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LGHL No. 2 Ohio State women’s basketball will face No. 7 Duke Blue Devils in Second Round
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No. 2 Ohio State women’s basketball will face No. 7 Duke Blue Devils in Second Round
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
Buckeyes guard Celeste Taylor gets a chance to face her former side on Sunday
After Ohio State women’s basketball defeated the Maine Black Bears on Friday, it was only a matter of a few hours before it knew its next opponent. It was between the No. 7 Duke Blue Devils and No. 10 Richmond Spiders, putting the ACC at-large bid against the A10 champions.
For Buckeye fans, a matchup between Ohio State and Duke would be the popular pick. After all, Scarlet and Gray guard Celeste Taylor played two seasons with the Blue Devils. Even though seeding would say the easier route is through Richmond.
The first half showed that both sides would give the Buckeyes a Second Round battle. Duke led for the first five minutes of the game, building a six-point lead on the Spiders. Guard Reigan Richardson scored seven of the Blue Devils’ first 15 points, but Richmond was shooting lights out from deep.
Passing from the Spiders gave teammates open looks. Forwards Addie Budnik and Maggie Doogan went 4-for-6 from deep, part of an 71.4% shooting performance from beyond the arc for Richmond. For a defensive side like Duke, the combined 49 points between the two sides at the end of the first quarter was a bit of a shock. Duke’s offense in the second quarter was even more shocking.
That’s because the Blue Devils scored only five points the entire second quarter, going 1-for-14 from the field. Doogan and Budnik tacked on three more combined three-pointers, bumping up the Spiders’ numbers from deep up to 80% efficiency.
Richmond took a nine-point lead into halftime, but Duke wouldn’t be down for long.
The Spiders’ three-point shooting fell as the Blue Devils’ overall offense began hitting its stride. Duke did it through rebounding, out rebounding Richmond 15-5 in the third quarter. A couple runs of nine and seven points for the ACC side put the game back in Duke’s favor with a quarter to go.
It set up a tense fourth quarter for the Blue Devils, up two points with 10 minutes to play. Hoping to avoid the second-straight upset in the NCAA Tournament after Duke lost in Cameron Indoor Stadium to the No. 6 Colorado Buffaloes.
Richmond made it easier for the Blue Devils to hold on, committing fouls and continuing to miss their long attempts. The eight first half three-pointers were followed up with none through the first 14 minutes of the second half. Then, an illegal screening foul right before a Duke shot clock violation gave the Blue Devils even more of an opportunity to expand its lead.
Ultimately, Buckeye fans get the matchup they wanted. Duke pulls off the 72-61 victory, with the Blue Devils now set to face Ohio State on Sunday. As of publishing, a tipoff time is still to be determined.
The Buckeyes have two games against the Blue Devils in its program history, losing both. However, both came in the regular season, in the now-defunct ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The two sides haven’t faced off since the 2017/18 season.
Continue reading...
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
Buckeyes guard Celeste Taylor gets a chance to face her former side on Sunday
After Ohio State women’s basketball defeated the Maine Black Bears on Friday, it was only a matter of a few hours before it knew its next opponent. It was between the No. 7 Duke Blue Devils and No. 10 Richmond Spiders, putting the ACC at-large bid against the A10 champions.
For Buckeye fans, a matchup between Ohio State and Duke would be the popular pick. After all, Scarlet and Gray guard Celeste Taylor played two seasons with the Blue Devils. Even though seeding would say the easier route is through Richmond.
The first half showed that both sides would give the Buckeyes a Second Round battle. Duke led for the first five minutes of the game, building a six-point lead on the Spiders. Guard Reigan Richardson scored seven of the Blue Devils’ first 15 points, but Richmond was shooting lights out from deep.
Passing from the Spiders gave teammates open looks. Forwards Addie Budnik and Maggie Doogan went 4-for-6 from deep, part of an 71.4% shooting performance from beyond the arc for Richmond. For a defensive side like Duke, the combined 49 points between the two sides at the end of the first quarter was a bit of a shock. Duke’s offense in the second quarter was even more shocking.
That’s because the Blue Devils scored only five points the entire second quarter, going 1-for-14 from the field. Doogan and Budnik tacked on three more combined three-pointers, bumping up the Spiders’ numbers from deep up to 80% efficiency.
Richmond took a nine-point lead into halftime, but Duke wouldn’t be down for long.
The Spiders’ three-point shooting fell as the Blue Devils’ overall offense began hitting its stride. Duke did it through rebounding, out rebounding Richmond 15-5 in the third quarter. A couple runs of nine and seven points for the ACC side put the game back in Duke’s favor with a quarter to go.
It set up a tense fourth quarter for the Blue Devils, up two points with 10 minutes to play. Hoping to avoid the second-straight upset in the NCAA Tournament after Duke lost in Cameron Indoor Stadium to the No. 6 Colorado Buffaloes.
Richmond made it easier for the Blue Devils to hold on, committing fouls and continuing to miss their long attempts. The eight first half three-pointers were followed up with none through the first 14 minutes of the second half. Then, an illegal screening foul right before a Duke shot clock violation gave the Blue Devils even more of an opportunity to expand its lead.
Ultimately, Buckeye fans get the matchup they wanted. Duke pulls off the 72-61 victory, with the Blue Devils now set to face Ohio State on Sunday. As of publishing, a tipoff time is still to be determined.
The Buckeyes have two games against the Blue Devils in its program history, losing both. However, both came in the regular season, in the now-defunct ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The two sides haven’t faced off since the 2017/18 season.
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LGHL I-80 Football Show: They paid Kirk how much?
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I-80 Football Show: They paid Kirk how much?
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images
In this episode, Dante and Jordan break down NFL free agency and March Madness.
Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Podcast Network’s I-80 Football Show. On this show, we travel down I-80 to talk all things Big Ten Football. After every week of action, we will catch you up on all the conference’s games and look ahead at the matchups, storylines, and players you should be paying attention to for the next week. My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host Dante Morgan.
It’s time to set the record straight: Just because you rewatch a game does not mean you watched “film.” Watching film is an art, and it’s not as simple as yelling on social media when someone disagrees with you!
Caleb Williams is the latest quarterback heading into the NFL Draft that's being deemed “generational,” but Dante and Jordan don’t think the label fits. With the Bears trading Justin Fields to likely draft Williams, the probable No. 1 overall pick will be linked to Fields for the rest of his career. If Fields revives his career in Pittsburgh, the pressure will be on Williams and the Bears to prove they made the right decision.
In other news, ESPN and the College Football Playoffs have agreed on a six-year deal worth $1.3 billion a year. This follows an agreement on revenue sharing that further separates the Big Ten and the SEC from everyone else, with the two conferences combining to bring home 58% of the shared revenue.
Speaking of unworldly amounts of money, the Atlanta Falcons gave Kirk Cousins a four-year $180 million contract with $100 million guaranteed; The same Falcons who wouldn’t trade for former MVP Lamar Jackson because he was injury-prone and didn’t have success in the playoffs. Someone needs to get to the bottom of how Cousins keeps getting paid.
The B1G has eight teams in the Women’s NCAA Tournament and seven in the men’s. Can a B1G program finally bring home a national championship?
In their weekly pitstops, the guys discuss Aaron Donald and Jason Kelce’s legendary careers, the Kent State men’s basketball error, and Dante's new gaming PC.
Follow the show on YouTube: @JordanW330
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @I80FootballShow
Connect with us on Twitter: Jordan: @JordanW330 and Dante: @DanteM10216
Continue reading...
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images
In this episode, Dante and Jordan break down NFL free agency and March Madness.
Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Podcast Network’s I-80 Football Show. On this show, we travel down I-80 to talk all things Big Ten Football. After every week of action, we will catch you up on all the conference’s games and look ahead at the matchups, storylines, and players you should be paying attention to for the next week. My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host Dante Morgan.
It’s time to set the record straight: Just because you rewatch a game does not mean you watched “film.” Watching film is an art, and it’s not as simple as yelling on social media when someone disagrees with you!
Caleb Williams is the latest quarterback heading into the NFL Draft that's being deemed “generational,” but Dante and Jordan don’t think the label fits. With the Bears trading Justin Fields to likely draft Williams, the probable No. 1 overall pick will be linked to Fields for the rest of his career. If Fields revives his career in Pittsburgh, the pressure will be on Williams and the Bears to prove they made the right decision.
In other news, ESPN and the College Football Playoffs have agreed on a six-year deal worth $1.3 billion a year. This follows an agreement on revenue sharing that further separates the Big Ten and the SEC from everyone else, with the two conferences combining to bring home 58% of the shared revenue.
Speaking of unworldly amounts of money, the Atlanta Falcons gave Kirk Cousins a four-year $180 million contract with $100 million guaranteed; The same Falcons who wouldn’t trade for former MVP Lamar Jackson because he was injury-prone and didn’t have success in the playoffs. Someone needs to get to the bottom of how Cousins keeps getting paid.
The B1G has eight teams in the Women’s NCAA Tournament and seven in the men’s. Can a B1G program finally bring home a national championship?
In their weekly pitstops, the guys discuss Aaron Donald and Jason Kelce’s legendary careers, the Kent State men’s basketball error, and Dante's new gaming PC.
Follow the show on YouTube: @JordanW330
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @I80FootballShow
Connect with us on Twitter: Jordan: @JordanW330 and Dante: @DanteM10216
Continue reading...
LGHL Celeste Taylor, Taylor Thierry’s intensity difference for Ohio State women over Maine
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Celeste Taylor, Taylor Thierry’s intensity difference for Ohio State women over Maine
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
Buckeyes move on thanks to the play of two Taylors
Ohio State women’s basketball came away with the win many expected when the Buckeyes received a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Head coach Kevin McGuff’s side won 80-57, putting the defeat to the Maryland Terrapins in the Big Ten Tournament in the distant past, both in winning and how the team won. Leading the way were guards Celeste Taylor and Taylor Thierry.
While Guard Jacy Sheldon led the way in scoring with 19 points, the intensity and all-around performance of Taylor and Thierry couldn’t be ignored. Especially considering when the two were most effective.
In the first quarter, the Maine Black Bears gave the Scarlet and Gray everything. The visitors began the day making their first five shots, with four coming from beyond the arc. Black Bears head coach Amy Vachon’s team played the way it has all season, on offense. Maine passed the ball around, used screens to break away from the defense, and found open players.
Disrupting the Maine momentum in the first was Taylor.
“You see the energy and passion she plays with on the defensive end,” said head coach Kevin McGuff. “Just getting her hand on the basketball and tipping and just disrupting the other team’s flow on their offense is just really impactful for us.”
The first quarter for Taylor showed that impact. On Maine’s first offensive possession, Taylor set the tone for her entire game when forward Adrianna Smith went in for a layup. Taylor didn’t block the shot. Instead, she grabbed the ball before Smith could even get off the ground.
With three minutes left in the first quarter, Taylor also swatted away a shot by outstanding Maine guard Anne Simon. On the next possession, Taylor followed it up with what would end up being the game-winning shot, a three-point shot, eliminating the visitor’s lead. It was three of her team-leading six points in the quarter.
“I think honestly the defense is what gets us going, gets me going, so just trying to be in those passing lanes, trying to do as much as I can in the press,” said Taylor. “When you have some dogs out in the front, it kind of helps a lot, too.”
Junior hybrid forward/guard Taylor was one of those dogs in the first quarter.
Thierry’s known for her athleticism and ability to do things on the court that nobody else can do. However, Taylor’s also one of the quieter players on the court. All season, Coach McGuff was hoping for her to play with more aggression. In the second quarter, Taylor delivered.
“Early on her offensive rebounding gave us extra possessions, really set the tone for us,” said McGuff.
Those extra possessions were created by Thierry, heading into halftime. The 6-foot-1 Thierry used her height advantage to lead the floor in offensive rebounds, out-rebounding the entire Maine roster 5-to-3 offensively. Of those five, two came in the second quarter.
Ohio State shot three more times than the Black Bears in the second period, holding Maine to eight points. Thierry scored six, and two of those six came on the end of stellar defensive work.
On an attempted three-point shot from guard Olivia Rockwood, Thierry blocked the attempt, landing in the hands of forward Rebeka Mikulášiková. The Slovakian tossed the ball upcourt, with Thierry charging down the court after she saw the ball fall to her teammate’s hands. Thierry hit the layup. The rest of her points came from the foul line.
Teammates found Thierry in the paint, and the forward didn’t shy away from the contact. It was the kind of play the Buckeyes set out to play.
“One of my many goals into any game I go into is to play aggressive,” said Thierry. “I kind of let the game come to me and build off of that.”
At the end of the first half, Taylor and Thierry scored 17 of the Buckeyes’ points, nearly matching Maine’s 24 total points in the half. It set the tone for the rest of Ohio State’s performance.
Both guards finished the day with 12 points. Taylor added 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 6 steals, all of which led the Scarlet and Gray.
Continue reading...
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
Buckeyes move on thanks to the play of two Taylors
Ohio State women’s basketball came away with the win many expected when the Buckeyes received a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Head coach Kevin McGuff’s side won 80-57, putting the defeat to the Maryland Terrapins in the Big Ten Tournament in the distant past, both in winning and how the team won. Leading the way were guards Celeste Taylor and Taylor Thierry.
While Guard Jacy Sheldon led the way in scoring with 19 points, the intensity and all-around performance of Taylor and Thierry couldn’t be ignored. Especially considering when the two were most effective.
In the first quarter, the Maine Black Bears gave the Scarlet and Gray everything. The visitors began the day making their first five shots, with four coming from beyond the arc. Black Bears head coach Amy Vachon’s team played the way it has all season, on offense. Maine passed the ball around, used screens to break away from the defense, and found open players.
Disrupting the Maine momentum in the first was Taylor.
“You see the energy and passion she plays with on the defensive end,” said head coach Kevin McGuff. “Just getting her hand on the basketball and tipping and just disrupting the other team’s flow on their offense is just really impactful for us.”
The first quarter for Taylor showed that impact. On Maine’s first offensive possession, Taylor set the tone for her entire game when forward Adrianna Smith went in for a layup. Taylor didn’t block the shot. Instead, she grabbed the ball before Smith could even get off the ground.
With three minutes left in the first quarter, Taylor also swatted away a shot by outstanding Maine guard Anne Simon. On the next possession, Taylor followed it up with what would end up being the game-winning shot, a three-point shot, eliminating the visitor’s lead. It was three of her team-leading six points in the quarter.
“I think honestly the defense is what gets us going, gets me going, so just trying to be in those passing lanes, trying to do as much as I can in the press,” said Taylor. “When you have some dogs out in the front, it kind of helps a lot, too.”
Junior hybrid forward/guard Taylor was one of those dogs in the first quarter.
Thierry’s known for her athleticism and ability to do things on the court that nobody else can do. However, Taylor’s also one of the quieter players on the court. All season, Coach McGuff was hoping for her to play with more aggression. In the second quarter, Taylor delivered.
“Early on her offensive rebounding gave us extra possessions, really set the tone for us,” said McGuff.
Those extra possessions were created by Thierry, heading into halftime. The 6-foot-1 Thierry used her height advantage to lead the floor in offensive rebounds, out-rebounding the entire Maine roster 5-to-3 offensively. Of those five, two came in the second quarter.
Ohio State shot three more times than the Black Bears in the second period, holding Maine to eight points. Thierry scored six, and two of those six came on the end of stellar defensive work.
On an attempted three-point shot from guard Olivia Rockwood, Thierry blocked the attempt, landing in the hands of forward Rebeka Mikulášiková. The Slovakian tossed the ball upcourt, with Thierry charging down the court after she saw the ball fall to her teammate’s hands. Thierry hit the layup. The rest of her points came from the foul line.
Teammates found Thierry in the paint, and the forward didn’t shy away from the contact. It was the kind of play the Buckeyes set out to play.
“One of my many goals into any game I go into is to play aggressive,” said Thierry. “I kind of let the game come to me and build off of that.”
At the end of the first half, Taylor and Thierry scored 17 of the Buckeyes’ points, nearly matching Maine’s 24 total points in the half. It set the tone for the rest of Ohio State’s performance.
Both guards finished the day with 12 points. Taylor added 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 6 steals, all of which led the Scarlet and Gray.
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LGHL No. 2 Ohio State women blowout No. 15 Maine in NCAA Tournament first round 80-57
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No. 2 Ohio State women blowout No. 15 Maine in NCAA Tournament first round 80-57
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ron Schwane/NCAA Photos via Getty Images
The Buckeyes will await the winner of No. 7 Duke and No. 10 Richmond.
Friday, the NCAA Tournament tipped off in Columbus, with No. 2 Ohio State women’s basketball welcoming the No. 15 Maine Black Bears to the Schottenstein Center. It was one of two games on the day, with the No. 10 Richmond Spiders and No. 7 Duke Blue Devils following soon after.
The Buckeyes ended any kind of Cinderella story for the Atlantic East champions. Ohio State moves on to Sunday’s Second Round after defeating the Black Bears 80-57.
Ohio State knew what Maine wanted to do before entering the game. Go long in the shot clock, make open shots, and force the Buckeyes into half-court defense. That happened and was successful for the Black Bears.
Head coach Amy Vachon’s Maine side used screens to find open shots. The visitors made their first five shots, four of which came from beyond the arc. Hurting Ohio State the most was guard Olivia Rockwood. The guard averaged six points per game entering Friday and hit three shots from deep in the first seven minutes of the game.
Each time, Rockwood found a spot on the wing and waited for her opportunity, making the most of every chance.
The Buckeyes stayed in the game though, going run for run with the Black Bears, with scoring coming in bunches; a seven-point Buckeyes run was followed by an eight-point Maine run.
Then, with three minutes remaining in the first quarter, the Scarlet and Gray took control through the final buzzer. Guard Celeste Taylor hit star Maine guard Anne Simon with a block on an attempted layup. Followed immediately by a three-point shot from Taylor. Ohio State ended the frame with a nine-point run, but Maine thought it had the final make of the quarter.
Forward Adrianna Smith hit a jumper with 10 seconds remaining. Guard Jacy Sheldon ran down the court and hit a buzzer-beating midrange shot to put the Buckeyes up 22-16 after 10 minutes.
Momentum for Maine continued to suffer at the start of the second quarter. The Black Bears didn’t score for the first three minutes, going on a run of hitting one basket in six game minutes.
Coupling that with forced turnovers for Ohio State the Buckeyes built up a strong lead. Halfway through the second quarter, head coach Kevin McGuff’s side was up 14 points, and through aggressive play earned the bonus on a Maine side trying to slow the Buckeyes down.
While Taylor stood out for the Buckeyes in the first quarter, junior guard/forward hybrid Taylor Thierry was running the show in the second. Thierry was aggressive inside the paint, earning three trips to the free-throw line. Also contributing on defense.
On an attempted three-point shot by Rockwood, Thierry blocked the attempt, landing in the hands of Ohio State forward Rebeka Mikulášiková. The Slovakian big found Thierry bolting down the court as soon as she saw her teammate grab the ball. Mikulášiková sent a pass to Thierry, who hit the fast break layup.
All the scoring Maine could muster in the second quarter came from Simon and Smith. The duo scored all eight points for the Black Bears in the second quarter. Unfortunately for Maine, their star forward Smith suffered an ankle roll with 40.6 seconds left in the half. The injury forced Smith out of the quarter, needing help getting off the court and back into the medical room.
Then, for the second quarter in a row, Ohio State makes a statement basket as the buzzer sounds. This time, guard Madison Greene received a pass from Taylor with less than three seconds remaining. The redshirt senior nailed the three-point attempt, putting the Buckeyes up 43-24 entering halftime.
Coming out of the halftime locker room, Taylor’s defense picked up where it left off. Maine started the third quarter with the first possession and the graduate senior Taylor timed a pass, tipping it to where she could grab it, run on the fast break, and hit a layup.
Despite the tough start, Maine showed renewed intensity coming out of halftime. The game looked more like the first quarter again, with both sides trading baskets for the first five minutes. Ohio State tried to put the game to bed with a seven-point run, but Maine kept battling.
The visitors put the game to within 20 points, with the run pushing the lead out to 24 for the home side. Leading Maine was Simon, intent on Friday not being her last game of NCAA basketball. The graduate senior from Luxembourg scored 10 of the Black Bears' 19 points in the quarter.
Even with the strong individual performance, Ohio State took a 66-45 lead into the final quarter.
Coach Vachon’s Black Bears kept pushing into the fourth quarter, but every Maine basket featured a response by the Buckeyes. Part of the problem was Maine’s increased focus on quickly scoring.
Out of the team’s normal, take your time, offensive rhythm, defensively there was usually an open Ohio State player to receive a pass. Outside of a five-point run early in the fourth quarter, the Black Bears couldn’t muster up enough shots in a row.
Ohio State held on to beat Maine 80-57, confirming g its spot in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament.
With the game firmly out of contention for a comeback, a chunk of the crowd starting chanting “Eboni!” Screaming at the coaching staff to get forward Eboni Walker into the game. The forward missed three games, where she wasn’t with the team.
Coach McGuff responded by putting the graduate senior into the game, earning large applause and cheering from the fans in attendance. That gave the forward 1:45 to play in front of a crowd happy with the Ohio State performance.
Leading the way for Ohio State, offensively, was Sheldon, scoring 19 points. Defensively, Taylor had six steals, a block and added 12 points on 3-for-4 shooting. Plus five assists.
Back on the Court
It’s been 14 days since the Buckeyes were last on the court, and it was a game to forget. The Maryland Terrapins beat the Scarlet and Gray in a Big Ten Tournament upset. From the start, it looked like Coach McGuff’s side was happy to put the game firmly in the past.
Ohio State played like the team that won 15 straight games in the regular season. After going down three points midway through the first quarter, the Buckeyes didn’t have an equal, turning the deficit into a 20-point lead in the second quarter.
Maine looked stronger in the second half, but the offense for Ohio State didn’t let the Black Bears cut its lead enough to make it a contest.
With 2:53 remaining in the second quarter, Sheldon made personal history. Hitting a layup on the fast break, Sheldon scored her 2,000th NCAA point. The graduate senior isn’t known to care about individual accomplishments, commenting on Thursday that she didn’t know she was even close to scoring 2,000 points.
The mark is special not only for the individual work but for the fact that all of the points came with the Buckeyes. It was appropriate that the guard did it on the final weekend that she’ll play in the Schottenstein Center as a member of the OSU program.
Ohio State’s win means they face the winner of game two in Columbus, between the Duke Blue Devils and the Richmond Spiders.
The Buckeyes have never faced the Spiders, but have two regular season games against the Blue Devils under its belt. In 2008 and 2017, Ohio State lost to Duke in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
This season, the Blue Devils entered with an at-large bid, while Richmond won the A10 Conference Tournament over Rhode Island.
Continue reading...
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ron Schwane/NCAA Photos via Getty Images
The Buckeyes will await the winner of No. 7 Duke and No. 10 Richmond.
Friday, the NCAA Tournament tipped off in Columbus, with No. 2 Ohio State women’s basketball welcoming the No. 15 Maine Black Bears to the Schottenstein Center. It was one of two games on the day, with the No. 10 Richmond Spiders and No. 7 Duke Blue Devils following soon after.
The Buckeyes ended any kind of Cinderella story for the Atlantic East champions. Ohio State moves on to Sunday’s Second Round after defeating the Black Bears 80-57.
Ohio State knew what Maine wanted to do before entering the game. Go long in the shot clock, make open shots, and force the Buckeyes into half-court defense. That happened and was successful for the Black Bears.
Head coach Amy Vachon’s Maine side used screens to find open shots. The visitors made their first five shots, four of which came from beyond the arc. Hurting Ohio State the most was guard Olivia Rockwood. The guard averaged six points per game entering Friday and hit three shots from deep in the first seven minutes of the game.
Each time, Rockwood found a spot on the wing and waited for her opportunity, making the most of every chance.
The Buckeyes stayed in the game though, going run for run with the Black Bears, with scoring coming in bunches; a seven-point Buckeyes run was followed by an eight-point Maine run.
Then, with three minutes remaining in the first quarter, the Scarlet and Gray took control through the final buzzer. Guard Celeste Taylor hit star Maine guard Anne Simon with a block on an attempted layup. Followed immediately by a three-point shot from Taylor. Ohio State ended the frame with a nine-point run, but Maine thought it had the final make of the quarter.
Forward Adrianna Smith hit a jumper with 10 seconds remaining. Guard Jacy Sheldon ran down the court and hit a buzzer-beating midrange shot to put the Buckeyes up 22-16 after 10 minutes.
Momentum for Maine continued to suffer at the start of the second quarter. The Black Bears didn’t score for the first three minutes, going on a run of hitting one basket in six game minutes.
Coupling that with forced turnovers for Ohio State the Buckeyes built up a strong lead. Halfway through the second quarter, head coach Kevin McGuff’s side was up 14 points, and through aggressive play earned the bonus on a Maine side trying to slow the Buckeyes down.
While Taylor stood out for the Buckeyes in the first quarter, junior guard/forward hybrid Taylor Thierry was running the show in the second. Thierry was aggressive inside the paint, earning three trips to the free-throw line. Also contributing on defense.
On an attempted three-point shot by Rockwood, Thierry blocked the attempt, landing in the hands of Ohio State forward Rebeka Mikulášiková. The Slovakian big found Thierry bolting down the court as soon as she saw her teammate grab the ball. Mikulášiková sent a pass to Thierry, who hit the fast break layup.
All the scoring Maine could muster in the second quarter came from Simon and Smith. The duo scored all eight points for the Black Bears in the second quarter. Unfortunately for Maine, their star forward Smith suffered an ankle roll with 40.6 seconds left in the half. The injury forced Smith out of the quarter, needing help getting off the court and back into the medical room.
Then, for the second quarter in a row, Ohio State makes a statement basket as the buzzer sounds. This time, guard Madison Greene received a pass from Taylor with less than three seconds remaining. The redshirt senior nailed the three-point attempt, putting the Buckeyes up 43-24 entering halftime.
Coming out of the halftime locker room, Taylor’s defense picked up where it left off. Maine started the third quarter with the first possession and the graduate senior Taylor timed a pass, tipping it to where she could grab it, run on the fast break, and hit a layup.
Despite the tough start, Maine showed renewed intensity coming out of halftime. The game looked more like the first quarter again, with both sides trading baskets for the first five minutes. Ohio State tried to put the game to bed with a seven-point run, but Maine kept battling.
The visitors put the game to within 20 points, with the run pushing the lead out to 24 for the home side. Leading Maine was Simon, intent on Friday not being her last game of NCAA basketball. The graduate senior from Luxembourg scored 10 of the Black Bears' 19 points in the quarter.
Even with the strong individual performance, Ohio State took a 66-45 lead into the final quarter.
Coach Vachon’s Black Bears kept pushing into the fourth quarter, but every Maine basket featured a response by the Buckeyes. Part of the problem was Maine’s increased focus on quickly scoring.
Out of the team’s normal, take your time, offensive rhythm, defensively there was usually an open Ohio State player to receive a pass. Outside of a five-point run early in the fourth quarter, the Black Bears couldn’t muster up enough shots in a row.
Ohio State held on to beat Maine 80-57, confirming g its spot in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament.
With the game firmly out of contention for a comeback, a chunk of the crowd starting chanting “Eboni!” Screaming at the coaching staff to get forward Eboni Walker into the game. The forward missed three games, where she wasn’t with the team.
Coach McGuff responded by putting the graduate senior into the game, earning large applause and cheering from the fans in attendance. That gave the forward 1:45 to play in front of a crowd happy with the Ohio State performance.
Leading the way for Ohio State, offensively, was Sheldon, scoring 19 points. Defensively, Taylor had six steals, a block and added 12 points on 3-for-4 shooting. Plus five assists.
Back on the Court
It’s been 14 days since the Buckeyes were last on the court, and it was a game to forget. The Maryland Terrapins beat the Scarlet and Gray in a Big Ten Tournament upset. From the start, it looked like Coach McGuff’s side was happy to put the game firmly in the past.
Ohio State played like the team that won 15 straight games in the regular season. After going down three points midway through the first quarter, the Buckeyes didn’t have an equal, turning the deficit into a 20-point lead in the second quarter.
Maine looked stronger in the second half, but the offense for Ohio State didn’t let the Black Bears cut its lead enough to make it a contest.
Sheldon Hits 2,000
With 2:53 remaining in the second quarter, Sheldon made personal history. Hitting a layup on the fast break, Sheldon scored her 2,000th NCAA point. The graduate senior isn’t known to care about individual accomplishments, commenting on Thursday that she didn’t know she was even close to scoring 2,000 points.
The mark is special not only for the individual work but for the fact that all of the points came with the Buckeyes. It was appropriate that the guard did it on the final weekend that she’ll play in the Schottenstein Center as a member of the OSU program.
What’s Next
Ohio State’s win means they face the winner of game two in Columbus, between the Duke Blue Devils and the Richmond Spiders.
The Buckeyes have never faced the Spiders, but have two regular season games against the Blue Devils under its belt. In 2008 and 2017, Ohio State lost to Duke in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
This season, the Blue Devils entered with an at-large bid, while Richmond won the A10 Conference Tournament over Rhode Island.
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LGHL Ohio State hosts relatively uneventful Pro Day; basketball teams prep for next tournament games
- News
- 0 Replies
Ohio State hosts relatively uneventful Pro Day; basketball teams prep for next tournament games
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
Marvin Harrison Jr. does not work out at Ohio State pro day
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
Ryan Day notebook: On RB coach search, OL and new special teams setup
Bill Landis, Dotting the Eyes
Buckeyes entering evaluation mode on right side of offensive line (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
C.J. Stroud returns to Ohio State for pro day: ‘This is a second home to me.’
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Downs, Hicks, Kanu, More: Five Silver Bullets to watch this spring
Jordan Williams, Land-Grant Holy Land
After missing NFL combine drills, Mike Hall Jr. returns at OSU pro day
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
Inside temporary running backs coach Ryan Day’s juggling act (paywall)
Austin Ward, Dotting the Eyes
Howard content to be ‘home run derby pitcher’ at Ohio State pro day
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State to host Virginia Tech in second-round NIT game Saturday
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
AP names Ohio State women’s basketball guard Jacy Sheldon Second Team All-American
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State survives first-round scare vs Cornell, advances in NIT 88-83
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land
Listen Jake Diebler, Roddy Gayle, and Jamison Battle’s Postgame Comments:
‘Last game’ mentality isn’t new to Ohio State women’s basketball guard Celeste Taylor
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
Visiting Locker Room: Portland Press Herald talks Maine Black Bears, OSU women’s NCAA first-round opponent
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State’s women’s hockey takes on Clarkson in Frozen Four
Brett Ludwiczak, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State Wrestling: NCAA Championships preview
Josh Dooley, Land-Grant Holy Land
Rifle: Viktor Kiss and Derek Keiser Named All Americans
Ohio State Athletics
Buckeyes Recognized with Academic All-B1G Accolades
Ohio State Athletics
Good riddance:
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
For your Earholes...
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On the Gridiron
Marvin Harrison Jr. does not work out at Ohio State pro day
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
Ryan Day notebook: On RB coach search, OL and new special teams setup
Bill Landis, Dotting the Eyes
Buckeyes entering evaluation mode on right side of offensive line (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
C.J. Stroud returns to Ohio State for pro day: ‘This is a second home to me.’
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Downs, Hicks, Kanu, More: Five Silver Bullets to watch this spring
Jordan Williams, Land-Grant Holy Land
After missing NFL combine drills, Mike Hall Jr. returns at OSU pro day
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
Inside temporary running backs coach Ryan Day’s juggling act (paywall)
Austin Ward, Dotting the Eyes
Howard content to be ‘home run derby pitcher’ at Ohio State pro day
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch
On the Hardwood
Ohio State to host Virginia Tech in second-round NIT game Saturday
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
AP names Ohio State women’s basketball guard Jacy Sheldon Second Team All-American
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State survives first-round scare vs Cornell, advances in NIT 88-83
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land
Listen Jake Diebler, Roddy Gayle, and Jamison Battle’s Postgame Comments:
‘Last game’ mentality isn’t new to Ohio State women’s basketball guard Celeste Taylor
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
Visiting Locker Room: Portland Press Herald talks Maine Black Bears, OSU women’s NCAA first-round opponent
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
Outside the Shoe and Schott
Ohio State’s women’s hockey takes on Clarkson in Frozen Four
Brett Ludwiczak, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State Wrestling: NCAA Championships preview
Josh Dooley, Land-Grant Holy Land
Rifle: Viktor Kiss and Derek Keiser Named All Americans
Ohio State Athletics
Buckeyes Recognized with Academic All-B1G Accolades
Ohio State Athletics
And now for something completely different...
Good riddance:
Continue reading...
LGHL ‘One of a Kind’ Cotie McMahon partners with State Champs: a March Madness dream come true
- News
- 0 Replies
‘One of a Kind’ Cotie McMahon partners with State Champs: a March Madness dream come true
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
In a world full of bars catered specifically to men’s sports, McMahon and State Champs help push the women’s game into the same conversation.
Last year, Ohio State women’s basketball hosted the James Madison Dukes in the NCAA Tournament’s First Round. After going down 12 points in the first quarter, the Buckeyes charged back to soundly move into the Second Round. In the crowd was Ally Eclarin, co-founder of State Champs, watching forward Cotie McMahon take the game over.
“I distinctly remember sitting at the tournament game, when they played JMU, looking over to my co-founder and being like ‘one day we are gonna work with her,’” said Eclarin.
In the Ohio State victory, McMahon led the Buckeyes with 18 points, taking nine foul shots on play that includes driving to the basket, getting contact and extending plays. A relatively quiet game in McMahon’s standout 2023 postseason, averaging 19.4 points and 8.4 rebounds on the way to an Elite Eight run.
“When I first moved to Ohio I became all in on Cotie McMahon,” said Eclarin. “She was the first player at OSU where I was like ‘WHO IS SHE’ and then learned she’s an Ohioan and was a freshman? Holy smokes there’s more years of this? Meaning she is only gonna get better?”
In the year that followed, both McMahon and Eclarin made strides on their goals. For McMahon, she followed up a Big Ten Freshman of the Year season with a First Team All-Big Ten and AP Honorable Mention. Plus a Big Ten regular season conference title.
For Eclarin and State Champs, it was bringing a mission to life. State Champs is located in Kent, Ohio and has a uniquely refreshing women’s sports focus. However, it’s not an outright part of marketing the shop. That’s because to State Champs, women’s sports are sports. No designation needed.
So, whether its having NFL Network on one television and another playing a United States women’s national soccer team, or celebrating the local Kent State Golden Flashes women’s basketball team’s MAC Tournament win, it’s about loving sport, as a whole.
“Here at the shop we have women athletes displayed and honored in the same way businesses display men’s sports at a sports bar because women’s sports are sports,” said Eclarin. “We see them as the baseline, not the other way around. We believe women’s basketball, NWSL, and women’s sports in general should be listed in the same sentence as NFL, NBA, MLB, etc.”
So, when the shop opened in March of 2024, partnering with McMahon was one step closer to coming to fruition.
“What we love is that Cotie’s style is one that fans of just basketball period can get behind,” said Eclarin.
The forward loves the mission of State Champs too.
“It’s a cool opportunity just because the focus has never really been on women’s sports,” said McMahon. “So for that to be the focus now I think it’s pretty cool and I just feel like Ohio as a whole has done a great job in supporting women athletes and women’s sports in general.”
McMahon and State Champs worked together on a one of a kind shirt, honoring a “one of a kind” Buckeye. State Champs handled the design and McMahon handled the work on the court.
The shirt prominently features McMahon following the win over the Michigan Wolverines, on Feb. 28, when Ohio State won the outright Big Ten season championship.
For a player who has many suitors in wanting to partner, McMahon’s decision was easy.
“My agency reached out to me about wanting to partner with them and so of course I said yes,” said McMahon. “I thought the t-shirt was pretty cool.”
Now, McMahon is hoping to add more to her list of accolades with the Buckeyes this March Madness. State Champs will be watching.
The coffee shop is part of a growing list of places built specifically for uplifting the women’s game and erasing the archaic view that sports and women’s sports are separate entities. After opening on March 16th, the shop is working on getting fans out to Kent to watch the NCAA Tournament.
It's running a competition where if you pick the winner of the National Championship, they win a prize pack. The popular women’s sports content site Togethxr included State Champs on a first of its kind Women’s March Madness watch guide, where people can go and watch women’s basketball specifically. State Champs is one of only two locations in Ohio (none in Columbus).
When fans descend on Cleveland, Ohio, for the Final Four, State Champs will be there handing out coffee and meeting new fans. All in hopes to pick up the same kind of attention that they're one of a kind marketing partner demands on the court, but it’s not the only thing they have in common.
While both McMahon and State Champs are young in their careers, they know their identities and want everyone to be part of the excitement.
Continue reading...
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
In a world full of bars catered specifically to men’s sports, McMahon and State Champs help push the women’s game into the same conversation.
Last year, Ohio State women’s basketball hosted the James Madison Dukes in the NCAA Tournament’s First Round. After going down 12 points in the first quarter, the Buckeyes charged back to soundly move into the Second Round. In the crowd was Ally Eclarin, co-founder of State Champs, watching forward Cotie McMahon take the game over.
“I distinctly remember sitting at the tournament game, when they played JMU, looking over to my co-founder and being like ‘one day we are gonna work with her,’” said Eclarin.
In the Ohio State victory, McMahon led the Buckeyes with 18 points, taking nine foul shots on play that includes driving to the basket, getting contact and extending plays. A relatively quiet game in McMahon’s standout 2023 postseason, averaging 19.4 points and 8.4 rebounds on the way to an Elite Eight run.
“When I first moved to Ohio I became all in on Cotie McMahon,” said Eclarin. “She was the first player at OSU where I was like ‘WHO IS SHE’ and then learned she’s an Ohioan and was a freshman? Holy smokes there’s more years of this? Meaning she is only gonna get better?”
In the year that followed, both McMahon and Eclarin made strides on their goals. For McMahon, she followed up a Big Ten Freshman of the Year season with a First Team All-Big Ten and AP Honorable Mention. Plus a Big Ten regular season conference title.
For Eclarin and State Champs, it was bringing a mission to life. State Champs is located in Kent, Ohio and has a uniquely refreshing women’s sports focus. However, it’s not an outright part of marketing the shop. That’s because to State Champs, women’s sports are sports. No designation needed.
So, whether its having NFL Network on one television and another playing a United States women’s national soccer team, or celebrating the local Kent State Golden Flashes women’s basketball team’s MAC Tournament win, it’s about loving sport, as a whole.
“Here at the shop we have women athletes displayed and honored in the same way businesses display men’s sports at a sports bar because women’s sports are sports,” said Eclarin. “We see them as the baseline, not the other way around. We believe women’s basketball, NWSL, and women’s sports in general should be listed in the same sentence as NFL, NBA, MLB, etc.”
So, when the shop opened in March of 2024, partnering with McMahon was one step closer to coming to fruition.
“What we love is that Cotie’s style is one that fans of just basketball period can get behind,” said Eclarin.
The forward loves the mission of State Champs too.
“It’s a cool opportunity just because the focus has never really been on women’s sports,” said McMahon. “So for that to be the focus now I think it’s pretty cool and I just feel like Ohio as a whole has done a great job in supporting women athletes and women’s sports in general.”
McMahon and State Champs worked together on a one of a kind shirt, honoring a “one of a kind” Buckeye. State Champs handled the design and McMahon handled the work on the court.
Introducing the Cotie McMahon x State Champs collaboration
Born and raised in Ohio. As a Freshman, she led @OhioStateWBB to its first Elite Eight appearance in 30 years
As an Ohio-based brand, we are honored and proud to have Cotie as our first official NIL collaboration pic.twitter.com/b5dcZVWcy5
— State Champs️ (@StateChampsCo) March 20, 2024
The shirt prominently features McMahon following the win over the Michigan Wolverines, on Feb. 28, when Ohio State won the outright Big Ten season championship.
For a player who has many suitors in wanting to partner, McMahon’s decision was easy.
“My agency reached out to me about wanting to partner with them and so of course I said yes,” said McMahon. “I thought the t-shirt was pretty cool.”
Now, McMahon is hoping to add more to her list of accolades with the Buckeyes this March Madness. State Champs will be watching.
The coffee shop is part of a growing list of places built specifically for uplifting the women’s game and erasing the archaic view that sports and women’s sports are separate entities. After opening on March 16th, the shop is working on getting fans out to Kent to watch the NCAA Tournament.
It's running a competition where if you pick the winner of the National Championship, they win a prize pack. The popular women’s sports content site Togethxr included State Champs on a first of its kind Women’s March Madness watch guide, where people can go and watch women’s basketball specifically. State Champs is one of only two locations in Ohio (none in Columbus).
When fans descend on Cleveland, Ohio, for the Final Four, State Champs will be there handing out coffee and meeting new fans. All in hopes to pick up the same kind of attention that they're one of a kind marketing partner demands on the court, but it’s not the only thing they have in common.
While both McMahon and State Champs are young in their careers, they know their identities and want everyone to be part of the excitement.
Continue reading...
