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LGHL I-80 Football Show: March is for women’s basketball
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I-80 Football Show: March is for women’s basketball
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images
Women’s March Madness continues to deliver! It gave us two classic games on Monday.
Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Podcast Network’s I-80 Football Show. On this show, we travel down I-80 to talk all things Big Ten Football. After every week of action, we will catch you up on all the conference’s games and look ahead at the matchups, storylines, and players you should be paying attention to for the next week. My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host Dante Morgan.
If you, like 12 million other people, were in front of your TV watching the Women’s NCAA Tournament, you witnessed two great games. In this episode of the I-80 Football Show, we break down the two games, including LSU head coach Kim Mulkey’s questionable game plan against Caitlin Clark.
Clark is a generational talent, and Mulkey was content to let her do whatever she wanted, refusing to make adjustments even when star center Angel Reeses re-aggravated an ankle injury and point guard Hailey Van Lith struggled to slow Clark down. Ultimately, Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes avenged their loss from last year’s national championship game and head to the Final Four to play UConn.
In the other game, we saw what it looked like when a coach had respect for an opposing team's player. UConn was intent on making it hard on USC star freshman JuJu Smith, throwing every type of defensive look at her. Smith still ended up having a good game, but the UConn pressure was too much to overcome, especially with Paige Bueckers playing an amazing game in her first tournament back from injury.
Lastly, the guys discuss the impact these players have had on college basketball and the positives and negatives of the social media debates around Monday’s games. Stay tuned, as the tournament isn’t over. Two of the best players in the 2020 recruiting class will face off, while undefeated South Carolina is looking to spoil NC State's magical run en route to another championship appearance.
Follow the show on YouTube: @JordanW330
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @I80FootballShow
Connect with us on Twitter: Jordan: @JordanW330 and Dante: @DanteM10216
Continue reading...
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images
Women’s March Madness continues to deliver! It gave us two classic games on Monday.
Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Podcast Network’s I-80 Football Show. On this show, we travel down I-80 to talk all things Big Ten Football. After every week of action, we will catch you up on all the conference’s games and look ahead at the matchups, storylines, and players you should be paying attention to for the next week. My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host Dante Morgan.
If you, like 12 million other people, were in front of your TV watching the Women’s NCAA Tournament, you witnessed two great games. In this episode of the I-80 Football Show, we break down the two games, including LSU head coach Kim Mulkey’s questionable game plan against Caitlin Clark.
Clark is a generational talent, and Mulkey was content to let her do whatever she wanted, refusing to make adjustments even when star center Angel Reeses re-aggravated an ankle injury and point guard Hailey Van Lith struggled to slow Clark down. Ultimately, Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes avenged their loss from last year’s national championship game and head to the Final Four to play UConn.
In the other game, we saw what it looked like when a coach had respect for an opposing team's player. UConn was intent on making it hard on USC star freshman JuJu Smith, throwing every type of defensive look at her. Smith still ended up having a good game, but the UConn pressure was too much to overcome, especially with Paige Bueckers playing an amazing game in her first tournament back from injury.
Lastly, the guys discuss the impact these players have had on college basketball and the positives and negatives of the social media debates around Monday’s games. Stay tuned, as the tournament isn’t over. Two of the best players in the 2020 recruiting class will face off, while undefeated South Carolina is looking to spoil NC State's magical run en route to another championship appearance.
Follow the show on YouTube: @JordanW330
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @I80FootballShow
Connect with us on Twitter: Jordan: @JordanW330 and Dante: @DanteM10216
Continue reading...
LGHL Marvin Harrison Jr. is WR1 in the 2024 NFL Draft; don’t overthink it
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Marvin Harrison Jr. is WR1 in the 2024 NFL Draft; don’t overthink it
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Brooke LaValley / USA TODAY NETWORK
After two plus years atop the WR rankings, Maserati Marv is now being viewed as a consolation prize by some... All because he didn’t run in shorts and/or sit down for a couple interviews? Get real, people. Ball don’t lie.
Heading into the 2022 Rose Bowl, Marvin Harrison Jr. was a relative unknown, albeit one with a very famous name in football circles. Then/there, with a single three-touchdown performance – his first but certainly not his last – he established himself as a burgeoning star and presumptive WR1 in the 2024 or 2025 NFL Draft. There was really no argument to the contrary. At the time, at least. Harrison Jr. (MHJ) became predestined if that’s even possible.
The following season, when Jaxon Smith-Njigba went down with history’s worst hamstring injury, MHJ went out and confirmed or solidified said WR1 status. The latter was simply unguardable in 2022, even with the lion’s share of opponents’ attention focused solely on him. Seriously, just go back and watch the Penn State game, when MHJ was the only “thing” really working for Ohio State’s offense — and he still beat Joey Porter Jr. (repeatedly) like a drum. Or the 2022 Peach Bowl, when Georgia’s vaunted defense had no answers for MHJ... Until a questionable (clearly illegal) hit knocked him out of the game.
In 2023 we saw more of the same. Despite being saddled with average quarterback play, MHJ still dominated on a weekly basis. His stats weren’t quite as good, but he single-handedly won games for OSU. He also caught at least one TD in 10/12 games played and put up 100+ receiving yards eight times.
Throughout the entire process... the entirety of the last two football seasons... MHJ remained WR1. At times he was even being talked about as the potential first overall pick. Yet here we are in April of 2024, just a few weeks before the NFL Draft, and all of a sudden MHJ’s candidacy, standing, or status as WR1 is being questioned.
Thanks to a highly productive 2023 season and a phenomenal pro day, Malik Nabers has now entered that conversation. And don’t get me wrong, Nabers is an electric athlete with tremendous potential. But what are we doing here, folks!? Why are NFL people and talent evaluators overthinking this?
I’ll tell you why: Because as is typically the case, the months preceding this year’s NFL Draft have once again devolved into #sillyszn. There are no games being played, causing many coaches, GMs, and front-office folks to fall into the trap of becoming enamored with curated highlight tapes and drills ran against air.
But Nabers has not been playing football at a higher level than MHJ. The former has not been cooking defensive backs off the line and/or making contested catches in pads, with defenders draped all over him. Nobody has! Unless we’re talking about spring practice (college) or the UFL. But even then, my point remains: No WR is or has been outperforming MHJ on a football field... Other than maybe Jeremiah Smith (insert smiley wink face).
Regardless, the narrative seems to have changed. It’s almost as if one of the story’s main characters has been written out or demoted in some way, despite being essential to the plot! It’s like Nabers is the newly minted Batman (WR1), while MHJ has been relegated to a Robin-esque supporting role. Which is absolute blasphemy. So I am here to remind people (as if he needs my help) that nothing has actually changed... MHJ is still Batman!
MHJ is still 6-foot-4, 205ish pounds, with elite footwork, vise-like hands, and the body control of a Cirque du Soleil performer. He also works his tail off and has an NFL Hall of Fame father in his ear/corner at all times. In other words, he is the total package. The same total package that earned him WR1 recognition in the first place! Just take NFL Draft analyst Rob Rang’s word for it, from December of 2023:
Ultimately, Harrison is a rare blue-chip talent because of his physical talent, Hall of Fame pedigree and walk-on’s work ethic. He appears to be as sure of an NFL superstar as it gets and therefore well worthy of a top-5 selection. Any of the teams selecting that early (which as of today project as Chicago, the Arizona Cardinals, Washington Commanders, New England Patriots and New York Giants) would be lucky to add him, with the latter two especially intriguing fits due to their relative dearth of receiving talent.
Oddly enough, it seems that MHJ’s refusal to thoroughly participate in the pre-draft dog and pony show has (potentially) negatively impacted his draft stock the most, not his performance on the field. But if anything, MHJ should be commended for focusing on football and not a 40-yard dash in shorts, which he will never do/run in an NFL game. Putting too much stock in combine testing just ensures that you’ll end up with a guy like this:
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25370591/usa_today_14055548.jpg)
Sam Greene, The Northwestern via Imagn Content Services, LLC
And as for those pesky combine interviews, what do teams need to know? Every answer given in that type of environment is prepared and/or scripted ahead of time. If you want to find out what makes MHJ tick, just ask his coaches and teammates, all of whom have done nothing but praise the guy since he was a coveted high school recruit.
As the saying goes, “Keep it simple, stupid.” And I would encourage NFL decision-makers to do exactly that if they are targeting a WR in the top 5 of this year’s draft. If MHJ was the guy a year ago and a month(ish) ago, why deviate from the plan now? Because some other guy ran real fast and made a few sick catches (thrown by his teammate of two years and a top-5 pick in his own right) in a near-empty fieldhouse?
Get outta here. Marvin Harrison Jr. is still WR1 because another saying rings true, and it always will: “Ball don’t lie.”
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
Brooke LaValley / USA TODAY NETWORK
After two plus years atop the WR rankings, Maserati Marv is now being viewed as a consolation prize by some... All because he didn’t run in shorts and/or sit down for a couple interviews? Get real, people. Ball don’t lie.
Heading into the 2022 Rose Bowl, Marvin Harrison Jr. was a relative unknown, albeit one with a very famous name in football circles. Then/there, with a single three-touchdown performance – his first but certainly not his last – he established himself as a burgeoning star and presumptive WR1 in the 2024 or 2025 NFL Draft. There was really no argument to the contrary. At the time, at least. Harrison Jr. (MHJ) became predestined if that’s even possible.
The following season, when Jaxon Smith-Njigba went down with history’s worst hamstring injury, MHJ went out and confirmed or solidified said WR1 status. The latter was simply unguardable in 2022, even with the lion’s share of opponents’ attention focused solely on him. Seriously, just go back and watch the Penn State game, when MHJ was the only “thing” really working for Ohio State’s offense — and he still beat Joey Porter Jr. (repeatedly) like a drum. Or the 2022 Peach Bowl, when Georgia’s vaunted defense had no answers for MHJ... Until a questionable (clearly illegal) hit knocked him out of the game.
In 2023 we saw more of the same. Despite being saddled with average quarterback play, MHJ still dominated on a weekly basis. His stats weren’t quite as good, but he single-handedly won games for OSU. He also caught at least one TD in 10/12 games played and put up 100+ receiving yards eight times.
Throughout the entire process... the entirety of the last two football seasons... MHJ remained WR1. At times he was even being talked about as the potential first overall pick. Yet here we are in April of 2024, just a few weeks before the NFL Draft, and all of a sudden MHJ’s candidacy, standing, or status as WR1 is being questioned.
Thanks to a highly productive 2023 season and a phenomenal pro day, Malik Nabers has now entered that conversation. And don’t get me wrong, Nabers is an electric athlete with tremendous potential. But what are we doing here, folks!? Why are NFL people and talent evaluators overthinking this?
I’ll tell you why: Because as is typically the case, the months preceding this year’s NFL Draft have once again devolved into #sillyszn. There are no games being played, causing many coaches, GMs, and front-office folks to fall into the trap of becoming enamored with curated highlight tapes and drills ran against air.
But Nabers has not been playing football at a higher level than MHJ. The former has not been cooking defensive backs off the line and/or making contested catches in pads, with defenders draped all over him. Nobody has! Unless we’re talking about spring practice (college) or the UFL. But even then, my point remains: No WR is or has been outperforming MHJ on a football field... Other than maybe Jeremiah Smith (insert smiley wink face).
Regardless, the narrative seems to have changed. It’s almost as if one of the story’s main characters has been written out or demoted in some way, despite being essential to the plot! It’s like Nabers is the newly minted Batman (WR1), while MHJ has been relegated to a Robin-esque supporting role. Which is absolute blasphemy. So I am here to remind people (as if he needs my help) that nothing has actually changed... MHJ is still Batman!
MHJ is still 6-foot-4, 205ish pounds, with elite footwork, vise-like hands, and the body control of a Cirque du Soleil performer. He also works his tail off and has an NFL Hall of Fame father in his ear/corner at all times. In other words, he is the total package. The same total package that earned him WR1 recognition in the first place! Just take NFL Draft analyst Rob Rang’s word for it, from December of 2023:
Ultimately, Harrison is a rare blue-chip talent because of his physical talent, Hall of Fame pedigree and walk-on’s work ethic. He appears to be as sure of an NFL superstar as it gets and therefore well worthy of a top-5 selection. Any of the teams selecting that early (which as of today project as Chicago, the Arizona Cardinals, Washington Commanders, New England Patriots and New York Giants) would be lucky to add him, with the latter two especially intriguing fits due to their relative dearth of receiving talent.
Oddly enough, it seems that MHJ’s refusal to thoroughly participate in the pre-draft dog and pony show has (potentially) negatively impacted his draft stock the most, not his performance on the field. But if anything, MHJ should be commended for focusing on football and not a 40-yard dash in shorts, which he will never do/run in an NFL game. Putting too much stock in combine testing just ensures that you’ll end up with a guy like this:
And as for those pesky combine interviews, what do teams need to know? Every answer given in that type of environment is prepared and/or scripted ahead of time. If you want to find out what makes MHJ tick, just ask his coaches and teammates, all of whom have done nothing but praise the guy since he was a coveted high school recruit.
As the saying goes, “Keep it simple, stupid.” And I would encourage NFL decision-makers to do exactly that if they are targeting a WR in the top 5 of this year’s draft. If MHJ was the guy a year ago and a month(ish) ago, why deviate from the plan now? Because some other guy ran real fast and made a few sick catches (thrown by his teammate of two years and a top-5 pick in his own right) in a near-empty fieldhouse?
Get outta here. Marvin Harrison Jr. is still WR1 because another saying rings true, and it always will: “Ball don’t lie.”
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State offers 2025 RB, five-star 2026 safety to visit on Friday
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- 0 Replies
Ohio State offers 2025 RB, five-star 2026 safety to visit on Friday
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2026 five-star safety Zelus Hicks | USA TODAY Sports
The Buckeyes remain super active on the recruiting trail both in the current cycle and beyond.
Though spring football is starting to wind down with just over a week left, Ohio State is set to bring in more of its top targets on the recruiting trail. Rarely seeing any down time in this program, the coaching staff — now fully set in place — is hard at work and looking to continue building this impressive 2025 class.
Now that Ohio State has its running back coach, there are new names that are being offered. Guys that were on Carlos Locklyn’s radar while at Oregon may not have been on Ohio State’s big board, but the picture is starting to get more clear with him finally in Columbus.
No, that doesn’t mean that the Buckeyes are going to stray from their top targeted recruits at the position, but it does mean that newer names could join the likes of the others to hear from this coaching staff. Thursday being another example of new names being introduced, Ohio State sent out another offer in the 2025 class to the newest running back prospect.
Making their way into Illinois, Dierre Hill is now the recipient of an Ohio State offer. The No. 104 player nationally and the ninth-best at his position, Hill is also the No. 3 prospect in Illinois per the 247Sports Composite. A 5-foot-11, 180-pound four-star, nearly 20 schools have thrown their name into the mix, with Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, and Oregon being some of the bigger programs to take notice.
The Buckeyes have recruited well in Illinois as of late, and a new position coach brings excitement to what Ohio State is building. As it’s been touched on several times already, the staff has offered a handful of top running backs in this current class, with their own in-state players being among the top priorities.
Though some names may be higher on the pecking board, like the Jordan Davisons and Bo Jacksons of the world, it’s important to keep options open, and Ohio State is doing just that. Look for Locklyn to get Hill on campus before the spring is over, and if so, things get a little bit more serious with the talented running back as a potential candidate.
With well over 20 offers to his name, the Buckeyes join the likes of Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Tennessee, USC, and many others to offer this early on. Ohio State’s 2025 safety class is starting to come together, and the Buckeyes are hoping two more will seal the deal. If that happens in the near future, even more time can be devoted to the 2026 class, where Ohio State will again look to bring in the top players the country has to offer.
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
2026 five-star safety Zelus Hicks | USA TODAY Sports
The Buckeyes remain super active on the recruiting trail both in the current cycle and beyond.
Though spring football is starting to wind down with just over a week left, Ohio State is set to bring in more of its top targets on the recruiting trail. Rarely seeing any down time in this program, the coaching staff — now fully set in place — is hard at work and looking to continue building this impressive 2025 class.
Buckeyes offer new 2025 running back
Now that Ohio State has its running back coach, there are new names that are being offered. Guys that were on Carlos Locklyn’s radar while at Oregon may not have been on Ohio State’s big board, but the picture is starting to get more clear with him finally in Columbus.
No, that doesn’t mean that the Buckeyes are going to stray from their top targeted recruits at the position, but it does mean that newer names could join the likes of the others to hear from this coaching staff. Thursday being another example of new names being introduced, Ohio State sent out another offer in the 2025 class to the newest running back prospect.
Making their way into Illinois, Dierre Hill is now the recipient of an Ohio State offer. The No. 104 player nationally and the ninth-best at his position, Hill is also the No. 3 prospect in Illinois per the 247Sports Composite. A 5-foot-11, 180-pound four-star, nearly 20 schools have thrown their name into the mix, with Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, and Oregon being some of the bigger programs to take notice.
The Buckeyes have recruited well in Illinois as of late, and a new position coach brings excitement to what Ohio State is building. As it’s been touched on several times already, the staff has offered a handful of top running backs in this current class, with their own in-state players being among the top priorities.
Though some names may be higher on the pecking board, like the Jordan Davisons and Bo Jacksons of the world, it’s important to keep options open, and Ohio State is doing just that. Look for Locklyn to get Hill on campus before the spring is over, and if so, things get a little bit more serious with the talented running back as a potential candidate.
Quick Hits
- Expecting more of the nation’s top players this weekend, it gets started later today with Georgia native, Zelus Hicks. A 6-foot-2, 180 pound safety, Hicks is the No. 12 player nationally and the second-best safety in the 2026 class, per the 247Sports Composite.
With well over 20 offers to his name, the Buckeyes join the likes of Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Tennessee, USC, and many others to offer this early on. Ohio State’s 2025 safety class is starting to come together, and the Buckeyes are hoping two more will seal the deal. If that happens in the near future, even more time can be devoted to the 2026 class, where Ohio State will again look to bring in the top players the country has to offer.
Continue reading...
LGHL Looking ahead to the 2024-25 Ohio State women’s basketball team
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Looking ahead to the 2024-25 Ohio State women’s basketball team
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
What will the roster look like at each position, and is there a name in the portal who can help fill a need?
Lately, the news surrounding Ohio State women’s basketball has all focused on exits. First, it was from the NCAA Tournament, losing in the Second Round to the Duke Blue Devils, after going up 16 points in the first half. Then, the hiring of assistant coach Wesley Brooks to lead Utah State’s program. On the court, it was three transfer portal announcements, with the third hitting fans the worst of all.
Where does all of this leave the Buckeyes next season? Here’s the good, the bad, and the unknown...
The biggest hit this offseason is in the backcourt. For five years, Jacy Sheldon has led the Scarlet and Gray offensively and defensively. Now, the career Buckeye is gone, destined for professional basketball. Along with Sheldon is one-year Ohio State guard Celeste Taylor. The shooting guard who led the Big Ten in defensive rating and steals joins Sheldon in the WNBA Draft pool of available players.
Those were the involuntary departures, after all NCAA eligibility only goes so far. However, all three transfers depleted the guard numbers for the Buckeyes.
Emma Shumate and Diana Collins were the first two in the portal. Both players found time on the court this year, but not consistently or as much as both themselves and fans would’ve liked. Shumate averaged 9.6 minutes, and Collins slightly more with 9.9.
Their absence made sense for the 2023-24 season. After all, the underclassmen were behind a group of five guards with Sheldon, Taylor, Madison Greene, Rikki Harris, and Taylor Thierry. There are, of course, arguments for creating stronger depth, but those are now a moot point with the pair looking for greener pastures outside of Columbus.
Even with the transfer announcements, there was still a strong returning group and a pair of incoming freshmen. Unfortunately for the Buckeyes, it took a hit Wednesday when Harris added her name to the list of players going into the portal.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25370627/usa_today_22077895.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Clare Grant/The Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Harris only missed one game for Ohio State this season due to illness. For all other 31 games, Harris came off the bench to provide defense, being an occasional deep shooting threat and doing whatever was needed for head coach Kevin McGuff.
The five-year Buckeye, one season as a redshirt, has played every position but center in the last three seasons, showing versatility and leadership through the years.
That transfer especially adds a wrinkle to next season’s team.
Next season’s Ohio State team will have Greene as the lone guard anchor. Thierry plays a third-guard role but doesn’t fit a single position. The soon-to-be senior plays everywhere on the court and doesn’t fit a traditional guard role. There’s also sophomore Kaia Henderson and redshirt Kennedy Cambridge.
Henderson played 111 minutes in two seasons, averaging 4.5 minutes for the Buckeyes this season, all in moments where the game was not competitive. For Cambridge, she was redshirted by Coach McGuff, giving her three seasons with Ohio State. Before the Buckeyes, Cambridge played for the Kentucky Wildcats and prides herself on her defensive ability.
Greene’s natural position is point guard, but knee injuries have plagued the redshirt senior. Due to season-ending knee injuries in two consecutive seasons, the Pickerington, Ohio native didn’t start a game this season but contributed off the bench.
Alongside the duo of Greene and Henderson, the only expected guards on the roster are freshmen, but one has the potential to be extraordinary.
Jaloni Cambridge, Kennedy Cambridge’s younger sister, has all the potential to come into the Buckeyes’ side and start day one as Coach McGuff’s point guard. At the McDonald’s All-American game on Tuesday, Cambridge showed her abilities. Cambridge runs the court while reading it, drawing attention and finding teammates or turning on another gear to get to the basket.
That could mean Greene slides over to a shooting guard role or the Buckeyes are active in the transfer portal and bring in a starting-caliber guard to strengthen the position.
Plus, incoming four-star freshman Ava Watson. The Georgia native won the player of the year honor for her region in high school. Will she go the way of other guards like Shumate and Collins who entered the team and left without seeing the court?
Regardless of who’s coming in, it wasn’t going to be possible to immediately replace the impact of Sheldon and Taylor, but due to transfers, the position has more question marks around it.
Before all the transfer announcements, the forward role was the one needing the most attention. Outside of returning forward Cotie McMahon, who publicly committed to staying with Ohio State, the turnover was big.
The Buckeyes lost Rebeka Mikulášiková, Taiyier Parks, and Eboni Walker, for whom Ohio State was trying to find an extra redshirt-eligible season, but as of publishing, there’s no update on that status.
That leaves an obvious gap at the five-position. Mikulášiková played the de facto center position over the last three seasons, playing more games than any other Buckeye in that timespan. Parks came in last season as reinforcement, playing a more physical, traditional, post position compared to Mikulášiková’s Euro forward deep shooting threat.
Especially without Walker, who left the team late in the season, only to return for the NCAA Tournament, Ohio State’s an obvious candidate for a big in the transfer portal. Only one player on the current roster fits the post-player model, freshman Faith Carson.
Carson joined the Buckeyes as a freshman but sat behind three other post players in the depth chart. That and a midseason injury absence meant Carson only played 1.7 minutes per game in seven appearances.
Thierry is the likeliest name to slide into that starting five-position. In smaller sets, Coach McGuff’s used Thierry as the team’s center because of her jumping ability and agility, but that’s not sustainable in a conference featuring strong post players like Illinois Fighting Illini’s Kendall Bostic and UCLA center Lauren Betts.
Outside of any transfers, Ohio State brings in three freshmen to reinforce the position. Forwards Ella Hobbs, Seini Hicks and Elsa Lemmilä.
Hobbs and Lemmilä will be in the group of players, with Carson, inside the paint. Hobbs is a 6-foot-3 forward out of Concord, North Carolina, who will bring physicality. The incoming freshman can back players into the post, hit shots inside, or find teammates around the arc.
Lemmilä is a 6-foot-6 Finnish youth international who has agility in the paint and size the Buckeyes haven’t had in years. Could either of the two earn a spot starting, due to the light depth chart?
No matter which way McGuff goes, rebounding is an area the team’s lacked consistency in for the past three seasons.
Here’s how the team roster looks, at the time of publishing:
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25370736/24_25_roster.jpg)
The question on every college basketball fan’s mind is the transfer portal. Especially for Buckeye fans considering the recent losses to the roster.
On Wednesday, an Ohioan’s addition to the portal grabbed attention. Oregon Ducks’ sophomore Grace VanSlooten, out of Toledo, Ohio, announced her intent to leave.
VanSlooten, who entered the NCAA out of IMG Academy in Florida, was the No. 14 ranked prospect out of high school, choosing to go to the Pacific Northwest. This season, the 6-foot-3 forward averaged 15 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game for the Ducks. She also has experience playing with an Ohio State star.
In the 2023 offseason, VanSlooten also played alongside McMahon on Team USA’s U19 side. The pair of Ohioans brought home gold for the Red, White & Blue at the U19 World Cup, in Spain. Also in 2022, in Argentina at the U18 FIBA Americas Cup, also bringing home gold.
Could VanSlooten follow in the footsteps of former Buckeye Taylor Mikesell and leave Oregon for her home in Ohio? She is one of hundreds of players in the portal, all looking for another school.
With the Buckeyes’ season over, McGuff is already in General Manager mode. It’s likely that the roster fans see now, including incoming freshmen, could look much different by the time games start in the late fall.
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
What will the roster look like at each position, and is there a name in the portal who can help fill a need?
Lately, the news surrounding Ohio State women’s basketball has all focused on exits. First, it was from the NCAA Tournament, losing in the Second Round to the Duke Blue Devils, after going up 16 points in the first half. Then, the hiring of assistant coach Wesley Brooks to lead Utah State’s program. On the court, it was three transfer portal announcements, with the third hitting fans the worst of all.
Where does all of this leave the Buckeyes next season? Here’s the good, the bad, and the unknown...
Guards
The biggest hit this offseason is in the backcourt. For five years, Jacy Sheldon has led the Scarlet and Gray offensively and defensively. Now, the career Buckeye is gone, destined for professional basketball. Along with Sheldon is one-year Ohio State guard Celeste Taylor. The shooting guard who led the Big Ten in defensive rating and steals joins Sheldon in the WNBA Draft pool of available players.
Those were the involuntary departures, after all NCAA eligibility only goes so far. However, all three transfers depleted the guard numbers for the Buckeyes.
Emma Shumate and Diana Collins were the first two in the portal. Both players found time on the court this year, but not consistently or as much as both themselves and fans would’ve liked. Shumate averaged 9.6 minutes, and Collins slightly more with 9.9.
Their absence made sense for the 2023-24 season. After all, the underclassmen were behind a group of five guards with Sheldon, Taylor, Madison Greene, Rikki Harris, and Taylor Thierry. There are, of course, arguments for creating stronger depth, but those are now a moot point with the pair looking for greener pastures outside of Columbus.
Even with the transfer announcements, there was still a strong returning group and a pair of incoming freshmen. Unfortunately for the Buckeyes, it took a hit Wednesday when Harris added her name to the list of players going into the portal.
Harris only missed one game for Ohio State this season due to illness. For all other 31 games, Harris came off the bench to provide defense, being an occasional deep shooting threat and doing whatever was needed for head coach Kevin McGuff.
The five-year Buckeye, one season as a redshirt, has played every position but center in the last three seasons, showing versatility and leadership through the years.
That transfer especially adds a wrinkle to next season’s team.
Next season’s Ohio State team will have Greene as the lone guard anchor. Thierry plays a third-guard role but doesn’t fit a single position. The soon-to-be senior plays everywhere on the court and doesn’t fit a traditional guard role. There’s also sophomore Kaia Henderson and redshirt Kennedy Cambridge.
Henderson played 111 minutes in two seasons, averaging 4.5 minutes for the Buckeyes this season, all in moments where the game was not competitive. For Cambridge, she was redshirted by Coach McGuff, giving her three seasons with Ohio State. Before the Buckeyes, Cambridge played for the Kentucky Wildcats and prides herself on her defensive ability.
Greene’s natural position is point guard, but knee injuries have plagued the redshirt senior. Due to season-ending knee injuries in two consecutive seasons, the Pickerington, Ohio native didn’t start a game this season but contributed off the bench.
Alongside the duo of Greene and Henderson, the only expected guards on the roster are freshmen, but one has the potential to be extraordinary.
Jaloni Cambridge, Kennedy Cambridge’s younger sister, has all the potential to come into the Buckeyes’ side and start day one as Coach McGuff’s point guard. At the McDonald’s All-American game on Tuesday, Cambridge showed her abilities. Cambridge runs the court while reading it, drawing attention and finding teammates or turning on another gear to get to the basket.
That could mean Greene slides over to a shooting guard role or the Buckeyes are active in the transfer portal and bring in a starting-caliber guard to strengthen the position.
Plus, incoming four-star freshman Ava Watson. The Georgia native won the player of the year honor for her region in high school. Will she go the way of other guards like Shumate and Collins who entered the team and left without seeing the court?
Regardless of who’s coming in, it wasn’t going to be possible to immediately replace the impact of Sheldon and Taylor, but due to transfers, the position has more question marks around it.
Forwards and Center
Before all the transfer announcements, the forward role was the one needing the most attention. Outside of returning forward Cotie McMahon, who publicly committed to staying with Ohio State, the turnover was big.
The Buckeyes lost Rebeka Mikulášiková, Taiyier Parks, and Eboni Walker, for whom Ohio State was trying to find an extra redshirt-eligible season, but as of publishing, there’s no update on that status.
That leaves an obvious gap at the five-position. Mikulášiková played the de facto center position over the last three seasons, playing more games than any other Buckeye in that timespan. Parks came in last season as reinforcement, playing a more physical, traditional, post position compared to Mikulášiková’s Euro forward deep shooting threat.
Especially without Walker, who left the team late in the season, only to return for the NCAA Tournament, Ohio State’s an obvious candidate for a big in the transfer portal. Only one player on the current roster fits the post-player model, freshman Faith Carson.
Carson joined the Buckeyes as a freshman but sat behind three other post players in the depth chart. That and a midseason injury absence meant Carson only played 1.7 minutes per game in seven appearances.
Thierry is the likeliest name to slide into that starting five-position. In smaller sets, Coach McGuff’s used Thierry as the team’s center because of her jumping ability and agility, but that’s not sustainable in a conference featuring strong post players like Illinois Fighting Illini’s Kendall Bostic and UCLA center Lauren Betts.
Outside of any transfers, Ohio State brings in three freshmen to reinforce the position. Forwards Ella Hobbs, Seini Hicks and Elsa Lemmilä.
Hobbs and Lemmilä will be in the group of players, with Carson, inside the paint. Hobbs is a 6-foot-3 forward out of Concord, North Carolina, who will bring physicality. The incoming freshman can back players into the post, hit shots inside, or find teammates around the arc.
Lemmilä is a 6-foot-6 Finnish youth international who has agility in the paint and size the Buckeyes haven’t had in years. Could either of the two earn a spot starting, due to the light depth chart?
No matter which way McGuff goes, rebounding is an area the team’s lacked consistency in for the past three seasons.
Here’s how the team roster looks, at the time of publishing:
Incoming Transfers
The question on every college basketball fan’s mind is the transfer portal. Especially for Buckeye fans considering the recent losses to the roster.
On Wednesday, an Ohioan’s addition to the portal grabbed attention. Oregon Ducks’ sophomore Grace VanSlooten, out of Toledo, Ohio, announced her intent to leave.
VanSlooten, who entered the NCAA out of IMG Academy in Florida, was the No. 14 ranked prospect out of high school, choosing to go to the Pacific Northwest. This season, the 6-foot-3 forward averaged 15 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game for the Ducks. She also has experience playing with an Ohio State star.
In the 2023 offseason, VanSlooten also played alongside McMahon on Team USA’s U19 side. The pair of Ohioans brought home gold for the Red, White & Blue at the U19 World Cup, in Spain. Also in 2022, in Argentina at the U18 FIBA Americas Cup, also bringing home gold.
Could VanSlooten follow in the footsteps of former Buckeye Taylor Mikesell and leave Oregon for her home in Ohio? She is one of hundreds of players in the portal, all looking for another school.
With the Buckeyes’ season over, McGuff is already in General Manager mode. It’s likely that the roster fans see now, including incoming freshmen, could look much different by the time games start in the late fall.
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