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LGHL No. 12 Ohio State women’s basketball cuts large deficit to No. 25 Penn State, win 94-84 in overtime
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No. 12 Ohio State women’s basketball cuts large deficit to No. 25 Penn State, win 94-84 in overtime
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State University athletic department
Ohio State has its closest game of the season, but comes up short against the Nittany Lions
The Ohio State women’s basketball team returned for its second of five straight home games in the month of December. However, not all games are created equal. Sunday featured the first conference game of the season, welcoming the Penn State Nittany Lions in a top 25 matchup.
Before the game got started, Ohio State had good news. It was the return of guard Madison Greene. After missing the entire 21-22 season with a knee injury, and then suffering another season ending knee injury on Dec. 20, 2022, against the USF Bulls, Greene was removed from the injury report.
In a game that went to overtime, the Buckeyes come back from a 13-point deficit to defeat the Nittany Lions 94-84.
Sunday didn’t begin with a lot of offense, but a lot of whistles. Within the first two minutes, both Ohio State and Penn State each picked up two fouls apiece. The calls forced the Nittany Lions to adjust quickly, sending guard Shay Ciezki to the bench after 39 seconds on the game clock.
It appeared that head coach Carolyn Kieger of Penn State was taking precaution with the sophomore who's second on the team in scoring. Ciezki picked up four fouls on Monday in a loss to the West Virginia Mountaineers, scoring no points in the defeat.
The start of the game was a lot like the first two minutes. Halfway through the quarter, each side’s team fouls shot up to five, and the scoring didn’t necessarily follow suit. On three shots in the paint for the Buckeyes, they were whistled for charging fouls. The third causing the large crowd on hand to start turning against the officials, echoing boos throughout the arena.
Offensively, baskets did start to fall. Of Ohio State’s first five points, four came from the free throw line. For Penn State, early turnovers hurt, not getting a shot off until over three minutes into the game. The Lions tied the game though, getting off two layups and a three from guard Makenna Marisa, but out of the timeout, the Buckeyes looked composed.
Out of the timeout, forward Cotie McMahon intercepted a pass, kept it from going out of bounds and set guard Rikki Harris up for a Hail Mary pass. With the accuracy of a Buckeyes quarterback transfer portal target, Harris found Sheldon under the basket for a layup.
In a game that took four minutes for both teams to score a point, the final six were a track meet. Penn State, down 5-2, ended the first quarter tied 26-26. Getting both teams there was great guard play by Jacy Sheldon and Marisa.
Each scored 10 of their team’s 26 points, with Marisa more successful from deep, not missing any of her two three-point attempts. Sheldon did her work inside the paint, and on four free throws in the whistle-heavy first.
While the officials made the crowd a little antsy, the crowd got on their feet with 3:39 left in the quarter. That’s when Greene got her first minutes in almost a year. She entered a game where both teams were playing blistering full court defense, resulting in no points in Greene’s first shift of the year.
At the start of the second quarter, Penn State gave Ohio State its largest home deficit of the season. The Nittany Lions scored the first seven points of the quarter, two off layups from forward Ali Brigham and an open three-pointer by Drexel transfer Moriah Murray. It forced an early quarter timeout by head coach Kevin McGuff.
It didn’t get much better coming out of it. Guard Celeste Taylor hit a shot from beyond the arc, but so did Marisa and Ciezki. Penn State increased its lead to 12 points, forcing another McGuff timeout within two minutes of its last.
While the extra time to get on the same page helped offensively, defensively the Nittany Lions kept the momentum. After Ohio State scored nine of the next 10 points, Penn State went on an eight-point run. During the run, outside shooting hurt the Buckeyes, going 0-for-5.
Penn State shot 20% higher than Ohio State in the second quarter, with the Buckeyes hitting only 33.3% from the floor. It gave the visiting Big Ten side a 10-point lead going into halftime, up 40-50.
The second half didn’t bring much relief from tough shooting. From the field and the line the Buckeyes kept shooting below their average. Halfway through the third quarter, Ohio State was 2-for-7 in the run of play and 1-for-4 from the free throw. Until that point in the game, the scarlet and gray were 9-for-17 on free shots at the charity stripe.
On the other side of the court, the team from Happy Valley hit 50% of its shots, with Ciezki leading scorers in the quarter with seven points with a quarter and a half remaining.
However, the Nittany Lions’ shooting began to cool, and inversely the Buckeyes began to heat up. Ohio State, aided by Penn State putting them into the bonus due to foul accumulation, went on an eight-point run. Sheldon and McMahon split the points, cutting the deficit to two points with under two minutes left in the third quarter. The run forced a coach Kieger timeout for PSU.
The visitors held on to take a 68-59 lead into the final quarter, giving the Buckeyes an uphill climb if they wanted to keep a perfect home record in 23-24 intact. It would have been 61 points for Ohio State but a layup made by McMahon was ruled after the shot clock following a between-quarter review.
Going into the fourth, coach McGuff’s side started strong. A Sheldon three-point shot and two McMahon layups put the game to within two points for the home side. That made Nittany Lions offensive possessions difficult as the arena grew louder with each stopped shot on defense and made shot on offense.
Then, forward Rebeka Mikulášiková, who was honored pregame for her 1,000th point as a Buckeye, hit a three-point shot that hit the decibels in the Schottenstein Center it to another level. Ohio State had 6:21 remaining and a one-point lead.
The two teams traded baskets following the first Buckeyes lead since the first quarter. Although, four fouls by Taylor had the defensive specialist on the bench in the final minutes. Even so, Ohio State responded with layups by McMahon and an impressive spinning make by Mikulášiková.
Marisa and Penn State took the lead back over with two minutes remaining, on a midrange shot and followup free throw, putting them up one point. Then McMahon, who was 2-for-10 from the line going into the final moments of the game, hit both to put the game back in the Buckeyes’ favor.
Then it was an unlikely source from deep putting the game up four points in Ohio State’s favor. Taylor, who had four three-point shots made all season leading up to Sunday afternoon, hit her second of the game. Penn State had 43.9 seconds to come back and Marisa and guard Taylor Valladay accomplished it, with some help from Ohio State.
First, Marisa hit a midair catch and shoot on an inbound pass following a timeout. Then, Mikulášiková passed but it was intercepted by Penn State forward Chanaya Pinto. Valladay hit the layup, tying the game with 11 seconds remaining.
Ohio State’s Taylor took a shot at the final second, but didn't make the three-pointer, sending the game to overtime. The first overtime for the Buckeyes since Dec. 20, 2022, coincidentally enough the last time Greene played.
Only a free throws went in the first two minutes of the five-minute overtime period. In that time though, Penn State lost two players in Pinto and Valladay, each earning fifth fouls. Making matters worse for the visitors, Marisa also went down but with an injury. In an inappropriately timed scoreboard moment, the score of the Cleveland Browns NFL game came up on the screen. Fans clapped for the 21-7 football lead the same time Marisa was getting helped off the court.
Overtime was all Ohio State, giving the Buckeyes its first conference win of the season 94-84. Sheldon and McMahon led the way with 31 and 27 points respectively. Taylor also had a double-double, scoring 13 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.
Last year, the Buckeyes had seven comebacks from being down double-digit points. Sunday was the first of the 23-24 season. Ohio State was down by as many as 13 points against the Nittany Lions, at the start of the second half.
It’s not a trend the scarlet and gray is likely happy to continue, with Ohio State going 7-9 in games when down by at least 10 during the 22-23 season.
The issues for Ohio State were partly self-induced. A season high in missed free throws made it a difficult game for the Buckeyes. Especially considering how many fouls each team committed in the contest.
Fouls leaned heavily in the Buckeyes’ favor, taking 24 more free throws than the Nittany Lions.
Part of the festivities of the first conference game of the year featured the return of many former Buckeyes. At halftime, a group of former players took the court. Included in the group was legend Katie Smith, one of two names in the rafters for the women’s basketball program.
Also, more recent Buckeyes like Taylor Mikesell and Tanaya Beacham who were both part of the 21-22 Big Ten regular season co-championship season.
Up next for the Buckeyes is a Friday night home game against the Grand Valley State University Lakers. No offense to the GLIAC side, but most eyes are looking forward to the game that follows it on Monday.
On Dec. 18, Ohio State welcomes the No. 2 UCLA Bruins to the Schottenstein Center in arguably the biggest non-conference game of the season.
Friday’s game starts at 6:00 p.m. ET and Monday’s begins at 6:30 p.m. ET.
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
Ohio State University athletic department
Ohio State has its closest game of the season, but comes up short against the Nittany Lions
The Ohio State women’s basketball team returned for its second of five straight home games in the month of December. However, not all games are created equal. Sunday featured the first conference game of the season, welcoming the Penn State Nittany Lions in a top 25 matchup.
Before the game got started, Ohio State had good news. It was the return of guard Madison Greene. After missing the entire 21-22 season with a knee injury, and then suffering another season ending knee injury on Dec. 20, 2022, against the USF Bulls, Greene was removed from the injury report.
In a game that went to overtime, the Buckeyes come back from a 13-point deficit to defeat the Nittany Lions 94-84.
Sunday didn’t begin with a lot of offense, but a lot of whistles. Within the first two minutes, both Ohio State and Penn State each picked up two fouls apiece. The calls forced the Nittany Lions to adjust quickly, sending guard Shay Ciezki to the bench after 39 seconds on the game clock.
It appeared that head coach Carolyn Kieger of Penn State was taking precaution with the sophomore who's second on the team in scoring. Ciezki picked up four fouls on Monday in a loss to the West Virginia Mountaineers, scoring no points in the defeat.
The start of the game was a lot like the first two minutes. Halfway through the quarter, each side’s team fouls shot up to five, and the scoring didn’t necessarily follow suit. On three shots in the paint for the Buckeyes, they were whistled for charging fouls. The third causing the large crowd on hand to start turning against the officials, echoing boos throughout the arena.
Offensively, baskets did start to fall. Of Ohio State’s first five points, four came from the free throw line. For Penn State, early turnovers hurt, not getting a shot off until over three minutes into the game. The Lions tied the game though, getting off two layups and a three from guard Makenna Marisa, but out of the timeout, the Buckeyes looked composed.
Out of the timeout, forward Cotie McMahon intercepted a pass, kept it from going out of bounds and set guard Rikki Harris up for a Hail Mary pass. With the accuracy of a Buckeyes quarterback transfer portal target, Harris found Sheldon under the basket for a layup.
In a game that took four minutes for both teams to score a point, the final six were a track meet. Penn State, down 5-2, ended the first quarter tied 26-26. Getting both teams there was great guard play by Jacy Sheldon and Marisa.
Each scored 10 of their team’s 26 points, with Marisa more successful from deep, not missing any of her two three-point attempts. Sheldon did her work inside the paint, and on four free throws in the whistle-heavy first.
While the officials made the crowd a little antsy, the crowd got on their feet with 3:39 left in the quarter. That’s when Greene got her first minutes in almost a year. She entered a game where both teams were playing blistering full court defense, resulting in no points in Greene’s first shift of the year.
At the start of the second quarter, Penn State gave Ohio State its largest home deficit of the season. The Nittany Lions scored the first seven points of the quarter, two off layups from forward Ali Brigham and an open three-pointer by Drexel transfer Moriah Murray. It forced an early quarter timeout by head coach Kevin McGuff.
It didn’t get much better coming out of it. Guard Celeste Taylor hit a shot from beyond the arc, but so did Marisa and Ciezki. Penn State increased its lead to 12 points, forcing another McGuff timeout within two minutes of its last.
While the extra time to get on the same page helped offensively, defensively the Nittany Lions kept the momentum. After Ohio State scored nine of the next 10 points, Penn State went on an eight-point run. During the run, outside shooting hurt the Buckeyes, going 0-for-5.
Penn State shot 20% higher than Ohio State in the second quarter, with the Buckeyes hitting only 33.3% from the floor. It gave the visiting Big Ten side a 10-point lead going into halftime, up 40-50.
The second half didn’t bring much relief from tough shooting. From the field and the line the Buckeyes kept shooting below their average. Halfway through the third quarter, Ohio State was 2-for-7 in the run of play and 1-for-4 from the free throw. Until that point in the game, the scarlet and gray were 9-for-17 on free shots at the charity stripe.
On the other side of the court, the team from Happy Valley hit 50% of its shots, with Ciezki leading scorers in the quarter with seven points with a quarter and a half remaining.
However, the Nittany Lions’ shooting began to cool, and inversely the Buckeyes began to heat up. Ohio State, aided by Penn State putting them into the bonus due to foul accumulation, went on an eight-point run. Sheldon and McMahon split the points, cutting the deficit to two points with under two minutes left in the third quarter. The run forced a coach Kieger timeout for PSU.
The visitors held on to take a 68-59 lead into the final quarter, giving the Buckeyes an uphill climb if they wanted to keep a perfect home record in 23-24 intact. It would have been 61 points for Ohio State but a layup made by McMahon was ruled after the shot clock following a between-quarter review.
Going into the fourth, coach McGuff’s side started strong. A Sheldon three-point shot and two McMahon layups put the game to within two points for the home side. That made Nittany Lions offensive possessions difficult as the arena grew louder with each stopped shot on defense and made shot on offense.
Then, forward Rebeka Mikulášiková, who was honored pregame for her 1,000th point as a Buckeye, hit a three-point shot that hit the decibels in the Schottenstein Center it to another level. Ohio State had 6:21 remaining and a one-point lead.
The two teams traded baskets following the first Buckeyes lead since the first quarter. Although, four fouls by Taylor had the defensive specialist on the bench in the final minutes. Even so, Ohio State responded with layups by McMahon and an impressive spinning make by Mikulášiková.
Marisa and Penn State took the lead back over with two minutes remaining, on a midrange shot and followup free throw, putting them up one point. Then McMahon, who was 2-for-10 from the line going into the final moments of the game, hit both to put the game back in the Buckeyes’ favor.
Then it was an unlikely source from deep putting the game up four points in Ohio State’s favor. Taylor, who had four three-point shots made all season leading up to Sunday afternoon, hit her second of the game. Penn State had 43.9 seconds to come back and Marisa and guard Taylor Valladay accomplished it, with some help from Ohio State.
First, Marisa hit a midair catch and shoot on an inbound pass following a timeout. Then, Mikulášiková passed but it was intercepted by Penn State forward Chanaya Pinto. Valladay hit the layup, tying the game with 11 seconds remaining.
Ohio State’s Taylor took a shot at the final second, but didn't make the three-pointer, sending the game to overtime. The first overtime for the Buckeyes since Dec. 20, 2022, coincidentally enough the last time Greene played.
Only a free throws went in the first two minutes of the five-minute overtime period. In that time though, Penn State lost two players in Pinto and Valladay, each earning fifth fouls. Making matters worse for the visitors, Marisa also went down but with an injury. In an inappropriately timed scoreboard moment, the score of the Cleveland Browns NFL game came up on the screen. Fans clapped for the 21-7 football lead the same time Marisa was getting helped off the court.
Overtime was all Ohio State, giving the Buckeyes its first conference win of the season 94-84. Sheldon and McMahon led the way with 31 and 27 points respectively. Taylor also had a double-double, scoring 13 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.
Don’t Call it a Comeback
Last year, the Buckeyes had seven comebacks from being down double-digit points. Sunday was the first of the 23-24 season. Ohio State was down by as many as 13 points against the Nittany Lions, at the start of the second half.
It’s not a trend the scarlet and gray is likely happy to continue, with Ohio State going 7-9 in games when down by at least 10 during the 22-23 season.
Shooting Struggles
The issues for Ohio State were partly self-induced. A season high in missed free throws made it a difficult game for the Buckeyes. Especially considering how many fouls each team committed in the contest.
Fouls leaned heavily in the Buckeyes’ favor, taking 24 more free throws than the Nittany Lions.
Comeback
Alumni Day
Part of the festivities of the first conference game of the year featured the return of many former Buckeyes. At halftime, a group of former players took the court. Included in the group was legend Katie Smith, one of two names in the rafters for the women’s basketball program.
Also, more recent Buckeyes like Taylor Mikesell and Tanaya Beacham who were both part of the 21-22 Big Ten regular season co-championship season.
What’s Next
Up next for the Buckeyes is a Friday night home game against the Grand Valley State University Lakers. No offense to the GLIAC side, but most eyes are looking forward to the game that follows it on Monday.
On Dec. 18, Ohio State welcomes the No. 2 UCLA Bruins to the Schottenstein Center in arguably the biggest non-conference game of the season.
Friday’s game starts at 6:00 p.m. ET and Monday’s begins at 6:30 p.m. ET.
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LGHL Uncut Podcast: Examining the Collapse; Holtmann, Players on 83-80 loss to Penn State
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Uncut Podcast: Examining the Collapse; Holtmann, Players on 83-80 loss to Penn State
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports
The Buckeyes had no answers during the second half and just as few answers afterwards when speaking to the media.
Throughout the season, Land-Grant will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.
Following Ohio State’s 83-80 loss to Penn State at the Bryce Jordan Center, head coach Chris Holtmann spoke to the collective media about his team’s urgency and what changes Penn State made at halftime that his team was unable to adjust to. After speaking with Holtmann, Ohio State media (literally just Land-Grant Holy Land and the Columbus Dispatch) spoke to Roddy Gayle, Bruce Thornton, and Zed Key outside the Ohio State locker room.
Gayle described his team as “lackadaisical” in the second half. After Ohio State went up by 18, its defense sagged and Penn State started knocking down all of its shots. Thornton said that it is “too soon to tell” if the team is resilient or not because this is essentially the first adversity it has faced so far this season. Key said that he was “totally alright” after taking a fall on his head during the game and that the loss hurts because it was a game they know they should’ve had.
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
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
Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports
The Buckeyes had no answers during the second half and just as few answers afterwards when speaking to the media.
Throughout the season, Land-Grant will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
Following Ohio State’s 83-80 loss to Penn State at the Bryce Jordan Center, head coach Chris Holtmann spoke to the collective media about his team’s urgency and what changes Penn State made at halftime that his team was unable to adjust to. After speaking with Holtmann, Ohio State media (literally just Land-Grant Holy Land and the Columbus Dispatch) spoke to Roddy Gayle, Bruce Thornton, and Zed Key outside the Ohio State locker room.
Gayle described his team as “lackadaisical” in the second half. After Ohio State went up by 18, its defense sagged and Penn State started knocking down all of its shots. Thornton said that it is “too soon to tell” if the team is resilient or not because this is essentially the first adversity it has faced so far this season. Key said that he was “totally alright” after taking a fall on his head during the game and that the loss hurts because it was a game they know they should’ve had.
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Theme music provided by www.bensound.com
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LGHL Game Preview: No. 12 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. No. 25 Penn State
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Game Preview: No. 12 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. No. 25 Penn State
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
Big Ten play begins for the Buckeyes, welcoming the Nittany Lions to Columbus.
In the last two seasons, matchups between Ohio State women’s basketball and the Penn State Nittany Lions have been infrequent. Caught in a stretch of the Big Ten schedule where each side only had one meetup per season, the two former powerhouses in the conference only had one chance to renew the rivalry.
Although the Buckeyes trail the overall program series against the Nittany Lions, sitting at 37-29, it’s been all scarlet and gray over the past 10 years. Ohio State is 13-3 in that stretch, and on a two-game winning streak. However, this year Penn State looks like it's closer to flipping the script as ever.
Sunday’s game had all the makings of a potential early season conference blockbuster, until Monday night. That’s when the Penn State Nittany Lions looked vulnerable again, something they haven’t looked so far in the 23-24 season. At the hands of the West Virginia Mountaineers, Penn State fell to 7-2, and likely out of the top 25 rankings, which the Nittany Lions just got back into the same day after 10 years.
The Mountaineers won 83-65, using a pestering press defense for much of 40 minutes. It shut Penn State’s big three down, scoring a combined 18 points. Now, PSU has to dust itself off against an Ohio State side that’s going to continue what the Mountaineers started.
Last season, the Buckeyes were known for strong defense and this year its even better. After eight games in the 22-23 campaign, the scarlet and gray averaged 13.1 turnovers and 63.0 points per game. This season, turnovers are up and points are down, averaging 13.9 and 57.8 respectively.
While concerns over three-point shooting dominated the narrative for head coach Kevin McGuff’s unit in the offseason, a better defense has made it a moot point. Even with a tough defeat to start the season, against the USC Trojans, the team chemistry’s improved game-by-game and today there aren’t many teams who want to go up against the Buckeyes.
Even so, Penn State still has the personnel to give the defense a challenge. Leading PSU are the three names Big Ten have grown to know over the past few seasons. Guard Makenna Marisa is where it all begins. The two-time First Team All-Big Ten selection leads the Nittany Lions in points and point-creation with 16.0 points and 3.7 assists per game.
For years, stopping Marisa was a challenge but also the best way to stop the Happy Valley side. Now though, guards Shay Ciezki and Leilani Kapinus lead a whole cast of support. The sophomore and junior are different styles of guards. Ohio State has to watch the deep shooting game of Ciezki and Kapinus plays a similar offensive game to guard/forward Taylor Thierry.
They’ve both been on the team for three years (two for Ciezki) but the transfer portal was busy in the offseason. Head coach Carolyn Kieger added six transfers, but the two making the biggest impact are guards Taylor Valladay and Jayla Oden.
Valladay comes in from the University of Virginia. The former Cavalier began the season in the starting rotation but moved to a bench role in the last five games. Valladay is a quick and tall guard who will get to the line frequently if the Buckeyes aren’t careful. In the Lions last two games, the graduate senior has 29 combined points scored, 11 and 18 point-games.
Oden won’t play as much as Valladay, but the former Illinois Fighting Illini guard comes in to score key bench points for the Lions. The Baltimore, Maryland native is having a career year for coach Kieger, averaging 7.1 points off the bench in less minutes than last year in Illinois.
Sunday might be a game won either by the most disciplined side or at the free throw line. Each team features names who predominantly score inside the paint. Will sophomore forward Cotie McMahon continue her tear? McMahon had a slow first game against the Trojans but has since averaged 16.9 points and 5.0 rebounds.
When McMahon isn’t spinning around, or running straight into, a crowd in the paint, she’s working on her long shooting game. McMahon has a three in each of the last four games, plus debuting a midrange fadeaway, the same move used by her favorite NBA player LeBron James.
For Ohio State, it has to stop Kapinus and forward Ali Bringham under the basket. The two are a physical presence in the paint who can rebound and hit layups. How the two get into the offensive game though goes back to defense. If the Buckeyes steal sisters duo of Jacy Sheldon and Celeste Taylor play the defense they’ve played to start the season, ranked fifth and sixth in the conference respectively in steals, Marisa and Ciezki won’t have the same impact on scoring or getting the ball into Penn State bigs.
G- Jacy Sheldon
G- Celeste Taylor
G- Taylor Thierry
F- Cotie McMahon
F- Rebeka Mikulášiková
G- Shay Ciezki
G- Makenna Marisa
G- Leilani Kapinus
F- Chanaya Pinto
F- Ali Brigham
The Buckeyes will win if they don’t allow Ciezki to get going from beyond the arc, which should happen unless the Nittany Lions use Marisa to get up the court and have Ciezki draw attention by getting up to the front court.
Defensively, Sheldon and Taylor will make the sophomore Ciezki’s day difficult, but Marisa will still hit big shots. Inside the paint, the Nittany Lions have an advantage on rebounding but defensively will struggle against the likes of McMahon, Thierry and Mikulášiková.
Date: Sunday, Dec. 9, 2023
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Where: Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio
Stream: B1G+
Sunday, the Buckeyes in-arena atmosphere will include a visit from some Ohio State players of the past. Local ones like program legend Katie Smith have appeared at editions of this in the past. Could guard Taylor Mikesell also make an appearance? Who knows.
Unfortunately, the game won’t be on any television service to highlight both the alumni and a top 25 Big Ten conference matchup. The game’s been put on B1G+, meaning less eyes will be on a battle that deserves a lot of them.
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
Big Ten play begins for the Buckeyes, welcoming the Nittany Lions to Columbus.
In the last two seasons, matchups between Ohio State women’s basketball and the Penn State Nittany Lions have been infrequent. Caught in a stretch of the Big Ten schedule where each side only had one meetup per season, the two former powerhouses in the conference only had one chance to renew the rivalry.
Although the Buckeyes trail the overall program series against the Nittany Lions, sitting at 37-29, it’s been all scarlet and gray over the past 10 years. Ohio State is 13-3 in that stretch, and on a two-game winning streak. However, this year Penn State looks like it's closer to flipping the script as ever.
Preview
Sunday’s game had all the makings of a potential early season conference blockbuster, until Monday night. That’s when the Penn State Nittany Lions looked vulnerable again, something they haven’t looked so far in the 23-24 season. At the hands of the West Virginia Mountaineers, Penn State fell to 7-2, and likely out of the top 25 rankings, which the Nittany Lions just got back into the same day after 10 years.
The Mountaineers won 83-65, using a pestering press defense for much of 40 minutes. It shut Penn State’s big three down, scoring a combined 18 points. Now, PSU has to dust itself off against an Ohio State side that’s going to continue what the Mountaineers started.
Last season, the Buckeyes were known for strong defense and this year its even better. After eight games in the 22-23 campaign, the scarlet and gray averaged 13.1 turnovers and 63.0 points per game. This season, turnovers are up and points are down, averaging 13.9 and 57.8 respectively.
While concerns over three-point shooting dominated the narrative for head coach Kevin McGuff’s unit in the offseason, a better defense has made it a moot point. Even with a tough defeat to start the season, against the USC Trojans, the team chemistry’s improved game-by-game and today there aren’t many teams who want to go up against the Buckeyes.
Even so, Penn State still has the personnel to give the defense a challenge. Leading PSU are the three names Big Ten have grown to know over the past few seasons. Guard Makenna Marisa is where it all begins. The two-time First Team All-Big Ten selection leads the Nittany Lions in points and point-creation with 16.0 points and 3.7 assists per game.
For years, stopping Marisa was a challenge but also the best way to stop the Happy Valley side. Now though, guards Shay Ciezki and Leilani Kapinus lead a whole cast of support. The sophomore and junior are different styles of guards. Ohio State has to watch the deep shooting game of Ciezki and Kapinus plays a similar offensive game to guard/forward Taylor Thierry.
They’ve both been on the team for three years (two for Ciezki) but the transfer portal was busy in the offseason. Head coach Carolyn Kieger added six transfers, but the two making the biggest impact are guards Taylor Valladay and Jayla Oden.
Valladay comes in from the University of Virginia. The former Cavalier began the season in the starting rotation but moved to a bench role in the last five games. Valladay is a quick and tall guard who will get to the line frequently if the Buckeyes aren’t careful. In the Lions last two games, the graduate senior has 29 combined points scored, 11 and 18 point-games.
Oden won’t play as much as Valladay, but the former Illinois Fighting Illini guard comes in to score key bench points for the Lions. The Baltimore, Maryland native is having a career year for coach Kieger, averaging 7.1 points off the bench in less minutes than last year in Illinois.
Sunday might be a game won either by the most disciplined side or at the free throw line. Each team features names who predominantly score inside the paint. Will sophomore forward Cotie McMahon continue her tear? McMahon had a slow first game against the Trojans but has since averaged 16.9 points and 5.0 rebounds.
When McMahon isn’t spinning around, or running straight into, a crowd in the paint, she’s working on her long shooting game. McMahon has a three in each of the last four games, plus debuting a midrange fadeaway, the same move used by her favorite NBA player LeBron James.
For Ohio State, it has to stop Kapinus and forward Ali Bringham under the basket. The two are a physical presence in the paint who can rebound and hit layups. How the two get into the offensive game though goes back to defense. If the Buckeyes steal sisters duo of Jacy Sheldon and Celeste Taylor play the defense they’ve played to start the season, ranked fifth and sixth in the conference respectively in steals, Marisa and Ciezki won’t have the same impact on scoring or getting the ball into Penn State bigs.
Projected Starters
Ohio State
G- Jacy Sheldon
G- Celeste Taylor
G- Taylor Thierry
F- Cotie McMahon
F- Rebeka Mikulášiková
Lineup Notes
- The Buckeyes have used the same starting five in every game so far this season. Barring a surprise injury, expect that to continue.
- Forward Rebeka Mikulášiková averages 15 points over the past three games, becoming the fourth Buckeye to average double-digit points in the early 23-24 season.
- Guard Emma Shumate now leads Ohio State with 15 made three-point shots after hitting six against the Ohio Bobcats on Tuesday. Last year, guard Taylor Mikesell had 26 three-point shots after eight games.
Penn State
G- Shay Ciezki
G- Makenna Marisa
G- Leilani Kapinus
F- Chanaya Pinto
F- Ali Brigham
Lineup Notes
- Penn State’s used this lineup in each of the last five games.
- Ciezki averages 13.8 points per game, but had a rough outing against West Virginia, scoring no points and committing four fouls in 22 minutes.
- Guard Ashley Owusu, former All-American, has yet to get onto the court for Penn State this season.
Prediction
The Buckeyes will win if they don’t allow Ciezki to get going from beyond the arc, which should happen unless the Nittany Lions use Marisa to get up the court and have Ciezki draw attention by getting up to the front court.
Defensively, Sheldon and Taylor will make the sophomore Ciezki’s day difficult, but Marisa will still hit big shots. Inside the paint, the Nittany Lions have an advantage on rebounding but defensively will struggle against the likes of McMahon, Thierry and Mikulášiková.
How to Watch
Date: Sunday, Dec. 9, 2023
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Where: Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio
Stream: B1G+
LGHL Prediction: 87-71 Ohio State Buckeyes
Alumni Day
Sunday, the Buckeyes in-arena atmosphere will include a visit from some Ohio State players of the past. Local ones like program legend Katie Smith have appeared at editions of this in the past. Could guard Taylor Mikesell also make an appearance? Who knows.
Unfortunately, the game won’t be on any television service to highlight both the alumni and a top 25 Big Ten conference matchup. The game’s been put on B1G+, meaning less eyes will be on a battle that deserves a lot of them.
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LGHL “We thought the game was over.” Ohio State’s lack of urgency led to loss at Penn State
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“We thought the game was over.” Ohio State’s lack of urgency led to loss at Penn State
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports
Ohio State sat back and watched its 18-point lead fall apart during an inexcusable loss in State College Saturday night.
With 15:31 remaining during Ohio State’s game against Penn State on Saturday night, Jamison Battle lifted up and knocked down a triple from the corner, putting Ohio State up 55-37 — its largest lead of the night. The Buckeyes looked well on their way to their second consecutive Big Ten win, and eighth win overall. But after that shot went in, the Buckeyes let up. Its collective feet came off the gas pedal, and Penn State was able to wiggle its way back in.
Comebacks don’t happen quickly — especially 18-point comebacks like what happened Saturday night. After being outscored by 18 points over the first 25 minutes of the game, Penn State’s only way to win was to outscore Ohio State by 19 over the final 15 minutes. After shooting 34% in the first half and only hitting two three-pointers in the opening 20 minutes, that seemed like a tall task.
Penn State didn’t do that. They outscored Ohio State by 21 over the final 15 minutes instead.
Fortunately for the Nittany Lions, the foot that had been hovering over Penn State’s neck until that point showed them mercy. It didn’t step down and go for the kill shot. Instead, Ohio State played not to lose. It played like it just needed to kill the clock and protect a lead. That’s how comebacks happen.
After watching Penn State knock down just two of its nine three-point attempts in the first half, the Buckeyes sagged off a bit during the second half. The only player to hit a three-pointer in the first half for Penn State was Leo O’Doyle — a grad transfer who was averaging 2.3 points per game heading into Saturday’s game. The rest of Penn State combined to go 0-for-7. So is it shocking that the Buckeyes didn’t guard the three-point line with an air-tight mentality? No, not really.
But it also makes absolutely no sense why Ohio State didn’t adjust and start guarding the perimeter a bit tighter once Penn State knocked down a few of them in the second half, and that lead started to dwindle. Anyone on the team could give you a coach-speak-style answer about how Penn State put more shooters on the floor, or how they were just hitting tough shots.
It’s not true. The truth is, Ohio State thought it had this game in the bag. Roddy Gayle said as much after the game.
“I think we got a little lackadaisical,” Gayle said after the game. “We got satisfied. We had an 18-point lead, and we thought the game was over. But this is an away environment, and they threw some baskets in.”
Kudos to Roddy, who said what most players do not want to admit after their team blows a lead. Ohio State thought this game was over with 15 minutes left. It defended like it, it handled the ball like it, and it attacked the defensive glass like it.
After Penn State shot 34% in the first half, it shot a whopping 61% in the second half. It shot 22% from three-point range in the first half, but 54% in the second half. It had two offensive rebounds in the first half, but 10 of them in the second half, which led to 14 crucial second-chance points.
Ohio State, on the other hand, shot 53.6% in the first half, and 37.5% in the second half. It had 22 defensive rebounds in the first half, but only six in the second half. It allowed Penn State to score 29 points in the first half, but a whopping 54 in the second half.
While youth won’t be accepted by anyone as an excuse after how last season went, this team is still starting four sophomores. Gayle and Thornton have both shown tremendous growth in their second year, but collectively this team did not handle Saturday night’s game with maturity or discipline.
The coaching staff isn’t without blame, either. Chris Holtmann and his staff should’ve had a quicker hook with guys in the second half if they weren’t getting the job done defensively. When Penn State strings a few baskets together, try a new combination. It starts at the top.
The Buckeyes scored at least 80 points for the sixth consecutive game. 80 points is going to win you most of your basketball games. But what good does 80 points do if Ohio State isn’t showing any sense of urgency to stop its opponent from cracking 80 as well?
This is just one data point in what will be a long college basketball season. But having a sense of urgency — or not having one — could prove to be this team’s fatal flaw.
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
Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports
Ohio State sat back and watched its 18-point lead fall apart during an inexcusable loss in State College Saturday night.
With 15:31 remaining during Ohio State’s game against Penn State on Saturday night, Jamison Battle lifted up and knocked down a triple from the corner, putting Ohio State up 55-37 — its largest lead of the night. The Buckeyes looked well on their way to their second consecutive Big Ten win, and eighth win overall. But after that shot went in, the Buckeyes let up. Its collective feet came off the gas pedal, and Penn State was able to wiggle its way back in.
Comebacks don’t happen quickly — especially 18-point comebacks like what happened Saturday night. After being outscored by 18 points over the first 25 minutes of the game, Penn State’s only way to win was to outscore Ohio State by 19 over the final 15 minutes. After shooting 34% in the first half and only hitting two three-pointers in the opening 20 minutes, that seemed like a tall task.
Penn State didn’t do that. They outscored Ohio State by 21 over the final 15 minutes instead.
Fortunately for the Nittany Lions, the foot that had been hovering over Penn State’s neck until that point showed them mercy. It didn’t step down and go for the kill shot. Instead, Ohio State played not to lose. It played like it just needed to kill the clock and protect a lead. That’s how comebacks happen.
After watching Penn State knock down just two of its nine three-point attempts in the first half, the Buckeyes sagged off a bit during the second half. The only player to hit a three-pointer in the first half for Penn State was Leo O’Doyle — a grad transfer who was averaging 2.3 points per game heading into Saturday’s game. The rest of Penn State combined to go 0-for-7. So is it shocking that the Buckeyes didn’t guard the three-point line with an air-tight mentality? No, not really.
But it also makes absolutely no sense why Ohio State didn’t adjust and start guarding the perimeter a bit tighter once Penn State knocked down a few of them in the second half, and that lead started to dwindle. Anyone on the team could give you a coach-speak-style answer about how Penn State put more shooters on the floor, or how they were just hitting tough shots.
It’s not true. The truth is, Ohio State thought it had this game in the bag. Roddy Gayle said as much after the game.
“I think we got a little lackadaisical,” Gayle said after the game. “We got satisfied. We had an 18-point lead, and we thought the game was over. But this is an away environment, and they threw some baskets in.”
Kudos to Roddy, who said what most players do not want to admit after their team blows a lead. Ohio State thought this game was over with 15 minutes left. It defended like it, it handled the ball like it, and it attacked the defensive glass like it.
After Penn State shot 34% in the first half, it shot a whopping 61% in the second half. It shot 22% from three-point range in the first half, but 54% in the second half. It had two offensive rebounds in the first half, but 10 of them in the second half, which led to 14 crucial second-chance points.
Ohio State, on the other hand, shot 53.6% in the first half, and 37.5% in the second half. It had 22 defensive rebounds in the first half, but only six in the second half. It allowed Penn State to score 29 points in the first half, but a whopping 54 in the second half.
While youth won’t be accepted by anyone as an excuse after how last season went, this team is still starting four sophomores. Gayle and Thornton have both shown tremendous growth in their second year, but collectively this team did not handle Saturday night’s game with maturity or discipline.
The coaching staff isn’t without blame, either. Chris Holtmann and his staff should’ve had a quicker hook with guys in the second half if they weren’t getting the job done defensively. When Penn State strings a few baskets together, try a new combination. It starts at the top.
The Buckeyes scored at least 80 points for the sixth consecutive game. 80 points is going to win you most of your basketball games. But what good does 80 points do if Ohio State isn’t showing any sense of urgency to stop its opponent from cracking 80 as well?
This is just one data point in what will be a long college basketball season. But having a sense of urgency — or not having one — could prove to be this team’s fatal flaw.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State crumbles in second half at Penn State, falls 83-80 to end winning streak at seven
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Ohio State crumbles in second half at Penn State, falls 83-80 to end winning streak at seven
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports
Ohio State flipped the switch from “on” to “off” in the second half, giving up almost twice as many points in the second half as it did in in the first.
Winners of seven straight, the Ohio State Buckeyes (8-2, 1-1) traveled to Happy Valley Saturday night looking to extend that winning streak to eight, as well as hand the Nittany Lions (5-5, 1-1) their sixth-straight loss. First-year head coach Mike Rhoades led the ‘Nits to a 4-0 record to start the season, but since then lost five in a row, with an average margin of defeat of 9.8 points.
Ohio State, on the other hand, had won each of its last seven games by double-digits. OSU had jumped up to No. 24 in KenPom leading into this game, while Penn State was the lowest-ranked Big Ten team at No. 122.
Chris Holtmann went with the same starting lineup he’s used all season long: sophomores Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle, Evan Mahaffey, and Felix Okpara, next to senior forward Jamison Battle. For Mahaffey, it was a homecoming to the school he was recruited to and played at his freshman year, before transferring to Ohio State this summer.
Penn State with a starting five of Kanye Clary, Ace Baldwin, Puff Johnson, Zach Hicks, and Qudus Wahab.
Ohio State led 23-20 by the under-12 timeout, with Zed Key, Scotty Middleton, and Battle all chipping in multiple early buckets. With Thornton tightly guarded by Ace Baldwin and Gayle on the bench with two early fouls, the Buckeyes’ bench came through with clutch early baskets to hold the Nittany Lions at arm’s length. Penn State, meanwhile, was being carried by Leo O’Boyle — a graduate transfer who was averaging 2.3 points per game before tonight’s contest. O’Boyle knocked down two triples — and was fouled on another — to rack up nine early points for Penn State.
The Buckeyes continued to stretch its lead out after Penn State briefly led by one point, holding a 30-22 lead by the under-eight media timeout. Key was impactful below the basket, Battle kept Penn State’s defense extended, and Middleton continued to make plays on both ends. It very much felt like a game where if the Nittany Lions went on a cold stretch for several minutes, Ohio State was going to run away with it.
Despite Thornton and Gayle both spending time on the bench in the first half with two fouls apiece and comining for just nine first-half points, Ohio State still led 41-29 at halftime. The Buckeyes held Penn State to 34.4% shooting in the first half. There were no Buckeyes in double digits in the first half, but Key, Middleton, Okpara, and Battle all had multiple baskets in the first half to pick up the slack.
Thanks to an Evan Mahaffey turnover followed by yet another O’Boyle three-pointer, Penn State was able to get back within 10 points by the under-12 media timeout, 59-49. The Nittany Lions were outplaying Ohio State through the early stages of the second half, and were especially impactful with its help defense whenever a non-primary ballhandler began dribbling for the Buckeyes. Clary also turned out to be a big problem for Roddy Gayle, as he was able to get downhill off switches and either draw fouls or score at the bucket.
Penn State took advantage of a brief, three-minute scoreless spell by the Buckeyes and went on a 13-1 run, getting Penn Stte back within one point with 6:30 left in the game before a Gayle three-pointer pushed it back to four. The Nittany Lions were scorching the nets in the second half, knocking down six of their first eight three-pointers after going 2-for-9 in the first half.
As if it was written in the stars, overnight hero Leo O’Boyle knocked own his fourth three-pointer of the game with 2:33 left in the game, tying things up at 74-all. The BJC was rocking for the first time all afternoon. Two possesions later, Okpara missed a layup but was able to grab his own miss and drop it back in, putting the Buckeyes back up, 76-74.
After Baldwin tied things back up with one minute remaining, Okpara was called for a moving screen, giving Penn State a chance to take the lead. Baldwin did just that, knocking down a step-back three from the far wing to put Penn State back up, 79-76.
After Hicks split a pair of free throws, Ohio State had the chance to win the game, but Battle’s three pointer rimmed out, and that was all she wrote. Penn State completed the comeback and snapped the Buckeyes’ winning streak, 83-80.
If you weren’t able to catch tonight’s road loss to the ‘Nits, here are a few of the key moments and played that ultimately led to Ohio State’s winning streak being snapped in Happy Valley:
Both teams were off and running in this one, with the Buckeyes playing at a 100-point pace over the first several minutes of the game. Ohio State scored on each of its first four possessions of the game, including a three-pointer from Thornton and two threes from Battle. Penn State hit five of its first nine shots as well, which meant that despite the Buckeyes’ knocking down some early shots, they weren’t able create any separation.
Sophomore guard Roddy Gayle spent a good chunk of the first half on the bench in foul trouble, picking up his first just three minutes into the game, tapping Clary on a made basket, which he then turned into a three-point play. After sitting for roughly minutes, Gayle re-entered the game and fouled O’Boyle on a three-point attempt two minutes later, leading to three free points for the graduate transfer. Gayle went right back to the bech after the free throws.
Leo O’Boyle is a Pennsylvania native who transferred to Penn State this past summer after four years at Lafayette, where he averaged double digits in just one of his four seasons there. Throwing shade is not the intention here, but the facts are the facts.
Coming into this game, the 6-foot-7 forward was averaging 2.3 points per game over roughly 12 minutes per contest. In Saturday’s game, he had nine points over the first 10 minutes.
O’Boyle, a 21% three-point shooter to this point in the season, knocked down two three-pointers early on, and was fouled by Roddy Gayle on another. The crowd was getting into it too, begging him to shoot every time he touched the ball. O’Boyle was a big-time contibutor in the first half — if it weren’t for him, Ohio State might’ve wrapped this thing up before the halftime buzzer.
Freshman guard/wing Scotty Middleton was showing up on draft boards before the season began, but that was before Mahaffey was somewhat surprisingly named a starter over him. The talent is clearly there, but the development may not be the same as a Malaki Branham or Brice Sensabaugh (Ohio State fans might love that, actually).
Middleton’s season-high in points was 13 against Oakland, and he also chipped in eight against Minnesota. The freshman had eight points in the first half alone against Penn State Saturday night, dropping in two three-pointers as well as a baseline jumper from about nine feet. Middleton also had a spectacular defensive play in the first half, jumping to block D’Marco Dunn’s three-point attempt in the corner before jumping to grab the loose ball and throwing it back in to Thornton to start the break.
With Ohio State leading 59-46 and 12:18 left in the game, Mahaffey was called for a travel, and on the ensuing Penn State possession that gosh-darn ginger-haired fellow knocked down his third three-pointer of the game, getting the ‘Nits back within 10 points for the first time since the 4:08 mark of the first half.
O’Boyle had four made three-pointers through the first nine games of the season.
With the Buckeyes on a three-minute long scoreless streak, the Nittany Lions quickly put together an 8-0 run starting at the 10:22 mark to cut the lead from 17 points all the way down to five. With 8:38 left in the game, Hicks knocked down a three from the far wing — his second of the game — to make it 64-59, Ohio State.
Overnight hero Leo O’Boyle knocked down a three from in front of the Penn State bench with 2:33 to go to tie things up, 74-74. The Nittany Lions were unconscious from downtown in the second half after struggling mightily from distance in the first half.
After he tied it at 76, Baldwin went back down on the very next possession and knocked down a step-back triple to put Penn State up, 79-76. It was Baldwin’s first three-point make on five attempts to that point.
Ohio State (8-2, 1-1) now gets six days off before traveling to Atlanta, where it will take on UCLA in the CBS Sports Classic at State Farm Arena. The Bruins are 5-2 this season, with a game against Villanova having tipped an hour after Ohio State’s game against Penn State Saturday night. The Buckeyes lost to North Carolina in overtime at the CBS Sports Classic last season.
Ohio State’s game against UCLA will tip of at 3:00 p.m. on CBS.
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Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports
Ohio State flipped the switch from “on” to “off” in the second half, giving up almost twice as many points in the second half as it did in in the first.
Winners of seven straight, the Ohio State Buckeyes (8-2, 1-1) traveled to Happy Valley Saturday night looking to extend that winning streak to eight, as well as hand the Nittany Lions (5-5, 1-1) their sixth-straight loss. First-year head coach Mike Rhoades led the ‘Nits to a 4-0 record to start the season, but since then lost five in a row, with an average margin of defeat of 9.8 points.
Ohio State, on the other hand, had won each of its last seven games by double-digits. OSU had jumped up to No. 24 in KenPom leading into this game, while Penn State was the lowest-ranked Big Ten team at No. 122.
Chris Holtmann went with the same starting lineup he’s used all season long: sophomores Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle, Evan Mahaffey, and Felix Okpara, next to senior forward Jamison Battle. For Mahaffey, it was a homecoming to the school he was recruited to and played at his freshman year, before transferring to Ohio State this summer.
Penn State with a starting five of Kanye Clary, Ace Baldwin, Puff Johnson, Zach Hicks, and Qudus Wahab.
Ohio State led 23-20 by the under-12 timeout, with Zed Key, Scotty Middleton, and Battle all chipping in multiple early buckets. With Thornton tightly guarded by Ace Baldwin and Gayle on the bench with two early fouls, the Buckeyes’ bench came through with clutch early baskets to hold the Nittany Lions at arm’s length. Penn State, meanwhile, was being carried by Leo O’Boyle — a graduate transfer who was averaging 2.3 points per game before tonight’s contest. O’Boyle knocked down two triples — and was fouled on another — to rack up nine early points for Penn State.
The Buckeyes continued to stretch its lead out after Penn State briefly led by one point, holding a 30-22 lead by the under-eight media timeout. Key was impactful below the basket, Battle kept Penn State’s defense extended, and Middleton continued to make plays on both ends. It very much felt like a game where if the Nittany Lions went on a cold stretch for several minutes, Ohio State was going to run away with it.
Despite Thornton and Gayle both spending time on the bench in the first half with two fouls apiece and comining for just nine first-half points, Ohio State still led 41-29 at halftime. The Buckeyes held Penn State to 34.4% shooting in the first half. There were no Buckeyes in double digits in the first half, but Key, Middleton, Okpara, and Battle all had multiple baskets in the first half to pick up the slack.
Thanks to an Evan Mahaffey turnover followed by yet another O’Boyle three-pointer, Penn State was able to get back within 10 points by the under-12 media timeout, 59-49. The Nittany Lions were outplaying Ohio State through the early stages of the second half, and were especially impactful with its help defense whenever a non-primary ballhandler began dribbling for the Buckeyes. Clary also turned out to be a big problem for Roddy Gayle, as he was able to get downhill off switches and either draw fouls or score at the bucket.
Penn State took advantage of a brief, three-minute scoreless spell by the Buckeyes and went on a 13-1 run, getting Penn Stte back within one point with 6:30 left in the game before a Gayle three-pointer pushed it back to four. The Nittany Lions were scorching the nets in the second half, knocking down six of their first eight three-pointers after going 2-for-9 in the first half.
As if it was written in the stars, overnight hero Leo O’Boyle knocked own his fourth three-pointer of the game with 2:33 left in the game, tying things up at 74-all. The BJC was rocking for the first time all afternoon. Two possesions later, Okpara missed a layup but was able to grab his own miss and drop it back in, putting the Buckeyes back up, 76-74.
After Baldwin tied things back up with one minute remaining, Okpara was called for a moving screen, giving Penn State a chance to take the lead. Baldwin did just that, knocking down a step-back three from the far wing to put Penn State back up, 79-76.
After Hicks split a pair of free throws, Ohio State had the chance to win the game, but Battle’s three pointer rimmed out, and that was all she wrote. Penn State completed the comeback and snapped the Buckeyes’ winning streak, 83-80.
If you weren’t able to catch tonight’s road loss to the ‘Nits, here are a few of the key moments and played that ultimately led to Ohio State’s winning streak being snapped in Happy Valley:
Buckeyes score on first four possessions of the game
Both teams were off and running in this one, with the Buckeyes playing at a 100-point pace over the first several minutes of the game. Ohio State scored on each of its first four possessions of the game, including a three-pointer from Thornton and two threes from Battle. Penn State hit five of its first nine shots as well, which meant that despite the Buckeyes’ knocking down some early shots, they weren’t able create any separation.
Gayle’s costly fouls
Sophomore guard Roddy Gayle spent a good chunk of the first half on the bench in foul trouble, picking up his first just three minutes into the game, tapping Clary on a made basket, which he then turned into a three-point play. After sitting for roughly minutes, Gayle re-entered the game and fouled O’Boyle on a three-point attempt two minutes later, leading to three free points for the graduate transfer. Gayle went right back to the bech after the free throws.
O’Boyle rules!
(Say it like the line from Billy Madison)
Leo O’Boyle is a Pennsylvania native who transferred to Penn State this past summer after four years at Lafayette, where he averaged double digits in just one of his four seasons there. Throwing shade is not the intention here, but the facts are the facts.
Coming into this game, the 6-foot-7 forward was averaging 2.3 points per game over roughly 12 minutes per contest. In Saturday’s game, he had nine points over the first 10 minutes.
O’Boyle, a 21% three-point shooter to this point in the season, knocked down two three-pointers early on, and was fouled by Roddy Gayle on another. The crowd was getting into it too, begging him to shoot every time he touched the ball. O’Boyle was a big-time contibutor in the first half — if it weren’t for him, Ohio State might’ve wrapped this thing up before the halftime buzzer.
Middleton showing flashes
Freshman guard/wing Scotty Middleton was showing up on draft boards before the season began, but that was before Mahaffey was somewhat surprisingly named a starter over him. The talent is clearly there, but the development may not be the same as a Malaki Branham or Brice Sensabaugh (Ohio State fans might love that, actually).
Middleton’s season-high in points was 13 against Oakland, and he also chipped in eight against Minnesota. The freshman had eight points in the first half alone against Penn State Saturday night, dropping in two three-pointers as well as a baseline jumper from about nine feet. Middleton also had a spectacular defensive play in the first half, jumping to block D’Marco Dunn’s three-point attempt in the corner before jumping to grab the loose ball and throwing it back in to Thornton to start the break.
O’Boyle strikes again
With Ohio State leading 59-46 and 12:18 left in the game, Mahaffey was called for a travel, and on the ensuing Penn State possession that gosh-darn ginger-haired fellow knocked down his third three-pointer of the game, getting the ‘Nits back within 10 points for the first time since the 4:08 mark of the first half.
O’Boyle had four made three-pointers through the first nine games of the season.
Hicks cuts the deficit to just five
With the Buckeyes on a three-minute long scoreless streak, the Nittany Lions quickly put together an 8-0 run starting at the 10:22 mark to cut the lead from 17 points all the way down to five. With 8:38 left in the game, Hicks knocked down a three from the far wing — his second of the game — to make it 64-59, Ohio State.
O’Boyle (suprise!) ties it at 74
Overnight hero Leo O’Boyle knocked down a three from in front of the Penn State bench with 2:33 to go to tie things up, 74-74. The Nittany Lions were unconscious from downtown in the second half after struggling mightily from distance in the first half.
Baldwin puts the Nittany Lions ahead with 31 seconds to go
After he tied it at 76, Baldwin went back down on the very next possession and knocked down a step-back triple to put Penn State up, 79-76. It was Baldwin’s first three-point make on five attempts to that point.
Number 1
Up Next:
Ohio State (8-2, 1-1) now gets six days off before traveling to Atlanta, where it will take on UCLA in the CBS Sports Classic at State Farm Arena. The Bruins are 5-2 this season, with a game against Villanova having tipped an hour after Ohio State’s game against Penn State Saturday night. The Buckeyes lost to North Carolina in overtime at the CBS Sports Classic last season.
Ohio State’s game against UCLA will tip of at 3:00 p.m. on CBS.
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