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LGHL Jacy Sheldon’s return to Ohio State strengthens Buckeyes as transfer destination
- News
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Jacy Sheldon’s return to Ohio State strengthens Buckeyes as transfer destination
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Columbus, Ohio is looking pretty good for players looking for a chance to compete late in March.
Wednesday evening, 46 hours after the Ohio State women’s basketball team ended their season in the Elite Eight, the team received a shot in the arm. Local guard Jacy Sheldon announced her return to the Buckeyes for a fifth and final season, exercising a final year of playing collegiate basketball due to the extra year provided to athletes whose seasons were cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The return is an obvious win on the court for the Scarlet & Gray. Sheldon entered her senior season following a unanimous All-B1G First Team and All-B1G Defensive Team player and falling three points short of beating the Texas Longhorns in the 2022 Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament.
Sheldon entered the 22-23 season playing her best basketball. The guard averaged 16.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and an unimaginable 5.5 steals per game in her first five games of the season. Then, injury befell the point guard, playing once in the remaining 23 games of the regular season.
Then, Sheldon returned with a few minutes in the Big Ten Tournament and back to starting status in the NCAA Tournament. A March Madness season that saw Ohio State defeat the heavily favored UConn Huskies before falling short of a Final Four berth, losing to the Virginia Tech Hokies.
Now, with Sheldon’s return, the Buckeyes don’t only have an adaptable guard who plays multiple guard positions, but the return creates a premier destination for players in the transfer portal.
Saturday afternoon in Seattle wasn’t only a win but a recruiting video seen by 2.4 million people. Ohio State’s 73-61 victory saw the largest set of eyes on a Sweet Sixteen game in the history of the women’s basketball tournament. Sheldon’s 17 points, seven rebounds, and five assists are just the beginning of a list of positives.
A player who joins the Scarlet & Gray gets to play alongside not only Sheldon but Big Ten Freshman of the Year Cotie McMahon. The forward averaged 15.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and countless highlights per game in her first year. For many, the phrase “she doesn’t look like a freshman” is frequently attached to McMahon.
Against UConn, McMahon had 23 points and five assists. A quieter performance that still led the Buckeyes in scoring. Back in the Big Ten Tournament, at the beginning of March, McMahon averaged 21 points and 11 rebounds in the Buckeyes’ surprise run to the tournament final.
Also, there’s forward/guard Taylor Thierry. The Cleveland, Ohio sophomore is in the beginning stages of a promising career. Thierry started every game this season and landed eighth in the country hitting 62.5% of her shots, third in the Big Ten. The forward brings a steadiness and efficiency that makes any second chance ball in the hands of the Buckeyes a threat for more points.
Plus there’s a strong group of veterans around Ohio State’s three stars. There’s senior forward Eboni Walker who came on strong in her first season with Ohio State and has a year of eligibility remaining. No signs of Walker leaving NCAA basketball as of publishing.
Not to mention guard Rikki Harris who plays multiple positions well on the court or forward Rebeka Mikulasikova who’s improved over the past two seasons and can hit shots from beyond the arc. Also, next season, 6-foot-4 center Faith Carson joins the fold after winning Michigan’s Division III Player of the Year award after averaging 19.3 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 6.2 in her final year of high school.
There’s also Madison Greene who, if healthy, plays a quiet but confident style of point guard who dishes out assists and scores consistently. Although there’s no timeline on the guard’s return after going out for the season with a knee injury on Dec. 20.
All of those positives don’t even mention that Ohio State was one game away from playing in the Final Four. Had a few more shots fallen, the Buckeyes’ season might still be going on from Dallas, Texas.
Ohio State has a gap with guard Taylor Mikesell’s career ending in the Elite Eight. It’s a tough hole to fill from a player who was effective from beyond the arc and led the Scarlet and Gray on and off the court. However, with a team like the OSU has, there’s bound to be someone who fits that role well who wants to win now.
With the Buckeyes, that’s a possibility.
Continue reading...
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Columbus, Ohio is looking pretty good for players looking for a chance to compete late in March.
Wednesday evening, 46 hours after the Ohio State women’s basketball team ended their season in the Elite Eight, the team received a shot in the arm. Local guard Jacy Sheldon announced her return to the Buckeyes for a fifth and final season, exercising a final year of playing collegiate basketball due to the extra year provided to athletes whose seasons were cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The return is an obvious win on the court for the Scarlet & Gray. Sheldon entered her senior season following a unanimous All-B1G First Team and All-B1G Defensive Team player and falling three points short of beating the Texas Longhorns in the 2022 Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament.
Sheldon entered the 22-23 season playing her best basketball. The guard averaged 16.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and an unimaginable 5.5 steals per game in her first five games of the season. Then, injury befell the point guard, playing once in the remaining 23 games of the regular season.
Then, Sheldon returned with a few minutes in the Big Ten Tournament and back to starting status in the NCAA Tournament. A March Madness season that saw Ohio State defeat the heavily favored UConn Huskies before falling short of a Final Four berth, losing to the Virginia Tech Hokies.
Now, with Sheldon’s return, the Buckeyes don’t only have an adaptable guard who plays multiple guard positions, but the return creates a premier destination for players in the transfer portal.
Saturday afternoon in Seattle wasn’t only a win but a recruiting video seen by 2.4 million people. Ohio State’s 73-61 victory saw the largest set of eyes on a Sweet Sixteen game in the history of the women’s basketball tournament. Sheldon’s 17 points, seven rebounds, and five assists are just the beginning of a list of positives.
A player who joins the Scarlet & Gray gets to play alongside not only Sheldon but Big Ten Freshman of the Year Cotie McMahon. The forward averaged 15.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and countless highlights per game in her first year. For many, the phrase “she doesn’t look like a freshman” is frequently attached to McMahon.
Against UConn, McMahon had 23 points and five assists. A quieter performance that still led the Buckeyes in scoring. Back in the Big Ten Tournament, at the beginning of March, McMahon averaged 21 points and 11 rebounds in the Buckeyes’ surprise run to the tournament final.
Also, there’s forward/guard Taylor Thierry. The Cleveland, Ohio sophomore is in the beginning stages of a promising career. Thierry started every game this season and landed eighth in the country hitting 62.5% of her shots, third in the Big Ten. The forward brings a steadiness and efficiency that makes any second chance ball in the hands of the Buckeyes a threat for more points.
Plus there’s a strong group of veterans around Ohio State’s three stars. There’s senior forward Eboni Walker who came on strong in her first season with Ohio State and has a year of eligibility remaining. No signs of Walker leaving NCAA basketball as of publishing.
Not to mention guard Rikki Harris who plays multiple positions well on the court or forward Rebeka Mikulasikova who’s improved over the past two seasons and can hit shots from beyond the arc. Also, next season, 6-foot-4 center Faith Carson joins the fold after winning Michigan’s Division III Player of the Year award after averaging 19.3 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 6.2 in her final year of high school.
There’s also Madison Greene who, if healthy, plays a quiet but confident style of point guard who dishes out assists and scores consistently. Although there’s no timeline on the guard’s return after going out for the season with a knee injury on Dec. 20.
All of those positives don’t even mention that Ohio State was one game away from playing in the Final Four. Had a few more shots fallen, the Buckeyes’ season might still be going on from Dallas, Texas.
Ohio State has a gap with guard Taylor Mikesell’s career ending in the Elite Eight. It’s a tough hole to fill from a player who was effective from beyond the arc and led the Scarlet and Gray on and off the court. However, with a team like the OSU has, there’s bound to be someone who fits that role well who wants to win now.
With the Buckeyes, that’s a possibility.
Continue reading...
2024 LA DL Jowhar Franklin (Verbal Offer)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
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2024 GA LB Devin Smith (Kentucky Verbal)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
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Class: 2024
School: Brunswick(GA) Brunswick
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Height: 6-foot-1
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Rivals
HudL
Class: 2024
School: Brunswick(GA) Brunswick
Position: LB
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 220lbs
Login to view embedded media
LGHL You’re Nuts: Best basketball movie to watch to pretend Ohio State is in the Final Four
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You’re Nuts: Best basketball movie to watch to pretend Ohio State is in the Final Four
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
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.
With Monday’s heartbreaking end to an incredible season for Ohio State women’s basketball, some of us might be looking for distractions to head into this weekend.
If you’re not quite ready to say goodbye to basketball season, but you’re also not quite ready to watch non-Buckeye teams play, don’t worry. Matt and I are here with our picks for the best basketball movies to watch as you nurse your broken heart through the offseason.
My love for Chicago and the 90s runs deep, and while I had a momentary lapse in judgment where I thought, “Nah, I’m gonna go with ‘High School Musical,’” let’s be honest, it was always going to be Space Jam for me. You might say we’ve got a real jam goin’ down.
This movie’s got everything — Looney Tunes, basketball, an unforgettable soundtrack, and most importantly, the greatest to ever play the game: Lola Bunny Michael Jordan. Yes, that’s right, the GOAT himself (sorry Clevelanders, but I’m not on board with Lebron as the greatest, and we will not be watching the silly sequel/remake/whatever it was that I chose to erase from my memory).
But also, Lola Bunny. Let’s not forget that some of the greatest women’s basketball rep came from Lola Bunny tearing it up in this film. How many of us ‘90s girls idolized Lola Bunny for her tenacity and grit on the court? She played much like the Ohio State women’s basketball team this season, if we’re being honest.
Not only does “Space Jam” provide what is essentially the SparkNotes of a Michael Jordan biopic (even nodding to his stint in professional baseball), it is a look at the glory of 90s basketball. Instead of watching Jordan go on a Championship run with the Chicago Bulls, you get to watch him team up with the Tune Squad to face the evil Monstars in order to save the Looney Tunes from becoming amusement park attractions.
It’s also the perfect film for a dance party. One of my arguments during my momentary lapse in judgment was that “High School Musical” involved basketball and dance. But so does Space Jam if you really think about it. Because if you can hear that banger of a theme song by Quad City DJ’s and you don’t immediately start a dance party, you’re probably a Monstar.
The beauty of “Space Jam” lies in the fact that it is both of a specific time and timeless. It is like opening a time capsule to get a glimpse at 90s childhoods, but whether or not you grew up in the 90s, you’ll find something to love. The humor anchors this movie, and it’s the classic Looney Tunes humor we all know and love. Like all great family films, this is a movie for kids that adults will enjoy, with laughs aplenty for all ages.
It also gets bonus points for a Bill Murray cameo. Because the only thing Chicagoans love more than pizza is Bill Murray.
I won’t spoil anything on the rare chance “Space Jam” won’t be a rewatch for you, but in addition to being packed with nail-biting basketball, you can safely count on it to not crush your soul, on account of it being a kids’ movie. That’s the kind of repair work my heart needs after Monday’s game.
It’s also the perfect hype film, which is important because this team is poised to come back even stronger next season, and we need to be proud and stay hyped for them. “Space Jam” is the perfect film to watch on repeat to help us dance our way through the offseason so we’re already pumped when they return next winter.
And if you need something longer than a movie—for instance, a basketball TV show — “One Tree Hill” ran for nine seasons and you can binge it in all its melodramatic glory on Hulu.
I’m going to start this recommendation off with a disclaimer: I haven’t watched is movie in at least 20 years, so I am going to venture a guess that — like many late ‘90s/early aughts raunchy comedies — it didn’t exactly age like a fine wine. However, when thinking about watching a basketball(-ish) themed movie needed to delude ourselves into thinking that the Buckeyes made the Final Four (a much more difficult task for the men’s team than the women’s), why not go with a movie built around a premise so absurd that it makes Ohio State in the men’s Final Four seem plausible?
If you are unfamiliar with this 1998 cult classic, it stars “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, though (much to my surprise), they did not write or direct it. Instead, it comes from writer/director David Zucker who had actually invented the game in the 1980s and had previously filmed a (much different) unsuccessful pilot based on the premise starring Chris Rock.
However, the idea beyond the film is that as the rampant egos and commercialization of professional sports continued to get out of hand, two lazy friends invented their own sport — a combination of baseball and basketball — that become the biggest sport in the world. The game has an absolutely absurd set of rules that involve elaborate psych-outs and can lead to games taking days at a time.
Ultimately, the sport’s creators and best players are consumed by the same temptations of greed and selfishness that plagued everything that came before them. So, while the plot actually has some decently deep commentary about the state of sports in modern culture, that’s not why you watch “BASEketball.”
You watch this absolutely idiotic movie, because — like “South Park” — it is full of the type of creative, off-color jokes that you won’t find anywhere else; from Parker drinking fat liposuctioned out of Marlon Brando’s ass to Stone lactating into the face of an opponent. When you combine that type of sophomoric hijinks with the fact that two of the greatest living sportscasters — Bob Costas and Al Michaels — get in on the action, it is tough to beat.
In my opinion, Bob and Al get some of the best lines of the movie, including the two that I continue to quote 25 years after seeing the movie for the first time. But they aren’t the only big stars to appear in the film. While Jenny McCarthy and Yasmine Bleeth co-star, the ridiculous movie somehow landed cameos by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dale Earnhardt, Reggie Jackson, Jim Lampley, Kenny Mayne, Tim McCarver, Dan Patrick, Victoria Silvstedt, Robert Stack, and more.
Is “BASEketball” any good? Honestly, I have no idea anymore. But it is idiotic and I have really fond memories of my teenage self really loving it a quarter of a century ago. So, if the Buckeyes won’t be playing in the Final Four this weekend, you might as well watch something that will completely distract you from any real-life sports and might even put Bob Costas and Al Michaels in a much different light.
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
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: What’s the best basketball movie to watch in order to pretend that Ohio State is in the Final Four?
Jami’s Take: ‘Space Jam’
With Monday’s heartbreaking end to an incredible season for Ohio State women’s basketball, some of us might be looking for distractions to head into this weekend.
If you’re not quite ready to say goodbye to basketball season, but you’re also not quite ready to watch non-Buckeye teams play, don’t worry. Matt and I are here with our picks for the best basketball movies to watch as you nurse your broken heart through the offseason.
My love for Chicago and the 90s runs deep, and while I had a momentary lapse in judgment where I thought, “Nah, I’m gonna go with ‘High School Musical,’” let’s be honest, it was always going to be Space Jam for me. You might say we’ve got a real jam goin’ down.
This movie’s got everything — Looney Tunes, basketball, an unforgettable soundtrack, and most importantly, the greatest to ever play the game: Lola Bunny Michael Jordan. Yes, that’s right, the GOAT himself (sorry Clevelanders, but I’m not on board with Lebron as the greatest, and we will not be watching the silly sequel/remake/whatever it was that I chose to erase from my memory).
But also, Lola Bunny. Let’s not forget that some of the greatest women’s basketball rep came from Lola Bunny tearing it up in this film. How many of us ‘90s girls idolized Lola Bunny for her tenacity and grit on the court? She played much like the Ohio State women’s basketball team this season, if we’re being honest.
Not only does “Space Jam” provide what is essentially the SparkNotes of a Michael Jordan biopic (even nodding to his stint in professional baseball), it is a look at the glory of 90s basketball. Instead of watching Jordan go on a Championship run with the Chicago Bulls, you get to watch him team up with the Tune Squad to face the evil Monstars in order to save the Looney Tunes from becoming amusement park attractions.
It’s also the perfect film for a dance party. One of my arguments during my momentary lapse in judgment was that “High School Musical” involved basketball and dance. But so does Space Jam if you really think about it. Because if you can hear that banger of a theme song by Quad City DJ’s and you don’t immediately start a dance party, you’re probably a Monstar.
The beauty of “Space Jam” lies in the fact that it is both of a specific time and timeless. It is like opening a time capsule to get a glimpse at 90s childhoods, but whether or not you grew up in the 90s, you’ll find something to love. The humor anchors this movie, and it’s the classic Looney Tunes humor we all know and love. Like all great family films, this is a movie for kids that adults will enjoy, with laughs aplenty for all ages.
It also gets bonus points for a Bill Murray cameo. Because the only thing Chicagoans love more than pizza is Bill Murray.
I won’t spoil anything on the rare chance “Space Jam” won’t be a rewatch for you, but in addition to being packed with nail-biting basketball, you can safely count on it to not crush your soul, on account of it being a kids’ movie. That’s the kind of repair work my heart needs after Monday’s game.
It’s also the perfect hype film, which is important because this team is poised to come back even stronger next season, and we need to be proud and stay hyped for them. “Space Jam” is the perfect film to watch on repeat to help us dance our way through the offseason so we’re already pumped when they return next winter.
And if you need something longer than a movie—for instance, a basketball TV show — “One Tree Hill” ran for nine seasons and you can binge it in all its melodramatic glory on Hulu.
Matt’s Take: ‘BASEketball’
I’m going to start this recommendation off with a disclaimer: I haven’t watched is movie in at least 20 years, so I am going to venture a guess that — like many late ‘90s/early aughts raunchy comedies — it didn’t exactly age like a fine wine. However, when thinking about watching a basketball(-ish) themed movie needed to delude ourselves into thinking that the Buckeyes made the Final Four (a much more difficult task for the men’s team than the women’s), why not go with a movie built around a premise so absurd that it makes Ohio State in the men’s Final Four seem plausible?
If you are unfamiliar with this 1998 cult classic, it stars “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, though (much to my surprise), they did not write or direct it. Instead, it comes from writer/director David Zucker who had actually invented the game in the 1980s and had previously filmed a (much different) unsuccessful pilot based on the premise starring Chris Rock.
However, the idea beyond the film is that as the rampant egos and commercialization of professional sports continued to get out of hand, two lazy friends invented their own sport — a combination of baseball and basketball — that become the biggest sport in the world. The game has an absolutely absurd set of rules that involve elaborate psych-outs and can lead to games taking days at a time.
Ultimately, the sport’s creators and best players are consumed by the same temptations of greed and selfishness that plagued everything that came before them. So, while the plot actually has some decently deep commentary about the state of sports in modern culture, that’s not why you watch “BASEketball.”
You watch this absolutely idiotic movie, because — like “South Park” — it is full of the type of creative, off-color jokes that you won’t find anywhere else; from Parker drinking fat liposuctioned out of Marlon Brando’s ass to Stone lactating into the face of an opponent. When you combine that type of sophomoric hijinks with the fact that two of the greatest living sportscasters — Bob Costas and Al Michaels — get in on the action, it is tough to beat.
In my opinion, Bob and Al get some of the best lines of the movie, including the two that I continue to quote 25 years after seeing the movie for the first time. But they aren’t the only big stars to appear in the film. While Jenny McCarthy and Yasmine Bleeth co-star, the ridiculous movie somehow landed cameos by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dale Earnhardt, Reggie Jackson, Jim Lampley, Kenny Mayne, Tim McCarver, Dan Patrick, Victoria Silvstedt, Robert Stack, and more.
Is “BASEketball” any good? Honestly, I have no idea anymore. But it is idiotic and I have really fond memories of my teenage self really loving it a quarter of a century ago. So, if the Buckeyes won’t be playing in the Final Four this weekend, you might as well watch something that will completely distract you from any real-life sports and might even put Bob Costas and Al Michaels in a much different light.
Continue reading...
LGHL With basketball over, next for Ohio State is NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships
- News
- 0 Replies
With basketball over, next for Ohio State is NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships
JamiJurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State Athletics | Kirk Irwin Photography
The NCAA Championships kickoff on Thursday.
If you’re anything like me, the past few weeks have been consumed with Ohio State women’s basketball as the team went on their incredible run to the Elite Eight. Now, after their season ended in a heartbreaker against Virginia Tech last night, many of us are looking for ways to fill our time.
For those folks who are feeling the void, I have great news: Another Ohio State team is making its way through postseason competition right now.
Let us please turn our attention to the Ohio State women’s gymnastics team, which is headed to the 2023 NCAA women’s gymnastics championships.
After finishing the season 22-8 and earning their best overall finish at the Big Ten conference championship meet (fourth place) since the 2012 season, the Buckeyes secured the No. 16 seed for a spot at regionals.
For those unfamiliar with gymnastics postseason meets, the competition is comprised of four regionals, each consisting of nine teams and three individual all-around gymnasts whose teams did not qualify for regional competition. Each regional consists of three rounds: Round 1 consists of two teams, Round 2 consists of eight teams, divided into two quads, and the regional final consists of four teams (the top two teams from each Round 2 quad).
The top two teams at the regional final (along with the top all-around competitor and top event specialist from each event whose teams did not qualify) will then advance to the 2023 NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships.
The Buckeyes will compete in the Norman Regional this Thursday, March 30 at 8 p.m. ET which is the second session of the second round. The first session quad is No. 8 Alabama, No. 9 Kentucky, Illinois, and Iowa, while the Buckeyes’ quad is rounded out by No. 1 Oklahoma, Arkansas, and whoever wins the first-round meet between NC State and Ball State.
Presumably, Oklahoma will advance to the regional finals, leaving one remaining spot for Ohio State, Arkansas, and either NC State or Ball State to fight for. And only the smallest margin separates OSU and Arkansas, so this is set to be an exciting meet where the Buckeyes will need to bring their A-game, especially given that Arkansas is not new to this position. Last year, the then-18 seed defeated No. 16 Arizona State.
Luckily, this is not a Buckeye team that cracks under pressure. In fact, this is a team that has broken program records all season, including twice breaking the program-season home score (which now stands at 197.575), a program record on beam (49.500), and most impressively, the highest conference championship meet score in program history (196.975).
Additionally, the team has four gymnasts who earned All-Big Ten recognition this year, including freshman Payton Harris who was named to the First Team All-Big Ten after a breakout season that included five event titles—two on beam, two on vault, and one on floor — and four Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors.
One thing to note, however, is this Ohio State team has scored significantly higher at home than on the road, which could play in Arkansas’ favor in a close meet. Ohio State’s high score this season is higher than Arkansas’s, but Arkansas has a higher top road score than OSU. The Buckeyes will need to be in top form in order to advance to the regional finals, as this could truly come down to something as small as a wobble.
Whether the Buckeyes can maintain their composure at a meet of this scale for a spot in the regional finals remains to be seen, but one thing is for certain — the excitement and athleticism of this team are exactly what we need to fill the basketball void and see us through to the end of March.
Continue reading...
JamiJurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State Athletics | Kirk Irwin Photography
The NCAA Championships kickoff on Thursday.
If you’re anything like me, the past few weeks have been consumed with Ohio State women’s basketball as the team went on their incredible run to the Elite Eight. Now, after their season ended in a heartbreaker against Virginia Tech last night, many of us are looking for ways to fill our time.
For those folks who are feeling the void, I have great news: Another Ohio State team is making its way through postseason competition right now.
Let us please turn our attention to the Ohio State women’s gymnastics team, which is headed to the 2023 NCAA women’s gymnastics championships.
After finishing the season 22-8 and earning their best overall finish at the Big Ten conference championship meet (fourth place) since the 2012 season, the Buckeyes secured the No. 16 seed for a spot at regionals.
For those unfamiliar with gymnastics postseason meets, the competition is comprised of four regionals, each consisting of nine teams and three individual all-around gymnasts whose teams did not qualify for regional competition. Each regional consists of three rounds: Round 1 consists of two teams, Round 2 consists of eight teams, divided into two quads, and the regional final consists of four teams (the top two teams from each Round 2 quad).
The top two teams at the regional final (along with the top all-around competitor and top event specialist from each event whose teams did not qualify) will then advance to the 2023 NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships.
The Buckeyes will compete in the Norman Regional this Thursday, March 30 at 8 p.m. ET which is the second session of the second round. The first session quad is No. 8 Alabama, No. 9 Kentucky, Illinois, and Iowa, while the Buckeyes’ quad is rounded out by No. 1 Oklahoma, Arkansas, and whoever wins the first-round meet between NC State and Ball State.
Presumably, Oklahoma will advance to the regional finals, leaving one remaining spot for Ohio State, Arkansas, and either NC State or Ball State to fight for. And only the smallest margin separates OSU and Arkansas, so this is set to be an exciting meet where the Buckeyes will need to bring their A-game, especially given that Arkansas is not new to this position. Last year, the then-18 seed defeated No. 16 Arizona State.
Luckily, this is not a Buckeye team that cracks under pressure. In fact, this is a team that has broken program records all season, including twice breaking the program-season home score (which now stands at 197.575), a program record on beam (49.500), and most impressively, the highest conference championship meet score in program history (196.975).
Additionally, the team has four gymnasts who earned All-Big Ten recognition this year, including freshman Payton Harris who was named to the First Team All-Big Ten after a breakout season that included five event titles—two on beam, two on vault, and one on floor — and four Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors.
One thing to note, however, is this Ohio State team has scored significantly higher at home than on the road, which could play in Arkansas’ favor in a close meet. Ohio State’s high score this season is higher than Arkansas’s, but Arkansas has a higher top road score than OSU. The Buckeyes will need to be in top form in order to advance to the regional finals, as this could truly come down to something as small as a wobble.
Whether the Buckeyes can maintain their composure at a meet of this scale for a spot in the regional finals remains to be seen, but one thing is for certain — the excitement and athleticism of this team are exactly what we need to fill the basketball void and see us through to the end of March.
Continue reading...
