where things fell apart.
After the timeout, Wisconsin’s Max Klesmit, a junior guard averaging 7.2 points per game, went on an 8-0 run, finishing the game with 18 points in the second half, and scoring nine of the Badgers’ final 14 points.
The Buckeyes were unable to make the defensive stops they needed to close out the game, despite being neck-and-neck for almost all of it.
Similarly, Indiana’s sophomore forward Malik Reneau scored 19 of his 23 points in the second half, nine of which came on an 11-2 run to tie the game at 48-all with 12 minutes to play. A few more baskets helped boost the Hoosiers to a 10-point lead with under four minutes in the game.
The Buckeyes weren’t helped in either situation by sophomore guard Roddy Gayle’s struggles. While Gayle has been a steady leader on the team so far, the Wisconsin game marked the third game in a slump where he’s struggled to make baskets, shooting just 4-for-13 and going 0-4 for on three-pointers. Against the Badgers, his confidence looked noticeably shaken.
They’ll look to get Gayle and their defensive play back on track, as they’ll need to fire on all cylinders to get the win in Ann Arbor.
Michigan (6-10, 1-4 in the Big Ten), for its part, sits at No. 13 in the conference, having lost their last five games. Most recently, they lost on the road to Maryland, 64-57, despite holding a 33-21 lead at halftime. Michigan was without leading scorer, sophomore guard Dug McDaniel, for the game, as the Wolverines announced last week that he would not travel for road games until further notice as he works toward some academic goals.
McDaniel will dress for the game Monday, however, as he is still slated to play in home games. He’s leading the team in points per game, averaging 17.8, and assists, averaging 5.1. Other playmakers for the Wolverines include their pair of senior forwards—Oliver Nkamhoua, who is putting up an average of 16.9 points per game and leads the team in rebounds with an average of 7.6, and Terrence Williams II, who averages 12.6 points per game.
Nkamhoua and Williams II put up 18 and 10 points, respectively, in their loss to the Terrapins.
However, for all of OSU’s defensive struggles in the last two games, they don’t compare to the defensive struggles the Wolverines have faced all season. Against one of the worst defenses in country in this Michigan team, Ohio State will need to seize this opportunity to right their ship.
Prediction
The Wolverines will have some popular folks in the stands, with Jim Harbaugh and the newly crowned N*tional Ch*mpionship football team rumored to be in attendance to be honored on the court during the game. Their presence could serve as a boost for a team in dire need of a momentum shift.
But the Buckeyes are desperate too (though to a lesser degree). Their next two games, starting Monday in Ann Arbor, and followed by a rematch against Penn State at home, feel like must-wins if they want to keep their season on track and hold onto their NCAA Tournament hopes. Perhaps Harbaugh and Co.’s presence will motivate the Buckeyes too, as handing their rivals an L while the football darlings look on could add to the fun.
While this should be a pretty evenly matched basketball game, Michigan’s defensive challenges far outweigh those of OSU’s. With the exception of the last two games, the Buckeye defense has been pretty solid this season, and the biggest issue defensively in the last two games was closing it out. They’ll need to finish strong against the Wolverines, but Michigan has a much higher hurdle to clear, given that they’re ranked in the bottom third in points allowed and three-point defense this season.
Michigan will have to find a way to keep the ball away from Thornton and Battle if they have any hope of winning this game. This also presents an opportunity for Gayle to return to form, and the Wolverines will need to keep an eye on him as well.
But defensively, the key for the Buckeyes will be Felix Okpara, whose toughness has been a challenge for opponents all season. His performance against the Hoosiers included career-high 15 rebounds and five blocked shots, and if he can continue to put up numbers in that ballpark, it could be enough pressure for the Wolverines to crack, particularly as a team who has been plagued by turnovers all season.
Look to Okpara to try to force some key errors that could keep the game moving in the Buckeyes’ favor.
Still, this should be a competitive matchup between the two teams. The Buckeyes cannot afford to be sloppy, and they will need to hold onto the ball themselves. But barring sloppy errors, the Buckeyes should be able to leave Ann Arbor with a win and leave behind the struggles of last week, but it won’t be handed to them without a fight.
ESPN BPI: Michigan 50.1%
Time: 12 p.m. (noon) ET
TV: FOX
LGHL Score Prediction: Ohio State 72, Michigan 70
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LGHL Ohio State working towards big late addition in 2024 class
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Ohio State working towards big late addition in 2024 class
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2024 DL Dominic Kirks | Mick Walker, 247Sports
Plus, a five-star wide receiver is back on the market, and the Buckeyes appear to be trending for 2025 linebacker.
It has seemingly been nothing but good news for Ohio State on the recruiting front since the new year, and that positive momentum continued during the holiday weekend.
While the Buckeyes were thought to be virtually finished in the 2024 class, there were still one or two guys committed elsewhere that remained on the radar. On Friday night, Ohio State and position coach Larry Johnson got one step closer to flipping one of said prospects when defensive lineman Dominic Kirks de-committed from Washington following Huskies head coach Kalen DeBoer taking over at Alabama.
OSU was already thought to be a strong presence in Kirks’ recruitment down the stretch, being the No. 33 DL and No. 251 player nationally hails from Painesville, Ohio. The 6-foot-4, 255 pounder’s decision to rescind his pledge from Washington came at a very opportune time for the Buckeyes, as Kirks already had plans to visit Columbus over the weekend. Seemingly the only thing stopping the Riverside High School product from committing to the in-state program was that elusive Ohio State offer, which finally came on Sunday afternoon.
Even before the offer was officially announced, Kirks saw a pair of Crystal Ball predictions in favor of Ohio State logged by both 247Sports national recruiting analyst Allen Trieu as well as well as OSU insider Bill Kurelic. With only two other defensive line commits in the 2024 class in Eddrick Houston and Eric Mensah, Kirks would be a very welcomed late addition to the Buckeyes’ fourth-ranked class. Nothing is official just yet, but a decision sounds like it could be coming sooner than later.
Speaking of guys Ohio State is after that were previously committed elsewhere, the Buckeyes got more potentially good news over the weekend when five-star 2025 wide receiver Jaime Ffrench de-committed from Alabama following Nick Saban’s retirement.
The No. 3 WR and No. 11 overall player in the 2025 class, Ffrench is undoubtedly one of the more coveted prospects in the cycle, which is further evidenced by his over 30 offers. Even before the Saban news and his de-commitment from the Tide, it was made clear that Brian Hartline was still actively pursuing the star pass-catcher. Hartline is no stranger to landing five-star wideouts, and would love to add Ffrench to his treasure trove of blue-chippers in his room at Ohio State.
Despite being committed to Alabama since July, Ffrench was in Columbus in October for the Buckeyes’ win over Penn State.
“It was a great visit and experience. It was 10/10 for sure,” Ffrench told Eleven Warriors following his visit. “The Buckeyes still stand high in my recruitment.”
There will be no shortage of suitors now that the 6-foot-1 receiver out of Jacksonville, Florida is back on the market, but Ohio State has the added benefit of both a prior relationship and a proven track record of success at the position under Hartline. The Buckeyes were among his final candidates during his initial recruitment, alongside Florida State, Notre Dame and Penn State, and should be right back in the mix once again.
Finally, in what was a busy weekend of positive news for Ohio State, the Buckeyes appear to be trending for one of the country’s top linebackers in the 2025 class as well. Tarvos Alford, the No. 10 LB and No. 73 overall player on the 247Sports Composite, received a prediction via Matt Parker of On3 on Sunday night in favor of Ohio State.
The Vero Beach, Florida native turned heads at an Ohio State recruiting camp over the summer, getting an opportunity to work alongside both Jim Knowles and James Laurinaitis. Having been offered by Laurinatis in the first place back in April, the 6-foot-2 coverage linebacker seemed to have really hit it off with both coaches, and the Buckeyes have been the favorite on Rivals since that trip, per Jeremy Birmingham.
“An early offer and a very solid relationship formed with James Laurinaitis — cemented during a June 2023 camp visit to Ohio State — may be enough to hold off all comers when Alford inevitably blows up.” said Birm of his Forecast on June 12, 2023.
Both Alford’s 247Sports Crystal Ball and the On3 RPM previously favored Florida, but each of those predictions came in early 2023. It seems as though the Buckeyes have made a real push here, and could be the team to beat when all is said and done.
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Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2024 DL Dominic Kirks | Mick Walker, 247Sports
Plus, a five-star wide receiver is back on the market, and the Buckeyes appear to be trending for 2025 linebacker.
It has seemingly been nothing but good news for Ohio State on the recruiting front since the new year, and that positive momentum continued during the holiday weekend.
While the Buckeyes were thought to be virtually finished in the 2024 class, there were still one or two guys committed elsewhere that remained on the radar. On Friday night, Ohio State and position coach Larry Johnson got one step closer to flipping one of said prospects when defensive lineman Dominic Kirks de-committed from Washington following Huskies head coach Kalen DeBoer taking over at Alabama.
OSU was already thought to be a strong presence in Kirks’ recruitment down the stretch, being the No. 33 DL and No. 251 player nationally hails from Painesville, Ohio. The 6-foot-4, 255 pounder’s decision to rescind his pledge from Washington came at a very opportune time for the Buckeyes, as Kirks already had plans to visit Columbus over the weekend. Seemingly the only thing stopping the Riverside High School product from committing to the in-state program was that elusive Ohio State offer, which finally came on Sunday afternoon.
Even before the offer was officially announced, Kirks saw a pair of Crystal Ball predictions in favor of Ohio State logged by both 247Sports national recruiting analyst Allen Trieu as well as well as OSU insider Bill Kurelic. With only two other defensive line commits in the 2024 class in Eddrick Houston and Eric Mensah, Kirks would be a very welcomed late addition to the Buckeyes’ fourth-ranked class. Nothing is official just yet, but a decision sounds like it could be coming sooner than later.
Speaking of guys Ohio State is after that were previously committed elsewhere, the Buckeyes got more potentially good news over the weekend when five-star 2025 wide receiver Jaime Ffrench de-committed from Alabama following Nick Saban’s retirement.
The No. 3 WR and No. 11 overall player in the 2025 class, Ffrench is undoubtedly one of the more coveted prospects in the cycle, which is further evidenced by his over 30 offers. Even before the Saban news and his de-commitment from the Tide, it was made clear that Brian Hartline was still actively pursuing the star pass-catcher. Hartline is no stranger to landing five-star wideouts, and would love to add Ffrench to his treasure trove of blue-chippers in his room at Ohio State.
Despite being committed to Alabama since July, Ffrench was in Columbus in October for the Buckeyes’ win over Penn State.
“It was a great visit and experience. It was 10/10 for sure,” Ffrench told Eleven Warriors following his visit. “The Buckeyes still stand high in my recruitment.”
There will be no shortage of suitors now that the 6-foot-1 receiver out of Jacksonville, Florida is back on the market, but Ohio State has the added benefit of both a prior relationship and a proven track record of success at the position under Hartline. The Buckeyes were among his final candidates during his initial recruitment, alongside Florida State, Notre Dame and Penn State, and should be right back in the mix once again.
Finally, in what was a busy weekend of positive news for Ohio State, the Buckeyes appear to be trending for one of the country’s top linebackers in the 2025 class as well. Tarvos Alford, the No. 10 LB and No. 73 overall player on the 247Sports Composite, received a prediction via Matt Parker of On3 on Sunday night in favor of Ohio State.
The Vero Beach, Florida native turned heads at an Ohio State recruiting camp over the summer, getting an opportunity to work alongside both Jim Knowles and James Laurinaitis. Having been offered by Laurinatis in the first place back in April, the 6-foot-2 coverage linebacker seemed to have really hit it off with both coaches, and the Buckeyes have been the favorite on Rivals since that trip, per Jeremy Birmingham.
“An early offer and a very solid relationship formed with James Laurinaitis — cemented during a June 2023 camp visit to Ohio State — may be enough to hold off all comers when Alford inevitably blows up.” said Birm of his Forecast on June 12, 2023.
Both Alford’s 247Sports Crystal Ball and the On3 RPM previously favored Florida, but each of those predictions came in early 2023. It seems as though the Buckeyes have made a real push here, and could be the team to beat when all is said and done.
Quick Hits
- The fallout of Saban’s retirement — and subsequent DaBoer move to Alabama and then Jedd Fisch’s move to Washington — will likely result in roster attrition for all three programs via the transfer portal. On Sunday, former Washington guard Nate Kalepo became one of the latest players to enter the portal, and with Ohio State looking to add more talent and experience up front, maybe Justin Frye can benefit from some outgoing linemen from this trio of schools, including a guy like Kalepo.
- With so much attention on guys like Ohio State commit Devin Sanchez and potential future commit Dorian Brew — and rightfully so — you can’t forget that the Buckeyes also have another stud defensive back committed in 2025 in Blake Woodby. The No. 10 CB and No. 76 overall player in the cycle, Woodby, a Maryland native, will be back on campus later this month.
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LGHL Game Preview: No. 17 Ohio State women's basketball vs. Michigan State
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Game Preview: No. 17 Ohio State women's basketball vs. Michigan State
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Joseph Weiser/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Spartans have a new head coach and are a surprise story of the 23-24 season
Sunday afternoon is cause night for Ohio State women’s basketball. Off the court, various causes that the Buckeyes support will be honored. Groups including LandOn A Cure, Ability Matters, Special Olympics, and Autism Awareness. On the court, the scarlet and gray will try to improve their own cause of improving in conference play, with 14 games remaining on the schedule.
The game features a bigger test than the Buckeyes have seen in the last two games. The Michigan State Spartans overcame a coaching change and updates to the roster in the offseason to perform better than a side from East Lansing’s played in years. How do the Spartans test head coach Kevin McGuff’s side?
In the offseason, 16-year Michigan State head coach Suzy Merchant stepped down from her spot leading the Spartans program. Along with that decision, the Big Ten side lost its two best scorers in guard Kamaria McDaniel (graduation) and Matilda Ekh (transfer) and leading rebounder in now-Buckeye transfer forward Taiyier Parks.
All that and new program leadership didn't bring in a large batch of Power Five conference transfers to fill holes. All-in-all, a situation like this leads to an expected period of transition.
Don’t tell that to Michigan State head coach Robyn Fralick.
The Spartans come to Columbus with a 12-3 record, and a real chance to come away with a win against the Buckeyes. So, how has coach Fralick done it? Scoring more points than their opponents.
Michigan State is a team that is not afraid to shoot the basketball. So far this season, the Spartans are at or near the top of the conference in most shooting categories, especially from beyond the arc.
From three-point range, Michigan State averages 10.1 makes per game, and when you combine that with the conference’s best team three-point average at 37.5%, you get a formidable offense. Overall, the offense is up for the Spartans, sitting behind only guard Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes in team scoring offense. Leading the way are a trio of returning Spartans.
Leading Michigan State is graduate senior Moira Joiner. After a freshman season under coach Merchant where Joiner started 25 of 30 games, the guard lost a starting spot due to injury and in-team competition. That led to 19 starts in 65 appearances over the past three seasons. Under coach Fralick, Joiner is thriving.
The guard from Saginaw, Michigan averages 16.2 points per game and enters Sunday following a 20-point performance in a win over the Maryland Terrapins. Joiner hit four three-point shots in that game on seven attempts, putting her 2.8 makes per game in the top five of the conference.
Junior guard DeeDee Hagemann, like Joiner, is playing career-best basketball under coach Fralick. Shooting 46% from three-point range, Hagemann’s increased her scoring by four points per game, and the free shooting opportunities with the Spartans make her another player for the Buckeyes to give extra attention.
However, the most interesting roster jump comes from forward Julia Ayrault. As a junior, Ayrault mustered just over 10 minutes per game for coach Merchant, averaging 3.6 points and 2.5 rebounds. As a starter under Fralick, Ayrault is a force inside the perimeter. Coming off a 20-point, 10-rebound, double-double against the Terrapins, Ayrault averages 14.9 points and a team-leading 7.5 rebounds per game.
While these three are the leading examples, a change to a more offensive-minded strategy is making many former deep bench players vie for the most improved on the roster.
This means the half-court defense of Ohio State is going to be busy on Sunday. If there’s a scent of an open shot for the Spartans, it’s likely going up. To combat it, the Buckeyes need to play the intensity that allows them to run to the right places to stop passing lanes and put hands in shooter’s faces.
Fortunately for the scarlet and gray, stopping the long shot is a strength this season. Through defensive play led by guards Celeste Taylor and Jacy Sheldon, the Buckeyes are tied with the Indiana Hoosiers in three-point shots allowed with 74 over 15 games. The likely matchup of Taylor and Joiner is an especially intriguing game within the game.
Taylor leads Buckeyes regulars in defensive rating, allowing 78.7 points in every 100 possessions. The guard’s doing it through a blistering pace of play that never lets up until Taylor gets to the bench. That means sucking up space that great shooters use to get shots up in small open windows.
Should Michigan State use screens to its advantage, a normal starting five for the Buckeyes can mostly neutralize it, and do even more with the agility and speed of substitute forward Eboni Walker. When Walker is on, Ohio State is smaller but they’re more nimble and flexible. It’s a group that could get a lot of work against a Michigan team that’s smaller itself.
Sunday has the makings of another round of strong offense versus strong defense. Ohio State hopes the old adage of “defense wins championships” holds true.
G- Jacy Sheldon
G- Celeste Taylor
G- Taylor Thierry
F- Cotie McMahon
F- Rebeka Mikulášiková
Michigan State
G- DeeDee Hagemann
G- Moira Joiner
G- Abbey Kimball
G- Julia Ayrault
F- Jocelyn Tate
Although the Spartans enter Sunday with a good deal of momentum, losing to the Hawkeyes thanks to a last-second shot by Clark and beating the Terrapins, Ohio State will come away with the victory.
The Buckeyes’ defense will push the Spartans past their Big Ten-leading turnover numbers, and make shooting difficult for Michigan State. There will be spells where the energy isn’t there for Ohio State and the visitors get off shots, but the runs won’t be enough to win.
For all of Michigan State’s improvements on offense, defensively they’ll give Ohio State enough room to score. Forward Cotie McMahon will lead the Buckeyes and continue her return to form.
Date: Sunday, January 14, 2024
Time: 4 p.m. ET
Where: Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio
TV: Big Ten Network
Stream: Fox Sports App
Sunday’s battle on court is intriguing, but off the court there’s even more. The Buckeyes feature connections to the current iteration of the Spartans, and not simply from playing some of its players in the past.
The first and biggest is through forward Taiyier Parks. Following four seasons in East Lansing, the Ohioan returned to the Buckeye state to play for the scarlet and gray. Following Thursday’s game against Rutgers, Parks shared that she’s excited to see teammates who she played alongside at Michigan State, reflecting on a positive experience as a Spartan.
A lesser known connection between Sunday’s teams are the coaches. Coach McGuff knows coach Fralick well.
In the offseason, when Michigan State announced Fralick as the replacement for Merchant, it was a few short weeks following the commitment of McGuff’s second oldest daughter Keiryn McGuff. Despite the change of coaches, McGuff held her commitment to the Falcons and is in the middle of her freshman season in Bowling Green, Ohio.
“She did an excellent job, both at Ashland and Bowling Green. And I know her and her staff really well,” said McGuff of Fralick. “She created incredible culture at Bowling Green. And I think, you know, Michigan State has a lot of talent, and she’s really got them playing well together and playing extremely hard. And, you know, the results are reflective of that.”
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ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Joseph Weiser/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Spartans have a new head coach and are a surprise story of the 23-24 season
Sunday afternoon is cause night for Ohio State women’s basketball. Off the court, various causes that the Buckeyes support will be honored. Groups including LandOn A Cure, Ability Matters, Special Olympics, and Autism Awareness. On the court, the scarlet and gray will try to improve their own cause of improving in conference play, with 14 games remaining on the schedule.
The game features a bigger test than the Buckeyes have seen in the last two games. The Michigan State Spartans overcame a coaching change and updates to the roster in the offseason to perform better than a side from East Lansing’s played in years. How do the Spartans test head coach Kevin McGuff’s side?
Preview
In the offseason, 16-year Michigan State head coach Suzy Merchant stepped down from her spot leading the Spartans program. Along with that decision, the Big Ten side lost its two best scorers in guard Kamaria McDaniel (graduation) and Matilda Ekh (transfer) and leading rebounder in now-Buckeye transfer forward Taiyier Parks.
All that and new program leadership didn't bring in a large batch of Power Five conference transfers to fill holes. All-in-all, a situation like this leads to an expected period of transition.
Don’t tell that to Michigan State head coach Robyn Fralick.
The Spartans come to Columbus with a 12-3 record, and a real chance to come away with a win against the Buckeyes. So, how has coach Fralick done it? Scoring more points than their opponents.
Michigan State is a team that is not afraid to shoot the basketball. So far this season, the Spartans are at or near the top of the conference in most shooting categories, especially from beyond the arc.
From three-point range, Michigan State averages 10.1 makes per game, and when you combine that with the conference’s best team three-point average at 37.5%, you get a formidable offense. Overall, the offense is up for the Spartans, sitting behind only guard Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes in team scoring offense. Leading the way are a trio of returning Spartans.
Leading Michigan State is graduate senior Moira Joiner. After a freshman season under coach Merchant where Joiner started 25 of 30 games, the guard lost a starting spot due to injury and in-team competition. That led to 19 starts in 65 appearances over the past three seasons. Under coach Fralick, Joiner is thriving.
The guard from Saginaw, Michigan averages 16.2 points per game and enters Sunday following a 20-point performance in a win over the Maryland Terrapins. Joiner hit four three-point shots in that game on seven attempts, putting her 2.8 makes per game in the top five of the conference.
Junior guard DeeDee Hagemann, like Joiner, is playing career-best basketball under coach Fralick. Shooting 46% from three-point range, Hagemann’s increased her scoring by four points per game, and the free shooting opportunities with the Spartans make her another player for the Buckeyes to give extra attention.
However, the most interesting roster jump comes from forward Julia Ayrault. As a junior, Ayrault mustered just over 10 minutes per game for coach Merchant, averaging 3.6 points and 2.5 rebounds. As a starter under Fralick, Ayrault is a force inside the perimeter. Coming off a 20-point, 10-rebound, double-double against the Terrapins, Ayrault averages 14.9 points and a team-leading 7.5 rebounds per game.
While these three are the leading examples, a change to a more offensive-minded strategy is making many former deep bench players vie for the most improved on the roster.
This means the half-court defense of Ohio State is going to be busy on Sunday. If there’s a scent of an open shot for the Spartans, it’s likely going up. To combat it, the Buckeyes need to play the intensity that allows them to run to the right places to stop passing lanes and put hands in shooter’s faces.
Fortunately for the scarlet and gray, stopping the long shot is a strength this season. Through defensive play led by guards Celeste Taylor and Jacy Sheldon, the Buckeyes are tied with the Indiana Hoosiers in three-point shots allowed with 74 over 15 games. The likely matchup of Taylor and Joiner is an especially intriguing game within the game.
Taylor leads Buckeyes regulars in defensive rating, allowing 78.7 points in every 100 possessions. The guard’s doing it through a blistering pace of play that never lets up until Taylor gets to the bench. That means sucking up space that great shooters use to get shots up in small open windows.
Should Michigan State use screens to its advantage, a normal starting five for the Buckeyes can mostly neutralize it, and do even more with the agility and speed of substitute forward Eboni Walker. When Walker is on, Ohio State is smaller but they’re more nimble and flexible. It’s a group that could get a lot of work against a Michigan team that’s smaller itself.
Sunday has the makings of another round of strong offense versus strong defense. Ohio State hopes the old adage of “defense wins championships” holds true.
Ohio State
G- Jacy Sheldon
G- Celeste Taylor
G- Taylor Thierry
F- Cotie McMahon
F- Rebeka Mikulášiková
Lineup Notes
- Guard Celeste Taylor led Buckeyes starters in scoring for the third game in a row, against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Thursday.
- Guard Jacy Sheldon had a season-high eight steals against Rutgers Thursday. It also tied the guard’s second-career-best steals performance against the Tennessee Volunteers to start the 22-23 season.
- Thursday’s 42.3% shooting from beyond the arc was the fourth-best for Ohio State this season. In games where the Buckeyes shoot at least 40% from three-point range, they’re undefeated.
Michigan State
G- DeeDee Hagemann
G- Moira Joiner
G- Abbey Kimball
G- Julia Ayrault
F- Jocelyn Tate
Lineup Notes
- Forward Jocelyn Tate is the lone Bowling Green Falcon to transfer to Michigan State with coach Fralick. Tate’s started every game for the Spartans, averaging 7.2 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.
- 58.6% of minutes played this season for the Spartans come from last season’s roster.
- Michigan State leads the conference in turnovers per game, only giving the ball away 11.3 times per game.
Prediction
Although the Spartans enter Sunday with a good deal of momentum, losing to the Hawkeyes thanks to a last-second shot by Clark and beating the Terrapins, Ohio State will come away with the victory.
The Buckeyes’ defense will push the Spartans past their Big Ten-leading turnover numbers, and make shooting difficult for Michigan State. There will be spells where the energy isn’t there for Ohio State and the visitors get off shots, but the runs won’t be enough to win.
For all of Michigan State’s improvements on offense, defensively they’ll give Ohio State enough room to score. Forward Cotie McMahon will lead the Buckeyes and continue her return to form.
How to Watch
Date: Sunday, January 14, 2024
Time: 4 p.m. ET
Where: Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio
TV: Big Ten Network
Stream: Fox Sports App
LGHL Prediction: 81-76 Ohio State Buckeyes
Reunions
Sunday’s battle on court is intriguing, but off the court there’s even more. The Buckeyes feature connections to the current iteration of the Spartans, and not simply from playing some of its players in the past.
The first and biggest is through forward Taiyier Parks. Following four seasons in East Lansing, the Ohioan returned to the Buckeye state to play for the scarlet and gray. Following Thursday’s game against Rutgers, Parks shared that she’s excited to see teammates who she played alongside at Michigan State, reflecting on a positive experience as a Spartan.
A lesser known connection between Sunday’s teams are the coaches. Coach McGuff knows coach Fralick well.
In the offseason, when Michigan State announced Fralick as the replacement for Merchant, it was a few short weeks following the commitment of McGuff’s second oldest daughter Keiryn McGuff. Despite the change of coaches, McGuff held her commitment to the Falcons and is in the middle of her freshman season in Bowling Green, Ohio.
“She did an excellent job, both at Ashland and Bowling Green. And I know her and her staff really well,” said McGuff of Fralick. “She created incredible culture at Bowling Green. And I think, you know, Michigan State has a lot of talent, and she’s really got them playing well together and playing extremely hard. And, you know, the results are reflective of that.”
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