-
Follow us on Twitter @buckeyeplanet and @bp_recruiting, like us on Facebook! Enjoy a post or article, recommend it to others! BP is only as strong as its community, and we only promote by word of mouth, so share away!
LGHL No. 2 Ohio State women fall in third straight 73-65 to Purdue
- News
- 0 Replies
No. 2 Ohio State women fall in third straight 73-65 to Purdue
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State University athletic department
The Boilermakers head to Columbus to keep the Buckeyes out of the win column for the entire week.
Regardless of the recent results for the Ohio State women’s basketball team, losing to the Iowa Hawkeyes and Indiana Hoosiers over the past six days, there was a lot to celebrate Sunday. The Purdue Boilermakers were in town and the Scarlet & Gray celebrated not only LGBTQ Pride but also the 92-93 National Championship finalists.
The slide continued on the court for Ohio State. This time, losing to the unranked Boilermakers 73-65.
For the Buckeyes, the Sheldon Watch continued, with guard Jacy Sheldon missing her 15th game in a row with a foot injury. The guard is still off crutches and out of a boot, meaning a return could be imminent, according to head coach Kevin McGuff.
Entering the game, Purdue’s three-point shooting is a highlight of their ability to beat teams and got started early from deep. The Boilermakers hit their threes and hit them often in the first. Purdue went 7-for-9 from beyond the arc, even with the Buckeyes mostly having strong defense with hands in the faces of shooters.
Guards Abbey Ellis and Cassidy Hardin each went 3-for-3, scoring 11 and nine points against the Buckeyes in the first quarter alone.
On the Buckeyes’ offensive side, it was hit or miss, mostly miss. From deep the home team went 1-for-6, with guard Rikki Harris hitting the lone make and usually efficient three-point shooter Taylor Mikesell missing both of her chances.
Mikesell was also the only Buckeye to not score out of the starting lineup, picking up two fouls instead. It was another quarter Ohio State would like to forget this week, but they had time to make it up, although down 14 points at the end of the first 10 minutes.
Purdue started the second quarter with Ellis and Harden on the bench, and the visitors began missing from deep. It was still tough for Ohio State to trim away at the 14-point deficit.
Guard/forward Taylor Thierry was leading the way in the attempt. Thierry had nine of the Buckeyes’ 18 points halfway through the second quarter. The sophomore did it with attacks to the basket and getting to the free-throw line. She was also contributing defensively.
Thierry had 13 points, four rebounds, two blocks, and a steal in the first half. With less help from her teammates though, Ohio State could only trim their 14-point deficit down to 13 at the media timeout of the second quarter, with 3:54 left in the half.
While Purdue’s shooting from three was less effective in the second quarter, only going 2-for-8, when Ohio State thought they could start putting together an answer, Purdue would keep it close. The Buckeyes hit a three, then Purdue hit a three. The Buckeyes go on a four-point run, then Purdue went on a five-point run.
Ohio State trimmed the halftime lead down to 12 but needed up until the final buzzer to do it. It was Thierry making the play too. Mikesell, who had no points on 0-for-6 shooting in the first 20 minutes, took a three before the buzzer and missed. Thierry grabbed the offensive rebound and the second-chance point, going down 29-41 at halftime.
It didn’t get much better for the home team in the second half. Ohio State needed a timeout 1:40 into the third quarter after forward Rebeka Mikulášiková fouled Purdue forward Caitlyn Harper, making it a three-point play. Then, Mikesell threw a pass into the hands of Purdue’s Ellis, extending the visiting team’s lead to 17 points.
The Buckeyes started to show life after the timeout, turning a defensive rebound into a break on offense, finished by none other than Thierry. Then, Ohio State won the ball back again, this time with Mikesell getting her first points of the game on a floating layup just outside of the paint.
That was when Mikesell came alive. The guard followed the layup with two threes from the right wing, cutting Purdue’s lead down to nine. When Mikulášiková tried her hand at a shot from deep, forward Cotie McMahon grabbed the clang off the rim and hit the second-chance layup.
Ohio State began the second half outscoring Purdue 12 to seven with just over four minutes remaining in the third quarter. However, the storyline of the day continued. For every stretch where the Buckeyes looked dangerous, they followed it with moments that let the visitors back into the game.
With a minute left in the game, Purdue went back up 11 points, with time becoming less and less an ally to the Buckeyes. The Boilermakers made it even less so, opting to hold possessions even longer to take the ball out of the home team’s hands.
The Buckeyes cut the lead under 10 again with 41 seconds left. That’s when Mikulášiková and Ohio State gave some hope to the good Sunday home crowd. The Slovakian forward hit her first three-point shot of the game, giving Ohio State less of an uphill battle in the fourth quarter, down 52-44.
In the first minute of the final quarter, the two sides traded threes and with under nine minutes left, Ohio State needed someone, anyone, to step up. Instead, it was four. The Buckeyes cut the lead down to two thanks to a nine-point run.
The stretch included a three-a-piece for Mikesell and Harris, a free throw for Thierry, and an impressive physical play by Mikulášiková. After missing a layup in the paint, the forward won the offensive rebound and got through three Boilermakers to get the second chance shot.
Purdue’s two-point lead stretched quickly though, with Hardin hitting a three on the next offensive possession. The Buckeyes had just under seven minutes remaining in the game with five points between them and a third consecutive defeat.
The Buckeyes made it a game again with 4:28 remaining. That’s when the home side went level with the Boilermakers for the first time since the opening minutes of the game.
Ohio State went on another run, including a McMahon attack to the basket and a follow-up free throw. Then it was Thierry hitting a layup, tying the game at 58-58. Unfortunately for the Scarlet and Gray, that was the last time Thierry would see action on the court, fouling out after scoring 18 points, grabbing seven rebounds, and blocking three shots.
The Boilermakers capitalized following Thierry’s exit, going on a seven-point run with four coming inside the paint. Purdue pushed their lead back up to seven, but Ohio State didn’t stop.
Out of a timeout, the Buckeyes cut the lead to five and then forced a 10-second violation in the backcourt. No points came from the turnover though, instead, Purdue kept getting baskets through a charging full-court press.
At the end of regulation, it was Purdue celebrating a third Ohio State defeat, beating the Buckeyes 73-65.
For tougher performances this season, Ohio State’s had at least two players standout and put the team on their shoulders. The first half of Sunday’s game was firmly on the shoulders of Thierry and that makes winning difficult.
Only three players for the Buckeyes hit more than one shot in the first half on 36.7% shooting. Maybe it’s fatigue, maybe it's frustration but no matter what way it's sliced, Ohio State is struggling to meet the expectations they’ve built for themselves through the start of the season.
It got better for the Buckeyes in the second half.
Ohio State as a program was having a tough week entering Sunday. Both the men's and women’s teams were 0-4 entering the Buckeyes and Boilermakers matchup. Sunday was the last chance to salvage anything in Scarlet & Gray basketball land, but couldn’t do it.
After the losses to Iowa and Indiana, there was a strong argument that Ohio State was still a top-10 team. With Sunday’s performance, that’s heavily in question. All season, the Buckeyes have gone down to opponents and found ways to win but lately, the creativity isn’t there to make the comeback.
The Buckeyes continue their Big Ten conference schedule Wednesday. That’s when Ohio State travels up north to the Wisconsin Badgers for a 7:30 p.m. ET tip-off. It’s another game that Ohio State enters as a heavy favorite, but the Badgers have surprised teams this season after starting conference play without a win in four games.
Then, another potential top-10 matchup. That’s Sunday, Feb. 5 when Ohio State travels to the East Coast for a game against Maryland Terrapins.
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
Ohio State University athletic department
The Boilermakers head to Columbus to keep the Buckeyes out of the win column for the entire week.
Regardless of the recent results for the Ohio State women’s basketball team, losing to the Iowa Hawkeyes and Indiana Hoosiers over the past six days, there was a lot to celebrate Sunday. The Purdue Boilermakers were in town and the Scarlet & Gray celebrated not only LGBTQ Pride but also the 92-93 National Championship finalists.
The slide continued on the court for Ohio State. This time, losing to the unranked Boilermakers 73-65.
For the Buckeyes, the Sheldon Watch continued, with guard Jacy Sheldon missing her 15th game in a row with a foot injury. The guard is still off crutches and out of a boot, meaning a return could be imminent, according to head coach Kevin McGuff.
Entering the game, Purdue’s three-point shooting is a highlight of their ability to beat teams and got started early from deep. The Boilermakers hit their threes and hit them often in the first. Purdue went 7-for-9 from beyond the arc, even with the Buckeyes mostly having strong defense with hands in the faces of shooters.
Guards Abbey Ellis and Cassidy Hardin each went 3-for-3, scoring 11 and nine points against the Buckeyes in the first quarter alone.
On the Buckeyes’ offensive side, it was hit or miss, mostly miss. From deep the home team went 1-for-6, with guard Rikki Harris hitting the lone make and usually efficient three-point shooter Taylor Mikesell missing both of her chances.
Mikesell was also the only Buckeye to not score out of the starting lineup, picking up two fouls instead. It was another quarter Ohio State would like to forget this week, but they had time to make it up, although down 14 points at the end of the first 10 minutes.
Purdue started the second quarter with Ellis and Harden on the bench, and the visitors began missing from deep. It was still tough for Ohio State to trim away at the 14-point deficit.
Guard/forward Taylor Thierry was leading the way in the attempt. Thierry had nine of the Buckeyes’ 18 points halfway through the second quarter. The sophomore did it with attacks to the basket and getting to the free-throw line. She was also contributing defensively.
Thierry had 13 points, four rebounds, two blocks, and a steal in the first half. With less help from her teammates though, Ohio State could only trim their 14-point deficit down to 13 at the media timeout of the second quarter, with 3:54 left in the half.
While Purdue’s shooting from three was less effective in the second quarter, only going 2-for-8, when Ohio State thought they could start putting together an answer, Purdue would keep it close. The Buckeyes hit a three, then Purdue hit a three. The Buckeyes go on a four-point run, then Purdue went on a five-point run.
Ohio State trimmed the halftime lead down to 12 but needed up until the final buzzer to do it. It was Thierry making the play too. Mikesell, who had no points on 0-for-6 shooting in the first 20 minutes, took a three before the buzzer and missed. Thierry grabbed the offensive rebound and the second-chance point, going down 29-41 at halftime.
It didn’t get much better for the home team in the second half. Ohio State needed a timeout 1:40 into the third quarter after forward Rebeka Mikulášiková fouled Purdue forward Caitlyn Harper, making it a three-point play. Then, Mikesell threw a pass into the hands of Purdue’s Ellis, extending the visiting team’s lead to 17 points.
The Buckeyes started to show life after the timeout, turning a defensive rebound into a break on offense, finished by none other than Thierry. Then, Ohio State won the ball back again, this time with Mikesell getting her first points of the game on a floating layup just outside of the paint.
That was when Mikesell came alive. The guard followed the layup with two threes from the right wing, cutting Purdue’s lead down to nine. When Mikulášiková tried her hand at a shot from deep, forward Cotie McMahon grabbed the clang off the rim and hit the second-chance layup.
Ohio State began the second half outscoring Purdue 12 to seven with just over four minutes remaining in the third quarter. However, the storyline of the day continued. For every stretch where the Buckeyes looked dangerous, they followed it with moments that let the visitors back into the game.
With a minute left in the game, Purdue went back up 11 points, with time becoming less and less an ally to the Buckeyes. The Boilermakers made it even less so, opting to hold possessions even longer to take the ball out of the home team’s hands.
The Buckeyes cut the lead under 10 again with 41 seconds left. That’s when Mikulášiková and Ohio State gave some hope to the good Sunday home crowd. The Slovakian forward hit her first three-point shot of the game, giving Ohio State less of an uphill battle in the fourth quarter, down 52-44.
In the first minute of the final quarter, the two sides traded threes and with under nine minutes left, Ohio State needed someone, anyone, to step up. Instead, it was four. The Buckeyes cut the lead down to two thanks to a nine-point run.
The stretch included a three-a-piece for Mikesell and Harris, a free throw for Thierry, and an impressive physical play by Mikulášiková. After missing a layup in the paint, the forward won the offensive rebound and got through three Boilermakers to get the second chance shot.
Purdue’s two-point lead stretched quickly though, with Hardin hitting a three on the next offensive possession. The Buckeyes had just under seven minutes remaining in the game with five points between them and a third consecutive defeat.
The Buckeyes made it a game again with 4:28 remaining. That’s when the home side went level with the Boilermakers for the first time since the opening minutes of the game.
Ohio State went on another run, including a McMahon attack to the basket and a follow-up free throw. Then it was Thierry hitting a layup, tying the game at 58-58. Unfortunately for the Scarlet and Gray, that was the last time Thierry would see action on the court, fouling out after scoring 18 points, grabbing seven rebounds, and blocking three shots.
The Boilermakers capitalized following Thierry’s exit, going on a seven-point run with four coming inside the paint. Purdue pushed their lead back up to seven, but Ohio State didn’t stop.
Out of a timeout, the Buckeyes cut the lead to five and then forced a 10-second violation in the backcourt. No points came from the turnover though, instead, Purdue kept getting baskets through a charging full-court press.
At the end of regulation, it was Purdue celebrating a third Ohio State defeat, beating the Buckeyes 73-65.
One Player Team
For tougher performances this season, Ohio State’s had at least two players standout and put the team on their shoulders. The first half of Sunday’s game was firmly on the shoulders of Thierry and that makes winning difficult.
Only three players for the Buckeyes hit more than one shot in the first half on 36.7% shooting. Maybe it’s fatigue, maybe it's frustration but no matter what way it's sliced, Ohio State is struggling to meet the expectations they’ve built for themselves through the start of the season.
It got better for the Buckeyes in the second half.
Salvaging the Week / No Good, Very Bad, Week
Ohio State as a program was having a tough week entering Sunday. Both the men's and women’s teams were 0-4 entering the Buckeyes and Boilermakers matchup. Sunday was the last chance to salvage anything in Scarlet & Gray basketball land, but couldn’t do it.
After the losses to Iowa and Indiana, there was a strong argument that Ohio State was still a top-10 team. With Sunday’s performance, that’s heavily in question. All season, the Buckeyes have gone down to opponents and found ways to win but lately, the creativity isn’t there to make the comeback.
What’s Next
The Buckeyes continue their Big Ten conference schedule Wednesday. That’s when Ohio State travels up north to the Wisconsin Badgers for a 7:30 p.m. ET tip-off. It’s another game that Ohio State enters as a heavy favorite, but the Badgers have surprised teams this season after starting conference play without a win in four games.
Then, another potential top-10 matchup. That’s Sunday, Feb. 5 when Ohio State travels to the East Coast for a game against Maryland Terrapins.
Continue reading...
LGHL Play Like a Girl Podcast: Goodbye, C.J. Stroud, hello OSU women’s basketball
- News
- 0 Replies
Play Like a Girl Podcast: Goodbye, C.J. Stroud, hello OSU women’s basketball
JamiJurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jeremy Hogan/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Plus, did OSU hand Georgia the title?
On LGHL’s “Play Like a Girl” podcast, Megan Husslein and Jami Jurich welcome in friends from around the LGHL, Ohio State, and sporting worlds to talk about everything from Ohio State sports to advocacy for women in sports and all the happenings in between.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
OSU women’s basketball had back-to-back losses this week (their first had taken place as of the recording of this podcast), but that doesn’t mean they’re not the real deal. In this week’s episode, Jami and Megan are all about the joy the OSU women’s basketball team bring to the court each game and why those who are sleeping on this team should wake up.
Plus, college football season might be over (and yes, they do have to dissect the National Championship game), but football news isn’t. The duo breaks down what C.J. Stroud’s departure and Jim Harbaugh’s decision to stay at TTUN mean for the Buckeyes before
Contact Megan Husslein
Twitter: @meganhusslein
Contact Jami Jurich
Twitter: @JamiJurich
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
Photo by Jeremy Hogan/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Plus, did OSU hand Georgia the title?
On LGHL’s “Play Like a Girl” podcast, Megan Husslein and Jami Jurich welcome in friends from around the LGHL, Ohio State, and sporting worlds to talk about everything from Ohio State sports to advocacy for women in sports and all the happenings in between.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
OSU women’s basketball had back-to-back losses this week (their first had taken place as of the recording of this podcast), but that doesn’t mean they’re not the real deal. In this week’s episode, Jami and Megan are all about the joy the OSU women’s basketball team bring to the court each game and why those who are sleeping on this team should wake up.
Plus, college football season might be over (and yes, they do have to dissect the National Championship game), but football news isn’t. The duo breaks down what C.J. Stroud’s departure and Jim Harbaugh’s decision to stay at TTUN mean for the Buckeyes before
Contact Megan Husslein
Twitter: @meganhusslein
Contact Jami Jurich
Twitter: @JamiJurich
Continue reading...
LGHL Filling out the Ohio State football coaching staff with former Buckeyes
- News
- 0 Replies
Filling out the Ohio State football coaching staff with former Buckeyes
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images
If Ryan Day was smart he’d bring in former Buckeyes for every position on his coaching staff.
On Friday it was revealed that former Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis would be returning to Columbus to join the football coaching staff as a graduate assistant coach. Naturally, Laurinaitis is slated to work with the team’s linebackers. The move comes less than a year after the legendary Buckeye linebacker joined the coaching staff of Marcus Freeman, another former Ohio State linebacker, at Notre Dame as a graduate assistant.
The only surprise about Laurinaitis joining the Ohio State coaching staff was that the move didn’t come sooner. Following the end of his NFL playing career, Laurinaitis co-hosted a morning show on 97.1 The Fan in Columbus with Beau Bishop, and it was obvious to those that listened to the show that the linebacker still had a passion for the game, as well as an interesting in breaking into the coaching ranks.
Now Laurinaitis joins another former Buckeye on the coaching staff, as wide receiver Brian Hartline has been crushing it as wide receivers coach since he replaced Zach Smith prior to the 2018 season. Since taking over for Smith, Hartline has not only brought in some of the top talent in the country at wide receiver on the recruiting trail, but he has also helped those talents add to their skill set. In the 2022 NFL Draft, Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave were taken with the 10th and 11th picks in the first round, while former Ohio State receiver Jameson Williams was taken right after Olave.
If head coach Ryan Day was smart, he would continue to add former Buckeyes to his coaching staff. Not only will Laurinaitis help to mold the linebacking corps, but he knows exactly what it takes to beat Michigan, which is an area that Ryan Day has failed at recently. The more Ohio State alums that fill out the coaching staff, the better odds the Buckeyes have at beating That Team Up North.
With Hartline earning a promotion to offensive coordinator this offseason to go along with his role as wide receivers coach, as well as Laurinaitis getting his feet wet as a graduate assistant with a focus on the linebackers, there are two positions on the staff that have former Buckeyes in place. Even though Laurinaitis isn’t technically the linebackers coach, which is a position that defensive coordinator Jim Knowles holds, for this exercise we’re just going to slot Laurinaitis in that position.
Here are some other fun former Buckeyes who could fill out some of the assistant positions on the coaching staff.
Barrett coming back to Columbus as the quarterbacks' coach feels like it would be a no-brainer. While Barrett didn’t see coaching in his future as his Ohio State career came to a close, the quarterback joined the coaching staff of the Detroit Lions as an offensive assistant over the summer.
Say what you want about what has happened with Urban Meyer in his last few seasons of coaching, but he is a good evaluator of coaching talent. Meyer saw coaching in Barrett’s future even when Barrett didn’t. Even though Barrett didn’t find success in the NFL, he holds a ton of records at Ohio State and has a firm grasp on what is expected from quarterbacks these days.
There isn’t a better candidate for running backs coach than Maurice Clarett. The Youngstown product burst onto the scene and gave a jolt to an Ohio State offense as a freshman. Clarett and his teammates went on to shock the world and beat Miami in the BCS National Championship Game at the end of the 2002 season.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24393012/usa_today_3435226.jpg "USA TODAY Sports")
Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
We have seen how Clarett’s story played out following his freshman season. While most people wouldn’t have been able to recover from what Clarett went through, he was able to survive and become a better man. Now Clarett finds joy in helping to make sure kids don’t make the same mistakes that he did. With NIL changing the college football landscape, there’s nobody better to guide student-athletes, educating them on not getting caught up in the temptations that come along with being a star athlete.
Oh yeah, Clarett was also outstanding to watch on the field. Players with his power, toughness, agility, and speed don’t come along too often, and it’s even rarer to see them all put together as we saw from him. The combination of football lessons and life lessons that he could teach makes him a very intriguing option to coach running backs.
It wasn’t easy to come up with an option for a tight ends coach, since Ohio State doesn’t use their tight ends all that much. While I considered Ricky Dudley here, I ended up going with Jake Stoneburner just because he isn’t as far removed from the game. Plus, Stoneburner has experience in Urban Meyer’s system, which Ryan Day still uses elements from. With Dudley, I feel like there might be more of a learning curve just because the game has changed so much since he played in the scarlet and gray.
If there was anyone that could demand respect from the moment he joined the coaching staff, it would be Orlando Pace. “The Pancake Man” has done just about everything you could do on the football field. While at Ohio State, Pace was a Heisman Trophy finalist, which was pretty much unheard of for an offensive lineman. Pace is a Super Bowl champion, as well as a member of both the Pro and College Football Hall of Fame.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24393006/usa_today_2792531.jpg "USA TODAY Sports")
RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports
Not only has Pace probably forgotten more about playing offensive line than others will ever know, it feels like there would be no chance that Ohio State would ever miss out on an offensive line recruit if Pace was the position coach. Even though he has trimmed down from his playing weight since retirement, Pace still is an imposing figure that I wouldn’t want to say no to if he wanted me to play on the Buckeye offensive line.
There are so many great options when it comes to former Ohio State defensive linemen. Even though Joey and Nick Bosa, Chase Young, and Sam Hubbard all would be great options to join the coaching staff, they all have a lot of time left in their NFL careers. Cameron Heyward is still an active player in the NFL, but he just finished up his 12th year in the league. Even though he won’t admit it, retirement is coming sooner rather than later for Heyward.
In a sport that is so physical, Heyward has been the model of consistency at defensive end. There has been only one season in the NFL where Heyward failed to play at least 15 games in a season. The defensive end has seen everything on the football field that you can possibly imagine and would be able to teach young defensive linemen so much to try and set them up for a future on the field after they leave Ohio State.
It’s impossible to list the best defensive backs in Ohio State history without mentioning Antoine Winfield. While Winfield’s numbers in college or the NFL aren’t going to blow you away, he had tremendous all-around skills. Not only could Winfield defend the pass, but he was also a great tackler. It is obvious Winfield knew what he was doing or else he wouldn’t have played in 191 games in the NFL.
Winfield is just what the Ohio State cornerbacks would need, especially with how much they have struggled over the last few years. The former Buckeye was never a big talker, instead preferring to let his play on the field speak for itself. Plus, Winfield knows a little bit about setting up younger defensive backs for success, since his son has become a fixture in the secondary of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Aside from Jack Tatum, it’s impossible to argue there was ever a better safety at Ohio State than Mike Doss. A three-time First-team All-American member, as well three-time First-team All-Big Ten honoree. Doss was the MVP of the Fiesta Bowl win over Miami. Had it not been for Doss, at some point the Buckeye defense probably falters during the season and they don’t even have a chance to beat the Hurricanes.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24393003/931492812.jpg "Ohio State University vs Texas Tech University")
Set Number: X66607 TK2 R6 F7
Since the end of his playing career, Doss has had plenty of experience working with youths, trying to give them the skills to succeed. I’m just surprised that Doss hasn’t found a career in coaching yet. It feels like it would be impossible for Doss to turn down a position on the coaching staff if his alma mater came calling.
Even though Ohio State has had some great kickers over the years, none of them will ever compare to Mike Nugent. The kicker from Centerville was so good he ended up being a second-round pick in the NFL Draft, which is very rare for a kicker. Nugent even spent a good portion of his NFL career kicking down I-71 for the Cincinnati Bengals.
Not saying that Noah Ruggles makes the kick in the Peach Bowl to send Ohio State to the College Football Playoff Championship Game, but he might have a little more confidence in making such a tough kick if Nugent was the special teams' coach. Nobody hit more clutch kicks in the scarlet and gray than Nugent, and it would be great to see him pass on his knowledge to the special teams unit.
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images
If Ryan Day was smart he’d bring in former Buckeyes for every position on his coaching staff.
️ @JLaurinaitis55 to return to @OhioStateFB in coaching roll
x All-American linebacker from 2005-09 will serve as a grad assistant on @RyanDayTime staff #GoBucks
— Ohio State Buckeyes (@OhioStAthletics) January 27, 2023
On Friday it was revealed that former Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis would be returning to Columbus to join the football coaching staff as a graduate assistant coach. Naturally, Laurinaitis is slated to work with the team’s linebackers. The move comes less than a year after the legendary Buckeye linebacker joined the coaching staff of Marcus Freeman, another former Ohio State linebacker, at Notre Dame as a graduate assistant.
The only surprise about Laurinaitis joining the Ohio State coaching staff was that the move didn’t come sooner. Following the end of his NFL playing career, Laurinaitis co-hosted a morning show on 97.1 The Fan in Columbus with Beau Bishop, and it was obvious to those that listened to the show that the linebacker still had a passion for the game, as well as an interesting in breaking into the coaching ranks.
Now Laurinaitis joins another former Buckeye on the coaching staff, as wide receiver Brian Hartline has been crushing it as wide receivers coach since he replaced Zach Smith prior to the 2018 season. Since taking over for Smith, Hartline has not only brought in some of the top talent in the country at wide receiver on the recruiting trail, but he has also helped those talents add to their skill set. In the 2022 NFL Draft, Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave were taken with the 10th and 11th picks in the first round, while former Ohio State receiver Jameson Williams was taken right after Olave.
If head coach Ryan Day was smart, he would continue to add former Buckeyes to his coaching staff. Not only will Laurinaitis help to mold the linebacking corps, but he knows exactly what it takes to beat Michigan, which is an area that Ryan Day has failed at recently. The more Ohio State alums that fill out the coaching staff, the better odds the Buckeyes have at beating That Team Up North.
With Hartline earning a promotion to offensive coordinator this offseason to go along with his role as wide receivers coach, as well as Laurinaitis getting his feet wet as a graduate assistant with a focus on the linebackers, there are two positions on the staff that have former Buckeyes in place. Even though Laurinaitis isn’t technically the linebackers coach, which is a position that defensive coordinator Jim Knowles holds, for this exercise we’re just going to slot Laurinaitis in that position.
Here are some other fun former Buckeyes who could fill out some of the assistant positions on the coaching staff.
Quarterbacks coach: J.T. Barrett
Barrett coming back to Columbus as the quarterbacks' coach feels like it would be a no-brainer. While Barrett didn’t see coaching in his future as his Ohio State career came to a close, the quarterback joined the coaching staff of the Detroit Lions as an offensive assistant over the summer.
Say what you want about what has happened with Urban Meyer in his last few seasons of coaching, but he is a good evaluator of coaching talent. Meyer saw coaching in Barrett’s future even when Barrett didn’t. Even though Barrett didn’t find success in the NFL, he holds a ton of records at Ohio State and has a firm grasp on what is expected from quarterbacks these days.
Running backs coach: Maurice Clarett
There isn’t a better candidate for running backs coach than Maurice Clarett. The Youngstown product burst onto the scene and gave a jolt to an Ohio State offense as a freshman. Clarett and his teammates went on to shock the world and beat Miami in the BCS National Championship Game at the end of the 2002 season.
We have seen how Clarett’s story played out following his freshman season. While most people wouldn’t have been able to recover from what Clarett went through, he was able to survive and become a better man. Now Clarett finds joy in helping to make sure kids don’t make the same mistakes that he did. With NIL changing the college football landscape, there’s nobody better to guide student-athletes, educating them on not getting caught up in the temptations that come along with being a star athlete.
Oh yeah, Clarett was also outstanding to watch on the field. Players with his power, toughness, agility, and speed don’t come along too often, and it’s even rarer to see them all put together as we saw from him. The combination of football lessons and life lessons that he could teach makes him a very intriguing option to coach running backs.
Tight ends coach: Jake Stoneburner
It wasn’t easy to come up with an option for a tight ends coach, since Ohio State doesn’t use their tight ends all that much. While I considered Ricky Dudley here, I ended up going with Jake Stoneburner just because he isn’t as far removed from the game. Plus, Stoneburner has experience in Urban Meyer’s system, which Ryan Day still uses elements from. With Dudley, I feel like there might be more of a learning curve just because the game has changed so much since he played in the scarlet and gray.
Offensive line coach: Orlando Pace
If there was anyone that could demand respect from the moment he joined the coaching staff, it would be Orlando Pace. “The Pancake Man” has done just about everything you could do on the football field. While at Ohio State, Pace was a Heisman Trophy finalist, which was pretty much unheard of for an offensive lineman. Pace is a Super Bowl champion, as well as a member of both the Pro and College Football Hall of Fame.
Not only has Pace probably forgotten more about playing offensive line than others will ever know, it feels like there would be no chance that Ohio State would ever miss out on an offensive line recruit if Pace was the position coach. Even though he has trimmed down from his playing weight since retirement, Pace still is an imposing figure that I wouldn’t want to say no to if he wanted me to play on the Buckeye offensive line.
Defensive line coach: Cameron Heyward
There are so many great options when it comes to former Ohio State defensive linemen. Even though Joey and Nick Bosa, Chase Young, and Sam Hubbard all would be great options to join the coaching staff, they all have a lot of time left in their NFL careers. Cameron Heyward is still an active player in the NFL, but he just finished up his 12th year in the league. Even though he won’t admit it, retirement is coming sooner rather than later for Heyward.
In a sport that is so physical, Heyward has been the model of consistency at defensive end. There has been only one season in the NFL where Heyward failed to play at least 15 games in a season. The defensive end has seen everything on the football field that you can possibly imagine and would be able to teach young defensive linemen so much to try and set them up for a future on the field after they leave Ohio State.
Cornerbacks coach: Antoine Winfield
It’s impossible to list the best defensive backs in Ohio State history without mentioning Antoine Winfield. While Winfield’s numbers in college or the NFL aren’t going to blow you away, he had tremendous all-around skills. Not only could Winfield defend the pass, but he was also a great tackler. It is obvious Winfield knew what he was doing or else he wouldn’t have played in 191 games in the NFL.
Winfield is just what the Ohio State cornerbacks would need, especially with how much they have struggled over the last few years. The former Buckeye was never a big talker, instead preferring to let his play on the field speak for itself. Plus, Winfield knows a little bit about setting up younger defensive backs for success, since his son has become a fixture in the secondary of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Safeties coach: Mike Doss
Aside from Jack Tatum, it’s impossible to argue there was ever a better safety at Ohio State than Mike Doss. A three-time First-team All-American member, as well three-time First-team All-Big Ten honoree. Doss was the MVP of the Fiesta Bowl win over Miami. Had it not been for Doss, at some point the Buckeye defense probably falters during the season and they don’t even have a chance to beat the Hurricanes.
Since the end of his playing career, Doss has had plenty of experience working with youths, trying to give them the skills to succeed. I’m just surprised that Doss hasn’t found a career in coaching yet. It feels like it would be impossible for Doss to turn down a position on the coaching staff if his alma mater came calling.
Special teams coach: Mike Nugent
Even though Ohio State has had some great kickers over the years, none of them will ever compare to Mike Nugent. The kicker from Centerville was so good he ended up being a second-round pick in the NFL Draft, which is very rare for a kicker. Nugent even spent a good portion of his NFL career kicking down I-71 for the Cincinnati Bengals.
Not saying that Noah Ruggles makes the kick in the Peach Bowl to send Ohio State to the College Football Playoff Championship Game, but he might have a little more confidence in making such a tough kick if Nugent was the special teams' coach. Nobody hit more clutch kicks in the scarlet and gray than Nugent, and it would be great to see him pass on his knowledge to the special teams unit.
Continue reading...
LGHL Game Preview: Ohio State women welcome Purdue for Big Ten matchup
- News
- 0 Replies
Game Preview: Ohio State women welcome Purdue for Big Ten matchup
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Nikos Frazier / Journal & Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Buckeyes are back home against a surprising Boilermakers side
The Ohio State women’s basketball team has had a week. Head coach Kevin McGuff’s Buckeyes entered the week 19-0 and No. 2 in the nation. The only part they still have is the No. 2 ranking and that’s because the new poll won’t come out until Monday.
Against the Iowa Hawkeyes and Indiana Hoosiers the Scarlet & Gray had glaring issues, ending with two straight losses. There’s one more chance for the Buckeyes to salvage something from the week Sunday, when the Purdue Boilermakers travel to Columbus, Ohio.
Looking at the records of these two sides, it has the potential for a good day for the Buckeyes (19-2), but the Boilermakers (14-6) are anything but a cakewalk. All season, Big Ten head coaches like McGuff have praised the conference for a strong league up and down and it’s not lip service.
Purdue is a good team who will put up a fight against Ohio State.
The two teams also enter Sunday’s game with vastly different levels of momentum. Ohio State traveled to Purdue’s in-state rivals, the Indiana Hoosiers, and lost by 13 points. That same night, the Boilermakers were picking up a marquee victory.
Although not ranked, Purdue is making a case to be a seventh team in the NCAA Tournament and their win against No. 22 Illinois Fighting Illini is great to add to their resume. Purdue traveled to Champaign, Ill., and didn’t simply stifle but completely shut down the surprise Fighting Illini.
Illinois scored only 52 points on 4-for-26 shooting from deep. The body language of Illinois on the court looked like a team defeated early in the second half. Illinois head coach Shauna Green was screaming at her team with no real response from the collective team.
This season, Purdue has fought in all of their games, playing a true team style of basketball, and it’s led by senior guard Jeanae Terry. The former member of the Illini joined the Boilermakers prior to last season and this year she’s playing her best basketball in her career.
Currently, Terry is one of only three players in all NCAA women’s basketball to average at least six points, six rebounds, and six assists per game. Terry’s in elite company with fellow Big Ten guard Caitlin Clark and Notre Dame guard Olivia Miles.
Terry primarily plays facilitator and makes it look effortless. At one moment, Terry is finding an open teammate, and the next she’s under the basket grabbing a rebound. The senior holds her composure and puts herself in the right place at the right time.
While the Boilermakers don’t have a dominant five-position player like Iowa’s Monika Czinano or Indiana’s Mackenzie Holmes, Terry can make the Buckeyes pay. Last year, when the Buckeyes traveled to West Lafayette, Indiana, Terry grabbed 13 rebounds against Ohio State. If left available to make plays, Terry will easily.
Around Terry are a couple of players to watch. The first is fifth-year guard Lasha Petree, who transferred to Purdue for her final season, after playing with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. Petree leads the Boilermakers in scoring, averaging 14.9 per game.
Petree can provide offense in diverse ways. She can hit shots from deep and go into the paint when a lane opens. Petree represents the Boilermakers well, a team who will take shots deep instead of pounding passes into the post. The other is Australian guard Abbey Ellis.
After starting the year on the bench, Ellis’ name has been on the starting lineup in the last five games. In three of those five, Ellis scored 24, 20, and 16 points for Purdue. Thursday was the 16-point night, but Ellis brings more than scoring. Especially at the 2:15 mark in highlights from that big Boilermaker win.
That means Ohio State has a brief bit of respite after playing against the top two bigs in the conference this week, but more running to make sure Purdue doesn’t get open looks from beyond the arc. The Boilermakers will also still throw passes into forward Caitlyn Harper. There are few nights off in the Big Ten.
On Thursday, Ohio State showed that they’re a top-10 team in the country despite the losses. Their three quarters against Indiana showed that skill. It also showed that the Buckeyes learned from some of their mistakes against Iowa with improved defense in the paint and better rebounding.
Now the Scarlet & Gray need to show that over 40 minutes. Expect coach McGuff to be vocal is those lulls in play hit Ohio State in a game that they should win.
Also, is Sunday the day when guard Jacy Sheldon returns? The Buckeyes’ starting point guard hasn’t played since Nov. 30 in Louisville, Kentucky, even against the pair of powerhouses Ohio State faced this week.
Games against Purdue, and then the Wisconsin Badgers on Wednesday, would give Sheldon games with less pressure than next Sunday when Ohio State travels to the No. 10 Maryland Terrapins.
The Ohio State Buckeyes should win this game. If not, there are some larger issues with the team right now than playing two tough teams. Although Purdue is strong, they aren’t on the same level as the Iowas and Indianas of the world.
It’ll be a close game in parts, but if Sheldon returns it should be a comfortable win for the Buckeyes. If Sheldon is out again, then it should still lean in the Scarlet & Gray’s favor.
McGuff’s side will come out strong in the first quarter, especially forward Cotie McMahon who has a habit of getting the momentum going for the Buckeyes. After Thursday’s game, McMahon wore a boot walking into the media room following the game, but assured Land-Grant Holy Land that she was fine and there are no injury issues.
Sunday will show if the Buckeyes have gotten the message that you can’t always go down big against teams and still win.
Date: Sunday, Jan. 29, 2023
Time: 1 p.m. ET
Where: Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio
Stream: BTN+
The Buckeyes program continues its season chock-full of successful themed promotions celebrating not one but two worthwhile themes. It’s not only a day to celebrate the 30-year anniversary of Ohio State’s run to the 1993 NCAA Tournament Final but also the LGBTQ+ community.
Players from that team will be in the house for the game and the first 200 students receive a free pair of pride socks.
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
Nikos Frazier / Journal & Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Buckeyes are back home against a surprising Boilermakers side
The Ohio State women’s basketball team has had a week. Head coach Kevin McGuff’s Buckeyes entered the week 19-0 and No. 2 in the nation. The only part they still have is the No. 2 ranking and that’s because the new poll won’t come out until Monday.
Against the Iowa Hawkeyes and Indiana Hoosiers the Scarlet & Gray had glaring issues, ending with two straight losses. There’s one more chance for the Buckeyes to salvage something from the week Sunday, when the Purdue Boilermakers travel to Columbus, Ohio.
Preview
Looking at the records of these two sides, it has the potential for a good day for the Buckeyes (19-2), but the Boilermakers (14-6) are anything but a cakewalk. All season, Big Ten head coaches like McGuff have praised the conference for a strong league up and down and it’s not lip service.
Purdue is a good team who will put up a fight against Ohio State.
The two teams also enter Sunday’s game with vastly different levels of momentum. Ohio State traveled to Purdue’s in-state rivals, the Indiana Hoosiers, and lost by 13 points. That same night, the Boilermakers were picking up a marquee victory.
Although not ranked, Purdue is making a case to be a seventh team in the NCAA Tournament and their win against No. 22 Illinois Fighting Illini is great to add to their resume. Purdue traveled to Champaign, Ill., and didn’t simply stifle but completely shut down the surprise Fighting Illini.
Illinois scored only 52 points on 4-for-26 shooting from deep. The body language of Illinois on the court looked like a team defeated early in the second half. Illinois head coach Shauna Green was screaming at her team with no real response from the collective team.
This season, Purdue has fought in all of their games, playing a true team style of basketball, and it’s led by senior guard Jeanae Terry. The former member of the Illini joined the Boilermakers prior to last season and this year she’s playing her best basketball in her career.
Currently, Terry is one of only three players in all NCAA women’s basketball to average at least six points, six rebounds, and six assists per game. Terry’s in elite company with fellow Big Ten guard Caitlin Clark and Notre Dame guard Olivia Miles.
Terry primarily plays facilitator and makes it look effortless. At one moment, Terry is finding an open teammate, and the next she’s under the basket grabbing a rebound. The senior holds her composure and puts herself in the right place at the right time.
While the Boilermakers don’t have a dominant five-position player like Iowa’s Monika Czinano or Indiana’s Mackenzie Holmes, Terry can make the Buckeyes pay. Last year, when the Buckeyes traveled to West Lafayette, Indiana, Terry grabbed 13 rebounds against Ohio State. If left available to make plays, Terry will easily.
Around Terry are a couple of players to watch. The first is fifth-year guard Lasha Petree, who transferred to Purdue for her final season, after playing with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. Petree leads the Boilermakers in scoring, averaging 14.9 per game.
Petree can provide offense in diverse ways. She can hit shots from deep and go into the paint when a lane opens. Petree represents the Boilermakers well, a team who will take shots deep instead of pounding passes into the post. The other is Australian guard Abbey Ellis.
After starting the year on the bench, Ellis’ name has been on the starting lineup in the last five games. In three of those five, Ellis scored 24, 20, and 16 points for Purdue. Thursday was the 16-point night, but Ellis brings more than scoring. Especially at the 2:15 mark in highlights from that big Boilermaker win.
That means Ohio State has a brief bit of respite after playing against the top two bigs in the conference this week, but more running to make sure Purdue doesn’t get open looks from beyond the arc. The Boilermakers will also still throw passes into forward Caitlyn Harper. There are few nights off in the Big Ten.
On Thursday, Ohio State showed that they’re a top-10 team in the country despite the losses. Their three quarters against Indiana showed that skill. It also showed that the Buckeyes learned from some of their mistakes against Iowa with improved defense in the paint and better rebounding.
Now the Scarlet & Gray need to show that over 40 minutes. Expect coach McGuff to be vocal is those lulls in play hit Ohio State in a game that they should win.
Also, is Sunday the day when guard Jacy Sheldon returns? The Buckeyes’ starting point guard hasn’t played since Nov. 30 in Louisville, Kentucky, even against the pair of powerhouses Ohio State faced this week.
Games against Purdue, and then the Wisconsin Badgers on Wednesday, would give Sheldon games with less pressure than next Sunday when Ohio State travels to the No. 10 Maryland Terrapins.
Projected Starters
Lineup Notes
- Forward/guard Taylor Thierry earned the first double-double of her NCAA career against Indiana, scoring 13 points and grabbing 12 rebounds despite foul trouble
- If Sheldon returns, she brings 30 steals in five games with her
- Guard Taylor Mikesell hit 2,000 NCAA points against the Hoosiers on Thursday
Lineup Notes
- Terry has double-digit assists in five games this season
- Ellis leads the Big Ten in free throw percentage this season at 89.7%
- Purdue sits in seventh place on the Big Ten standings entering Sunday
Prediction
The Ohio State Buckeyes should win this game. If not, there are some larger issues with the team right now than playing two tough teams. Although Purdue is strong, they aren’t on the same level as the Iowas and Indianas of the world.
It’ll be a close game in parts, but if Sheldon returns it should be a comfortable win for the Buckeyes. If Sheldon is out again, then it should still lean in the Scarlet & Gray’s favor.
McGuff’s side will come out strong in the first quarter, especially forward Cotie McMahon who has a habit of getting the momentum going for the Buckeyes. After Thursday’s game, McMahon wore a boot walking into the media room following the game, but assured Land-Grant Holy Land that she was fine and there are no injury issues.
Sunday will show if the Buckeyes have gotten the message that you can’t always go down big against teams and still win.
How to Watch
Date: Sunday, Jan. 29, 2023
Time: 1 p.m. ET
Where: Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio
Stream: BTN+
LGHL Prediction: 84-70 Ohio State Buckeyes
Pride Game and Honoring History
The Buckeyes program continues its season chock-full of successful themed promotions celebrating not one but two worthwhile themes. It’s not only a day to celebrate the 30-year anniversary of Ohio State’s run to the 1993 NCAA Tournament Final but also the LGBTQ+ community.
Players from that team will be in the house for the game and the first 200 students receive a free pair of pride socks.
Continue reading...
LGHL Bloomington Blowout: Indiana easily handles Ohio State, 86-70
- News
- 0 Replies
Bloomington Blowout: Indiana easily handles Ohio State, 86-70
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
The first 15 minuted were fun-ish... the rest was not.
The good news: Ohio State’s game Saturday night closed out a stretch where the Buckeyes (11-10, 3-7) played four of five games on the road. After this one, Chris Holtmann’s squad returns home to play three of their next four games in Columbus.
The bad news: To close this gruesome stretch with a 2-3 record, Ohio State was tasked with walking into a raucous Saturday night crowd at Assembly Hall and emerging victorious. After a horrid start to the season, the Hoosiers (15-6, 6-4) came into this game as winners of four straight. Star forward Trayce-Jackson Davis has averaged 27.3 points, 14.3 rebounds, and just under five blocks per game during the winning streak — the best basketball of his career.
And wouldn’t you know it, TJD and his friends let Ohio State have it on Saturday night, too, sending the Buckeyes to their seventh loss in their last eight games, 86-70. Jalen Hood-Schifino led Indiana in scoring with 24 points — 20 of which were in the first half alone. Brice Sensabaugh had 23 for the Buckeyes.
Chris Holtmann went with the same starting lineup he relied on early in the season, going with Bruce Thornton, Sean McNeil, Sensabaugh, Justice Sueing, and Zed Key. Mike Woodson — who returned to the bench after missing Indiana’s last game with an illness — went with a starting five of Trey Galloway, Hood-Schifino, Miller Kopp, Race Thompson, and Jackson-Davis.
Ohio State took control early, taking a 9-2 lead before Hood-Schifino buried a deep three-pointer from the left wing to make it a 9-5 game heading into the first media timeout at the 15:42 mark. Both Hood-Schifino and Sensabaugh had five points by the first media timeout, but Indiana’s star freshman did it in two shots (2-2) while it took Sensabaugh five (2-5).
The two teams played to a tie until the eight-minute mark, but after Thompson missed a layup, IU’s Kaleb Banks corralled the miss and put it back up, scoring over the top of Thornton. Thornton was called for the foul, and Holtmann was irate. The Ohio State head coach was issued a technical foul after he went after a referee, and Indiana hit two of the three free throws to make it a 25-21 Indiana lead with 7:50 left in the first half.
Ohio State tied the game momentarily, but Indiana closed the first half on a 17-1 run (!) to go into halftime up 46-30. The Hoosiers hit seven of their final eight shots before the break, putting Ohio State in the biggest halftime hole they’ve been in all season long. Hood-Schifino had 20 first-half points for Indiana — racking up his third 20-point game of the season after just the first half tonight. Sensabaugh had 12 first-half points and was Ohio State’s only double-digit scorer in the first half.
Ohio State had an opportunity to cut the lead back to 10 points when they were down 51-39 with 15:58 remaining, but Thornton was unable to get the ball in below Ohio State’s basket and they were called for a five-second violation. Indiana then outscored Ohio State 12-7 over the next several minutes and led 63-46 at the under-12 media timeout.
More basketball certainly happened over the final 12 or so minutes of this game, but Ohio State wasn’t in this game for a single second during the second half. On the rare occasion that Sensabaugh scored for the Buckeyes, the Hoosiers almost always answered it at the other end immediately — making it impossible to mount a comeback. The Buckeyes end their brutal seven-game stretch (five on the road, two at home) with a record of 1-6.
If you weren’t around tonight to catch Ohio State’s seventh loss in their last eight games, here’s a few of the big plays and runs that carried the Hoosiers to their big victory and extended their winning streak to five games.
Sensabaugh and Hood Schifino are the two most talented freshmen in the Big Ten and are both likely first-round NBA draft picks in a few months. Both freshmen scored five points before the very first timeout of the game Saturday night — Sensabaugh had five of Ohio State’s nine, while Hood-Schifino had Indiana’s first five points of the game.
And the scoring didn’t stop there. Hood-Schifino — who scored a combined eight points in the Hoosiers’ last two games — kept it going, racking up 11 points over the first six minutes. Sensabaugh splashed another three to get Ohio State back within a point after they’d fallen behind by four. By the under-12 media timeout, Sensabaugh had eight of Ohio State’s 14 and Hood-Schifino had 11 of IU’s 15.
IU’s star freshman guard hadn’t scored 14 points since Indiana’s win over Wisconsin on January 14, but he did that in just over nine minutes during tonight’s game. A loose ball that resulted in a wrestling match between Isaac Likekele and Jackson-Davis was called a jump ball, and the Hoosiers got possession. They ran their out-of-bounds play to Hood-Schifino in the corner, who drained a triple from directly in front of Ohio State’s bench.
Hood-Schifino turned around and said something to Chris Holtmann, as he’d just tied the game at 18 with a bit over 10 minutes remaining in the first half.
With the game tied 21-21 and 7:50 remaining in the first half, Thompson tried an over-the-shoulder floater that was no good. IU’s Banks corralled the miss and put it back up for a basket and was fouled by Thornton.
Chris Holtmann lost his marbles at the foul call and was issued a technical foul immediately, and Tamar Bates hit both free throws. Banks missed his free throw (for the foul on Thornton), but Sensabaugh slipped and fell after the rebound. Indiana got the ball back, and Malik Reneau scored below the basket to make it 27-21 Hoosiers.
Reneau flew under the radar, but the 6-foot-9 freshman from Miami tied his career-high with 15 points on 6-10 shooting over 23 minutes. He also had eight rebounds, three assists, and one steal.
With Ohio State down 29-23 with just over six minutes remaining until halftime, McNeil went on a 6-0 run all on his lonesome, single-handedly tying the game at 29.
McNeil hit a long two and was fouled by Kopp with 6:27 until halftime, getting Ohio State back within three. points. On Ohio State’s, very next possession McNeil hit a baseline floater and was fouled by Bates, hitting the free throw with 5:37 left until halftime to knot things up at 29-all.
McNeil struggled mightily outside of that stretch, however, and finished with nine points on 3-11 shooting (including 0-5 from three) over 31 minutes.
After McNeil tied the game at 29, the Hoosiers closed the half on a 17-1 run over the final 5:37 to put them up 46-30 going to the locker room. Five different Hoosiers scored during that run, headlined by six points from TJD. Indiana hit seven of their final eight shots before the break and shot 48.6% in the first half to Ohio State’s 34.5%.
There wasn’t much to talk about in the second half of this game, since Indiana put this thing away before halftime. But I guess it’s noteworthy that Zed Key knocked one down from beyond the arc, because that’s fun.
After TJD dunked to open the second half for IU and put the Hoosiers up 48-30, Key was left open on the right wing (for good reason, probably). Down nearly 20 points, Key said “screw it” and took one with plenty of time and nobody in his face. He canned it, and it was his first made three since December 17 against North Carolina. Ohio State still trailed 48-33, however.
Key finished with 12 points on 4-6 shooting over 26 minutes, and also had four rebounds.
Ohio State (11-10, 3-7) returns home and will play three of its next four games in Columbus, starting with Wisconsin (12-8, 4-6) on Thursday night. The Badgers lost to Illinois Saturday afternoon, 61-51, and are in the middle of a three-game losing streak.
Ohio State’s game against the Badgers will tip off at 7 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on FS1.
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
Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
The first 15 minuted were fun-ish... the rest was not.
The good news: Ohio State’s game Saturday night closed out a stretch where the Buckeyes (11-10, 3-7) played four of five games on the road. After this one, Chris Holtmann’s squad returns home to play three of their next four games in Columbus.
The bad news: To close this gruesome stretch with a 2-3 record, Ohio State was tasked with walking into a raucous Saturday night crowd at Assembly Hall and emerging victorious. After a horrid start to the season, the Hoosiers (15-6, 6-4) came into this game as winners of four straight. Star forward Trayce-Jackson Davis has averaged 27.3 points, 14.3 rebounds, and just under five blocks per game during the winning streak — the best basketball of his career.
And wouldn’t you know it, TJD and his friends let Ohio State have it on Saturday night, too, sending the Buckeyes to their seventh loss in their last eight games, 86-70. Jalen Hood-Schifino led Indiana in scoring with 24 points — 20 of which were in the first half alone. Brice Sensabaugh had 23 for the Buckeyes.
Chris Holtmann went with the same starting lineup he relied on early in the season, going with Bruce Thornton, Sean McNeil, Sensabaugh, Justice Sueing, and Zed Key. Mike Woodson — who returned to the bench after missing Indiana’s last game with an illness — went with a starting five of Trey Galloway, Hood-Schifino, Miller Kopp, Race Thompson, and Jackson-Davis.
Ohio State took control early, taking a 9-2 lead before Hood-Schifino buried a deep three-pointer from the left wing to make it a 9-5 game heading into the first media timeout at the 15:42 mark. Both Hood-Schifino and Sensabaugh had five points by the first media timeout, but Indiana’s star freshman did it in two shots (2-2) while it took Sensabaugh five (2-5).
The two teams played to a tie until the eight-minute mark, but after Thompson missed a layup, IU’s Kaleb Banks corralled the miss and put it back up, scoring over the top of Thornton. Thornton was called for the foul, and Holtmann was irate. The Ohio State head coach was issued a technical foul after he went after a referee, and Indiana hit two of the three free throws to make it a 25-21 Indiana lead with 7:50 left in the first half.
TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS@TrayceJackson x @IndianaMBB pic.twitter.com/oli6tHr48N
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) January 29, 2023
Ohio State tied the game momentarily, but Indiana closed the first half on a 17-1 run (!) to go into halftime up 46-30. The Hoosiers hit seven of their final eight shots before the break, putting Ohio State in the biggest halftime hole they’ve been in all season long. Hood-Schifino had 20 first-half points for Indiana — racking up his third 20-point game of the season after just the first half tonight. Sensabaugh had 12 first-half points and was Ohio State’s only double-digit scorer in the first half.
Ohio State had an opportunity to cut the lead back to 10 points when they were down 51-39 with 15:58 remaining, but Thornton was unable to get the ball in below Ohio State’s basket and they were called for a five-second violation. Indiana then outscored Ohio State 12-7 over the next several minutes and led 63-46 at the under-12 media timeout.
More basketball certainly happened over the final 12 or so minutes of this game, but Ohio State wasn’t in this game for a single second during the second half. On the rare occasion that Sensabaugh scored for the Buckeyes, the Hoosiers almost always answered it at the other end immediately — making it impossible to mount a comeback. The Buckeyes end their brutal seven-game stretch (five on the road, two at home) with a record of 1-6.
If you weren’t around tonight to catch Ohio State’s seventh loss in their last eight games, here’s a few of the big plays and runs that carried the Hoosiers to their big victory and extended their winning streak to five games.
Diaper dandies, baby! (in my best Dickie V voice)
Sensabaugh and Hood Schifino are the two most talented freshmen in the Big Ten and are both likely first-round NBA draft picks in a few months. Both freshmen scored five points before the very first timeout of the game Saturday night — Sensabaugh had five of Ohio State’s nine, while Hood-Schifino had Indiana’s first five points of the game.
And the scoring didn’t stop there. Hood-Schifino — who scored a combined eight points in the Hoosiers’ last two games — kept it going, racking up 11 points over the first six minutes. Sensabaugh splashed another three to get Ohio State back within a point after they’d fallen behind by four. By the under-12 media timeout, Sensabaugh had eight of Ohio State’s 14 and Hood-Schifino had 11 of IU’s 15.
Hood-Schifino the first-half terror
JHS has attempted 5⃣ early 3s.
The freshman has hit all of them.
The proof is here.@jalenhs x @IndianaMBB pic.twitter.com/JpyUAR9KuW
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) January 29, 2023
IU’s star freshman guard hadn’t scored 14 points since Indiana’s win over Wisconsin on January 14, but he did that in just over nine minutes during tonight’s game. A loose ball that resulted in a wrestling match between Isaac Likekele and Jackson-Davis was called a jump ball, and the Hoosiers got possession. They ran their out-of-bounds play to Hood-Schifino in the corner, who drained a triple from directly in front of Ohio State’s bench.
Hood-Schifino turned around and said something to Chris Holtmann, as he’d just tied the game at 18 with a bit over 10 minutes remaining in the first half.
Holtmann gets T’d up, Indiana extends the lead
With the game tied 21-21 and 7:50 remaining in the first half, Thompson tried an over-the-shoulder floater that was no good. IU’s Banks corralled the miss and put it back up for a basket and was fouled by Thornton.
Chris Holtmann lost his marbles at the foul call and was issued a technical foul immediately, and Tamar Bates hit both free throws. Banks missed his free throw (for the foul on Thornton), but Sensabaugh slipped and fell after the rebound. Indiana got the ball back, and Malik Reneau scored below the basket to make it 27-21 Hoosiers.
Reneau flew under the radar, but the 6-foot-9 freshman from Miami tied his career-high with 15 points on 6-10 shooting over 23 minutes. He also had eight rebounds, three assists, and one steal.
McNeil’s 6-0 run
With Ohio State down 29-23 with just over six minutes remaining until halftime, McNeil went on a 6-0 run all on his lonesome, single-handedly tying the game at 29.
McNeil hit a long two and was fouled by Kopp with 6:27 until halftime, getting Ohio State back within three. points. On Ohio State’s, very next possession McNeil hit a baseline floater and was fouled by Bates, hitting the free throw with 5:37 left until halftime to knot things up at 29-all.
McNeil struggled mightily outside of that stretch, however, and finished with nine points on 3-11 shooting (including 0-5 from three) over 31 minutes.
Indiana closes the half on a 17-1 run
After McNeil tied the game at 29, the Hoosiers closed the half on a 17-1 run over the final 5:37 to put them up 46-30 going to the locker room. Five different Hoosiers scored during that run, headlined by six points from TJD. Indiana hit seven of their final eight shots before the break and shot 48.6% in the first half to Ohio State’s 34.5%.
Key hit a three?
There wasn’t much to talk about in the second half of this game, since Indiana put this thing away before halftime. But I guess it’s noteworthy that Zed Key knocked one down from beyond the arc, because that’s fun.
After TJD dunked to open the second half for IU and put the Hoosiers up 48-30, Key was left open on the right wing (for good reason, probably). Down nearly 20 points, Key said “screw it” and took one with plenty of time and nobody in his face. He canned it, and it was his first made three since December 17 against North Carolina. Ohio State still trailed 48-33, however.
Key finished with 12 points on 4-6 shooting over 26 minutes, and also had four rebounds.
Up Next:
Ohio State (11-10, 3-7) returns home and will play three of its next four games in Columbus, starting with Wisconsin (12-8, 4-6) on Thursday night. The Badgers lost to Illinois Saturday afternoon, 61-51, and are in the middle of a three-game losing streak.
Ohio State’s game against the Badgers will tip off at 7 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on FS1.
Continue reading...
