-
New here? Register here now for access to all the forums, download game torrents, private messages, polls, Sportsbook, etc. Plus, stay connected and follow BP on Instagram @buckeyeplanet and Facebook.
LGHL Ohio State men’s basketball vs. Iowa: Game preview and prediction
- News
- 0 Replies
Ohio State men’s basketball vs. Iowa: 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
Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Following Tuesday’s loss to Illinois, the Buckeyes hit the road to take on Iowa tonight.
For the second time this season Ohio State’s men’s basketball team has lost three games in a row. Following setbacks on the road to Nebraska and Northwestern last week, on Tuesday night the Buckeyes fell at home 87-75 to Illinois. With the loss to the Fighting Illini, Ohio State has lost six of their last seven games, with the only win during that span coming at home against Penn State. Along with their funk during the month of January, the Buckeyes have been atrocious on the road over the last year, losing their last 14 road games.
After a lackluster effort on Saturday at Northwestern, Ohio State showed a little more fight against a tough Illinois team on Tuesday evening. The improved effort wasn’t enough though, as the Buckeyes weren’t able to cut into a 41-34 halftime deficit in the second half. Most of the statistics in the game were pretty tight, Illinois just hit a couple more three-pointers, a few more free throws, and pulled down a couple more rebounds.
Leading Ohio State in scoring on Tuesday night was Jamison Battle, who finished with 21 points. Entering Tuesday’s contest, Battle had been in a recent slump, scoring just 32 total points over his last four games. The Minnesota transfer hit the 20-point mark for the fourth time this season, and the first time since he scored 22 points in the victory over Rutgers at the beginning of the month. Just behind Battle on Tuesday night in scoring was Roddy Gayle Jr., who netted 20 points. Evan Mahaffey was the only other Ohio State player to reach double figures in scoring, with his 13 points being his second-highest scoring total as a Buckeye.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25261854/usa_today_22407068.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
One Buckeye who has been struggling lately has been Bruce Thornton. Over the last four games, the only contest where Thornton hit more than a third of his field goal attempts came in the loss to Nebraska where he was 5-9 from the field. After reaching double figures in scoring in 13 of the first 14 games of this season, Thornton has failed to score at least 10 points in three of the last seven games. With the season spiraling out of control, Ohio State needs more from Thornton, who is looked at as one of the leaders of the team.
Much like Ohio State, Iowa is playing some of their worst basketball of the season, having lost three of their last four games. The latest loss for the Hawkeyes came on Tuesday night to Indiana, falling to the Hoosiers 74-69 in Bloomington. Fran McCaffrey’s team at least showed some fight in the loss, rallying from a 17-point deficit in the first half, and a 12-point deficit in the second half. Iowa actually led 68-66 with 1:42 left in the game after a Payton Sandfort jumper before Indiana would go on to score the last eight points of the game.
Sandfort’s jumper late in the game to give Iowa a brief lead gave him a team-high 26 points. Sandfort’s 26-point outburst pushed his season total to five games with at least 20 points. The junior forward is tied with Ben Krikke for second in scoring, with both averaging 15 points per game. Sandfort has also been very active on the glass so far this season, leading the Hawkeyes with 6.9 rebounds per game.
This is the 169th meeting between the Buckeyes and Hawkeyes. Incredibly, the all-time series is knotted at 84. Last year the teams met three times, with Ohio State winning two of the three contests. The Buckeyes won in Columbus 93-77 in January, followed by Iowa winning 92-75 on their home court a little less than a month later. Ohio State won the rubber match at the Big Ten Tournament 73-69 in the second round. Even with the loss in Chicago, the Hawkeyes would still go on to the NCAA Tournament, losing to Auburn in the first round while the Buckeyes sat at home.
Leading Iowa in scoring this year is senior guard Tony Perkins, who is averaging 15.5 points per game. In the loss to Indiana, Perkins returned to his home state and finished with 22 points, notching the fourth straight game where he has scored at least 20 points. Along with his scoring prowess, Perkins has been very active in other areas on the court, averaging four rebounds per game, four assists per game, and nearly two steals per contest.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25261851/usa_today_22336993.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Purdue at Iowa")
Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
While Perkins, Sandfort, and Krikke are all capable of having monster games, the most intriguing player on Iowa’s roster is Owen Freeman. The freshman is capable of posting a double-double any time he takes the floor. So far this season Freeman has recorded three double-doubles, but there have been numerous games where he has fallen a rebound or two shy of adding to those numbers. Earlier this week Freeman was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week for the seventh time this season, tying Bryce McGowens of Nebraska for second-most in conference history. Freeman very quietly leads all Big Ten freshmen in points, rebounds, and blocks.
Ohio State has to be thrilled the calendar has turned to February. Even though the month has changed, the outlook for Chris Holtmann’s team hasn’t. The Buckeyes can’t win on the road, which severely hampers their NCAA Tournament hopes. With their terrible January, it is looking like the only chance for Ohio State to make the tournament is to win the Big Ten Tournament. Because of their failures so far in the conference, the Buckeyes are looking like they are going to be one of the lower seeds in next month’s conference tournament, so they aren’t doing themselves any favors.
The good news for the Buckeyes is Iowa has lost their last two games at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The bad news for Ohio State is those losses came to Maryland and Purdue, two teams that are playing at a higher level than the Buckeyes are right now. Right now Ohio State just seems lost on the basketball court. Players like Bruce Thornton seem to have hit a wall, while others like Roddy Gayle Jr. have struggled with consistency of late. Then there have been some puzzling usage decisions from Holtmann when it comes to the bench. Freshman Devin Royal has given the team quality minutes, but the problem is he is averaging just over seven minutes per game despite producing in the few minutes he’s been given.
This Iowa squad isn’t quite as feared as they have been recently since they don’t have Luka Garza or the Murray brothers. That doesn’t mean the Hawkeyes aren’t dangerous. Every time out Iowa is a threat to score at least 80 points because of their ability to score inside and out. On the other side, the Buckeyes are having a real tough time keeping up with opponents who can’t score quite at the rate Iowa can. If Ohio State isn’t on their game early tonight, things could get ugly fast in Iowa City.
ESPN BPI: Iowa 71.8%
Time: 7 p.m. ET
TV: FS1
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
Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Following Tuesday’s loss to Illinois, the Buckeyes hit the road to take on Iowa tonight.
For the second time this season Ohio State’s men’s basketball team has lost three games in a row. Following setbacks on the road to Nebraska and Northwestern last week, on Tuesday night the Buckeyes fell at home 87-75 to Illinois. With the loss to the Fighting Illini, Ohio State has lost six of their last seven games, with the only win during that span coming at home against Penn State. Along with their funk during the month of January, the Buckeyes have been atrocious on the road over the last year, losing their last 14 road games.
After a lackluster effort on Saturday at Northwestern, Ohio State showed a little more fight against a tough Illinois team on Tuesday evening. The improved effort wasn’t enough though, as the Buckeyes weren’t able to cut into a 41-34 halftime deficit in the second half. Most of the statistics in the game were pretty tight, Illinois just hit a couple more three-pointers, a few more free throws, and pulled down a couple more rebounds.
Leading Ohio State in scoring on Tuesday night was Jamison Battle, who finished with 21 points. Entering Tuesday’s contest, Battle had been in a recent slump, scoring just 32 total points over his last four games. The Minnesota transfer hit the 20-point mark for the fourth time this season, and the first time since he scored 22 points in the victory over Rutgers at the beginning of the month. Just behind Battle on Tuesday night in scoring was Roddy Gayle Jr., who netted 20 points. Evan Mahaffey was the only other Ohio State player to reach double figures in scoring, with his 13 points being his second-highest scoring total as a Buckeye.
One Buckeye who has been struggling lately has been Bruce Thornton. Over the last four games, the only contest where Thornton hit more than a third of his field goal attempts came in the loss to Nebraska where he was 5-9 from the field. After reaching double figures in scoring in 13 of the first 14 games of this season, Thornton has failed to score at least 10 points in three of the last seven games. With the season spiraling out of control, Ohio State needs more from Thornton, who is looked at as one of the leaders of the team.
Preview
Much like Ohio State, Iowa is playing some of their worst basketball of the season, having lost three of their last four games. The latest loss for the Hawkeyes came on Tuesday night to Indiana, falling to the Hoosiers 74-69 in Bloomington. Fran McCaffrey’s team at least showed some fight in the loss, rallying from a 17-point deficit in the first half, and a 12-point deficit in the second half. Iowa actually led 68-66 with 1:42 left in the game after a Payton Sandfort jumper before Indiana would go on to score the last eight points of the game.
Sandfort’s jumper late in the game to give Iowa a brief lead gave him a team-high 26 points. Sandfort’s 26-point outburst pushed his season total to five games with at least 20 points. The junior forward is tied with Ben Krikke for second in scoring, with both averaging 15 points per game. Sandfort has also been very active on the glass so far this season, leading the Hawkeyes with 6.9 rebounds per game.
This is the 169th meeting between the Buckeyes and Hawkeyes. Incredibly, the all-time series is knotted at 84. Last year the teams met three times, with Ohio State winning two of the three contests. The Buckeyes won in Columbus 93-77 in January, followed by Iowa winning 92-75 on their home court a little less than a month later. Ohio State won the rubber match at the Big Ten Tournament 73-69 in the second round. Even with the loss in Chicago, the Hawkeyes would still go on to the NCAA Tournament, losing to Auburn in the first round while the Buckeyes sat at home.
Leading Iowa in scoring this year is senior guard Tony Perkins, who is averaging 15.5 points per game. In the loss to Indiana, Perkins returned to his home state and finished with 22 points, notching the fourth straight game where he has scored at least 20 points. Along with his scoring prowess, Perkins has been very active in other areas on the court, averaging four rebounds per game, four assists per game, and nearly two steals per contest.
While Perkins, Sandfort, and Krikke are all capable of having monster games, the most intriguing player on Iowa’s roster is Owen Freeman. The freshman is capable of posting a double-double any time he takes the floor. So far this season Freeman has recorded three double-doubles, but there have been numerous games where he has fallen a rebound or two shy of adding to those numbers. Earlier this week Freeman was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week for the seventh time this season, tying Bryce McGowens of Nebraska for second-most in conference history. Freeman very quietly leads all Big Ten freshmen in points, rebounds, and blocks.
Prediction
Ohio State has to be thrilled the calendar has turned to February. Even though the month has changed, the outlook for Chris Holtmann’s team hasn’t. The Buckeyes can’t win on the road, which severely hampers their NCAA Tournament hopes. With their terrible January, it is looking like the only chance for Ohio State to make the tournament is to win the Big Ten Tournament. Because of their failures so far in the conference, the Buckeyes are looking like they are going to be one of the lower seeds in next month’s conference tournament, so they aren’t doing themselves any favors.
The good news for the Buckeyes is Iowa has lost their last two games at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The bad news for Ohio State is those losses came to Maryland and Purdue, two teams that are playing at a higher level than the Buckeyes are right now. Right now Ohio State just seems lost on the basketball court. Players like Bruce Thornton seem to have hit a wall, while others like Roddy Gayle Jr. have struggled with consistency of late. Then there have been some puzzling usage decisions from Holtmann when it comes to the bench. Freshman Devin Royal has given the team quality minutes, but the problem is he is averaging just over seven minutes per game despite producing in the few minutes he’s been given.
This Iowa squad isn’t quite as feared as they have been recently since they don’t have Luka Garza or the Murray brothers. That doesn’t mean the Hawkeyes aren’t dangerous. Every time out Iowa is a threat to score at least 80 points because of their ability to score inside and out. On the other side, the Buckeyes are having a real tough time keeping up with opponents who can’t score quite at the rate Iowa can. If Ohio State isn’t on their game early tonight, things could get ugly fast in Iowa City.
ESPN BPI: Iowa 71.8%
Time: 7 p.m. ET
TV: FS1
LGHL score prediction: Iowa 81, Ohio State 72
Continue reading...
OL Mike Jacobs (walk-on in 1997, now Head Football Coach at Mercer )
- By ScriptOhio
- Buckeye Alumni
- 1 Replies
Mike Jacobs: Ohio State Football - Buckeye Rosters
www.buckeyerosters.com
Mike Jacobs
LS, C, OG
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 285
Birthday: 5/9/1979
Hometown: Maumee, OH
High School: Maumee
Current Team: Ohio State
Seasons: 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001
Major: Sport & Leisure Studies (1998-01), Unknown (1997)
2001 Media Guide: Mike Jacobs is a former walk-on who was converted to scholarship prior to last year … currently listed as the Buckeyes’ No. 2 center … also snaps for field goals and extra points … has worked hard to earn a spot on the depth chart … his father, Mike Jacobs, is a former Ohio State assistant coach and offensive coordinator.
2000 Season: Fulfilled a lifelong dream when he was awarded a scholarship at the start of the season … played in all 12 games, primarily as the long snapper, but did see action at center against Fresno State and Iowa.
2000 Media Guide: Everyone could learn a lesson in attitude from Mike Jacobs. Now in his fourth year in the OSU program, Jacobs has learned a number of positions and, in the words of the OSU coaching staff, “has done everything we’ve asked of him.” Jacobs has stood out as a long-snapper n the past and may get a chance to excel at that position with the departure of Kevin Houser to graduation. “Mike is a young man with a lot of willingness and a lot of want. He wants to do things really well,” George Belu, offensive line coach, said.
1999 Season: Played in three games … logged a total of five minutes, including a season-high three minutes against Iowa.
1999 Media Guide: Mike Jacobs is a hard-working young man who is entering his third full year with the Ohio State Buckeyes. He has learned a number of offensive line positions, but has stood out as a long snapper and backup center. Jacobs made the travel squad last year as a backup long snapper when Kevin Houser’s wrist was still in question.
1998 Season: Managed to see his first collegiate action, playing in three games for a total of five minutes.
1998 Media Guide: Entering his second full year as a member of the team … learning a number of offensive line positions, but stood out this spring at center, where he also displayed some long snapping capabilities … could become a valuable backup to Kevin Houser in the area of snapping.
1997 Season: Redshirted the 1997 season as a true freshman.
Personal: Is the son of Ohio State offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Mike Jacobs and Judy Jacobs … played high school football at Maumee High School … born May 9, 1979.
Just sayin': He deserves his own thread.
LGHL Game Preview: No. 8 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. Wisconsin Badgers
- News
- 0 Replies
Game Preview: No. 8 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. Wisconsin Badgers
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Mark Stewart / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
A Dublin Coffman High School star comes home as the Buckeyes push for eight-straight wins.
Ohio State women’s basketball is at the midway point of the conference schedule, with nine Big Ten games in the rearview mirror and nine more approaching. Up first, starting a two-game streak of home games, are the Wisconsin Badgers. Sitting at 10-9, the Badgers under third year head coach Marisa Moseley are a team full of youth and potential.
Will that potential be enough to take advantage of the Buckeyes, who have a Sunday matchup against the No. 10 Indiana Hoosiers on the horizon?
Last week was a good one for the Badgers. First, Wisconsin won a rivalry game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers — its third in a row against Minnesota. This year was more of a surprise than the last two, with the Golden Gophers entering the game with a 12-4 record, compared to the then 8-9 Badgers.
Then, a home win against the Scarlet Knights, which is not exactly a monumental program moment with Rutgers winless in Big Ten play. However, following the two victories, two Badgers received honors for their work on the court.
For Wisconsin forward Serah Williams, it’s a reward she could win most weeks if not for the existence of Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark. The Badgers sophomore had two double-doubles in the victories, and enters Thursday’s game against the Buckeyes with six double-doubles in a row.
The member of the Big Ten All-Freshman Team went from rising freshman to leading the Badgers. Williams is a terror in the post, scoring 17.9 points (third most in the Big Ten) and adding 10.4 rebounds (second in the Big Ten) per game. She is the type of player which Ohio State is known to struggle against.
A reason for the increased scoring for Williams, up from 12.7 points per game as a freshman, is that the Badgers need her to shoot more often. Williams had to fill the gap of Czech guard Julie Pospíšilová, who led Wisconsin in scoring two of her four years in the NCAA, and then-freshman Maty Wilke, who left the program after only one season to go west to Utah.
In 17 games this season, Williams is averaging 1.4 more shots per game, plus the occasional attempt from beyond the arc. Another reason is the overall youth of Coach Moseley’s side. Wisconsin has three seniors, and the remaining 11 rostered players are underclassmen (with five freshmen).
Williams also leads the conference in blocks, with 3.1 per game, meaning a potentially difficult game for shorter Buckeyes players going to the basket, like fellow sophomore Cotie McMahon and graduate senior Jacy Sheldon.
Wisconsin’s other individual accolade from the dual victory week is connected to Central Ohio. Freshman guard Tessa Grady went north to the Badgers following a standout amateur high school career at the same high school as Sheldon: Dublin Coffman High School in Dublin, Ohio.
Grady followed her brother’s recruiting journey, joining Wisconsin after inside linebacker Griffin Grady played with the Badgers from 2016-2020. The shooting guard chose Wisconsin after securing the No. 1 prospect ranking for her position in Ohio.
In her first nine appearances of the season, Grady played five minutes per game and averaged 1.8 points. However, since the new year began, the freshman is earning meaningful minutes for Coach Moseley off the bench. In Grady’s last five appearances, the guard averages 15 minutes and 8.0 points per game.
Her most impressive outing came in the rivalry game against Minnesota. That’s when Grady was second in scoring to only Williams on the day, hitting 5-for-11 three-point shots and collecting 15 points on the night. Although Grady played at the same school as Sheldon, the Ohio State guard has been in the Buckeyes program since the 2019-20 season. The two will get more acquainted Thursday.
The advantage around the perimeter leans towards the guard trio of Sheldon, Celeste Taylor and Taylor Thierry, defensively, but the Buckeyes struggles of late come from the offensive side of the court.
Ohio State’s last two games featured 29.5% shooting from beyond the arc. Early in games, the Buckeyes try open threes, thanks to defensive zones, but have to abandon it and try to win inside the paint. While McMahon has been up to the task lately, the offense of the scarlet and gray loses a dimension when shots aren’t falling — an issue that needs improvement before the No. 10 Indiana Hoosiers come to Columbus on Sunday.
Fortunately for Coach McGuff and the Buckeyes is that the fifth worst shooting efficiency from deep in the conference is facing a Badgers team last in three-point shooting. Wisconsin averages 28.9% shooting from three-point range and ranks 14th in overall shooting, hitting 40.8% of shots taken.
While that bodes well for Ohio State, any good momentum heading into Sunday will contribute to a game that will impact who wins the Big Ten regular season title.
G- Jacy Sheldon
G- Celeste Taylor
G- Taylor Thierry
F- Cotie McMahon
F- Rebeka Mikulášikova
G- Ronnie Porter
G- Sania Copeland
G- Natalie Leuzinger
G- Brooke Schmarek
F- Serah Williams
With Wisconsin’s roster offering promise in future seasons, Ohio State shouldn’t have any problem dispatching the Badgers. Williams will get a double-double, but the supporting cast won’t thrive against the Buckeyes.
Ohio State will have a better scoring day, going up against a more inexperienced guard group, with three-point shooting looking better than it has over the past two away games for Coach McGuff’s side.
The Buckeyes will push ahead in the third quarter and not look back.
Date: Thursday, February 1, 2024
Time: 6:00 p.m. ET
Where: Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio
Television: BTN
Stream: Fox Sports App
Now an annual tradition, the Buckeyes will don pink for Thursday’s game against the Badgers. At halftime, the crowd will honor those fighting cancer, those who beat it and the people who support or have lost those that’ve suffered.
In past iterations of the pink game, Ohio State and its opponents wear pink.
The Northeast and Northwest entrances of the Schottenstein Center will have pink pom-poms for the first 5,000 fans in attendance, plus the first 200 students. Also, the folks who help fans find seats and also protect players, the red coats, will be appreciated during the game as well.
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
Mark Stewart / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
A Dublin Coffman High School star comes home as the Buckeyes push for eight-straight wins.
Ohio State women’s basketball is at the midway point of the conference schedule, with nine Big Ten games in the rearview mirror and nine more approaching. Up first, starting a two-game streak of home games, are the Wisconsin Badgers. Sitting at 10-9, the Badgers under third year head coach Marisa Moseley are a team full of youth and potential.
Will that potential be enough to take advantage of the Buckeyes, who have a Sunday matchup against the No. 10 Indiana Hoosiers on the horizon?
Preview
Last week was a good one for the Badgers. First, Wisconsin won a rivalry game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers — its third in a row against Minnesota. This year was more of a surprise than the last two, with the Golden Gophers entering the game with a 12-4 record, compared to the then 8-9 Badgers.
Then, a home win against the Scarlet Knights, which is not exactly a monumental program moment with Rutgers winless in Big Ten play. However, following the two victories, two Badgers received honors for their work on the court.
#B1GWBBall WEEKLY AWARDS
Player: @BadgerWBB's Serah Williams
Freshman: @BadgerWBB's Tessa Grady
https://t.co/PfOsgsqWa4 pic.twitter.com/hrBSss6DDg
— Big Ten Women's Basketball (@B1Gwbball) January 29, 2024
For Wisconsin forward Serah Williams, it’s a reward she could win most weeks if not for the existence of Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark. The Badgers sophomore had two double-doubles in the victories, and enters Thursday’s game against the Buckeyes with six double-doubles in a row.
The member of the Big Ten All-Freshman Team went from rising freshman to leading the Badgers. Williams is a terror in the post, scoring 17.9 points (third most in the Big Ten) and adding 10.4 rebounds (second in the Big Ten) per game. She is the type of player which Ohio State is known to struggle against.
A reason for the increased scoring for Williams, up from 12.7 points per game as a freshman, is that the Badgers need her to shoot more often. Williams had to fill the gap of Czech guard Julie Pospíšilová, who led Wisconsin in scoring two of her four years in the NCAA, and then-freshman Maty Wilke, who left the program after only one season to go west to Utah.
In 17 games this season, Williams is averaging 1.4 more shots per game, plus the occasional attempt from beyond the arc. Another reason is the overall youth of Coach Moseley’s side. Wisconsin has three seniors, and the remaining 11 rostered players are underclassmen (with five freshmen).
Williams also leads the conference in blocks, with 3.1 per game, meaning a potentially difficult game for shorter Buckeyes players going to the basket, like fellow sophomore Cotie McMahon and graduate senior Jacy Sheldon.
Wisconsin’s other individual accolade from the dual victory week is connected to Central Ohio. Freshman guard Tessa Grady went north to the Badgers following a standout amateur high school career at the same high school as Sheldon: Dublin Coffman High School in Dublin, Ohio.
Grady followed her brother’s recruiting journey, joining Wisconsin after inside linebacker Griffin Grady played with the Badgers from 2016-2020. The shooting guard chose Wisconsin after securing the No. 1 prospect ranking for her position in Ohio.
In her first nine appearances of the season, Grady played five minutes per game and averaged 1.8 points. However, since the new year began, the freshman is earning meaningful minutes for Coach Moseley off the bench. In Grady’s last five appearances, the guard averages 15 minutes and 8.0 points per game.
Her most impressive outing came in the rivalry game against Minnesota. That’s when Grady was second in scoring to only Williams on the day, hitting 5-for-11 three-point shots and collecting 15 points on the night. Although Grady played at the same school as Sheldon, the Ohio State guard has been in the Buckeyes program since the 2019-20 season. The two will get more acquainted Thursday.
The advantage around the perimeter leans towards the guard trio of Sheldon, Celeste Taylor and Taylor Thierry, defensively, but the Buckeyes struggles of late come from the offensive side of the court.
Ohio State’s last two games featured 29.5% shooting from beyond the arc. Early in games, the Buckeyes try open threes, thanks to defensive zones, but have to abandon it and try to win inside the paint. While McMahon has been up to the task lately, the offense of the scarlet and gray loses a dimension when shots aren’t falling — an issue that needs improvement before the No. 10 Indiana Hoosiers come to Columbus on Sunday.
Fortunately for Coach McGuff and the Buckeyes is that the fifth worst shooting efficiency from deep in the conference is facing a Badgers team last in three-point shooting. Wisconsin averages 28.9% shooting from three-point range and ranks 14th in overall shooting, hitting 40.8% of shots taken.
While that bodes well for Ohio State, any good momentum heading into Sunday will contribute to a game that will impact who wins the Big Ten regular season title.
Ohio State
G- Jacy Sheldon
G- Celeste Taylor
G- Taylor Thierry
F- Cotie McMahon
F- Rebeka Mikulášikova
Lineup Notes
- There’s no signs of a change to the lineup for Ohio State. The lone instance where the five above didn’t start was when forward Rebeka Mikulášiková missed the Jan. 5 game against the Northwestern Wildcats due to injury.
- Sunday, against the Purdue Boilermakers, forward Cotie McMahon was two assists away from a triple-double, scoring 10 points, grabbing 12 rebounds and creating eight assists.
- After receiving a knock early in the first quarter against Purdue, guard/forward Taylor Thierry played only 24 minutes for Ohio State. Thierry added 14 points, but had no rebounds after averaging 6.5 per game in the first 19 games of the season.
Wisconsin
G- Ronnie Porter
G- Sania Copeland
G- Natalie Leuzinger
G- Brooke Schmarek
F- Serah Williams
Lineup Notes
- Forward Serah Williams led the Big Ten in blocks last season with 58. With nine games remaining in the regular season, Williams already has 54 blocks, averaging 3.1 per game.
- Sophomore guard Ronnie Porter, who averaging 6.8 minutes per game as a freshman, averages 34.7 per game this season, starting every game for head coach Marisa Moseley.
- Wisconsin sits at the bottom of the Big Ten in scoring this season, averaging 64.5 points per game.
Prediction
With Wisconsin’s roster offering promise in future seasons, Ohio State shouldn’t have any problem dispatching the Badgers. Williams will get a double-double, but the supporting cast won’t thrive against the Buckeyes.
Ohio State will have a better scoring day, going up against a more inexperienced guard group, with three-point shooting looking better than it has over the past two away games for Coach McGuff’s side.
The Buckeyes will push ahead in the third quarter and not look back.
How to Watch
Date: Thursday, February 1, 2024
Time: 6:00 p.m. ET
Where: Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio
Television: BTN
Stream: Fox Sports App
LGHL Prediction: 85-63 Ohio State Buckeyes
Pink Game
Now an annual tradition, the Buckeyes will don pink for Thursday’s game against the Badgers. At halftime, the crowd will honor those fighting cancer, those who beat it and the people who support or have lost those that’ve suffered.
In past iterations of the pink game, Ohio State and its opponents wear pink.
The Northeast and Northwest entrances of the Schottenstein Center will have pink pom-poms for the first 5,000 fans in attendance, plus the first 200 students. Also, the folks who help fans find seats and also protect players, the red coats, will be appreciated during the game as well.
Continue reading...
LGHL Football Buckeyes back at work, men’s golf wins first tournament of 2024
- News
- 0 Replies
Football Buckeyes back at work, men’s golf wins first tournament of 2024
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
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
You’re Nuts: Who should be the final addition to Ohio State football’s coaching staff?
Brett Ludwiczak and Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ryan Day believes new offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien fits ‘very well with what exactly we need’
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Initial 2024 Ohio State Depth Chart Projection
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
Time to get to work:
Ohio State’s Michael Hall Jr. attracting attention, making plays at Senior Bowl practice
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Big Ten Media Notes: Projecting the TV networks’ selection draft for 2024
Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts
Quinshon Judkins focused on championships, not carries with Buckeyes
Austin Ward, Dotting the Eyes
Congrats to old friend Matt Brown and for whatever Laurinaitis is teasing!
OSU center Seth McLaughlin discusses snap issues from Alabama
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
Breaking down biggest Ohio State recruiting needs after important January
Jeremy Birmingham, Dotting the Eyes
Packers hire former OSU assistant Jeff Hafley as defensive coordinator
Tom Silverstein, Columbus Dispatch
This is a really good breakdown.
Visiting Locker Room: Talking Wisconsin Badgers, The Serah Williams Show with Drew Hamm
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
Chris Holtmann was a little testy in this postgame presser.
Men’s Golf: Buckeyes, Shipley Win Southwestern Invitational
Ohio State Athletics
Men’s Swimming and Diving: Clark Collects Weekly Conference Honors
Ohio State Athletics
Women’s Swimming and Diving: Fulmer Named Big Ten Swimmer of the Week
Ohio State Athletics
This one is really good:
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
Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
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
You’re Nuts: Who should be the final addition to Ohio State football’s coaching staff?
Brett Ludwiczak and Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ryan Day believes new offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien fits ‘very well with what exactly we need’
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Initial 2024 Ohio State Depth Chart Projection
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
Time to get to work:
Ohio State’s Michael Hall Jr. attracting attention, making plays at Senior Bowl practice
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Big Ten Media Notes: Projecting the TV networks’ selection draft for 2024
Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts
Quinshon Judkins focused on championships, not carries with Buckeyes
Austin Ward, Dotting the Eyes
Congrats to old friend Matt Brown and for whatever Laurinaitis is teasing!
OSU center Seth McLaughlin discusses snap issues from Alabama
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
Breaking down biggest Ohio State recruiting needs after important January
Jeremy Birmingham, Dotting the Eyes
Packers hire former OSU assistant Jeff Hafley as defensive coordinator
Tom Silverstein, Columbus Dispatch
On the Hardwood
This is a really good breakdown.
Visiting Locker Room: Talking Wisconsin Badgers, The Serah Williams Show with Drew Hamm
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
Chris Holtmann was a little testy in this postgame presser.
Outside the Shoe and Schott
Men’s Golf: Buckeyes, Shipley Win Southwestern Invitational
Ohio State Athletics
Men’s Swimming and Diving: Clark Collects Weekly Conference Honors
Ohio State Athletics
Women’s Swimming and Diving: Fulmer Named Big Ten Swimmer of the Week
Ohio State Athletics
And now for something completely different...
This one is really good:
Continue reading...
LGHL You’re Nuts: Is Bill O’Brien the right guy to be Ohio State’s new offensive coordinator?
- News
- 0 Replies
You’re Nuts: Is Bill O’Brien the right guy to be Ohio State’s new offensive coordinator?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Rich Barnes/Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
When Ohio State announced last month, they were bringing in Bill O’Brien as their new offensive coordinator, and given O’Brien’s success at both the collegiate and professional levels, many fans were ecstatic.
I was not one of them.
Now before you jump down my throat, let me state that I would love nothing more than for O’Brien to prove me wrong. O’Brien’s success translates to the Buckeyes’ success, and we should all be actively rooting for him to excel. I’m rooting for him!
I also don’t think he’s by any means the worst hiring choice Ryan Day could have made. But that doesn’t make him the right choice, either, and to that end, all the celebrating feels a bit premature.
For starters, I’m not sure Bill O’Brien actually wants to coach at the collegiate level. Though he has bounced back and forth from college to the pros and back again, history tells us his end game is the NFL. It’s tough to imagine him bringing long-term value to a program we’re not even sure he’ll stick around with for more than a season or two.
Since 2007, O’Brien has alternated between NFL and NCAA jobs, spending only two seasons each in his NCAA roles. Most recently, he finished a one-season stint as offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots, marking a return to the team with which he started his NFL coaching career as an offensive assistant back in 2007.
In 2011, he began a two-year stint at Penn State, taking over as head coach after Joe Paterno’s dismissal (and, credit where it’s due, he managed to lead the Nittany Lions to a winning record that far exceeded expectations despite the program being heavily sanctioned during his tenure, for which he was named Big Ten Coach of the Year). Still, it always felt a bit like he had one foot out the door, interviewing for NFL jobs after one season and ultimately jetting to Houston to become the Texans’ head coach after two seasons with the Nittany Lions.
From 2014-2020, O’Brien led the Texans to a 54-52 overall record (52-48 in the regular season, 2-4 in the playoffs), and he was fired mid-season in 2020 when the Texans got off to an 0-4 start, and he controversially traded DeAndre Hopkins.
So, back to college O’Brien went, this time to replace Steve Sarkisian as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Alabama. And while this was perhaps the best thing that could have happened to him, it’s hard to imagine he would have chosen to return to college had things not gone south in Houston.
But let’s dive into his time at Alabama, which, on paper, was extremely successful. In fact, this is something many folks are citing as evidence for why he should excite Buckeye fans. After all, it was during this time that O’Brien himself played a pivotal role in developing quarterback Bryce Young into a Heisman Trophy winner, and as we all know, Ohio State needs, erm, some help developing a quarterback. Plus, at face value, the Crimson Tide’s 24-4 record over his two seasons with them would indicate the team excelled under his offensive leadership.
But when you dig in a little deeper, many of the challenges his Alabama offenses faced mirror Ohio State’s offensive shortcomings in many ways. It is this factor that concerns me. I have no doubt he is a talented offensive coordinator—he has a knack for developing players. But I don’t think he can fill in the critical gaps in Ohio State’s offense as those tend to be the critical gaps his offenses share.
His first season with the Tide was Young’s Heisman year, and in 2022, Bama players and fans alike seemed optimistic about the offense heading in. But throughout the 2022 season, the offense underperformed, particularly in the ground game. Young missed a game and a half with a shoulder injury, so the drop in his yardage is understandable, but not a single running back rushed for 1,000 yards on the season, nor did a single receiver net 1,000 receiving yards.
The Buckeyes’ rushing offense in particular dropped off last season. Though they rushed for an average of 138.8 yards per game, this was only about half of what they put up in Day’s first season as coach.
Additionally, Ohio State struggled with pass protection last year, with Kyle McCord being sacked 16 times, placing the Buckeyes at 46th in the country in sacks surrendered.
Oh, but 16 times feels like a dream compared to the 41 times Bryce Young was sacked in the 2021 season, the first time since 2010 that an Alabama team had surrendered more than 30 sacks. Though O’Brien’s Tide was able to cut that number about in half in 2022, pass protection could continue to be an issue for Ohio State, and without a veteran quarterback of Bryce Young caliber, I have my doubts.
None of this even gets into his disastrous 2023 season with the New England Patriots, a year in which the Patriots finished with a 4-13 record. They ended the season ranked 30th in total offense and 31st in scoring offense, out of 32 teams, all while boasting a top-10 defense. YIKES!
Matt and those who are fans of this hiring decision will point to the fact that the NFL and college games are different and Alabama still finished in the top 10 offensively during both seasons with O’Brien calling plays. But in a year in which OSU needs to turn its offense around fast, end the slump against Michigan, and hopefully bring home a title, I just don’t think O’Brien is going to do for our offense what Jim Knowles did for our defense, despite needing that caliber of overhaul.
I understand Jami’s concerns, I really do, but Bill O’Brien is almost exactly the kind of coach that I was lobbying for immediately after the embarrassing Cotton Bowl defeat. At the time, I was thinking of this as a new quarterbacks coach who might be able to take over playcalling as well. That is essentially what O’Brien is doing, with the added benefit of him being the offensive coordinator.
In December, I argued, “Day needs to find a veteran, experienced QB coach to come in and completely take over that room, and potentially one with play-calling experience.”
Veteran:
Experienced:
Capable of taking over QB room:
Play-Calling Experience:
Now, I’m not saying that Ryan Day read mydiatribe article and went through it piece by piece and enacted nearly every item on my list, but I’m also not not saying that.
To me, this hiring is about far more than just who coaches the quarterbacks and who calls plays. This is about how Ryan Day views his main responsibilities as the head coach of the Ohio State football program. In my opinion, over the last few years, Day has spent way too much time trying to hold on to the thing that made him a hot coaching commodity in the first place: His ability to coach QBs and call plays.
While I still believe that Day is excellent at both of those things, he now has the far more important duties of... you know, running a multi-million dollar organization with increasingly complicated rules and circumstances necessary to be successful.
Like all big-time head coaches, Ryan Day has an ego; that’s not an insult, it is practically required to even attempt to succeed at the level that he is. So if he was ever going to trust someone enough to give up responsibilities that he sees as being so core and fundamental to who he is as a coach, then it had to be someone who has proven that he can do those things at a very high level, which BOB clearly has.
I’ve written before about Day’s obvious trust issues, but if the OSU head coach has found someone to whom he is comfortable to turn over some of the most important aspects of the program, then I can do nothing but celebrate it. Will it work out? Maybe, maybe not. But I am encouraged by Day’s willingness to finally make this move nonetheless (also, I think it’s going to work out).
Let us know who you are agreeing with:
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Rich Barnes/Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
Today’s Question: Is Bill O’Brien the right guy to be Ohio State’s new offensive coordinator?
Jami’s Take:
When Ohio State announced last month, they were bringing in Bill O’Brien as their new offensive coordinator, and given O’Brien’s success at both the collegiate and professional levels, many fans were ecstatic.
I was not one of them.
Now before you jump down my throat, let me state that I would love nothing more than for O’Brien to prove me wrong. O’Brien’s success translates to the Buckeyes’ success, and we should all be actively rooting for him to excel. I’m rooting for him!
I also don’t think he’s by any means the worst hiring choice Ryan Day could have made. But that doesn’t make him the right choice, either, and to that end, all the celebrating feels a bit premature.
For starters, I’m not sure Bill O’Brien actually wants to coach at the collegiate level. Though he has bounced back and forth from college to the pros and back again, history tells us his end game is the NFL. It’s tough to imagine him bringing long-term value to a program we’re not even sure he’ll stick around with for more than a season or two.
Since 2007, O’Brien has alternated between NFL and NCAA jobs, spending only two seasons each in his NCAA roles. Most recently, he finished a one-season stint as offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots, marking a return to the team with which he started his NFL coaching career as an offensive assistant back in 2007.
In 2011, he began a two-year stint at Penn State, taking over as head coach after Joe Paterno’s dismissal (and, credit where it’s due, he managed to lead the Nittany Lions to a winning record that far exceeded expectations despite the program being heavily sanctioned during his tenure, for which he was named Big Ten Coach of the Year). Still, it always felt a bit like he had one foot out the door, interviewing for NFL jobs after one season and ultimately jetting to Houston to become the Texans’ head coach after two seasons with the Nittany Lions.
From 2014-2020, O’Brien led the Texans to a 54-52 overall record (52-48 in the regular season, 2-4 in the playoffs), and he was fired mid-season in 2020 when the Texans got off to an 0-4 start, and he controversially traded DeAndre Hopkins.
So, back to college O’Brien went, this time to replace Steve Sarkisian as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Alabama. And while this was perhaps the best thing that could have happened to him, it’s hard to imagine he would have chosen to return to college had things not gone south in Houston.
But let’s dive into his time at Alabama, which, on paper, was extremely successful. In fact, this is something many folks are citing as evidence for why he should excite Buckeye fans. After all, it was during this time that O’Brien himself played a pivotal role in developing quarterback Bryce Young into a Heisman Trophy winner, and as we all know, Ohio State needs, erm, some help developing a quarterback. Plus, at face value, the Crimson Tide’s 24-4 record over his two seasons with them would indicate the team excelled under his offensive leadership.
But when you dig in a little deeper, many of the challenges his Alabama offenses faced mirror Ohio State’s offensive shortcomings in many ways. It is this factor that concerns me. I have no doubt he is a talented offensive coordinator—he has a knack for developing players. But I don’t think he can fill in the critical gaps in Ohio State’s offense as those tend to be the critical gaps his offenses share.
His first season with the Tide was Young’s Heisman year, and in 2022, Bama players and fans alike seemed optimistic about the offense heading in. But throughout the 2022 season, the offense underperformed, particularly in the ground game. Young missed a game and a half with a shoulder injury, so the drop in his yardage is understandable, but not a single running back rushed for 1,000 yards on the season, nor did a single receiver net 1,000 receiving yards.
The Buckeyes’ rushing offense in particular dropped off last season. Though they rushed for an average of 138.8 yards per game, this was only about half of what they put up in Day’s first season as coach.
Additionally, Ohio State struggled with pass protection last year, with Kyle McCord being sacked 16 times, placing the Buckeyes at 46th in the country in sacks surrendered.
Oh, but 16 times feels like a dream compared to the 41 times Bryce Young was sacked in the 2021 season, the first time since 2010 that an Alabama team had surrendered more than 30 sacks. Though O’Brien’s Tide was able to cut that number about in half in 2022, pass protection could continue to be an issue for Ohio State, and without a veteran quarterback of Bryce Young caliber, I have my doubts.
None of this even gets into his disastrous 2023 season with the New England Patriots, a year in which the Patriots finished with a 4-13 record. They ended the season ranked 30th in total offense and 31st in scoring offense, out of 32 teams, all while boasting a top-10 defense. YIKES!
Matt and those who are fans of this hiring decision will point to the fact that the NFL and college games are different and Alabama still finished in the top 10 offensively during both seasons with O’Brien calling plays. But in a year in which OSU needs to turn its offense around fast, end the slump against Michigan, and hopefully bring home a title, I just don’t think O’Brien is going to do for our offense what Jim Knowles did for our defense, despite needing that caliber of overhaul.
Matt’s Take:
I understand Jami’s concerns, I really do, but Bill O’Brien is almost exactly the kind of coach that I was lobbying for immediately after the embarrassing Cotton Bowl defeat. At the time, I was thinking of this as a new quarterbacks coach who might be able to take over playcalling as well. That is essentially what O’Brien is doing, with the added benefit of him being the offensive coordinator.
In December, I argued, “Day needs to find a veteran, experienced QB coach to come in and completely take over that room, and potentially one with play-calling experience.”
Veteran:
Experienced:
Capable of taking over QB room:
Play-Calling Experience:
Now, I’m not saying that Ryan Day read my
To me, this hiring is about far more than just who coaches the quarterbacks and who calls plays. This is about how Ryan Day views his main responsibilities as the head coach of the Ohio State football program. In my opinion, over the last few years, Day has spent way too much time trying to hold on to the thing that made him a hot coaching commodity in the first place: His ability to coach QBs and call plays.
While I still believe that Day is excellent at both of those things, he now has the far more important duties of... you know, running a multi-million dollar organization with increasingly complicated rules and circumstances necessary to be successful.
Like all big-time head coaches, Ryan Day has an ego; that’s not an insult, it is practically required to even attempt to succeed at the level that he is. So if he was ever going to trust someone enough to give up responsibilities that he sees as being so core and fundamental to who he is as a coach, then it had to be someone who has proven that he can do those things at a very high level, which BOB clearly has.
I’ve written before about Day’s obvious trust issues, but if the OSU head coach has found someone to whom he is comfortable to turn over some of the most important aspects of the program, then I can do nothing but celebrate it. Will it work out? Maybe, maybe not. But I am encouraged by Day’s willingness to finally make this move nonetheless (also, I think it’s going to work out).
Let us know who you are agreeing with:
Continue reading...
Ohio State at Iowa, Friday, 2 February 2024, 7 PM ET, FS1
- By ScriptOhio
- Buckeye Basketball
- 59 Replies
The only good thing here is that it isn't on Peacock.....
www.live5news.com
Iowa vs. Ohio State Predictions & Picks - February 2
Predictions for the Iowa vs. Ohio State game with odds and picks on the spread and total.
www.live5news.com
Spread & Total Prediction for Ohio State vs. Iowa
- Computer Predicted Spread: Iowa (-4.6)
- Computer Predicted Total: 153.0
Iowa vs. Ohio State Score Prediction
- Prediction: Iowa 79, Ohio State 74
