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LGHL Jake Diebler’s success shows Holtmann firing may have come too late
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Jake Diebler’s success shows Holtmann firing may have come too late
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
Waiting too long to do what had to be done may have cost the Buckeyes a better shot at the NCAA Tournament.
The Buckeyes closed the 2024 regular season home slate Sunday with a blowout win over rival Michigan on Senior Day. The win was more than simply revenge for a loss at Ann Arbor earlier in the season. It was more than Jake Diebler’s fourth win in five games as interim coach since the firing of Chris Holtmann.
Ultimately, when combined with three others in the previous four games, the win stands as evidence that Holtmann’s firing was not only necessary but it also may have been delayed too long to salvage the 2023-24 OSU men’s basketball season.
There are multiple popular sayings when it comes to discussing whether or not to replace a coach. One school of thought is that you don’t fire a coach until you’ve lined up someone better as a replacement. Another old adage is that the time to make a coaching move is as soon as you think one is necessary.
The second saying holds some merit if you expect that a shakeup will jar a team out of lethargy because with more games ahead of the team, there are more opportunities to turn results around. Doing it earlier rather than later is also smart if you expect the move to snap a team out of a lethargic run of results, like those we saw out of the Buckeyes throughout January and the first half of February.
Shortly after the calendar changed from 2023 to 2024 it became painfully obvious — even to the most optimistic Holtmann fan — that the Buckeyes would need to move on from their coach. Yet, the move was delayed for weeks, and so the Buckeyes continued to pile up loss after loss under Holtmann, missing opportunities to climb the Big Ten standings and perhaps a chance to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
(Full disclosure: I like Chris Holtmann. I find him engaging in interviews and I think he has the right temperament to be a head coach at Ohio State. He’s also been successful. At the same time, there was just no way he was going to survive the season, and as such, the band-aid should have been ripped off quickly and as soon as it possibly could be.)
Ohio State still has a path to the NCAA Tournament, but it’s a difficult road. Perhaps it didn’t have to be. The Buckeyes have responded well to Diebler’s confidence and his aggressive approach. While there’s no way to know if that would have played well over two or three additional weeks of the season, Ohio State was going nowhere under Holtmann, and everyone knew it — the media, the fans, the players, and probably even Holtmann himself.
And, if the team was going nowhere under Holtmann, that means Ohio State could have made the move earlier and perhaps have gotten the proverbial “new coach bump” early enough to compile a record worthy of securing a tourney spot. Again, it’s not a guarantee, just a chance, and that’s more than what the Buckeyes had as Holtmann struggled to find answers to his team’s poor defense and struggling outside shooting.
Had Holtmann been let go after the home loss to Illinois at the end of January (for example), perhaps the team’s turnaround under Diebler would have happened sooner. The team lost three of its next four after that Illinois loss with Holtmann still at the helm. If Diebler had been given the opportunity earlier, it’s possible he could have turned those three losses into wins.
If he’d only turned two of the three losses into wins (and, again, there’s no guarantee he would have), the Buckeyes would be 10-9 in Big Ten play and have 20 wins on the season. Even a moderate run in the tournament likely puts the Buckeyes into the tournament field.
Since Diebler took over, the Buckeyes have been looking more like the team we saw over the season’s first couple of months. He’s coached his way into contention to get a shot at the job full-time. That would be quite a story. An even better story would be a conference tournament title and an automatic bid to this year’s NCAA Tournament. That doesn’t seem nearly as farfetched now as it did before Holtmann was relieved of his coaching duties.
And that’s why it should have happened sooner.
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
Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
Waiting too long to do what had to be done may have cost the Buckeyes a better shot at the NCAA Tournament.
The Buckeyes closed the 2024 regular season home slate Sunday with a blowout win over rival Michigan on Senior Day. The win was more than simply revenge for a loss at Ann Arbor earlier in the season. It was more than Jake Diebler’s fourth win in five games as interim coach since the firing of Chris Holtmann.
Ultimately, when combined with three others in the previous four games, the win stands as evidence that Holtmann’s firing was not only necessary but it also may have been delayed too long to salvage the 2023-24 OSU men’s basketball season.
There are multiple popular sayings when it comes to discussing whether or not to replace a coach. One school of thought is that you don’t fire a coach until you’ve lined up someone better as a replacement. Another old adage is that the time to make a coaching move is as soon as you think one is necessary.
The second saying holds some merit if you expect that a shakeup will jar a team out of lethargy because with more games ahead of the team, there are more opportunities to turn results around. Doing it earlier rather than later is also smart if you expect the move to snap a team out of a lethargic run of results, like those we saw out of the Buckeyes throughout January and the first half of February.
Shortly after the calendar changed from 2023 to 2024 it became painfully obvious — even to the most optimistic Holtmann fan — that the Buckeyes would need to move on from their coach. Yet, the move was delayed for weeks, and so the Buckeyes continued to pile up loss after loss under Holtmann, missing opportunities to climb the Big Ten standings and perhaps a chance to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
(Full disclosure: I like Chris Holtmann. I find him engaging in interviews and I think he has the right temperament to be a head coach at Ohio State. He’s also been successful. At the same time, there was just no way he was going to survive the season, and as such, the band-aid should have been ripped off quickly and as soon as it possibly could be.)
Ohio State still has a path to the NCAA Tournament, but it’s a difficult road. Perhaps it didn’t have to be. The Buckeyes have responded well to Diebler’s confidence and his aggressive approach. While there’s no way to know if that would have played well over two or three additional weeks of the season, Ohio State was going nowhere under Holtmann, and everyone knew it — the media, the fans, the players, and probably even Holtmann himself.
And, if the team was going nowhere under Holtmann, that means Ohio State could have made the move earlier and perhaps have gotten the proverbial “new coach bump” early enough to compile a record worthy of securing a tourney spot. Again, it’s not a guarantee, just a chance, and that’s more than what the Buckeyes had as Holtmann struggled to find answers to his team’s poor defense and struggling outside shooting.
Had Holtmann been let go after the home loss to Illinois at the end of January (for example), perhaps the team’s turnaround under Diebler would have happened sooner. The team lost three of its next four after that Illinois loss with Holtmann still at the helm. If Diebler had been given the opportunity earlier, it’s possible he could have turned those three losses into wins.
If he’d only turned two of the three losses into wins (and, again, there’s no guarantee he would have), the Buckeyes would be 10-9 in Big Ten play and have 20 wins on the season. Even a moderate run in the tournament likely puts the Buckeyes into the tournament field.
Since Diebler took over, the Buckeyes have been looking more like the team we saw over the season’s first couple of months. He’s coached his way into contention to get a shot at the job full-time. That would be quite a story. An even better story would be a conference tournament title and an automatic bid to this year’s NCAA Tournament. That doesn’t seem nearly as farfetched now as it did before Holtmann was relieved of his coaching duties.
And that’s why it should have happened sooner.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State men demolish Michigan, football loses important offensive staffer
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Ohio State men demolish Michigan, football loses important offensive staffer
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Brooke LaValley / USA TODAY NETWORK
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: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
Ohio State announces 2024 spring practice, media schedule
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Todd Fitch leaving Ohio State, taking analyst position at LSU
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Pre-spring football depth chart projection: Defense
Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land
Previewing Ohio State’s offense for spring practice
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
Three big predictions for Buckeyes spring practice (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Air Noland Looks Forward to Spring Football, Welcomes Competition With Julian Sayin: “We Will Battle, And We Will Have Competitive Excellence Toward Each Other”
Chase Brown, Eleven Warriors
Four questions for Ohio State’s cornerbacks heading into spring practice (paywall)
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
2024 NFL Scouting Combine Central: Measurables, Workout Results and Updates From Ohio State’s Eight Draft Prospects in Indianapolis
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
Buckeyes send seniors off with 84-61 blowout of Michigan, keep March dreams alive
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land
Bruce Thornton dunks and Ohio State runs: 6 takeaways from Michigan win
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State blows out Michigan on senior day with more left in the tank (paywall)
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Zed Key starts Ohio State’s win against Michigan with emphatic dunk
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
No. 2 Ohio State women’s basketball falls in Iowa City 93-83 over No. 6 Iowa
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
Buckeyes win streak snapped by Caitlin Clark, Iowa in regular-season finale
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Women’s Basketball: Ohio State Enters Big Ten Tournament as Top Seed
Ohio State Athletics
Women’s Ice Hockey: No. 1 Ohio State Sweeps Bemidji State, Advances to WCHA Final Faceoff
Reid Murray, The Lantern
Baseball: Buckeyes Earn Comeback Victory Over Oklahoma
Ohio State Athletics
Women’s Tennis: No. 9 Buckeyes Open Homestand with 4-1 Win vs. Washington
Ohio State Athletics
Women’s Lacrosse: Buckeyes Bounce Back in 15-5 Victory After Defeating Butler
Antonia Campbell, The Lantern
I watched “Dune: Part One” Last night and am seeing “Part Two” tonight, so I am into this:
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
Brooke LaValley / USA TODAY NETWORK
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: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On the Gridiron
Ohio State announces 2024 spring practice, media schedule
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Todd Fitch leaving Ohio State, taking analyst position at LSU
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Pre-spring football depth chart projection: Defense
Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land
Previewing Ohio State’s offense for spring practice
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
Three big predictions for Buckeyes spring practice (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Air Noland Looks Forward to Spring Football, Welcomes Competition With Julian Sayin: “We Will Battle, And We Will Have Competitive Excellence Toward Each Other”
Chase Brown, Eleven Warriors
Four questions for Ohio State’s cornerbacks heading into spring practice (paywall)
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
2024 NFL Scouting Combine Central: Measurables, Workout Results and Updates From Ohio State’s Eight Draft Prospects in Indianapolis
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
On the Hardwood
Buckeyes send seniors off with 84-61 blowout of Michigan, keep March dreams alive
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land
Bruce Thornton dunks and Ohio State runs: 6 takeaways from Michigan win
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State blows out Michigan on senior day with more left in the tank (paywall)
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Zed Key starts Ohio State’s win against Michigan with emphatic dunk
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
No. 2 Ohio State women’s basketball falls in Iowa City 93-83 over No. 6 Iowa
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
Buckeyes win streak snapped by Caitlin Clark, Iowa in regular-season finale
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Women’s Basketball: Ohio State Enters Big Ten Tournament as Top Seed
Ohio State Athletics
Outside the Shoe and Schott
Women’s Ice Hockey: No. 1 Ohio State Sweeps Bemidji State, Advances to WCHA Final Faceoff
Reid Murray, The Lantern
Baseball: Buckeyes Earn Comeback Victory Over Oklahoma
Ohio State Athletics
Women’s Tennis: No. 9 Buckeyes Open Homestand with 4-1 Win vs. Washington
Ohio State Athletics
Women’s Lacrosse: Buckeyes Bounce Back in 15-5 Victory After Defeating Butler
Antonia Campbell, The Lantern
And now for something completely different...
I watched “Dune: Part One” Last night and am seeing “Part Two” tonight, so I am into this:
Continue reading...
LGHL Visiting Locker Room: Daily Iowan talks Hawkeyes and Buckeyes’ regular-season finale
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Visiting Locker Room: Daily Iowan talks Hawkeyes and Buckeyes’ regular-season finale
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
How has Iowa changed since Jan. 21? Starters are staying on the floor, for one.
Sunday, the Big Ten regular season ends, starting a slate of seven games in Iowa City, Iowa. The biggest game on the conference calendar features Ohio State women’s basketball and the Iowa Hawkeyes.
The two played an overtime thriller on Jan. 21, with the Buckeyes coming away with a 100-92 victory, paving the way toward the outright Big Ten title. Iowa’s lost twice since the matchup in Columbus but made an abundance of history along the way through the individual effort of guard Caitlin Clark.
To learn more about how this side’s changed, Land-Grant Holy Land reached out to The Daily Iowan. Sports co-editor Colin Votzmeyer answered questions about foul trouble the last time these two sides played, any improvements of the group around Clark, and the superstar’s larger impact on campus and in the state.
Land-Grant Holy Land:
The Daily Iowan:
LGHL: Since the Hawkeyes and Buckeyes last faced off, Iowa’s had its trip-ups. After every loss, the team comes out with renewed energy and doesn’t repeat similar mistakes that wound up in defeats. Following the loss to the Indiana Hoosiers, how has this Iowa team changed?
LGHL: Back on Jan. 21, both teams had their fair share of foul issues. Iowa’s Hannah Stuelke and Ohio State’s Celeste Taylor and Taylor Thierry each had to sit for longer than both coaches expected. What does it mean to head coach Lisa Bluder to have Stuelke available for closer to 40 minutes?
LGHL: The Buckeyes didn’t completely leave guard Caitlin Clark open in Columbus, but they weren’t double or triple-teaming the superstar. Instead, Ohio State played stronger defense against the supporting cast. How has that group of four strengthened since that late January matchup?
LGHL: Everyone in the basketball world knows Clark, but her impact in and around Iowa is something that we on the outside don’t really get to know. As someone who covers Clark from campus, what has her impact been like around the University of Iowa and in the state overall?
Continue reading...
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
How has Iowa changed since Jan. 21? Starters are staying on the floor, for one.
Sunday, the Big Ten regular season ends, starting a slate of seven games in Iowa City, Iowa. The biggest game on the conference calendar features Ohio State women’s basketball and the Iowa Hawkeyes.
The two played an overtime thriller on Jan. 21, with the Buckeyes coming away with a 100-92 victory, paving the way toward the outright Big Ten title. Iowa’s lost twice since the matchup in Columbus but made an abundance of history along the way through the individual effort of guard Caitlin Clark.
To learn more about how this side’s changed, Land-Grant Holy Land reached out to The Daily Iowan. Sports co-editor Colin Votzmeyer answered questions about foul trouble the last time these two sides played, any improvements of the group around Clark, and the superstar’s larger impact on campus and in the state.
Land-Grant Holy Land:
The Daily Iowan:
LGHL: Since the Hawkeyes and Buckeyes last faced off, Iowa’s had its trip-ups. After every loss, the team comes out with renewed energy and doesn’t repeat similar mistakes that wound up in defeats. Following the loss to the Indiana Hoosiers, how has this Iowa team changed?
LGHL: Back on Jan. 21, both teams had their fair share of foul issues. Iowa’s Hannah Stuelke and Ohio State’s Celeste Taylor and Taylor Thierry each had to sit for longer than both coaches expected. What does it mean to head coach Lisa Bluder to have Stuelke available for closer to 40 minutes?
LGHL: The Buckeyes didn’t completely leave guard Caitlin Clark open in Columbus, but they weren’t double or triple-teaming the superstar. Instead, Ohio State played stronger defense against the supporting cast. How has that group of four strengthened since that late January matchup?
LGHL: Everyone in the basketball world knows Clark, but her impact in and around Iowa is something that we on the outside don’t really get to know. As someone who covers Clark from campus, what has her impact been like around the University of Iowa and in the state overall?
Continue reading...
LGHL Uncut Podcast: Key, Bonner discuss Senior Day win over Michigan and what comes next
- News
- 0 Replies
Uncut Podcast: Key, Bonner discuss Senior Day win over Michigan and what comes next
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-USA TODAY Sports
We spoke with two of the four seniors who were honored pregame, who also happened to combine for 19 points in the 23-point win.
Throughout the season, Land-Grant will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.
Shortly after Ohio State’s 84-61 blowout win over Michigan Sunday afternoon, the collective Ohio State and Michigan media spoke with Juwan Howard, Jake Diebler, Zed Key, and Dale Bonner about the game and what comes next.
Howard spoke with the media first, for about 10 minutes. Aside from some very good quotes about how his pillow feels when he’s winning vs losing, he said that it doesn’t seem like Jake Diebler has inserted a new system from what Chris Holtmann was running. He has, however, “put his imprint on it.”
Zed Key and Dale Bonner then spoke, with Key doing 80% of the talking. He said Diebler is the one who first started recruiting him in high school and that he “loves him, he’s a great guy.” Zed also said his time at Ohio State has flown by, and that you “Never see yourself going through senior day until it’s you standing up there doing it.”
Diebler gave his lengthiest post-game presser so far since taking over nearly three weeks ago. He talked about Bruce Thornton, Zed Key, Jamison Battle, Roddy Gayle, and the program at large. He deflected most questions about the NCAA Tournament, but did say “We can feel the momentum, for sure.”
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
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-USA TODAY Sports
We spoke with two of the four seniors who were honored pregame, who also happened to combine for 19 points in the 23-point win.
Throughout the season, Land-Grant will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
Shortly after Ohio State’s 84-61 blowout win over Michigan Sunday afternoon, the collective Ohio State and Michigan media spoke with Juwan Howard, Jake Diebler, Zed Key, and Dale Bonner about the game and what comes next.
Howard spoke with the media first, for about 10 minutes. Aside from some very good quotes about how his pillow feels when he’s winning vs losing, he said that it doesn’t seem like Jake Diebler has inserted a new system from what Chris Holtmann was running. He has, however, “put his imprint on it.”
Zed Key and Dale Bonner then spoke, with Key doing 80% of the talking. He said Diebler is the one who first started recruiting him in high school and that he “loves him, he’s a great guy.” Zed also said his time at Ohio State has flown by, and that you “Never see yourself going through senior day until it’s you standing up there doing it.”
Diebler gave his lengthiest post-game presser so far since taking over nearly three weeks ago. He talked about Bruce Thornton, Zed Key, Jamison Battle, Roddy Gayle, and the program at large. He deflected most questions about the NCAA Tournament, but did say “We can feel the momentum, for sure.”
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Theme music provided by www.bensound.com
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State men’s basketball vs. Michigan: Game preview and prediction
- News
- 0 Replies
Ohio State men’s basketball vs. Michigan: Game preview and prediction
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 Luke Hales/Getty Images
The Buckeyes will look to close out their regular season home schedule with a win over Michigan today at Value City Arena.
Following Thursday night’s 78-69 win over Nebraska at Value City Arena, Ohio State will close out their home schedule today when they host the Michigan Wolverines. Not only will the Buckeyes be celebrating seniors Jamison Battle, Dale Bonner, Zed Key, and Owen Spencer, but Jake Diebler’s team will be looking to keep their slim NCAA Tournament hopes alive. After their win over the Cornhuskers, Ohio State has now won three of four games since moving on from head coach Chris Holtmann on Valentine’s Day. If the Buckeyes want to make the tournament, they’ll not only have to beat the Wolverines today and Rutgers next Sunday, they’ll need a strong showing in this year’s Big Ten Tournament.
After their thrilling win last Sunday at Michigan State, Ohio State was able to keep the momentum going on Thursday with a victory over Nebraska, avenging the loss to the Cornhuskers earlier this year in Lincoln. Much like the game against the Spartans when they were without Jamison Battle, the Buckeyes were missing one of their key players on Thursday night when Bruce Thornton wasn’t available to play because of a migraine.
With Thornton sidelined, Dale Bonner saw more playing time, finishing with 33 minutes played, marking just the second time this year he has been on the floor for more than 30 minutes in a game, with the first coming in the double-overtime win against Maryland.
While Thornton wasn’t able to play on Thursday, Ohio State was able to welcome Jamison Battle back to the lineup after he missed the Michigan State game. The transfer from Minnesota didn’t take long to find his shot, hitting his first three three-point attempts on his way to a season-high 32 points. Along with his three-point shooting,
Battle also hit all 10 of his free throw attempts and has now hit 50 of his last 51 free throws. As a team, Ohio State was 24 of 28 from the foul line, while Nebraska shot just eight free throws.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25312531/usa_today_22656333.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Nebraska at Ohio State")
Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
Jamison Battle wasn’t the only Buckeye to come up big in Thornton’s absence. Roddy Gayle Jr. recorded the first double-double of his college career, finishing with 16 points and 10 rebounds. With his scoring output on Thursday night, Gayle is just one point shy of 400 points this season.
The sophomore from Niagara Falls is the third-leading scorer for Ohio State this year, averaging 13.8 points per game, which is only topped by Thornton and Battle. Gayle’s double-double was the fourth of the year by an Ohio State player, with Zed Key notching the first three double-doubles this season.
A huge reason why Ohio State was able to earn the victory on Thursday night was their play before and after halftime. Not only did the Buckeyes end the first half on a 12-3 run to head into the break with a 39-37 lead, they opened up the second half with a 7-0 run to push their lead to 46-37. While Nebraska was able to crawl back within a bucket on a number of occasions, Ohio State wouldn’t trail in the game after halftime.
After splitting the regular season series with Nebraska, now Ohio State will be looking to do the same with Michigan, who beat the Buckeyes 73-65 in Ann Arbor back in January. Even though Ohio State was able to take the lead in the second half after going on a 16-0 run, the Buckeyes couldn’t make the edge stick. The result might have been different had Ohio State not struggled so much from behind the arc, going just 3-25 from three-point range in the loss. Jamison Battle struggled mightily against the Wolverines, hitting just one of his eight three-point attempts on his way to finishing with five points in the game. Bruce Thornton led Ohio State with 19 points in the matinee on Martin Luther King Day.
Entering today’s contest, Ohio State holds a 101-82 advantage in the all-time series. Lately, the rivalry has been back-and-forth, as the schools have split the last 16 meetings. The score differential proves just how tight those 16 games have been, with the Buckeyes scoring 1,089 points in those games, while Michigan has scored 1,083. If Ohio State is able to win today, it will snap a three-game losing streak to the Wolverines.
Like Ohio State, Michigan also played on Thursday night. The Wolverines hit the road to take on Rutgers and were demolished by the Scarlet Knights 82-52. The loss was the sixth straight setback for Juwan Howard’s team. Dug McDaniel scored a team-high 13 points in the game, while Tarris Reed Jr. was the only other Michigan player to reach double figures in scoring, finishing with 12 points. Terrance Williams II added nine points and six rebounds in the loss.
In the first meeting with Ohio State, Olivier Nkamhoua led the Wolverines with 20 points in the victory back in January. Unfortunately for Michigan, Nkamhoua won’t be available to play the rest of the season after the transfer from Tennessee underwent wrist surgery a couple of weeks ago. Before suffering the injury, Nkamhoua was the team’s second-leading scorer, with his 14.8 points per game only topped by the 16.5 points per game Dug McDaniel is averaging. Nkamhoua was also a force on the glass, averaging 7.1 rebounds per contest.
With Nkamhoua on the shelf, Will Tschetter has moved into the Michigan starting lineup. In their January meeting, Tschetter scored seven points in 15 minutes off the bench. Along with Tschetter, expect Juwan Howard to start Terrance Williams II and Tarris Reed Jr. in the frontcourt, while Nimari Burnett will join Dug McDaniel at the guard positions. This will mark just the second road game McDaniel will be eligible to play in after serving a six-game suspension which consisted of only road games after he was found not to meet the school’s academic standards.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25315078/usa_today_22617847.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Purdue at Michigan")
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Unless the teams meet in the Big Ten Tournament, this will likely be the last time Juwan Howard leads Michigan into battle against Ohio State. After a bright start to his coaching career that saw Howard lead the Wolverines to the Elite Eight in his second year in charge of his alma mater, results haven’t met expectations since, as Michigan has lost at least 15 games in each of the last three years. After missing the first 10 games of this season due to heart surgery, the Wolverines are just 3-16 with Howard on the bench.
Ohio State has been rejuvenated after the firing of head coach Chris Holtmann, winning three of four games under interim head coach Jake Diebler. Not only did the Buckeyes earn their first road victory in over a calendar year last Sunday, but they have won their last two games while missing a key player in each contest. Unless something unforeseen happens prior to the game, expect Ohio State to have Bruce Thornton back in the lineup for the final regular season home game for the Buckeyes.
As if Senior Day festivities and a game against their rivals weren’t enough to get up for, the Buckeyes still have an outside chance at making the NCAA Tournament. The road to the Big Dance isn’t going to be easy, but if Ohio State can win their final two games of the regular season, followed by string together a few wins in the Big Ten Tournament, it’s not crazy to think the team could miraculously make the tournament after looking dead in the water last month. To keep hope alive, beating Michigan today is imperative.
With so much at stake for the Buckeyes, it’s hard to see them laying an egg against their rival today, especially with how awful the Wolverines have been playing lately. Not only will this be the final home game for Battle, Bonner, Key, and Spencer, but it could be the final time some other Buckeyes wear the scarlet and gray in Columbus since there could be massive roster changes with a new head coach coming in for next season. All signs point to Ohio State beating a Michigan team that can’t wait for the season to end.
ESPN BPI: Ohio State 86.8%
Time: 4 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
Continue reading...
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 Luke Hales/Getty Images
The Buckeyes will look to close out their regular season home schedule with a win over Michigan today at Value City Arena.
Following Thursday night’s 78-69 win over Nebraska at Value City Arena, Ohio State will close out their home schedule today when they host the Michigan Wolverines. Not only will the Buckeyes be celebrating seniors Jamison Battle, Dale Bonner, Zed Key, and Owen Spencer, but Jake Diebler’s team will be looking to keep their slim NCAA Tournament hopes alive. After their win over the Cornhuskers, Ohio State has now won three of four games since moving on from head coach Chris Holtmann on Valentine’s Day. If the Buckeyes want to make the tournament, they’ll not only have to beat the Wolverines today and Rutgers next Sunday, they’ll need a strong showing in this year’s Big Ten Tournament.
After their thrilling win last Sunday at Michigan State, Ohio State was able to keep the momentum going on Thursday with a victory over Nebraska, avenging the loss to the Cornhuskers earlier this year in Lincoln. Much like the game against the Spartans when they were without Jamison Battle, the Buckeyes were missing one of their key players on Thursday night when Bruce Thornton wasn’t available to play because of a migraine.
With Thornton sidelined, Dale Bonner saw more playing time, finishing with 33 minutes played, marking just the second time this year he has been on the floor for more than 30 minutes in a game, with the first coming in the double-overtime win against Maryland.
While Thornton wasn’t able to play on Thursday, Ohio State was able to welcome Jamison Battle back to the lineup after he missed the Michigan State game. The transfer from Minnesota didn’t take long to find his shot, hitting his first three three-point attempts on his way to a season-high 32 points. Along with his three-point shooting,
Battle also hit all 10 of his free throw attempts and has now hit 50 of his last 51 free throws. As a team, Ohio State was 24 of 28 from the foul line, while Nebraska shot just eight free throws.
Jamison Battle wasn’t the only Buckeye to come up big in Thornton’s absence. Roddy Gayle Jr. recorded the first double-double of his college career, finishing with 16 points and 10 rebounds. With his scoring output on Thursday night, Gayle is just one point shy of 400 points this season.
The sophomore from Niagara Falls is the third-leading scorer for Ohio State this year, averaging 13.8 points per game, which is only topped by Thornton and Battle. Gayle’s double-double was the fourth of the year by an Ohio State player, with Zed Key notching the first three double-doubles this season.
A huge reason why Ohio State was able to earn the victory on Thursday night was their play before and after halftime. Not only did the Buckeyes end the first half on a 12-3 run to head into the break with a 39-37 lead, they opened up the second half with a 7-0 run to push their lead to 46-37. While Nebraska was able to crawl back within a bucket on a number of occasions, Ohio State wouldn’t trail in the game after halftime.
Preview
After splitting the regular season series with Nebraska, now Ohio State will be looking to do the same with Michigan, who beat the Buckeyes 73-65 in Ann Arbor back in January. Even though Ohio State was able to take the lead in the second half after going on a 16-0 run, the Buckeyes couldn’t make the edge stick. The result might have been different had Ohio State not struggled so much from behind the arc, going just 3-25 from three-point range in the loss. Jamison Battle struggled mightily against the Wolverines, hitting just one of his eight three-point attempts on his way to finishing with five points in the game. Bruce Thornton led Ohio State with 19 points in the matinee on Martin Luther King Day.
Entering today’s contest, Ohio State holds a 101-82 advantage in the all-time series. Lately, the rivalry has been back-and-forth, as the schools have split the last 16 meetings. The score differential proves just how tight those 16 games have been, with the Buckeyes scoring 1,089 points in those games, while Michigan has scored 1,083. If Ohio State is able to win today, it will snap a three-game losing streak to the Wolverines.
Like Ohio State, Michigan also played on Thursday night. The Wolverines hit the road to take on Rutgers and were demolished by the Scarlet Knights 82-52. The loss was the sixth straight setback for Juwan Howard’s team. Dug McDaniel scored a team-high 13 points in the game, while Tarris Reed Jr. was the only other Michigan player to reach double figures in scoring, finishing with 12 points. Terrance Williams II added nine points and six rebounds in the loss.
In the first meeting with Ohio State, Olivier Nkamhoua led the Wolverines with 20 points in the victory back in January. Unfortunately for Michigan, Nkamhoua won’t be available to play the rest of the season after the transfer from Tennessee underwent wrist surgery a couple of weeks ago. Before suffering the injury, Nkamhoua was the team’s second-leading scorer, with his 14.8 points per game only topped by the 16.5 points per game Dug McDaniel is averaging. Nkamhoua was also a force on the glass, averaging 7.1 rebounds per contest.
With Nkamhoua on the shelf, Will Tschetter has moved into the Michigan starting lineup. In their January meeting, Tschetter scored seven points in 15 minutes off the bench. Along with Tschetter, expect Juwan Howard to start Terrance Williams II and Tarris Reed Jr. in the frontcourt, while Nimari Burnett will join Dug McDaniel at the guard positions. This will mark just the second road game McDaniel will be eligible to play in after serving a six-game suspension which consisted of only road games after he was found not to meet the school’s academic standards.
Unless the teams meet in the Big Ten Tournament, this will likely be the last time Juwan Howard leads Michigan into battle against Ohio State. After a bright start to his coaching career that saw Howard lead the Wolverines to the Elite Eight in his second year in charge of his alma mater, results haven’t met expectations since, as Michigan has lost at least 15 games in each of the last three years. After missing the first 10 games of this season due to heart surgery, the Wolverines are just 3-16 with Howard on the bench.
Prediction
Ohio State has been rejuvenated after the firing of head coach Chris Holtmann, winning three of four games under interim head coach Jake Diebler. Not only did the Buckeyes earn their first road victory in over a calendar year last Sunday, but they have won their last two games while missing a key player in each contest. Unless something unforeseen happens prior to the game, expect Ohio State to have Bruce Thornton back in the lineup for the final regular season home game for the Buckeyes.
As if Senior Day festivities and a game against their rivals weren’t enough to get up for, the Buckeyes still have an outside chance at making the NCAA Tournament. The road to the Big Dance isn’t going to be easy, but if Ohio State can win their final two games of the regular season, followed by string together a few wins in the Big Ten Tournament, it’s not crazy to think the team could miraculously make the tournament after looking dead in the water last month. To keep hope alive, beating Michigan today is imperative.
With so much at stake for the Buckeyes, it’s hard to see them laying an egg against their rival today, especially with how awful the Wolverines have been playing lately. Not only will this be the final home game for Battle, Bonner, Key, and Spencer, but it could be the final time some other Buckeyes wear the scarlet and gray in Columbus since there could be massive roster changes with a new head coach coming in for next season. All signs point to Ohio State beating a Michigan team that can’t wait for the season to end.
ESPN BPI: Ohio State 86.8%
Time: 4 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
LGHL score prediction: Ohio State 72, Michigan 60
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LGHL Ohio State recruiting: Nation’s No. 1 OT puts Buckeyes in top schools
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Ohio State recruiting: Nation’s No. 1 OT puts Buckeyes in top schools
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2025 OT David Sanders Jr. | Jim Hawkins, Inside Carolina/247Sports
The Buckeyes made the short list for a trio of elite prospects over the weekend.
Ohio State is set to kick off its spring practice schedule this week, and with it will come a laundry list of the nation’s top prospects making their way to Columbus for recruiting visits. Even before those begin, the Buckeyes have been maintaining a wave of positive momentum on the trail, and that continued this past weekend with a trio of big names including the program among their top schools.
Starting things off with a bang, Ohio State got big news on Saturday when it learned it made the cut for the No. 1 offensive tackle in the country. David Sanders Jr., the No. 2 player in the 2025 class overall, listed the Buckeyes among his final six schools, alongside Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee.
The five-star North Carolina native is a multi-sport athlete, playing basketball and also competing in track and field in both the shot put and discus throws. It is no surprise the 6-foot-6, 270-pound Sanders has amassed over 40 scholarship offers to his name from all of the heavy hitters. Cutting that hefty offer sheet all the way down to just a half-dozen shows the Providence Day High School product is getting serious in his recruitment, and position coach Justin Frye has to be thrilled with this latest development.
Speaking to Rivals about his short list, here is what Sanders had to say about Ohio State making the cut:
“Obviously they’re such a far distance away,” Sanders said. “They call me on a regular basis and we’re building those relationships. Knowing that I’m a kid from down south with all these big SEC and ACC schools down here right in my backyard pretty much, they’ve done an amazing job. They’re known for making bookend tackles. Having that opportunity to be coached by the best and play the best each and every Saturday is something that really appeals to me.”
It sounds as though it’ll be a bit of an uphill battle for the Buckeyes, with distance playing a large factor in that climb. However, Frye and the Ohio State staff have done enough to this point to warrant them still being in the running even despite the geographic challenges, and so expect them to continue to press for Sanders with a rather large need at offensive tackle both on the current roster and moving forward.
Speaking of offensive linemen, Sanders wasn’t the only big blocker to include Ohio State among their top schools over the weekend. Heading a bit further south down to Florida, four-star interior OL Kaden Strayhorn listed the Buckeyes as one of his final 12 teams, making the list alongside Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Texas, USC and others.
Strayhorn is the No. 20 IOL and the No. 380 player overall in the 2025 class. Hailing out of IMG Academy, the 6-foot-3, 285-pounder is originally from Detroit, so he has some ties to Big Ten country. Strayhorn played his freshman year at Detroit Catholic Central before making the move to the elite southern prep program. The Michigan native has further ties to the B1G, as he is a Michigan State legacy, with his father Jason spending his playing days with the Spartans.
Strayhorn has visits planned to Alabama, Florida and Georgia, and says he plans to visit both Ohio State and Miami as well. Before he can further narrow his list, the MaxPreps Preseason Sophomore All-American first-team selection told 247Sports what he is looking for at the next level:
“The culture of the program, who the the coaches are, how they develop the center position and interior offensive line, who they’ve sent to the NFL and how they coach and the type of offense they run. Who they play against also, like I think the Big Ten and SEC are the best but the only reason I wouldn’t go to either of those conferences is for Miami.”
Switching to the other side of the ball for our third and final bullet point in this section, Ohio State also made the top schools for a four-star linebacker in the 2025 class. The Texas native Elijah Barnes put the Buckeyes in his top 10 on Friday, alongside Alabama, Florida State, LSU, Texas, Oregon and others.
Barnes is the No. 14 LB and just outside the top-100 as the No. 106 player nationally, per the 247Sports Composite. After being named the Texas District 11-6A Defensive Newcomer of the Year as a sophomore, the 6-foot-2, 225-pound linebacker put together a big season for Skyline High School as a junior. Barnes recorded 65 total tackles with 12 tackles for loss in 2023, adding three sacks and four interceptions to his numbers.
For Ohio State, it is impressive to make Barnes’ short list being that Barnes has never actually been to Columbus. In January, Buckeye coaches Ryan Day, James Laurinaitis (pre-promotion) and Jim Knowles all made a stop at Skyline to visit the talented LB, and shortly after Barnes made plans to visit Ohio State with a date set for March 22. With Laurinaitis now the full-time position coach and OSU already doing enough to this point for Barnes to include them among his final schools prior to a visit, that trip could prove to be an important one in this recruitment.
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Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2025 OT David Sanders Jr. | Jim Hawkins, Inside Carolina/247Sports
The Buckeyes made the short list for a trio of elite prospects over the weekend.
Ohio State is set to kick off its spring practice schedule this week, and with it will come a laundry list of the nation’s top prospects making their way to Columbus for recruiting visits. Even before those begin, the Buckeyes have been maintaining a wave of positive momentum on the trail, and that continued this past weekend with a trio of big names including the program among their top schools.
Starting things off with a bang, Ohio State got big news on Saturday when it learned it made the cut for the No. 1 offensive tackle in the country. David Sanders Jr., the No. 2 player in the 2025 class overall, listed the Buckeyes among his final six schools, alongside Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee.
TopOne step closer to home! pic.twitter.com/rrvex6zLiv
— David Sanders Jr. (@DavidLSandersJr) March 2, 2024
The five-star North Carolina native is a multi-sport athlete, playing basketball and also competing in track and field in both the shot put and discus throws. It is no surprise the 6-foot-6, 270-pound Sanders has amassed over 40 scholarship offers to his name from all of the heavy hitters. Cutting that hefty offer sheet all the way down to just a half-dozen shows the Providence Day High School product is getting serious in his recruitment, and position coach Justin Frye has to be thrilled with this latest development.
Speaking to Rivals about his short list, here is what Sanders had to say about Ohio State making the cut:
“Obviously they’re such a far distance away,” Sanders said. “They call me on a regular basis and we’re building those relationships. Knowing that I’m a kid from down south with all these big SEC and ACC schools down here right in my backyard pretty much, they’ve done an amazing job. They’re known for making bookend tackles. Having that opportunity to be coached by the best and play the best each and every Saturday is something that really appeals to me.”
It sounds as though it’ll be a bit of an uphill battle for the Buckeyes, with distance playing a large factor in that climb. However, Frye and the Ohio State staff have done enough to this point to warrant them still being in the running even despite the geographic challenges, and so expect them to continue to press for Sanders with a rather large need at offensive tackle both on the current roster and moving forward.
Speaking of offensive linemen, Sanders wasn’t the only big blocker to include Ohio State among their top schools over the weekend. Heading a bit further south down to Florida, four-star interior OL Kaden Strayhorn listed the Buckeyes as one of his final 12 teams, making the list alongside Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Texas, USC and others.
Strayhorn is the No. 20 IOL and the No. 380 player overall in the 2025 class. Hailing out of IMG Academy, the 6-foot-3, 285-pounder is originally from Detroit, so he has some ties to Big Ten country. Strayhorn played his freshman year at Detroit Catholic Central before making the move to the elite southern prep program. The Michigan native has further ties to the B1G, as he is a Michigan State legacy, with his father Jason spending his playing days with the Spartans.
Strayhorn has visits planned to Alabama, Florida and Georgia, and says he plans to visit both Ohio State and Miami as well. Before he can further narrow his list, the MaxPreps Preseason Sophomore All-American first-team selection told 247Sports what he is looking for at the next level:
“The culture of the program, who the the coaches are, how they develop the center position and interior offensive line, who they’ve sent to the NFL and how they coach and the type of offense they run. Who they play against also, like I think the Big Ten and SEC are the best but the only reason I wouldn’t go to either of those conferences is for Miami.”
Switching to the other side of the ball for our third and final bullet point in this section, Ohio State also made the top schools for a four-star linebacker in the 2025 class. The Texas native Elijah Barnes put the Buckeyes in his top 10 on Friday, alongside Alabama, Florida State, LSU, Texas, Oregon and others.
Barnes is the No. 14 LB and just outside the top-100 as the No. 106 player nationally, per the 247Sports Composite. After being named the Texas District 11-6A Defensive Newcomer of the Year as a sophomore, the 6-foot-2, 225-pound linebacker put together a big season for Skyline High School as a junior. Barnes recorded 65 total tackles with 12 tackles for loss in 2023, adding three sacks and four interceptions to his numbers.
For Ohio State, it is impressive to make Barnes’ short list being that Barnes has never actually been to Columbus. In January, Buckeye coaches Ryan Day, James Laurinaitis (pre-promotion) and Jim Knowles all made a stop at Skyline to visit the talented LB, and shortly after Barnes made plans to visit Ohio State with a date set for March 22. With Laurinaitis now the full-time position coach and OSU already doing enough to this point for Barnes to include them among his final schools prior to a visit, that trip could prove to be an important one in this recruitment.
Quick Hits
- While the focus right now is spring camp, Ohio State is also getting out ahead and filling up the calendar for the summer as well. This past weekend, it was announced that four-star running back Marquiss Davis will be making an official visit with the Buckeyes on June 7, in addition to looking to make an unofficial visit during the spring. An Ohio native, Davis is the No. 13 RB in the country in the 2025 class in addition to being the No. 170 player nationally and the seventh-best player in the state.
- Ohio State wide receiver commit Jayvan Boggs was turning some heads at the Under Armour Next camp over the weekend. Making his verbal commitment to the Buckeyes back in October, Boggs is rated as the No. 22 WR and the No. 187 player in the 2025 class, but it is expected that those numbers will continue to rise as we get closer to signing day. Boggs was named MVP of the event on Sunday as evidence of his potentially underrated skillset.
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