-
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 Rejoice! The Ohio State men finally win a basketball game, toppling Iowa 93-77
- News
- 0 Replies
Rejoice! The Ohio State men finally win a basketball game, toppling Iowa 93-77
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
Our long national nightmare is finally over! Maybe!
Heading into Saturday’s game against Iowa riding a five-game losing streak, things were going about as poorly as they could possibly be going for Chris Holtmann’s team. To make things worse, senior guard Sean McNeil (9.9 PPG entering today’s game), was pulled from the starting lineup due to a “dental emergency” — he had emergency dental work done this week and did not practice for the last two days.
But hey, after losing five in a row, people pretty much expect you to lose — so the pressure is off, right?
Maybe no longer having the pressure of winning a Big Ten championship was the ticket, or maybe the Buckeyes are simply progressing closer to where we expected them to be a few weeks ago. Regardless, Ohio State was able pull out a rather impressive win over a hot and talented Iowa team at home, 93-77.
With McNeil coming off the bench, Ohio State went with three freshmen in their starting lineup — Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle, and Brice Sensabaugh. Chris Holtmann also started Zed Key and super-senior Isaac Likekele to round out the starting five — which means Justice Sueing also moved to the bench.
The Fighting Frans started a five of Ahron Ulis, Tony Perkins, Connor McCaffery, Filip Rebraca, and Kris Murray.
The two teams began the afternoon with some sloppy play, combining for six turnovers over the first two minutes. Two of the turnovers came from Sensabaugh, but the star freshman also scored the Buckeyes’ first five points of the game. At the first media timeout roughly four minutes in, Iowa clung to an early 8-5 lead. Murray had a quick five points as well.
However, Ohio State turned up the defense over the next several minutes, forcing the Hawkeyes into some uncomfortable spots as well as blocking three shots — courtesy of Felix Okpara. By the under-eight timeout, the Buckeyes had turned an early deficit into a six-point lead, 28-22 It was especially noteworthy because most of Ohio State’s damage was done by Likekele and McNeil, while their leading scorer — Sensabaugh — was on the bench.
Ohio State held it together well enough to take a 37-35 lead into the halftime break, and Sensabaugh led them in the first half with a clean dozen points — but also four turnovers. Murray had nine points and five rebounds in the first half for Iowa, but the Buckeyes were doing a decent job early in this game to wall him off and prevent Murray from taking many high-percentage looks.
The Buckeyes, powered by an unlikely hero in Likekele, went on a 9-0 run early in the second half to open up a 49-39 lead by the first media timeout, four minutes into the second half. Likekele had four more points right away, setting a season-high with over 16 minutes to go in the game. Sensabaugh also had a quick six points to add to the day’s total.
Ohio State continued to get out in transition and push the Hawkeyes, but despite this, Iowa refused to go away. Even with Likekele having by far his best game as a Buckeye, the Hawkeyes silenced every Ohio State run with a bucket — usually it was Murray. By the under-eight media timeout Ohio State still held a 71-61 lead.
But credit to the Buckeyes, as they withstood every Hawkeyes run and made enough defensive stops to build a lead large enough to hang on and win the game. Gayle and Likekele, who were inserted into the lineup just today, turned out to be the big difference makers.
If you didn’t watch Ohio State’s bounce-back win today at the Schott, here are a few of the key moments that led to the Buckeyes getting back in the win column for the first time in 20 days:
The Hawkeyes have been pretty good at limiting turnovers this season, averaging just 10 giveaways per game. But this afternoon the two teams each turned the ball over on both of their first two possessions. The start of the game went something like this:
Sensabaugh finally scored a long jumper 1:54 into the game to open the scoring, but the two teams were incredibly sloppy in the opening minutes. Ohio State finished with 11 turnovers, and Iowa had 14.
Likekele entered today’s game as a 25.7% three-point shooter, and had not hit one yet as a Buckeye. With Ohio State trailing 13-10 early in the first half, Likekele had a pass contested by Iowa, but he was able to run down the loose ball in the far right corner. Nobody chased him there, and Likekele took the risk and drained the triple from the corner to tie things up, 13-13 with 12:19 left in the first half.
Having just taken their first lead in quite some time moments ago, Tanner Holden stole the ball from Iowa’s Josh Dix and found McNeil in transition for an easy three to give Ohio State a 20-15 lead. On the next Ohio State possession, Riley Mulvey blocked Sueing’s layup, but he then collected the miss and kicked it back to McNeil up top, who buried another three to make it 23-15 Buckeyes with 10:25 left in the first half.
McNeil finished with 10 points on 4-5 shooting over 24 minutes, including going 2-2 from three-point land.
The Hawkeyes trailed 33-26 with just over six minutes remaining in the half, and the Buckeyes were starting to see some shots go down. However, the fighting Frans went on a 9-4 run to end the half, making it a one-possession game at the break. Peyton Sandford had a big three, and Rebraca was able to work Okpara for two late fouls below the basket — knocking down all four free throws.
Rebraca finished with 15 points and three rebounds over 31 minutes. He also had four turnovers.
Likekele has not been a featured part of the offense this season, and for good reason. Before today’s game, he was averaging three points per game and shooting just 35% overall. Howevever, Likekele did a god job getting downhill in transition against the Hawkeyes over and over, and it resulted in him setting his season-high in points early in the second half. His layup 3:14 into the second half were his 10th and 11th points of the day, and also gave his team a 46-39 lead.
Likekele finished with a season-high 18 points, and also added team-highs in rebounds and assists with 10 and seven, respectively.
Much like Likekele, Gayle hadn’t had a solid offensive showing since the St. Francis game nearly two months ago. However, he was efficient this afternoon and gave Ohio State a boost, scoring nine points off the bench. After Ohio State’s lead had shrunk back to single-digits with just over 12 minutes to go, Gayle dropped in a finger-roll layup over the head of Sandfort to give Ohio State a 60-50 lead. Gayle turned around and let Sandfort hear it, too, as the freshman guard from New York was getting into an offensive rhythm for the first time in quite some time.
Many people forget that Gayle won the “Buckeyes on the Blacktop” dunk contest in the preseason, jamming down violent dunk after violent dunk in the shadow of Ohio Stadium in front of hundreds of students.
He harkened back to the dunk contest with 7:58 remaining in the game, slamming down a thunderous double-clutch dunk after sprinting the baseline to give the Buckeyes a 71-61. It was the dunk of the year (for this team) without question, and it answered Ulis’ pair of free throws from just a moment earlier.
Gayle finished with nine points on 4-7 shooting over 17 minutes.
Ohio State (11-8, 3-5) only has two days off before their next game, which is a road game at Illinois (13-6, 4-4) Tuesday night. The two teams have yet to play this season, but the Fighting Illini are fresh off an 80-65 beating at the hands of Indiana late last week. Brad Underwood’s squad will almost certainly be focused and angry after being embarrassed at home their last time out.
KemPom currently has Illinois pegged as the No. 27 team in the nation, and the No. 29 overall defense.
Ohio State’s road matchup with Illinois will tip off at 7:00 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ESPN — Ohio State’s seventh ESPN game of the season.
Continue reading...
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
Our long national nightmare is finally over! Maybe!
Heading into Saturday’s game against Iowa riding a five-game losing streak, things were going about as poorly as they could possibly be going for Chris Holtmann’s team. To make things worse, senior guard Sean McNeil (9.9 PPG entering today’s game), was pulled from the starting lineup due to a “dental emergency” — he had emergency dental work done this week and did not practice for the last two days.
But hey, after losing five in a row, people pretty much expect you to lose — so the pressure is off, right?
Maybe no longer having the pressure of winning a Big Ten championship was the ticket, or maybe the Buckeyes are simply progressing closer to where we expected them to be a few weeks ago. Regardless, Ohio State was able pull out a rather impressive win over a hot and talented Iowa team at home, 93-77.
With McNeil coming off the bench, Ohio State went with three freshmen in their starting lineup — Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle, and Brice Sensabaugh. Chris Holtmann also started Zed Key and super-senior Isaac Likekele to round out the starting five — which means Justice Sueing also moved to the bench.
The Fighting Frans started a five of Ahron Ulis, Tony Perkins, Connor McCaffery, Filip Rebraca, and Kris Murray.
The two teams began the afternoon with some sloppy play, combining for six turnovers over the first two minutes. Two of the turnovers came from Sensabaugh, but the star freshman also scored the Buckeyes’ first five points of the game. At the first media timeout roughly four minutes in, Iowa clung to an early 8-5 lead. Murray had a quick five points as well.
However, Ohio State turned up the defense over the next several minutes, forcing the Hawkeyes into some uncomfortable spots as well as blocking three shots — courtesy of Felix Okpara. By the under-eight timeout, the Buckeyes had turned an early deficit into a six-point lead, 28-22 It was especially noteworthy because most of Ohio State’s damage was done by Likekele and McNeil, while their leading scorer — Sensabaugh — was on the bench.
Ohio State held it together well enough to take a 37-35 lead into the halftime break, and Sensabaugh led them in the first half with a clean dozen points — but also four turnovers. Murray had nine points and five rebounds in the first half for Iowa, but the Buckeyes were doing a decent job early in this game to wall him off and prevent Murray from taking many high-percentage looks.
The Buckeyes, powered by an unlikely hero in Likekele, went on a 9-0 run early in the second half to open up a 49-39 lead by the first media timeout, four minutes into the second half. Likekele had four more points right away, setting a season-high with over 16 minutes to go in the game. Sensabaugh also had a quick six points to add to the day’s total.
Stealbucket @ohiostatehoops is getting it done on both ends of the court pic.twitter.com/sNk9gAkm2Z
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) January 21, 2023
Ohio State continued to get out in transition and push the Hawkeyes, but despite this, Iowa refused to go away. Even with Likekele having by far his best game as a Buckeye, the Hawkeyes silenced every Ohio State run with a bucket — usually it was Murray. By the under-eight media timeout Ohio State still held a 71-61 lead.
But credit to the Buckeyes, as they withstood every Hawkeyes run and made enough defensive stops to build a lead large enough to hang on and win the game. Gayle and Likekele, who were inserted into the lineup just today, turned out to be the big difference makers.
If you didn’t watch Ohio State’s bounce-back win today at the Schott, here are a few of the key moments that led to the Buckeyes getting back in the win column for the first time in 20 days:
Sloppy start
The Hawkeyes have been pretty good at limiting turnovers this season, averaging just 10 giveaways per game. But this afternoon the two teams each turned the ball over on both of their first two possessions. The start of the game went something like this:
- Bad pass turnover by Thornton, stolen by Perkins
- Uhlis turnover, stolen by Sensabaugh
- Out of control dribble turnover by Sensabaugh
- Murray travel below the basket
Sensabaugh finally scored a long jumper 1:54 into the game to open the scoring, but the two teams were incredibly sloppy in the opening minutes. Ohio State finished with 11 turnovers, and Iowa had 14.
If you take it, you better make it
Likekele entered today’s game as a 25.7% three-point shooter, and had not hit one yet as a Buckeye. With Ohio State trailing 13-10 early in the first half, Likekele had a pass contested by Iowa, but he was able to run down the loose ball in the far right corner. Nobody chased him there, and Likekele took the risk and drained the triple from the corner to tie things up, 13-13 with 12:19 left in the first half.
McNeil’s back-to-back threes
Having just taken their first lead in quite some time moments ago, Tanner Holden stole the ball from Iowa’s Josh Dix and found McNeil in transition for an easy three to give Ohio State a 20-15 lead. On the next Ohio State possession, Riley Mulvey blocked Sueing’s layup, but he then collected the miss and kicked it back to McNeil up top, who buried another three to make it 23-15 Buckeyes with 10:25 left in the first half.
McNeil finished with 10 points on 4-5 shooting over 24 minutes, including going 2-2 from three-point land.
Iowa ends the half on a modest 9-4 run to keep things tight
The Hawkeyes trailed 33-26 with just over six minutes remaining in the half, and the Buckeyes were starting to see some shots go down. However, the fighting Frans went on a 9-4 run to end the half, making it a one-possession game at the break. Peyton Sandford had a big three, and Rebraca was able to work Okpara for two late fouls below the basket — knocking down all four free throws.
Rebraca finished with 15 points and three rebounds over 31 minutes. He also had four turnovers.
Likekele sets his season high in scoring... in 24 minutes
Likekele has not been a featured part of the offense this season, and for good reason. Before today’s game, he was averaging three points per game and shooting just 35% overall. Howevever, Likekele did a god job getting downhill in transition against the Hawkeyes over and over, and it resulted in him setting his season-high in points early in the second half. His layup 3:14 into the second half were his 10th and 11th points of the day, and also gave his team a 46-39 lead.
Likekele finished with a season-high 18 points, and also added team-highs in rebounds and assists with 10 and seven, respectively.
Gayle making an impact, too
Much like Likekele, Gayle hadn’t had a solid offensive showing since the St. Francis game nearly two months ago. However, he was efficient this afternoon and gave Ohio State a boost, scoring nine points off the bench. After Ohio State’s lead had shrunk back to single-digits with just over 12 minutes to go, Gayle dropped in a finger-roll layup over the head of Sandfort to give Ohio State a 60-50 lead. Gayle turned around and let Sandfort hear it, too, as the freshman guard from New York was getting into an offensive rhythm for the first time in quite some time.
Roddy Gayle, dunk contest champion
Many people forget that Gayle won the “Buckeyes on the Blacktop” dunk contest in the preseason, jamming down violent dunk after violent dunk in the shadow of Ohio Stadium in front of hundreds of students.
He harkened back to the dunk contest with 7:58 remaining in the game, slamming down a thunderous double-clutch dunk after sprinting the baseline to give the Buckeyes a 71-61. It was the dunk of the year (for this team) without question, and it answered Ulis’ pair of free throws from just a moment earlier.
Gayle finished with nine points on 4-7 shooting over 17 minutes.
Up Next:
Ohio State (11-8, 3-5) only has two days off before their next game, which is a road game at Illinois (13-6, 4-4) Tuesday night. The two teams have yet to play this season, but the Fighting Illini are fresh off an 80-65 beating at the hands of Indiana late last week. Brad Underwood’s squad will almost certainly be focused and angry after being embarrassed at home their last time out.
KemPom currently has Illinois pegged as the No. 27 team in the nation, and the No. 29 overall defense.
Ohio State’s road matchup with Illinois will tip off at 7:00 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ESPN — Ohio State’s seventh ESPN game of the season.
Continue reading...
LGHL A guide to all the former Buckeyes still in the NFL playoffs
- News
- 0 Replies
A guide to all the former Buckeyes still in the NFL playoffs
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports
Of the eight teams remaining in the playoffs, six teams have a least one former Ohio State player on their roster
Jacksonville has two former Buckeyes on their roster in this game, while the Kansas City Chiefs are one of two teams left in the NFL playoffs that don’t employ any Ohio State alums.
If Kansas City not playing with any former Buckeyes wasn’t enough to make you root for Jacksonville in this game, then finding out the Chiefs roster three former Michigan players should add to your Jaguars fandom on Saturday afternoon.
Luke Farrell - Jacksonville Jaguars
Don’t expect to hear Farrell’s name called all that often this afternoon. The tight end only has four receptions this year. Maybe Farrell sees some snaps because of his blocking ability at tight end, but there’s no question that if Trevor Lawrence is going to throw to a Jacksonville tight end, it will likely be Evan Engram.
DaVon Hamilton - Jacksonville Jaguars
The defensive tackle had a great game against Tennessee to close out the regular season, helping to bottle up Derrick Henry, which allowed Jacksonville to earn a playoff spot. Hamilton had a little different task last week against the Chargers, with the Jaguars shifting to facing a pass-heavy offense.
The former Buckeyes and his mates of the defensive side of the football will face an even bigger challenge today when they take on the elusive Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City offense.
Nick Vannett - New York Giants
Much like Jacksonville’s Luke Farrell, Vannett only had four catches this season. The former Ohio State tight end wasn’t even signed by the Giants until Nov. 22 when he was added to the practice squad. Vannett was elevated to the active roster a couple weeks later, and his best performance of the year came on the final day of the regular season when he caught two passes against Philadelphia when the Giants were resting their starters.
Wyatt Davis - New York Giants
Just a couple years ago, Wyatt Davis was selected in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings. Now Davis is playing for his fifth team. Davis was released by the Vikings in the team’s final round of cuts before the season. The offensive lineman then joined the Giants’ practice squad before being signed by the New Orleans Saints, who released Davis in early November. Then Davis signed with Arizona before being released two days after Christmas. The Giants resigned Davis the next day.
Trey Sermon - Philadelphia Eagles
It feels like the only way Sermon will see any carries tonight is if the Eagles either blow the Giants out, or are getting blown out. The only two carries of the season for Sermon came in early October against Jacksonville. Philadelphia has strong depth at running back with Miles Sanders, Kenneth Gainwell, and Boston Scott.
A lot of people want to claim Joe Burrow as a Buckeye, and while I can understand the sentiment, I’m not going to include him in this section. If you want to claim him as an Ohioan, then that’s a whole different story.
Sam Hubbard - Cincinnati Bengals
The Ohio State defensive end was the hero of the game for the Bengals against the Ravens. Hubbard will likely never have to buy another drink or meal in Cincinnati after returning a fumble 98 yards with 12 minutes to go in the fourth quarter to give the Bengals a 24-17 lead. The touchdown would end up being the game-winning score for Cincinnati, securing a showdown with Buffalo on Sunday.
Hubbard has quietly carved out a role as a consistent defensive end for the Bengals, notching at least six sacks in four of his first five seasons in the NFL.
Vonn Bell - Cincinnati Bengals
Against Baltimore, Bell recorded four tackles. While Bell doesn’t put up huge stats when it comes to tackles and interceptions, he does a great job at making big plays when they matter most. The safety is a steadying force in the defensive backfield, which is more than can be said about another Ohio State alum that is part of the secondary of the Bengals.
Eli Apple - Cincinnati Bengals
The former first round pick had a solid performance last week against Baltimore, finishing the game with six tackles. Apple will see the difficulty upped this week, as he’ll be tasked with trying to keep Josh Allen from getting the football into the hands of Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis.
Drue Chrisman - Cincinnati Bengals
After starting the season on Cincinnati’s practice squad, Chrisman was elevated to the main roster after the team released punter Kevin Huber in early December. Much like the Buckeye punters before him, Chrisman has found success in the NFL, dropping nearly half of his 28 punts inside the 20-yard-line during the regular season. Chrisman continued his strong kicking on Sunday night, with two of his three punts against the Ravens being downed inside the 20.
Isaiah Prince - Cincinnati Bengals
The offensive lineman is currently a member of Cincinnati’s practice squad, but with the rash of injuries the Bengals are dealing with on the offensive line, he could be called up to the active roster.
Ezekiel Elliott - Dallas Cowboys
We all know the shelf life of running backs in the NFL is short, and it’s obvious that Elliott doesn’t have much left in his legs. This year the former Buckeye rushed for a career-low 876 yards. Elliott was bottled up in the 31-14 win by the Cowboys over the Buccaneers on Monday night, finishing with 27 yards on 13 carries.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24375279/usa_today_19803124.jpg "NFL: NFC Wild Card Round-Dallas Cowboys at Tampa Bay Buccaneers")
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
This week Elliott will be taking one of the toughest defenses in the NFL, so it’s hard to imagine Zeke finding much room to run on the ground. It’s not all bad news though, as Elliott does have some value down near the goal line, since his physical running style has allowed him to score 12 rushing touchdowns this year.
Noah Brown - Dallas Cowboys
This season was a bit of a breakout year for Brown, who caught 43 passes after nabbing just 39 passes in his first four seasons in the NFL. The return of Michael Gallup has cut into some of Brown’s snaps, but the wide receiver is still a threat in the red zone, with his height and hands making him an attractive target for Dak Prescott.
Johnathan Hankins - Dallas Cowboys
Hankins started the season with the Las Vegas Raiders before being traded to the Cowboys in late October. The defensive tackle looks to be getting a little more comfortable with each week. In Monday night’s game, Hankins recorded a sack of Tom Brady, which was his first sack with the Cowboys.
Malik Hooker - Dallas Cowboys
Hooker looked like he was going to be a fixture with the Indianapolis Colts before injuries slowed his growth. The Cowboys took a chance on Hooker, and it has played off, with the safety becoming a big part of the team’s secondary. This season Hooker made 62 tackles, picking off three passes and forcing a fumble. Hooker will be tested on Sunday evening trying to slow the talented San Francisco receiving corps.
Kendall Sheffield - Dallas Cowboys
Sheffield is currently a member of the Dallas practice squad.
Jake McQuaide - Dallas Cowboys
The long snapper suffered a torn left triceps in a game against Washington early in the year and is currently on injured reserve.
Nick Bosa - San Francisco 49ers
The younger Bosa had an outstanding season on one of the toughest defenses in the NFL, recording 18.5 sacks. Unlike Joey, Nick had a game to remember on Saturday, making five tackles and recovering a fumble in San Francisco’s 41-23 win over Seattle.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24375277/1456444327.jpg "NFC Wild Card Playoffs - Seattle Seahawks v San Francisco 49ers")
Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Now Bosa will be looking to add to his career playoff sack total. In 2019 and 2021, Bosa recorded four sacks, playing in three playoff games in each of those years. With the Cowboys having injury issues on their offensive line, it seems likely Bosa should be harassing Dak Prescott throughout Sunday night’s contest.
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
Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports
Of the eight teams remaining in the playoffs, six teams have a least one former Ohio State player on their roster
Jacksonville Jaguars v. Kansas City Chiefs - Saturday 1/21 4:30 p.m. ET - NBC
Jacksonville has two former Buckeyes on their roster in this game, while the Kansas City Chiefs are one of two teams left in the NFL playoffs that don’t employ any Ohio State alums.
If Kansas City not playing with any former Buckeyes wasn’t enough to make you root for Jacksonville in this game, then finding out the Chiefs roster three former Michigan players should add to your Jaguars fandom on Saturday afternoon.
Luke Farrell - Jacksonville Jaguars
Don’t expect to hear Farrell’s name called all that often this afternoon. The tight end only has four receptions this year. Maybe Farrell sees some snaps because of his blocking ability at tight end, but there’s no question that if Trevor Lawrence is going to throw to a Jacksonville tight end, it will likely be Evan Engram.
DaVon Hamilton - Jacksonville Jaguars
The defensive tackle had a great game against Tennessee to close out the regular season, helping to bottle up Derrick Henry, which allowed Jacksonville to earn a playoff spot. Hamilton had a little different task last week against the Chargers, with the Jaguars shifting to facing a pass-heavy offense.
The former Buckeyes and his mates of the defensive side of the football will face an even bigger challenge today when they take on the elusive Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City offense.
New York Giants v. Philadelphia Eagles - Saturday 1/21 8:15 p.m. ET - FOX
Nick Vannett - New York Giants
Much like Jacksonville’s Luke Farrell, Vannett only had four catches this season. The former Ohio State tight end wasn’t even signed by the Giants until Nov. 22 when he was added to the practice squad. Vannett was elevated to the active roster a couple weeks later, and his best performance of the year came on the final day of the regular season when he caught two passes against Philadelphia when the Giants were resting their starters.
Wyatt Davis - New York Giants
Just a couple years ago, Wyatt Davis was selected in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings. Now Davis is playing for his fifth team. Davis was released by the Vikings in the team’s final round of cuts before the season. The offensive lineman then joined the Giants’ practice squad before being signed by the New Orleans Saints, who released Davis in early November. Then Davis signed with Arizona before being released two days after Christmas. The Giants resigned Davis the next day.
Trey Sermon - Philadelphia Eagles
It feels like the only way Sermon will see any carries tonight is if the Eagles either blow the Giants out, or are getting blown out. The only two carries of the season for Sermon came in early October against Jacksonville. Philadelphia has strong depth at running back with Miles Sanders, Kenneth Gainwell, and Boston Scott.
Cincinnati Bengals v. Buffalo Bills - Sunday 1/22 3:00 p.m. ET - CBS
A lot of people want to claim Joe Burrow as a Buckeye, and while I can understand the sentiment, I’m not going to include him in this section. If you want to claim him as an Ohioan, then that’s a whole different story.
Sam Hubbard - Cincinnati Bengals
The Ohio State defensive end was the hero of the game for the Bengals against the Ravens. Hubbard will likely never have to buy another drink or meal in Cincinnati after returning a fumble 98 yards with 12 minutes to go in the fourth quarter to give the Bengals a 24-17 lead. The touchdown would end up being the game-winning score for Cincinnati, securing a showdown with Buffalo on Sunday.
Hubbard has quietly carved out a role as a consistent defensive end for the Bengals, notching at least six sacks in four of his first five seasons in the NFL.
Vonn Bell - Cincinnati Bengals
Against Baltimore, Bell recorded four tackles. While Bell doesn’t put up huge stats when it comes to tackles and interceptions, he does a great job at making big plays when they matter most. The safety is a steadying force in the defensive backfield, which is more than can be said about another Ohio State alum that is part of the secondary of the Bengals.
Eli Apple - Cincinnati Bengals
The former first round pick had a solid performance last week against Baltimore, finishing the game with six tackles. Apple will see the difficulty upped this week, as he’ll be tasked with trying to keep Josh Allen from getting the football into the hands of Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis.
Drue Chrisman - Cincinnati Bengals
After starting the season on Cincinnati’s practice squad, Chrisman was elevated to the main roster after the team released punter Kevin Huber in early December. Much like the Buckeye punters before him, Chrisman has found success in the NFL, dropping nearly half of his 28 punts inside the 20-yard-line during the regular season. Chrisman continued his strong kicking on Sunday night, with two of his three punts against the Ravens being downed inside the 20.
Isaiah Prince - Cincinnati Bengals
The offensive lineman is currently a member of Cincinnati’s practice squad, but with the rash of injuries the Bengals are dealing with on the offensive line, he could be called up to the active roster.
Dallas Cowboys v. San Francisco 49ers - Sunday 1/22 6:30 p.m. - ET - FOX
Ezekiel Elliott - Dallas Cowboys
We all know the shelf life of running backs in the NFL is short, and it’s obvious that Elliott doesn’t have much left in his legs. This year the former Buckeye rushed for a career-low 876 yards. Elliott was bottled up in the 31-14 win by the Cowboys over the Buccaneers on Monday night, finishing with 27 yards on 13 carries.
This week Elliott will be taking one of the toughest defenses in the NFL, so it’s hard to imagine Zeke finding much room to run on the ground. It’s not all bad news though, as Elliott does have some value down near the goal line, since his physical running style has allowed him to score 12 rushing touchdowns this year.
Noah Brown - Dallas Cowboys
This season was a bit of a breakout year for Brown, who caught 43 passes after nabbing just 39 passes in his first four seasons in the NFL. The return of Michael Gallup has cut into some of Brown’s snaps, but the wide receiver is still a threat in the red zone, with his height and hands making him an attractive target for Dak Prescott.
Johnathan Hankins - Dallas Cowboys
Hankins started the season with the Las Vegas Raiders before being traded to the Cowboys in late October. The defensive tackle looks to be getting a little more comfortable with each week. In Monday night’s game, Hankins recorded a sack of Tom Brady, which was his first sack with the Cowboys.
Malik Hooker - Dallas Cowboys
Hooker looked like he was going to be a fixture with the Indianapolis Colts before injuries slowed his growth. The Cowboys took a chance on Hooker, and it has played off, with the safety becoming a big part of the team’s secondary. This season Hooker made 62 tackles, picking off three passes and forcing a fumble. Hooker will be tested on Sunday evening trying to slow the talented San Francisco receiving corps.
Kendall Sheffield - Dallas Cowboys
Sheffield is currently a member of the Dallas practice squad.
Jake McQuaide - Dallas Cowboys
The long snapper suffered a torn left triceps in a game against Washington early in the year and is currently on injured reserve.
Nick Bosa - San Francisco 49ers
The younger Bosa had an outstanding season on one of the toughest defenses in the NFL, recording 18.5 sacks. Unlike Joey, Nick had a game to remember on Saturday, making five tackles and recovering a fumble in San Francisco’s 41-23 win over Seattle.
Now Bosa will be looking to add to his career playoff sack total. In 2019 and 2021, Bosa recorded four sacks, playing in three playoff games in each of those years. With the Cowboys having injury issues on their offensive line, it seems likely Bosa should be harassing Dak Prescott throughout Sunday night’s contest.
Continue reading...
Iowa at Ohio State, Jan 21st, 2 PM EST, FOX
- By ScriptOhio
- Buckeye Basketball
- 72 Replies
Login to view embedded media
www.cbssports.com
Current Records: Iowa 12-6; Ohio State 10-8
What to Know
The Ohio State Buckeyes will be returning home after a two-game road trip. OSU and the Iowa Hawkeyes will face off in a Big Ten battle at 2 p.m. ET Saturday at Value City Arena. Iowa will be strutting in after a win while the Buckeyes will be stumbling in from a defeat.
OSU was close but no cigar on Wednesday as they fell 63-60 to the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Forward Brice Sensabaugh (18 points) was the top scorer for OSU. That makes it three consecutive games in which Brice Sensabaugh has had at least ten rebounds.
Meanwhile, Iowa had enough points to win and then some against the Maryland Terrapins on Sunday, taking their matchup 81-67. The Hawkeyes can attribute much of their success to guard Tony Perkins, who had 22 points. Perkins hadn't helped his team much against the Michigan Wolverines last Thursday, so this was a nice turnaround for him. Perkins' points were the most he has had all season.
The Buckeyes are the favorite in this one, with an expected 3.5-point margin of victory. They have failed bettors playing the spread in their past five games, so buyers beware.
OSU is now 10-8 while the Hawkeyes sit at 12-6. A pair of stats to keep in the back of your head while watching: OSU is 52nd worst in college basketball in takeaways, with only 11.6 on average. To make matters even worse for OSU, Iowa ranks eighth in college basketball when it comes to turnovers per game, with only 10.1 on average. Maybe that strength will give Iowa the oomph they need to beat the odds.
Login to view embedded media
Ohio State vs. Iowa: How to watch NCAAB online, TV channel, live stream info, game time
How to watch Ohio State vs. Iowa basketball game
www.cbssports.com
Who's Playing
Iowa @ Ohio StateCurrent Records: Iowa 12-6; Ohio State 10-8
What to Know
The Ohio State Buckeyes will be returning home after a two-game road trip. OSU and the Iowa Hawkeyes will face off in a Big Ten battle at 2 p.m. ET Saturday at Value City Arena. Iowa will be strutting in after a win while the Buckeyes will be stumbling in from a defeat.
OSU was close but no cigar on Wednesday as they fell 63-60 to the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Forward Brice Sensabaugh (18 points) was the top scorer for OSU. That makes it three consecutive games in which Brice Sensabaugh has had at least ten rebounds.
Meanwhile, Iowa had enough points to win and then some against the Maryland Terrapins on Sunday, taking their matchup 81-67. The Hawkeyes can attribute much of their success to guard Tony Perkins, who had 22 points. Perkins hadn't helped his team much against the Michigan Wolverines last Thursday, so this was a nice turnaround for him. Perkins' points were the most he has had all season.
The Buckeyes are the favorite in this one, with an expected 3.5-point margin of victory. They have failed bettors playing the spread in their past five games, so buyers beware.
OSU is now 10-8 while the Hawkeyes sit at 12-6. A pair of stats to keep in the back of your head while watching: OSU is 52nd worst in college basketball in takeaways, with only 11.6 on average. To make matters even worse for OSU, Iowa ranks eighth in college basketball when it comes to turnovers per game, with only 10.1 on average. Maybe that strength will give Iowa the oomph they need to beat the odds.
Login to view embedded media
LGHL Ohio State men’s basketball vs. Iowa: Game preview and prediction
- News
- 0 Replies
Ohio State men’s basketball vs. Iowa: Game preview and prediction
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images
The Buckeyes return home to try to get back on track against Iowa.
The Ohio State Buckeyes men’s basketball team is, to put it lightly, struggling. It was just a couple weeks ago when Ohio State hosted top-ranked Purdue in what would have seemed an early look at the two top teams in the Big Ten. But now, Ohio State has lost five-straight games — starting with Purdue — by a total of 19 points. Oof.
Now, the Buckeyes, who have fallen to 10-8 overall and 2-5 in conference play, return to Columbus to lick their wounds, regroup and try, at least, to right the ship this afternoon when they face the Iowa Hawkeyes. And right the ship they must, as March is not that far away.
The most recent loss came against perennial Big Ten bottom-feeder Nebraska by a score of 63-60 on the road. Of course, we can’t critique the Huskers too harshly — they’re now 3-5 in conference play and are 7-2 at home. With the loss, Ohio State also fell to 1-4 on the road this season.
It was a slow offensive start for the Buckeyes (both teams, really), with Ohio State leading at the half 22-21. Notably, freshman forward Brice Sensabaugh was just 2-of-11 shooting in the first half. The second half remained close. Ohio State’s largest lead was just five points and Nebraska’s six. Unfortunately, offensive woes continued, including a nearly seven-minute stretch when the Buckeyes went without a field goal — during which the Huskers took the lead for good.
For the ninth-straight game, Sensabaugh led the Buckeyes in scoring with 18 points. He also had his third-straight double-double as he added a team-high 10 rebounds. Senior guard Sean McNeil added 13 points and junior forward Zed Key had 11. The Buckeyes shot 36% from the field overall.
The game was a pretty even match from the stat line. Nebraska outrebounded Ohio State 39-38 and had 13 turnovers to the Buckeyes’ 11. Both teams struggled with the long ball, going under 30% from three-point range.
The Buckeyes have lost the momentum they carried into the new year. But there’s no place like home, and they’ll have their shot to end this losing streak against Iowa today.
To get a feel for where the Hawkeyes are at in their season, it’s almost the exact opposite of what Ohio State is dealing with currently. While the Buckeyes have struggled in 2023, Iowa has been surging as winners of four-straight games. The Hawkeyes are sitting 12-6 overall and 4-3 in conference play. Iowa has also had a long time to prepare for this afternoon’s game since its weeknight matchup against Northwestern this week was canceled after a COVID-19 outbreak impacted the Wildcat roster.
Ohio State has lost two-straight against the Hawkeyes. Last season, after the game was postponed, the Buckeyes fell to Iowa in Columbus 75-62. Keegan Murray led the Hawkeyes in scoring in that matchup.
Though the Hawkeyes are not as formidable as they were in 2020-21 when national player of the year and Wooden Award-winner Luka Garza was on the roster, they’re still a feisty bunch with a hearty dose of offensive firepower.
This year, Keegan’s identical twin brother, Kris, leads the Hawkeyes in scoring, after Keegan left Iowa City as the No. 4-overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. Kris is second in the conference in scoring, averaging 21.2 points per game, and is one of just two players in the Big Ten putting up 20-plus points per game. Murray is also fourth in the conference in rebounding, pulling down nine per game.
Iowa’s most recent win (granted, one which came on January 15) came by a 81-67 margin over Maryland. The Hawkeyes shot a bananas 60% from the field and 43% from three-point range. Iowa outrebounded Maryland 30-27 and had just nine turnovers to an even dozen from the Terps.
Junior guard Tony Perkins led the Hawkeyes with 22 points on the afternoon. Murray had 19, while sophomore forward Payton Sandfort and senior guard Connor McCaffrey each added a dozen.
On the bench, Fran McCaffrey is in his 13th season at the helm of the Hawkeyes. He’s amassed a 254-168 overall record, including 119-112 in conference play. Perhaps the king of technical fouls, McCaffrey certainly has a big temper which most notably flared in the Hawkeyes win over Indiana this month. Despite finishing fourth in the Big Ten in the regular season last year, the Hawkeyes won the Big Ten Tournament and earned a No. 5-seed in the NCAA Tournament, where they promptly lost in the first round to Richmond. This year, McCaffrey will be looking to bring the Hawkeyes their first Sweet Sixteen appearance since 1999.
The Buckeyes are on a spiral. And it has to stop, especially since their losing streak has placed them at No. 13 in the Big Ten standings. Iowa is sitting at No. 32 in the Kenpom rankings while the Buckeyes have slid to No. 21.
On the court, Ohio State hasn’t broken the 70-point mark in three games after starting the season as the most potent scoring offense in the Big Ten. What’s been particularly grating is how the Buckeyes have been losing games in such close fashion, even when leading at halftime as they have in four-of-five of their recent losses. Fortunately for Ohio State, the Buckeyes are facing the worst-scoring defense in the conference in Iowa.
Yes, Iowa on the hardcourt is the antithesis to the Hawkeye football team we’ve come to know. The Hawkeyes are first in the Big Ten in scoring offense, putting up 82 points per game. And they’re worst in the conference in scoring defense, allowing greater than 72 points per outing (No. 257 in Division I). Even the head coaches are polar opposites as McCaffrey is as fiery as Kirk Ferentz is reserved (though both have a tendency to give their sons spots on their rosters and coaching staffs).
The Hawkeyes are also good at sharing. They’re first in the conference with a 1.7 assist-to-turnover ratio. (Ohio State is sitting at No. 10 with a 1.14.) They’re shooting 46% from the field and, as mentioned, shot lights out against Maryland last week.
Ohio State is 62-67 all-time against the Hawkeyes and looking for its first win over Iowa since 2021. The Buckeyes will have one more shot against the Hawkeyes in Iowa City in February, but given the challenges for road teams in the Big Ten, this afternoon is their best shot for a regular season win against Iowa.
At some point, the Buckeyes will have to snap their losing streak, and now would be a great time since Ohio State has two Big Ten road games next week.
ESPN BPI: Ohio State 77.2%
Time: 2 p.m. ET
TV: FOX
Continue reading...
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images
The Buckeyes return home to try to get back on track against Iowa.
The Ohio State Buckeyes men’s basketball team is, to put it lightly, struggling. It was just a couple weeks ago when Ohio State hosted top-ranked Purdue in what would have seemed an early look at the two top teams in the Big Ten. But now, Ohio State has lost five-straight games — starting with Purdue — by a total of 19 points. Oof.
Now, the Buckeyes, who have fallen to 10-8 overall and 2-5 in conference play, return to Columbus to lick their wounds, regroup and try, at least, to right the ship this afternoon when they face the Iowa Hawkeyes. And right the ship they must, as March is not that far away.
The most recent loss came against perennial Big Ten bottom-feeder Nebraska by a score of 63-60 on the road. Of course, we can’t critique the Huskers too harshly — they’re now 3-5 in conference play and are 7-2 at home. With the loss, Ohio State also fell to 1-4 on the road this season.
It was a slow offensive start for the Buckeyes (both teams, really), with Ohio State leading at the half 22-21. Notably, freshman forward Brice Sensabaugh was just 2-of-11 shooting in the first half. The second half remained close. Ohio State’s largest lead was just five points and Nebraska’s six. Unfortunately, offensive woes continued, including a nearly seven-minute stretch when the Buckeyes went without a field goal — during which the Huskers took the lead for good.
For the ninth-straight game, Sensabaugh led the Buckeyes in scoring with 18 points. He also had his third-straight double-double as he added a team-high 10 rebounds. Senior guard Sean McNeil added 13 points and junior forward Zed Key had 11. The Buckeyes shot 36% from the field overall.
The game was a pretty even match from the stat line. Nebraska outrebounded Ohio State 39-38 and had 13 turnovers to the Buckeyes’ 11. Both teams struggled with the long ball, going under 30% from three-point range.
The Buckeyes have lost the momentum they carried into the new year. But there’s no place like home, and they’ll have their shot to end this losing streak against Iowa today.
Preview
To get a feel for where the Hawkeyes are at in their season, it’s almost the exact opposite of what Ohio State is dealing with currently. While the Buckeyes have struggled in 2023, Iowa has been surging as winners of four-straight games. The Hawkeyes are sitting 12-6 overall and 4-3 in conference play. Iowa has also had a long time to prepare for this afternoon’s game since its weeknight matchup against Northwestern this week was canceled after a COVID-19 outbreak impacted the Wildcat roster.
Ohio State has lost two-straight against the Hawkeyes. Last season, after the game was postponed, the Buckeyes fell to Iowa in Columbus 75-62. Keegan Murray led the Hawkeyes in scoring in that matchup.
Though the Hawkeyes are not as formidable as they were in 2020-21 when national player of the year and Wooden Award-winner Luka Garza was on the roster, they’re still a feisty bunch with a hearty dose of offensive firepower.
This year, Keegan’s identical twin brother, Kris, leads the Hawkeyes in scoring, after Keegan left Iowa City as the No. 4-overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. Kris is second in the conference in scoring, averaging 21.2 points per game, and is one of just two players in the Big Ten putting up 20-plus points per game. Murray is also fourth in the conference in rebounding, pulling down nine per game.
Iowa’s most recent win (granted, one which came on January 15) came by a 81-67 margin over Maryland. The Hawkeyes shot a bananas 60% from the field and 43% from three-point range. Iowa outrebounded Maryland 30-27 and had just nine turnovers to an even dozen from the Terps.
Junior guard Tony Perkins led the Hawkeyes with 22 points on the afternoon. Murray had 19, while sophomore forward Payton Sandfort and senior guard Connor McCaffrey each added a dozen.
On the bench, Fran McCaffrey is in his 13th season at the helm of the Hawkeyes. He’s amassed a 254-168 overall record, including 119-112 in conference play. Perhaps the king of technical fouls, McCaffrey certainly has a big temper which most notably flared in the Hawkeyes win over Indiana this month. Despite finishing fourth in the Big Ten in the regular season last year, the Hawkeyes won the Big Ten Tournament and earned a No. 5-seed in the NCAA Tournament, where they promptly lost in the first round to Richmond. This year, McCaffrey will be looking to bring the Hawkeyes their first Sweet Sixteen appearance since 1999.
Prediction
The Buckeyes are on a spiral. And it has to stop, especially since their losing streak has placed them at No. 13 in the Big Ten standings. Iowa is sitting at No. 32 in the Kenpom rankings while the Buckeyes have slid to No. 21.
On the court, Ohio State hasn’t broken the 70-point mark in three games after starting the season as the most potent scoring offense in the Big Ten. What’s been particularly grating is how the Buckeyes have been losing games in such close fashion, even when leading at halftime as they have in four-of-five of their recent losses. Fortunately for Ohio State, the Buckeyes are facing the worst-scoring defense in the conference in Iowa.
Yes, Iowa on the hardcourt is the antithesis to the Hawkeye football team we’ve come to know. The Hawkeyes are first in the Big Ten in scoring offense, putting up 82 points per game. And they’re worst in the conference in scoring defense, allowing greater than 72 points per outing (No. 257 in Division I). Even the head coaches are polar opposites as McCaffrey is as fiery as Kirk Ferentz is reserved (though both have a tendency to give their sons spots on their rosters and coaching staffs).
The Hawkeyes are also good at sharing. They’re first in the conference with a 1.7 assist-to-turnover ratio. (Ohio State is sitting at No. 10 with a 1.14.) They’re shooting 46% from the field and, as mentioned, shot lights out against Maryland last week.
Ohio State is 62-67 all-time against the Hawkeyes and looking for its first win over Iowa since 2021. The Buckeyes will have one more shot against the Hawkeyes in Iowa City in February, but given the challenges for road teams in the Big Ten, this afternoon is their best shot for a regular season win against Iowa.
At some point, the Buckeyes will have to snap their losing streak, and now would be a great time since Ohio State has two Big Ten road games next week.
ESPN BPI: Ohio State 77.2%
Time: 2 p.m. ET
TV: FOX
LGHL score prediction: Ohio State 81, Iowa 78
Continue reading...
2025 UT TE Bear Tenney (Nebraska Decommit)
- By MD Buckeye
- Football Recruiting
- 4 Replies
247 Profile
Rivals Profile
On3 Profile
HUDL Highlights
Class: 2025 (high school)
Position: Tight End
School: Lehi (UT) Lehi
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 230 lbs
Was offered back in June.
Login to view embedded media
Rivals Profile
On3 Profile
HUDL Highlights
Class: 2025 (high school)
Position: Tight End
School: Lehi (UT) Lehi
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 230 lbs
Was offered back in June.
Login to view embedded media
