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LGHL Big Ten Men’s Basketball Team Previews: Northwestern Wildcats
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Big Ten Men’s Basketball Team Previews: Northwestern Wildcats
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
How far can Boo Buie take the Wildcats this season?
As we enter the fall season and college football gets underway, college basketball is right around the corner. As always, to prepare you for the season, Land-Grant Holy Land will be publishing Big Ten Team Previews and Ohio State Basketball Player Previews, starting now with the Team Previews.
Team: Northwestern Wildcats
Head coach: Chris Collins, 11th Season, 153-161 (66-121)
2022-23 record: 22-12 (12-8)
All-time record against Ohio State: 25-100
Returners: Boo Buie, Ty Berry, Brooks Barnhizer, Matthew Nicholson, Nick Martinelli, Luke Hunger
Departures: Tydus Verhoeven, Chase Audige, Julian Roper, Robbie Beran
Newcomers: Jordan Clayton, Blake Barkley, Parker Strauss, Blake Preston, Justin Mullins, Ryan Langborg
Boo Buie returns to Evanston, and that alone is going to win the Wildcats some games. Buie is not only one of the top guards in the conference, but one of the top guards in the country, and for the Wildcats to have another successful season, they will need him to be the best version of himself.
Buie averaged 17.3 points per game, 3.4 rebounds per game, and 4.5 assists per game. He led the team in points and assists.
However, Chase Audige has graduated, and with him goes his 14.1 points per game, 3.4 rebounds per game, and 2.9 assists per game.
Losing Chase Audige is a huge deal for the Wildcats, and it will not be easy to replace his production. Audige was one of the best two-way players in the conference and helped take some of the offensive pressure off of Buie at times.
The Wildcats do return its third-leading scorer, Ty Berry, who averaged 8.5 points per game and 4.8 rebounds per game. Berry will need to help complement Buie on the offensive end to force teams not only to play to take Buie out of the game.
Northwestern added Ryan Langborg from Princeton in the transfer portal. Langborg averaged 12.7 points per game and 3.1 rebounds per game and was one of the stars of the Princeton team that made the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament. He is an elite shooter who will come in and provide that to Chris Collins, plus some veteran experience.
Justin Mullins, a transfer from Denver, can also be a possible double-digit scorer for the Wildcats.
Matthew Nicholson and Brooks Barnhizer are also promising players from last season and will look to step into larger roles and become double-digit scorers.
As mentioned, Buie is one of the top players in the conference and is a long shot to win Big Ten Player of the Year, but even his floor is likely as high as First Team All-Conference. He is the perfect player to build a team around and
However, losing Buie’s right-hand man in Chase Audige is not going to be easy for the Wildcats.
Julian Roper has gone to Notre Dame, and Robbie Beran has gone to Virginia Tech. Both of those players were supposed to play a significant role for the Wildcats this season.
Northwestern has the star they need, now they have to find the pieces that complement Buie the best and put them in the best positions to succeed. Whether it is a returning player like Berry or Barnhizer or a transfer like Langborg or Mullins, someone is going to have to be the second guy who averages 12-14 points per game. Northwestern can be a tournament team again this season, they just have to hit on the transfers they brought in.
Continue reading...
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
How far can Boo Buie take the Wildcats this season?
As we enter the fall season and college football gets underway, college basketball is right around the corner. As always, to prepare you for the season, Land-Grant Holy Land will be publishing Big Ten Team Previews and Ohio State Basketball Player Previews, starting now with the Team Previews.
Team: Northwestern Wildcats
Head coach: Chris Collins, 11th Season, 153-161 (66-121)
2022-23 record: 22-12 (12-8)
All-time record against Ohio State: 25-100
Returners: Boo Buie, Ty Berry, Brooks Barnhizer, Matthew Nicholson, Nick Martinelli, Luke Hunger
Departures: Tydus Verhoeven, Chase Audige, Julian Roper, Robbie Beran
Newcomers: Jordan Clayton, Blake Barkley, Parker Strauss, Blake Preston, Justin Mullins, Ryan Langborg
Outlook
Boo Buie returns to Evanston, and that alone is going to win the Wildcats some games. Buie is not only one of the top guards in the conference, but one of the top guards in the country, and for the Wildcats to have another successful season, they will need him to be the best version of himself.
Buie averaged 17.3 points per game, 3.4 rebounds per game, and 4.5 assists per game. He led the team in points and assists.
However, Chase Audige has graduated, and with him goes his 14.1 points per game, 3.4 rebounds per game, and 2.9 assists per game.
Losing Chase Audige is a huge deal for the Wildcats, and it will not be easy to replace his production. Audige was one of the best two-way players in the conference and helped take some of the offensive pressure off of Buie at times.
The Wildcats do return its third-leading scorer, Ty Berry, who averaged 8.5 points per game and 4.8 rebounds per game. Berry will need to help complement Buie on the offensive end to force teams not only to play to take Buie out of the game.
Northwestern added Ryan Langborg from Princeton in the transfer portal. Langborg averaged 12.7 points per game and 3.1 rebounds per game and was one of the stars of the Princeton team that made the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament. He is an elite shooter who will come in and provide that to Chris Collins, plus some veteran experience.
Justin Mullins, a transfer from Denver, can also be a possible double-digit scorer for the Wildcats.
Matthew Nicholson and Brooks Barnhizer are also promising players from last season and will look to step into larger roles and become double-digit scorers.
Prediction
As mentioned, Buie is one of the top players in the conference and is a long shot to win Big Ten Player of the Year, but even his floor is likely as high as First Team All-Conference. He is the perfect player to build a team around and
However, losing Buie’s right-hand man in Chase Audige is not going to be easy for the Wildcats.
Julian Roper has gone to Notre Dame, and Robbie Beran has gone to Virginia Tech. Both of those players were supposed to play a significant role for the Wildcats this season.
Northwestern has the star they need, now they have to find the pieces that complement Buie the best and put them in the best positions to succeed. Whether it is a returning player like Berry or Barnhizer or a transfer like Langborg or Mullins, someone is going to have to be the second guy who averages 12-14 points per game. Northwestern can be a tournament team again this season, they just have to hit on the transfers they brought in.
Continue reading...
LGHL Will Ross-Ade Stadium once again be a house of horrors for Ohio State football in 2023?
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Will Ross-Ade Stadium once again be a house of horrors for Ohio State football in 2023?
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
I certainly don’t want to jinx the Buckeyes, and Purdue has not been great this season. However, the ghosts of Ross-Ade are very real, and they have haunted OSU for decades.
Ohio State hits the road to take on Purdue this weekend, in a matchup that will feature a top-5 national powerhouse against a 2-4 Big Ten West team with a rookie head coach. But if you know anything about Buckeye football – especially since the year 2000 – then you likely cringed or winced in discomfort while reading the opening sentence.
Because, simply put, Purdue’s Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana has been a spooky house of horrors for the Scarlet and Gray... I’m talking House of Wax, House on Haunted Hill, House of Usher, House of 1000 Corpses-type stuff.
**Yes, there are several much scarier films to reference, but they don’t have ‘House’ in their title. Keep up, people.
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Photo by Mickey Bernal/Getty Images
Pretty sure this guy directed the 2018 version of the Ohio State-Purdue game
Since the turn of the 21st century (including the 2000 season), OSU has lost five road games played in West Lafayette, which is one more than the number of road games they’ve lost in Ann Arbor (at Michigan Stadium AKA The Big House) during that same period. In fact, the Scarlet and Gray have dropped three of their last four roadies at Purdue, dating back to 2009.
I mean, are you freaking kidding me!? That is legitimate home dominance by the Boilermakers.
Making those losses feel or seem worse (for OSU fans) is the fact that Purdue wasn’t particularly good when they were able to pull off massive upsets of Ohio State in recent years. I would even take it a step further and argue that the Gold and Black actually stunk on all three occasions.
My supporting evidence? The ‘Spoilermakers’ toppled the mighty Buckeyes while possessing a team record of 1-5 (2009), 4-5 (2011), and 3-3 (2018) at the time of each upset. So they were never better than a .500 football team! But it did and does not matter. Because to paraphrase Maya Angelou: “History cannot be unlived.”
2009 and 2018 were especially and exceptionally humiliating for OSU, causing at least one of the Scarlet and Gray’s fans to question his allegiance of 30+ years.
Spoiler alert: That fan was me. I thought about committing fully to the English Premier League on Saturdays after Urban Meyer and his guys were pantsed and given an atomic wedgie in 2018. Ranked No. 2 in the country heading into that ’18 game, the Buckeyes could not stop committing penalties and failed to establish a running game, which forced the late, great Dwayne Haskins to throw 73 (!) times in windy conditions — producing a massive stat line (470 yards passing) but not much else.
A few more scores would not have closed the gap though, as OSU’s defense got their teeth kicked in and could not contain Purdue’s Rondale Moore, resulting in a 49-20 win for the Boilermakers. 29 points was a truly shocking margin of victory, and that outcome may or may not have been the real reason Meyer retired.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24991541/1052759792.jpg)
Meyer on the sideline in ‘18
And don’t get me started on 2009. 1-5... One. And. Five. Purdue’s Ryan Kerrigan lived in the Ohio State backfield that day, and Buckeye quarterback Terrelle Pryor committed infinity turnovers. Let’s just move on.
What should we expect in 2023, as OSU makes their first trip back to West Lafayette since being utterly embarrassed five years ago? More nightmare fuel? Another historic upset by the Boilermakers? Documented discovery of an actual haunting in the visitor’s locker room, (which would explain a lot)?
Wellll... I would not recommend holding one’s breath in anticipation of any of the above. I certainly don’t want to jinx the Buckeyes, but this is not a great Purdue squad. Neither were those pulling off upsets in years past, however, in 2009 Ohio State was running on fumes when they got to West Lafayette. In 2011, Luke Fickell was thrown out to sea without a life preserver or dinghy. And in 2018, the Boilermakers had a dynamic offense with multiple playmakers. Not to mention Markus Bailey, who was an absolute savage.
I think the talent gap is too wide between these two teams, but then again, there will always be a part of me that is anxious or nervous for these games at Ross-Ade. Not helping matters is the fact that Purdue has done one thing very well this season, which is rush the passer. The Gold and Black are averaging three sacks per game in 2023, and right now, I do not have the highest level of trust in OSU’s offensive line.
Buckeye Nation could at least point to solid pass protection through their team’s first four games, but then they (we) watched tackles on either side get beat like a drum against Maryland. O-line play is a legitimate concern for the Scarlet and Gray, and Ryan Walters will look to prey on that weakness come Saturday.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24920306/usa_today_21339502.jpg)
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Buckeyes need Justin Frye’s group to step up
My hope is that Ohio State uses this game as a get-right, confidence-building game before Penn State comes to Columbus. Otherwise, if the Buckeyes ‘play with their food’ this weekend and the O-line continues to underwhelm (putting it nicely), then I might just schedule some dental work for noon on the 21st. But I’ve got my fingers crossed, and I’ve created a nice little Ross-Ade to replica use as a voodoo doll, so I will go into Saturday with at least a little confidence of my own.
Now if I could only find somebody who is willing to share their stupid Peacock password...
Continue reading...
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
I certainly don’t want to jinx the Buckeyes, and Purdue has not been great this season. However, the ghosts of Ross-Ade are very real, and they have haunted OSU for decades.
Ohio State hits the road to take on Purdue this weekend, in a matchup that will feature a top-5 national powerhouse against a 2-4 Big Ten West team with a rookie head coach. But if you know anything about Buckeye football – especially since the year 2000 – then you likely cringed or winced in discomfort while reading the opening sentence.
Because, simply put, Purdue’s Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana has been a spooky house of horrors for the Scarlet and Gray... I’m talking House of Wax, House on Haunted Hill, House of Usher, House of 1000 Corpses-type stuff.
**Yes, there are several much scarier films to reference, but they don’t have ‘House’ in their title. Keep up, people.
Pretty sure this guy directed the 2018 version of the Ohio State-Purdue game
Since the turn of the 21st century (including the 2000 season), OSU has lost five road games played in West Lafayette, which is one more than the number of road games they’ve lost in Ann Arbor (at Michigan Stadium AKA The Big House) during that same period. In fact, the Scarlet and Gray have dropped three of their last four roadies at Purdue, dating back to 2009.
I mean, are you freaking kidding me!? That is legitimate home dominance by the Boilermakers.
Making those losses feel or seem worse (for OSU fans) is the fact that Purdue wasn’t particularly good when they were able to pull off massive upsets of Ohio State in recent years. I would even take it a step further and argue that the Gold and Black actually stunk on all three occasions.
My supporting evidence? The ‘Spoilermakers’ toppled the mighty Buckeyes while possessing a team record of 1-5 (2009), 4-5 (2011), and 3-3 (2018) at the time of each upset. So they were never better than a .500 football team! But it did and does not matter. Because to paraphrase Maya Angelou: “History cannot be unlived.”
2009 and 2018 were especially and exceptionally humiliating for OSU, causing at least one of the Scarlet and Gray’s fans to question his allegiance of 30+ years.
Spoiler alert: That fan was me. I thought about committing fully to the English Premier League on Saturdays after Urban Meyer and his guys were pantsed and given an atomic wedgie in 2018. Ranked No. 2 in the country heading into that ’18 game, the Buckeyes could not stop committing penalties and failed to establish a running game, which forced the late, great Dwayne Haskins to throw 73 (!) times in windy conditions — producing a massive stat line (470 yards passing) but not much else.
A few more scores would not have closed the gap though, as OSU’s defense got their teeth kicked in and could not contain Purdue’s Rondale Moore, resulting in a 49-20 win for the Boilermakers. 29 points was a truly shocking margin of victory, and that outcome may or may not have been the real reason Meyer retired.
Meyer on the sideline in ‘18
And don’t get me started on 2009. 1-5... One. And. Five. Purdue’s Ryan Kerrigan lived in the Ohio State backfield that day, and Buckeye quarterback Terrelle Pryor committed infinity turnovers. Let’s just move on.
What should we expect in 2023, as OSU makes their first trip back to West Lafayette since being utterly embarrassed five years ago? More nightmare fuel? Another historic upset by the Boilermakers? Documented discovery of an actual haunting in the visitor’s locker room, (which would explain a lot)?
Wellll... I would not recommend holding one’s breath in anticipation of any of the above. I certainly don’t want to jinx the Buckeyes, but this is not a great Purdue squad. Neither were those pulling off upsets in years past, however, in 2009 Ohio State was running on fumes when they got to West Lafayette. In 2011, Luke Fickell was thrown out to sea without a life preserver or dinghy. And in 2018, the Boilermakers had a dynamic offense with multiple playmakers. Not to mention Markus Bailey, who was an absolute savage.
I think the talent gap is too wide between these two teams, but then again, there will always be a part of me that is anxious or nervous for these games at Ross-Ade. Not helping matters is the fact that Purdue has done one thing very well this season, which is rush the passer. The Gold and Black are averaging three sacks per game in 2023, and right now, I do not have the highest level of trust in OSU’s offensive line.
Buckeye Nation could at least point to solid pass protection through their team’s first four games, but then they (we) watched tackles on either side get beat like a drum against Maryland. O-line play is a legitimate concern for the Scarlet and Gray, and Ryan Walters will look to prey on that weakness come Saturday.
The Buckeyes need Justin Frye’s group to step up
My hope is that Ohio State uses this game as a get-right, confidence-building game before Penn State comes to Columbus. Otherwise, if the Buckeyes ‘play with their food’ this weekend and the O-line continues to underwhelm (putting it nicely), then I might just schedule some dental work for noon on the 21st. But I’ve got my fingers crossed, and I’ve created a nice little Ross-Ade to replica use as a voodoo doll, so I will go into Saturday with at least a little confidence of my own.
Now if I could only find somebody who is willing to share their stupid Peacock password...
Continue reading...
LGHL MC&J: Week 7 nationally has Oregon-Washington, USC-Notre Dame, and more
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MC&J: Week 7 nationally has Oregon-Washington, USC-Notre Dame, and more
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Picks for Ducks-Huskies, Trojans-Fighting Irish, and five other important games outside the Big Ten.
I honestly wouldn’t blame anyone if they just went ahead and skipped my national picks and only kept an eye for my Big Ten picks, since I have been dreadful outside the B1G over the last few weeks.
Last week was extremely tough to swallow, especially early on Saturday when LSU got a pick-six late in the game against Missouri. Then Texas A&M had a fourth quarter touchdown overturned after Ainias Smith’s toe dragged out of bounds a couple yards outside the goal line and the Aggies ended up settling for three. Even with the losses, I’ll keep plugging away and try to learn from the setbacks.
No. 8 Oregon v. No. 7 Washington (-2.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - ABC
One of the best rivalries in college football is between Oregon and Washington. Even though there was a stretch where the Ducks won 12 in a row, lately the Huskies have provided a little more resistance, as the teams have split the last six meetings. The last four games between the rivals have been hotly contested, with each of those meetings being decided by 10 points or less.
This year figures to be no different. Both Oregon and Washington have College Football Playoff hopes. Who knows, this might not be the only time these two schools meet before the playoff competitors are announced, since they could end up squaring off in the final Pac-12 Championship Game in early December.
Saturday’s contest is going to feature some great quarterback play. Both Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix have already stated their case to be Heisman Trophy contenders with their play so far this season. The two quarterbacks have combined to throw 31 touchdowns and just three interceptions through 10 total games this year.
This game is so tough to call, and the point spread shows it is pretty much a coin flip since the only reason Washington is favored is because of their home-field advantage. I know Oregon has a more balanced offense, I’m just not sure they’ll be able to slow down Penix and the Washington passing attack in Seattle. The Huskies win a back-and-forth game and make it two in a row over the Ducks.
Washington 41, Oregon 34
Texas A&M v. No. 19 Tennessee (-3.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - CBS
Last week the Aggies had a great shot at pulling the upset on Alabama. Instead Texas A&M decided they had no interest in covering Jermaine Burton, which allowed the Crimson Tide to escape College Station with a 26-20 victory. Max Johnson did everything he could stepping in for an injured Connor Weigman at quarterback, the issue was his offensive line didn’t give him nearly enough time to match what Jalen Milroe did for Alabama.
Unlike Texas A&M, Tennessee was able to sit back last weekend and relax. Last time we saw the Vols they were beating up on South Carolina 41-20 in Knoxville. Josh Heupel’s team might not be as explosive as last year’s team, but it feels like they are coming together a little more on offense lately. After throwing the ball all over the yard last year, this year Tennessee is a little more balanced, with their passing and rushing numbers nearly identical.
We’ve seen it plenty of times before how after teams take Ohio State to the limit then they are ripe for a letdown the next week. I see Texas A&M being in that same situation after giving everything they had last week at home against Alabama. Now they have to head to Knoxville and take on a Tennessee team coming off a bye. I’m still not a huge believer in Joe Milton, I just think the Vols are the better team, and they will be well rested for this game.
Tennessee 31, Texas A&M 21
No. 23 Kansas (-3.5) v. Oklahoma State - 3:30 p.m. ET - FS1
If this was the Kansas of old, the Jayhawks would have let the 39-14 loss to Texas a couple weeks ago spiral into even more losses. Instead, last week Kansas destroyed UCF 51-22, rolling up 399 yards on the ground. The rushing attack was so dominant it didn’t matter that quarterback Jalon Daniels wasn’t available to play as he struggles with a back injury.
Oklahoma State has had their own quarterback issues this year, as there have been three players who have seen some time behind center. Alan Bowman looks to be the starter for now after a solid performance in the upset of Kansas State last week. The Jayhawks will have to keep close tabs on running back OIlie Gordon II, who has run for at least 100 yards in each of the last two games.
I know taking a ranked road favorite over an unranked team is always risky business. I just trust Kansas a lot more than I trust Mike Gundy and Oklahoma State. Last week’s win for the Cowboys was more because of Kansas State beating themselves and not so much about Oklahoma State beating the Wildcats. Lance Leipold won’t let his team have a mental lapse against a team they should beat.
Kansas 34, Oklahoma State 23
Auburn v. No. 22 LSU (-11.5) - 7:00 p.m. ET - ESPN
A week after beating Missouri, LSU is trying to become the Tiger Kings by beating another group of Tigers. Brian Kelly’s team was on their way to a second consecutive loss early on when they trailed Missouri 22-7. Then the LSU offense found their rhythm, and took the lead for good when Jayden Daniels found Malik Nabers with just under three minutes left in the game.
Auburn has had a rough go of it in Hugh Freeze’s first season as head coach, losing their last two games. Prior to their bye week, the Tigers actually did play pretty well against Georgia before Brock Bowers went crazy in the second half and essentially won the game for the Bulldogs. Michigan State transfer Peyton Thorne is Auburn’s starting quarterback, he just doesn’t inspire much confidence.
LSU has an awful defense, I’m just not convinced Auburn has the firepower to take advantage of the weakness. After two games on the road, LSU enjoys some home cooking and pulls away from Auburn in this one.
LSU 37, Auburn 21
No. 25 Miami (FL) v. No. 12 North Carolina (-3.5) - 7:30 p.m. ET - ABC
Can anyone really trust Miami head coach Mario Cristobal after what we saw at the end of the game from the Hurricanes last week? The crazy thing is that wasn’t the first time that has happened to a Cristobal team! Somehow the same situation happened a few years ago when Oregon fumbled against Stanford, leading to a win by the Cardinal in overtime.
I wrongly backed Syracuse last week against North Carolina. Apparently Mack Brown and the Tar Heels heard me talking junk, as they rolled the Orange 40-7 in Chapel Hill. Now I’m just hoping Florida State, Louisville, and North Carolina all finish the regular season undefeated since they don’t play each other and I just want to see how the ACC would deal with that mess. Because I’m rooting for that scenario, I have to pick North Carolina this week. Also, Mack Brown won’t pull a Cristobal if his team is up late.
North Carolina 38, Miami (FL) 27
No. 10 USC v. No. 21 Notre Dame (-2.5) - 7:30 p.m. ET - NBC
This game feels like it is going to end up being hilarious to everyone watching that isn’t a USC or Notre Dame fan. After throwing three interceptions last week in the loss to Louisville, Sam Hartman has to be licking his chops while watching film of the USC defense. The problem is Notre Dame doesn’t have great receivers, and it doesn’t help that it sounds like conditions in South Bend could be rainy on Saturday night.
On the other side, USC has plenty of skill position threats at the disposal of reigning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams. If the Trojans had pretty much anyone other than Alex Grinch coaching the defense, then you could pretty much already write USC in pen in the CFP this year. Instead, you have teams like Arizona pushing the Trojans to the limit.
This is Notre Dame’s fourth consecutive primetime game. The pressure of the spotlight games seems to have really gotten to Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish. Had it not been for a late TD against Duke, Notre Dame would be riding a three-game losing streak entering this game. I don’t like how the Fighting Irish are entering this game. In a tight game I could see Williams add a signature moment to his argument to be named the second-ever back-to-back Heisman winner.
USC 31, Notre Dame 28
No. 18 UCLA v. No. 15 Oregon State (-3.5) - 8:00 p.m. ET - FOX
UCLA showed me a lot when they rallied from a 17-12 deficit to put away Washington State in the fourth quarter last week. Freshman quarterback Dante Moore still has to work on his consistency, but it’s obvious why he was one of the top recruits coming out of high school. It also didn’t hurt that the defense of the Bruins was very tough for Washington State quarterback Cam Ward to crack.
In a way I feel like UCLA is Oregon State Lite. The Beavers have a quarterback that can make some plays, but hang their hat on running the football and playing tough defense. Dante Moore has more upside than D.J. Uiagalelei, I just trust the Clemson transfer a little more since he has so much experience under his belt. Corvallis is such a tough place for the visitor to leave with a win. Just ask Utah. Oregon State grinds out a win over UCLA on Saturday night.
Oregon State 33, UCLA 24
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Picks for Ducks-Huskies, Trojans-Fighting Irish, and five other important games outside the Big Ten.
Last week ATS: 5-6 (1-8 National, 4-1 B1G)
Season ATS: 52-58 (20-36 National, 32-22 B1G)
I honestly wouldn’t blame anyone if they just went ahead and skipped my national picks and only kept an eye for my Big Ten picks, since I have been dreadful outside the B1G over the last few weeks.
Last week was extremely tough to swallow, especially early on Saturday when LSU got a pick-six late in the game against Missouri. Then Texas A&M had a fourth quarter touchdown overturned after Ainias Smith’s toe dragged out of bounds a couple yards outside the goal line and the Aggies ended up settling for three. Even with the losses, I’ll keep plugging away and try to learn from the setbacks.
National games
No. 8 Oregon v. No. 7 Washington (-2.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - ABC
One of the best rivalries in college football is between Oregon and Washington. Even though there was a stretch where the Ducks won 12 in a row, lately the Huskies have provided a little more resistance, as the teams have split the last six meetings. The last four games between the rivals have been hotly contested, with each of those meetings being decided by 10 points or less.
This year figures to be no different. Both Oregon and Washington have College Football Playoff hopes. Who knows, this might not be the only time these two schools meet before the playoff competitors are announced, since they could end up squaring off in the final Pac-12 Championship Game in early December.
Saturday’s contest is going to feature some great quarterback play. Both Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix have already stated their case to be Heisman Trophy contenders with their play so far this season. The two quarterbacks have combined to throw 31 touchdowns and just three interceptions through 10 total games this year.
This game is so tough to call, and the point spread shows it is pretty much a coin flip since the only reason Washington is favored is because of their home-field advantage. I know Oregon has a more balanced offense, I’m just not sure they’ll be able to slow down Penix and the Washington passing attack in Seattle. The Huskies win a back-and-forth game and make it two in a row over the Ducks.
Washington 41, Oregon 34
Texas A&M v. No. 19 Tennessee (-3.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - CBS
Last week the Aggies had a great shot at pulling the upset on Alabama. Instead Texas A&M decided they had no interest in covering Jermaine Burton, which allowed the Crimson Tide to escape College Station with a 26-20 victory. Max Johnson did everything he could stepping in for an injured Connor Weigman at quarterback, the issue was his offensive line didn’t give him nearly enough time to match what Jalen Milroe did for Alabama.
Unlike Texas A&M, Tennessee was able to sit back last weekend and relax. Last time we saw the Vols they were beating up on South Carolina 41-20 in Knoxville. Josh Heupel’s team might not be as explosive as last year’s team, but it feels like they are coming together a little more on offense lately. After throwing the ball all over the yard last year, this year Tennessee is a little more balanced, with their passing and rushing numbers nearly identical.
We’ve seen it plenty of times before how after teams take Ohio State to the limit then they are ripe for a letdown the next week. I see Texas A&M being in that same situation after giving everything they had last week at home against Alabama. Now they have to head to Knoxville and take on a Tennessee team coming off a bye. I’m still not a huge believer in Joe Milton, I just think the Vols are the better team, and they will be well rested for this game.
Tennessee 31, Texas A&M 21
No. 23 Kansas (-3.5) v. Oklahoma State - 3:30 p.m. ET - FS1
If this was the Kansas of old, the Jayhawks would have let the 39-14 loss to Texas a couple weeks ago spiral into even more losses. Instead, last week Kansas destroyed UCF 51-22, rolling up 399 yards on the ground. The rushing attack was so dominant it didn’t matter that quarterback Jalon Daniels wasn’t available to play as he struggles with a back injury.
Oklahoma State has had their own quarterback issues this year, as there have been three players who have seen some time behind center. Alan Bowman looks to be the starter for now after a solid performance in the upset of Kansas State last week. The Jayhawks will have to keep close tabs on running back OIlie Gordon II, who has run for at least 100 yards in each of the last two games.
I know taking a ranked road favorite over an unranked team is always risky business. I just trust Kansas a lot more than I trust Mike Gundy and Oklahoma State. Last week’s win for the Cowboys was more because of Kansas State beating themselves and not so much about Oklahoma State beating the Wildcats. Lance Leipold won’t let his team have a mental lapse against a team they should beat.
Kansas 34, Oklahoma State 23
Auburn v. No. 22 LSU (-11.5) - 7:00 p.m. ET - ESPN
A week after beating Missouri, LSU is trying to become the Tiger Kings by beating another group of Tigers. Brian Kelly’s team was on their way to a second consecutive loss early on when they trailed Missouri 22-7. Then the LSU offense found their rhythm, and took the lead for good when Jayden Daniels found Malik Nabers with just under three minutes left in the game.
Auburn has had a rough go of it in Hugh Freeze’s first season as head coach, losing their last two games. Prior to their bye week, the Tigers actually did play pretty well against Georgia before Brock Bowers went crazy in the second half and essentially won the game for the Bulldogs. Michigan State transfer Peyton Thorne is Auburn’s starting quarterback, he just doesn’t inspire much confidence.
LSU has an awful defense, I’m just not convinced Auburn has the firepower to take advantage of the weakness. After two games on the road, LSU enjoys some home cooking and pulls away from Auburn in this one.
LSU 37, Auburn 21
No. 25 Miami (FL) v. No. 12 North Carolina (-3.5) - 7:30 p.m. ET - ABC
Can anyone really trust Miami head coach Mario Cristobal after what we saw at the end of the game from the Hurricanes last week? The crazy thing is that wasn’t the first time that has happened to a Cristobal team! Somehow the same situation happened a few years ago when Oregon fumbled against Stanford, leading to a win by the Cardinal in overtime.
I wrongly backed Syracuse last week against North Carolina. Apparently Mack Brown and the Tar Heels heard me talking junk, as they rolled the Orange 40-7 in Chapel Hill. Now I’m just hoping Florida State, Louisville, and North Carolina all finish the regular season undefeated since they don’t play each other and I just want to see how the ACC would deal with that mess. Because I’m rooting for that scenario, I have to pick North Carolina this week. Also, Mack Brown won’t pull a Cristobal if his team is up late.
North Carolina 38, Miami (FL) 27
No. 10 USC v. No. 21 Notre Dame (-2.5) - 7:30 p.m. ET - NBC
This game feels like it is going to end up being hilarious to everyone watching that isn’t a USC or Notre Dame fan. After throwing three interceptions last week in the loss to Louisville, Sam Hartman has to be licking his chops while watching film of the USC defense. The problem is Notre Dame doesn’t have great receivers, and it doesn’t help that it sounds like conditions in South Bend could be rainy on Saturday night.
On the other side, USC has plenty of skill position threats at the disposal of reigning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams. If the Trojans had pretty much anyone other than Alex Grinch coaching the defense, then you could pretty much already write USC in pen in the CFP this year. Instead, you have teams like Arizona pushing the Trojans to the limit.
This is Notre Dame’s fourth consecutive primetime game. The pressure of the spotlight games seems to have really gotten to Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish. Had it not been for a late TD against Duke, Notre Dame would be riding a three-game losing streak entering this game. I don’t like how the Fighting Irish are entering this game. In a tight game I could see Williams add a signature moment to his argument to be named the second-ever back-to-back Heisman winner.
USC 31, Notre Dame 28
No. 18 UCLA v. No. 15 Oregon State (-3.5) - 8:00 p.m. ET - FOX
UCLA showed me a lot when they rallied from a 17-12 deficit to put away Washington State in the fourth quarter last week. Freshman quarterback Dante Moore still has to work on his consistency, but it’s obvious why he was one of the top recruits coming out of high school. It also didn’t hurt that the defense of the Bruins was very tough for Washington State quarterback Cam Ward to crack.
In a way I feel like UCLA is Oregon State Lite. The Beavers have a quarterback that can make some plays, but hang their hat on running the football and playing tough defense. Dante Moore has more upside than D.J. Uiagalelei, I just trust the Clemson transfer a little more since he has so much experience under his belt. Corvallis is such a tough place for the visitor to leave with a win. Just ask Utah. Oregon State grinds out a win over UCLA on Saturday night.
Oregon State 33, UCLA 24
Continue reading...
'25 IN PG Azavier Robinson (Butler Verbal)
- By brodybuck21
- 2011 & Beyond Basketball Recruiting
- 1 Replies
247
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Class: 2025 (high school)
Position: Shooting Guard
School: Chatsworth (CA) Sierra Canyon
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 180 lbs
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Class: 2025 (high school)
Position: Shooting Guard
School: Chatsworth (CA) Sierra Canyon
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 180 lbs
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'25 IL SF Aleks Alston (Verbal Offer)
- By brodybuck21
- Basketball Recruiting
- 2 Replies
247
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Class: 2025 (high school)
Position: Small Forward
School: Chicago (IL) Kenwood
Height: 6-foot-9
Weight: 170 lbs
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Class: 2025 (high school)
Position: Small Forward
School: Chicago (IL) Kenwood
Height: 6-foot-9
Weight: 170 lbs
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'26 IN SG Steven Reynolds III (Verbal Offer)
- By brodybuck21
- Basketball Recruiting
- 1 Replies
247
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Class: 2026 (high school)
Position: Shooting Guard
School: South Bend (IN) Washington
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 170 lbs
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Class: 2026 (high school)
Position: Shooting Guard
School: South Bend (IN) Washington
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 170 lbs
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'26 GA PG Taylen Kinney (Verbal Offer)
- By brodybuck21
- Basketball Recruiting
- 0 Replies
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Class: 2026 (high school)
Position: Point Guard
School: Atlanta (GA) Overtime Elite
Height: 6-foot-0
Weight: 160 lbs
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Class: 2026 (high school)
Position: Point Guard
School: Atlanta (GA) Overtime Elite
Height: 6-foot-0
Weight: 160 lbs
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2026 VA RB Savion Hiter (Verbal Offer)
- By brodybuck21
- Football Recruiting
- 12 Replies
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HUDL
ON3
Class: 2026 (high school)
Position: Running Back
School: Woodberry Forest (VA) Woodberry Forest
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 180 lbs
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ON3
Class: 2026 (high school)
Position: Running Back
School: Woodberry Forest (VA) Woodberry Forest
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 180 lbs
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LGHL Bucketheads Podcast: The Big Ten Media Poll has been released and we give our thoughts
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Bucketheads Podcast: The Big Ten Media Poll has been released and we give our thoughts
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Plus, we took a crack at giving our rankings too.
“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. Every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in the college hoops world.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
We are officially less than a month away from the start of the college basketball season, and we have the media poll and preseason predictions for the season.
28 media members voted and ranked all 14 Big Ten teams and where they thought every team would finish this year. They predicted Purdue to win the conference and Ohio State to finish seventh.
Naturally, we debated this. Is seven too high or too low? And can anyone take over the conference from Purdue?
We also gave our rankings 1-14 and discussed those. Plus, Bryce James made an unofficial visit. What does this mean for the Buckeyes?
Be sure to like and subscribe to the podcast and leave a review of what you think of the show!
Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Continue reading...
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Plus, we took a crack at giving our rankings too.
“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. Every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in the college hoops world.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
We are officially less than a month away from the start of the college basketball season, and we have the media poll and preseason predictions for the season.
28 media members voted and ranked all 14 Big Ten teams and where they thought every team would finish this year. They predicted Purdue to win the conference and Ohio State to finish seventh.
Naturally, we debated this. Is seven too high or too low? And can anyone take over the conference from Purdue?
We also gave our rankings 1-14 and discussed those. Plus, Bryce James made an unofficial visit. What does this mean for the Buckeyes?
Be sure to like and subscribe to the podcast and leave a review of what you think of the show!
Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Continue reading...
LGHL BOOOM! Buckeyes land another DB in their 2024 class, dish out latest offer to 2026 running back
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BOOOM! Buckeyes land another DB in their 2024 class, dish out latest offer to 2026 running back
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State landed another Florida native with Leroy Roker now in the fold for the 2024 class.
It’s been a BOOM worthy week for Ohio State twice now, as Wednesday saw the latest addition of the 2024 class join the fold. Taking to Twitter to break the news, three-star safety Leroy Roker (Ft. Myers, Florida/Bishop Verot) made his pledge to the Buckeyes after what has been a pretty fast-paced recruitment concerning Ohio State.
A 6-foot-1, 170 pound safety, Roker was only offered by the Buckeyes just last week, but made it clear of his interest in Ohio State as he made the trek from Florida to campus for the Maryland game this past weekend. Not needing much time at all to make it official, Roker’s commitment to Ohio State gives the Buckeyes another important safety commit which was definitely needed, but also continues to give this staff plenty of further proof that their national presence is just as strong as ever.
The No. 1285 player nationally, Roker is the 121st best safety in the current cycle per the 247Sports Composit. Not the highest graded defensive back in the class, seeing the reaction from the defensive coaches yesterday says all you need to know about this commitment. It was well celebrated, and surely this group of coaches knows what they’re doing when it comes to evaluating the players they want to land.
The two major offers on Roker’s list prior to the Buckeyes came from Miami and Iowa, but Ohio State’s full-court press last weekend paid off in a major way. Still sitting as the second-ranked recruiting class in the country, the Buckeyes only have a few more spots left up for grabs, but this latest one is a major checkmark on a position that was in need.
Though much of the recruiting attention was on Roker’s commitment in the 2024 class, the Buckeyes also stayed busy on the trail in evaluation mode as they dished out their latest offer by way of 2026 running back target, Savion Hiter (Woodberry Forest, Virginia/Woodberry Forest).
A 5-foot-11, 185 pound high school sophomore, Hiter is already seeing some major attention for his services, as he’s currently the No. 16 player nationally and the top overall running back in the 2026 class per the 247Sports Composite. A five-star with still two full seasons of prep football to play, Savion has one of the more impressive offer lists to his name that currently includes the likes of Alabama, Georgia, Penn State, Oregon, Tennessee, and several others now among Ohio State.
Where the Buckeyes can make their hay though is selling Hiter on the current success they are having with fellow Virginia native, TreVeyon Henderson. Also a former top overall player at the position, Ohio State has showcased Henderson well and the rest of this season will follow suit. For Savion, this is a real-life example of a kid from Virginia leaving home to go to Ohio State and thriving in said role.
You can bet for the long haul the Buckeyes and position coach Tony Alford will be all over this recruitment, and one of those major pitches will be Henderson himself giving some insight on why Columbus is the place to be.
The No. 151 player nationally and the 22nd best receiver for 2024 per the 247Sports Composite, Robinson has been on the Ohio State radar heavily as of late, and seeing the tweets sent out yesterday from St. Thomas Aquinas staffers and then fellow commits such as Jeremiah Smith, it just makes sense that this is on the horizon.
It could just be smoke in the air, but Hartline and the Buckeyes have made it no secret that Chance would be a major part of this class and maybe those efforts are looking to pay off in the near future.
Continue reading...
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State landed another Florida native with Leroy Roker now in the fold for the 2024 class.
It’s been a BOOM worthy week for Ohio State twice now, as Wednesday saw the latest addition of the 2024 class join the fold. Taking to Twitter to break the news, three-star safety Leroy Roker (Ft. Myers, Florida/Bishop Verot) made his pledge to the Buckeyes after what has been a pretty fast-paced recruitment concerning Ohio State.
A 6-foot-1, 170 pound safety, Roker was only offered by the Buckeyes just last week, but made it clear of his interest in Ohio State as he made the trek from Florida to campus for the Maryland game this past weekend. Not needing much time at all to make it official, Roker’s commitment to Ohio State gives the Buckeyes another important safety commit which was definitely needed, but also continues to give this staff plenty of further proof that their national presence is just as strong as ever.
The No. 1285 player nationally, Roker is the 121st best safety in the current cycle per the 247Sports Composit. Not the highest graded defensive back in the class, seeing the reaction from the defensive coaches yesterday says all you need to know about this commitment. It was well celebrated, and surely this group of coaches knows what they’re doing when it comes to evaluating the players they want to land.
The two major offers on Roker’s list prior to the Buckeyes came from Miami and Iowa, but Ohio State’s full-court press last weekend paid off in a major way. Still sitting as the second-ranked recruiting class in the country, the Buckeyes only have a few more spots left up for grabs, but this latest one is a major checkmark on a position that was in need.
Buckeyes offer 2026 running back target
Though much of the recruiting attention was on Roker’s commitment in the 2024 class, the Buckeyes also stayed busy on the trail in evaluation mode as they dished out their latest offer by way of 2026 running back target, Savion Hiter (Woodberry Forest, Virginia/Woodberry Forest).
A 5-foot-11, 185 pound high school sophomore, Hiter is already seeing some major attention for his services, as he’s currently the No. 16 player nationally and the top overall running back in the 2026 class per the 247Sports Composite. A five-star with still two full seasons of prep football to play, Savion has one of the more impressive offer lists to his name that currently includes the likes of Alabama, Georgia, Penn State, Oregon, Tennessee, and several others now among Ohio State.
Where the Buckeyes can make their hay though is selling Hiter on the current success they are having with fellow Virginia native, TreVeyon Henderson. Also a former top overall player at the position, Ohio State has showcased Henderson well and the rest of this season will follow suit. For Savion, this is a real-life example of a kid from Virginia leaving home to go to Ohio State and thriving in said role.
You can bet for the long haul the Buckeyes and position coach Tony Alford will be all over this recruitment, and one of those major pitches will be Henderson himself giving some insight on why Columbus is the place to be.
Quick Hits
- As if two commits this week wasn’t enough, there’s some rumors and rumblings that Ohio State may not be done yet, as there could be a potential “flip” in the works. 2024 receiver target Chance Robinson (Ft. Myers, Florida/St. Thomas Aquinas) is currently committed to Miami and has been since April of this year. But after some hinting on social media, the idea is that Robinson may be getting ready to make a decision in favor of the Buckeyes.
The No. 151 player nationally and the 22nd best receiver for 2024 per the 247Sports Composite, Robinson has been on the Ohio State radar heavily as of late, and seeing the tweets sent out yesterday from St. Thomas Aquinas staffers and then fellow commits such as Jeremiah Smith, it just makes sense that this is on the horizon.
It could just be smoke in the air, but Hartline and the Buckeyes have made it no secret that Chance would be a major part of this class and maybe those efforts are looking to pay off in the near future.
Continue reading...
Max Granville (DL Penn St.)
- By pnuts34
- College Football
- 4 Replies
247
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Twitter
HudL
Class: 2025
Position: Edge
School: Sugar Land(TX) FT. Bend Christian Academy
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 215lbs
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HudL
Class: 2025
Position: Edge
School: Sugar Land(TX) FT. Bend Christian Academy
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 215lbs
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What Do You Collect?
- By NFBuck
- Open Discussion (Work-safe)
- 2 Replies
Any collectors (or hoarders) here? About two years ago I started collecting hockey jerseys. Mostly NHL, but have started branching out a bit to the AHL, WHL, OHL, and QMJHL a bit. This is about 65% of 'em. Whatchoo got?
LGHL Big Ten Men’s Basketball Team Previews: Nebraska Cornhuskers
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Big Ten Men’s Basketball Team Previews: Nebraska Cornhuskers
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
How far can Keisei Tominaga take the Huskers?
As we enter the fall season and college football gets underway, college basketball is right around the corner. As always, to prepare you for the season, Land-Grant Holy Land will be publishing Big Ten Team Previews and Ohio State Basketball Player Previews, starting now with the Team Previews.
Team: Nebraska Cornhuskers
Head coach: Fred Hoiberg, Fifth Season, 40-83 (18-61)
2022-23 record: 16-16 (9-11)
All-time record against Ohio State: 5-19
Returners: Keisei Tominaga, CJ Wilcher, Jamarques Lawrence, Juwan Gary, Sam Hoiberg, Blaise Keita, Ramel Lloyd
Departures: Derrick Walker, Sam Griesel, Emmanuel Bandoumel, Denim Dawson, Oleg Kogenets, Quaran McPherson, Wilhelm Breidenbach
Newcomers: Eli Rice, Rienk Mast, Brice Williams, Ahron Ulis, Josiah Allick
The Huskers will have to replace a lot of production from a season that provided some good moments in 2022-23.
Nebraska is losing three of its top five scorers, including Derrick Walker, who led the team in points, rebounds, and assists. Walker averaged 13.6 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. Sam Griesel is also gone, who averaged 12.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. Griesel was third on the team in scoring, and second in rebounds and assists. Emmanuel Bandoumel is gone as well after averaging 8.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.
However, Keisei Tominaga is back after his breakout season, averaging 13.1 points per game. He was one of the surprise stars of last season in the conference, and proved himself to be one of the top shooters in the conference and a high-energy guy that can spark the Huskers. Now it is his team, and he will be the top name on the scouting report. Last season, he was able to surprise some people, but now everyone will see him coming. How he will respond to that will be important to the Husker’s success this season.
Tominaga, CJ Wilcher, and Juwan Gray are all back, and will look to form the trio that can lead the Huskers next season. Brice Williams is a transfer guard from Charlotte coming into the program after averaging 13.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. They will need his production ASAP to win some early games.
Rienk Mast averaged 13.8 points and 8.0 rebounds per game at Bradley, and Jarron Coleman averaged 14.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game at Ball State.
This is a solid transfer class that Hoiberg will look to early and often to provide at this level.
It is looking to be another bleak season in Lincoln, Nebraska. However, there are some guys who can step up and change that. The Huskers finished 16-16 last season and 9-11 in conference. That was a solid season, and one that they would hope to build on.
For that to happen, they will need the transfers of Williams, Mast, Coleman, and Ahron Ulis to be immediate contributors. With Ulis, as of right now, his eligibility is unknown due to his involvement in the Iowa Athletics gambling case, so we will see if he can play this season. If he can, he can be a good complement at the guard position to Wilcher.
Nebraska will need to show some sort of building blocks from last season. This is the fifth season under Hoiberg, and he has lost double the amount of conference games that he has won. Showing those building blocks from season to season could go a long way in extending his tenure in Lincoln.
Continue reading...
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
How far can Keisei Tominaga take the Huskers?
As we enter the fall season and college football gets underway, college basketball is right around the corner. As always, to prepare you for the season, Land-Grant Holy Land will be publishing Big Ten Team Previews and Ohio State Basketball Player Previews, starting now with the Team Previews.
Team: Nebraska Cornhuskers
Head coach: Fred Hoiberg, Fifth Season, 40-83 (18-61)
2022-23 record: 16-16 (9-11)
All-time record against Ohio State: 5-19
Returners: Keisei Tominaga, CJ Wilcher, Jamarques Lawrence, Juwan Gary, Sam Hoiberg, Blaise Keita, Ramel Lloyd
Departures: Derrick Walker, Sam Griesel, Emmanuel Bandoumel, Denim Dawson, Oleg Kogenets, Quaran McPherson, Wilhelm Breidenbach
Newcomers: Eli Rice, Rienk Mast, Brice Williams, Ahron Ulis, Josiah Allick
Outlook
The Huskers will have to replace a lot of production from a season that provided some good moments in 2022-23.
Nebraska is losing three of its top five scorers, including Derrick Walker, who led the team in points, rebounds, and assists. Walker averaged 13.6 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. Sam Griesel is also gone, who averaged 12.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. Griesel was third on the team in scoring, and second in rebounds and assists. Emmanuel Bandoumel is gone as well after averaging 8.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.
However, Keisei Tominaga is back after his breakout season, averaging 13.1 points per game. He was one of the surprise stars of last season in the conference, and proved himself to be one of the top shooters in the conference and a high-energy guy that can spark the Huskers. Now it is his team, and he will be the top name on the scouting report. Last season, he was able to surprise some people, but now everyone will see him coming. How he will respond to that will be important to the Husker’s success this season.
Tominaga, CJ Wilcher, and Juwan Gray are all back, and will look to form the trio that can lead the Huskers next season. Brice Williams is a transfer guard from Charlotte coming into the program after averaging 13.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. They will need his production ASAP to win some early games.
Rienk Mast averaged 13.8 points and 8.0 rebounds per game at Bradley, and Jarron Coleman averaged 14.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game at Ball State.
This is a solid transfer class that Hoiberg will look to early and often to provide at this level.
Prediction
It is looking to be another bleak season in Lincoln, Nebraska. However, there are some guys who can step up and change that. The Huskers finished 16-16 last season and 9-11 in conference. That was a solid season, and one that they would hope to build on.
For that to happen, they will need the transfers of Williams, Mast, Coleman, and Ahron Ulis to be immediate contributors. With Ulis, as of right now, his eligibility is unknown due to his involvement in the Iowa Athletics gambling case, so we will see if he can play this season. If he can, he can be a good complement at the guard position to Wilcher.
Nebraska will need to show some sort of building blocks from last season. This is the fifth season under Hoiberg, and he has lost double the amount of conference games that he has won. Showing those building blocks from season to season could go a long way in extending his tenure in Lincoln.
Continue reading...
