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LGHL You’re Nuts: Which team left in the NCAA Tournament are you rooting for to win it all?

You’re Nuts: Which team left in the NCAA Tournament are you rooting for to win it all?
Brett Ludwiczak
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


TCU v Gonzaga

Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images

Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.

And just like that, the first two rounds of the 2023 men’s basketball NCAA Tournament are in the books. What a wild ride it has been so far. While some people might have had Purdue losing before the first weekend of the tournament was completed, nobody thought the Boilermakers would lose to Fairleigh Dickinson. Now only one Big Ten team is left standing, and it is Tom Izzo’s Michigan State Spartans.

It wasn’t just the Big Ten that had to deal with losses over the first few days of the tournament. College basketball’s “blue bloods” were hit hard in the first two rounds. Duke, Kansas, and Kentucky all lost over the weekend and now can join North Carolina, who didn’t even make the tournament, in watching the rest of the action from home. This marks the second time in the last three years that all four of those teams failed to make the Sweet Sixteen, showing just how wide-open college basketball is these days.

Even though some of the most storied programs in college basketball aren’t a part of this year’s final 16 teams in the tournament, that doesn’t mean the rest of the tournament isn’t worth watching. There are still plenty of great players and coaches that are looking to become part of history by cutting down the nets in Houston. Today we want to know who you are rooting for to win it all in a couple of weeks.

Today’s question: Which team left in this year’s NCAA Tournament are you rooting for to win it all?

We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.


Brett’s answer: Gonzaga


I feel like I have taken some of Josh Heytvelt’s magic mushrooms with this pick. Honestly though, outside of Ohio State and Big Ten basketball, I feel like Gonzaga is the team I’ve watched the most this year since I do tend to be more of a night owl. The Zags might not have quite the collection of talent that they did a few years ago, but they have found a way to make the pieces they have worked great together.

Leading Gonzaga is Drew Timme, who feels like he has been on Mark Few’s team for 38 years. Timme has the look of a guy who is about to dominate the church rec league, but he has the talent to drop 25 points against any team in the country. Along with Timme, Gonzaga has guys like Julian Strawther, Anton Watson, and Rasir Bolton, who all can fill it up if opponents decide to dedicate more resources to shutting down Timme.

Gonzaga will have a tough game on Thursday night against UCLA, but they might be catching the Bruins at the perfect time. UCLA is dealing with some injury issues. Jaylen Clark was lost for the rest of the season due to an injury he suffered in the regular season finale against Arizona. On Saturday against Northwestern, David Singleton sprained an ankle, and while Singleton should be able to play Thursday, he could be limited on the court and with his mobility depending on how severe the injury is.

Even though UCLA has an outstanding defense, Gonzaga has shown they can solve some of the toughest defenses in the country. The Zags already beat Saint Mary’s twice, with the second victory being an absolute destruction of the Gaels in the WCC Championship Game. When Gonzaga beats UCLA on Thursday, they’ll face either Arkansas or UConn, which are winnable games. I just don’t see the Zags losing another game, finally getting Few a title after so many close calls.


Matt’s answer: UCLA


Honestly, I am a little shell-shocked. I had one of my best opening weekends in recent March Madness memory, but I did a dumb thing and picked a Big Ten team to win it all. So, what am I going to do for my re-pick? Take a (soon-to-be) Big Ten to win it all. Not only that, but I’m going to take the team that plays Brett’s pick in the Sweet Sixteen; bring it on, BLeez!

Being in the 98 percentile on ESPN isn’t as exciting when you lost your champion in the first round pic.twitter.com/Vv53koMTll

— Matt Tamanini (@BWWMatt) March 18, 2023

The Bruins entered the NCAA Tournament as the No. 3 team in the country according to KenPom, behind only No. 1 seeds Houston and Alabama. When you couple that with the fact that UCLA is the No. 2 seed in the West region, that means that they are the top-rated team left, after Arkansas knocked off Kansas in the Round of 32.

As Brett mentioned, UCLA is dealing with injuries, but theoretically, they should have one of the easiest paths to the Final 4, considering that they are the highest seed in their region. Yes, having Clark out for the season and Singleton hobbled is less than ideal, but they are UCLA’s third and fourth-leading scorers on the season, meaning that senior guards Jaime Jaquez and Tyger Campbell (17.5 and 13.4 points per game respectively) are still around to carry the load.

This time of year, everybody always says that the veteran, guard-led teams tend to have an advantage in the tournament. And let’s not forget that in the 2021 tournament, it was the Zags that ended UCLA’s historic run 93-90 in the Final Four with an absolutely insane buzzer-beating three-pointer by Jalen Suggs.


Jaquez, Campell, and Singleton were all on that team, and you know they will want revenge for that heartbreaker.

KenPom says that UCLA is the No. 2 team in terms of adjusted defense in the country and No. 21 adjusted offense. Gonzaga is the No. 1 adjusted offense according to KenPom, but they have the No. 75 adjusted defense. So, while I love and respect Brett, I’m taking the Bruins to win this one — and the rest of the way. I mean, how can you not root for the Big Ten team wearing those beautiful blue jerseys?

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LGHL Land-Grant Uncut Podcast: Ryan Day says it takes being ‘extraordinary’ to be Ohio State quarterback

Land-Grant Uncut Podcast: Ryan Day says it takes being ‘extraordinary’ to be Ohio State quarterback
Matt Tamanini
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Screen_Shot_2023_03_21_at_5.03.30_PM.0.png


He also discussed scrimmages, Hartline calling plays, and more in Tuesday’s presser.

Throughout the year, the Land-Grant Podcast Network will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:


Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio


On today’s episode, we’ve got uncut audio from Ryan Day’s press conference on Tuesday, March 21 in which he provided updates about the Ohio State football team’s return to spring practices after spring break. In the presser, he discussed plans for upcoming scrimmages, the first day in pads, how the quarterback battle is shaping up, Brian Hartline calling plays, staff responsibility changes, and more.

You can watch the full press conference on the official Ohio State athletics website.



Contact Matt Tamanini
Twitter:
@BWWMatt

Music by: www.bensound.com


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LGHL Ohio State wrestling caps off strong season with 4th-place finish at NCAA Championships

Ohio State wrestling caps off strong season with 4th-place finish at NCAA Championships
Josh Dooley
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


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Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK

Five Buckeyes earned All-American status, helping to secure the program’s best NCAA finish since 2018-19.

For the first time since 2019, Ohio State wrestling is back among the sport’s elite. The Buckeyes took fourth in this past weekend’s NCAA Championships, just missing out on a Big Ten “medal sweep” (Penn State and Iowa finished 1-2). Regardless, it was an impressive end to the 2022-23 season for an OSU program that had sort of over-promised and under-delivered in recent years.

Prior to the Covid pandemic, Tom Ryan’s squad(s) had rattled off five consecutive top-3 finishes at these NCAAs, in addition to three Big Ten titles and a national championship in 2015. But the past few seasons did not go according to plan, with certain veterans struggling to take that next big step and very few underclassmen pushing the incumbent talent.

Ohio State maintained relevancy during their lean(ish) years, but there are just higher expectations for a Ryan-coached team. This program wants to compete for NCAA wrestling supremacy and push both Penn State and Iowa within their own conference. So although the Buckeyes finished fourth in back-to-back B1G Championships and well back of now-10x champion PSU this past weekend, the 2023 postseason did prove to be a major success for OSU, as well as a reminder to the wrestling world that Ryan’s Scarlet and Gray are still a force to be reckoned with.

Ohio State Athletics / ohiostatebuckeyes.com

Ohio State saw five grapplers earn All-American status at the NCAA Championships, ultimately leading to a tournament-ending battle for third place among teams. OSU’s 149-pounder Sammy Sasso took on Yianni Diakomihalis of Cornell in the last match of the entire weekend, with only a few points separating the Buckeyes and the Big Red. Unfortunately, Diakomihalis once again proved to be Sasso’s kryptonite, defeating him for a third time and becoming just the fifth NCAA wrestler ever to win four individual D1 titles.

It was still a hell of a tournament for Sasso, who dominated most of his other opponents. He now has two NCAA runner-up finishes in his career, to go with two Big Ten titles. If Sasso chooses to return, he would likely begin next season as the odds-on favorite to win that elusive 149 title. So here’s hoping The Savage considers one more run in Columbus.

Sasso was far from the only standout of the weekend, as many other Buckeyes achieved career-best results on the national stage. Kaleb Romero was perhaps the best feel-good story among them, as he punctuated his six-year Ohio State odyssey with a hard-fought third-place finish at 184 pounds. OSU’s spiritual leader of sorts went 6-1 over the course of the tournament, only dropping a match to Penn State’s Aaron Brooks, who would go on to win his third consecutive NCAA title. Romero will now likely ride off into the sunset, but if he has any interest in coaching... I’m just sayin’.

THATS TWOOOO✌️ #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/KDWgeLE433

— Ohio State Wrestling (@wrestlingbucks) March 18, 2023

Jesse Mendez, Dylan D’Emilio, and Ethan Smith rounded out the Buckeyes’ impressive group of All-Americans, with Mendez doing so as a true freshman and D’Emilio as an unlikely 17-seed. The latter was especially impressive throughout his NCAA weekend, nearly defeating 1-seed Real Woods of Iowa before successfully taking down 3-seed Cole Matthews of Pittsburgh. D’Emilio wrestled a ton of close matches against top-tier competition this season and his hard work ultimately paid off with a well-earned All-American nod.

Ohio State will head into this offseason with quite a few question marks, but also tons of talent in the Scarlet and Gray pipeline. Romero, Smith, Malik Heinselman (125), and Tate Orndorff (HWT) are moving on, to be replaced by younger, potentially inexperienced wrestlers. But among that group of eventual replacements are four top-50 recruits from the 2022 class, including No. 2 and No. 3 overall... No. 1 in that class just so happened to be Mendez, the Buckeyes’ true freshman All-American.

D’Emilio, Paddy Gallagher (NCAA qualifier at 157 this year), and Carson Kharchla (2x NCAA qualifier at 165) should all be back, hopefully joined by Sasso. But regardless of whether or not the latter returns, OSU will still hit the mats with a very talented group next season. Until then, Go Bucks!

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LGHL LGHL Asks: Help us predict the future of Ohio State football, men’s basketball rosters

LGHL Asks: Help us predict the future of Ohio State football, men’s basketball rosters
Matt Tamanini
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

You ask, we answer. Sometimes we ask, others answer. And then other times, we ask, we answer.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NCAA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in
Ohio State Buckeyes fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

It’s a weird time of year, the men’s basketball season just ended, the women’s hockey team fell just short of back-to-back national titles, and the football team comes back from break today for the remaining 13 spring practices. All of this is going on while the women’s basketball team is prepping for a trip to Seattle for the Sweet Sixteen and the rest of the spring sports are in full swing.

So, today, we want to see where Buckeye fans’ heads are when it comes to both the football and MBB teams. Take a look at the questions we are asking today and answer in the survey at the bottom of the page.


Question 1: Which football upperclassman will have a breakout spring?


Perhaps because recruiting is such a major part of college football these days, or because everybody loves the shiny new thing filled with potential and not burdened by a few years reality, we often spend far more time talking about the “young,” “up-and-coming” players who have the potential to breakout for the Buckeyes.

Of course, in an era where the best talent is often onto the NFL after three seasons, and players often hit the transfer portal if they aren’t in the mix early on, there are fewer opportunities for “old guys” to make an impact, but that doesn’t mean that juniors and seniors who haven’t had made a sizable impact on the team can’t do it. We have seen countless veteran Buckeyes seemingly come out of nowhere to have incredible seasons, despite being counted out by many.

That will undoubtedly happen this season, so let’s take a look at a handful of options that could get some buzz coming out of spring.


Question 2: Following the Big Ten Tournament run, how do you feel about the men’s basketball team moving forward?


I know that the vibe around the men’s basketball team was rightfully pretty horrific for much on January and February, but man, the little bit of March that they got to experience sure was exciting. The #FireHoltmann refrain on Twitter — while still pretty prevalent in certain corners of the Buckeyeverse — seems to have accepted the fact that the coach will be back for the 2023-24 campaign.

So, with OSU’s run of five wins in its final seven games, has the play of the younger players changed how you look at the future of the program? Or, was the damage done by the nearly two months of consecutive losing irreparable?

We will see what happens when it comes to transfers and the NBA, but — for me at least — seeing the team stick together and freshmen step up was pretty encouraging, what about you?


Question 3: Who will be the men’s basketball team’s leading scorer in 2023-24?


This one is fun, especially because we still aren’t sure who will actually be on the team next year. Will Brice Sensabaugh be back after his Big Ten Tournament injury? Will Bruce Thornton ride his hot postseason into the NBA? Heck, I could have included Bronnie James on this list if I really wanted to get spicy.

The great thing is that it appears that the team has a lot of really compelling options to score the ball next season. If they can put that together with some of the defence we saw late in the year, they could be an exciting team come fall.


Share your thoughts here:


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LGHL Ohio State offers trio of elite 2025 prospects

Ohio State offers trio of elite 2025 prospects
Dan Hessler
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


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2024 four-star cornerback Jett White via @G6Arron on Twitter

Fresh off spring break, Ohio State offers three blue-chip prospects in the 2025 recruiting class.

Ohio State is fresh off of spring break, which means the coaching staff and the players are back to spring practices. But current Ohio State players and coaches are not the only ones excited for spring ball to be back, as the Buckeyes will be playing host to dozens of recruits over the next month and a half.

With these visits, expect the Buckeyes to also be offering scholarships to those players they feel best fit the mold of a Buckeye.

Ohio State offers trio of 2025 prospects


Ohio State played host to a number of highly-talented recruits this past weekend, including a large group of players from the West Coast. The group of blue-chip visitors included recruits both already offered to play college football for Ohio State and recruits hoping to receive a scholarship offer.

On Monday, Ohio State dished out official scholarships to a trio of 2025 prospects, including two five-stars and one four-star. Below we will break down those offers:

Five-star safety Jadyn Hudson


Class: 2025
Size: 6-foot-2 / 175-pounds
Hometown: Pittsburg, CA / Pittsburg
Recruiting Update: Hudson is one of the top recruits in all of the 2025 class. He is viewed as the No. 3 safety in the 2025 class and the No. 15 overall prospect. Hudson is also the No. 2 prospect from the talent-rich state of California. Hudson also holds dozens of scholarship offers from the likes of Georgia, LSU, Tennessee, USC, Oklahoma, Miami, Oregon, Michigan, Michigan State, Maryland, Penn State and now Ohio State.

AG2G!! BLESSED to receive an offer from Thee Ohio State University !! Thank you coach @ryandaytime @Coach_Eliano and the rest of the staff for believing in me! @OhioStateFB @PittHSFootball @CoachBriscoeWR #GoBucks #TEAMHUDSON pic.twitter.com/ZiOY7Fkhro

— Jadyn Hudson (@JadynHudson2) March 20, 2023

Five-star WR Phillip Bell III


Class: 2025
Size: 6-foot-2 / 195-pounds
Hometown: Mission Hills, CA / Bishop Alemany
Recruiting Update: Bell was the only offensive player to receive a scholarship offer from the Buckeyes on Monday, but he plays at a position Ohio State is known for producing talent at — wide receiver. With Brian Hartline on the staff, Ohio State will seemingly be involved in any recruitment for a WR they desire.

Bell is considered the No. 5 WR in the 247Sports Composite Rankings, and is the No. 20 overall prospect. He is also the No. 3 recruit from California. Like Hudson, he holds dozens of scholarship offers from programs like Auburn, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas A&M, USC, Texas, Oklahoma, Miami, Notre Dame, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State and now Ohio State.

AG2G! Blessed to receive a Blessing from THEE Ohio State University! Thank you @ryandaytime and the rest of the @OhioStateFB staff for believing in me. @brianhartline @CoachJordan82 @CoreyDennis_ @CoachBriscoeWR @jnashmusic #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/P88mnLxlGh

— Phillip Bell III (@phillipbelliii) March 20, 2023

Four-star CB Jett White


Class: 2025
Size: 6-foot-1.5 / 160-pounds
Hometown: Los Alamitos, CA / Los Alamitos
Recruiting Update: White is a talented cornerback, and Ohio State has made the position one of importance in the 2025 class, already offering seven CB’s and the program’s lone verbal commit in the class plays at the position in Jontae Gilbert.

White was at one time committed to play for USC, but decommitted from the Trojans in January. Since re-opening his recruitment, he has added to his already impressive offer sheet holding offers from the likes of Alabama. Arkansas, Georgia, LSU, Texas A&M, Florida State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Notre Dame, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Penn State and now Ohio State.

White is viewed as the No. 5 CB in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 64 overall prospect. He is also the No. 11 recruit out of California.

Recruits planning upcoming visits to Ohio State


As mentioned above, the coming month and a half will be busy for the Ohio State coaching staff as they focus on spring practices and hosting elite prospects weekly. On Monday we learned of more blue-chip prospects that plan to visit with the Buckeyes this spring. Below is a list of some of those recruits:

Excited to be at Ohio state today ‼️#GoBucks @OhioStateFB @ryandaytime @R2X_Rushmen1 pic.twitter.com/X5jNRy9Ssj

— Aydin Breland (@AydinBreland) March 20, 2023
- at THEE Ohio State University

— SHAUN SCOTT (@shaunnscottt) March 19, 2023
Super excited to be attending spring practice at THE Ohio State University on April 7th @etwill21 @CoreyDennis_ @BWEagleFB pic.twitter.com/DRdGvq45zr

— Jake Nier (@jake_nier) March 20, 2023
Cbus April 10th #gobucks pic.twitter.com/Eo9dMEYn9u

— Miles Lockhart (@MilesLockhart1) March 20, 2023
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐️ and No. 1 overall DT Justin Scott has locked in his first two official visits pic.twitter.com/lafLjQRUoF

— Clint Cosgrove (@Rivals_Clint) March 20, 2023

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Google 'It made me feel at home': 2025 CB Jett White gets offer on Ohio State football recruiting visit - The Columbus Dispatch

'It made me feel at home': 2025 CB Jett White gets offer on Ohio State football recruiting visit - The Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".

'It made me feel at home': 2025 CB Jett White gets offer on Ohio State football recruiting visit The Columbus Dispatch

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