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LGHL By the numbers: Buckeyes freeze out the Penguins, 81-47
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By the numbers: Buckeyes freeze out the Penguins, 81-47
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images
Ohio State got big contributions from Aaron Bradshaw and John Mobley Jr. in the rout.
Here’s a sentence that you would not have believed if I’d told you back in January: The 21st-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes (2-0) — led by head coach Jake Diebler — returned home on Monday evening for their home opener after knocking off a ranked Texas team last week to start the year.
Less than one calendar year after it felt like the program was going into a tailspin that could have yearslong consequences, the Buckeyes, led by a head coach that wasn’t even considered a candidate to be the head coach in February, appear to be back on track. The program has a long way to go to get back to the heights of Thad Matta’s Ohio State heyday, but in the very least, the energy surrounding the program has picked back up in a major way.
In front of several thousands students — who all got in for free — Diebler kept with the same starting lineup he used in last week’s win over Texas: Bruce Thornton, Meechie Johnson, Micah Parrish, Sean Stewart, and Aaron Bradshaw.
The Penguins who are also led by a first-year head coach in Ethan Faulkner — went with a starting five of Jason Nelson, Ty Harper, Nico Galette, EJ Farmer, and Gabe Dynes.
After Youngstown State scored the first basket of the game, Ohio State responded with an impressive 12-0 run to go ahead 12-2 by the 14:10 mark of the first half. Bradshaw and Johnson both erased the memory of their tough performances against Texas, scoring five apiece and helping the Buckeyes establish a big lead early on. John Mobley also knocked down two three-pointers early on, which made him 6-for-6 in his college career. His second three made it 18-8 Ohio State with 12:07 remaining in the first half.
Ohio State was sleepwalking through the final 12 minutes or so of the first half — playing even with the Penguins, but not letting them get much closer, either. After going up 12-2, Ohio State only outscored Youngstown State 25-20 for the final 14 minutes of the first half, going into the halftime break up, 37-22.
Turnovers were an issue in the first half for Ohio State. The Buckeyes gave up the biscuit nine times, including four turnovers by Johnson. Ohio State also committed 11 first-half fouls, with Royal picking up three and Thornton two. They did slightly better in the second half, only turning it over six times but still finishing with 15 for the game.
The Buckeyes put their foot on the gas to start the second half, extending their lead from 15 to 26 by the under-12 media timeout. Ohio State was spreading it around too, with six different guys scoring in the first seven minutes of the second half. Mobley extended his three-point streak to seven consecutive makes to put Ohio state up 28, and Bradshaw was chasing his career-high of 17 points that he set at Kentucky last season.
By the under-four media timeout Diebler began emptying the bench, giving Colin White, Ques Glover, and Austin Parks a chance to finish the game with Ohio State up 72-41. By the time all was said and done, the Buckeyes had wrapped up a 81-47 win over their in-state for from Mahoning County.
Bradshaw and Mobley each had 16 points for the Buckeyes, with Mobley setting a career-high and Bradshaw coming one point short of tying his. Harper, Dynes, and Cris Carroll each had nine points for YSU.
If you weren’t able to catch Ohio State’s second win of the season tonight, here are a few key stats and figures that you should know about the Buckeyes 33rd win against in-state foes in their last 34 tries.
After a forgettable performance against the Longhorns last week, sophomore center Aaron Bradshaw set a new *Buckeye* career high within the first two minutes of Monday night’s game.
Bradshaw got the scoring started with a running, one-handed slam 34 seconds into the game that tied the game, 2-2. On the next Ohio State possession, Parrish missed a short jumper but Stewart was able to grab the miss and kick the ball out to Bradshaw at the top of the key. The 7-foot-1 center splashed his first three-pointer of the season, making it 5-2 Ohio State.
He only scored two points in 21 minutes against Texas last week, but outpaced that pretty much immediately Monday night.
Predictably, the Penguins force fed the ball to Gabe Dynes on their first possession, and the 7-foot-3 center was promptly stuffed at the rim by Stewart. However, nobody was there to grab the miss, so Dynes made the heads-up play himself to grab the ball and slam it home.
However, after the first YSU basket, they would not score for the next 6:14 of game time. During that stretch, Ohio State went on a 12-0 run, getting five points each from Bradshaw and Johnson in the process. That gave Ohio State its first double-digit lead of the season.
Ohio State picked up 11 personal fouls in the first half, including three by Devin Royal and two by Thornton. Thornton sat for a few minutes, but Diebler put him back in the game at the under-four media timeout with two fouls, and he immediately hit a baseline jumper to put Ohio State up 35-20.
Most of Ohio State’s fouls came from players being too aggressive below the basket. Evan Mahaffey fell for a pretty easy shot fake and the shooter jumped into him to draw contact. Royal tried to rip the ball out of Dynes’ hands on the baseline, but it got too physical and he was whistled for a foul. Generally, these first-half fouls weren’t brain farts — they were just the product of being too aggressive.
After going 4-for-4 from beyond the arc against Texas, Mobley knocked down a pair of them against Youngstown State in the first half of Monday night’s game. Then in the second half he got a pass in the corner from Colin White and knocked that down as well, making it 57-29 Buckeyes with 13:02 remaining in the game. That also made Mobley a perfect 7-for-7 from downtown in his college career.
With 10:28 left in the game, Mobley airballed a three-point try from the same spot he hit his last one, which stopped the streak at seven.
Ohio State held the Penguins below 30% shooting on Monday night, including a ridiculously bad 13.6% (3-for-22) from three-point range.
Ohio State (2-0) has three days off before flying to College Station to face the 23rd-ranked Texas A&M Aggies (1-1) on Friday night. This game is the second leg of a home-and-home series that began last year, when A&M beat the Buckeyes in Columbus, 73-66.
The Buckeyes’ game against the Aggies will tip off at 9:00 p.m. ET on Friday night. It will be broadcast on SEC Network, which means you can also catch it on the Watch ESPN app or at ESPN.com/watch.
Continue reading...
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images
Ohio State got big contributions from Aaron Bradshaw and John Mobley Jr. in the rout.
Here’s a sentence that you would not have believed if I’d told you back in January: The 21st-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes (2-0) — led by head coach Jake Diebler — returned home on Monday evening for their home opener after knocking off a ranked Texas team last week to start the year.
Less than one calendar year after it felt like the program was going into a tailspin that could have yearslong consequences, the Buckeyes, led by a head coach that wasn’t even considered a candidate to be the head coach in February, appear to be back on track. The program has a long way to go to get back to the heights of Thad Matta’s Ohio State heyday, but in the very least, the energy surrounding the program has picked back up in a major way.
In front of several thousands students — who all got in for free — Diebler kept with the same starting lineup he used in last week’s win over Texas: Bruce Thornton, Meechie Johnson, Micah Parrish, Sean Stewart, and Aaron Bradshaw.
The Penguins who are also led by a first-year head coach in Ethan Faulkner — went with a starting five of Jason Nelson, Ty Harper, Nico Galette, EJ Farmer, and Gabe Dynes.
After Youngstown State scored the first basket of the game, Ohio State responded with an impressive 12-0 run to go ahead 12-2 by the 14:10 mark of the first half. Bradshaw and Johnson both erased the memory of their tough performances against Texas, scoring five apiece and helping the Buckeyes establish a big lead early on. John Mobley also knocked down two three-pointers early on, which made him 6-for-6 in his college career. His second three made it 18-8 Ohio State with 12:07 remaining in the first half.
Ohio State was sleepwalking through the final 12 minutes or so of the first half — playing even with the Penguins, but not letting them get much closer, either. After going up 12-2, Ohio State only outscored Youngstown State 25-20 for the final 14 minutes of the first half, going into the halftime break up, 37-22.
Turnovers were an issue in the first half for Ohio State. The Buckeyes gave up the biscuit nine times, including four turnovers by Johnson. Ohio State also committed 11 first-half fouls, with Royal picking up three and Thornton two. They did slightly better in the second half, only turning it over six times but still finishing with 15 for the game.
The Buckeyes put their foot on the gas to start the second half, extending their lead from 15 to 26 by the under-12 media timeout. Ohio State was spreading it around too, with six different guys scoring in the first seven minutes of the second half. Mobley extended his three-point streak to seven consecutive makes to put Ohio state up 28, and Bradshaw was chasing his career-high of 17 points that he set at Kentucky last season.
By the under-four media timeout Diebler began emptying the bench, giving Colin White, Ques Glover, and Austin Parks a chance to finish the game with Ohio State up 72-41. By the time all was said and done, the Buckeyes had wrapped up a 81-47 win over their in-state for from Mahoning County.
Bradshaw and Mobley each had 16 points for the Buckeyes, with Mobley setting a career-high and Bradshaw coming one point short of tying his. Harper, Dynes, and Cris Carroll each had nine points for YSU.
If you weren’t able to catch Ohio State’s second win of the season tonight, here are a few key stats and figures that you should know about the Buckeyes 33rd win against in-state foes in their last 34 tries.
Five
Consecutive points by Bradshaw to begin the game
After a forgettable performance against the Longhorns last week, sophomore center Aaron Bradshaw set a new *Buckeye* career high within the first two minutes of Monday night’s game.
Bradshaw got the scoring started with a running, one-handed slam 34 seconds into the game that tied the game, 2-2. On the next Ohio State possession, Parrish missed a short jumper but Stewart was able to grab the miss and kick the ball out to Bradshaw at the top of the key. The 7-foot-1 center splashed his first three-pointer of the season, making it 5-2 Ohio State.
He only scored two points in 21 minutes against Texas last week, but outpaced that pretty much immediately Monday night.
10
Consecutive points by Ohio State after falling behind 2-0 to start the game
Predictably, the Penguins force fed the ball to Gabe Dynes on their first possession, and the 7-foot-3 center was promptly stuffed at the rim by Stewart. However, nobody was there to grab the miss, so Dynes made the heads-up play himself to grab the ball and slam it home.
However, after the first YSU basket, they would not score for the next 6:14 of game time. During that stretch, Ohio State went on a 12-0 run, getting five points each from Bradshaw and Johnson in the process. That gave Ohio State its first double-digit lead of the season.
11
First-half fouls by Ohio State
Ohio State picked up 11 personal fouls in the first half, including three by Devin Royal and two by Thornton. Thornton sat for a few minutes, but Diebler put him back in the game at the under-four media timeout with two fouls, and he immediately hit a baseline jumper to put Ohio State up 35-20.
Most of Ohio State’s fouls came from players being too aggressive below the basket. Evan Mahaffey fell for a pretty easy shot fake and the shooter jumped into him to draw contact. Royal tried to rip the ball out of Dynes’ hands on the baseline, but it got too physical and he was whistled for a foul. Generally, these first-half fouls weren’t brain farts — they were just the product of being too aggressive.
Seven
Consecutive three-pointers made to start John Mobley’s college career
After going 4-for-4 from beyond the arc against Texas, Mobley knocked down a pair of them against Youngstown State in the first half of Monday night’s game. Then in the second half he got a pass in the corner from Colin White and knocked that down as well, making it 57-29 Buckeyes with 13:02 remaining in the game. That also made Mobley a perfect 7-for-7 from downtown in his college career.
With 10:28 left in the game, Mobley airballed a three-point try from the same spot he hit his last one, which stopped the streak at seven.
23.7
Youngstown State’s shooting percentage
Ohio State held the Penguins below 30% shooting on Monday night, including a ridiculously bad 13.6% (3-for-22) from three-point range.
What’s next?
Ohio State (2-0) has three days off before flying to College Station to face the 23rd-ranked Texas A&M Aggies (1-1) on Friday night. This game is the second leg of a home-and-home series that began last year, when A&M beat the Buckeyes in Columbus, 73-66.
The Buckeyes’ game against the Aggies will tip off at 9:00 p.m. ET on Friday night. It will be broadcast on SEC Network, which means you can also catch it on the Watch ESPN app or at ESPN.com/watch.
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LGHL LGHL WBB Podcast: Katie Smith, Jacy Sheldon talk new roles, Jaloni Cambridge, more
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LGHL WBB Podcast: Katie Smith, Jacy Sheldon talk new roles, Jaloni Cambridge, more
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State women’s basketball on Twitter | @OhioStateWBB
Look back at the first win of the Buckeyes season and a look ahead to a two-game week
The Land-Grant Women’s Basketball Podcast is a show dedicated to coverage of the Ohio State women’s basketball team. Each Monday during the basketball season, LGHL recaps recent games, previews upcoming contests, and talks with those in and around the Ohio State women’s basketball universe. Hear directly from players and coaches and receive additional context behind what they say to the media.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
It was an exciting Monday in Ohio State women’s basketball land, to say the least. Head coach Kevin McGuff and the Buckeyes announced the hiring of not one but two former star guards in different roles on the coaching staff.
In the latest “Land-Grant WBB Podcast”, the Buckeyes played a real game of basketball with Jaloni Cambridge featuring, alongside strong performances by Cotie McMahon and the full-court press. That win is broken down, along with a preview of a two-game week for the Buckeyes.
Before that, new assistant coach Katie Smith and head of player development Jacy Sheldon spoke with the media. Smith talked about why she stepped away from the WNBA for the college ranks and how the decision wasn’t tough. Plus, Sheldon talks about watching Cambridge last week and what advice she’d give the new point guard in the press.
That and more in the newest episode of the “Land-Grant WBB Podcast.”
Connect with Thomas:
Twitter: @1ThomasCostello
Continue reading...
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State women’s basketball on Twitter | @OhioStateWBB
Look back at the first win of the Buckeyes season and a look ahead to a two-game week
The Land-Grant Women’s Basketball Podcast is a show dedicated to coverage of the Ohio State women’s basketball team. Each Monday during the basketball season, LGHL recaps recent games, previews upcoming contests, and talks with those in and around the Ohio State women’s basketball universe. Hear directly from players and coaches and receive additional context behind what they say to the media.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
It was an exciting Monday in Ohio State women’s basketball land, to say the least. Head coach Kevin McGuff and the Buckeyes announced the hiring of not one but two former star guards in different roles on the coaching staff.
In the latest “Land-Grant WBB Podcast”, the Buckeyes played a real game of basketball with Jaloni Cambridge featuring, alongside strong performances by Cotie McMahon and the full-court press. That win is broken down, along with a preview of a two-game week for the Buckeyes.
Before that, new assistant coach Katie Smith and head of player development Jacy Sheldon spoke with the media. Smith talked about why she stepped away from the WNBA for the college ranks and how the decision wasn’t tough. Plus, Sheldon talks about watching Cambridge last week and what advice she’d give the new point guard in the press.
That and more in the newest episode of the “Land-Grant WBB Podcast.”
Connect with Thomas:
Twitter: @1ThomasCostello
Theme music: “HOLY MOLY” by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
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LGHL Big Ten Top 10: Oregon, Ohio State, Indiana impress in latest SBN B1G Writers Poll
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Big Ten Top 10: Oregon, Ohio State, Indiana impress in latest SBN B1G Writers Poll
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ali Gradischer/Getty Images
The Ducks and Buckeyes were the unanimous No. 1 and No. 2 team in the country.
AP Poll? Shmay Pee Poll! Coaches Poll? We all know that coaches don’t have time to fill out a weekly survey, let alone watch enough games to make informed choices! That’s why your friendly neighborhood Big Ten writers from across the SB Nation universe have banded together to come up with the only fair, accurate, non-biased poll in all of college football.
Every week, a writer from the 16 sites covering specific B1G schools (lowly UCLA and USC don’t have SBN sites) will submit their picks, and O Basse from Michigan State site The Only Colors will compile them into the official SBN Big Ten Writers Poll
.
I will keep you updated on our selections here on Land-Grant Holy Land, and I will let you know how I vote every week because we believe in truth, justice, and transparency in journalism here in Buckeye Country.
There will also be a Player of the Week selected by the Big Ten writers and a Heisman Trophy leaderboard. So, without further ado, here is the post-Week 11 SB Nation Big Ten Writers Poll.
These rankings coincide with my Top-12 picks every week on the “No Fall Weddings” podcast in the Land-Grant Podcast Network feed, which you can subscribe to anywhere you get your favorite audio entertainment.
New episodes generally come out on Wednesday afternoons, but sometimes on Friday mornings. “No Fall Weddings” is your one-stop shop for everything you need to know about the Buckeyes and the rest of the college football world.
To me, it is becoming increasingly clear that the Heisman Trophy debate is going to come down to a debate around Boise State’s schedule vs. the field. Whether or not voters believe that the defenders that Ashton Jeanty has run through during his historic season are enough to justify giving the running back the sport’s most prestigious individual award is all that there really is to discuss at this point, because there’s no doubt in my mind that Jeanty is the best, most reliable player in college football.
In the Broncos’ 28-21 win over Nevada, Jeanty went for 209 yards and 3 touchdowns on 34 carries. If Boise makes the College Football Playoff like they appear to be on track to do, it will be fascinating to see how he fairs against a top-flight defense in the postseason.
Others receiving votes:
Jalen Milroe, Alabama, QB
Quinn Ewers, Texas, QB
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ali Gradischer/Getty Images
The Ducks and Buckeyes were the unanimous No. 1 and No. 2 team in the country.
AP Poll? Shmay Pee Poll! Coaches Poll? We all know that coaches don’t have time to fill out a weekly survey, let alone watch enough games to make informed choices! That’s why your friendly neighborhood Big Ten writers from across the SB Nation universe have banded together to come up with the only fair, accurate, non-biased poll in all of college football.
Every week, a writer from the 16 sites covering specific B1G schools (lowly UCLA and USC don’t have SBN sites) will submit their picks, and O Basse from Michigan State site The Only Colors will compile them into the official SBN Big Ten Writers Poll
.I will keep you updated on our selections here on Land-Grant Holy Land, and I will let you know how I vote every week because we believe in truth, justice, and transparency in journalism here in Buckeye Country.
There will also be a Player of the Week selected by the Big Ten writers and a Heisman Trophy leaderboard. So, without further ado, here is the post-Week 11 SB Nation Big Ten Writers Poll.
SB Nation Big Ten Writers Poll | Week 11
My Personal Top-10 Rankings | Week 11
These rankings coincide with my Top-12 picks every week on the “No Fall Weddings” podcast in the Land-Grant Podcast Network feed, which you can subscribe to anywhere you get your favorite audio entertainment.
New episodes generally come out on Wednesday afternoons, but sometimes on Friday mornings. “No Fall Weddings” is your one-stop shop for everything you need to know about the Buckeyes and the rest of the college football world.
Player of the Week | Ashton Jeanty, Boise State, RB
To me, it is becoming increasingly clear that the Heisman Trophy debate is going to come down to a debate around Boise State’s schedule vs. the field. Whether or not voters believe that the defenders that Ashton Jeanty has run through during his historic season are enough to justify giving the running back the sport’s most prestigious individual award is all that there really is to discuss at this point, because there’s no doubt in my mind that Jeanty is the best, most reliable player in college football.
In the Broncos’ 28-21 win over Nevada, Jeanty went for 209 yards and 3 touchdowns on 34 carries. If Boise makes the College Football Playoff like they appear to be on track to do, it will be fascinating to see how he fairs against a top-flight defense in the postseason.
Others receiving votes:
Jalen Milroe, Alabama, QB
Quinn Ewers, Texas, QB
Heisman Trophy Leaderboard
Continue reading...
LGHL For the first time in two seasons, Ohio State men’s basketball is ranked in the AP Top-25 Poll
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For the first time in two seasons, Ohio State men’s basketball is ranked in the AP Top-25 Poll
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
The Buckeyes are ranked for the first time since January 2023.
The second Associated Press poll of the season was released Monday afternoon, and the Ohio State Buckeyes, led by new head coach Jake Diebler, entered the ranks at No. 21.
Ohio State earned votes in the initial AP Poll last month, but not enough to place in the top 25. After beating then-No. 19 Texas 80-72 last week, the Buckeyes picked up more votes and are now ranked heading into tonight’s bout with the Youngstown State Penguins.
This is the first time Ohio State has been ranked in the AP Poll since January 2, 2023. The Buckeyes were No. 24 in that week nine poll. Since showing up in that poll, Ohio State played to a 28-30 record — until last week’s win over Texas.
The Buckeyes’ lackluster play over the past two seasons kept them far away from the top 25, but a rebuilt roster with veteran guards, paired with last week’s big win over Texas, has vaulted Diebler’s team back into the AP Poll.
Ohio State’s appearance in the top-25 poll is partially a nod to the media’s confidence in Diebler, who took over a dysfunctional situation in February and ended the season on a high note. Not only did Ohio State’s offense improve under Diebler last year down the stretch, but they also finished the season as the 23rd-best defensive team in the country for the final 11 games, per KenPom’s defensive efficiency ratings.
Despite missing the NCAA Tournament each of the last two seasons, it took the Buckeyes just one singular regular season win to get them back into the top 25.
Junior guard Bruce Thornton — a preseason All-Big Ten honoree — led Ohio State with 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists against Texas. 14 of Thornton’s 20 points came in the second half, and he also scored the Buckeyes’ final nine points of the game.
Sophomore Devin Royal and freshman John Mobley Jr. combined for 30 points off the bench against the Longhorns, as the Buckeyes’ reserves outscored Texas’ 33-10. Micah Parrish scored 17 points and also had six rebounds and five assists.
Three other Big Ten teams were listed in the AP Poll this week. They are Purdue (13), Indiana (16), and Rutgers (24).
Kansas retained its top spot at No. 1, followed by Alabama, UConn, Gonzaga, and Auburn.
Ohio State faces Youngstown State tonight at 6 p.m. ET.
Continue reading...
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
The Buckeyes are ranked for the first time since January 2023.
The second Associated Press poll of the season was released Monday afternoon, and the Ohio State Buckeyes, led by new head coach Jake Diebler, entered the ranks at No. 21.
Ohio State earned votes in the initial AP Poll last month, but not enough to place in the top 25. After beating then-No. 19 Texas 80-72 last week, the Buckeyes picked up more votes and are now ranked heading into tonight’s bout with the Youngstown State Penguins.
This is the first time Ohio State has been ranked in the AP Poll since January 2, 2023. The Buckeyes were No. 24 in that week nine poll. Since showing up in that poll, Ohio State played to a 28-30 record — until last week’s win over Texas.
The Buckeyes’ lackluster play over the past two seasons kept them far away from the top 25, but a rebuilt roster with veteran guards, paired with last week’s big win over Texas, has vaulted Diebler’s team back into the AP Poll.
Ohio State’s appearance in the top-25 poll is partially a nod to the media’s confidence in Diebler, who took over a dysfunctional situation in February and ended the season on a high note. Not only did Ohio State’s offense improve under Diebler last year down the stretch, but they also finished the season as the 23rd-best defensive team in the country for the final 11 games, per KenPom’s defensive efficiency ratings.
Despite missing the NCAA Tournament each of the last two seasons, it took the Buckeyes just one singular regular season win to get them back into the top 25.
Junior guard Bruce Thornton — a preseason All-Big Ten honoree — led Ohio State with 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists against Texas. 14 of Thornton’s 20 points came in the second half, and he also scored the Buckeyes’ final nine points of the game.
Sophomore Devin Royal and freshman John Mobley Jr. combined for 30 points off the bench against the Longhorns, as the Buckeyes’ reserves outscored Texas’ 33-10. Micah Parrish scored 17 points and also had six rebounds and five assists.
Three other Big Ten teams were listed in the AP Poll this week. They are Purdue (13), Indiana (16), and Rutgers (24).
Kansas retained its top spot at No. 1, followed by Alabama, UConn, Gonzaga, and Auburn.
Ohio State faces Youngstown State tonight at 6 p.m. ET.
Continue reading...
LGHL You’re Nuts: Cambridge or Mobley? Which Ohio State basketball freshman had more impressive debut?
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You’re Nuts: Cambridge or Mobley? Which Ohio State basketball freshman had more impressive debut?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
The good news is that Buckeye basketball fans already have so much to be excited about from both men and women. The bad news is I can only hype one performance in this column.
But since I can only choose one, I have to go with Juni Mobley Jr., who had a spectacular performance in the Ohio State men’s basketball team’s upset of No. 19 Texas on Monday.
In his first collegiate appearance, the four-star freshman guard announced himself in style—with a three-pointer from the half-court logo at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas during the first minute of his playing time. And that was just the beginning.
Over the course of the next 13 minutes, Mobley shot 100 percent from the free throw line (2-for-2) and nailed 100 percent of the threes he shot (four of them, to be exact) to add 14 points off the bench. It was the highest number of 3-pointers made by a Buckeye in a season opener since 2016 when Kam Williams made five, and the most by a freshman in a season opener in school history.
Now, math isn’t my subject, but I’m no idiot: I know Jaloni Cambridge put up objectively even more impressive numbers in her freshman debut (and we all know Cambridge is just getting started. She was a wonder to watch).
And truthfully, I’m not trying to compare their performances: Men’s and women’s basketball are different. Comparing her objectively stellar numbers and finesse to Mobley’s thirteen-minute cooking show is comparing apples to oranges, and I won’t try to do it.
So focusing only on Mobley’s performance, part of what was so striking was his confidence. There seemed to be no sign of freshman jitters; he was calm and in his element throughout his time on the court, something that becomes even more impressive when you consider the fact that he did so against a ranked team that, prior to its loss to the Buckeyes, had won 21 of its last 22 season openers.
You can teach people to shoot a basketball, play defense, set a pick, and execute on the fundamentals. You can’t teach composure. No matter, because Mobley has it implicitly. However, he also has the work ethic and determination to make sure he’s executing the fundamentals flawlessly.
In fact, Mobley was the top-ranked shooter in the 2024 recruiting class, according to 247Sports.com. His teammates and head coach Jake Diebler have spoken at length about his consistency and ability to be aggressive on the court.
And he said he had practiced that shot from center court, over and over and over again, taking consistent reps with shots of that distance on a daily basis.
Which is how he found himself nailing it on Monday. With patience and precision, Mobley found his moment to create an opening and take his shot. It was his announcement to the college basketball world that he was here, and it was time for us to see the fruits of his labor.
No doubt, the OSU men’s season opener against Texas was an incredibly thrilling way to start the season and Mobley’s career as a Buckeye, but what women’s basketball’s true freshman point guard Jaloni Cambridge did against Cleveland State was sensational.
In her first collegiate game, she logged 26 minutes, shooting 12-for-14 from the floor — including 2-for-3 from beyond the arc; she was also a perfect 5-for-5 from the charity stripe. In total, the Nashville native put up 31 points against the Vikings, but that wasn’t all. She also chipped in 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals, and 2 blocks.
As our women’s basketball beat writer Thomas Costello noted, it was like Cambridge had a different plan for each quarter as she looked to focus on a unique aspect of her game every 10 minutes.
She ended up leading the team in points, rebounds (tied with two others), assists, and steals, proving why she was the No. 3 player in the 2024 recruiting cycle. Her impact on this Buckeye team was immediate and needed. Head coach Kevin McGuff’s team lost a lot of production in the backcourt with Jacy Sheldon and Celeste Taylor departing for the professional ranks (although, Sheldon is back in a new role with the team).
So, while I admit that playing Cleveland State in your first collegiate game is not the same as playing a ranked Texas team in your first collegiate game, what Cambridge was able to accomplish in her first time out portends not only an incredible season, but an incredible career for the new Buckeye.
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Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
Today’s Question: Which freshman Ohio State basketball performance was most impressive?
Jami’s Take: Juni Mobley Jr.
The good news is that Buckeye basketball fans already have so much to be excited about from both men and women. The bad news is I can only hype one performance in this column.
But since I can only choose one, I have to go with Juni Mobley Jr., who had a spectacular performance in the Ohio State men’s basketball team’s upset of No. 19 Texas on Monday.
In his first collegiate appearance, the four-star freshman guard announced himself in style—with a three-pointer from the half-court logo at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas during the first minute of his playing time. And that was just the beginning.
Over the course of the next 13 minutes, Mobley shot 100 percent from the free throw line (2-for-2) and nailed 100 percent of the threes he shot (four of them, to be exact) to add 14 points off the bench. It was the highest number of 3-pointers made by a Buckeye in a season opener since 2016 when Kam Williams made five, and the most by a freshman in a season opener in school history.
Now, math isn’t my subject, but I’m no idiot: I know Jaloni Cambridge put up objectively even more impressive numbers in her freshman debut (and we all know Cambridge is just getting started. She was a wonder to watch).
And truthfully, I’m not trying to compare their performances: Men’s and women’s basketball are different. Comparing her objectively stellar numbers and finesse to Mobley’s thirteen-minute cooking show is comparing apples to oranges, and I won’t try to do it.
So focusing only on Mobley’s performance, part of what was so striking was his confidence. There seemed to be no sign of freshman jitters; he was calm and in his element throughout his time on the court, something that becomes even more impressive when you consider the fact that he did so against a ranked team that, prior to its loss to the Buckeyes, had won 21 of its last 22 season openers.
You can teach people to shoot a basketball, play defense, set a pick, and execute on the fundamentals. You can’t teach composure. No matter, because Mobley has it implicitly. However, he also has the work ethic and determination to make sure he’s executing the fundamentals flawlessly.
In fact, Mobley was the top-ranked shooter in the 2024 recruiting class, according to 247Sports.com. His teammates and head coach Jake Diebler have spoken at length about his consistency and ability to be aggressive on the court.
And he said he had practiced that shot from center court, over and over and over again, taking consistent reps with shots of that distance on a daily basis.
Which is how he found himself nailing it on Monday. With patience and precision, Mobley found his moment to create an opening and take his shot. It was his announcement to the college basketball world that he was here, and it was time for us to see the fruits of his labor.
Matt’s Take: Jaloni Cambridge
No doubt, the OSU men’s season opener against Texas was an incredibly thrilling way to start the season and Mobley’s career as a Buckeye, but what women’s basketball’s true freshman point guard Jaloni Cambridge did against Cleveland State was sensational.
In her first collegiate game, she logged 26 minutes, shooting 12-for-14 from the floor — including 2-for-3 from beyond the arc; she was also a perfect 5-for-5 from the charity stripe. In total, the Nashville native put up 31 points against the Vikings, but that wasn’t all. She also chipped in 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals, and 2 blocks.
As our women’s basketball beat writer Thomas Costello noted, it was like Cambridge had a different plan for each quarter as she looked to focus on a unique aspect of her game every 10 minutes.
She ended up leading the team in points, rebounds (tied with two others), assists, and steals, proving why she was the No. 3 player in the 2024 recruiting cycle. Her impact on this Buckeye team was immediate and needed. Head coach Kevin McGuff’s team lost a lot of production in the backcourt with Jacy Sheldon and Celeste Taylor departing for the professional ranks (although, Sheldon is back in a new role with the team).
So, while I admit that playing Cleveland State in your first collegiate game is not the same as playing a ranked Texas team in your first collegiate game, what Cambridge was able to accomplish in her first time out portends not only an incredible season, but an incredible career for the new Buckeye.
Let us know who you are agreeing with:
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LGHL You’re Nuts: Which non-traditional venue would you like to see Ohio State play in?
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You’re Nuts: Which non-traditional venue would you like to see Ohio State play in?
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The Buckeyes are playing at Wrigley Field this coming weekend, which prompted the question...
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
The Buckeyes head to Chicago this weekend to play their last true road game of the season against the Northwestern Wildcats. However, whilst (hint) visiting the Windy City, Ohio State will not be making its customary pilgrimage to Ryan Field. Nor will Ryan Day’s squad be checking out the Wildcats’ temporary stadium along Lake Michigan because, well, I’m not real sure.
Instead, OSU will battle “Nerdwestern” at/inside of historic Wrigley Field, home of Major League Baseball’s Chicago Cubs. That’s right: football played in a baseball stadium. But we’re not talking old-school Candlestick Park, where the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers and MLB’s San Francisco Giants shared a multi-purpose stadium. No, Wrigley is a baseball-only stadium... Except for when Northwestern (apparently) wants to try and generate some additional revenue.
Frankly, I don’t understand spending nearly a billion dollars to renovate Ryan Field, creating a unique gameday experience on the water (!), and then hosting the Buckeyes at a baseball stadium. But who am I to argue with decision-makers at the “Harvard of the Midwest”? If nothing else, the move to Wrigley allows more than 12,000 fans (temp. Martin Stadium capacity) to attend this game featuring one of the biggest brands/names/teams in college football.
Complaints aside, I’ve attended a few games at Wrigley, and the experience is absolutely as fun and entertaining and unique as it appears to be in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. So seeing the Scarlet and Gray (somewhat) surrounded by Wrigley’s famed ivy should be sort of cool... Once. Then let’s get back to proper football stadiums.
Or should we? While I was busy lamenting the novelty act-ness of this weekend’s game at Wrigley, my partner Gene was letting his mind wander in a different direction. He seems more than willing to embrace the idea of Ohio State playing more one-offs at unique venues. And ya know what? After hearing his idea/contemplating his question for today’s edition of You’re Nuts, I think I might be coming around as well.
Gene’s question was (essentially): Excluding Big Ten/traditional road venues, bowl games, etc., where else would you like to see OSU play a football game? And, after thinking about it for a few minutes, I realized that my answer is/was directly influenced and inspired by back-to-back events that I watched take place in Europe on Sunday. Allow me to explain:
Because I’m a sicko, I woke up Sunday morning and watched the lowly Carolina Panthers play the, uh, even lowlier New York Giants (sorry, Gene) in Germany. Then, as soon as that game was over, I flipped over to the English Premier League soccer game between Arsenal and Chelsea. This is a typical Sunday morning for your boy, and I thought nothing of it until Gene posed his question.
But when asked about Ohio State playing a(nother) one-off roadie, I thought: How cool would it be for the Buckeyes to play “across the pond” — a la all these NFL teams we see throughout October and November? The NFL has developed quite a fanbase and following abroad, and perhaps OSU could do the same. Then it (my answer) hit me like a ton of bricks...
London, baby! More specifically, Stamford Bridge, baby! Stamford Bridge is the home of Chelsea (FC), my favorite soccer/football/fútbol club. It opened in 1877 and is steeped in history. So it would be perfect for hosting college football’s second – but first real – London/England game.
Oddly enough, the University of Richmond played Boston University in London in 1988, in front of an estimated 2,500 fans. However, I am not counting that as CFB’s first London game. Just can’t do it.
Ohio State playing at Stamford Bridge would be a real spectacle. A proper spectacle, if you will. And I would know, because I’ve (also) attended a game there. My wonderful, beautiful, amazing wife surprised me with a trip and tickets to a Chelsea home game for my birthday, and it was arguably the greatest in-person sports experience of my life. It was truly a one-of-one all-timer, so I can only imagine what it would be like to see or watch my favorite team play in what I think is the best venue I’ve ever been to.
Now, Stamford’s capacity is only around 40,000, but its ambiance would more than makeup for the smaller crowd. I think it would feel like 400,000 in that joint, especially if OSU faced an opponent of note. But not Michigan. Because The Game should always be played in Columbus or Ann Arbor.
So there ya have it, Gene. Give me Buckeye football in a different type of football stadium.
For starters, let me say that I despise the typical ‘neutral site’ game. Much like the NFL itself, these cavernous professional football fields lack any sort of character or mystique. College football is too fun a sport to be played inside these soulless stadiums that feel like they were built more to please the big advertisers and rich suite owners rather than for the average fan. It is a disservice to the pageantry of the game to play some of the season’s biggest matchups, including conference title games and the College Football Playoff, in these joyless buildings.
That being said, I do think it is at least somewhat interesting for football games to be played in venues that aren’t typically built for football. Much like the NHL’s Winter Classic, which is an even bigger break from the norms as it moves hockey from its typical indoor arenas to the elements of the outdoors, the idea of a football game being played on a baseball field or in a soccer stadium provides that extra bit of novelty that makes it more acceptable than your typical neutral site.
Of course, this doesn’t hit the same when the field is specifically built to be shared by both football and baseball, like how the Oakland Coliseum used to be occupied by both the Raiders and the A’s. Seeing the dirt of the baseball diamond during a football game is a unique and interesting thing to see at first, but after a while, it becomes a bit silly. Nowadays, it is common for these baseball fields to be entirely covered with turf when a football team is being played, which makes far more sense.
There are a handful of college football games each year that are played in baseball stadiums. The vast majority of these are bowl games, like the Fenway Bowl at the home of the Boston Red Sox and the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. During the last bowl season, we also saw the Guaranteed Rate Bowl played at Chase Field (Arizona Diamondbacks) and the Holiday Bowl played at Petco Park (San Diego Padres). This matchup between Ohio State and Northwestern at Wrigley Field is a rare regular season contest away from either a college campus or an NFL stadium.
If I were to choose a fun new venue for Ohio State to play a neutral site game, one obvious idea comes to mind, and it is something that has been done before — albeit not for a while — and is also being used in the near future by Major League Baseball.
That location is Bristol Motor Speedway. The racetrack, which opened in 1961, hosts a variety of different auto-racing events, including a pair of annual NASCAR Cup Series events in the Southeastern 500 and the Volunteer 500. It has also served the local community in a multitude of ways over the years, including as an evacuation center during bad hurricane seasons as well as a COVID-19 vaccine distribution center during the height of the pandemic.
Bristol has also been used to support a variety of sporting events in the past, including football. In 1961, the track hosted an NFL exhibition game between the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles, and it hosted its first-ever college football game in 2016 in the Battle of Bristol between Tennessee and Virginia Tech. In 2025, the venue will also feature its first-ever baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and the Cincinnati Reds, which will also be the first regular season Major League Baseball game played in Tennessee.
No college teams have returned to Bristol Motor Speedway since one week after the Battle of Bristol in 2016, when East Tennessee and Western Carolina played an FCS game there. I think the idea of a football game being played on the infield of a race track is a really cool idea and is visually appealing. It is also more than large enough to host massive crowds, as Bristol’s capacity is listed at 146,000 — although not all of those seats would be viable to use for football viewing.
More often than not, I want to see college football games played on college campuses. However, if Ohio State has to play at a neutral site, I wouldn’t mind seeing them show off some of that speed in a place that is quite literally built for it.
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
The Buckeyes are playing at Wrigley Field this coming weekend, which prompted the question...
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
This week’s topic: Which non-traditional venue would you like to see Ohio State play in?
Josh’s Take
The Buckeyes head to Chicago this weekend to play their last true road game of the season against the Northwestern Wildcats. However, whilst (hint) visiting the Windy City, Ohio State will not be making its customary pilgrimage to Ryan Field. Nor will Ryan Day’s squad be checking out the Wildcats’ temporary stadium along Lake Michigan because, well, I’m not real sure.
Instead, OSU will battle “Nerdwestern” at/inside of historic Wrigley Field, home of Major League Baseball’s Chicago Cubs. That’s right: football played in a baseball stadium. But we’re not talking old-school Candlestick Park, where the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers and MLB’s San Francisco Giants shared a multi-purpose stadium. No, Wrigley is a baseball-only stadium... Except for when Northwestern (apparently) wants to try and generate some additional revenue.
Frankly, I don’t understand spending nearly a billion dollars to renovate Ryan Field, creating a unique gameday experience on the water (!), and then hosting the Buckeyes at a baseball stadium. But who am I to argue with decision-makers at the “Harvard of the Midwest”? If nothing else, the move to Wrigley allows more than 12,000 fans (temp. Martin Stadium capacity) to attend this game featuring one of the biggest brands/names/teams in college football.
Complaints aside, I’ve attended a few games at Wrigley, and the experience is absolutely as fun and entertaining and unique as it appears to be in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. So seeing the Scarlet and Gray (somewhat) surrounded by Wrigley’s famed ivy should be sort of cool... Once. Then let’s get back to proper football stadiums.
Or should we? While I was busy lamenting the novelty act-ness of this weekend’s game at Wrigley, my partner Gene was letting his mind wander in a different direction. He seems more than willing to embrace the idea of Ohio State playing more one-offs at unique venues. And ya know what? After hearing his idea/contemplating his question for today’s edition of You’re Nuts, I think I might be coming around as well.
Gene’s question was (essentially): Excluding Big Ten/traditional road venues, bowl games, etc., where else would you like to see OSU play a football game? And, after thinking about it for a few minutes, I realized that my answer is/was directly influenced and inspired by back-to-back events that I watched take place in Europe on Sunday. Allow me to explain:
Because I’m a sicko, I woke up Sunday morning and watched the lowly Carolina Panthers play the, uh, even lowlier New York Giants (sorry, Gene) in Germany. Then, as soon as that game was over, I flipped over to the English Premier League soccer game between Arsenal and Chelsea. This is a typical Sunday morning for your boy, and I thought nothing of it until Gene posed his question.
But when asked about Ohio State playing a(nother) one-off roadie, I thought: How cool would it be for the Buckeyes to play “across the pond” — a la all these NFL teams we see throughout October and November? The NFL has developed quite a fanbase and following abroad, and perhaps OSU could do the same. Then it (my answer) hit me like a ton of bricks...
London, baby! More specifically, Stamford Bridge, baby! Stamford Bridge is the home of Chelsea (FC), my favorite soccer/football/fútbol club. It opened in 1877 and is steeped in history. So it would be perfect for hosting college football’s second – but first real – London/England game.
Oddly enough, the University of Richmond played Boston University in London in 1988, in front of an estimated 2,500 fans. However, I am not counting that as CFB’s first London game. Just can’t do it.
Ohio State playing at Stamford Bridge would be a real spectacle. A proper spectacle, if you will. And I would know, because I’ve (also) attended a game there. My wonderful, beautiful, amazing wife surprised me with a trip and tickets to a Chelsea home game for my birthday, and it was arguably the greatest in-person sports experience of my life. It was truly a one-of-one all-timer, so I can only imagine what it would be like to see or watch my favorite team play in what I think is the best venue I’ve ever been to.
Now, Stamford’s capacity is only around 40,000, but its ambiance would more than makeup for the smaller crowd. I think it would feel like 400,000 in that joint, especially if OSU faced an opponent of note. But not Michigan. Because The Game should always be played in Columbus or Ann Arbor.
So there ya have it, Gene. Give me Buckeye football in a different type of football stadium.
Gene’s Take
For starters, let me say that I despise the typical ‘neutral site’ game. Much like the NFL itself, these cavernous professional football fields lack any sort of character or mystique. College football is too fun a sport to be played inside these soulless stadiums that feel like they were built more to please the big advertisers and rich suite owners rather than for the average fan. It is a disservice to the pageantry of the game to play some of the season’s biggest matchups, including conference title games and the College Football Playoff, in these joyless buildings.
That being said, I do think it is at least somewhat interesting for football games to be played in venues that aren’t typically built for football. Much like the NHL’s Winter Classic, which is an even bigger break from the norms as it moves hockey from its typical indoor arenas to the elements of the outdoors, the idea of a football game being played on a baseball field or in a soccer stadium provides that extra bit of novelty that makes it more acceptable than your typical neutral site.
Of course, this doesn’t hit the same when the field is specifically built to be shared by both football and baseball, like how the Oakland Coliseum used to be occupied by both the Raiders and the A’s. Seeing the dirt of the baseball diamond during a football game is a unique and interesting thing to see at first, but after a while, it becomes a bit silly. Nowadays, it is common for these baseball fields to be entirely covered with turf when a football team is being played, which makes far more sense.
There are a handful of college football games each year that are played in baseball stadiums. The vast majority of these are bowl games, like the Fenway Bowl at the home of the Boston Red Sox and the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. During the last bowl season, we also saw the Guaranteed Rate Bowl played at Chase Field (Arizona Diamondbacks) and the Holiday Bowl played at Petco Park (San Diego Padres). This matchup between Ohio State and Northwestern at Wrigley Field is a rare regular season contest away from either a college campus or an NFL stadium.
If I were to choose a fun new venue for Ohio State to play a neutral site game, one obvious idea comes to mind, and it is something that has been done before — albeit not for a while — and is also being used in the near future by Major League Baseball.
That location is Bristol Motor Speedway. The racetrack, which opened in 1961, hosts a variety of different auto-racing events, including a pair of annual NASCAR Cup Series events in the Southeastern 500 and the Volunteer 500. It has also served the local community in a multitude of ways over the years, including as an evacuation center during bad hurricane seasons as well as a COVID-19 vaccine distribution center during the height of the pandemic.
Bristol has also been used to support a variety of sporting events in the past, including football. In 1961, the track hosted an NFL exhibition game between the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles, and it hosted its first-ever college football game in 2016 in the Battle of Bristol between Tennessee and Virginia Tech. In 2025, the venue will also feature its first-ever baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and the Cincinnati Reds, which will also be the first regular season Major League Baseball game played in Tennessee.
No college teams have returned to Bristol Motor Speedway since one week after the Battle of Bristol in 2016, when East Tennessee and Western Carolina played an FCS game there. I think the idea of a football game being played on the infield of a race track is a really cool idea and is visually appealing. It is also more than large enough to host massive crowds, as Bristol’s capacity is listed at 146,000 — although not all of those seats would be viable to use for football viewing.
More often than not, I want to see college football games played on college campuses. However, if Ohio State has to play at a neutral site, I wouldn’t mind seeing them show off some of that speed in a place that is quite literally built for it.
Continue reading...
LGHL Grumpy Old Buckeye: Nitpicking Ohio State’s 45-0 win over Purdue
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Grumpy Old Buckeye: Nitpicking Ohio State’s 45-0 win over Purdue
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Barbara Perenic/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images
How can I be mad about a 45-point win? Well, let me tell you how...
Ohio State’s usual post-Penn State sluggishness wasn’t too much of a problem, as the Buckeyes won 45-0 over Purdue at home. The Buckeyes played a lot of backups and even spent some time experimenting with some new looks on Saturday.
Still, there are always dark clouds I can find surrounding those silver linings. Here are the things that made me want to drink a boilermaker rather than watch one play football on Saturday.
Will Howard still sometimes struggles with sharpness at times, and one of those came on Ohio State’s first possession of the game. On a key third down, Howard delivered a high pass on a slant to Gee Scott Jr. Scott, a former wide receiver, looked to have gotten enough of his hands on it to make the catch, but he couldn’t haul it in. That would have been a big play and possibly a touchdown.
On another third down, just moments after Ohio State blocked a Purdue punt, Howard kept the ball on a read option on which Quinshon Judkins would have simply walked into the end zone. Howard got in on the next play anyway, but the error forced Ohio State to have to convert a fourth down.
Howard seems to rely too heavily on calling his own number at the goal line, even when there are better options. Hopefully, some film study can help him choose the best option in the future.
Ohio State played the “Jack” defense and got jacked on the Purdue drive after the TD by Howard.
The Boilermakers drove down the field, taking advantage of gaps in the defense and helped in large part by poor tackling from Cody Simon (who had a good day overall) and C.J. Hicks (who didn’t). One of the more egregious mistakes was a missed sack by Hicks that allowed Hudson Card to scramble for a first down rather than taking a big loss on the play.
Even after the team switched back to the regular defense, the team got gashed both in the run and pass game, especially the quick slant. Purdue couldn’t take advantage, opting to try a short field goal and missing it. That defensive formation didn’t work much better later in the game either.
After the blocked kick, Judkins had a big opening to his left on a rushing play, but he didn’t see it, running into the pile for a short gain instead. In the second quarter, the transfer running back tried to cut backward when TreVeyon Henderson missed his block on the edge, losing eight yards. A cut inside that missed block and he may have been able to get back to the line of scrimmage.
Judkins averaged just 2.9 yards per carry for 32 yards on 11 attempts, which included a long run of 15, meaning his other 10 attempts got him just 17 yards (1.7 YPC). Contrast that with Henderson’s 85 yards and a touchdown on six carries (14.2 YPC), and it’s clear that Judkins wasn’t his usual effective self.
Starting in place of Tyleik Williams, Eddrick Houston had a nice game overall for the Buckeyes. He looked every bit the part, clogging up the middle, getting penetration, and finishing with three tackles. However, he also had a freshman moment he’ll want back.
An Ohio State sack would have forced a Purdue punt if not for Houston getting off the ground and shoving a Boilermaker in the back after the play, drawing the obvious unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. The coaching staff wisely chose to make it a teaching moment, pulling Houston off the field.
Howard badly underthrew a would-be touchdown to Carnell Tate on the first drive of the second half. While Tate has good speed, I don’t think Howard lacks the arm strength to have thrown the ball a bit farther down the field. I simply think there are still moments when he’s underestimating his teammates’ speed and doesn’t want to overthrow a wide-open deep ball.
In this case, the underthrow probably still should have been caught by Tate, but having to wait for it allowed the defense to arrive and make a play on the ball and the receiver. A few plays later, Howard slipped on third down on Ohio Stadium’s ice-rink-like artificial turf, ending the drive with a field goal rather than a touchdown and leaving four points unscored — not costly in this game, but possibly harmful against better competition still to come.
Those are the things that drove me to the liquor cabinet on Saturday. What stood out to you?
Obviously, there’s not much to grumble about in a lopsided shutout win. The Buckeyes swept the Boilermakers aside easily enough, and didn’t face much of a challenge on Saturday. The typical letdown after beating Penn State never fully materialized, although Ohio State did escape with a shutout only because Purdue’s kicker missed two attempts that were both under 40 yards.
Henderson was a beast, as was Jeremiah Smith. Howard didn’t throw an interception. Caden Curry blocked a punt, and Tate had another nice game as he continues to develop into a dependable option in the passing game. The defense forced a fumble, intercepted a pass, racked up four sacks and five tackles for loss, and recorded five quarterback hurries and six pass breakups.
In short, Ohio State did to Purdue what it should do, given the disparity between the two teams, and without looking disinterested or lacking in emotion — unlike Gus Johnson.
Next up, the Buckeyes head to Chicago to face the Northwestern Wildcats on a baseball diamond at Wrigley Field for some reason. (Money. The reason is money.)
Continue reading...
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Barbara Perenic/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images
How can I be mad about a 45-point win? Well, let me tell you how...
Ohio State’s usual post-Penn State sluggishness wasn’t too much of a problem, as the Buckeyes won 45-0 over Purdue at home. The Buckeyes played a lot of backups and even spent some time experimenting with some new looks on Saturday.
Still, there are always dark clouds I can find surrounding those silver linings. Here are the things that made me want to drink a boilermaker rather than watch one play football on Saturday.
Gee’s Drop
Will Howard still sometimes struggles with sharpness at times, and one of those came on Ohio State’s first possession of the game. On a key third down, Howard delivered a high pass on a slant to Gee Scott Jr. Scott, a former wide receiver, looked to have gotten enough of his hands on it to make the catch, but he couldn’t haul it in. That would have been a big play and possibly a touchdown.
Trust Your Eyes
On another third down, just moments after Ohio State blocked a Purdue punt, Howard kept the ball on a read option on which Quinshon Judkins would have simply walked into the end zone. Howard got in on the next play anyway, but the error forced Ohio State to have to convert a fourth down.
Howard seems to rely too heavily on calling his own number at the goal line, even when there are better options. Hopefully, some film study can help him choose the best option in the future.
Failed Experiment
Ohio State played the “Jack” defense and got jacked on the Purdue drive after the TD by Howard.
The Boilermakers drove down the field, taking advantage of gaps in the defense and helped in large part by poor tackling from Cody Simon (who had a good day overall) and C.J. Hicks (who didn’t). One of the more egregious mistakes was a missed sack by Hicks that allowed Hudson Card to scramble for a first down rather than taking a big loss on the play.
Even after the team switched back to the regular defense, the team got gashed both in the run and pass game, especially the quick slant. Purdue couldn’t take advantage, opting to try a short field goal and missing it. That defensive formation didn’t work much better later in the game either.
Judkins A Bit Off
After the blocked kick, Judkins had a big opening to his left on a rushing play, but he didn’t see it, running into the pile for a short gain instead. In the second quarter, the transfer running back tried to cut backward when TreVeyon Henderson missed his block on the edge, losing eight yards. A cut inside that missed block and he may have been able to get back to the line of scrimmage.
Judkins averaged just 2.9 yards per carry for 32 yards on 11 attempts, which included a long run of 15, meaning his other 10 attempts got him just 17 yards (1.7 YPC). Contrast that with Henderson’s 85 yards and a touchdown on six carries (14.2 YPC), and it’s clear that Judkins wasn’t his usual effective self.
Eddrick Houston’s Bad Moment
Starting in place of Tyleik Williams, Eddrick Houston had a nice game overall for the Buckeyes. He looked every bit the part, clogging up the middle, getting penetration, and finishing with three tackles. However, he also had a freshman moment he’ll want back.
An Ohio State sack would have forced a Purdue punt if not for Houston getting off the ground and shoving a Boilermaker in the back after the play, drawing the obvious unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. The coaching staff wisely chose to make it a teaching moment, pulling Houston off the field.
Just Chuck It!
Howard badly underthrew a would-be touchdown to Carnell Tate on the first drive of the second half. While Tate has good speed, I don’t think Howard lacks the arm strength to have thrown the ball a bit farther down the field. I simply think there are still moments when he’s underestimating his teammates’ speed and doesn’t want to overthrow a wide-open deep ball.
In this case, the underthrow probably still should have been caught by Tate, but having to wait for it allowed the defense to arrive and make a play on the ball and the receiver. A few plays later, Howard slipped on third down on Ohio Stadium’s ice-rink-like artificial turf, ending the drive with a field goal rather than a touchdown and leaving four points unscored — not costly in this game, but possibly harmful against better competition still to come.
Those are the things that drove me to the liquor cabinet on Saturday. What stood out to you?
Obviously, there’s not much to grumble about in a lopsided shutout win. The Buckeyes swept the Boilermakers aside easily enough, and didn’t face much of a challenge on Saturday. The typical letdown after beating Penn State never fully materialized, although Ohio State did escape with a shutout only because Purdue’s kicker missed two attempts that were both under 40 yards.
Henderson was a beast, as was Jeremiah Smith. Howard didn’t throw an interception. Caden Curry blocked a punt, and Tate had another nice game as he continues to develop into a dependable option in the passing game. The defense forced a fumble, intercepted a pass, racked up four sacks and five tackles for loss, and recorded five quarterback hurries and six pass breakups.
In short, Ohio State did to Purdue what it should do, given the disparity between the two teams, and without looking disinterested or lacking in emotion — unlike Gus Johnson.
Next up, the Buckeyes head to Chicago to face the Northwestern Wildcats on a baseball diamond at Wrigley Field for some reason. (Money. The reason is money.)
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LGHL Ohio State women’s basketball hires former Buckeye Katie Smith as assistant coach
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Ohio State women’s basketball hires former Buckeye Katie Smith as assistant coach
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Smith joins former Ohio State guard Jacy Sheldon in roles on the coaching staff
After Ohio State women’s basketball prematurely ended its 2023-24 season in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, the carousel of player and coach moves began. For the Buckeyes, it meant assistant coach Wesley Brooks moved on to run his first NCAA program with Utah State. That left a gap on the Scarlet and Gray bench that head coach Kevin McGuff filled Monday, not going too far by adding former Buckeye legend Katie Smith to the program.
Smith played four years for Ohio State, amassing 2,578 points on her way to a stellar college career including an AP All-American honor, Freshman of the Year, Player of the Year and three times on the All-Big Ten team. Including a trip to the Buckeyes’ appearance in the 1993 National Championship, losing to Sheryl Swoopes and Texas Tech.
After college, Smith stayed close to home, playing for the Columbus Quest of the ABL, winning the league title in both of the league’s seasons before folding. When the ABL ended, Smith went into the WNBA, where the guard won two titles, was the 2008 Finals MVP and became a member of the National Basketball Hall of Fame.
The Logan, Ohio native is currently the assistant head coach of the Minnesota Lynx, but also had a brief head coaching role in the United States’ top professional league. Smith coached the New York Liberty in the 2018 and 2019 seasons.
Smith joins fellow WNBA names on coaching staffs across the country, including in the Big Ten. At Penn State, the Nittany Lions have Natisha Hiedeman, a player that Smith coaches on the Minnesota Lynx. Down in SEC country the Florida Gators have Atlanta Dream star Rhyne Howard in their coaching ranks.
McGuff tested the hire at media day, when prompted about replacing Brooks. The Buckeyes’ head coach was quiet about who, but did say that the school had to wait until the end of the WNBA season to finalize the hire.
Brooks coached the Buckeyes starting in May 2021, coming south from their Michigan Wolverine rivals. Before assisting Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico to three straight tournament appearances, Brooks spent time with the Utah Utes, West Virginia Mountaineers, and others.
For the Buckeyes, Brooks wasn’t only on the sideline or at practice but a key role in recruiting for the program.
With a college and WNBA legend joining Ohio State coaching, it gives the Buckeyes an advantage in both preparation and recruiting. Athletes join a Power Five school to better their chances at making it at the professional level. With a WNBA player to provide that experience day in and day out, it could be the tipping point for high school stars making the tough choice between multiple universities.
Ohio State also added recent graduate Jacy Sheldon to the staff as the Director of Player Development. Sheldon played the past five seasons for McGuff, leading the Buckeyes to a Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight in consecutive seasons. Sheldon ended her NCAA career with a spot on the AP All-American’s Second Team.
McGuff heralded Sheldon as a coach on the court, and is now a coach for the Buckeyes off it. Sheldon currently plays for the Dallas Wings of the WNBA and was set to join the Townsville Fire, in Australia, but didn’t join the side. Sheldon was at the opening game of the 2024-25 Buckeyes season against the Cleveland State Vikings, on crutches.
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ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Smith joins former Ohio State guard Jacy Sheldon in roles on the coaching staff
After Ohio State women’s basketball prematurely ended its 2023-24 season in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, the carousel of player and coach moves began. For the Buckeyes, it meant assistant coach Wesley Brooks moved on to run his first NCAA program with Utah State. That left a gap on the Scarlet and Gray bench that head coach Kevin McGuff filled Monday, not going too far by adding former Buckeye legend Katie Smith to the program.
Smith played four years for Ohio State, amassing 2,578 points on her way to a stellar college career including an AP All-American honor, Freshman of the Year, Player of the Year and three times on the All-Big Ten team. Including a trip to the Buckeyes’ appearance in the 1993 National Championship, losing to Sheryl Swoopes and Texas Tech.
After college, Smith stayed close to home, playing for the Columbus Quest of the ABL, winning the league title in both of the league’s seasons before folding. When the ABL ended, Smith went into the WNBA, where the guard won two titles, was the 2008 Finals MVP and became a member of the National Basketball Hall of Fame.
The Logan, Ohio native is currently the assistant head coach of the Minnesota Lynx, but also had a brief head coaching role in the United States’ top professional league. Smith coached the New York Liberty in the 2018 and 2019 seasons.
Smith joins fellow WNBA names on coaching staffs across the country, including in the Big Ten. At Penn State, the Nittany Lions have Natisha Hiedeman, a player that Smith coaches on the Minnesota Lynx. Down in SEC country the Florida Gators have Atlanta Dream star Rhyne Howard in their coaching ranks.
McGuff tested the hire at media day, when prompted about replacing Brooks. The Buckeyes’ head coach was quiet about who, but did say that the school had to wait until the end of the WNBA season to finalize the hire.
Brooks coached the Buckeyes starting in May 2021, coming south from their Michigan Wolverine rivals. Before assisting Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico to three straight tournament appearances, Brooks spent time with the Utah Utes, West Virginia Mountaineers, and others.
For the Buckeyes, Brooks wasn’t only on the sideline or at practice but a key role in recruiting for the program.
With a college and WNBA legend joining Ohio State coaching, it gives the Buckeyes an advantage in both preparation and recruiting. Athletes join a Power Five school to better their chances at making it at the professional level. With a WNBA player to provide that experience day in and day out, it could be the tipping point for high school stars making the tough choice between multiple universities.
Ohio State also added recent graduate Jacy Sheldon to the staff as the Director of Player Development. Sheldon played the past five seasons for McGuff, leading the Buckeyes to a Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight in consecutive seasons. Sheldon ended her NCAA career with a spot on the AP All-American’s Second Team.
McGuff heralded Sheldon as a coach on the court, and is now a coach for the Buckeyes off it. Sheldon currently plays for the Dallas Wings of the WNBA and was set to join the Townsville Fire, in Australia, but didn’t join the side. Sheldon was at the opening game of the 2024-25 Buckeyes season against the Cleveland State Vikings, on crutches.
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LGHL Power Two Podcast: Why you shouldn’t fire your head coach
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Power Two Podcast: Why you shouldn’t fire your head coach
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 Ben Jackson/Getty Images
In this episode, we discuss Florida keeping Billy Napier, Jeremiah Smith, and more.
Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Podcast Network’s Power Two Podcast. On this show, we talk about Big Ten and SEC football… and everyone else. This show is for the die-hard fans and the casual college football fans.
After every week of action, we will catch you up on all the major matchups of the previous weekend and look ahead at the games, 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 DaNaysia Jones. Lock in as we run a power sweep through the college football landscape.
On this episode, Jordan and DJ discuss a myriad of topics before jumping into the two-minute drill. In the news, they chat about coach firings and how that will affect the programs and the athletes. There was also an interesting sidebar about the possibility of peaking too early as a freshman wide receiver.
In the two-minute drill, we discuss upsets and conference championship hopefuls. DJ is overjoyed that SMU is first in the ACC without having to play any football this week. Jordan and DJ speculate about the potential opponent for the ACC championship. The duo also chat about UCLA spoiling multiple teams’ chances of bowl eligibility.
There is also an extended discussion about college choices and whether some freshman players would enter the portal after this season. DJ complains about the power rankings, and Jordan shares that we will begin projecting the College Football Playoff rankings very soon.
In the pre-game power sweep, we suggest...
There are many games of consequence this week, so make sure you tune in!
In the two-minute warning, DJ reminds everyone that women’s college basketball has begun, and shares the early season teams to watch. Jordan provides different TV shows that would be helpful to watch to learn more about the government.
If you like the show, please share it with friends and family and leave a five-star review. If you want to keep up with the show, subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network Feed where new episodes drop every Monday.
You can also find Jordan’s article ‘B1G Thoughts’ on Land-Grant Holy Land.
Sign up with MyBookie using our link to receive your welcome bonus: https://mybookie.website/Grant23
Follow the show on YouTube: @JordanW330
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @PowerTwoPodcast
Connect with us on Twitter: Jordan: @JordanW330 and DJ:@dj_danaysia
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 Ben Jackson/Getty Images
In this episode, we discuss Florida keeping Billy Napier, Jeremiah Smith, and more.
Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Podcast Network’s Power Two Podcast. On this show, we talk about Big Ten and SEC football… and everyone else. This show is for the die-hard fans and the casual college football fans.
After every week of action, we will catch you up on all the major matchups of the previous weekend and look ahead at the games, 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 DaNaysia Jones. Lock in as we run a power sweep through the college football landscape.
On this episode, Jordan and DJ discuss a myriad of topics before jumping into the two-minute drill. In the news, they chat about coach firings and how that will affect the programs and the athletes. There was also an interesting sidebar about the possibility of peaking too early as a freshman wide receiver.
In the two-minute drill, we discuss upsets and conference championship hopefuls. DJ is overjoyed that SMU is first in the ACC without having to play any football this week. Jordan and DJ speculate about the potential opponent for the ACC championship. The duo also chat about UCLA spoiling multiple teams’ chances of bowl eligibility.
There is also an extended discussion about college choices and whether some freshman players would enter the portal after this season. DJ complains about the power rankings, and Jordan shares that we will begin projecting the College Football Playoff rankings very soon.
In the pre-game power sweep, we suggest...
- Friday: UCLA-Washington
- Saturday, Noon: Utah-CU, Clemson-Pitt
- Saturday, Mid-Day: BC-SMU, Nebraska-USC
- Saturday, Primetime: Tennessee-UGA
- Saturday, After Dark: Kansas-BYU, SDSU-UNLV.
There are many games of consequence this week, so make sure you tune in!
In the two-minute warning, DJ reminds everyone that women’s college basketball has begun, and shares the early season teams to watch. Jordan provides different TV shows that would be helpful to watch to learn more about the government.
If you like the show, please share it with friends and family and leave a five-star review. If you want to keep up with the show, subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network Feed where new episodes drop every Monday.
You can also find Jordan’s article ‘B1G Thoughts’ on Land-Grant Holy Land.
Sign up with MyBookie using our link to receive your welcome bonus: https://mybookie.website/Grant23
Follow the show on YouTube: @JordanW330
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @PowerTwoPodcast
Connect with us on Twitter: Jordan: @JordanW330 and DJ:@dj_danaysia
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LGHL Ohio State men’s basketball vs Youngstown State: Game preview and prediction
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Ohio State men’s basketball vs Youngstown State: Game preview and prediction
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
The Buckeyes will look to keep rolling after a big win over Texas to start the season.
The Ohio State Buckeyes are back from Las Vegas and ready for its home opener against Youngstown State on Monday evening.
The Buckeyes (1-0) defeated No. 19 Texas 80-72 to open the season last Monday, while Youngstown State is also 1-0 after taking down Chicago State 80-60 on Saturday night.
The Penguins were supposed to open their season last Monday along with Ohio State, but a campus-wide power outage saw their opener against Division-II Westminster (Pa.) get postponed.
The Buckeyes are unranked at the time of publish of this preview, but the second AP Top-25 poll of the season is set to be released around noon (ET) and Ohio State has a great chance to become ranked for the first time since January 2023.
The Penguins will come to Columbus before the Buckeyes return to College Station Friday night to face Texas A&M. On Friday night, they will take on the Aggies for the second leg of the home-and-home series after falling to Buzz Williams’ squad last year, 73-66.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25725121/usa_today_24679636.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Hall of Fame Series-Las Vegas-Texas at Ohio State")
Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Youngstown State finished 22-10 overall and 14-6 in the Horizon League last season, finishing second to the Oakland Golden Grizzlies.
They are entering this season with a new head coach after Jerrod Calhoun left the Penguins program after seven years to take the head job at Utah State. Calhoun was replaced by Ethan Faulkner, who had been the associate head coach since 2022.
The Penguins were veteran-heavy last season, but lost all five of its top scorers from a year ago, including Ziggy Reid and D.J. Burns, who averaged 14.5 and 13.1 points per game, respectively. Reid also averaged 4.9 rebounds per game, while Burns averaged 11 boards per contest.
They also lost Brett Thompson and Brandon Rush, who averaged 12.6 and 11.7 points per game, respectively.
For Youngstown State, senior guard Nico Galette — a transfer from Sacred Heart — led the way with 20 points and nine rebounds in 34 minutes against Chicago State. Galette scored over 1300 career points at SHU before transferring to Youngstown State for his final year of eligibility.
Juwan Maxey had 14 points off the bench, and Ty Harper added 12 points, three rebounds, and three assists.
The Penguins also have a 7-foot-3 center, so Aaron Bradshaw and the frontcourt will have their hands full. Gabe Dynes had 11 points and six rebounds on 5-for-6 shooting, with an impressive seven blocks on the defensive side.
It will be interesting to see if, due to the presence of Dynes, we see Ohio State 7’1 center transfer Ivan Njegovan. He did not play against Texas, and head coach Jake Diebler said that was due to the flow of the game. He may be needed more in this one.
Ohio State’s junior point guard Bruce Thornton scored 20 points, and Micah Parrish scored 17 points in the win over Texas.
The Buckeyes got a huge spark off the bench, with sophomore Devin Royal going for 16 points and freshman John Mobley Jr. recording 14 points and 4-for-4 from the three-point line. The Buckeyes shot the leather off the ball, going 27-for-60 from the field and 14-for-28 from the three-point line.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25725120/usa_today_24679634.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Hall of Fame Series-Las Vegas-Texas at Ohio State")
Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
The Buckeyes have two tough contests in their first three games, but Youngstown State is not one of them. Youngstown State does have good players and are always a contender in the Horizon League, but the Buckeyes are more talented and should be able to use that to pull away in this one.
An interesting player to watch will be Meechie Johnson. He struggled in the opener against Texas on both ends of the floor, but he was an All-SEC selection last season for a reason. I expect him to bounce back in this one and have a solid showing in his first game back in Columbus in two years.
Aaron Bradshaw and Sean Stewart will have their hands full below the basket with Dynes, so I am also curious how the Ohio State frontcourt combo of Bradshaw and Sean Stewart looks in their second game as the Buckeyes. Ohio State looked great in general against Texas, but they were not perfect, and the front-court production left a lot to be desired. Bradshaw and Stewart will also have to stay out of foul trouble to help deal with Dynes.
I think this could be single digits at the half, and the Buckeyes pull away early in the second quarter to win comfortably. They have also had a week to prepare for this, while the Penguins have had just 48 hours to prepare and recover from their last game.
ESPN BPI: Ohio State 94.8%
Time: 6:00 p.m. ET
TV: Big Ten Network
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justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
The Buckeyes will look to keep rolling after a big win over Texas to start the season.
The Ohio State Buckeyes are back from Las Vegas and ready for its home opener against Youngstown State on Monday evening.
The Buckeyes (1-0) defeated No. 19 Texas 80-72 to open the season last Monday, while Youngstown State is also 1-0 after taking down Chicago State 80-60 on Saturday night.
The Penguins were supposed to open their season last Monday along with Ohio State, but a campus-wide power outage saw their opener against Division-II Westminster (Pa.) get postponed.
The Buckeyes are unranked at the time of publish of this preview, but the second AP Top-25 poll of the season is set to be released around noon (ET) and Ohio State has a great chance to become ranked for the first time since January 2023.
The Penguins will come to Columbus before the Buckeyes return to College Station Friday night to face Texas A&M. On Friday night, they will take on the Aggies for the second leg of the home-and-home series after falling to Buzz Williams’ squad last year, 73-66.
Preview
Youngstown State finished 22-10 overall and 14-6 in the Horizon League last season, finishing second to the Oakland Golden Grizzlies.
They are entering this season with a new head coach after Jerrod Calhoun left the Penguins program after seven years to take the head job at Utah State. Calhoun was replaced by Ethan Faulkner, who had been the associate head coach since 2022.
The Penguins were veteran-heavy last season, but lost all five of its top scorers from a year ago, including Ziggy Reid and D.J. Burns, who averaged 14.5 and 13.1 points per game, respectively. Reid also averaged 4.9 rebounds per game, while Burns averaged 11 boards per contest.
They also lost Brett Thompson and Brandon Rush, who averaged 12.6 and 11.7 points per game, respectively.
For Youngstown State, senior guard Nico Galette — a transfer from Sacred Heart — led the way with 20 points and nine rebounds in 34 minutes against Chicago State. Galette scored over 1300 career points at SHU before transferring to Youngstown State for his final year of eligibility.
Juwan Maxey had 14 points off the bench, and Ty Harper added 12 points, three rebounds, and three assists.
The Penguins also have a 7-foot-3 center, so Aaron Bradshaw and the frontcourt will have their hands full. Gabe Dynes had 11 points and six rebounds on 5-for-6 shooting, with an impressive seven blocks on the defensive side.
It will be interesting to see if, due to the presence of Dynes, we see Ohio State 7’1 center transfer Ivan Njegovan. He did not play against Texas, and head coach Jake Diebler said that was due to the flow of the game. He may be needed more in this one.
Ohio State’s junior point guard Bruce Thornton scored 20 points, and Micah Parrish scored 17 points in the win over Texas.
The Buckeyes got a huge spark off the bench, with sophomore Devin Royal going for 16 points and freshman John Mobley Jr. recording 14 points and 4-for-4 from the three-point line. The Buckeyes shot the leather off the ball, going 27-for-60 from the field and 14-for-28 from the three-point line.
Prediction
The Buckeyes have two tough contests in their first three games, but Youngstown State is not one of them. Youngstown State does have good players and are always a contender in the Horizon League, but the Buckeyes are more talented and should be able to use that to pull away in this one.
An interesting player to watch will be Meechie Johnson. He struggled in the opener against Texas on both ends of the floor, but he was an All-SEC selection last season for a reason. I expect him to bounce back in this one and have a solid showing in his first game back in Columbus in two years.
Aaron Bradshaw and Sean Stewart will have their hands full below the basket with Dynes, so I am also curious how the Ohio State frontcourt combo of Bradshaw and Sean Stewart looks in their second game as the Buckeyes. Ohio State looked great in general against Texas, but they were not perfect, and the front-court production left a lot to be desired. Bradshaw and Stewart will also have to stay out of foul trouble to help deal with Dynes.
I think this could be single digits at the half, and the Buckeyes pull away early in the second quarter to win comfortably. They have also had a week to prepare for this, while the Penguins have had just 48 hours to prepare and recover from their last game.
ESPN BPI: Ohio State 94.8%
Time: 6:00 p.m. ET
TV: Big Ten Network
LGHL score prediction: Ohio State 84, Youngstown State 63
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