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2025 GA DB Zelus Hicks (Texas Signee)
- By brodybuck21
- Football Recruiting
- 8 Replies
247
Rivals
HUDL
ON3
Class: 2026 (high school)
Position: Defensive Back
School: Lilburn (GA) Parkview
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 180 lbs
Hicks, offered by Perry Eliano, is ranked the 32nd-best prospect and third-best safety in the 2026 class. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound Georgia prospect holds 20 Division I offers, including Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Liberty, Louisville, LSU, Miami, NC State, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and UCF.
So far this season, Hicks has recorded 43 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, one sack, two pass breakups and one forced fumble.
Login to view embedded media
Rivals
HUDL
ON3
Class: 2026 (high school)
Position: Defensive Back
School: Lilburn (GA) Parkview
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 180 lbs
Hicks, offered by Perry Eliano, is ranked the 32nd-best prospect and third-best safety in the 2026 class. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound Georgia prospect holds 20 Division I offers, including Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Liberty, Louisville, LSU, Miami, NC State, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and UCF.
So far this season, Hicks has recorded 43 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, one sack, two pass breakups and one forced fumble.
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LGHL If This Were A Movie: ‘Hey Now, Hey Now’ — Did Ohio State’s win over MSU give you Lizzie McGuire vibes?
- News
- 0 Replies
If This Were A Movie: ‘Hey Now, Hey Now’ — Did Ohio State’s win over MSU give you Lizzie McGuire vibes?
Jami Jurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Barbara J. Perenic/The Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Ohio State proved it’s the real deal on Saturday — much like Lizzie McGuire proved she doesn’t have to lip sync.
Each week, we’ll analyze the Ohio State game (and occasionally other games as well) through the lens of a sports movie. If this game were the next “Remember the Titans,” “Space Jam” or “The Sandlot,” what storylines would keep us talking? What would make us laugh, reach for the box of tissues, or have us on the edge of our seats? Grab your popcorn and get ready for pop culture references, a hint of snark, and a trip back in time to the Blockbuster Video days.
Even though Ohio State has played in — and won — two marquee games this season, with victories over Notre Dame and Penn State, doubts have swirled about whether this “No. 1” team is actually No. 1 this season.
In fact, I’ve been a bit of a doubter myself. In a role reversal from the past few seasons, the defense has been an absolute machine, but the offense has left some questions about how far this team could actually go.
While McCord and his band of merry men always found a way to get it done (with a scrappiness that counts especially in the bigger games), it hasn’t always looked pretty — and we’re used to the OSU offense looking pretty. At times, they’ve looked more like a house of cards, ready to fall over at the slightest breeze. Even with Marvin Harrison Jr. and TreVeyon Henderson both on the field, there have been games this season where I found myself holding my breath.
But while Saturday’s game against Michigan State wasn’t the Buckeyes’ toughest matchup this season, it taught us a few things: This team is the real deal, and they seem to be reaching their peak at the exact right moment in the season.
Much like one Lizzie McGuire reached her peak in Italy on a school field trip.
For the non-millennials among us, the cinematic masterpiece, “The Lizzie McGuire Movie” tells the tale of a young Lizzie (Hilary Duff) who is on a graduation trip to Rome with some junior high classmates, chaperoned by their very strict, soon-to-be high school principal Angela Ungermeyer (Alex Borstein).
While at the Trevi Fountain, Lizzie is approached by a famous Italian pop star named Paolo (Yani Gellman), who mistakes her for his singing partner Isabella (a dead-ringer for Lizzie). Lizzie spends the rest of her trip sneaking out from under Ms. Ungermeyer’s eagle eye in order to meet up with the cute Italian singer.
You know who else spent Saturday sneaking around (albeit not in Rome)? Marvin Harrison Jr.
Like Lizzie’s friend Gordo* covers for her while she slips away, Marv had excellent support from quarterback Kyle McCord and the rest of the offense, allowing him to continue his case for the Heisman Trophy. He finished the day with seven receptions for 149 yards and 3 touchdowns (one rushing), becoming the first Ohio State player in history to have multiple 1,000-receiving yard seasons.
*Please know I made a conscious choice to spare you a McCord-o joke, no matter how badly my heart wanted to do it. You. Are. Welcome.
Harrison made it look easy, as he so often does. But Michigan State did their best impression of the Ungermeyer with some solid double coverage. Still, Marv found a way.
Back in Rome, Paolo has told Lizzie a sob story about how he and Isabella ended their singing partnership and she is refusing to perform with him at an upcoming awards show because she *gasp* lip syncs. He hopes Lizzie will disguise herself as Isabella to take her place.
The rest of the movie involves Lizzie sneaking out to get made over enough to believably become a pop star instead of a “sort of frumpy American middle school girl who tripped onstage at her eighth-grade graduation.” And despite her nerves, she sells it.
You know who else looked the part Saturday? Kyle McCord.
McCord went 24-of-31 for a career-high 335 yards and three touchdowns. Though people have had their doubts about whether he could sell it when it counted most, November football arguably counts the most, and he sold it. The hope is that a performance like that boosts confidence enough to slingshot you through The Game and all the drama that will entail.
It did for Lizzie. When it finally came time to perform, she was expecting to be able to phone it in. Isabella lip-syncs, after all! So Lizzie would simply use the same backing tracks!
WRONG. There’s a fun plot twist at the end that I won’t spoil, but the twist leads to Lizzie McGuire bringing down the house with a song called “What Dreams Are Made Of.” Even though people doubted her. Even though she doubted herself. She proves she’s the real deal.
McCord, Harrison, TreVeyon Henderson, and the Ohio State offense proved that against Michigan State. They are hitting their stride at the exact right point in the season, and if they can continue to fire on all cylinders, perhaps they really will silence the doubters (myself included) when it comes time to face Michigan.
And, for their part, the OSU defense continued to dominate on the other side of the ball despite the fact that they were missing several key players. They’ve been the real deal all season long — no lip-syncing to be found.
With Michigan defeating Penn State pretty handily in the Wolverines’ first big battle of the season (and one they fought without coach Jim Harbaugh on the sidelines due to Big Ten sanctions from the sign-stealing scandal), we’re getting set up for another showdown between the rivals that will have drastic playoff implications.
As such, the Buckeyes’ timing in hitting their stride is absolutely critical. They have grown, gone through their whole makeover, and now, they’ve got to pay that work off with a rockstar performance. Dress rehearsal was Saturday, and this kind of November football? This is what dreams are made of (hey, hey, hey).
Continue reading...
Jami Jurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Barbara J. Perenic/The Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Ohio State proved it’s the real deal on Saturday — much like Lizzie McGuire proved she doesn’t have to lip sync.
Each week, we’ll analyze the Ohio State game (and occasionally other games as well) through the lens of a sports movie. If this game were the next “Remember the Titans,” “Space Jam” or “The Sandlot,” what storylines would keep us talking? What would make us laugh, reach for the box of tissues, or have us on the edge of our seats? Grab your popcorn and get ready for pop culture references, a hint of snark, and a trip back in time to the Blockbuster Video days.
Even though Ohio State has played in — and won — two marquee games this season, with victories over Notre Dame and Penn State, doubts have swirled about whether this “No. 1” team is actually No. 1 this season.
In fact, I’ve been a bit of a doubter myself. In a role reversal from the past few seasons, the defense has been an absolute machine, but the offense has left some questions about how far this team could actually go.
While McCord and his band of merry men always found a way to get it done (with a scrappiness that counts especially in the bigger games), it hasn’t always looked pretty — and we’re used to the OSU offense looking pretty. At times, they’ve looked more like a house of cards, ready to fall over at the slightest breeze. Even with Marvin Harrison Jr. and TreVeyon Henderson both on the field, there have been games this season where I found myself holding my breath.
But while Saturday’s game against Michigan State wasn’t the Buckeyes’ toughest matchup this season, it taught us a few things: This team is the real deal, and they seem to be reaching their peak at the exact right moment in the season.
Much like one Lizzie McGuire reached her peak in Italy on a school field trip.
For the non-millennials among us, the cinematic masterpiece, “The Lizzie McGuire Movie” tells the tale of a young Lizzie (Hilary Duff) who is on a graduation trip to Rome with some junior high classmates, chaperoned by their very strict, soon-to-be high school principal Angela Ungermeyer (Alex Borstein).
While at the Trevi Fountain, Lizzie is approached by a famous Italian pop star named Paolo (Yani Gellman), who mistakes her for his singing partner Isabella (a dead-ringer for Lizzie). Lizzie spends the rest of her trip sneaking out from under Ms. Ungermeyer’s eagle eye in order to meet up with the cute Italian singer.
You know who else spent Saturday sneaking around (albeit not in Rome)? Marvin Harrison Jr.
Like Lizzie’s friend Gordo* covers for her while she slips away, Marv had excellent support from quarterback Kyle McCord and the rest of the offense, allowing him to continue his case for the Heisman Trophy. He finished the day with seven receptions for 149 yards and 3 touchdowns (one rushing), becoming the first Ohio State player in history to have multiple 1,000-receiving yard seasons.
*Please know I made a conscious choice to spare you a McCord-o joke, no matter how badly my heart wanted to do it. You. Are. Welcome.
Harrison made it look easy, as he so often does. But Michigan State did their best impression of the Ungermeyer with some solid double coverage. Still, Marv found a way.
Back in Rome, Paolo has told Lizzie a sob story about how he and Isabella ended their singing partnership and she is refusing to perform with him at an upcoming awards show because she *gasp* lip syncs. He hopes Lizzie will disguise herself as Isabella to take her place.
The rest of the movie involves Lizzie sneaking out to get made over enough to believably become a pop star instead of a “sort of frumpy American middle school girl who tripped onstage at her eighth-grade graduation.” And despite her nerves, she sells it.
You know who else looked the part Saturday? Kyle McCord.
McCord went 24-of-31 for a career-high 335 yards and three touchdowns. Though people have had their doubts about whether he could sell it when it counted most, November football arguably counts the most, and he sold it. The hope is that a performance like that boosts confidence enough to slingshot you through The Game and all the drama that will entail.
It did for Lizzie. When it finally came time to perform, she was expecting to be able to phone it in. Isabella lip-syncs, after all! So Lizzie would simply use the same backing tracks!
WRONG. There’s a fun plot twist at the end that I won’t spoil, but the twist leads to Lizzie McGuire bringing down the house with a song called “What Dreams Are Made Of.” Even though people doubted her. Even though she doubted herself. She proves she’s the real deal.
McCord, Harrison, TreVeyon Henderson, and the Ohio State offense proved that against Michigan State. They are hitting their stride at the exact right point in the season, and if they can continue to fire on all cylinders, perhaps they really will silence the doubters (myself included) when it comes time to face Michigan.
And, for their part, the OSU defense continued to dominate on the other side of the ball despite the fact that they were missing several key players. They’ve been the real deal all season long — no lip-syncing to be found.
With Michigan defeating Penn State pretty handily in the Wolverines’ first big battle of the season (and one they fought without coach Jim Harbaugh on the sidelines due to Big Ten sanctions from the sign-stealing scandal), we’re getting set up for another showdown between the rivals that will have drastic playoff implications.
As such, the Buckeyes’ timing in hitting their stride is absolutely critical. They have grown, gone through their whole makeover, and now, they’ve got to pay that work off with a rockstar performance. Dress rehearsal was Saturday, and this kind of November football? This is what dreams are made of (hey, hey, hey).
Continue reading...
LGHL Karla Vreš’ memorable moment for Ohio State women’s basketball
- News
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Karla Vreš’ memorable moment for Ohio State women’s basketball
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Rikki Harris (left) and Karla Vreš (right) before Ohio State’s game against IUPUI on Sunday, Nov. 12, 2023. | Ohio State University athletic department
The second-year Buckeye forward makes personal history late in Sunday’s victory.
In Sunday’s 108-58 win for the Ohio State women’s basketball team, the halftime entertainment included an under-appreciated group of people: Players’ parents. Lined up along the length of the court, each player’s family in attendance was highlighted for the outstanding work in getting their kids to their spot in NCAA basketball. Announced in the group were the parents of graduate senior forward Karla Vreš, even though they weren’t in attendance.
“They were back home in Europe,” said Vreš. “Mom is in Croatia and dad is in Sweden.”
Even though Vreš’ parents couldn’t make it, there was an overflow of family support inside the Schottenstein Center late in the game.
With six minutes remaining, the forward got her first minutes of the 23-24 season, with the Buckeyes up 94-45. After joining Ohio State from American University before the start of the 22-23 season, Vreš has played mostly in these situations, whether it being the scarlet and gray light years ahead of opponents or the rare inverse.
Up big, the scarlet and gray didn’t relent, and Vreš got involved offensively early, earning an assist to fellow player off the bench, guard Kaia Henderson. It was two minutes later that Vreš had her moment — scoring her first points as a member of the Buckeyes.
Receiving a pass from fellow graduate senior forward Eboni Walker, Vreš posted up against IUPUI’s Faith Stinson. After taking a step, the Croatian Vreš turned on the defender and hit a smooth hook shot near the rim. The crowd was loud. Not just excited-to-get-another-point-loud, but knowing what the moment meant. The same can be said about Vreš’ teammates on the bench.
“It felt great, amazing. It’s something that obviously I’ve been working on for a long time,” said Vreš. “Having the team there to support me to that extent was amazing. Knowing everybody wanted as much as I did.”
Fellow European, Slovakian forward Rebeka Mikulášiková, showing the most excitement as the player who understands Vreš’ journey more than anyone. The rest of her teammates out of their seat, throwing their hands up in celebration of the forward.
Although minutes on the court aren’t always there for the Big Ten Scholar Athlete, she’s an important piece of the Buckeyes.
“She’s a great kid,” said head coach Kevin McGuff. “The team really likes her and you can see how excited they were seeing her score a couple baskets.”
That’s right, soon after Vreš added another. Still posted up near the paint, Vreš received a pass from a big who’s on the other end of their NCAA journey, freshman center Faith Carson, finding the Croatian for another two points in the paint.
It was four points in a game with 166 combined points, but they’re a fantastic reminder of a team being more than the biggest names getting the most minutes on the court. After the game, it wasn’t a team high points by forward Cotie McMahon or a perfect shooting game by forward/guard Taylor Thierry getting the honorary “dub chain.”
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
Rikki Harris (left) and Karla Vreš (right) before Ohio State’s game against IUPUI on Sunday, Nov. 12, 2023. | Ohio State University athletic department
The second-year Buckeye forward makes personal history late in Sunday’s victory.
In Sunday’s 108-58 win for the Ohio State women’s basketball team, the halftime entertainment included an under-appreciated group of people: Players’ parents. Lined up along the length of the court, each player’s family in attendance was highlighted for the outstanding work in getting their kids to their spot in NCAA basketball. Announced in the group were the parents of graduate senior forward Karla Vreš, even though they weren’t in attendance.
“They were back home in Europe,” said Vreš. “Mom is in Croatia and dad is in Sweden.”
Even though Vreš’ parents couldn’t make it, there was an overflow of family support inside the Schottenstein Center late in the game.
With six minutes remaining, the forward got her first minutes of the 23-24 season, with the Buckeyes up 94-45. After joining Ohio State from American University before the start of the 22-23 season, Vreš has played mostly in these situations, whether it being the scarlet and gray light years ahead of opponents or the rare inverse.
Up big, the scarlet and gray didn’t relent, and Vreš got involved offensively early, earning an assist to fellow player off the bench, guard Kaia Henderson. It was two minutes later that Vreš had her moment — scoring her first points as a member of the Buckeyes.
Receiving a pass from fellow graduate senior forward Eboni Walker, Vreš posted up against IUPUI’s Faith Stinson. After taking a step, the Croatian Vreš turned on the defender and hit a smooth hook shot near the rim. The crowd was loud. Not just excited-to-get-another-point-loud, but knowing what the moment meant. The same can be said about Vreš’ teammates on the bench.
“It felt great, amazing. It’s something that obviously I’ve been working on for a long time,” said Vreš. “Having the team there to support me to that extent was amazing. Knowing everybody wanted as much as I did.”
Fellow European, Slovakian forward Rebeka Mikulášiková, showing the most excitement as the player who understands Vreš’ journey more than anyone. The rest of her teammates out of their seat, throwing their hands up in celebration of the forward.
Although minutes on the court aren’t always there for the Big Ten Scholar Athlete, she’s an important piece of the Buckeyes.
“She’s a great kid,” said head coach Kevin McGuff. “The team really likes her and you can see how excited they were seeing her score a couple baskets.”
That’s right, soon after Vreš added another. Still posted up near the paint, Vreš received a pass from a big who’s on the other end of their NCAA journey, freshman center Faith Carson, finding the Croatian for another two points in the paint.
It was four points in a game with 166 combined points, but they’re a fantastic reminder of a team being more than the biggest names getting the most minutes on the court. After the game, it wasn’t a team high points by forward Cotie McMahon or a perfect shooting game by forward/guard Taylor Thierry getting the honorary “dub chain.”
Continue reading...
OL Jayvon McFadden (Official Thread)
- By pnuts34
- Buckeye Football
- 35 Replies
247
Rivals
Twitter
HudL
Class: 2025
Position: OL
School: Upper Marlboro(MD) Riverdale Baptist
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 270lbs
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Rivals
HudL
Class: 2025
Position: OL
School: Upper Marlboro(MD) Riverdale Baptist
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 270lbs
Login to view embedded media
LGHL Game Preview: No. 7 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. IUPUI
- News
- 0 Replies
Game Preview: No. 7 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. IUPUI
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 Ethan Miller/Getty Images
The Buckeyes return home from Las Vegas for their first home game of the season.
It was a difficult start to the season for the Ohio State women’s basketball team. The Buckeyes faced a motivated No. 21 USC team, featuring one of the most dangerous freshman and an imposing interior presence. Head coach Kevin McGuff’s side played two solid quarters of basketball, but couldn’t keep things consistent for 40 minutes. Now, Sunday gives the scarlet and gray a chance to continue to gel and find its offensive stroke, against the IUPUI Jaguars.
Monday’s 83-75 defeat at the hands of the Trojans is likely not indicative of what fans will see out of Ohio State in the 23-24 season. While it's easy to overreact in a game where the Buckeyes looked like two completely different teams, it was the first of 29 games. Also, McGuff’s side knew that offense wasn’t going to just click this year like it had in the past two seasons.
However, Monday’s Ohio State side had spells looking like the team everyone expected this season: Staunch defensively and flowing on offense. Plus a surprise or two.
Defensively, No. 1 freshman recruit in the nation, USC guard Juju Watkins, was the lone player who really exposed the Buckeyes, scoring-wise. Watkins had 32 points, barely breaking a sweat as she dribbled past defenders and caused Ohio State players to pick up early fouls.
Outside of Watkins, no one imposed their will offensively against the Buckeyes half court defense. Forward Rayah Marshall had 18 points, but a lot of those came off poor turnovers and autopilot passing by Ohio State, seemingly right to the forward. In the first and second quarters, the Buckeyes outscored the Trojans 48-25. Eliminate turnovers (Ohio State had 14 for 17 points given up), and it's an even closer outcome and more competitive in the final minutes of the game.
Offensively, forward Cotie McMahon was quiet with seven points, with three coming off one shot from deep in the first quarter, but its not all on the sophomore. Ohio State had good spells of scoring production but overall looked not all on the same page.
Ohio State’s disastrous second quarter, scoring 10 points, the catch and shoot style makes of the first quarter were replaced with catch, dribble and heave on bad opportunities. Making it worse was they came earlier in the shot clock without much passing and off the ball movement, like running plays was optional going into halftime.
It's going to take this team time to align offensively. Sunday is a great chance to work on it. The Buckeyes face Horizon League side IUPUI, based out of Indianapolis, Indiana. Interesting enough, the Jaguars bring similar characteristics to the USC Trojans, albeit from a smaller league with less Watkins-esque stars.
While the Jaguars underwent a lot of change this offseason, only four players remain from its last season’s roster, one name to watch against the Buckeyes is forward Jazmyn Turner. After Marshall hit Ohio State for 18 points and 17 rebounds, Turner was pulling up eerily similar numbers against Eastern Illinois.
In 32 minutes, Turner scored 19 points on top of 17 rebounds. While Turner doesn't average a double-double like Marshall, Turner has games where she can pull double-doubles on the boards. The Marion, Indiana native also led the Jaguars in scoring last year with 14.9 points.
Also like USC’s production by Watson, IUPUI’s scoring in its lone game of the season was a 32-point game. This time by guard Katie Davidson. Following two seasons with the Miami University Redhawks, Davidson had a nice introduction to IUPUI fans, hitting a career high in scoring. The guard will hurt the Buckeyes mostly from deep though, not like Watkins’ impressive paint performance.
Sunday’s matinee, one of many for Ohio State on weekends this season, shouldn't give the Buckeyes too much trouble, but there can be matchup problems against Turner especially that could make things interesting early.
An especially important part of Sunday is giving Buckeyes guard Celeste Taylor more real game practice to incorporate into this new side. Taylor had seven points and two assists before fouling out on Monday. Defensively, Taylor had two steals and did well at stifling non-Watkins guards on the Trojans, It’s offensively that Taylor needs to find her place on this scarlet and gray side.
Of Taylor’s seven points, four came from the foul line and one three made up the rest. Overall, Taylor shot 1-for-8, with five of those shots coming from deep. Maybe it was first game jitters with a new team or the pressure to hit three-point shots (no one shot from deep particularly well with OSU going 5-for-21 from beyond the arc).
Either way, taking on a school outside of the power five conferences should help build confidence for Taylor offensively, and help teammates take another step forward in becoming a more consistent side.
Ohio State will win, and win big. It’s not simply because IUPUI is a smaller division team. It’s because of that Monday defeat. The Jaguars face a Buckeyes team with added motivation following a rough outing against the Trojans.
McMahon will lead the Buckeyes in scoring and hit shots in the paint with regularity. Also, McGuff will continue to see what the scarlet and gray can do from beyond the arc.
How to Watch
Date: Sunday, Nov. 12, 2023
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Where: Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio
Stream: B1G+
Sunday is one of seven non-conference games the Buckeyes play in Columbus this year. Last season, Ohio State led the country in the largest increase in home attendance and promotion-wise, the scarlet and gray aren’t slowing down.
The first 1,000 fans to Sunday’s game get a roster t-shirt, and everyone gets a chance to meet and greet the team following the final buzzer. It’s the third meet and greet the team has done in this early season, with both prior editions coming in a combined event with the men’s team and an open practice for the women.
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 Ethan Miller/Getty Images
The Buckeyes return home from Las Vegas for their first home game of the season.
It was a difficult start to the season for the Ohio State women’s basketball team. The Buckeyes faced a motivated No. 21 USC team, featuring one of the most dangerous freshman and an imposing interior presence. Head coach Kevin McGuff’s side played two solid quarters of basketball, but couldn’t keep things consistent for 40 minutes. Now, Sunday gives the scarlet and gray a chance to continue to gel and find its offensive stroke, against the IUPUI Jaguars.
Preview
Monday’s 83-75 defeat at the hands of the Trojans is likely not indicative of what fans will see out of Ohio State in the 23-24 season. While it's easy to overreact in a game where the Buckeyes looked like two completely different teams, it was the first of 29 games. Also, McGuff’s side knew that offense wasn’t going to just click this year like it had in the past two seasons.
However, Monday’s Ohio State side had spells looking like the team everyone expected this season: Staunch defensively and flowing on offense. Plus a surprise or two.
Defensively, No. 1 freshman recruit in the nation, USC guard Juju Watkins, was the lone player who really exposed the Buckeyes, scoring-wise. Watkins had 32 points, barely breaking a sweat as she dribbled past defenders and caused Ohio State players to pick up early fouls.
Outside of Watkins, no one imposed their will offensively against the Buckeyes half court defense. Forward Rayah Marshall had 18 points, but a lot of those came off poor turnovers and autopilot passing by Ohio State, seemingly right to the forward. In the first and second quarters, the Buckeyes outscored the Trojans 48-25. Eliminate turnovers (Ohio State had 14 for 17 points given up), and it's an even closer outcome and more competitive in the final minutes of the game.
Offensively, forward Cotie McMahon was quiet with seven points, with three coming off one shot from deep in the first quarter, but its not all on the sophomore. Ohio State had good spells of scoring production but overall looked not all on the same page.
Ohio State’s disastrous second quarter, scoring 10 points, the catch and shoot style makes of the first quarter were replaced with catch, dribble and heave on bad opportunities. Making it worse was they came earlier in the shot clock without much passing and off the ball movement, like running plays was optional going into halftime.
It's going to take this team time to align offensively. Sunday is a great chance to work on it. The Buckeyes face Horizon League side IUPUI, based out of Indianapolis, Indiana. Interesting enough, the Jaguars bring similar characteristics to the USC Trojans, albeit from a smaller league with less Watkins-esque stars.
While the Jaguars underwent a lot of change this offseason, only four players remain from its last season’s roster, one name to watch against the Buckeyes is forward Jazmyn Turner. After Marshall hit Ohio State for 18 points and 17 rebounds, Turner was pulling up eerily similar numbers against Eastern Illinois.
In 32 minutes, Turner scored 19 points on top of 17 rebounds. While Turner doesn't average a double-double like Marshall, Turner has games where she can pull double-doubles on the boards. The Marion, Indiana native also led the Jaguars in scoring last year with 14.9 points.
Also like USC’s production by Watson, IUPUI’s scoring in its lone game of the season was a 32-point game. This time by guard Katie Davidson. Following two seasons with the Miami University Redhawks, Davidson had a nice introduction to IUPUI fans, hitting a career high in scoring. The guard will hurt the Buckeyes mostly from deep though, not like Watkins’ impressive paint performance.
Sunday’s matinee, one of many for Ohio State on weekends this season, shouldn't give the Buckeyes too much trouble, but there can be matchup problems against Turner especially that could make things interesting early.
An especially important part of Sunday is giving Buckeyes guard Celeste Taylor more real game practice to incorporate into this new side. Taylor had seven points and two assists before fouling out on Monday. Defensively, Taylor had two steals and did well at stifling non-Watkins guards on the Trojans, It’s offensively that Taylor needs to find her place on this scarlet and gray side.
Of Taylor’s seven points, four came from the foul line and one three made up the rest. Overall, Taylor shot 1-for-8, with five of those shots coming from deep. Maybe it was first game jitters with a new team or the pressure to hit three-point shots (no one shot from deep particularly well with OSU going 5-for-21 from beyond the arc).
Either way, taking on a school outside of the power five conferences should help build confidence for Taylor offensively, and help teammates take another step forward in becoming a more consistent side.
Projected Lineups
Lineup Notes
- McMahon has only scored seven points or less in 10 of the sophomore’s 37 career NCAA games.
- A bright spot Monday was Sheldon, who led the Buckeyes with 28 points, five steals and two assists, showing that the guard is healthy again.
- Forward transfers Taiyier Parks and Eboni Walker only played a combined seven minutes for the Buckeyes, with McGuff going with Rebeka Mikulášiková and Taylor Thierry as the main two athletes playing the No. 5 role.
Lineup Notes
- Senior guard Jaela Johnson has experience against the Buckeyes, scoring 24 points in Nov. 2021 as a member of Bellarmine University.
- Senior guard Jaci Jones started Monday for IUPUI, only her second start going into her fourth season with the Jaguars.
- Coach Kate Bruce comes back to Ohio for this one after coaching NCAA Division II Walsh University to 134 wins in six seasons, before leaving for IUPUI in May of 2022.
Prediction
Ohio State will win, and win big. It’s not simply because IUPUI is a smaller division team. It’s because of that Monday defeat. The Jaguars face a Buckeyes team with added motivation following a rough outing against the Trojans.
McMahon will lead the Buckeyes in scoring and hit shots in the paint with regularity. Also, McGuff will continue to see what the scarlet and gray can do from beyond the arc.
How to Watch
Date: Sunday, Nov. 12, 2023
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Where: Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio
Stream: B1G+
LGHL Prediction: 92-61 Ohio State Buckeyes
Home Crowd
Sunday is one of seven non-conference games the Buckeyes play in Columbus this year. Last season, Ohio State led the country in the largest increase in home attendance and promotion-wise, the scarlet and gray aren’t slowing down.
The first 1,000 fans to Sunday’s game get a roster t-shirt, and everyone gets a chance to meet and greet the team following the final buzzer. It’s the third meet and greet the team has done in this early season, with both prior editions coming in a combined event with the men’s team and an open practice for the women.
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LGHL Minnich’s Musings about Ohio State vs. Michigan State
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Minnich’s Musings about Ohio State vs. Michigan State
Chip.Minnich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Barbara J. Perenic/The Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Ohio State was dominant in a nationally televised rout of Michigan State.
For a November night game that Ohio State did not want to play but acquiesced to the requests of The Big Ten’s leadership, the 38-3 win over Michigan State was precisely the kind of performance that the coaches, players, and fans wanted to see at this stage of the 2023 season. Ohio State took a 21-0 lead at the start of the second quarter, and comfortably did not look back.
Yes, Michigan State is now 3-7, and it would be foolish to put too much emphasis on this win over the Spartans. I had predicted a 35-14 win over Michigan State, so this game needs to be kept in proper focus about what it means for the Buckeyes as they head into their final two regular season games of this season.
Marvin Harrison Jr. will be a Heisman Trophy finalist
I do not want to suggest that Harrison will be the winner, although in my biased estimation he should be, as compared to other players who are being discussed as Heisman Trophy candidates. I will suggest that Harrison’s performance versus Michigan State, with three touchdowns (two receiving, one rushing) is the kind of game that will have media and other notable personnel saying, “Hey, did you see what Marvin Harrison Jr. did against Michigan State?”, and it is that type of game that will usually help garner votes, and thus, a trip to New York City.
Kyle McCord played his best game of the season against the Spartans
Again, let us not equate the Spartans with the 1985 Chicago Bears. McCord wound up completing 24-of-31 passes for 335 yards, three touchdowns (two of them to the aforementioned Marvin Harrison Jr.), and no interceptions. Even some of the incompletions were good plays, as McCord was forced to throw the ball away (some examples being a bad first half snap play by Carson Hinzman, pressure in the second half on a play that McCord threw the ball at Chip Trayanum’s feet), but did not force the ball into coverage, as Ohio State fans had seen in previous games.
McCord is still limping, as was visibly evident after the game in his postgame interviews, but his overall play have led me into believing that McCord overall is on the upswing as the regular season is winding down.
“Put me in, Coach”
I have long been an advocate for Ryan Day to play his backups earlier, and Saturday was acceptable. From my vantage point, it seemed as though the defense was substituting in backup players earlier than the offense, as Kyle McCord did not leave the game until very late in the contest. Yes, I know that Devin Brown reaggravated his ankle injury in pregame warmups, and yes, I know that Lincoln Keinholz is only a true freshman. I will simply say that an injury to anyone on the starting offense or defense, after Ohio State had established such a substantial lead, would only irritate Ohio State fans even more.
Lincoln Keinholz, Jelani Thurman, Carnell Tate, Evan Pryor, and I could go on. They should have been in the game from the middle of the third quarter, not the beginning of middle of the fourth quarter.
Ohio State sits at 10-0, and easily vanquished Michigan State. As I was watching the game at home with one of my sons and my wife, NBC showed some of the painful and challenging games from years past (1998, 2015, etc.) against the Spartans that Ohio State did not fare well. It was comforting to see Ohio State come out strongly against Michigan State, establish their dominance, and never let the Spartans get back into this game. There was no complacency on the part of Ohio State’s coaches or players in this victory.
Next up are the Minnesota Golden Gophers, who are now 5-5 on the season. The Golden Gophers were easily handled 49-30 by the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium in the game that preceded the Michigan State/Ohio State game on NBC. This upcoming game will have similar vibes like the one Ohio State just completed against Michigan State — get a lead, and get the starters out of the game.
Ryan Day seems to have Ohio State peaking at just the right time, and another commanding performance against a perceived weaker team can only help to booster the team’s confidence as they approach their biggest game of the season on Nov. 25.
Continue reading...
Chip.Minnich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Barbara J. Perenic/The Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Ohio State was dominant in a nationally televised rout of Michigan State.
For a November night game that Ohio State did not want to play but acquiesced to the requests of The Big Ten’s leadership, the 38-3 win over Michigan State was precisely the kind of performance that the coaches, players, and fans wanted to see at this stage of the 2023 season. Ohio State took a 21-0 lead at the start of the second quarter, and comfortably did not look back.
Yes, Michigan State is now 3-7, and it would be foolish to put too much emphasis on this win over the Spartans. I had predicted a 35-14 win over Michigan State, so this game needs to be kept in proper focus about what it means for the Buckeyes as they head into their final two regular season games of this season.
Marvin Harrison Jr. will be a Heisman Trophy finalist
I do not want to suggest that Harrison will be the winner, although in my biased estimation he should be, as compared to other players who are being discussed as Heisman Trophy candidates. I will suggest that Harrison’s performance versus Michigan State, with three touchdowns (two receiving, one rushing) is the kind of game that will have media and other notable personnel saying, “Hey, did you see what Marvin Harrison Jr. did against Michigan State?”, and it is that type of game that will usually help garner votes, and thus, a trip to New York City.
Kyle McCord played his best game of the season against the Spartans
Again, let us not equate the Spartans with the 1985 Chicago Bears. McCord wound up completing 24-of-31 passes for 335 yards, three touchdowns (two of them to the aforementioned Marvin Harrison Jr.), and no interceptions. Even some of the incompletions were good plays, as McCord was forced to throw the ball away (some examples being a bad first half snap play by Carson Hinzman, pressure in the second half on a play that McCord threw the ball at Chip Trayanum’s feet), but did not force the ball into coverage, as Ohio State fans had seen in previous games.
McCord is still limping, as was visibly evident after the game in his postgame interviews, but his overall play have led me into believing that McCord overall is on the upswing as the regular season is winding down.
“Put me in, Coach”
I have long been an advocate for Ryan Day to play his backups earlier, and Saturday was acceptable. From my vantage point, it seemed as though the defense was substituting in backup players earlier than the offense, as Kyle McCord did not leave the game until very late in the contest. Yes, I know that Devin Brown reaggravated his ankle injury in pregame warmups, and yes, I know that Lincoln Keinholz is only a true freshman. I will simply say that an injury to anyone on the starting offense or defense, after Ohio State had established such a substantial lead, would only irritate Ohio State fans even more.
Lincoln Keinholz, Jelani Thurman, Carnell Tate, Evan Pryor, and I could go on. They should have been in the game from the middle of the third quarter, not the beginning of middle of the fourth quarter.
Ohio State sits at 10-0, and easily vanquished Michigan State. As I was watching the game at home with one of my sons and my wife, NBC showed some of the painful and challenging games from years past (1998, 2015, etc.) against the Spartans that Ohio State did not fare well. It was comforting to see Ohio State come out strongly against Michigan State, establish their dominance, and never let the Spartans get back into this game. There was no complacency on the part of Ohio State’s coaches or players in this victory.
Next up are the Minnesota Golden Gophers, who are now 5-5 on the season. The Golden Gophers were easily handled 49-30 by the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium in the game that preceded the Michigan State/Ohio State game on NBC. This upcoming game will have similar vibes like the one Ohio State just completed against Michigan State — get a lead, and get the starters out of the game.
Ryan Day seems to have Ohio State peaking at just the right time, and another commanding performance against a perceived weaker team can only help to booster the team’s confidence as they approach their biggest game of the season on Nov. 25.
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LGHL Ohio State opens as 27.5-point favorites over Minnesota
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Ohio State opens as 27.5-point favorites over Minnesota
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images
The Buckeyes have one final home game before a trip to Ann Arbor to close out the regular season.
After easily dispatching Michigan State on Saturday, Ohio State (10-0) gets one more home contest to fine tune itself before the highly anticipated season finale in Ann Arbor. The Buckeyes will take on Minnesota this coming weekend, with the Golden Gophers (5-5) not quite living up to expectations this year. P.J. Fleck’s squad is riding a two-game losing streak, and needs to find a way to win one of its final two games to reach bowl eligibility, but things won’t get any easier for Minnesota in Columbus.
All lines courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
Ohio State’s offense had one of its best performances of the season against Michigan State on Saturday. The Buckeyes racked up 530 yards of total offense, and that was with the starters coming out in the third quarter and few pass attempts in the second half overall. Kyle McCord had his best game of the season, throwing for a career-high 335 yards and three touchdowns, while Marvin Harrison Jr. bolstered his Heisman campaign with 149 yards receiving and three total TDs. TreVeyon Henderson had an efficient day on the ground, averaging nearly five yards per carry and adding a rushing TD, while Cade Stover had a big game in his return from injury with 79 yards and a score.
Despite Ohio State playing without both of its starting safeties and its top linebacker, the Buckeyes held Michigan State to just 182 total yards — 88 passing and 92 rushing. Spartans QB Katin Houser couldn’t get much going, completing only 50% of his passes (12-of-24) for 92 yards. No MSU receiver totaled more than 23 yards in the game, while as a team Michigan State converted on just 2-of-14 third down attempts. It wasn’t a huge day for havoc plays by the Silver Bullets, but they did manage six tackles for loss and two sacks, one each by Tyleik Williams and Sonny Styles.
Minnesota’s offense, led by quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis, was projected to be one of the better units in the Big Ten. It has not worked out that way, as the Gophers’ 22.5 points per game rank 101st in FBS. Kaliakmanis has not had the greatest season at the helm, completing just over 50% of his passes for 1,582 yards with 13 TDs and seven INTs across 10 games. The return of Chris Autman-Bell was highly anticipated, but the senior wideout has just 81 yards and one TD on the year. Running back Darius Taylor and receiver Daniel Jackson had been the stars of the unit, but Taylor has missed the last three games with an injury. Still, Jackson’s 681 yards and seven TDs are good for third-best in the Big Ten.
The Golden Gophers defense has been better than their offense, but not by a ton. Allowing 25.8 points per game, Minnesota ranks 63rd nationally and 10th in the B1G. They do, however, rank third in the conference with 11 interceptions, led by Tyler Nubin’s four. The unit overall has been led by linebacker Maverick Baranowski, who has a team-high 52 total tackles on the year, while defensive lineman Danny Striggow has been the star up front, leading the group with seven tackles for loss and six sacks. Minnesota’s defense has been largely fine overall, but they’ve had a handful of really poor performances, including 37 points allowed to Northwestern, 52 against Michigan and 49 against Purdue in its last time out.
This game should look a lot like Ohio State’s game against Michigan State — although the Buckeyes will not be in grey jerseys for this one. Ryan Day will be looking to see his offense continue to take strides forward, and while Jim Knowles will be hoping to get some of his starters back on defense, it also wouldn’t hurt to rest some guys so that they are 100% healthy for the Michigan game. Minnesota’s offense is going to have a hard time moving the ball against a stout Ohio State defense — fully healthy or not — and the Gophers likely won’t have many answers for TreVeyon Henderson and Marvin Harrison Jr. on the other side.
Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.
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Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images
The Buckeyes have one final home game before a trip to Ann Arbor to close out the regular season.
After easily dispatching Michigan State on Saturday, Ohio State (10-0) gets one more home contest to fine tune itself before the highly anticipated season finale in Ann Arbor. The Buckeyes will take on Minnesota this coming weekend, with the Golden Gophers (5-5) not quite living up to expectations this year. P.J. Fleck’s squad is riding a two-game losing streak, and needs to find a way to win one of its final two games to reach bowl eligibility, but things won’t get any easier for Minnesota in Columbus.
All lines courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
Spread: Ohio State -27.5
Ohio State’s offense had one of its best performances of the season against Michigan State on Saturday. The Buckeyes racked up 530 yards of total offense, and that was with the starters coming out in the third quarter and few pass attempts in the second half overall. Kyle McCord had his best game of the season, throwing for a career-high 335 yards and three touchdowns, while Marvin Harrison Jr. bolstered his Heisman campaign with 149 yards receiving and three total TDs. TreVeyon Henderson had an efficient day on the ground, averaging nearly five yards per carry and adding a rushing TD, while Cade Stover had a big game in his return from injury with 79 yards and a score.
Despite Ohio State playing without both of its starting safeties and its top linebacker, the Buckeyes held Michigan State to just 182 total yards — 88 passing and 92 rushing. Spartans QB Katin Houser couldn’t get much going, completing only 50% of his passes (12-of-24) for 92 yards. No MSU receiver totaled more than 23 yards in the game, while as a team Michigan State converted on just 2-of-14 third down attempts. It wasn’t a huge day for havoc plays by the Silver Bullets, but they did manage six tackles for loss and two sacks, one each by Tyleik Williams and Sonny Styles.
Minnesota’s offense, led by quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis, was projected to be one of the better units in the Big Ten. It has not worked out that way, as the Gophers’ 22.5 points per game rank 101st in FBS. Kaliakmanis has not had the greatest season at the helm, completing just over 50% of his passes for 1,582 yards with 13 TDs and seven INTs across 10 games. The return of Chris Autman-Bell was highly anticipated, but the senior wideout has just 81 yards and one TD on the year. Running back Darius Taylor and receiver Daniel Jackson had been the stars of the unit, but Taylor has missed the last three games with an injury. Still, Jackson’s 681 yards and seven TDs are good for third-best in the Big Ten.
The Golden Gophers defense has been better than their offense, but not by a ton. Allowing 25.8 points per game, Minnesota ranks 63rd nationally and 10th in the B1G. They do, however, rank third in the conference with 11 interceptions, led by Tyler Nubin’s four. The unit overall has been led by linebacker Maverick Baranowski, who has a team-high 52 total tackles on the year, while defensive lineman Danny Striggow has been the star up front, leading the group with seven tackles for loss and six sacks. Minnesota’s defense has been largely fine overall, but they’ve had a handful of really poor performances, including 37 points allowed to Northwestern, 52 against Michigan and 49 against Purdue in its last time out.
This game should look a lot like Ohio State’s game against Michigan State — although the Buckeyes will not be in grey jerseys for this one. Ryan Day will be looking to see his offense continue to take strides forward, and while Jim Knowles will be hoping to get some of his starters back on defense, it also wouldn’t hurt to rest some guys so that they are 100% healthy for the Michigan game. Minnesota’s offense is going to have a hard time moving the ball against a stout Ohio State defense — fully healthy or not — and the Gophers likely won’t have many answers for TreVeyon Henderson and Marvin Harrison Jr. on the other side.
Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.
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LGHL No. 7 Ohio State women’s basketball responds with 108-58 win over IUPUI
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No. 7 Ohio State women’s basketball responds with 108-58 win over IUPUI
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
The Buckeyes get the most out of an expected win over the Horizon League side
After a less-than-ideal start of the season for the Ohio State women’s basketball team, dropping its first game of the year against the USC Trojans, the Buckeyes returned to the friendly confines of Columbus, Ohio. Instead of a top-25 matchup, it was IUPUI, from neighboring Indianapolis, Indiana, traveling to the Buckeye state.
Ohio State didn’t let that defeat get them down. Instead, they took it to the IUPUI Jaguars for an 108-58 win.
The last time the Buckeyes played, USC held forward Cotie McMahon to a seven-point performance. Sunday, McMahon went to the rim off the won tipoff, showing that the Buckeyes weren’t looking to give IUPUI the same satisfaction it gave the Trojans.
In the first two minutes, Ohio State unleashed from three-point range. After forward Rebeka Mikulášiková hit a catch-and-shoot three at the top of the key, forward Taylor Thierry hit what looked like a three from the corner, but had her foot on the line.
Then, off the inbound pass, McMahon grabbed a steal and found Thierry for a second chance. Thierry hit it from deep and in front of 2024 commits Ava Watson and Seini Hicks, the Buckeyes showed them what they can expect playing for the scarlet and gray.
After going up 13-2, Ohio State made substitutions and with starters going out, IUPUI took advantage. The Jaguars outscored the Buckeyes 10-5, trimming the lead to five points. Included in that IUPUI run were some tough decisions by graduate senior transfer Taiyier Parks for OSU.
With two minutes on the court, Parks missed two shots to start her home debut. The first an attempt to use her strength going into the paint and second an open long two. Although Parks did add a turnover, the missed shots and a quick foul put the former Michigan State forward on the bench.
The Buckeyes extended the lead out again after four free throws, but then IUPUI was dealt a blow. Forward Jazmyn Turner, who was leading the Jaguars with seven points and two rebounds, suffered what at first looked like a twisted ankle. It took the former Miami University Redhawk a few minutes, and assistance from her training staff and head coach to get back to the sideline.
At the end of the first quarter, Ohio State had an eight-point lead, 24-16. It was the turnovers that helped the Buckeyes the most, forcing 10 and scoring 11 points off those turnovers.
Another early issue for the Jaguars was fouling, more specifically fouling while the Buckeyes were shooting. After only 12 minutes of the game, Ohio State already had 17 trips to the line, hitting 12. By comparison, IUPUI had five total free throws but only three more fouls than the scarlet and gray.
Getting going in the second quarter was McMahon. Not only did the sophomore get to the line three times in the first two minutes of the second but also hit a contested layup. McMahon scored 11 with more than half the game remaining.
The Buckeyes saw the work in the paint was going as intended, so they kept pushing. Ohio State scored eight points in the paint during a 14-point run. When not getting to the free throw line, Mikulášiková was hitting a turnaround layup and the five turnovers given up by IUPUI to start the second led to 11 points off turnovers for just that quarter.
Things didn’t improve for the Jaguars. Ohio State went on another run, this time for 13 points. Part of that run was more great shooting by Thierry. The junior had a perfect shooting half, adding a second three-point shot with two minutes remaining in the half. Thierry had 12 first half points on 3-for-3 shooting and adding four free throws.
Ohio State took a resounding 59-31 lead into halftime. Joining Thierry in the double-digit scoring club was McMahon, leading OSU with 15 points. Guards Jacy Sheldon and Celeste Taylor weren’t far behind though, each with nine points. Taylor added her final two of the half before the halftime buzzer.
The work for the Buckeyes continued into the third quarter. After five minutes, Ohio State outscored IUPUI 17-7, showing it wasn’t going to let up despite the lopsided scoreboard.
With two minutes left in the third quarter, McGuff had seen enough time for his starters, going with an all-bench group. Included was guard Emma Shumate, who missed Ohio State’s first game of the year due to injury.
Included in the group was forward Eboni Walker, guard Rikki Harris and sophomore guard Kaia Henderson. IUPUI responded with a short four-point run, but at that point it didn’t matter a whole lot, with the Buckeyes still up 37 points following the two made baskets. IUPUI tried to add one at the buzzer of the third quarter, but Shumate, who led Ohio State in blocks last season, sent the ball into the stands with her first of this campaign.
The Buckeyes led 39 points going into the final quarter, with a scoreline of 84-45.
McGuff’s side piled on in the fourth, scoring the first 14 points, extending the lead up to 53 points. Thanks to substantial minutes for future Buckeye starters like guards Diana Collins, Henderson and center Faith Carson.
A special moment in the last four minutes was for forward Karla Vreš. The graduate senior who joined the Buckeyes last season scored her first points as a member of the scarlet and gray.
The Buckeyes coasted to a 108-58 victory.
While the competition for Ohio State wasn’t the Iowa Hawkeyes or UCLA Bruins of the world, an important piece of these non-conference games is building momentum and getting game practice. The Buckeyes had that against IUPUI.
The game against the Jaguars gave the Buckeyes the opportunity to get in more time in its press and half court defense. The score didn’t matter as head coach Kevin McGuff’s side mixed it up defensively a few times each quarter.
It means that IUPUI didn’t know what to expect when they inbounded the ball.
Offensively, Ohio State got the ball in everyone’s hands when working in its half court offense. Every Buckeye starter got into the double-digits in the scoring column. Also, new players like graduate senior Parks and freshman Diana Collins got to work on their game outside of a practice environment.
After a tough start by Parks, the forward showed her paint prowess with two impressive layups. For Collins, the guard had chances which included great ball handling and finding space but it wasn’t ending in points. Collins broke through too, hitting her first home points in scarlet and gray.
The Buckeyes are back at the Schottenstein Center in four days. That’s when the Boston College Eagles land in Columbus. It’s one of two Power Five conference non-conference games for the scarlet and gray this season.
Last year, Ohio State faced the Eagles in Boston. The Buckeyes came away with a comfortable 82-64 victory, with Mikulášiková leading all scorers on the day with 23 points. From beyond the arc, Mikulášiková went 3-for-4 in the victory in an early season surge by the Slovakian.
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
The Buckeyes get the most out of an expected win over the Horizon League side
After a less-than-ideal start of the season for the Ohio State women’s basketball team, dropping its first game of the year against the USC Trojans, the Buckeyes returned to the friendly confines of Columbus, Ohio. Instead of a top-25 matchup, it was IUPUI, from neighboring Indianapolis, Indiana, traveling to the Buckeye state.
Ohio State didn’t let that defeat get them down. Instead, they took it to the IUPUI Jaguars for an 108-58 win.
The last time the Buckeyes played, USC held forward Cotie McMahon to a seven-point performance. Sunday, McMahon went to the rim off the won tipoff, showing that the Buckeyes weren’t looking to give IUPUI the same satisfaction it gave the Trojans.
In the first two minutes, Ohio State unleashed from three-point range. After forward Rebeka Mikulášiková hit a catch-and-shoot three at the top of the key, forward Taylor Thierry hit what looked like a three from the corner, but had her foot on the line.
Then, off the inbound pass, McMahon grabbed a steal and found Thierry for a second chance. Thierry hit it from deep and in front of 2024 commits Ava Watson and Seini Hicks, the Buckeyes showed them what they can expect playing for the scarlet and gray.
After going up 13-2, Ohio State made substitutions and with starters going out, IUPUI took advantage. The Jaguars outscored the Buckeyes 10-5, trimming the lead to five points. Included in that IUPUI run were some tough decisions by graduate senior transfer Taiyier Parks for OSU.
With two minutes on the court, Parks missed two shots to start her home debut. The first an attempt to use her strength going into the paint and second an open long two. Although Parks did add a turnover, the missed shots and a quick foul put the former Michigan State forward on the bench.
The Buckeyes extended the lead out again after four free throws, but then IUPUI was dealt a blow. Forward Jazmyn Turner, who was leading the Jaguars with seven points and two rebounds, suffered what at first looked like a twisted ankle. It took the former Miami University Redhawk a few minutes, and assistance from her training staff and head coach to get back to the sideline.
At the end of the first quarter, Ohio State had an eight-point lead, 24-16. It was the turnovers that helped the Buckeyes the most, forcing 10 and scoring 11 points off those turnovers.
Another early issue for the Jaguars was fouling, more specifically fouling while the Buckeyes were shooting. After only 12 minutes of the game, Ohio State already had 17 trips to the line, hitting 12. By comparison, IUPUI had five total free throws but only three more fouls than the scarlet and gray.
Getting going in the second quarter was McMahon. Not only did the sophomore get to the line three times in the first two minutes of the second but also hit a contested layup. McMahon scored 11 with more than half the game remaining.
The Buckeyes saw the work in the paint was going as intended, so they kept pushing. Ohio State scored eight points in the paint during a 14-point run. When not getting to the free throw line, Mikulášiková was hitting a turnaround layup and the five turnovers given up by IUPUI to start the second led to 11 points off turnovers for just that quarter.
Things didn’t improve for the Jaguars. Ohio State went on another run, this time for 13 points. Part of that run was more great shooting by Thierry. The junior had a perfect shooting half, adding a second three-point shot with two minutes remaining in the half. Thierry had 12 first half points on 3-for-3 shooting and adding four free throws.
Ohio State took a resounding 59-31 lead into halftime. Joining Thierry in the double-digit scoring club was McMahon, leading OSU with 15 points. Guards Jacy Sheldon and Celeste Taylor weren’t far behind though, each with nine points. Taylor added her final two of the half before the halftime buzzer.
The work for the Buckeyes continued into the third quarter. After five minutes, Ohio State outscored IUPUI 17-7, showing it wasn’t going to let up despite the lopsided scoreboard.
With two minutes left in the third quarter, McGuff had seen enough time for his starters, going with an all-bench group. Included was guard Emma Shumate, who missed Ohio State’s first game of the year due to injury.
Included in the group was forward Eboni Walker, guard Rikki Harris and sophomore guard Kaia Henderson. IUPUI responded with a short four-point run, but at that point it didn’t matter a whole lot, with the Buckeyes still up 37 points following the two made baskets. IUPUI tried to add one at the buzzer of the third quarter, but Shumate, who led Ohio State in blocks last season, sent the ball into the stands with her first of this campaign.
The Buckeyes led 39 points going into the final quarter, with a scoreline of 84-45.
McGuff’s side piled on in the fourth, scoring the first 14 points, extending the lead up to 53 points. Thanks to substantial minutes for future Buckeye starters like guards Diana Collins, Henderson and center Faith Carson.
A special moment in the last four minutes was for forward Karla Vreš. The graduate senior who joined the Buckeyes last season scored her first points as a member of the scarlet and gray.
The Buckeyes coasted to a 108-58 victory.
Getting Reps
While the competition for Ohio State wasn’t the Iowa Hawkeyes or UCLA Bruins of the world, an important piece of these non-conference games is building momentum and getting game practice. The Buckeyes had that against IUPUI.
The game against the Jaguars gave the Buckeyes the opportunity to get in more time in its press and half court defense. The score didn’t matter as head coach Kevin McGuff’s side mixed it up defensively a few times each quarter.
It means that IUPUI didn’t know what to expect when they inbounded the ball.
Offensively, Ohio State got the ball in everyone’s hands when working in its half court offense. Every Buckeye starter got into the double-digits in the scoring column. Also, new players like graduate senior Parks and freshman Diana Collins got to work on their game outside of a practice environment.
After a tough start by Parks, the forward showed her paint prowess with two impressive layups. For Collins, the guard had chances which included great ball handling and finding space but it wasn’t ending in points. Collins broke through too, hitting her first home points in scarlet and gray.
What’s Next
The Buckeyes are back at the Schottenstein Center in four days. That’s when the Boston College Eagles land in Columbus. It’s one of two Power Five conference non-conference games for the scarlet and gray this season.
Last year, Ohio State faced the Eagles in Boston. The Buckeyes came away with a comfortable 82-64 victory, with Mikulášiková leading all scorers on the day with 23 points. From beyond the arc, Mikulášiková went 3-for-4 in the victory in an early season surge by the Slovakian.
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LGHL The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Ohio State’s 38-3 win over Michigan State
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The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Ohio State’s 38-3 win over Michigan State
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images
The Buckeyes got off to a fast start and never looked back.
Ohio State was looking to get out to a fast start against Michigan State, and it did that emphatically by taking a 21-0 lead one play into the second quarter. The Buckeyes went on to win a 38-3 laugher, enabling them to rest their starters for the second half as they continue their quest for an undefeated regular season. It was a great day for the stars of the offense, while a shorthanded defensive group more than got the job done against a largely overmatched Spartans squad.
Here is the good, the bad and the ugly from Ohio State’s win over Michigan State.
Marvin Harrison Jr.
If there was a ‘The Ridiculous’ portion of this column, Marvin Harrison Jr. would be listed there instead. The best wide receiver and likely best overall player in all of college football had a monster performance against the Spartans, catching seven passes for 149 yards and scoring three total touchdowns — all coming before halftime as he sat the final two quarters in a blowout. He did a little bit of everything in the game, showcasing his ability to both make the long receptions over the top and also catch it short and pick up yards after the catch. He is the first Ohio State wide receiver ever to record two 1,000-yard receiving seasons, and did so this year with still two games remaining in the regular season.
Kyle McCord
There has been a lot of back and forth about Ohio State’s starting quarterback this season, with much of it surrounding Kyle McCord’s slow first halves. McCord had his best game of the year against Michigan State, completing 24-of-31 pass attempts for a career-high 335 yards and three TDs. The first-year starter really couldn’t have put together a better first half on Saturday, going into the break having completed 21-of-25 passes for 263 yards and the three scores. While the Spartan defense isn’t exactly elite, it was great to see McCord looking on-point and confident out there. This was definitely the type of performance he will look to build off of, with one more game to fine tune things ahead of Michigan.
TreVeyon Henderson
Ohio State’s rushing attack simply looks different when TreVeyon Henderson is healthy. His numbers against Michigan State don't jump off the page like they did against Wisconsin and Rutgers, but it was another efficient night for the junior running back: 13 carries for 63 yards and a touchdown before sitting out the second half of a runaway game. Over his last three games, Henderson has ran for over 350 yards on just under six yards per carry, while also adding 139 yards through the air on 11 receptions. While Harrison Jr. is the star of the show and a ton of eyes are on McCord each week, Henderson is the lynchpin of the entire Ohio State offense.
Fast Starts
The Buckeyes came into the night looking to get off to a fast start, as they have had trouble all season long getting into a rhythm before halftime. The last three weeks especially had really been a struggle offensively through the first two quarters, and even more glaringly in the first quarter. Ohio State scored just three points in the first quarter against Penn State, three in the first quarter against Wisconsin, and only seven in the entire first half against Rutgers. Against Michigan State, the Buckeyes put up 200 yards in the first quarter and got out to an almost immediate 14-0 lead, adding a third score to make it 21-0 on the first play of the second quarter. You won’t be able to put together that kind of opener too often, but it was exactly the kind of start Ryan Day was looking for this week.
The Second Half (as a viewer)
Ohio State didn’t necessarily do anything bad in the second half. Taking a 35-3 lead into halftime, the Buckeyes really just sat on the football for the rest of the contest. Harrison Jr. and Henderson came out of the game to start the third quarter, and it wasn’t too long after that the majority of the other starters on both sides of the ball were out as well. It would have been fun to run up the score a little against an overmatched opponent, but the main goal here was to make sure you left the game without racking up any additional injuries. Unfortunately, that just meant a really boring half of football to watch as a viewer — which I will gladly take if it means Ohio State is up big.
Parker Fleming
Sticking to my word that Ohio State’s special teams coach will be listed on this part of the postgame column every week until he is fired. While the group didn’t do anything absolutely egregious this week for the first time in what felt like forever, there were still a handful of minor mistakes that shouldn’t happen if you are choosing to waste a coaching position on special teams. The funniest one was failing to get lined up on a punt, leading to Ryan Day needing to waste a time out and looking exacerbated on the sideline as a result. The Buckeyes also missed a field goal, which isn’t entirely Fleming fault, but once again: it’s his unit. With the Michigan game coming up, one that is likely going to be played on the slimmest of margins, having an actively bad special teams coordinator could be the difference in winning or losing.
Injuries
It flew under the radar a bit because the broadcast never mentioned it, but Mike Hall Jr. exited the game and went to the locker room with a trainer early in the second quarter. It is unclear the severity of whatever ailed him, but injuries continue to plague this Ohio State team. The Buckeyes were already without Lathan Ransom, Josh Proctor and Tommy Eichenberg in this game, although it sounds like Proctor and Eichenberg were held out more for precautionary reasons. Ransom’s injury is more concerning, as the safety was seen on a scooter with a boot on his foot prior to the game. While Ohio State still needs to win against Minnesota next weekend, the main priority before the trip to Ann Arbor has to be getting as healthy as possible.
Continue reading...
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images
The Buckeyes got off to a fast start and never looked back.
Ohio State was looking to get out to a fast start against Michigan State, and it did that emphatically by taking a 21-0 lead one play into the second quarter. The Buckeyes went on to win a 38-3 laugher, enabling them to rest their starters for the second half as they continue their quest for an undefeated regular season. It was a great day for the stars of the offense, while a shorthanded defensive group more than got the job done against a largely overmatched Spartans squad.
Here is the good, the bad and the ugly from Ohio State’s win over Michigan State.
The Good
Marvin Harrison Jr.
If there was a ‘The Ridiculous’ portion of this column, Marvin Harrison Jr. would be listed there instead. The best wide receiver and likely best overall player in all of college football had a monster performance against the Spartans, catching seven passes for 149 yards and scoring three total touchdowns — all coming before halftime as he sat the final two quarters in a blowout. He did a little bit of everything in the game, showcasing his ability to both make the long receptions over the top and also catch it short and pick up yards after the catch. He is the first Ohio State wide receiver ever to record two 1,000-yard receiving seasons, and did so this year with still two games remaining in the regular season.
Kyle McCord
There has been a lot of back and forth about Ohio State’s starting quarterback this season, with much of it surrounding Kyle McCord’s slow first halves. McCord had his best game of the year against Michigan State, completing 24-of-31 pass attempts for a career-high 335 yards and three TDs. The first-year starter really couldn’t have put together a better first half on Saturday, going into the break having completed 21-of-25 passes for 263 yards and the three scores. While the Spartan defense isn’t exactly elite, it was great to see McCord looking on-point and confident out there. This was definitely the type of performance he will look to build off of, with one more game to fine tune things ahead of Michigan.
TreVeyon Henderson
Ohio State’s rushing attack simply looks different when TreVeyon Henderson is healthy. His numbers against Michigan State don't jump off the page like they did against Wisconsin and Rutgers, but it was another efficient night for the junior running back: 13 carries for 63 yards and a touchdown before sitting out the second half of a runaway game. Over his last three games, Henderson has ran for over 350 yards on just under six yards per carry, while also adding 139 yards through the air on 11 receptions. While Harrison Jr. is the star of the show and a ton of eyes are on McCord each week, Henderson is the lynchpin of the entire Ohio State offense.
Fast Starts
The Buckeyes came into the night looking to get off to a fast start, as they have had trouble all season long getting into a rhythm before halftime. The last three weeks especially had really been a struggle offensively through the first two quarters, and even more glaringly in the first quarter. Ohio State scored just three points in the first quarter against Penn State, three in the first quarter against Wisconsin, and only seven in the entire first half against Rutgers. Against Michigan State, the Buckeyes put up 200 yards in the first quarter and got out to an almost immediate 14-0 lead, adding a third score to make it 21-0 on the first play of the second quarter. You won’t be able to put together that kind of opener too often, but it was exactly the kind of start Ryan Day was looking for this week.
The Bad
The Second Half (as a viewer)
Ohio State didn’t necessarily do anything bad in the second half. Taking a 35-3 lead into halftime, the Buckeyes really just sat on the football for the rest of the contest. Harrison Jr. and Henderson came out of the game to start the third quarter, and it wasn’t too long after that the majority of the other starters on both sides of the ball were out as well. It would have been fun to run up the score a little against an overmatched opponent, but the main goal here was to make sure you left the game without racking up any additional injuries. Unfortunately, that just meant a really boring half of football to watch as a viewer — which I will gladly take if it means Ohio State is up big.
The Ugly
Parker Fleming
Sticking to my word that Ohio State’s special teams coach will be listed on this part of the postgame column every week until he is fired. While the group didn’t do anything absolutely egregious this week for the first time in what felt like forever, there were still a handful of minor mistakes that shouldn’t happen if you are choosing to waste a coaching position on special teams. The funniest one was failing to get lined up on a punt, leading to Ryan Day needing to waste a time out and looking exacerbated on the sideline as a result. The Buckeyes also missed a field goal, which isn’t entirely Fleming fault, but once again: it’s his unit. With the Michigan game coming up, one that is likely going to be played on the slimmest of margins, having an actively bad special teams coordinator could be the difference in winning or losing.
Injuries
It flew under the radar a bit because the broadcast never mentioned it, but Mike Hall Jr. exited the game and went to the locker room with a trainer early in the second quarter. It is unclear the severity of whatever ailed him, but injuries continue to plague this Ohio State team. The Buckeyes were already without Lathan Ransom, Josh Proctor and Tommy Eichenberg in this game, although it sounds like Proctor and Eichenberg were held out more for precautionary reasons. Ransom’s injury is more concerning, as the safety was seen on a scooter with a boot on his foot prior to the game. While Ohio State still needs to win against Minnesota next weekend, the main priority before the trip to Ann Arbor has to be getting as healthy as possible.
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LGHL Hangout in the Holy Land Podcast: Finally, a ‘get right’ game to talk about
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Hangout in the Holy Land Podcast: Finally, a ‘get right’ game to talk about
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images
Josh and Chuck weigh in on the Michigan saga, before the latter takes over and flies solo to recap MSU, Buckeye basketball, and more.
The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast is here! Join LGHL’s Josh Dooley and Chuck Holmes as they discuss Ohio State football, recruiting, and much, much more! Come for the hot takes, stay for the warm ones.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
On this episode of “Hangout in the Holy Land,” Chuck finally gets his wish to run point and do (most of) a pod without Josh! He recaps a Buckeye blowout on the gridiron, a tough defeat on the hardwood, and all the other Ohio State-related news you can handle.
But first, both of the Hangout boys weigh in briefly on the ongoing and seemingly never-ending Michigan saga. Did new Big Ten commish Tony Petitti handle this situation correctly? Did the punishment fit the crime? And what now?
Next up is OSU men’s basketball...
And finally, Chuck gets to the main course: A Buckeye football recap. After two straight good-not-great performances on the road, Ryan Day’s squad was back in The Shoe on Saturday night and put a four-quarter thumping on the Michigan State Spartans. Ohio State coasted to a 38-3 victory, despite several injured Buckeyes watching from the sideline.
Saturday night’s get-right game could not have come at a better time, as the Scarlet and Gray look to drown out the noise and prepare for a late-season charge.
Please make sure to like, rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast! And as always, Go Bucks!
Connect with the pod
Twitter: @HolyLandPod
Connect with Josh Dooley
Twitter: @jdooleybuckeye
Connect with Chuck Holmes
Twitter: @ctholmes3
Continue reading...
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images
Josh and Chuck weigh in on the Michigan saga, before the latter takes over and flies solo to recap MSU, Buckeye basketball, and more.
The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast is here! Join LGHL’s Josh Dooley and Chuck Holmes as they discuss Ohio State football, recruiting, and much, much more! Come for the hot takes, stay for the warm ones.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On this episode of “Hangout in the Holy Land,” Chuck finally gets his wish to run point and do (most of) a pod without Josh! He recaps a Buckeye blowout on the gridiron, a tough defeat on the hardwood, and all the other Ohio State-related news you can handle.
But first, both of the Hangout boys weigh in briefly on the ongoing and seemingly never-ending Michigan saga. Did new Big Ten commish Tony Petitti handle this situation correctly? Did the punishment fit the crime? And what now?
Next up is OSU men’s basketball...
And finally, Chuck gets to the main course: A Buckeye football recap. After two straight good-not-great performances on the road, Ryan Day’s squad was back in The Shoe on Saturday night and put a four-quarter thumping on the Michigan State Spartans. Ohio State coasted to a 38-3 victory, despite several injured Buckeyes watching from the sideline.
Saturday night’s get-right game could not have come at a better time, as the Scarlet and Gray look to drown out the noise and prepare for a late-season charge.
Please make sure to like, rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast! And as always, Go Bucks!
Connect with the pod
Twitter: @HolyLandPod
Connect with Josh Dooley
Twitter: @jdooleybuckeye
Connect with Chuck Holmes
Twitter: @ctholmes3
Continue reading...
