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LGHL Ohio State men’s basketball at Michigan: Game preview and prediction
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Ohio State men’s basketball at Michigan: Game preview and prediction
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Graham Stokes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Can the Buckeyes right the ship in Ann Arbor, or will they continue to sink?
It feels like forever ago that the Ohio State men’s basketball team was finishing off a beatdown of Northwestern in Evanston to move to 10-3 overall and 2-0 in conference play, having some thinking that this Buckeye team could make some noise in the Big Ten this season.
Since that game on New Year’s Day, the Buckeyes are 1-8 in the conference, and they have fallen to 12th in the B1G standings at 11-11 overall and 3-8 in Big Ten play. They are only in front of Nebraska and Minnesota — both teams the Buckeyes have lost to. To add insult to injury, the Buckeyes are the Golden Gophers’ lone conference win (1-10).
But the show must go on, and Ohio State has to finish this thing out whether they want to or not. The season is not entirely over, and if they can get somehow get to 17 or 18 wins including the Big Ten Tournament, they will give themselves a chance to participate in the -play-in game of the NCAA Tournament.
It starts in Ann Arbor, as the Buckeyes travel to take on the Michigan Wolverines (12-8, 6-5). Michigan is coming off an impressive 68-51 win at Northwestern. However, in the four games before that, the Wolverines were 1-3 with the only win coming in a close contest against a Minnesota squad down six scholarship players to injuries.
Michigan is 8-3 at home, and the Buckeyes 1-6 on the road — that lone win coming at Northwestern. The Buckeyes have lost three in a row to Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. They trailed by double digits at the half in all three of those games.
Both teams need a win to get their season back on track. Michigan just picked up their first Quad 1 win on Thursday, and will look to keep that momentum going against the collapsing Buckeyes.
Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann was also ejected against Wisconsin for the second time as the Buckeyes head man, and this was the first time it occurred in the first half.
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Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK
This game features two statistically above average offenses and two statistically below average defenses, but there is more to it than that. The Buckeyes have been struggling of late on offense and defense, which is not a recipe for success in the Big Ten.
The Buckeyes are third in the conference in offense and ninth in the conference on defense, and Michigan is fifth in the conference on offense but ranked 13th on defense, only ahead of Iowa. Iowa makes up for it as the top offensive team in the conference, at least.
For Ohio State, freshman sensation Brice Sensabaugh still leads the way offensively. Sensabaugh is averaging 17.4 points per game while shooting 47.5 percent from the three-point line. He has also turned into a reliable rebounder, averaging 5.4 per game, which is second on the team, behind only Zed Key’s 7.7 per contest.
West Virginia transfer Sean McNeil is the Buckeyes resident sharpshooter, but he is only averaging 9.6 points per game while shooting 39 percent from behind the three-point line. They need him to get more involved on offense and the team needs to create more looks for him, as he is their best pure shooter and spreads the floor out for the Buckeyes.
Michigan is led by a familiar face, as junior big man Hunter Dickinson is averaging 17.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game. He is shooting 55 percent from the field and 38 percent from behind the three-point line.
Michigan freshman Jett Howard is right in the running with Sensabaugh and Indiana’s Jalen Hood-Schifino for Big Ten Freshman of the Year, and rightfully so. Howard is averaging 14.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists per contest, and shooting almost 40 percent from the three-point line.
The Buckeyes are fourth in the conference in three-point percentage, and are second in the conference in opponent three-point percentage. They need to run this game through the perimeter and not Key, with him still dealing with an injury. They have to run sets to get open looks for McNeil, Sensabaugh and others, and force someone other than Dickinson to beat them from Michigan. Kobe Bufkin could be the key for the Wolverines if Ohio State can slow down the big man.
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Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
This one is tough to predict because both teams have been Jekyll and Hyde this season. Michigan is coming off one of their more impressive performances of the campaign, but they really struggled in the four games prior. Ohio State has struggled for a month now, but they have still beaten Rutgers, Iowa, and Northwestern this season in the conference — three teams that could all go dancing in March.
Ohio State is still a talented team, and they feel due for a performance similar to the Iowa game. It has been said many times but it still remains true: The Buckeyes need the veterans to step up, namely Justice Sueing and Zed Key. Sueing and Key are the old guys on the roster and the leaders, and they have struggled. Sueing has been inconsistent and turnover prone, and Key has not been the same since his shoulder injury against Purdue.
If they can get a good game from these two guys and a normal showing from all their freshmen, this is a very winnable game. Michigan has talent, but they are not deep in their bench and their starters can be inconsistent at times. I will go out on a limb here and say the Buckeyes get a balanced offensive effort from their starters and take home a much needed win.
Ohio State has to play like they have nothing to lose, because they simply don’t. Take risks, play fast, shoot the ball and do anything you can to get back in the win column.
ESPN BPI: Ohio State 61.6%
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
DraftKings Sportsbook Odds: Michigan -2.5
TV: CBS
Continue reading...
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Graham Stokes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Can the Buckeyes right the ship in Ann Arbor, or will they continue to sink?
It feels like forever ago that the Ohio State men’s basketball team was finishing off a beatdown of Northwestern in Evanston to move to 10-3 overall and 2-0 in conference play, having some thinking that this Buckeye team could make some noise in the Big Ten this season.
Since that game on New Year’s Day, the Buckeyes are 1-8 in the conference, and they have fallen to 12th in the B1G standings at 11-11 overall and 3-8 in Big Ten play. They are only in front of Nebraska and Minnesota — both teams the Buckeyes have lost to. To add insult to injury, the Buckeyes are the Golden Gophers’ lone conference win (1-10).
But the show must go on, and Ohio State has to finish this thing out whether they want to or not. The season is not entirely over, and if they can get somehow get to 17 or 18 wins including the Big Ten Tournament, they will give themselves a chance to participate in the -play-in game of the NCAA Tournament.
It starts in Ann Arbor, as the Buckeyes travel to take on the Michigan Wolverines (12-8, 6-5). Michigan is coming off an impressive 68-51 win at Northwestern. However, in the four games before that, the Wolverines were 1-3 with the only win coming in a close contest against a Minnesota squad down six scholarship players to injuries.
Michigan is 8-3 at home, and the Buckeyes 1-6 on the road — that lone win coming at Northwestern. The Buckeyes have lost three in a row to Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. They trailed by double digits at the half in all three of those games.
Both teams need a win to get their season back on track. Michigan just picked up their first Quad 1 win on Thursday, and will look to keep that momentum going against the collapsing Buckeyes.
Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann was also ejected against Wisconsin for the second time as the Buckeyes head man, and this was the first time it occurred in the first half.
Preview
This game features two statistically above average offenses and two statistically below average defenses, but there is more to it than that. The Buckeyes have been struggling of late on offense and defense, which is not a recipe for success in the Big Ten.
The Buckeyes are third in the conference in offense and ninth in the conference on defense, and Michigan is fifth in the conference on offense but ranked 13th on defense, only ahead of Iowa. Iowa makes up for it as the top offensive team in the conference, at least.
For Ohio State, freshman sensation Brice Sensabaugh still leads the way offensively. Sensabaugh is averaging 17.4 points per game while shooting 47.5 percent from the three-point line. He has also turned into a reliable rebounder, averaging 5.4 per game, which is second on the team, behind only Zed Key’s 7.7 per contest.
West Virginia transfer Sean McNeil is the Buckeyes resident sharpshooter, but he is only averaging 9.6 points per game while shooting 39 percent from behind the three-point line. They need him to get more involved on offense and the team needs to create more looks for him, as he is their best pure shooter and spreads the floor out for the Buckeyes.
Michigan is led by a familiar face, as junior big man Hunter Dickinson is averaging 17.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game. He is shooting 55 percent from the field and 38 percent from behind the three-point line.
Michigan freshman Jett Howard is right in the running with Sensabaugh and Indiana’s Jalen Hood-Schifino for Big Ten Freshman of the Year, and rightfully so. Howard is averaging 14.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists per contest, and shooting almost 40 percent from the three-point line.
The Buckeyes are fourth in the conference in three-point percentage, and are second in the conference in opponent three-point percentage. They need to run this game through the perimeter and not Key, with him still dealing with an injury. They have to run sets to get open looks for McNeil, Sensabaugh and others, and force someone other than Dickinson to beat them from Michigan. Kobe Bufkin could be the key for the Wolverines if Ohio State can slow down the big man.
Prediction
This one is tough to predict because both teams have been Jekyll and Hyde this season. Michigan is coming off one of their more impressive performances of the campaign, but they really struggled in the four games prior. Ohio State has struggled for a month now, but they have still beaten Rutgers, Iowa, and Northwestern this season in the conference — three teams that could all go dancing in March.
Ohio State is still a talented team, and they feel due for a performance similar to the Iowa game. It has been said many times but it still remains true: The Buckeyes need the veterans to step up, namely Justice Sueing and Zed Key. Sueing and Key are the old guys on the roster and the leaders, and they have struggled. Sueing has been inconsistent and turnover prone, and Key has not been the same since his shoulder injury against Purdue.
If they can get a good game from these two guys and a normal showing from all their freshmen, this is a very winnable game. Michigan has talent, but they are not deep in their bench and their starters can be inconsistent at times. I will go out on a limb here and say the Buckeyes get a balanced offensive effort from their starters and take home a much needed win.
Ohio State has to play like they have nothing to lose, because they simply don’t. Take risks, play fast, shoot the ball and do anything you can to get back in the win column.
ESPN BPI: Ohio State 61.6%
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
DraftKings Sportsbook Odds: Michigan -2.5
TV: CBS
LGHL score prediction: Ohio State 72, Michigan 68
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LGHL No. 10 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. No. 8 Maryland: Game preview and prediction
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No. 10 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. No. 8 Maryland: Game preview and prediction
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images
The Buckeyes and Terrapins meet in their first of two regular season games
The Ohio State women’s basketball team is back playing a top-10 ranked Big Ten team this weekend. After two games against unranked opponents, the Buckeyes travel to College Park for a game against the No. 8 Maryland Terrapins.
For the Buckeyes, it’s a hopeful return to beating ranked sides. For Maryland, it’s a game where a win keeps them in the conversation to be in the hunt for a Big Ten regular season title.
It’s a season-changing game for both sides. Which team will rise to the occasion?
Outside of a tough seven days of the Buckeyes’ season, they’ve risen to those exact occasions. Entering Jan. 23, the Scarlet & Gray were 4-0 against ranked opponents, but since are 4-2, and a three-game losing streak put them back into the pack within the Big Ten.
Maryland brings a unique challenge to keep Ohio State from getting back to a winning streak, because the two programs are fairly similar.
All season, the narrative around the Scarlet & Gray has been equal part epic comebacks and blistering full court defense. Sunday, head coach Kevin McGuff’s side takes on a team who’s separated themselves from the conference in forcing turnovers.
The Terrapins feature a quick and athletic roster led by future WNBA Draft pick, guard Diamond Miller. After last season’s Maryland campaign where the Terrapins walked away from the season without a single team honor for the first time since 2017-18, stars on the team jumped ship.
Guard Ashley Owusu went to Virginia Tech where she’s battled injuries all season, and forward Angel Reese went to LSU, where she’s put herself into the conversation as the best player in the country after putting up a double-double in every game this season.
Despite those departures, Miller stayed to finish off her career as a Terrapin, and with the team on the ropes, she’s put Maryland back near the top of the conference.
Miller is dangerous because of how well she can read the court and then use her size and ability to get around defenses. For Ohio State, it’ll be a busy day for guard Taylor Thierry and forward Cotie McMahon, the two most likely to be on the guard to try — stress try — and neutralize her game.
Miller will make moves like a spin in the paint against the Michigan Wolverines, use blistering speed in transition to catch opposing defenses napping and also find her teammates, who are all formidable in their own ways.
Alongside the senior Miller is sophomore Shyanne Sellers. The Northeast Ohio native has taken a big leap from her freshman season to now being a regular for head coach Brenda Frese. Sellers excels at a modern game. In other words, Sellers can do it all. The guard takes smart shots, can attack the basket, hit from deep, find teammates on offense and provide strong defense when the opposition has the ball.
Should Sellers stay in the Big Ten throughout the rest of her NCAA career, she’ll be in the same place that Miller is today. It’s a tough scenario for the Buckeyes having both of them on the court. There can’t be a double-team against either of them without putting the other one in a wide-open position; a situation both can exploit.
If extra attention is on both guards, there are more Terrapins on the court to cause damage. From deep its guard Abbey Meyers. Last season, Meyers was the Ivy League Player of the Year for the Princeton Tigers. The Ivy League isn’t at the same level of the Big Ten, but Meyers adapted well to the conference and will be an issue for the Buckeyes.
Meyers is dangerous from beyond the arc. So, when Maryland is dumping the ball into the paint or Miller is attacking the post, Meyers will be standing in waiting. Meyers leads the Terrapins in total makes with 45, but that’s not her entire game. The Maryland native will also rush the paint to grab rebounds. Meyers is second on the team, averaging 5.3 rebounds per game.
So far this season, games between ranked Big Ten teams have been mostly one-sided at the final buzzer. Sunday will be one of the closest between ranked teams.
Ohio State will do ok at slowing down Miller, but not enough to take her completely out of the picture. The Buckeyes full court press will create Terrapins turnovers and easier chances on fastbreaks. However, there will be spells of the game where shooting from deep isn’t hitting.
The Buckeyes win a close game, with Mikesell leading Ohio State in their first top-10 ranked Big Ten win of the season.
Date: Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023
Time: 4:00 p.m. ET
Where: XFinity Center, College Park, Maryland
Television: ESPN2
Stream: ESPN App with ESPN subscription
Back to the loss of Reese. Last season, the forward led the Terrapins with 10.6 rebounds per game. When Reese left, so did the Terrapins’ dominance in the paint. They went from a formidable team in the paint down to the Buckeyes’ level, where it’s hard to know if Ohio State will be out rebounded by 20 or edge their opponent late in the game in that department.
Of the ranked teams in the conference, they’re the only two with a negative rebounding margin. Maryland’s -1.6 rebounds per game is the second worst in the Big Ten, followed closely by Ohio State at -0.7 per game — slightly better 10th in the conference.
Sunday’s game will be played in the open court and transition game, but Thierry and some of the Buckeyes’ rebounding-prone teammates could be the difference.
Continue reading...
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images
The Buckeyes and Terrapins meet in their first of two regular season games
The Ohio State women’s basketball team is back playing a top-10 ranked Big Ten team this weekend. After two games against unranked opponents, the Buckeyes travel to College Park for a game against the No. 8 Maryland Terrapins.
For the Buckeyes, it’s a hopeful return to beating ranked sides. For Maryland, it’s a game where a win keeps them in the conversation to be in the hunt for a Big Ten regular season title.
It’s a season-changing game for both sides. Which team will rise to the occasion?
Preview
Outside of a tough seven days of the Buckeyes’ season, they’ve risen to those exact occasions. Entering Jan. 23, the Scarlet & Gray were 4-0 against ranked opponents, but since are 4-2, and a three-game losing streak put them back into the pack within the Big Ten.
Maryland brings a unique challenge to keep Ohio State from getting back to a winning streak, because the two programs are fairly similar.
All season, the narrative around the Scarlet & Gray has been equal part epic comebacks and blistering full court defense. Sunday, head coach Kevin McGuff’s side takes on a team who’s separated themselves from the conference in forcing turnovers.
The Terrapins feature a quick and athletic roster led by future WNBA Draft pick, guard Diamond Miller. After last season’s Maryland campaign where the Terrapins walked away from the season without a single team honor for the first time since 2017-18, stars on the team jumped ship.
Guard Ashley Owusu went to Virginia Tech where she’s battled injuries all season, and forward Angel Reese went to LSU, where she’s put herself into the conversation as the best player in the country after putting up a double-double in every game this season.
Despite those departures, Miller stayed to finish off her career as a Terrapin, and with the team on the ropes, she’s put Maryland back near the top of the conference.
Miller is dangerous because of how well she can read the court and then use her size and ability to get around defenses. For Ohio State, it’ll be a busy day for guard Taylor Thierry and forward Cotie McMahon, the two most likely to be on the guard to try — stress try — and neutralize her game.
Miller will make moves like a spin in the paint against the Michigan Wolverines, use blistering speed in transition to catch opposing defenses napping and also find her teammates, who are all formidable in their own ways.
Alongside the senior Miller is sophomore Shyanne Sellers. The Northeast Ohio native has taken a big leap from her freshman season to now being a regular for head coach Brenda Frese. Sellers excels at a modern game. In other words, Sellers can do it all. The guard takes smart shots, can attack the basket, hit from deep, find teammates on offense and provide strong defense when the opposition has the ball.
Should Sellers stay in the Big Ten throughout the rest of her NCAA career, she’ll be in the same place that Miller is today. It’s a tough scenario for the Buckeyes having both of them on the court. There can’t be a double-team against either of them without putting the other one in a wide-open position; a situation both can exploit.
If extra attention is on both guards, there are more Terrapins on the court to cause damage. From deep its guard Abbey Meyers. Last season, Meyers was the Ivy League Player of the Year for the Princeton Tigers. The Ivy League isn’t at the same level of the Big Ten, but Meyers adapted well to the conference and will be an issue for the Buckeyes.
Meyers is dangerous from beyond the arc. So, when Maryland is dumping the ball into the paint or Miller is attacking the post, Meyers will be standing in waiting. Meyers leads the Terrapins in total makes with 45, but that’s not her entire game. The Maryland native will also rush the paint to grab rebounds. Meyers is second on the team, averaging 5.3 rebounds per game.
Projected Lineups
Lineup Notes
- Wednesday’s Buckeye win pushed Thierry above forward Rebeka Mikulášiková in scoring, as her averaged bumped up to 13.4 points per game.
- Mikesell is tied with Iowa’s Caitlin Clark with 72 made three-pointers this season — the most in the Big Ten.
- When Rikki Harris gets at least four assists per game, the Buckeyes are 7-0. They are 1-3 when she does not reach that mark.
Lineup Notes
- Maryland’s allowed the most three-point shots all season with 175 total — 42 more than the Buckeyes.
- Sellers’ 51.4% field goal percentage is the second-most efficient for a guard in the conference, behind only Michigan’s Leigha Brown.
- Guard Elisa Pinzan joined the Terrapins from the USF Bulls, and leads Maryland with 74 assists.
Prediction
So far this season, games between ranked Big Ten teams have been mostly one-sided at the final buzzer. Sunday will be one of the closest between ranked teams.
Ohio State will do ok at slowing down Miller, but not enough to take her completely out of the picture. The Buckeyes full court press will create Terrapins turnovers and easier chances on fastbreaks. However, there will be spells of the game where shooting from deep isn’t hitting.
The Buckeyes win a close game, with Mikesell leading Ohio State in their first top-10 ranked Big Ten win of the season.
How to Watch
Date: Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023
Time: 4:00 p.m. ET
Where: XFinity Center, College Park, Maryland
Television: ESPN2
Stream: ESPN App with ESPN subscription
LGHL Prediction: 82-80 Ohio State Buckeyes
Who Wins the Rebounds?
Back to the loss of Reese. Last season, the forward led the Terrapins with 10.6 rebounds per game. When Reese left, so did the Terrapins’ dominance in the paint. They went from a formidable team in the paint down to the Buckeyes’ level, where it’s hard to know if Ohio State will be out rebounded by 20 or edge their opponent late in the game in that department.
Of the ranked teams in the conference, they’re the only two with a negative rebounding margin. Maryland’s -1.6 rebounds per game is the second worst in the Big Ten, followed closely by Ohio State at -0.7 per game — slightly better 10th in the conference.
Sunday’s game will be played in the open court and transition game, but Thierry and some of the Buckeyes’ rebounding-prone teammates could be the difference.
Continue reading...
LGHL Catching up with where Ohio State’s men’s and women’s hockey teams stand
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Catching up with where Ohio State’s men’s and women’s hockey teams stand
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Both teams are ranked in the top-10 in the USCHO rankings.
With the NHL All-Star break upon us, now would be a perfect time to check out Ohio State’s hockey teams if you wanted to see some winners on the ice in Columbus.
While the Blue Jackets are fighting to give themselves the best shot in the Connor Bedard sweepstakes by having the worst record in the league, the men’s and women’s Buckeye hockey teams are both fighting for a national championship.
Women’s ice hockey
In the case of the Ohio State women’s hockey team, the Buckeyes are looking to become back-to-back champions. This weekend has Nadine Muzerall’s team heading to Minneapolis for a couple showdowns with Minnesota.
After the Buckeyes beat the Golden Gophers in three of their four regular season meetings last year, as well as earning a 3-2 overtime win in the WCHA Final Faceoff, Minnesota won the first meeting of this season, 4-2 in Columbus in late September. Ohio State recovered to earn a 4-4 tie in the follow-up meeting the next day. The 4-2 loss is the only loss the Buckeyes have suffered in regulation this year.
Even though Minnesota currently sits above Ohio State in the WCHA standings, the Buckeyes are ranked first in the country in the USCHO rankings. The Golden Gophers sit third in the rankings entering this weekend’s action. The Buckeyes have been on a hot streak, winning their last 10 games, but that won’t be the longest win streak when the teams take the ice, as Minnesota has won 12-straight contests.
There are a number of familiar names from last year’s championship team that are back to try and help Ohio State repeat. Last year, Sophie Jaques was the 2022 WCHA Defender of the Year, as well as a finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award given annually to the top female college ice hockey player in the United States. In her fifth season in Columbus, Jaques is just two goals away from matching the career-high 21 goals she netted last season. The 19 goals Jaques scored this year are a team-high.
Leading Ohio State in scoring is Jennifer Gardiner, who has scored 16 goals and dished out 26 assists. Both of those totals are already career highs in a season for Gardiner, who notched 15 goals and 24 assists last season in 38 games. The senior is also +26 so far this season, which is better than the +23 she posted last year.
Last season, Paetyn Levis was at her best in the biggest games of the season, earning a spot on the Frozen Four All-Tournament Team, and being named MVP of the Frozen Four. Levis scored in both Frozen Four contests. Following a season where she tallied 24 goals and 29 assists, Levis is on a similar pace this year, scoring 18 goals and 14 helpers through 28 games.
Between the pipes, Amanda Thiele got better as the season moved along last year, finishing with an 18-3 record with a 1.31 goals against average. White Thiele has the highest goals against average and lowest save percentage among the three Ohio State goaltenders, her numbers are still really good.
Any team in the country would be thrilled to have a goaltender like Thiele, who has a 1.94 goals against average and .895 save percentage in the 15 games she has played this year. The Buckeyes have a luxury of being able to call on Raygan Kirk or Quinn Kuntz if they feel Thiele isn’t on top of her game.
Men’s ice hockey
Ohio State’s men’s hockey team entered Friday’s game against Penn State with a 16-9-1 record. Following a slow start to the season, the Buckeyes have won seven of their last nine games, which has allowed them to move up to seventh in the USCHO rankings.
During their last nine games, the only two losses came on the road, with the first being a 4-2 setback at Michigan on Jan. 14, and the other coming six days later when the Buckeyes were shutout 4-0 by Wisconsin.
Ohio State and Penn State have met twice already this season in early December. The Nittany Lions won the first meeting 2-1 on their home ice. The Buckeyes regrouped the following day to win 4-3. The two teams enter Friday’s game with pretty similar records. Penn State has played two more games this year and is 18-9-1, while Ohio State’s 9-7 record in the Big Ten is just a little better than the 8-9-1 conference record of the Nittany Lions.
The Buckeyes have had a variety of players find the back of the net this year, as three skaters have at least 10 goals this sesason. Cam Thiesing’s 11 goals lead the team, while Joe Dunlap and Davis Burnside each have 10 goals. Stephen Halliday is the team’s overall scoring leading with 24 points, just one point ahead of Jake Wise for the team lead. Mason Lohrei has the high assist total on the team this year, dishing out 18 helpers.
Unlike the women’s team, which has three goalies who have played in at least four games, Jakub Dobes has seen the majority of the time in goal. Dobes has played 1451 of the possible 1505 minutes through 25 games this season. The Buckeye goalie is 15-9-1 this year with a 2.27 goals against average, and a .918 save percentage. The fifth round pick of the Montreal Canadiens in the 2020 NHL Draft has recorded two shutouts so far this season.
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Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Both teams are ranked in the top-10 in the USCHO rankings.
With the NHL All-Star break upon us, now would be a perfect time to check out Ohio State’s hockey teams if you wanted to see some winners on the ice in Columbus.
While the Blue Jackets are fighting to give themselves the best shot in the Connor Bedard sweepstakes by having the worst record in the league, the men’s and women’s Buckeye hockey teams are both fighting for a national championship.
Women’s ice hockey
In the case of the Ohio State women’s hockey team, the Buckeyes are looking to become back-to-back champions. This weekend has Nadine Muzerall’s team heading to Minneapolis for a couple showdowns with Minnesota.
After the Buckeyes beat the Golden Gophers in three of their four regular season meetings last year, as well as earning a 3-2 overtime win in the WCHA Final Faceoff, Minnesota won the first meeting of this season, 4-2 in Columbus in late September. Ohio State recovered to earn a 4-4 tie in the follow-up meeting the next day. The 4-2 loss is the only loss the Buckeyes have suffered in regulation this year.
Even though Minnesota currently sits above Ohio State in the WCHA standings, the Buckeyes are ranked first in the country in the USCHO rankings. The Golden Gophers sit third in the rankings entering this weekend’s action. The Buckeyes have been on a hot streak, winning their last 10 games, but that won’t be the longest win streak when the teams take the ice, as Minnesota has won 12-straight contests.
There are a number of familiar names from last year’s championship team that are back to try and help Ohio State repeat. Last year, Sophie Jaques was the 2022 WCHA Defender of the Year, as well as a finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award given annually to the top female college ice hockey player in the United States. In her fifth season in Columbus, Jaques is just two goals away from matching the career-high 21 goals she netted last season. The 19 goals Jaques scored this year are a team-high.
Leading Ohio State in scoring is Jennifer Gardiner, who has scored 16 goals and dished out 26 assists. Both of those totals are already career highs in a season for Gardiner, who notched 15 goals and 24 assists last season in 38 games. The senior is also +26 so far this season, which is better than the +23 she posted last year.
Last season, Paetyn Levis was at her best in the biggest games of the season, earning a spot on the Frozen Four All-Tournament Team, and being named MVP of the Frozen Four. Levis scored in both Frozen Four contests. Following a season where she tallied 24 goals and 29 assists, Levis is on a similar pace this year, scoring 18 goals and 14 helpers through 28 games.
Between the pipes, Amanda Thiele got better as the season moved along last year, finishing with an 18-3 record with a 1.31 goals against average. White Thiele has the highest goals against average and lowest save percentage among the three Ohio State goaltenders, her numbers are still really good.
Any team in the country would be thrilled to have a goaltender like Thiele, who has a 1.94 goals against average and .895 save percentage in the 15 games she has played this year. The Buckeyes have a luxury of being able to call on Raygan Kirk or Quinn Kuntz if they feel Thiele isn’t on top of her game.
Men’s ice hockey
Ohio State’s men’s hockey team entered Friday’s game against Penn State with a 16-9-1 record. Following a slow start to the season, the Buckeyes have won seven of their last nine games, which has allowed them to move up to seventh in the USCHO rankings.
During their last nine games, the only two losses came on the road, with the first being a 4-2 setback at Michigan on Jan. 14, and the other coming six days later when the Buckeyes were shutout 4-0 by Wisconsin.
Ohio State and Penn State have met twice already this season in early December. The Nittany Lions won the first meeting 2-1 on their home ice. The Buckeyes regrouped the following day to win 4-3. The two teams enter Friday’s game with pretty similar records. Penn State has played two more games this year and is 18-9-1, while Ohio State’s 9-7 record in the Big Ten is just a little better than the 8-9-1 conference record of the Nittany Lions.
The Buckeyes have had a variety of players find the back of the net this year, as three skaters have at least 10 goals this sesason. Cam Thiesing’s 11 goals lead the team, while Joe Dunlap and Davis Burnside each have 10 goals. Stephen Halliday is the team’s overall scoring leading with 24 points, just one point ahead of Jake Wise for the team lead. Mason Lohrei has the high assist total on the team this year, dishing out 18 helpers.
Unlike the women’s team, which has three goalies who have played in at least four games, Jakub Dobes has seen the majority of the time in goal. Dobes has played 1451 of the possible 1505 minutes through 25 games this season. The Buckeye goalie is 15-9-1 this year with a 2.27 goals against average, and a .918 save percentage. The fifth round pick of the Montreal Canadiens in the 2020 NHL Draft has recorded two shutouts so far this season.
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