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LGHL Hoops Update: Ohio State basketball players in the NBA
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Hoops Update: Ohio State basketball players in the NBA
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images
While the majority of the Buckeyes in the NBA have already been eliminated from the playoffs, there are a few who will be involved in the postseason.
Currently there are seven Ohio State Buckeyes who are playing in the NBA. Even though there are some who started their career in Columbus before transferring out of the program like Micah Potter, for the purposes of today’s article we are highlighting those who either spent their whole college career as a Buckeye, or Ohio State was their last stop before moving on to the professional ranks.
Since teams have around five games left before the end of the regular season, today felt like a great time to recap how those Buckeyes in the NBA have fared this season. There have been some high moments, low moments, and some just plain weird moments during the regular season.
Ranging from an experienced veteran like Mike Conley, to rookie Jamison Battle who is trying to prove he belongs in the league, today we are giving you all you need to know in an easily digestible form.
The former Ohio State point guard is now in his 18th season in the NBA. Conley has shown he can still hang with the best players in the league, playing a key role on a Minnesota squad that made the Western Conference Finals last season, and is 45-32 this year.
The Timberwolves enter Friday’s action sitting in seventh in the Western Conference, but a lot could change before the end of the regular season, as Minnesota is just two games behind the third place Denver Nuggets, who they beat in a thrilling double overtime game on Tuesday night.
Since he plays on a team loaded with talent like Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle, Naz Reid, and Donte DiVincenzo, Conley doesn’t have to do it all. The veteran is playing 25 minutes per game, which is the lowest total of his career. The good news about playing less minutes is Conley should be fresher for the playoffs.
The reduced workload has paid some dividends recently, as Conley averaged 10.2 points per game in March, which is almost two points per game better than the 8.5 points per game he is averaging this season.
If Minnesota has designs on making another deep playoff run this year, they’ll need Conley on the court since he plays tremendous defense. Conley also gives the team veteran leadership, which could come in handy at times since at times Anthony Edwards plays with his emotions on his sleeve and needs to be reeled in at times.
Getting past top-seeded Oklahoma City is going to be tough, but Minnesota has the talent to keep pace with the Thunder.
The only other former Buckeye who has been a regular starter this year is D’Angelo Russell, who started the season with the Los Angeles Lakers before being traded back to the Brooklyn Nets.
Since his second stint with the Nets began, Russell has started 26 of the 29 games he has appeared in, averaging 12.9 points per game and 5.6 assists per game. It has been obvious that Russell hasn’t been quite as engaged on the court since the trade, which is understandable since he was traded from a playoff team to a Brooklyn squad who is one of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference.
One of Russell’s better games with the Nets came on Monday when he scored 18 points and dished out 11 assists in a 113-109 win at Dallas. The best performance for Russell this year came back in December when he was still with the Lakers, scoring 28 points and finishing with 14 assists against Portland.
Russell will be an unrestricted free agent after this season.
One former Buckeye who is putting up some strong numbers on a very bad team is Brice Sensabaugh. So far this season, Sensabaugh has started 10 games and appeared in 66 total contests for the Utah Jazz, who are 16-61 this season.
It looks obvious that the Jazz are tanking for a shot at winning the Cooper Flagg lottery. At least Sensabaugh has shown up when his number has been called, averaging 10.3 points per game this season.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25940343/2208346601.jpg "Houston Rockets v Utah Jazz")
Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images
What has been impressive about Sensabaugh is how he has been shooting from long range, canning 42 percent of his three-point attempts. In the month of March, Sensabaugh averaged 12.8 points per game, which was only topped by his 14.3 points per game average from January. Pushing up that January average was a 34-point game in a 136-100 win at Miami, marking his season-high scoring total.
Head coach Will Hardy has done some weird things with his lineups and rotations, which makes you wonder if Sensabaugh’s numbers this year would be better if there was more consistently in the lineups the Jazz put on the floor.
Then again, it’s hard to fault the team for doing what they are doing if they feel like they have a real shot at winning the lottery and bringing Flagg to Salt Lake City.
Another Ohio State alum who is trying to make a name for himself on a bad team is Jamison Battle, who spent last year in Columbus after transferring from Minnesota. Battle would go undrafted in June, signing a two-way contract with the Raptors in October.
Battle would impress Toronto enough to have his contract converted into a standard three-year contract in early February.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25940345/2206499341.jpg "Toronto Raptors v Brooklyn Nets")
So far this season Battle has played in 54 games, starting seven times. With Toronto eliminated from playoff contention, Battle has seen an uptick in minutes recently. In March, Battle played 26.7 minutes per game, and so far in April he has averaged 27.5 minutes per game.
To close out March, Battle scored 16 points at Philadelphia, pushing his scoring average for the month to 9.5 points per game. The only game this season where Battle scored more points came at the end of November when he poured in 24 points at New Orleans.
Despite his role having shrunk this year, at least Jae’Sean Tate is playing on a team headed to the playoffs, which is more than the majority of former Buckeyes in the NBA can say. Tate has played in 49 games, starting two contests for the Houston Rockets, who have already clinched the Southwest Division. The Pickerington native is averaging 11.3 minutes per game this year, having played at least 20 minutes in just five games.
Even though Tate hasn’t played a ton this year, he could be invaluable for the Rockets in the playoffs because of how he can do a little bit of everything on the court. If Houston needs someone to come off the bench and give them a gritty performance, head coach Ime Udoka doesn’t need to look any further than Tate.
The most puzzling year this season for a former Buckeye certainly has to go to Malaki Branham, who looked like he was headed for a bright future with the San Antonio Spurs. After starting 61 games over his first two seasons in the NBA, this year Branham hasn’t started a game, only appearing in 43 games overall.
The lack of use has been even more surprising considering there isn’t a lot for the team to play for after Victor Wembanyama and newly acquired De’Aaron Fox have both been ruled out for the rest of the season due to injuries.
Most of the damage Branham has done on the court this year came early on when he scored at least 10 points in four games between October 28th and November 7th. The only other double digit scoring games for Branham have come recently, scoring 13 points in a blowout loss to Golden State, as well as on Wednesday night against Denver, who was resting a number of starters after a double overtime loss to Minnesota the night before.
It feels pretty obvious that Branham doesn’t factor heavily into San Antonio’s future plans. Then again, there is a lot of uncertainty with the team following the medical issue head coach Gregg Popovich was dealing with early in the year which led to assistant coach Mitch Johnson taking over for Popovich for the rest of the season.
The good news for E.J. Liddell is the Chicago Bulls have already earned a spot in the play-in tournament. The bad news for Buckeye fans is they likely won’t see Liddell play in the postseason.
If the regular season is any indication, Liddell will be glued to the bench, since he has only played in eight games in his first season with the Bulls. Since December, Liddell has only played in three games, totaling nine minutes on the court. At least three of those minutes played came on Tuesday in a win over Toronto, so maybe Liddell is working his way into head coach Billy Donovan’s good graces.
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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
Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images
While the majority of the Buckeyes in the NBA have already been eliminated from the playoffs, there are a few who will be involved in the postseason.
Currently there are seven Ohio State Buckeyes who are playing in the NBA. Even though there are some who started their career in Columbus before transferring out of the program like Micah Potter, for the purposes of today’s article we are highlighting those who either spent their whole college career as a Buckeye, or Ohio State was their last stop before moving on to the professional ranks.
Since teams have around five games left before the end of the regular season, today felt like a great time to recap how those Buckeyes in the NBA have fared this season. There have been some high moments, low moments, and some just plain weird moments during the regular season.
Ranging from an experienced veteran like Mike Conley, to rookie Jamison Battle who is trying to prove he belongs in the league, today we are giving you all you need to know in an easily digestible form.
Mike Conley - Minnesota Timberwolves
The former Ohio State point guard is now in his 18th season in the NBA. Conley has shown he can still hang with the best players in the league, playing a key role on a Minnesota squad that made the Western Conference Finals last season, and is 45-32 this year.
The Timberwolves enter Friday’s action sitting in seventh in the Western Conference, but a lot could change before the end of the regular season, as Minnesota is just two games behind the third place Denver Nuggets, who they beat in a thrilling double overtime game on Tuesday night.
Since he plays on a team loaded with talent like Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle, Naz Reid, and Donte DiVincenzo, Conley doesn’t have to do it all. The veteran is playing 25 minutes per game, which is the lowest total of his career. The good news about playing less minutes is Conley should be fresher for the playoffs.
The reduced workload has paid some dividends recently, as Conley averaged 10.2 points per game in March, which is almost two points per game better than the 8.5 points per game he is averaging this season.
If Minnesota has designs on making another deep playoff run this year, they’ll need Conley on the court since he plays tremendous defense. Conley also gives the team veteran leadership, which could come in handy at times since at times Anthony Edwards plays with his emotions on his sleeve and needs to be reeled in at times.
Getting past top-seeded Oklahoma City is going to be tough, but Minnesota has the talent to keep pace with the Thunder.
D’Angelo Russell - Brooklyn Nets
The only other former Buckeye who has been a regular starter this year is D’Angelo Russell, who started the season with the Los Angeles Lakers before being traded back to the Brooklyn Nets.
Since his second stint with the Nets began, Russell has started 26 of the 29 games he has appeared in, averaging 12.9 points per game and 5.6 assists per game. It has been obvious that Russell hasn’t been quite as engaged on the court since the trade, which is understandable since he was traded from a playoff team to a Brooklyn squad who is one of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference.
One of Russell’s better games with the Nets came on Monday when he scored 18 points and dished out 11 assists in a 113-109 win at Dallas. The best performance for Russell this year came back in December when he was still with the Lakers, scoring 28 points and finishing with 14 assists against Portland.
Russell will be an unrestricted free agent after this season.
Brice Sensabaugh - Utah Jazz
One former Buckeye who is putting up some strong numbers on a very bad team is Brice Sensabaugh. So far this season, Sensabaugh has started 10 games and appeared in 66 total contests for the Utah Jazz, who are 16-61 this season.
It looks obvious that the Jazz are tanking for a shot at winning the Cooper Flagg lottery. At least Sensabaugh has shown up when his number has been called, averaging 10.3 points per game this season.
What has been impressive about Sensabaugh is how he has been shooting from long range, canning 42 percent of his three-point attempts. In the month of March, Sensabaugh averaged 12.8 points per game, which was only topped by his 14.3 points per game average from January. Pushing up that January average was a 34-point game in a 136-100 win at Miami, marking his season-high scoring total.
Head coach Will Hardy has done some weird things with his lineups and rotations, which makes you wonder if Sensabaugh’s numbers this year would be better if there was more consistently in the lineups the Jazz put on the floor.
Then again, it’s hard to fault the team for doing what they are doing if they feel like they have a real shot at winning the lottery and bringing Flagg to Salt Lake City.
Jamison Battle - Toronto Raptors
Another Ohio State alum who is trying to make a name for himself on a bad team is Jamison Battle, who spent last year in Columbus after transferring from Minnesota. Battle would go undrafted in June, signing a two-way contract with the Raptors in October.
Battle would impress Toronto enough to have his contract converted into a standard three-year contract in early February.
So far this season Battle has played in 54 games, starting seven times. With Toronto eliminated from playoff contention, Battle has seen an uptick in minutes recently. In March, Battle played 26.7 minutes per game, and so far in April he has averaged 27.5 minutes per game.
To close out March, Battle scored 16 points at Philadelphia, pushing his scoring average for the month to 9.5 points per game. The only game this season where Battle scored more points came at the end of November when he poured in 24 points at New Orleans.
Jae’Sean Tate - Houston Rockets
Despite his role having shrunk this year, at least Jae’Sean Tate is playing on a team headed to the playoffs, which is more than the majority of former Buckeyes in the NBA can say. Tate has played in 49 games, starting two contests for the Houston Rockets, who have already clinched the Southwest Division. The Pickerington native is averaging 11.3 minutes per game this year, having played at least 20 minutes in just five games.
Even though Tate hasn’t played a ton this year, he could be invaluable for the Rockets in the playoffs because of how he can do a little bit of everything on the court. If Houston needs someone to come off the bench and give them a gritty performance, head coach Ime Udoka doesn’t need to look any further than Tate.
Malaki Branham - San Antonio Spurs
The most puzzling year this season for a former Buckeye certainly has to go to Malaki Branham, who looked like he was headed for a bright future with the San Antonio Spurs. After starting 61 games over his first two seasons in the NBA, this year Branham hasn’t started a game, only appearing in 43 games overall.
The lack of use has been even more surprising considering there isn’t a lot for the team to play for after Victor Wembanyama and newly acquired De’Aaron Fox have both been ruled out for the rest of the season due to injuries.
Most of the damage Branham has done on the court this year came early on when he scored at least 10 points in four games between October 28th and November 7th. The only other double digit scoring games for Branham have come recently, scoring 13 points in a blowout loss to Golden State, as well as on Wednesday night against Denver, who was resting a number of starters after a double overtime loss to Minnesota the night before.
It feels pretty obvious that Branham doesn’t factor heavily into San Antonio’s future plans. Then again, there is a lot of uncertainty with the team following the medical issue head coach Gregg Popovich was dealing with early in the year which led to assistant coach Mitch Johnson taking over for Popovich for the rest of the season.
E.J. Liddell - Chicago Bulls
The good news for E.J. Liddell is the Chicago Bulls have already earned a spot in the play-in tournament. The bad news for Buckeye fans is they likely won’t see Liddell play in the postseason.
If the regular season is any indication, Liddell will be glued to the bench, since he has only played in eight games in his first season with the Bulls. Since December, Liddell has only played in three games, totaling nine minutes on the court. At least three of those minutes played came on Tuesday in a win over Toronto, so maybe Liddell is working his way into head coach Billy Donovan’s good graces.
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LGHL The Ohio State men’s basketball team got better on Thursday
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The Ohio State men’s basketball team got better on Thursday
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images
Jake Diebler added a starter via the portal and returned a starter on the same day.
Things have been a little tense for Ohio State fans over the past 10 days. They’ve watched a few great players with Columbus roots enter the transfer portal, consider Ohio State, and then go elsewhere. They’ve watched their biggest rival swipe a player that was also considering Ohio State, and the status of the team’s best player was up in the air as well, as he weighed staying, transferring, or going pro.
Meanwhile, teams all across the country like UConn, Baylor, Miami, and Louisville were walking down the aisles of the transfer portal supermarket and throwing anything they wanted into their shopping cart without even checking the price.
Well take a deep breath, Ohio State fans. Your favorite team got a whole lot better on Thursday.
It started with head coach Jake Diebler announcing that Bruce Thornton, the team’s leading scorer for the past two seasons and a three-time captain, would be returning for his senior season. He expects Thornton to enter the 2025 NBA Draft and work out for teams to get feedback on his game, but ultimately expects Bruce (who is not projected to be a draft pick) to return to Ohio State.
It goes without saying that Bruce Thornton’s return is massive for not just the team, but the program and the fanbase. Aside from the fact that Thornton is a phenomenal player, he’s a rare occurrence — someone who stayed at the same school all four years. It’s tougher and tougher these days for kids to grow up and have a “favorite player” in college, because players are constantly changing teams. Thornton is one of the few exceptions.
Later Thursday afternoon, former Santa Clara center Christoph Tilly — a 7-foot tall, 240-pound center who was born in Germany but spent much of his childhood in Chile, transferred to Ohio State. He averaged 12.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game last season, playing for Herb Sendek at Santa Clara.
Ohio State’s pursuit of and commitment to Tilly is a complete 180 from last year’s transfer portal strategy. Last spring, Jake Diebler swung high for the uber-talented sophomores who didn’t perform as freshmen, and it blew up in his face.
Aaron Bradshaw fell marvelously short of expectations, and this week he entered the transfer portal once again looking for a fresh start elsewhere. Sean Stewart showed more promise than Bradshaw and the arrow is pointing up for the soon-to-be junior, but ultimately 5.7 points and 5.8 rebounds per game in 18.4 minutes per game did not meet the expectations that anyone had for the former McDonald’s All-American.
Tilly is 22 years old, and has one year of college basketball left. He scored 10 or more points 22 times last season, but only scored 20 points five times. He had at least five rebounds 15 times, but only grabbed 10 or more three times. He had three double-doubles sprinkled in, including a 17-point, 12-rebound performance against UAB in the NIT.
He also did that in just 23 minutes, which was not uncommon for Tilly at Santa Clara. Despite being a starter for the last two seasons, Tilly only averaged 20.1 minutes per game as a sophomore and 22.7 minutes per game as a junior. The Broncos went nine-deep all season long, with only one player averaging 30 minutes per game or more.
Tilly was not the best center in the transfer portal, nor was he the most athletic or the most exciting. He’s not exactly a dual threat big man, having only shot 32% from three-point range last season. He’s not a hound on the glass either, grabbing roughly five rebounds per game last year. But he is something that Ohio State desperately needs this year: consistent.
While fans would have loved to add a stud center who averages 20 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks per game, those don’t grow on trees, and frankly a player with even half of those stats will make a huge difference for Ohio State.
Maye he’s a bit vanilla, but Tilly should provide the post presence this year that Ohio State so desperately needed last season.
The Buckeyes were 13th in the Big Ten in two-point field goal percentage last season (52.6%), mostly because their two-point shots were rarely by post players below the basket. More often, it was a contested jumper or floater by a guard, because defenses were so locked in on Thornton and John Mobley Jr.
If Ohio State had a viable starting center last year, opponents wouldn’t be able to ignore the paint and allow their defenders to cheat up towards the perimeter, where Thornton and Mobley were. The presence of a 7-footer who is actually an offensive threat should help with that.
Tilly shot 61.7% from two-point range last season and was an even better 63% at the rim. He didn’t draw a ton of fouls or shoot a ton of free throws, but when he did, he was a 77% free throw shooter, so he can make teams pay at the line if they foul him going to the rack. It’s not eye-popping, but he’s solid, and at 7-feet tall and 240 pounds, he’s not exactly a little fella.
What happened on Thursday isn’t going to knock anyone’s socks off, but the bottom line is that Ohio State got better yesterday. For a team that was probably one win away from making the NCAA Tournament last year, that’s all that matters.
Continue reading...
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images
Jake Diebler added a starter via the portal and returned a starter on the same day.
Things have been a little tense for Ohio State fans over the past 10 days. They’ve watched a few great players with Columbus roots enter the transfer portal, consider Ohio State, and then go elsewhere. They’ve watched their biggest rival swipe a player that was also considering Ohio State, and the status of the team’s best player was up in the air as well, as he weighed staying, transferring, or going pro.
Meanwhile, teams all across the country like UConn, Baylor, Miami, and Louisville were walking down the aisles of the transfer portal supermarket and throwing anything they wanted into their shopping cart without even checking the price.
Well take a deep breath, Ohio State fans. Your favorite team got a whole lot better on Thursday.
It started with head coach Jake Diebler announcing that Bruce Thornton, the team’s leading scorer for the past two seasons and a three-time captain, would be returning for his senior season. He expects Thornton to enter the 2025 NBA Draft and work out for teams to get feedback on his game, but ultimately expects Bruce (who is not projected to be a draft pick) to return to Ohio State.
It goes without saying that Bruce Thornton’s return is massive for not just the team, but the program and the fanbase. Aside from the fact that Thornton is a phenomenal player, he’s a rare occurrence — someone who stayed at the same school all four years. It’s tougher and tougher these days for kids to grow up and have a “favorite player” in college, because players are constantly changing teams. Thornton is one of the few exceptions.
Later Thursday afternoon, former Santa Clara center Christoph Tilly — a 7-foot tall, 240-pound center who was born in Germany but spent much of his childhood in Chile, transferred to Ohio State. He averaged 12.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game last season, playing for Herb Sendek at Santa Clara.
Ohio State’s pursuit of and commitment to Tilly is a complete 180 from last year’s transfer portal strategy. Last spring, Jake Diebler swung high for the uber-talented sophomores who didn’t perform as freshmen, and it blew up in his face.
Aaron Bradshaw fell marvelously short of expectations, and this week he entered the transfer portal once again looking for a fresh start elsewhere. Sean Stewart showed more promise than Bradshaw and the arrow is pointing up for the soon-to-be junior, but ultimately 5.7 points and 5.8 rebounds per game in 18.4 minutes per game did not meet the expectations that anyone had for the former McDonald’s All-American.
Tilly is 22 years old, and has one year of college basketball left. He scored 10 or more points 22 times last season, but only scored 20 points five times. He had at least five rebounds 15 times, but only grabbed 10 or more three times. He had three double-doubles sprinkled in, including a 17-point, 12-rebound performance against UAB in the NIT.
He also did that in just 23 minutes, which was not uncommon for Tilly at Santa Clara. Despite being a starter for the last two seasons, Tilly only averaged 20.1 minutes per game as a sophomore and 22.7 minutes per game as a junior. The Broncos went nine-deep all season long, with only one player averaging 30 minutes per game or more.
Tilly was not the best center in the transfer portal, nor was he the most athletic or the most exciting. He’s not exactly a dual threat big man, having only shot 32% from three-point range last season. He’s not a hound on the glass either, grabbing roughly five rebounds per game last year. But he is something that Ohio State desperately needs this year: consistent.
While fans would have loved to add a stud center who averages 20 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks per game, those don’t grow on trees, and frankly a player with even half of those stats will make a huge difference for Ohio State.
Maye he’s a bit vanilla, but Tilly should provide the post presence this year that Ohio State so desperately needed last season.
The Buckeyes were 13th in the Big Ten in two-point field goal percentage last season (52.6%), mostly because their two-point shots were rarely by post players below the basket. More often, it was a contested jumper or floater by a guard, because defenses were so locked in on Thornton and John Mobley Jr.
If Ohio State had a viable starting center last year, opponents wouldn’t be able to ignore the paint and allow their defenders to cheat up towards the perimeter, where Thornton and Mobley were. The presence of a 7-footer who is actually an offensive threat should help with that.
Tilly shot 61.7% from two-point range last season and was an even better 63% at the rim. He didn’t draw a ton of fouls or shoot a ton of free throws, but when he did, he was a 77% free throw shooter, so he can make teams pay at the line if they foul him going to the rack. It’s not eye-popping, but he’s solid, and at 7-feet tall and 240 pounds, he’s not exactly a little fella.
What happened on Thursday isn’t going to knock anyone’s socks off, but the bottom line is that Ohio State got better yesterday. For a team that was probably one win away from making the NCAA Tournament last year, that’s all that matters.
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LGHL You’re Nuts: Will Bruce Thornton become Ohio State’s all-time leading scorer?
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You’re Nuts: Will Bruce Thornton become Ohio State’s all-time leading scorer?
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images
Jake Diebler announced on Thursday morning that Thornton would return for his fourth and final season.
After a no-good, very bad April Fool’s day earlier this week, the Ohio State men’s basketball program had a much better April Third day on the roster front.
At about 7:45 a.m. head coach Jake Diebler announced during a quick radio interview that he’s expecting Thornton to go through with the NBA Draft process and then ultimately return to Ohio State for his senior season. Thornton is currently not projected to be selected in any major mock draft services as of this week.
Then, around 3:00 p.m. former Santa Clara center Christoph Tilly announced on Instagram that he would be transferring to Ohio State. He will start for the Buckeyes, and will hopefully relieve some of the defensive pressure on Ohio State’s guards by providing an offensive presence down low.
Last week, Connor and Justin debated which player who in the transfer portal (at the time) Ohio State should put on the full-court press for. Connor picked former Xavier forward Dailyn Swain, while Justin picked former West Virginia guard Jonathan Powell. 74% of the readers agreed with Connor with the choice of Swain.
Ironically, both of those players have transferred elsewhere since last week — Swain followed his former coach, Sean Miller to Austin to play for Texas. Powell committed to North Carolina on Tuesday night after (allegedly) doing a zoom call with the Carolina coaching staff.
Connor- 89
Thornton’s eyes will be on making the NCAA Tournament in his final season, but a lot of fans will also be keeping an eye on the all-time scoring record, currently held by Dennis Hopson at 2,096 points.
He’ll either need to increase his points per game, or increase his total games played from this season, but that number is attainable if things go right and he stays healthy. How close will he get?
By this time next year, I think Bruce Thornton will be the all-time leading scorer in Ohio State men’s basketball history. Thornton currently has 1,487 career points, so he’s 609 points away from tying the record, and 610 away from breaking it.
He’d need to put up another All-Conference-caliber season, but that’s sort of the expectation with Thornton at this point. It would also behoove Ohio State to make the NCAA Tournament next year for obvious reasons, but also to help Bruce get the record. A few extra games could be the difference between him finishing first, second, or third in the record book.
Thornton averaged 17.7 points per game last season. If he ups that a tiny bit to 18 points per game — which might be underselling him a little bit — then he’d need to play 34 games next season to claim the all-time scoring record.
This past season, Ohio State played 32 games, including one Big Ten Tournament game and zero NCAA Tournament games. This is a make-or-break year for Jake Diebler, so I’m going off of the assumption here that Ohio State will make the NCAA Tournament.
If the Buckeyes play two games in the Big Ten Tournament, and make it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament (hypothetically), that puts the Bruce at 35 games — assuming health. At an 18 points per game pace, 35 games would do it.
I also think the addition of former Santa Clara center Christoph Tilly will help Thornton maintain and probably improve his scoring pace. Ohio State did not have any type of offensive presence under the basket this past season, so opponents didn’t have to respect Ohio State in that area. That made Thornton’s shots tighter, more pressured, and more contested. With Tilly next season, I think Thornton will get a few more open, less crowded shots.
It seems like I am being negative because I am saying no, but I am actually being positive.I don’t think Thornton will break the scoring record simply because I think the Buckeyes will be improved next year, and more guys will help out in the scoring column.
This past year, the only real help Thornton had scoring for most of the season was John Mobley, Micah Parrish, and Devin Royal — and all three of them were inconsistent for the most part. Mobley and Royal are coming back to Columbus and will both be ready to take scoring jumps this year.
Now, the Buckeyes have announced they are bringing in Christoph Tilley, a 7-foot center from Santa Clara who averaged almost 13 points per game last year. They also have two more spots to fill, and one of those spots will likely be filled by starting-level player and backup guard Taison Chatman, who is returning from a season-ending injury.
All of these guys can score the ball and will help take the burden off Thornton when it comes to scoring the ball. As we have seen from his three years in Columbus, Thornton is the opposite of a selfish player and will let others get their opportunity.
I think he will get close, but fall just short since so many others on the team can score.
Continue reading...
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images
Jake Diebler announced on Thursday morning that Thornton would return for his fourth and final season.
After a no-good, very bad April Fool’s day earlier this week, the Ohio State men’s basketball program had a much better April Third day on the roster front.
At about 7:45 a.m. head coach Jake Diebler announced during a quick radio interview that he’s expecting Thornton to go through with the NBA Draft process and then ultimately return to Ohio State for his senior season. Thornton is currently not projected to be selected in any major mock draft services as of this week.
Then, around 3:00 p.m. former Santa Clara center Christoph Tilly announced on Instagram that he would be transferring to Ohio State. He will start for the Buckeyes, and will hopefully relieve some of the defensive pressure on Ohio State’s guards by providing an offensive presence down low.
Last week, Connor and Justin debated which player who in the transfer portal (at the time) Ohio State should put on the full-court press for. Connor picked former Xavier forward Dailyn Swain, while Justin picked former West Virginia guard Jonathan Powell. 74% of the readers agreed with Connor with the choice of Swain.
Ironically, both of those players have transferred elsewhere since last week — Swain followed his former coach, Sean Miller to Austin to play for Texas. Powell committed to North Carolina on Tuesday night after (allegedly) doing a zoom call with the Carolina coaching staff.
After 198 weeks:
Connor- 89
Justin- 84
Other- 19
(There have been six ties)
Thornton’s eyes will be on making the NCAA Tournament in his final season, but a lot of fans will also be keeping an eye on the all-time scoring record, currently held by Dennis Hopson at 2,096 points.
He’ll either need to increase his points per game, or increase his total games played from this season, but that number is attainable if things go right and he stays healthy. How close will he get?
This week’s question: Will Bruce Thornton become Ohio State’s all-time leading scorer?
Connor: Yes
By this time next year, I think Bruce Thornton will be the all-time leading scorer in Ohio State men’s basketball history. Thornton currently has 1,487 career points, so he’s 609 points away from tying the record, and 610 away from breaking it.
He’d need to put up another All-Conference-caliber season, but that’s sort of the expectation with Thornton at this point. It would also behoove Ohio State to make the NCAA Tournament next year for obvious reasons, but also to help Bruce get the record. A few extra games could be the difference between him finishing first, second, or third in the record book.
Thornton averaged 17.7 points per game last season. If he ups that a tiny bit to 18 points per game — which might be underselling him a little bit — then he’d need to play 34 games next season to claim the all-time scoring record.
This past season, Ohio State played 32 games, including one Big Ten Tournament game and zero NCAA Tournament games. This is a make-or-break year for Jake Diebler, so I’m going off of the assumption here that Ohio State will make the NCAA Tournament.
If the Buckeyes play two games in the Big Ten Tournament, and make it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament (hypothetically), that puts the Bruce at 35 games — assuming health. At an 18 points per game pace, 35 games would do it.
I also think the addition of former Santa Clara center Christoph Tilly will help Thornton maintain and probably improve his scoring pace. Ohio State did not have any type of offensive presence under the basket this past season, so opponents didn’t have to respect Ohio State in that area. That made Thornton’s shots tighter, more pressured, and more contested. With Tilly next season, I think Thornton will get a few more open, less crowded shots.
Justin: No
It seems like I am being negative because I am saying no, but I am actually being positive.I don’t think Thornton will break the scoring record simply because I think the Buckeyes will be improved next year, and more guys will help out in the scoring column.
This past year, the only real help Thornton had scoring for most of the season was John Mobley, Micah Parrish, and Devin Royal — and all three of them were inconsistent for the most part. Mobley and Royal are coming back to Columbus and will both be ready to take scoring jumps this year.
Now, the Buckeyes have announced they are bringing in Christoph Tilley, a 7-foot center from Santa Clara who averaged almost 13 points per game last year. They also have two more spots to fill, and one of those spots will likely be filled by starting-level player and backup guard Taison Chatman, who is returning from a season-ending injury.
All of these guys can score the ball and will help take the burden off Thornton when it comes to scoring the ball. As we have seen from his three years in Columbus, Thornton is the opposite of a selfish player and will let others get their opportunity.
I think he will get close, but fall just short since so many others on the team can score.
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LGHL Football, men’s basketball Buckeyes both get big BOOMs as Spring Game is officially back on
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Football, men’s basketball Buckeyes both get big BOOMs as Spring Game is officially back on
Matt Tamanini 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/Getty Images
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
Subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network for all of your Ohio State needs
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
Four-star safety prospect Simeon Caldwell commits to Ohio State
Jeremy Birmingham, Dotting The Eyes
4-star safety Simeon Caldwell commits to Ohio State: ‘I just feel different there’
Chad Simmons, On3
Safety/linebacker Simeon Caldwell commits to Ohio State
Bill Kurelic, Bucknuts
What the addition of Simeon Caldwell means for Ohio State
Mick Walker, Lettermen Row
Social media reacted after elite safety/linebacker Simeon Caldwell committed to Ohio State
Bill Kurelic, Bucknuts
Football: Offensive Line Meets with the Media
Ohio State Athletics
Quick Hits: Tyler Bowen Impressed with Offensive Line Depth, Carson Hinzman Strives to Be A Leader and Ohio State Was Phillip Daniels’ “Dream School”
Chase Brown, Dan Hope, Andy Anders, and Garrick Hodge; Eleven Warriors
With starting experience, Buckeyes interior offensive line should be a strength
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Tyler Bowen impressed with Ohio State’s offensive line depth | Who is standing out this spring?
Dave Biddle, Bucknuts
OL Phillip Daniels found his ‘dream school’ in transfer to Ohio State
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
Rice transfer Onianwa has impressed at left tackle for Ohio State
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch
Football: Spring Practice & Spring Game Updates; Tickets – $8 – on Sale Now
Ohio State Athletics
Three areas of concern for Ohio State football ahead of the 2025 season
Brett Ludwiczak, Land-Grant Holy Land
One Last Lap: Bruce Thornton announces return to Ohio State
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State lands 7-foot transfer center Christoph Tilly from Santa Clara
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Santa Clara’s Christoph Tilly discusses Ohio State transfer, likely role
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
What addition of former Santa Clara center Christoph Tilly means for Ohio State
Mick Walker, Lettermen Row
OSU’s Kary Hollenbaugh makes final round of Augusta National Amateur
Dave Purpura, The Columbus Dispatch
Men’s Volleyball: No. 18 Ohio State Remains Hot, Downs Visiting Ball State, 3-1
Ohio State Athletics
Softball: Buckeyes Start West Coast Trip with 8-0 Win over Long Beach State
Ohio State Athletics
Flo told Tom Cruise to hold her beer
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
For your Earholes...
Subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network for all of your Ohio State needs
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
Buckeyes Keep BOOOOOMing
Four-star safety prospect Simeon Caldwell commits to Ohio State
Jeremy Birmingham, Dotting The Eyes
4-star safety Simeon Caldwell commits to Ohio State: ‘I just feel different there’
Chad Simmons, On3
Safety/linebacker Simeon Caldwell commits to Ohio State
Bill Kurelic, Bucknuts
What the addition of Simeon Caldwell means for Ohio State
Mick Walker, Lettermen Row
Social media reacted after elite safety/linebacker Simeon Caldwell committed to Ohio State
Bill Kurelic, Bucknuts
On the Gridiron
Football: Offensive Line Meets with the Media
Ohio State Athletics
Quick Hits: Tyler Bowen Impressed with Offensive Line Depth, Carson Hinzman Strives to Be A Leader and Ohio State Was Phillip Daniels’ “Dream School”
Chase Brown, Dan Hope, Andy Anders, and Garrick Hodge; Eleven Warriors
With starting experience, Buckeyes interior offensive line should be a strength
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Iron sharpens Iron
BIA x Zone 6 pic.twitter.com/nB9CJhd8zs
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) April 3, 2025
Tyler Bowen impressed with Ohio State’s offensive line depth | Who is standing out this spring?
Dave Biddle, Bucknuts
OL Phillip Daniels found his ‘dream school’ in transfer to Ohio State
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
Rice transfer Onianwa has impressed at left tackle for Ohio State
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch
The Reigning Champs are back April 12 for the Spring Game️
Let’s show the world who the Best Damn Fans in the Land are
️ https://t.co/ZSYfQoVbqk pic.twitter.com/ECjHQaOMPu
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) April 3, 2025
Football: Spring Practice & Spring Game Updates; Tickets – $8 – on Sale Now
Ohio State Athletics
Three areas of concern for Ohio State football ahead of the 2025 season
Brett Ludwiczak, Land-Grant Holy Land
On the Hardwood
One Last Lap: Bruce Thornton announces return to Ohio State
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State lands 7-foot transfer center Christoph Tilly from Santa Clara
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Santa Clara’s Christoph Tilly discusses Ohio State transfer, likely role
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
What addition of former Santa Clara center Christoph Tilly means for Ohio State
Mick Walker, Lettermen Row
Outside the Shoe and Schott
OSU’s Kary Hollenbaugh makes final round of Augusta National Amateur
Dave Purpura, The Columbus Dispatch
Men’s Volleyball: No. 18 Ohio State Remains Hot, Downs Visiting Ball State, 3-1
Ohio State Athletics
Softball: Buckeyes Start West Coast Trip with 8-0 Win over Long Beach State
Ohio State Athletics
And now for something completely different...
Flo told Tom Cruise to hold her beer
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