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LGHL Ohio State sophomore Faith Carson enters transfer portal
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Ohio State sophomore Faith Carson enters transfer portal
ThomasCostello 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
The center out of Michigan is the first player to announce their intent to join the portal in the 2025 Ohio State offseason
The offseason started for Ohio State women’s basketball Sunday night after an 82-67 defeat to the Tennessee Volunteers. Less than 24 hours later and the Buckeyes have their first player join the transfer portal when sophomore center Faith Carson announced on Instagram their potential move out of Ohio State.
Carson joined the Scarlet and Gray out of Buchanan, Michigan, a town 17 miles north of South Bend, Indiana, on the Southwest corner of Michigan.
In seven games, Carson scored four points with eight rebounds. Carson’s first game accounted for two of those points and half of the rebounds when the then freshman played three minutes against IUPUI on Nov. 12, 2023.
The 6-foot-4 center did not win a spot in the usual rotation in her first season behind starting forward Rebeka Mikulášiková, with Taiyier Parks and Eboni Walker coming in for Mikulášiková. That meant Carson only played in games where Ohio State amassed big leads over their opponents.
Head coach Kevin McGuff put Carson, junior guard Kaia Henderson and freshmen forwards Seini Henry and Ella Hobbs into an inevitable redshirt season when McGuff ruled them out every game of the season. In NCAA women’s college basketball, players cannot play any minutes and still earn a redshirt season, unless there is an injury involved.
That redshirt year gives Carson three years of eligibility for the Michigan 2023 Division III Player of the Year, and No. 1 ranked Michigan recruit for four consecutive seasons. Carson also lettered in volleyball in her time in high school.
This season, Ohio State brought in forward Ajae Petty, had one more season of Walker’s services and 6-foot-6 freshman Elsa Lemmilä picked up the other minutes in the post for the Buckeyes.
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ThomasCostello 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
The center out of Michigan is the first player to announce their intent to join the portal in the 2025 Ohio State offseason
The offseason started for Ohio State women’s basketball Sunday night after an 82-67 defeat to the Tennessee Volunteers. Less than 24 hours later and the Buckeyes have their first player join the transfer portal when sophomore center Faith Carson announced on Instagram their potential move out of Ohio State.
Carson joined the Scarlet and Gray out of Buchanan, Michigan, a town 17 miles north of South Bend, Indiana, on the Southwest corner of Michigan.
In seven games, Carson scored four points with eight rebounds. Carson’s first game accounted for two of those points and half of the rebounds when the then freshman played three minutes against IUPUI on Nov. 12, 2023.
The 6-foot-4 center did not win a spot in the usual rotation in her first season behind starting forward Rebeka Mikulášiková, with Taiyier Parks and Eboni Walker coming in for Mikulášiková. That meant Carson only played in games where Ohio State amassed big leads over their opponents.
Head coach Kevin McGuff put Carson, junior guard Kaia Henderson and freshmen forwards Seini Henry and Ella Hobbs into an inevitable redshirt season when McGuff ruled them out every game of the season. In NCAA women’s college basketball, players cannot play any minutes and still earn a redshirt season, unless there is an injury involved.
That redshirt year gives Carson three years of eligibility for the Michigan 2023 Division III Player of the Year, and No. 1 ranked Michigan recruit for four consecutive seasons. Carson also lettered in volleyball in her time in high school.
This season, Ohio State brought in forward Ajae Petty, had one more season of Walker’s services and 6-foot-6 freshman Elsa Lemmilä picked up the other minutes in the post for the Buckeyes.
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2026 MO LB Jacob Eberhart (Illinois Verbal)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
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247
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HudL
Class: 2027
Position: LB
School: Kirkwood(MO) Kirkwood
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 210lbs
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Rivals
HudL
Class: 2027
Position: LB
School: Kirkwood(MO) Kirkwood
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 210lbs
Login to view embedded media
LGHL Buckeye Memories: Eddie George’s biggest games at Ohio State
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Buckeye Memories: Eddie George’s biggest games at Ohio State
Michael Citro 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
Now that the former Heisman Trophy winner is coaching in the Buckeye State, it’s worth remembering his time as a player.
On March 9, former Ohio State running back Eddie George was named head coach at Bowling Green, signing a five-year deal to lead the Falcons after a successful stint at Tennessee State. With the 1995 Heisman Trophy winner and unanimous All-American set to return to the Buckeye State as a coach, it’s the perfect time to look back on his time in Columbus as a player at Ohio State.
After all, it’s been three decades — it hurts me just to type that part — since George etched his name in college football history. Most of today’s OSU seniors weren’t even born yet when George played. They weren’t around for to take part in the chants of “EDDIE! EDDIE! EDDIE!”, so a little history lesson is not only in order, but also fun.
Here are some of the greatest games in the OSU playing career of Edward Nathan George, Jr.
Although George rushed for more yards in 1994 at Michigan State than he did in this game, I’m putting this one in my top three for a couple of reasons. First, that 1994 Spartans team was bad, going just 4-4-0 in Big Ten play before forfeiting all wins that season after investigations into the football program. Eddie ran for 219 yards and two touchdowns — including a 76-yarder — on Oct. 15, 1994 to lead the Buckeyes to a 23-7 road win.
The second reason I’ve got this game above that MSU road contest is because I was at this game, which featured an insane amount of hype because the Buckeyes and Fighting Irish hadn’t played in a long time. It had been 60 years since Notre Dame had last played in Ohio Stadium, and it was a tough ticket to get. A then-record crowd of 95,537 were on hand in the Shoe to see John Cooper’s Buckeyes face Lou Holtz’s Fighting Irish, who took an early two-score lead at 10-0.
While the big plays were mostly limited to the OSU defene taking the ball away and Bobby Hoying’s passing to Terry Glenn, George had one of his own on a 61-yard run. Other than that, he was a steady beast, carrying 32 times for 207 yards and a pair of touchdowns, leading a 31-9 second half, en route to a convincing 45-26 win over Notre Dame. He also caught three passes for 22 yards.
George’s third-most rushing yards in a game came against a ranked Washington Huskies team at home during his 1995 Heisman Trophy-winning season. Ohio State took care of business against the Huskies that day, racing out to a 30-7 lead before giving up a couple of late cosmetic scores.
Along the way, George was his usual dominant self, rushing 36 times for 212 yards to become the first back in school history to hit the 200-yard mark three times in his career. George figured in the scoring with a pair of touchdown runs. His 7-yard scoring run in the second quarter put the Buckeyes ahead 23-7, and he added a 16-yard touchdown in the third quarter to push Ohio State’s lead to 23 points at 30-7.
His longest run of the game went for 51 yards. That run in the second quarter set up his first touchdown of the day. [Check the video below at the 1:04:00 mark to see Eddie gash the Huskies and then score a few plays later]
While Illinois wasn’t the best opponent on Ohio State’s schedule, the Fighting Illini were a bit of a bogeyman team for the Buckeyes at times in those days. They were difficult to play in their wind tunnel of a stadium, and the teams battled annually for the Illibuck Trophy, taking that trophy game seriously.
Ohio State had lost the 1994 home meeting — a quirk of the schedule putting the matchup in Columbus two straight years — meaning the Buckeyes hadn’t beaten the Illini at home in Eddie’s career.
George had his own personal complicated history with Illinois, having fumbled twice deep in the red zone during his freshman season. The Illini’s Jeff Arneson returned the first of those fumbles 96 yards for a touchdown. The second came at the 1-yard line late in the game with the Buckeyes up by one point. Illinois drove down the field for the winning field goal, edging Ohio State 18-16. George was hardly used the rest of that season.
Eddie got his revenge in 1995, setting a school record with 314 rushing yards, a mark that stood until the 2020 Big Ten Championship Game, when Trey Sermon went for 331 against Northwestern. George was on a mission that day against Illinois, carrying 36 times, averaging 8.7 yards per attempt, and scoring two rushing touchdowns (along with the aforementioned 314 yards).
His two scoring runs covered 64 yards and 13 yards — both in the third quarter. Eddie also caught a team-high four passes for 32 yards, including a 13-yard touchdown near the end of the third quarter. That gave George three consecutive Buckeye touchdowns in the third quarter to help Ohio State blow out Illinois 41-3.
Eddie’s legacy is carved in stone at Ohio State. A Heisman Trophy and a tree in Buckeye Grove followed a 1995 season that saw him rush for a school-record 1,927 yards on 328 attempts, scoring 24 touchdowns. He averaged 148 yards per game and 5.88 yards per carry. He also caught 47 passes in 1995 for 417 yards and the one touchdown against Illinois.
Although J.K. Dobbins beat his single-season school record in 2019, George’s 1,927 yards is still the second best rushing season in Ohio State lore. George is still tied for the school record for most 200-yard rushing games in a season (3) and a career (5) with Ezekiel Elliott. His 12 consecutive 100-yard games in 1995 is the most in one season and the third-most consecutive times hitting the century mark in an OSU career.
He rushed for at least 100 yards 20 times in his college career, which is third most in school history behind Archie Griffin and Elliott. Only Griffin, Dobbins, and Elliott have amassed more career rushing yards than Eddie’s 3,768.
Whether George ends up being a successful coach at Bowling Green or not, his place as an elite running back — both at Ohio State and in the NFL — is unquestionable.
Continue reading...
Michael Citro 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
Now that the former Heisman Trophy winner is coaching in the Buckeye State, it’s worth remembering his time as a player.
On March 9, former Ohio State running back Eddie George was named head coach at Bowling Green, signing a five-year deal to lead the Falcons after a successful stint at Tennessee State. With the 1995 Heisman Trophy winner and unanimous All-American set to return to the Buckeye State as a coach, it’s the perfect time to look back on his time in Columbus as a player at Ohio State.
After all, it’s been three decades — it hurts me just to type that part — since George etched his name in college football history. Most of today’s OSU seniors weren’t even born yet when George played. They weren’t around for to take part in the chants of “EDDIE! EDDIE! EDDIE!”, so a little history lesson is not only in order, but also fun.
Here are some of the greatest games in the OSU playing career of Edward Nathan George, Jr.
Sept. 30, 1995 vs. No. 15 Notre Dame
Although George rushed for more yards in 1994 at Michigan State than he did in this game, I’m putting this one in my top three for a couple of reasons. First, that 1994 Spartans team was bad, going just 4-4-0 in Big Ten play before forfeiting all wins that season after investigations into the football program. Eddie ran for 219 yards and two touchdowns — including a 76-yarder — on Oct. 15, 1994 to lead the Buckeyes to a 23-7 road win.
The second reason I’ve got this game above that MSU road contest is because I was at this game, which featured an insane amount of hype because the Buckeyes and Fighting Irish hadn’t played in a long time. It had been 60 years since Notre Dame had last played in Ohio Stadium, and it was a tough ticket to get. A then-record crowd of 95,537 were on hand in the Shoe to see John Cooper’s Buckeyes face Lou Holtz’s Fighting Irish, who took an early two-score lead at 10-0.
While the big plays were mostly limited to the OSU defene taking the ball away and Bobby Hoying’s passing to Terry Glenn, George had one of his own on a 61-yard run. Other than that, he was a steady beast, carrying 32 times for 207 yards and a pair of touchdowns, leading a 31-9 second half, en route to a convincing 45-26 win over Notre Dame. He also caught three passes for 22 yards.
Sept. 16, 1995 vs. No. 18 Washington
George’s third-most rushing yards in a game came against a ranked Washington Huskies team at home during his 1995 Heisman Trophy-winning season. Ohio State took care of business against the Huskies that day, racing out to a 30-7 lead before giving up a couple of late cosmetic scores.
Along the way, George was his usual dominant self, rushing 36 times for 212 yards to become the first back in school history to hit the 200-yard mark three times in his career. George figured in the scoring with a pair of touchdown runs. His 7-yard scoring run in the second quarter put the Buckeyes ahead 23-7, and he added a 16-yard touchdown in the third quarter to push Ohio State’s lead to 23 points at 30-7.
His longest run of the game went for 51 yards. That run in the second quarter set up his first touchdown of the day. [Check the video below at the 1:04:00 mark to see Eddie gash the Huskies and then score a few plays later]
Nov. 11, 1995 vs. Illinois
While Illinois wasn’t the best opponent on Ohio State’s schedule, the Fighting Illini were a bit of a bogeyman team for the Buckeyes at times in those days. They were difficult to play in their wind tunnel of a stadium, and the teams battled annually for the Illibuck Trophy, taking that trophy game seriously.
Ohio State had lost the 1994 home meeting — a quirk of the schedule putting the matchup in Columbus two straight years — meaning the Buckeyes hadn’t beaten the Illini at home in Eddie’s career.
George had his own personal complicated history with Illinois, having fumbled twice deep in the red zone during his freshman season. The Illini’s Jeff Arneson returned the first of those fumbles 96 yards for a touchdown. The second came at the 1-yard line late in the game with the Buckeyes up by one point. Illinois drove down the field for the winning field goal, edging Ohio State 18-16. George was hardly used the rest of that season.
Eddie got his revenge in 1995, setting a school record with 314 rushing yards, a mark that stood until the 2020 Big Ten Championship Game, when Trey Sermon went for 331 against Northwestern. George was on a mission that day against Illinois, carrying 36 times, averaging 8.7 yards per attempt, and scoring two rushing touchdowns (along with the aforementioned 314 yards).
His two scoring runs covered 64 yards and 13 yards — both in the third quarter. Eddie also caught a team-high four passes for 32 yards, including a 13-yard touchdown near the end of the third quarter. That gave George three consecutive Buckeye touchdowns in the third quarter to help Ohio State blow out Illinois 41-3.
Eddie’s legacy is carved in stone at Ohio State. A Heisman Trophy and a tree in Buckeye Grove followed a 1995 season that saw him rush for a school-record 1,927 yards on 328 attempts, scoring 24 touchdowns. He averaged 148 yards per game and 5.88 yards per carry. He also caught 47 passes in 1995 for 417 yards and the one touchdown against Illinois.
Although J.K. Dobbins beat his single-season school record in 2019, George’s 1,927 yards is still the second best rushing season in Ohio State lore. George is still tied for the school record for most 200-yard rushing games in a season (3) and a career (5) with Ezekiel Elliott. His 12 consecutive 100-yard games in 1995 is the most in one season and the third-most consecutive times hitting the century mark in an OSU career.
He rushed for at least 100 yards 20 times in his college career, which is third most in school history behind Archie Griffin and Elliott. Only Griffin, Dobbins, and Elliott have amassed more career rushing yards than Eddie’s 3,768.
Whether George ends up being a successful coach at Bowling Green or not, his place as an elite running back — both at Ohio State and in the NFL — is unquestionable.
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LGHL Ohio State hosts nation’s No. 1 OL, sends out trio of new offers
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Ohio State hosts nation’s No. 1 OL, sends out trio of new offers
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2026 OT Jackson Cantwell (left) and his family with Ryan Day | via @jcantwell2499 on Twitter
The Buckeyes continue to utilize their spring practice periods as an asset on the recruiting trail.
The first week of spring practice is now in the books for Ohio State, and with it came a great early glimpse of this current crop of Buckeyes. Additionally, it has already provided the coaching staff with an excellent recruiting tool, as prospects from all across the country have flocked to Columbus to watch the reigning national champions prepare for next season.
One of those prospects was none other than Jackson Cantwell, the No. 1 overall player in the 2026 class as well as, of course, the top offensive tackle in the cycle. The Missouri native just wrapped up a multi-day visit to Ohio State, his second trip to the school after taking in one of the Buckeyes’ College Football Playoff practices back in December.
Ryan Day and Tyler Bowen are obviously making a heavy push for the five-star offensive lineman. Cantwell was the first player Day made a trip to visit shortly after Ohio State won its title, and Bowen is making up for lost time after joining the Buckeyes’ staff in February. Ohio State is included among Cantwell’s top six schools, but is the only one of the group without an official visit date set. Bowen will look to change that coming off this most recent visit.
Elsewhere, Ohio State sent out a trio of new offers following spring practice on Friday.
Remaining on the offensive line theme, one of those offers went out to 2026 IOL Tucker Smith. The 6-foot-5, 280-pound recruit is the No. 10 player out of his home state of Arizona as well as the No. 68 IOL in the country, per 247Sports’ rankings.
Smith holds a dozen offers to his name from the likes of Arizona State, Kansas State, Minnesota, USC, Washington and now Ohio State. Despite being listed as an interior lineman, Smith plays tackle at Sandra Day O’Connor, showcasing his versatility and being know for playing with an edge. His recruitment has seen a bit of an uptick at the turn of the calendar, having also recently been named Arizona Republic’s First Team All-Arizona.
A last name that will likely sound familiar to football fans, Ohio State also extended an offer on Friday to 2027 safety/linebacker, Cooper Witten — the son of 11-time Pro Bowl tight end, Jason Witten. The former is the No. 1 safety and No. 24 player nationally per the 247Sports Composite, but James Laurinaitis and the Buckeyes are recruiting the multi-talented prospect as a linebacker.
“I was really excited to get that offer from Ohio State because they are an elite program coming off of an outstanding season,” Witten told Bucknuts. “It was my first time [at Ohio State] seeing everything, so it was super cool seeing what they are all about. I got to spend some time with coach (James) Laurinaitis on the visit and he is a great coach who has a big heart for the players.”
A true do-it-all type of athlete, Witten plays multiple positions on the football field as well as playing basketball and running track. As a freshman in 2023, the 6-foot-2 multi-level defender registered 82 tackles, four TFLs, two picks and two forced fumbles while also blocking three kicks. Witten plans to make a return trip to Columbus in the fall to see the Buckeyes in action.
Last but not least, Ohio State also sent out an offer on Friday afternoon to 2027 athlete, Nate Carson. The 6-foot-4, 270-pound lineman plays both offensive tackle and defensive end, but the Buckeyes are recruiting him on offense.
Ohio State is among the early offers for Carson, joining a small group that includes Alabama, Florida, Florida State, South Carolina and a few others. His visit to campus this past weekends sounds like it went very well, and it is clear Bowen is already having a tremendous impact on the Buckeyes’ offensive line recruiting.
“I loved everything about Ohio State; everything was just perfect,” Carson told Bucknuts. “The practice was very intense. I loved how everybody competed and how the coaches coach their players. The visit was amazing. Talking to coach Bowen and the other O-line coaches was great. I can say Ohio State makes you feel welcome. Everybody talks to you, players included. Overall Ohio State in general is amazing.”
Continue reading...
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2026 OT Jackson Cantwell (left) and his family with Ryan Day | via @jcantwell2499 on Twitter
The Buckeyes continue to utilize their spring practice periods as an asset on the recruiting trail.
The first week of spring practice is now in the books for Ohio State, and with it came a great early glimpse of this current crop of Buckeyes. Additionally, it has already provided the coaching staff with an excellent recruiting tool, as prospects from all across the country have flocked to Columbus to watch the reigning national champions prepare for next season.
One of those prospects was none other than Jackson Cantwell, the No. 1 overall player in the 2026 class as well as, of course, the top offensive tackle in the cycle. The Missouri native just wrapped up a multi-day visit to Ohio State, his second trip to the school after taking in one of the Buckeyes’ College Football Playoff practices back in December.
Ryan Day and Tyler Bowen are obviously making a heavy push for the five-star offensive lineman. Cantwell was the first player Day made a trip to visit shortly after Ohio State won its title, and Bowen is making up for lost time after joining the Buckeyes’ staff in February. Ohio State is included among Cantwell’s top six schools, but is the only one of the group without an official visit date set. Bowen will look to change that coming off this most recent visit.
Elsewhere, Ohio State sent out a trio of new offers following spring practice on Friday.
Remaining on the offensive line theme, one of those offers went out to 2026 IOL Tucker Smith. The 6-foot-5, 280-pound recruit is the No. 10 player out of his home state of Arizona as well as the No. 68 IOL in the country, per 247Sports’ rankings.
Smith holds a dozen offers to his name from the likes of Arizona State, Kansas State, Minnesota, USC, Washington and now Ohio State. Despite being listed as an interior lineman, Smith plays tackle at Sandra Day O’Connor, showcasing his versatility and being know for playing with an edge. His recruitment has seen a bit of an uptick at the turn of the calendar, having also recently been named Arizona Republic’s First Team All-Arizona.
A last name that will likely sound familiar to football fans, Ohio State also extended an offer on Friday to 2027 safety/linebacker, Cooper Witten — the son of 11-time Pro Bowl tight end, Jason Witten. The former is the No. 1 safety and No. 24 player nationally per the 247Sports Composite, but James Laurinaitis and the Buckeyes are recruiting the multi-talented prospect as a linebacker.
“I was really excited to get that offer from Ohio State because they are an elite program coming off of an outstanding season,” Witten told Bucknuts. “It was my first time [at Ohio State] seeing everything, so it was super cool seeing what they are all about. I got to spend some time with coach (James) Laurinaitis on the visit and he is a great coach who has a big heart for the players.”
A true do-it-all type of athlete, Witten plays multiple positions on the football field as well as playing basketball and running track. As a freshman in 2023, the 6-foot-2 multi-level defender registered 82 tackles, four TFLs, two picks and two forced fumbles while also blocking three kicks. Witten plans to make a return trip to Columbus in the fall to see the Buckeyes in action.
Last but not least, Ohio State also sent out an offer on Friday afternoon to 2027 athlete, Nate Carson. The 6-foot-4, 270-pound lineman plays both offensive tackle and defensive end, but the Buckeyes are recruiting him on offense.
Ohio State is among the early offers for Carson, joining a small group that includes Alabama, Florida, Florida State, South Carolina and a few others. His visit to campus this past weekends sounds like it went very well, and it is clear Bowen is already having a tremendous impact on the Buckeyes’ offensive line recruiting.
“I loved everything about Ohio State; everything was just perfect,” Carson told Bucknuts. “The practice was very intense. I loved how everybody competed and how the coaches coach their players. The visit was amazing. Talking to coach Bowen and the other O-line coaches was great. I can say Ohio State makes you feel welcome. Everybody talks to you, players included. Overall Ohio State in general is amazing.”
Quick Hits:
- Another big name in attendance for Ohio State this past weekend was 2026 four-star running back Jae Lamar. Listed as the No. 7 RB and the No. 94 prospect nationally per the 247Sports Composite, Lamar has official visits set with four other schools, but plans to add the Buckeyes to the list after a successful visit. He has a commitment date set for July 4.
- Five-star 2027 defensive lineman Chris Whitehead has an upcoming visit planned with Ohio State. Ranked as the No. 4 EDGE and No. 11 player in the cycle overall per the 247Sports Composite, Whitehead will be in Columbus on April 3. He currently does not hold on offer from the Buckeyes, but that could likely change following the trip.
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LGHL Furious rally stalls late as Ohio State women fall to Tennessee in NCAA second round, 82-67
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Furious rally stalls late as Ohio State women fall to Tennessee in NCAA second round, 82-67
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
Despite a furious third quarter rally, the Buckeyes were eliminated in the second round for the second consecutive season.
Ohio State women’s basketball welcomed the Tennessee Volunteers to the Schottenstein Center Sunday night in the NCAA Tournament’s Second Round. It was a game that came with the expectation of a track meet. Both the Buckeyes and Vols were known for fast-paced play on both sides of the court. The game met expectations but the Volunteers played their own game better to defeat Ohio State 82-67 to head to the Sweet Sixteen.
In pregame warmups, Ohio State looked focused. There was not a lot of joking, and almost looked somber until the jump ball. Forward Ajae Petty won the tip and the Buckeyes got on the board first with a layup by Chance Gray 10 seconds into the game.
Tennessee answered back with a three-point shot on their first deep attempt of the game. Two possessions later, when the clock stopped for a foul, junior forward Cotie McMahon huddled the team up to tell them that three was given up too easily.
Out of the brief pause, the Buckeyes went on a nine-point run with Petty hitting to shots inside the paint. McMahon added a three-point shot before head coach Kevin McGuff did his best to emulate the Volunteers’ full five-player substitutions.
On the first play with guards Kennedy Cambridge and Madison Greene on the court, Greene forced a jump ball that pushed the Buckeyes’ intensity to another level, with McMahon pounding her feet on the court and Gray showing rare emotion on the court.
From there though, the Volunteers regrouped. It started with a three-point shot by Talaysia Cooper and then a series of miscues by the Buckeyes. Ohio State had three turnovers after the Cooper three and the Vols turned them into a 12-2 run, which cut the Buckeyes’ lead to one point, 18-17, with 44 seconds left in the first quarter.
Ohio State hit three free throws to end the quarter and the Buckeyes took a 21-17 lead into the second quarter.
In the second quarter of Tennessee’s game against the USF Bulls on Friday, the Vols outran and out shot the Bulls to the tune of a 29-9 scoring quarter. At the start of the second quarter on Sunday, it looked like Tennessee would do the same. Tennessee outscored Ohio State 10-4 in the first four minutes, with Ohio State missing four shots in a row and turned the ball over recklessly.
The Buckeyes were again passing the ball directly to Tennessee players, trying to force passes into teammates. Ohio State also had only two assists in the entire 10-minute period where the Scarlet and Gay went 5-of-13.
Head coach Kevin McGuff’s side needed a turnover and got it from Kennedy Cambridge. The guard turned a fumbled Tennessee pass into a fast break opportunity. The redshirt sophomore went up for a layup and guard Avery Strickland went up to stop the shot. Strickland collided with Kennedy Cambridge and sent her to the court and out of the game for almost four game minutes.
When Kennedy Cambridge reentered the game, freshman center Elsa Lemmilä left the game, limping on her left foot. Lemmilä did not play Friday against the Montana State Bobcats and was questionable entering Sunday’s game. In eight first half minutes, Lemmilä had two blocks before she left the game.
Ohio State gathered their composure and outscored Tennessee nine to eight in the final 3:40 to enter the locker room down 40-35.
With the Vols mass substitutions, playing 10 players at least five minutes in the first half, McGuff responded by giving his own players more of a break than usual, except guard/forward Taylor Thierry. The senior, playing in her final game in Columbus, played all 20 first half minutes and did a little bit of everything with four rebounds, two steals, one assist and one block. McMahon led all scorers with 11 points after 20 minutes.
Out of the halftime locker room, Jaloni Cambridge hit a fast break layup on a Tennessee three-point shot missed the target. It did not swing momentum in Ohio State’s favor as the Buckeyes gave up three turnovers in the first two minutes to contribute to an eight-point lead for Tennessee.
It looked like the Vols were on their way to a convincing victory until the Buckeyes stopped giving the ball away. First it was guard Greene who hit a corner three to stop a 14-point Tennessee run. It turned into a 12-point Ohio State run where the Buckeyes were the ones now forcing turnovers, including a rare shot clock violation for a Vols side known for scoring early in possessions.
Coming up big in the run was freshman Jaloni Cambridge, who had nine of what ended up being a 16-0 Buckeye run on the initial Ohio State burst of energy, taking a brief 57-56 lead with just under three minutes remaining in the third quarter.
The Buckeyes erased the 17-point point Tennessee lead with 20 of the next 18 points where Ohio State seemed to do everything right. The Scarlet and Gray forced five turnovers during the run and it ended with McMahon hitting a three-point shot that tied the game and then a free throw to give the Buckeyes their first lead of the second half.
However, that’s when things went south. Call it a combination of Ohio State complacency and Tennessee turning up the intensity but the Buckeyes went back to turning the ball over. The Vols held Ohio State from making any baskets in the run of play in the final 2:48 and forced four turnovers to end the quarter.
Tennessee took a seven-point lead into the fourth quarter, up 66-59.
In the final 10 minutes, Tennessee and Ohio State were still running and Thierry got the scoring going with a layup to start the frame. That made way for a run of 1-of-8 scoring for Ohio State while the Vols started 3-of-6 and extended their lead back to double digits.
With 4:26 remaining, Ohio State had the media timeout to try and turn the game around and find another run like they had in the third quarter to get back into the game. Tennessee was fast approaching the 80-point mark in the game and when the Vols hit it they are 19-2 on the season.
Ohio State hit baskets but still could not stop the Volunteers. The energy left the arena, aside from forward Eboni Walker who was substituted out for the last time and received an ovation from the crowd. It was the only substitution McGuff gave to an exiting senior in the final game for four Buckeyes.
The duo of McMahon and Jaloni Cambridge led the Buckeyes’ scoring in the defeat. McMahon scored 17 points on 5-of-8 shooting, going perfect from deep. Cambridge had 19 points but eight of Ohio State’s 23 turnovers.
In their last Ohio State games, Thierry had eight points with six rebounds. She led the team playing 39 minutes. Greene had three points while forward Ajae Petty scored eight points with six rebounds.
Cooper led Tennessee with 19 points and eight rebounds, plus a game-high seven steals. The Vols had four players score at least 10 points in the victory.
What’s Next
With the season now over for Ohio State, the Scarlet and Gray head into the offseason where five Buckeyes are guaranteed to not return due to eligibility. Odds are that the remaining nine will likely dwindle in the coming weeks in the transfer portal.
For the Volunteers, they head to Birmingham, Alabama for the regional semifinal against either the Illinois Fighting Illini or Texas Longhorns, who play Monday at 2:00 p.m. ET.
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Despite a furious third quarter rally, the Buckeyes were eliminated in the second round for the second consecutive season.
Ohio State women’s basketball welcomed the Tennessee Volunteers to the Schottenstein Center Sunday night in the NCAA Tournament’s Second Round. It was a game that came with the expectation of a track meet. Both the Buckeyes and Vols were known for fast-paced play on both sides of the court. The game met expectations but the Volunteers played their own game better to defeat Ohio State 82-67 to head to the Sweet Sixteen.
In pregame warmups, Ohio State looked focused. There was not a lot of joking, and almost looked somber until the jump ball. Forward Ajae Petty won the tip and the Buckeyes got on the board first with a layup by Chance Gray 10 seconds into the game.
Tennessee answered back with a three-point shot on their first deep attempt of the game. Two possessions later, when the clock stopped for a foul, junior forward Cotie McMahon huddled the team up to tell them that three was given up too easily.
Out of the brief pause, the Buckeyes went on a nine-point run with Petty hitting to shots inside the paint. McMahon added a three-point shot before head coach Kevin McGuff did his best to emulate the Volunteers’ full five-player substitutions.
On the first play with guards Kennedy Cambridge and Madison Greene on the court, Greene forced a jump ball that pushed the Buckeyes’ intensity to another level, with McMahon pounding her feet on the court and Gray showing rare emotion on the court.
From there though, the Volunteers regrouped. It started with a three-point shot by Talaysia Cooper and then a series of miscues by the Buckeyes. Ohio State had three turnovers after the Cooper three and the Vols turned them into a 12-2 run, which cut the Buckeyes’ lead to one point, 18-17, with 44 seconds left in the first quarter.
Ohio State hit three free throws to end the quarter and the Buckeyes took a 21-17 lead into the second quarter.
In the second quarter of Tennessee’s game against the USF Bulls on Friday, the Vols outran and out shot the Bulls to the tune of a 29-9 scoring quarter. At the start of the second quarter on Sunday, it looked like Tennessee would do the same. Tennessee outscored Ohio State 10-4 in the first four minutes, with Ohio State missing four shots in a row and turned the ball over recklessly.
The Buckeyes were again passing the ball directly to Tennessee players, trying to force passes into teammates. Ohio State also had only two assists in the entire 10-minute period where the Scarlet and Gay went 5-of-13.
Head coach Kevin McGuff’s side needed a turnover and got it from Kennedy Cambridge. The guard turned a fumbled Tennessee pass into a fast break opportunity. The redshirt sophomore went up for a layup and guard Avery Strickland went up to stop the shot. Strickland collided with Kennedy Cambridge and sent her to the court and out of the game for almost four game minutes.
When Kennedy Cambridge reentered the game, freshman center Elsa Lemmilä left the game, limping on her left foot. Lemmilä did not play Friday against the Montana State Bobcats and was questionable entering Sunday’s game. In eight first half minutes, Lemmilä had two blocks before she left the game.
Ohio State gathered their composure and outscored Tennessee nine to eight in the final 3:40 to enter the locker room down 40-35.
With the Vols mass substitutions, playing 10 players at least five minutes in the first half, McGuff responded by giving his own players more of a break than usual, except guard/forward Taylor Thierry. The senior, playing in her final game in Columbus, played all 20 first half minutes and did a little bit of everything with four rebounds, two steals, one assist and one block. McMahon led all scorers with 11 points after 20 minutes.
Out of the halftime locker room, Jaloni Cambridge hit a fast break layup on a Tennessee three-point shot missed the target. It did not swing momentum in Ohio State’s favor as the Buckeyes gave up three turnovers in the first two minutes to contribute to an eight-point lead for Tennessee.
It looked like the Vols were on their way to a convincing victory until the Buckeyes stopped giving the ball away. First it was guard Greene who hit a corner three to stop a 14-point Tennessee run. It turned into a 12-point Ohio State run where the Buckeyes were the ones now forcing turnovers, including a rare shot clock violation for a Vols side known for scoring early in possessions.
Coming up big in the run was freshman Jaloni Cambridge, who had nine of what ended up being a 16-0 Buckeye run on the initial Ohio State burst of energy, taking a brief 57-56 lead with just under three minutes remaining in the third quarter.
The Buckeyes erased the 17-point point Tennessee lead with 20 of the next 18 points where Ohio State seemed to do everything right. The Scarlet and Gray forced five turnovers during the run and it ended with McMahon hitting a three-point shot that tied the game and then a free throw to give the Buckeyes their first lead of the second half.
However, that’s when things went south. Call it a combination of Ohio State complacency and Tennessee turning up the intensity but the Buckeyes went back to turning the ball over. The Vols held Ohio State from making any baskets in the run of play in the final 2:48 and forced four turnovers to end the quarter.
Tennessee took a seven-point lead into the fourth quarter, up 66-59.
In the final 10 minutes, Tennessee and Ohio State were still running and Thierry got the scoring going with a layup to start the frame. That made way for a run of 1-of-8 scoring for Ohio State while the Vols started 3-of-6 and extended their lead back to double digits.
With 4:26 remaining, Ohio State had the media timeout to try and turn the game around and find another run like they had in the third quarter to get back into the game. Tennessee was fast approaching the 80-point mark in the game and when the Vols hit it they are 19-2 on the season.
Ohio State hit baskets but still could not stop the Volunteers. The energy left the arena, aside from forward Eboni Walker who was substituted out for the last time and received an ovation from the crowd. It was the only substitution McGuff gave to an exiting senior in the final game for four Buckeyes.
The duo of McMahon and Jaloni Cambridge led the Buckeyes’ scoring in the defeat. McMahon scored 17 points on 5-of-8 shooting, going perfect from deep. Cambridge had 19 points but eight of Ohio State’s 23 turnovers.
In their last Ohio State games, Thierry had eight points with six rebounds. She led the team playing 39 minutes. Greene had three points while forward Ajae Petty scored eight points with six rebounds.
Cooper led Tennessee with 19 points and eight rebounds, plus a game-high seven steals. The Vols had four players score at least 10 points in the victory.
What’s Next
With the season now over for Ohio State, the Scarlet and Gray head into the offseason where five Buckeyes are guaranteed to not return due to eligibility. Odds are that the remaining nine will likely dwindle in the coming weeks in the transfer portal.
For the Volunteers, they head to Birmingham, Alabama for the regional semifinal against either the Illinois Fighting Illini or Texas Longhorns, who play Monday at 2:00 p.m. ET.
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