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LGHL Balanced scoring attack carries Ohio State past Virginia Tech in second-round NIT bout, 81-73
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Balanced scoring attack carries Ohio State past Virginia Tech in second-round NIT bout, 81-73
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo courtesy of Ohio State Hoops Twitter// @OhioStateHoops
The Hokies gave Ohio State one heck of a punch in the second half, but the Buckeyes withstood it and will move on in the NIT.
The Ohio State men’s basketball team (22-13) won’t be cutting down nets in Columbus this year, but woke up on Saturday morning four wins away from cutting them down in the NIT final at Hinkle Fieldhouse. After beating Cornell 88-83 in the opening round of the National Invitation Tournament on Tuesday, the Buckeyes welcomed the Virginia Tech Hokies to Columbus this afternoon, with the winner advancing to play the winner of Wake Forest and Georgia this week.
Hoping to improve his 7-2 record as head coach, Jake Diebler’s Buckeyes were without freshman guard/wing Scotty Middleton for the second consecutive game as he tends to a family emergency in Florida. Earlier in the week, Diebler said that he expected Middleton to be back in time to play on Saturday, but it became clear by Friday that was not going to happen.
Diebler went with the same starting five Ohio State has utilized most of this season — Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle Jr., Evan Mahaffey, Felix Okpara, and Jamison Battle. Thornton sprained his ankle against Cornell but was able to practice all week. Fifth-year head coach Mike Young went with a starting five of Sean Pedulla, Hunter Cattoor, Robbie Beran, MJ Collins, and Lynn Kidd.
The Buckeyes didn’t inspire much confidence early on, missing their first five shots and falling behind 7-0 just over three minutes into the game. Gayle was trying to take advantage of the matchup with the smaller Pedulla, but Virginia Tech was quick to help and forcing multiple misses from the sophomore guard. Gayle’s three-pointer over Pedulla 3:42 into the game gave Ohio State its first made basket, with the score 7-3 at the first media timeout a minute later.
Ohio State went on an 10-0 run to take a 16-12 lead, getting multiple buckets from Thornton as well as individual baskets from Gayle, Bonner, and Key. They weren’t able to do it early on when Tech was hitting shots, but once they cooled down Ohio State really began to push it down the floor. The 10-0 run was capped off by an impressive slam from Gayle on a halfcourt lob from Thornton, where Gayle had to re-adjust mid-air and bring the ball back from the right side and slam it home. Virginia Tech got baskets from Pedulla and Mylyjael Poteat after the Ohio State run, however, and the Buckeyes lead was just 17-16 at the under-eight timeout with eight minutes left in the half.
After Virginia Tech tied the game 17-17, Ohio State outscored the Hokies 19-9 over the final eight minutes and took a 36-26 lead into the halftime break. The Buckeyes got baskets from eight different players in the first half, including three-pointers from Taison Chatman and Dale Bonner, as well as a pair of dunks from Gayle. The Buckeyes shot 46.9% in the first half but mostly stayed away from the three ball, taking 72% of their first-half shots from inside the arc. The Hokies shot 36.7% in the first half and got a combined 13 points in the first half from Cattoor and Kidd.
Thornton scored through contact from Beran and hit the ensuing free throw to make it 45-32 with just over 16 minutes remaining in the game — Ohio State’s largest lead at that point. The Buckeyes then went on a lull, not scoring for the next 2:33 until a media timeout was called at the 13:25 mark. Despite the short nap the Buckeyes took, they still held a 45-35 lead thanks to Virginia Tech only hitting 4 of its first 14 shots of the second half.
The Hokies didn’t let Ohio State run away with it, keeping the deficit within nine or so points for a good part of the second half. Both teams started to rack up fouls, with the Buckeyes getting into the bonus with 12:56 remaining in the game and Virginia Tech getting there roughly three minutes later. With both teams shooting free throws for the final 10 or so minutes on every foul, getting to the basket and drawing contact became the name of the game. After Bonner was fouled by Patrick Wessler and hit both free throws to make it 59-50, Pedulla scored through contact against Thornton and drew the foul, completing the three-point play to make it 59-53 with 8:41 remaining in the game.
After Pedulla split a pair of free throws to make it a five-point game, Battle went down to the other end and was fouled by Patrick Wessler — his third of the game. Battle knocked down both, making it 63-56 Ohio State with 7:44 remaining.
Virginia Tech made it a one-possession game by the final media timeout, with the Buckeyes clinging to a 67-64 lead with 3:52 remaining. The two teams were taking turns attacking the rack and drawing fouls, and it was going to come down to who took care of the ball better and hit their free throws.
Try as they might, the Hokies weren’t able to catch Ohio State and complete the comeback. It was a spirited effort from Cattoor and Pedulla in particular, but the Buckeye defense clamped down when it needed to and beat Virginia Tech 81-73 to advance to the NIT quarterfinal.
If you weren’t around Saturday night to see Ohio State improve to 8-2 under Diebler and advance to the NIT quarterfinals, here are a few key moments, plays, and runs that powered the Buckeyes to victory:
For the second straight game, the Buckeyes started slow and fell behind early. Virginia Tech jumped out to a 7-0 lead, getting baskets from Kidd and Collins. Ohio State turned the ball over three times in the first four minutes, with Okpara, Battle, and Gayle all being guilty of one early giveaway.
Starting at the 12:42 mark and lasting for the next 3:44, Ohio State went on a 10-0 run that put them ahead of the Hokies, 16-12. Thornton had multiple buckets during the run, but the capper was a fastbreak lob that the Buckeyes point guard threw to Gayle from halfcourt. Gayle went up, had to readjust mid-air with the ball off to his right, and then pulled it back down to slam it home to make it 16-12.
Gayle was Ohio State’s leading scorer at halftime with nine points, but eight different Buckeyes scored in the opening 20 minutes, and Gayle was the only one with more than two made baskets. Ohio State shot 46.9% in the first half as a team, with Bonner, Battle, Thornton, Okpara, Chatman, Royal, and Key all scoring as well.
Chatman rarely played when Chris Holtmann was coach, and while his minutes increased marginally when Diebler took over, he’s still averaged just five minutes per game since the coaching change. However, he has been a pretty reliable for at least one three-pointer per game lately.
Despite only playing more than six minutes one time in the last 10 games, he has knocked down at least one triple in four of the last five games. On Saturday, Chatman drilled a three-pointer in a tie game with 6:13 remaining in the first half, putting the Buckeyes up 22-19.
After racking up his first career double-double against Illinois and coming four rebounds and one assist shy of a triple double against Iowa in the game before, Thornton once again flirted with a triple-double against the Hokies on Saturday.
Thornton was already at 12 points, six rebounds, and six assists with 10 minutes remaining in the game, and finished with 12 points, seven assists, and six rebounds in 33 minutes before exiting with 1:44 remaining with a knee or leg injury.
The Buckeyes led by as much as 13 in the second half, but Pedulla scored five straight points starting at the 8:41 mark to make it 59-55 Buckeyes with 8:16 remaining in the game. The Hokies were setting clean screens to get Pedulla going downhill, and he was repeatedly drawing contact from Thornton. With both teams in the bonus, Pedulla went to the line as an 81% free throw shooter and tightened things up a bit.
With Ohio State leading 71-64 with 1:44 remaining, Thornton tried to split a double team between Kidd and Pedulla and was tripped, hitting the ground hard as Pedulla was called for a foul. Thornton had to be helped off the floor, and could not take the free throws.
Virginia Tech picked Okpara — who is shooting 59.3% at the line — to take them. He split the pair, which put Ohio State up 72-44 and just under two minutes remaining in the game.
Ohio State (22-13) will face the winner of Wake Forest and Georgia in the quarterfinals of the NIT on either Tuesday or Wednesday night. If Wake Forest wins, Ohio State will travel to Winston-Salem to play the Demon Deacons. If Georgia wins, Ohio State will host the Bulldogs in Columbus. Tip-off time and broadcast information are still TBD.
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
Photo courtesy of Ohio State Hoops Twitter// @OhioStateHoops
The Hokies gave Ohio State one heck of a punch in the second half, but the Buckeyes withstood it and will move on in the NIT.
The Ohio State men’s basketball team (22-13) won’t be cutting down nets in Columbus this year, but woke up on Saturday morning four wins away from cutting them down in the NIT final at Hinkle Fieldhouse. After beating Cornell 88-83 in the opening round of the National Invitation Tournament on Tuesday, the Buckeyes welcomed the Virginia Tech Hokies to Columbus this afternoon, with the winner advancing to play the winner of Wake Forest and Georgia this week.
Hoping to improve his 7-2 record as head coach, Jake Diebler’s Buckeyes were without freshman guard/wing Scotty Middleton for the second consecutive game as he tends to a family emergency in Florida. Earlier in the week, Diebler said that he expected Middleton to be back in time to play on Saturday, but it became clear by Friday that was not going to happen.
Diebler went with the same starting five Ohio State has utilized most of this season — Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle Jr., Evan Mahaffey, Felix Okpara, and Jamison Battle. Thornton sprained his ankle against Cornell but was able to practice all week. Fifth-year head coach Mike Young went with a starting five of Sean Pedulla, Hunter Cattoor, Robbie Beran, MJ Collins, and Lynn Kidd.
The Buckeyes didn’t inspire much confidence early on, missing their first five shots and falling behind 7-0 just over three minutes into the game. Gayle was trying to take advantage of the matchup with the smaller Pedulla, but Virginia Tech was quick to help and forcing multiple misses from the sophomore guard. Gayle’s three-pointer over Pedulla 3:42 into the game gave Ohio State its first made basket, with the score 7-3 at the first media timeout a minute later.
Ohio State went on an 10-0 run to take a 16-12 lead, getting multiple buckets from Thornton as well as individual baskets from Gayle, Bonner, and Key. They weren’t able to do it early on when Tech was hitting shots, but once they cooled down Ohio State really began to push it down the floor. The 10-0 run was capped off by an impressive slam from Gayle on a halfcourt lob from Thornton, where Gayle had to re-adjust mid-air and bring the ball back from the right side and slam it home. Virginia Tech got baskets from Pedulla and Mylyjael Poteat after the Ohio State run, however, and the Buckeyes lead was just 17-16 at the under-eight timeout with eight minutes left in the half.
After Virginia Tech tied the game 17-17, Ohio State outscored the Hokies 19-9 over the final eight minutes and took a 36-26 lead into the halftime break. The Buckeyes got baskets from eight different players in the first half, including three-pointers from Taison Chatman and Dale Bonner, as well as a pair of dunks from Gayle. The Buckeyes shot 46.9% in the first half but mostly stayed away from the three ball, taking 72% of their first-half shots from inside the arc. The Hokies shot 36.7% in the first half and got a combined 13 points in the first half from Cattoor and Kidd.
Thornton scored through contact from Beran and hit the ensuing free throw to make it 45-32 with just over 16 minutes remaining in the game — Ohio State’s largest lead at that point. The Buckeyes then went on a lull, not scoring for the next 2:33 until a media timeout was called at the 13:25 mark. Despite the short nap the Buckeyes took, they still held a 45-35 lead thanks to Virginia Tech only hitting 4 of its first 14 shots of the second half.
The Hokies didn’t let Ohio State run away with it, keeping the deficit within nine or so points for a good part of the second half. Both teams started to rack up fouls, with the Buckeyes getting into the bonus with 12:56 remaining in the game and Virginia Tech getting there roughly three minutes later. With both teams shooting free throws for the final 10 or so minutes on every foul, getting to the basket and drawing contact became the name of the game. After Bonner was fouled by Patrick Wessler and hit both free throws to make it 59-50, Pedulla scored through contact against Thornton and drew the foul, completing the three-point play to make it 59-53 with 8:41 remaining in the game.
After Pedulla split a pair of free throws to make it a five-point game, Battle went down to the other end and was fouled by Patrick Wessler — his third of the game. Battle knocked down both, making it 63-56 Ohio State with 7:44 remaining.
Virginia Tech made it a one-possession game by the final media timeout, with the Buckeyes clinging to a 67-64 lead with 3:52 remaining. The two teams were taking turns attacking the rack and drawing fouls, and it was going to come down to who took care of the ball better and hit their free throws.
Try as they might, the Hokies weren’t able to catch Ohio State and complete the comeback. It was a spirited effort from Cattoor and Pedulla in particular, but the Buckeye defense clamped down when it needed to and beat Virginia Tech 81-73 to advance to the NIT quarterfinal.
If you weren’t around Saturday night to see Ohio State improve to 8-2 under Diebler and advance to the NIT quarterfinals, here are a few key moments, plays, and runs that powered the Buckeyes to victory:
Slow start, turnovers aplenty
For the second straight game, the Buckeyes started slow and fell behind early. Virginia Tech jumped out to a 7-0 lead, getting baskets from Kidd and Collins. Ohio State turned the ball over three times in the first four minutes, with Okpara, Battle, and Gayle all being guilty of one early giveaway.
Thornton, Gayle spark 10-0 run
Starting at the 12:42 mark and lasting for the next 3:44, Ohio State went on a 10-0 run that put them ahead of the Hokies, 16-12. Thornton had multiple buckets during the run, but the capper was a fastbreak lob that the Buckeyes point guard threw to Gayle from halfcourt. Gayle went up, had to readjust mid-air with the ball off to his right, and then pulled it back down to slam it home to make it 16-12.
Gayle leads balanced first-half attack
Gayle was Ohio State’s leading scorer at halftime with nine points, but eight different Buckeyes scored in the opening 20 minutes, and Gayle was the only one with more than two made baskets. Ohio State shot 46.9% in the first half as a team, with Bonner, Battle, Thornton, Okpara, Chatman, Royal, and Key all scoring as well.
Chatman shows drills another three, continuing stretch of good play in sparse time
Chatman rarely played when Chris Holtmann was coach, and while his minutes increased marginally when Diebler took over, he’s still averaged just five minutes per game since the coaching change. However, he has been a pretty reliable for at least one three-pointer per game lately.
Despite only playing more than six minutes one time in the last 10 games, he has knocked down at least one triple in four of the last five games. On Saturday, Chatman drilled a three-pointer in a tie game with 6:13 remaining in the first half, putting the Buckeyes up 22-19.
Thornton flirts with a triple-double once again
After racking up his first career double-double against Illinois and coming four rebounds and one assist shy of a triple double against Iowa in the game before, Thornton once again flirted with a triple-double against the Hokies on Saturday.
Thornton was already at 12 points, six rebounds, and six assists with 10 minutes remaining in the game, and finished with 12 points, seven assists, and six rebounds in 33 minutes before exiting with 1:44 remaining with a knee or leg injury.
Pedulla scores five in a row to cut Ohio State’s lead to four
The Buckeyes led by as much as 13 in the second half, but Pedulla scored five straight points starting at the 8:41 mark to make it 59-55 Buckeyes with 8:16 remaining in the game. The Hokies were setting clean screens to get Pedulla going downhill, and he was repeatedly drawing contact from Thornton. With both teams in the bonus, Pedulla went to the line as an 81% free throw shooter and tightened things up a bit.
Okpara splits Thornton’s free throws to give Ohio State 72-64 lead
With Ohio State leading 71-64 with 1:44 remaining, Thornton tried to split a double team between Kidd and Pedulla and was tripped, hitting the ground hard as Pedulla was called for a foul. Thornton had to be helped off the floor, and could not take the free throws.
Virginia Tech picked Okpara — who is shooting 59.3% at the line — to take them. He split the pair, which put Ohio State up 72-44 and just under two minutes remaining in the game.
Up Next
Ohio State (22-13) will face the winner of Wake Forest and Georgia in the quarterfinals of the NIT on either Tuesday or Wednesday night. If Wake Forest wins, Ohio State will travel to Winston-Salem to play the Demon Deacons. If Georgia wins, Ohio State will host the Bulldogs in Columbus. Tip-off time and broadcast information are still TBD.
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LGHL Celeste Taylor’s full circle moment in front of her Ohio State women’s basketball and Duke families
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Celeste Taylor’s full circle moment in front of her Ohio State women’s basketball and Duke families
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 Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
The graduate senior’s Sunday features a win or go home game against the program who helped her grow
Following Ohio State women’s basketball’s win over the Maine Black Bears on Friday, Buckeyes players took a seat in their family section to watch the Duke Blue Devils face the Richmond Spiders. Scarlet and Gray Guard Celeste Taylor, whose parents were in town to watch her final NCAA Tournament, took a detour towards the Duke section of the Schottenstein Center.
“I was at Duke for two years and I just feel like the community there was just so important to me and my family,” said Taylor. “ They would always come around and still to this day they keep in contact a lot with me. Just to be able to see those familiar faces, it is kind of exciting.”
For two seasons, Taylor led the Blue Devils, on offense as the point guard and especially on the defensive side of the court. Head coach Kara Lawson instituted a strong, defense-focused strategy that allowed Taylor to thrive.
On top of graduating from the prestigious university, the guard helped lift Duke to new levels on the court. Last season, Taylor won ACC Defensive Player of the Year and a spot in the final three for Naismith Defensive Player of the Year.
“She just competes at a really high level,” said Lawson. “Practice, games, she takes pride in it and is competitive because she wants to win. I think that mindset is what allows her to be really good on that end.”
Taylor will jump and dive for a loose ball and disrupt any opponent in her vicinity, all the traits that make her a fan favorite for scarlet and gray-clad fans too.
The guard is not the offensive focus for the Buckeyes like she was during her days playing at Cameron Indoor Stadium, but as the year with Ohio State has shown, there’s more to Taylor than defense.
After averaging 7.9 points in non-conference play, Taylor’s offensive output increased to 11.7 points per game from the end of December through Friday’s win over Maine, but Taylor isn’t the only one changing in the Taylor and Duke relationship.
Following the Blue Devils’ upset defeat to the Colorado Buffaloes in the second round of last year’s NCAA Tournament, only five players returned for Lawson’s squad, creating an opportunity for Duke to change too.
“I feel like we’re just trying to adjust to one another,” said Taylor’s former teammate Reigan Richardson. “We have a lot of freshmen on the team, so I feel like this year we’re a little athletic. We’re hungry. We’re ready to go at it.”
Despite Taylor still being friends with players and staff members at Duke, that isn’t something that will spill over into the game. Both Duke and Ohio State have their own team goals, detached from prior affiliations and family in the stands.
The Blue Devils program is a team used to advancing deep in the tournament. Duke has made the Final Four on four occasions, but not since the 2005-06 season. Taylor and the Buckeyes are trying to build a legacy like that for themselves; and in her final year of eligibility, every game has added weight for Taylor.
It’s a feeling that she already felt when she thought last year’s March Madness loss was the end of her NCAA career, so one more run as a Buckeye has been special, making competing against a former coach, teammates, and staff a much easier pill to swallow.
“It hurt, I thought it was my last game,” said Taylor. “For me, [Duke is] just another team that I have to get through my journey.”
Ohio State is the favorite in the matchup, with the Buckeyes winning its regular season conference title and Duke entering as an at-large bid. That team with only five returners goes up against a team that has two graduate seniors and four upperclassmen rotating through the starting lineup. But that doesn’t mean the Blue Devils’ youth will be an issue.
“It’s taken time, but they’ve done a great job,” said Lawson. “I think more than anything, their coachability, their excitement, their passion for the game, their willingness to be great teammates just investing in them has been a lot of fun for us as a staff, and I think it’s been fun for the players to feel their growth.”
Taylor notices the growth too.
“They’re playing within themselves, they’re doing the things that I know Coach Kara [Lawson] loves them to do, very good defensively still,” said Taylor. “I’m excited to see how they’ve grown as a program as well.”
The Buckeyes and Taylor have that chance on Sunday. They’re just hoping that the growth doesn’t show in the final score, and Taylor can put off that “last game” moment for at least one more round.
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
Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
The graduate senior’s Sunday features a win or go home game against the program who helped her grow
Following Ohio State women’s basketball’s win over the Maine Black Bears on Friday, Buckeyes players took a seat in their family section to watch the Duke Blue Devils face the Richmond Spiders. Scarlet and Gray Guard Celeste Taylor, whose parents were in town to watch her final NCAA Tournament, took a detour towards the Duke section of the Schottenstein Center.
“I was at Duke for two years and I just feel like the community there was just so important to me and my family,” said Taylor. “ They would always come around and still to this day they keep in contact a lot with me. Just to be able to see those familiar faces, it is kind of exciting.”
For two seasons, Taylor led the Blue Devils, on offense as the point guard and especially on the defensive side of the court. Head coach Kara Lawson instituted a strong, defense-focused strategy that allowed Taylor to thrive.
On top of graduating from the prestigious university, the guard helped lift Duke to new levels on the court. Last season, Taylor won ACC Defensive Player of the Year and a spot in the final three for Naismith Defensive Player of the Year.
“She just competes at a really high level,” said Lawson. “Practice, games, she takes pride in it and is competitive because she wants to win. I think that mindset is what allows her to be really good on that end.”
Taylor will jump and dive for a loose ball and disrupt any opponent in her vicinity, all the traits that make her a fan favorite for scarlet and gray-clad fans too.
The guard is not the offensive focus for the Buckeyes like she was during her days playing at Cameron Indoor Stadium, but as the year with Ohio State has shown, there’s more to Taylor than defense.
After averaging 7.9 points in non-conference play, Taylor’s offensive output increased to 11.7 points per game from the end of December through Friday’s win over Maine, but Taylor isn’t the only one changing in the Taylor and Duke relationship.
Following the Blue Devils’ upset defeat to the Colorado Buffaloes in the second round of last year’s NCAA Tournament, only five players returned for Lawson’s squad, creating an opportunity for Duke to change too.
“I feel like we’re just trying to adjust to one another,” said Taylor’s former teammate Reigan Richardson. “We have a lot of freshmen on the team, so I feel like this year we’re a little athletic. We’re hungry. We’re ready to go at it.”
Despite Taylor still being friends with players and staff members at Duke, that isn’t something that will spill over into the game. Both Duke and Ohio State have their own team goals, detached from prior affiliations and family in the stands.
The Blue Devils program is a team used to advancing deep in the tournament. Duke has made the Final Four on four occasions, but not since the 2005-06 season. Taylor and the Buckeyes are trying to build a legacy like that for themselves; and in her final year of eligibility, every game has added weight for Taylor.
It’s a feeling that she already felt when she thought last year’s March Madness loss was the end of her NCAA career, so one more run as a Buckeye has been special, making competing against a former coach, teammates, and staff a much easier pill to swallow.
“It hurt, I thought it was my last game,” said Taylor. “For me, [Duke is] just another team that I have to get through my journey.”
Ohio State is the favorite in the matchup, with the Buckeyes winning its regular season conference title and Duke entering as an at-large bid. That team with only five returners goes up against a team that has two graduate seniors and four upperclassmen rotating through the starting lineup. But that doesn’t mean the Blue Devils’ youth will be an issue.
“It’s taken time, but they’ve done a great job,” said Lawson. “I think more than anything, their coachability, their excitement, their passion for the game, their willingness to be great teammates just investing in them has been a lot of fun for us as a staff, and I think it’s been fun for the players to feel their growth.”
Taylor notices the growth too.
“They’re playing within themselves, they’re doing the things that I know Coach Kara [Lawson] loves them to do, very good defensively still,” said Taylor. “I’m excited to see how they’ve grown as a program as well.”
The Buckeyes and Taylor have that chance on Sunday. They’re just hoping that the growth doesn’t show in the final score, and Taylor can put off that “last game” moment for at least one more round.
Continue reading...
LGHL Visiting Locker Room: Talking Blue Devils with the Duke Chronicle
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Visiting Locker Room: Talking Blue Devils with the Duke Chronicle
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 Nicholas Faulkner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Duke’s independent student newspaper on returning players, turnovers and more
Sunday, the ACC and Big Ten face-off in the Second round of the NCAA Tournament. Starting the round of 32 is the Ohio State women’s basketball team and Duke Blue Devils. It’s the first time the two teams face each other in the high intensity environment that is March Madness, and this matchup features two teams with high powered defenses that usually make things difficult for their opponents.
To learn more about the matchup, Land-Grant Holy Land reached out to the Duke Chronicle. Beat reporter Martin Heintzelman, from he student-run newspaper, is live in Columbus covering the ACC side and answered questions about the Blue Devils.
Including the focal point of a young team, a different looking offense under head coach Kara Lawson and turnover problems for Duke.
Land-Grant Holy Land: Duke lost all but five players this season. How has Coach Lawson changed the team around such a new group of players?
LGHL: An area the Blue Devils have improved in this season is on offense. Against Richmond, Duke worked hard to get the ball up the court as quickly as possible. Is that the new standard that the Buckeyes can expect on Sunday? In what ways does Lawson change things up offensively?
LGHL: Duke gives the ball away 16.9 times per game. Now they face an Ohio State team who forces 20 turnovers a game. How do you see Duke overcoming turnover issues? Have they shown growth in that department as the season progressed?
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
Photo by Nicholas Faulkner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Duke’s independent student newspaper on returning players, turnovers and more
Sunday, the ACC and Big Ten face-off in the Second round of the NCAA Tournament. Starting the round of 32 is the Ohio State women’s basketball team and Duke Blue Devils. It’s the first time the two teams face each other in the high intensity environment that is March Madness, and this matchup features two teams with high powered defenses that usually make things difficult for their opponents.
To learn more about the matchup, Land-Grant Holy Land reached out to the Duke Chronicle. Beat reporter Martin Heintzelman, from he student-run newspaper, is live in Columbus covering the ACC side and answered questions about the Blue Devils.
Including the focal point of a young team, a different looking offense under head coach Kara Lawson and turnover problems for Duke.
Land-Grant Holy Land: Duke lost all but five players this season. How has Coach Lawson changed the team around such a new group of players?
LGHL: An area the Blue Devils have improved in this season is on offense. Against Richmond, Duke worked hard to get the ball up the court as quickly as possible. Is that the new standard that the Buckeyes can expect on Sunday? In what ways does Lawson change things up offensively?
LGHL: Duke gives the ball away 16.9 times per game. Now they face an Ohio State team who forces 20 turnovers a game. How do you see Duke overcoming turnover issues? Have they shown growth in that department as the season progressed?
Continue reading...
2026 TN TE Carson Sneed (North Carolina Signee)
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2025 NJ DL Kole Briehler (Stanford Signee)
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2026 FL(CA) CB Ksani Jiles (Washington Signee)
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2026 IL QB Jonas Williams (USC Signee)
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LGHL Ohio State men’s basketball vs. Virginia Tech: Game preview and prediction
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Ohio State men’s basketball vs. Virginia Tech: 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
Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports
The Buckeyes will look to get one step closer to Hinkle Fieldhouse Saturday night against the Hokies.
The Ohio State men’s basketball team (21-13, 14-4 at home) has moved onto the second round of the National Invitational Tournament (NIT), and the Hokies from Virginia Tech (19-14, 2-9 on the road) await.
No. 2 seed Ohio State defeated No. 7 seed Cornell 88-83 in the NIT first round, and No. 3 Virginia Tech defeated No. 6 Richmond 74-58 for both teams to advance to the second round.
If the Buckeyes advance, they will take on either No. 1 Wake Forest or No. 5 Georgia in the quarterfinals on Tuesday or Wednesday. They would host Georgia or head to Winston-Salem, depending on who wins.
The NIT Final Four is at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The semifinals are on Tuesday, April 2, and the finals are on Thursday, April 4.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25350693/2089868508.jpg "Richmond v Virginia Tech")
Photo by Ryan Hunt/Getty Images
Sean Pedulla and Hunter Cattoor lead the way for the Hokies, with Pedulla averaging 16.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. Pedulla shoots 42.5 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three. Cattoor averages 13.4 points per game while shooting 45.2 percent from the field and 40.5 percent from three.
Senior center Lynn Kidd is averaging 13.2 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. He shoots an incredibly efficient 67.1 percent from the field. Tyler Nickel and MJ Collins average 8.9 and 7.5 points per game, respectively.
For Ohio State, Bruce Thornton is averaging 15.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game. Jamison Battle averages 15.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game while shooting 44.4 percent from the three-point range.
Roddy Gayle averages 13.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game. Zed Key averages 6.7 points per game, and Felix Okpara averages 6.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game.
Virginia Tech is No. 56 overall on KenPom, with the No.. 31 ranked offense and the No. 100 ranked defense. Ohio State is No. 46 overall, No. 35 on offense, and No. 63 on defense, a number that has risen since interim head coach Jake Diebler has taken over. In mid-February, Ohio State’s defensive efficiency rating had gotten as bad as No. 106 in the country. The Buckeyes are 7-2 since Diebler took the reins and have shown an uptick in energy and hustle that has translated to the defensive end most of all.
In the Hokies win over Richmond, Lynn Kidd was instrumental, recording 20 points and eight rebounds on 9-for-10 shooting. Pedulla recorded 17 points and seven assists, and MJ Collins recorded 15 points. Cattoor struggled, shooting just 2-for-12 from the field with 10 points and four rebounds. He was 2-for-7 from three.
Against Cornell, Battle finished with 17 points, eight rebounds, and five assists to lead the Buckeyes. Felix Okpara recorded a career-high 16 points with seven rebounds and three blocks, and Roddy Gayle added 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and two blocks.
Ohio State shot 11-for-26 from three-point range, while Cornell shot 12-for-33 from deep.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25349273/usa_today_22813829.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
The win over Cornell did not inspire much confidence, but at the end of the day, it is March, and that means you just need to survive and advance. The Buckeyes executed down the stretch, and they advanced.
The obvious looming question mark is the health of Bruce Thornton. Thornton missed the last ten minutes of the Buckeyes win over Cornell due to an ankle sprain, and head coach Jake Diebler said on Friday morning that his sophomore point guard should be good to go against Virginia Tech.
However, just because Thornton is available does not mean he will be playing 100% or will play the same amount of minutes he typically does. The Buckeyes were able to close out Cornell without him, but Virginia Tech is a better and more well-rounded team. Freshman wing Scotty Middleton also missed the Cornell game to tend to a family matter, and he remains away from the program. Diebler had no further comment on his availability moving forward.
I have the Buckeyes winning a close one in a game that will likely stay close the entire way. Ohio State has too many weapons on offense, and their solid run of defensive games should continue since the changes they have made are sustainable — such as energy, hustle, and communication.
Also, the Hokies are 2-9 on the road, and this game is in Columbus. Sometimes, it is just that simple.
Survive and advance.
ESPN BPI: Ohio State 65.6%
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN Plus
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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
Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports
The Buckeyes will look to get one step closer to Hinkle Fieldhouse Saturday night against the Hokies.
The Ohio State men’s basketball team (21-13, 14-4 at home) has moved onto the second round of the National Invitational Tournament (NIT), and the Hokies from Virginia Tech (19-14, 2-9 on the road) await.
No. 2 seed Ohio State defeated No. 7 seed Cornell 88-83 in the NIT first round, and No. 3 Virginia Tech defeated No. 6 Richmond 74-58 for both teams to advance to the second round.
If the Buckeyes advance, they will take on either No. 1 Wake Forest or No. 5 Georgia in the quarterfinals on Tuesday or Wednesday. They would host Georgia or head to Winston-Salem, depending on who wins.
The NIT Final Four is at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The semifinals are on Tuesday, April 2, and the finals are on Thursday, April 4.
Preview
Sean Pedulla and Hunter Cattoor lead the way for the Hokies, with Pedulla averaging 16.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. Pedulla shoots 42.5 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three. Cattoor averages 13.4 points per game while shooting 45.2 percent from the field and 40.5 percent from three.
Senior center Lynn Kidd is averaging 13.2 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. He shoots an incredibly efficient 67.1 percent from the field. Tyler Nickel and MJ Collins average 8.9 and 7.5 points per game, respectively.
For Ohio State, Bruce Thornton is averaging 15.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game. Jamison Battle averages 15.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game while shooting 44.4 percent from the three-point range.
Roddy Gayle averages 13.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game. Zed Key averages 6.7 points per game, and Felix Okpara averages 6.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game.
Virginia Tech is No. 56 overall on KenPom, with the No.. 31 ranked offense and the No. 100 ranked defense. Ohio State is No. 46 overall, No. 35 on offense, and No. 63 on defense, a number that has risen since interim head coach Jake Diebler has taken over. In mid-February, Ohio State’s defensive efficiency rating had gotten as bad as No. 106 in the country. The Buckeyes are 7-2 since Diebler took the reins and have shown an uptick in energy and hustle that has translated to the defensive end most of all.
In the Hokies win over Richmond, Lynn Kidd was instrumental, recording 20 points and eight rebounds on 9-for-10 shooting. Pedulla recorded 17 points and seven assists, and MJ Collins recorded 15 points. Cattoor struggled, shooting just 2-for-12 from the field with 10 points and four rebounds. He was 2-for-7 from three.
Against Cornell, Battle finished with 17 points, eight rebounds, and five assists to lead the Buckeyes. Felix Okpara recorded a career-high 16 points with seven rebounds and three blocks, and Roddy Gayle added 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and two blocks.
Ohio State shot 11-for-26 from three-point range, while Cornell shot 12-for-33 from deep.
Prediction
The win over Cornell did not inspire much confidence, but at the end of the day, it is March, and that means you just need to survive and advance. The Buckeyes executed down the stretch, and they advanced.
The obvious looming question mark is the health of Bruce Thornton. Thornton missed the last ten minutes of the Buckeyes win over Cornell due to an ankle sprain, and head coach Jake Diebler said on Friday morning that his sophomore point guard should be good to go against Virginia Tech.
However, just because Thornton is available does not mean he will be playing 100% or will play the same amount of minutes he typically does. The Buckeyes were able to close out Cornell without him, but Virginia Tech is a better and more well-rounded team. Freshman wing Scotty Middleton also missed the Cornell game to tend to a family matter, and he remains away from the program. Diebler had no further comment on his availability moving forward.
I have the Buckeyes winning a close one in a game that will likely stay close the entire way. Ohio State has too many weapons on offense, and their solid run of defensive games should continue since the changes they have made are sustainable — such as energy, hustle, and communication.
Also, the Hokies are 2-9 on the road, and this game is in Columbus. Sometimes, it is just that simple.
Survive and advance.
ESPN BPI: Ohio State 65.6%
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN Plus
LGHL score prediction: Ohio State 80, Virginia Tech 75
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LGHL You’re Nuts: Which recruit does Jake Diebler need to be on the phone with first?
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You’re Nuts: Which recruit does Jake Diebler need to be on the phone with first?
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
The 2025 and 2026 classes are full of talent, and Jake Diebler has more than a few top recruits on speed dial already.
For a team that missed the NCAA Tournament, it sure seems like an exciting time to be following the Ohio State men’s basketball team. Not only did the team name Jake Diebler its 15th head coach in program history on Monday afternoon, it is also in the middle of a 7-2 stretch under its new coach and has advanced to the second round of the NIT. That game will be played on Saturday evening against Virginia Tech in Columbus.
Last week, Connor and Justin debated the biggest key to beating Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament — which Ohio state did not do, ultimately. Connor said bench production would be crucial, while Justin said it would be transition defense. 67% of the readers agreed with Connor, but Illinois’ bench did wind up outscoring Ohio State’s 23-20. The other 33% of the readers went with Justin.
Connor- 72
When Diebler was first elevated to interim head coach and was asked about recruiting, he said his loyalties had to remain with players currently committed to play for Ohio State. In essence, recruiting of future Buckeyes stopped for about a month, because none of the coaches knew if they would still be at Ohio State when the season ended. Now that Diebler is the head coach, we know that at least he will still be here. That means recruiting is going to pick back up ASAP.
Diebler already got Colin White and Juni Mobley to confirm their commitments in the class of 2024 — he did that in his first six hours on the job. But when he resumes recruiting the 2025 and 2026 classes, where should he begin?
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25349306/Screenshot_2024_03_22_at_1.26.59_AM.png)
Photo Courtesy Travis Branham/247Sports
Since I know which way Justin is going to zig, I’m going to zag on this one. Every year, Ohio State fans complain about lack of size.
“If only we had a big man who could *insert pretty much anything here*”
It comes as a surprise to some people that uber talented post players do not grow on trees, and Ohio State is not one of the premier programs that tend to snatch them up. However, there is a very talented post player in the state of Ohio in the class of 2025 in four-star power forward/center Niko Bundalo.
Bundalo is a 6-foot-11, 195-pound power forward that plays for Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio. He is the No. 26 player in the class of 2025, the No. 7 power forward in the class, and the No. 1 player in Ohio for that cycle. He’s lanky at nearly seven feet but not quite 200 pounds, but is mobile and can slash to the basket or knock down outside shots.
He’s shown the ability to hit shots off the dribble or off the pass, and is continuing to progress as a shot blocker and rebounder. Bundalo averaged 12.5 points and 6 rebounds per game at Green High School in Uniontown as a sophomore.
While there are more highly-touted recruits out there than Bundalo (guards, mostly), it seems to me that his position and skillset fill a need more than any of the given guards still available. In 2025, Roddy Gayle and Bruce Thornton will be seniors, Taison Chatman will be a junior, and Juni Mobley will be a sophomore. Is there really much room for another guard to slide in?
However, in 2025 Felix Okpara will be a senior and Austin Parks will be a junior. To this point, Parks has not shown he is ready to contribute in the Big Ten. That may change next season, but for now his path to consistent minutes looks murky at best and non-existent at worst. Bundalo is the type of talent who may be able to pass him quickly. Even if he doesn’t slide past Okpara or Parks as a freshman, Okpara will graduate before Bundalo’s second season.
Ohio State offered Bundalo last summer, and he has taken multiple unofficial visits as well as participate in the Buckeyes’ team camp. He is also being recruited heavily by Michigan State, Illinois, Iowa, and Xavier. He listed Michigan State as the team most aggressively pushing for him.
Diebler has been somewhat of a guard whisperer since leaving Vanderbilt and coming back to Ohio State several years ago, but adding a quality center to the program feels like a safe and wise thing to do in the transfer portal age. There’s no guarantee the depth at that position will look the same in two years, and even if he was to sit in a backup role for one season, is that so bad?
Plus, it already is looking like 2026 guard Marcus Johnson is very interested in Ohio State and playing for Jake Diebler. If they are already locking in on a 2026 guard, does Ohio State really need to find another scholarship to throw at a guard? I think locking up a commitment from Bundalo and showing off the recruiting prowess Ohio State is going to get with Diebler would be a great start.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25340410/usa_today_22553914.jpg "Syndication: Akron Beacon Journal")
Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK
When it comes to recent Ohio recruits, not many in the last 20 years have had as much hype as Darryn Peterson.
I would still consider Peterson an Ohio recruit since Peterson started his high school career at Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy in Cuyahoga Falls, and transferred to Huntington Prep High School in West Virginia this season. Huntington Prep has produced talents such as Andrew Wiggins, Miles Bridges, Keldon Johnson, and Jonathan Kuminga, among others.
Peterson is currently ranked as the No. 3 recruit in the 2025 class and the top shooting guard in the country. The only players ranked ahead of him are AJ Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer, since Cooper Flagg reclassified to the 2024 class.
The 6-foot-5, 195-pound guard has been hailed as the best recruit in the state since he was a kid from Akron, and he has backed up the hype with his play on the AAU circuit and his play on Team USA. Peterson has narrowed his list to Arkansas, Indiana, Baylor, Ohio State, Kentucky, Kansas, Michigan, and North Carolina, and that is a list of a guy that has his pick.
He also became the first high school athlete to sign an NIL deal with Adidas, but it is unknown how much that will affect his recruiting since only two of those eight schools are Adidas schools.
There is a world where you can bring in this five-star freshman phenom, and Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle, and Felix Okpara are all seniors, with Scotty Middleton, Devin Royal, and Taison Chatman as juniors. That is a top-five team in the country.
Do anything you can to bring Peterson to Columbus.
Continue reading...
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
The 2025 and 2026 classes are full of talent, and Jake Diebler has more than a few top recruits on speed dial already.
For a team that missed the NCAA Tournament, it sure seems like an exciting time to be following the Ohio State men’s basketball team. Not only did the team name Jake Diebler its 15th head coach in program history on Monday afternoon, it is also in the middle of a 7-2 stretch under its new coach and has advanced to the second round of the NIT. That game will be played on Saturday evening against Virginia Tech in Columbus.
Last week, Connor and Justin debated the biggest key to beating Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament — which Ohio state did not do, ultimately. Connor said bench production would be crucial, while Justin said it would be transition defense. 67% of the readers agreed with Connor, but Illinois’ bench did wind up outscoring Ohio State’s 23-20. The other 33% of the readers went with Justin.
After 144 weeks:
Connor- 72
Justin- 53
Other- 15
(There have been four ties)
When Diebler was first elevated to interim head coach and was asked about recruiting, he said his loyalties had to remain with players currently committed to play for Ohio State. In essence, recruiting of future Buckeyes stopped for about a month, because none of the coaches knew if they would still be at Ohio State when the season ended. Now that Diebler is the head coach, we know that at least he will still be here. That means recruiting is going to pick back up ASAP.
Diebler already got Colin White and Juni Mobley to confirm their commitments in the class of 2024 — he did that in his first six hours on the job. But when he resumes recruiting the 2025 and 2026 classes, where should he begin?
Connor: Niko Bundalo
Photo Courtesy Travis Branham/247Sports
Since I know which way Justin is going to zig, I’m going to zag on this one. Every year, Ohio State fans complain about lack of size.
“If only we had a big man who could *insert pretty much anything here*”
It comes as a surprise to some people that uber talented post players do not grow on trees, and Ohio State is not one of the premier programs that tend to snatch them up. However, there is a very talented post player in the state of Ohio in the class of 2025 in four-star power forward/center Niko Bundalo.
Bundalo is a 6-foot-11, 195-pound power forward that plays for Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio. He is the No. 26 player in the class of 2025, the No. 7 power forward in the class, and the No. 1 player in Ohio for that cycle. He’s lanky at nearly seven feet but not quite 200 pounds, but is mobile and can slash to the basket or knock down outside shots.
He’s shown the ability to hit shots off the dribble or off the pass, and is continuing to progress as a shot blocker and rebounder. Bundalo averaged 12.5 points and 6 rebounds per game at Green High School in Uniontown as a sophomore.
While there are more highly-touted recruits out there than Bundalo (guards, mostly), it seems to me that his position and skillset fill a need more than any of the given guards still available. In 2025, Roddy Gayle and Bruce Thornton will be seniors, Taison Chatman will be a junior, and Juni Mobley will be a sophomore. Is there really much room for another guard to slide in?
However, in 2025 Felix Okpara will be a senior and Austin Parks will be a junior. To this point, Parks has not shown he is ready to contribute in the Big Ten. That may change next season, but for now his path to consistent minutes looks murky at best and non-existent at worst. Bundalo is the type of talent who may be able to pass him quickly. Even if he doesn’t slide past Okpara or Parks as a freshman, Okpara will graduate before Bundalo’s second season.
Ohio State offered Bundalo last summer, and he has taken multiple unofficial visits as well as participate in the Buckeyes’ team camp. He is also being recruited heavily by Michigan State, Illinois, Iowa, and Xavier. He listed Michigan State as the team most aggressively pushing for him.
Diebler has been somewhat of a guard whisperer since leaving Vanderbilt and coming back to Ohio State several years ago, but adding a quality center to the program feels like a safe and wise thing to do in the transfer portal age. There’s no guarantee the depth at that position will look the same in two years, and even if he was to sit in a backup role for one season, is that so bad?
Plus, it already is looking like 2026 guard Marcus Johnson is very interested in Ohio State and playing for Jake Diebler. If they are already locking in on a 2026 guard, does Ohio State really need to find another scholarship to throw at a guard? I think locking up a commitment from Bundalo and showing off the recruiting prowess Ohio State is going to get with Diebler would be a great start.
Justin: Darryn Peterson
When it comes to recent Ohio recruits, not many in the last 20 years have had as much hype as Darryn Peterson.
I would still consider Peterson an Ohio recruit since Peterson started his high school career at Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy in Cuyahoga Falls, and transferred to Huntington Prep High School in West Virginia this season. Huntington Prep has produced talents such as Andrew Wiggins, Miles Bridges, Keldon Johnson, and Jonathan Kuminga, among others.
Peterson is currently ranked as the No. 3 recruit in the 2025 class and the top shooting guard in the country. The only players ranked ahead of him are AJ Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer, since Cooper Flagg reclassified to the 2024 class.
The 6-foot-5, 195-pound guard has been hailed as the best recruit in the state since he was a kid from Akron, and he has backed up the hype with his play on the AAU circuit and his play on Team USA. Peterson has narrowed his list to Arkansas, Indiana, Baylor, Ohio State, Kentucky, Kansas, Michigan, and North Carolina, and that is a list of a guy that has his pick.
He also became the first high school athlete to sign an NIL deal with Adidas, but it is unknown how much that will affect his recruiting since only two of those eight schools are Adidas schools.
There is a world where you can bring in this five-star freshman phenom, and Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle, and Felix Okpara are all seniors, with Scotty Middleton, Devin Royal, and Taison Chatman as juniors. That is a top-five team in the country.
Do anything you can to bring Peterson to Columbus.
Continue reading...
