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LGHL BOOOOM!!!! Buckeyes land four-star 2025 offensive tackle Carter Lowe
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BOOOOM!!!! Buckeyes land four-star 2025 offensive tackle Carter Lowe
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Carter Lowe | 247Sports
Ohio State keeps one of its best at home by landing a big-time offensive line target.
BOOM! Ohio State stays hot on the recruiting trail by landing Ohio native offensive tackle target Carter Lowe. The No. 79 player nationally, Lowe is the ninth-best player at his position and the third-best player in Ohio in the 2025 class per the 247Sports Composite.
Now at seven commits in the 2025 cycle, the Buckeyes jump up to the third-best class in the nation, moving up three spots with this latest addition. A major win for the program, the offensive line gets a much needed tackle prospect who fits the mold of everything this staff is looking for.
A Toledo Whitmer product, Lowe has long been on Ohio State’s radar, and rightfully so. A 6-foot-5, 290 pound athlete, Lowe has the frame any college program desires up front. Knowing he still has a year and a half left of high school to improve both his strength and ability on the field, the potential here is exciting for the Buckeyes, who have won out over a very impressive offer list.
Well over 20 offers to his name, Lowe being a top-100 player nationally and at one of the premier positions is sure to garner some serious attention, and he did just that early on in his recruitment. Schools such as Alabama, Clemson, Florida State, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, Tennessee, and several others threw their name into the mix. The Buckeyes made it a priority to keep their best Ohio prospects at home, and this is another example of why this recipe for success tends to work.
The importance of this addition to the class cannot be overstated. Football starts up front, and this is the kind of offensive tackle target that Ohio State has not always fared super well with. In several recruiting cycles the offensive line recruiting has left a lot to be desired, but here you’re seeing the caliber of player that truly makes a difference in the team’s trenches. Sure, it helps that Lowe is right within Ohio State’s backyard being from Toledo, but just because he’s an in-state native doesn’t mean it was a given he’d end up a Buckeye, or that he’s not the more national offensive line target the staff has long wanted.
The Buckeyes fought hard for this commitment, and had to do so against several top suitors, especially with Michigan playing a role. Early on Lowe made it known that he was very impressed with the Wolverines due to their offensive line development, and thankfully Ohio State now doesn’t have to worry about going against him. Simply put, this is a big time win for the program who has seen most of recruiting efforts lately go their way both with high school prospects and in the transfer portal.
Announcing via 247Sports just moments ago, the Buckeyes have their seventh member of the 2025 class and the first offensive line commit in a class that will look to take upwards of five guys in the position group. An elite get for Justin Frye and the rest of the staff, this latest commitment shows the Buckeyes aren’t planning on seeing their momentum slow down any time soon.
Just a glimpse at what Ohio State is getting, see below for Lowe’s junior season highlights.
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Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Carter Lowe | 247Sports
Ohio State keeps one of its best at home by landing a big-time offensive line target.
BOOM! Ohio State stays hot on the recruiting trail by landing Ohio native offensive tackle target Carter Lowe. The No. 79 player nationally, Lowe is the ninth-best player at his position and the third-best player in Ohio in the 2025 class per the 247Sports Composite.
Now at seven commits in the 2025 cycle, the Buckeyes jump up to the third-best class in the nation, moving up three spots with this latest addition. A major win for the program, the offensive line gets a much needed tackle prospect who fits the mold of everything this staff is looking for.
A Toledo Whitmer product, Lowe has long been on Ohio State’s radar, and rightfully so. A 6-foot-5, 290 pound athlete, Lowe has the frame any college program desires up front. Knowing he still has a year and a half left of high school to improve both his strength and ability on the field, the potential here is exciting for the Buckeyes, who have won out over a very impressive offer list.
Well over 20 offers to his name, Lowe being a top-100 player nationally and at one of the premier positions is sure to garner some serious attention, and he did just that early on in his recruitment. Schools such as Alabama, Clemson, Florida State, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, Tennessee, and several others threw their name into the mix. The Buckeyes made it a priority to keep their best Ohio prospects at home, and this is another example of why this recipe for success tends to work.
The importance of this addition to the class cannot be overstated. Football starts up front, and this is the kind of offensive tackle target that Ohio State has not always fared super well with. In several recruiting cycles the offensive line recruiting has left a lot to be desired, but here you’re seeing the caliber of player that truly makes a difference in the team’s trenches. Sure, it helps that Lowe is right within Ohio State’s backyard being from Toledo, but just because he’s an in-state native doesn’t mean it was a given he’d end up a Buckeye, or that he’s not the more national offensive line target the staff has long wanted.
The Buckeyes fought hard for this commitment, and had to do so against several top suitors, especially with Michigan playing a role. Early on Lowe made it known that he was very impressed with the Wolverines due to their offensive line development, and thankfully Ohio State now doesn’t have to worry about going against him. Simply put, this is a big time win for the program who has seen most of recruiting efforts lately go their way both with high school prospects and in the transfer portal.
Announcing via 247Sports just moments ago, the Buckeyes have their seventh member of the 2025 class and the first offensive line commit in a class that will look to take upwards of five guys in the position group. An elite get for Justin Frye and the rest of the staff, this latest commitment shows the Buckeyes aren’t planning on seeing their momentum slow down any time soon.
Just a glimpse at what Ohio State is getting, see below for Lowe’s junior season highlights.
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LGHL Ohio State men’s basketball vs. Northwestern: Game preview and prediction
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Ohio State men’s basketball vs. Northwestern: 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
David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
The Buckeyes will look to put Tuesday’s loss to Nebraska behind them when take on Northwestern tonight.
Following Tuesday night’s 83-69 loss to Nebraska in Lincoln, Ohio State will be on the road again tonight, battling Northwestern at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston. The Buckeyes desperately need a win against the Wildcats to try and give them a shot at finishing January with a 4-4 record. Not only does Ohio State have to beat Northwestern tonight to make that happen, they’ll also have to defeat Illinois on Tuesday night in Columbus.
The loss to Nebraska on Tuesday was Ohio State’s fourth loss in the last five games. The Buckeyes went into the halftime break trailing the Cornhuskers 43-35, and things didn’t get better in the second half as Fred Hoiberg’s team led by double-digits for the majority of the 20 minutes after halftime. Ohio State had no answer for Rienk Mast, who not only scored a career-high 34 points in the win, the Bradley transfer also grabbed 10 rebounds.
As ugly as the final score was for the Buckeyes, there were a few positives to come out of the loss. Roddy Gayle Jr. struggled shooting the basketball, finishing with just six points in the game, but the guard from Niagara Falls set a career-high by dishing out eight assists. While Ohio State did a good job at distributing the basketball and not committing too many turnovers, the Buckeyes just couldn’t find an answer to slow down Mast and the Nebraska offense.
Another positive in the loss was the introduction of Bowen Hardman in the game. Looking for a spark in the second half, head coach Chris Holtmann turned to Hardman, who many say is the best shooter on the team. Hardman didn’t disappoint, hitting three of the seven three-pointers he attempted, scoring 11 points in just eight minutes of playing time.
While it remains to be seen if Hardman will see an increase in playing time going forward, the sophomore from Cincinnati at least saw some time on the floor in a road Big Ten game and was able to produce when his number was called.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25249200/usa_today_22357250.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Ohio State at Nebraska")
Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports
Hardman was one of three Buckeyes to score in double figures in the game. Bruce Thornton hit his average for the season, netting 16 points to lead Ohio State in scoring in the loss. Jamison Battle was the other Buckeye to score at least 10 points in the loss, finishing with 11 points, and adding seven rebounds. With his three triples in the game, Battle now has 56 three-pointers on the season, which is 22 more than Bruce Thornton, who is second on the team from behind the arc.
While Ohio State is licking the wounds after another January loss, Northwestern is riding high heading into this game after a 96-91 overtime win over Illinois on Wednesday. Boo Buie forced overtime when his layup with 23 seconds left in regulation tied the game at 76. The Wildcats just wanted the game a little more than the Fighting Illini on Wednesday, scoring the first nine points of overtime to secure the victory over their in-state foe. Buie scored a team-high 29 points, and Brooks Barnhizer added 23 points.
Entering tonight’s game, Ohio State leads the all-time series 123-49, winning six of the last 10 contests with the Wildcats. The 73-57 win by the Buckeyes over Northwestern on the first day of 2023 in Evanston was actually the last road win by Ohio State. Since then the Buckeyes have lost 13 straight true road games. The Wildcats were able to return the favor a month later by beating Ohio State 69-63 at Value City Arena. The loss to Northwestern was in the middle of a brutal nine-game losing streak for the Buckeyes.
This isn’t the Northwestern team that you have become accustomed to over the years that would play at a slow tempo. With their victory on Wednesday, the Wildcats have now scored at least 88 points in three Big Ten games this year, marking the first time they have accomplished that feat since the 1975-76 season.
Boo Buie is leading Northwestern, averaging 18.5 points per game. Buie is one of four Wildcats averaging at least 10 points per game this year. Guard Brooks Barnhizer is second on the team with a 14.9 points per game average, while Ty Berry and Princeton transfer Ryan Langborg are both averaging over 11 points per contest.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25250750/1950907901.jpg "Northwestern v Nebraska")
Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images
Along with their scoring prowess, Northwestern does a great job when it comes to turnovers. Through 19 games this season, the Wildcats are turning the ball over just 8.9 times per game, which ranks first in the Big Ten and fourth in the country. On the defensive side of the ball, Northwestern forces 13.8 turnovers per game, ranking third in the conference.
After leading the Big Ten with a +4.3 turnover margin last season, the Wildcats have been even better this year, with their turnover margin rising to a +4.8. Barnhizer has been a pest on the defensive end this season, entering tonight’s game averaging 2.0 steals per game.
Right now it is impossible to trust the Ohio State men’s basketball team. The Buckeyes have the talent to contend in the Big Ten, for some reason they just keep faltering in January under Chris Holtmann.
Ohio State is already on the bubble when it comes to earning a spot in the NCAA Tournament in March. With some tough games still on the schedule, the Buckeyes will need to dig deep to win some of those games to stay in contention for a tournament bid. Add in tonight’s game being a road game, which have been impossible for Ohio State to win over the past year, and it feels like the season is about to be over for the Buckeyes before the calendar turns to February.
Despite Ohio State being deeper and more talented than Northwestern, the Wildcats are coached better and just play hungrier basketball. Chris Collins is in his 11th season as head coach in Evanston, and during his time he has taken the Wildcats to the NCAA Tournament twice. Their 2017 appearance was their first in school history, while last season Northwestern defeated Boise State in the first round before falling 68-63 to UCLA in the second round. Right now it’s looking a lot more like the Wildcats will make this year’s tournament than the Buckeyes.
Not to say it’s impossible Ohio State wins tonight in Evanston, they’ll just have to play one of their best games of the season to defeat a very tough Northwestern squad. Thornton, Battle, and Gayle are a strong trio when they are playing well and supported by some interior toughness from Felix Okpara and Zed Key. The Buckeyes are going to need the two big men to be at their best tonight, as well as the Ohio State bench to give the team some strong contributions if they want to register their first road win in over a year.
ESPN BPI: Northwestern 64.4%
Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
TV: Big Ten Network
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Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
The Buckeyes will look to put Tuesday’s loss to Nebraska behind them when take on Northwestern tonight.
Following Tuesday night’s 83-69 loss to Nebraska in Lincoln, Ohio State will be on the road again tonight, battling Northwestern at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston. The Buckeyes desperately need a win against the Wildcats to try and give them a shot at finishing January with a 4-4 record. Not only does Ohio State have to beat Northwestern tonight to make that happen, they’ll also have to defeat Illinois on Tuesday night in Columbus.
The loss to Nebraska on Tuesday was Ohio State’s fourth loss in the last five games. The Buckeyes went into the halftime break trailing the Cornhuskers 43-35, and things didn’t get better in the second half as Fred Hoiberg’s team led by double-digits for the majority of the 20 minutes after halftime. Ohio State had no answer for Rienk Mast, who not only scored a career-high 34 points in the win, the Bradley transfer also grabbed 10 rebounds.
As ugly as the final score was for the Buckeyes, there were a few positives to come out of the loss. Roddy Gayle Jr. struggled shooting the basketball, finishing with just six points in the game, but the guard from Niagara Falls set a career-high by dishing out eight assists. While Ohio State did a good job at distributing the basketball and not committing too many turnovers, the Buckeyes just couldn’t find an answer to slow down Mast and the Nebraska offense.
Another positive in the loss was the introduction of Bowen Hardman in the game. Looking for a spark in the second half, head coach Chris Holtmann turned to Hardman, who many say is the best shooter on the team. Hardman didn’t disappoint, hitting three of the seven three-pointers he attempted, scoring 11 points in just eight minutes of playing time.
While it remains to be seen if Hardman will see an increase in playing time going forward, the sophomore from Cincinnati at least saw some time on the floor in a road Big Ten game and was able to produce when his number was called.
Hardman was one of three Buckeyes to score in double figures in the game. Bruce Thornton hit his average for the season, netting 16 points to lead Ohio State in scoring in the loss. Jamison Battle was the other Buckeye to score at least 10 points in the loss, finishing with 11 points, and adding seven rebounds. With his three triples in the game, Battle now has 56 three-pointers on the season, which is 22 more than Bruce Thornton, who is second on the team from behind the arc.
Preview
While Ohio State is licking the wounds after another January loss, Northwestern is riding high heading into this game after a 96-91 overtime win over Illinois on Wednesday. Boo Buie forced overtime when his layup with 23 seconds left in regulation tied the game at 76. The Wildcats just wanted the game a little more than the Fighting Illini on Wednesday, scoring the first nine points of overtime to secure the victory over their in-state foe. Buie scored a team-high 29 points, and Brooks Barnhizer added 23 points.
Entering tonight’s game, Ohio State leads the all-time series 123-49, winning six of the last 10 contests with the Wildcats. The 73-57 win by the Buckeyes over Northwestern on the first day of 2023 in Evanston was actually the last road win by Ohio State. Since then the Buckeyes have lost 13 straight true road games. The Wildcats were able to return the favor a month later by beating Ohio State 69-63 at Value City Arena. The loss to Northwestern was in the middle of a brutal nine-game losing streak for the Buckeyes.
This isn’t the Northwestern team that you have become accustomed to over the years that would play at a slow tempo. With their victory on Wednesday, the Wildcats have now scored at least 88 points in three Big Ten games this year, marking the first time they have accomplished that feat since the 1975-76 season.
Boo Buie is leading Northwestern, averaging 18.5 points per game. Buie is one of four Wildcats averaging at least 10 points per game this year. Guard Brooks Barnhizer is second on the team with a 14.9 points per game average, while Ty Berry and Princeton transfer Ryan Langborg are both averaging over 11 points per contest.
Along with their scoring prowess, Northwestern does a great job when it comes to turnovers. Through 19 games this season, the Wildcats are turning the ball over just 8.9 times per game, which ranks first in the Big Ten and fourth in the country. On the defensive side of the ball, Northwestern forces 13.8 turnovers per game, ranking third in the conference.
After leading the Big Ten with a +4.3 turnover margin last season, the Wildcats have been even better this year, with their turnover margin rising to a +4.8. Barnhizer has been a pest on the defensive end this season, entering tonight’s game averaging 2.0 steals per game.
Prediction
Right now it is impossible to trust the Ohio State men’s basketball team. The Buckeyes have the talent to contend in the Big Ten, for some reason they just keep faltering in January under Chris Holtmann.
Ohio State is already on the bubble when it comes to earning a spot in the NCAA Tournament in March. With some tough games still on the schedule, the Buckeyes will need to dig deep to win some of those games to stay in contention for a tournament bid. Add in tonight’s game being a road game, which have been impossible for Ohio State to win over the past year, and it feels like the season is about to be over for the Buckeyes before the calendar turns to February.
Despite Ohio State being deeper and more talented than Northwestern, the Wildcats are coached better and just play hungrier basketball. Chris Collins is in his 11th season as head coach in Evanston, and during his time he has taken the Wildcats to the NCAA Tournament twice. Their 2017 appearance was their first in school history, while last season Northwestern defeated Boise State in the first round before falling 68-63 to UCLA in the second round. Right now it’s looking a lot more like the Wildcats will make this year’s tournament than the Buckeyes.
Not to say it’s impossible Ohio State wins tonight in Evanston, they’ll just have to play one of their best games of the season to defeat a very tough Northwestern squad. Thornton, Battle, and Gayle are a strong trio when they are playing well and supported by some interior toughness from Felix Okpara and Zed Key. The Buckeyes are going to need the two big men to be at their best tonight, as well as the Ohio State bench to give the team some strong contributions if they want to register their first road win in over a year.
ESPN BPI: Northwestern 64.4%
Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
TV: Big Ten Network
LGHL score prediction: Northwestern 79, Ohio State 74
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LGHL Visiting Locker Room: Hammer and Rails on if Purdue shocks Ohio State two years in a row
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Visiting Locker Room: Hammer and Rails on if Purdue shocks Ohio State two years in a row
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
LGHL reached out to friends to learn more about the Boilermakers before Sunday’s matchup.
Sunday afternoon, Ohio State women’s basketball ends a stretch of three road games in the last four with a trip to West Lafayette, Indiana. The Purdue Boilermakers sit in similar standing to the Illinois Fighting Illini side the Buckeyes faced Thursday.
Purdue is a team who a year after making a surprise trip to the NCAA Tournament finds itself struggling to find victories or consistency. Why are the 19-10 Boilermakers from a year ago sitting at 9-10 with a little over a month left in the regular season?
To learn more about that, facilitator Jeanae Terry and the up-and-coming Purdue freshman class, Land-Grant Holy Land talked with Gabi Everhard from Hammer and Rails.
Can the Boilermakers repeat a 22-23 win against the Buckeyes?
Land-Grant Holy Land: After making the NCAA Tournament last season, Purdue is having a tough go this season. What’s the team missing with both Lasha Petree and Cassidy Hardin graduating last year? Who is stepping into those roles?
LGHL: Someone who’s crucial to Purdue is graduate forward Jeanae Terry. She’s close to a double-double every night, sometimes without the points. How important is Terry to Purdue and is there any replacing of the guard when NCAA eligibility ends this season?
LGHL: Purdue started the season facing sides like UCLA, Notre Dame and Florida. Now it’s nearing the end of a six-game stretch including Iowa, Indiana, a surprisingly good Penn State team and ending with Ohio State. What has to go right for the Boilermakers to beat the Buckeyes and end the slump of five losses in a row? Is there a chance to repeat the upset Purdue had over OSU in 2023?
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ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
LGHL reached out to friends to learn more about the Boilermakers before Sunday’s matchup.
Sunday afternoon, Ohio State women’s basketball ends a stretch of three road games in the last four with a trip to West Lafayette, Indiana. The Purdue Boilermakers sit in similar standing to the Illinois Fighting Illini side the Buckeyes faced Thursday.
Purdue is a team who a year after making a surprise trip to the NCAA Tournament finds itself struggling to find victories or consistency. Why are the 19-10 Boilermakers from a year ago sitting at 9-10 with a little over a month left in the regular season?
To learn more about that, facilitator Jeanae Terry and the up-and-coming Purdue freshman class, Land-Grant Holy Land talked with Gabi Everhard from Hammer and Rails.
Can the Boilermakers repeat a 22-23 win against the Buckeyes?
Land-Grant Holy Land: After making the NCAA Tournament last season, Purdue is having a tough go this season. What’s the team missing with both Lasha Petree and Cassidy Hardin graduating last year? Who is stepping into those roles?
LGHL: Someone who’s crucial to Purdue is graduate forward Jeanae Terry. She’s close to a double-double every night, sometimes without the points. How important is Terry to Purdue and is there any replacing of the guard when NCAA eligibility ends this season?
LGHL: Purdue started the season facing sides like UCLA, Notre Dame and Florida. Now it’s nearing the end of a six-game stretch including Iowa, Indiana, a surprisingly good Penn State team and ending with Ohio State. What has to go right for the Boilermakers to beat the Buckeyes and end the slump of five losses in a row? Is there a chance to repeat the upset Purdue had over OSU in 2023?
Continue reading...
Ohio State at Northwestern, Saturday, January 27, 2024, 8:30 PM ET, BTN
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Road Swing Continues at Northwestern Saturday Night - Ohio State
Ohio State at Northwestern
Road Swing Continues at Northwestern Saturday Night
Ohio State at NorthwesternDate: January 27, 2024
Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
Venue: Welsh-Ryan Arena – Evanston, Ill.
Watch: BTN
Ohio State heads to Northwestern for a Saturday evening tilt with the Wildcats. Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m. ET and the game will be televised on the Big Ten Network. Dave Revsine and Shon Morris will call the action.
- Ohio State has dominated the all-time series with Northwestern 123-49. The Buckeyes are 51-33 at Northwestern and 38-17 inside Welsh-Ryan Arena.
- The Buckeyes have won six of the last 10 meetings with the Wildcats. Prior to that, the Buckeyes won 31 of 33 meetings dating back to 1999.
- Last year, the teams split a pair of meetings with each winning on the other's home floor. The Buckeyes raced out to a 20-2 lead and dominated throughout in a 73-57 victory at Northwestern on Jan. 1, 2023. Brice Sensabaugh scored a team-high 18 points while Sean McNeil made three three-pointers and finished with 15 points. In the meeting in Columbus, the lead went back and forth 10 times with neither team leading by more than nine before Northwestern pulled-out a 69-63 victory. Justice Sueing led the Buckeyes with 19 points.
- The last Buckeye road victory was the win at Northwestern on Jan. 1. That is a span of 13 road games.
- Ohio State is coming off an 83-69 setback at Nebraska on Tuesday night. Bruce Thornton led the Buckeyes with 16 points. He also had six assists and zero turnovers and two steals. Jamison Battle made three three-pointers and finished with 11 points while sophomore Bowen Hardman also made three triples and finished with a career-high 11 points.
- The Buckeyes have taken care of the basketball recently. They had a streak of double-digit turnovers in six consecutive games but his since had single-digit turnovers in four consecutive games. That includes their two lowest turnover games of four (at Michigan) and six (vs. Penn State).
- Roddy Gayle Jr. dished-out a career-high eight assists at Nebraska on Tuesday night. Starting on Jan. 3, he had a three-game stretch with five combined assists and 12 turnovers. In his last three games, he's flipped that with 13 assists and just three turnovers.
- Sophomore guard Bowen Hardman sprung off the bench late in the game vs. Nebraska on Tuesday night and knocked-down 4-of-8 shots, including three three-pointers to finish with a career-high 11 points. He had scored just eight points up until that point this season and just 20 points in his career.
- Northwestern enters the game at 14-5 overall and is coming off a thrilling 96-91 overtime victory over No. 10 Illinois on Wednesday night. Boo Buie leads the team and is fifth in the Big Ten at 18.5 ppg. He also has a team-high 100 assists. Ty Berry has made 44 three-pointers and is shooting better than 42 percent from beyond the arc.
Is Ohio State a must-win game for Northwestern men’s basketball?
The expectations for this ‘Cats team have undoubtedly been raised.
www.insidenu.com
Is Ohio State a must-win game for Northwestern men’s basketball?
The expectations for this ‘Cats team have undoubtedly been raised.The first step in controlling that destiny is to beat Ohio State when it comes to the Welsh on Saturday. Coming off a loss to Nebraska, the Buckeyes will look to return to the win column as they reach a pivotal moment in their season. Yet, Welsh-Ryan Arena has proven to be a fortress for the ‘Cats, especially when the students are present.
So, is this game a must-win for Northwestern? I’ll say yes, simply because every home game should give the ‘Cats an edge at this point. Their sole loss at Welsh-Ryan came against Chicago State in potentially one of the worst losses in program history. However, while inexcusable, there were no students, barely any outside fans, and an utter lack of confidence. Flash forward to the New Year as January nears a close, and that narrative has completely flipped. With six home games remaining on the docket, the ‘Cats have given me no reason to believe they shouldn’t be the team that emerges victorious in every single one of those matchups.
Ohio State vs Northwestern Odds
Ohio State: +1.5, O/U 138.5LGHL The Ohio State women’s basketball press avoids letdown game against Illinois
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The Ohio State women’s basketball press avoids letdown game against Illinois
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
How defense won the day and taught the Buckeyes a valuable lesson
When Ohio State women’s basketball comes up in conversation or game commentary, the full-court press inevitably comes to the forefront. It's a defensive strategy built on speed and chaos that head coach Kevin McGuff employs to disrupt opponents from their offensive plans.
As of late though, it’s been a preseason defensive goal for the Scarlet and Gray’s coming to fruition: An improved half-court defense.
Entering Thursday’s game against the struggling but improving Illinois Fighting Illini, the Buckeyes weren’t winning games with turnovers but with solid defense, once opponents made it over the half-court line.
In the first 15 games of the season, Ohio State had a turnover margin of +8, meaning the Buckeyes averaged eight more forced turnovers than it was giving it away.
On Jan. 14, against the Michigan State Spartans, that changed. Ohio State forced only eight turnovers, a season-low, and instead kept the Michigan State team who averaged 89.9 points per game scoring 65. Thanks to defenders keeping assignments, closing in on shooters, and the Spartans in response missing more than normal.
Rinse and repeat against the Maryland Terrapins and Iowa Hawkeyes. Although the full-court press was used at times, it took a backseat to the more traditional half-court grind.
Thursday night, Ohio State faced a Fighting Illini side that’s second in the conference in protecting the ball, behind the Spartans, averaging 11.4 turnovers per game. That average rose against the Buckeyes, and Ohio State needed that press to bring the team back to Earth following a historically bad second quarter.
That isn’t hyperbole either. the Buckeyes scored four points in the second quarter. Good enough for the lowest point total scored in a quarter by any team in Scarlet and Gray program history.
Defensively, Illinois shot 50% from the floor and from beyond the arc, compared to 22.2% and 0% to the visiting side. In rebounding, after going toe-to-toe with forward Kendall Bostic and the Fighting Illini in the first quarter, Coach McGuff’s side was outrebounded 13 to 4 in the second. Things weren’t going great for the Buckeyes, entering the halftime locker room down 22-33.
“I told them, ‘In this league, you can’t show up and just think you’re going to win. We’re going to take everybody’s best shot,’” said McGuff. “You have to play with the intensity and the focus that we played with in the second half if you want to win.”
The message was received clearly in the third quarter. Ohio State trimmed the 11-point Illinois lead to three in a quarter where the Fighting Illini almost reached its turnovers per game average in 10 minutes, giving the ball away 10 times. Guard Jacy Sheldon led the Buckeyes with two steals in the quarter.
After the game, the graduate senior took responsibility for the press not working initially, as the leader of the first line of defenders in the press. Sheldon also explained how it turned the game around.
“We kind of let them throw it over our heads, which kind of screws with the whole press,” said Sheldon. “So I think just making sure we stay behind them and letting them get it in if that makes sense. Everything else fell into place. Easier to navigate kind of where to go in that press and then Rikki (Harris) made some good plays. Celeste (Taylor) made some really good plays. And we kind of turned our defense into offense there.”
That work continued into the fourth quarter, pushing Illinois to its second-worst turnover performance of the season, giving the ball away 20 times. Outside of a couple of steals and solo fast-break opportunities, the Buckeyes didn’t panic when the ball was turned over. Instead, the team went into another offensive play.
Behind a game-leading 25 points for Sheldon and 14 points for Taylor (all coming in the second half), the Buckeyes held a calm demeanor, despite the deficit. It was a similar response against the Iowa Hawkeyes in Sunday’s 100-92 Ohio State victory. Down 12 points in the fourth quarter, the scarlet and gray had to find another gear to turn things around.
With Thursday’s game coming four days after such a monumental win in a loud home atmosphere for the Buckeyes, the Illini looked like a potential letdown game, and the first half had all the characteristics of one. Ultimately the win in Champaign, Illinois becomes a learning lesson.
“I feel like anybody that they would have put after us would have given us some match-up,” said Taylor. “And, you know, that’s just us trying to handle success, us trying to handle winning a huge game like that and then coming and turning around and not letting that hinder us, rather push us forward to continue to excel and continue on our peak up until March”
On Sunday, Feb. 4, the Buckeyes face its second toughest conference home game of the season, against the Indiana Hoosiers. The crimson, like Iowa, mostly had Ohio State’s number last season, outside of what could be called a miraculous 25-point comeback in the Big Ten tournament semifinal. In the regular season, it was all Indiana.
Between that Sunday noon game and now, the scarlet and gray have two teams on the bottom half of the Big Ten schedule in the Purdue Boilermakers and the Wisconsin Badgers. Each team looking at a game against Ohio State as a means to inject themselves into the conversation.
That Thursday escape act gives the Buckeyes a reminder to focus on the present and ignore everything else.
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
Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
How defense won the day and taught the Buckeyes a valuable lesson
When Ohio State women’s basketball comes up in conversation or game commentary, the full-court press inevitably comes to the forefront. It's a defensive strategy built on speed and chaos that head coach Kevin McGuff employs to disrupt opponents from their offensive plans.
As of late though, it’s been a preseason defensive goal for the Scarlet and Gray’s coming to fruition: An improved half-court defense.
Entering Thursday’s game against the struggling but improving Illinois Fighting Illini, the Buckeyes weren’t winning games with turnovers but with solid defense, once opponents made it over the half-court line.
In the first 15 games of the season, Ohio State had a turnover margin of +8, meaning the Buckeyes averaged eight more forced turnovers than it was giving it away.
On Jan. 14, against the Michigan State Spartans, that changed. Ohio State forced only eight turnovers, a season-low, and instead kept the Michigan State team who averaged 89.9 points per game scoring 65. Thanks to defenders keeping assignments, closing in on shooters, and the Spartans in response missing more than normal.
Rinse and repeat against the Maryland Terrapins and Iowa Hawkeyes. Although the full-court press was used at times, it took a backseat to the more traditional half-court grind.
Thursday night, Ohio State faced a Fighting Illini side that’s second in the conference in protecting the ball, behind the Spartans, averaging 11.4 turnovers per game. That average rose against the Buckeyes, and Ohio State needed that press to bring the team back to Earth following a historically bad second quarter.
That isn’t hyperbole either. the Buckeyes scored four points in the second quarter. Good enough for the lowest point total scored in a quarter by any team in Scarlet and Gray program history.
Defensively, Illinois shot 50% from the floor and from beyond the arc, compared to 22.2% and 0% to the visiting side. In rebounding, after going toe-to-toe with forward Kendall Bostic and the Fighting Illini in the first quarter, Coach McGuff’s side was outrebounded 13 to 4 in the second. Things weren’t going great for the Buckeyes, entering the halftime locker room down 22-33.
“I told them, ‘In this league, you can’t show up and just think you’re going to win. We’re going to take everybody’s best shot,’” said McGuff. “You have to play with the intensity and the focus that we played with in the second half if you want to win.”
The message was received clearly in the third quarter. Ohio State trimmed the 11-point Illinois lead to three in a quarter where the Fighting Illini almost reached its turnovers per game average in 10 minutes, giving the ball away 10 times. Guard Jacy Sheldon led the Buckeyes with two steals in the quarter.
After the game, the graduate senior took responsibility for the press not working initially, as the leader of the first line of defenders in the press. Sheldon also explained how it turned the game around.
“We kind of let them throw it over our heads, which kind of screws with the whole press,” said Sheldon. “So I think just making sure we stay behind them and letting them get it in if that makes sense. Everything else fell into place. Easier to navigate kind of where to go in that press and then Rikki (Harris) made some good plays. Celeste (Taylor) made some really good plays. And we kind of turned our defense into offense there.”
Q3 | Bucks double up#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/dgK9KHXMZQ
— Ohio State WBB (@OhioStateWBB) January 26, 2024
That work continued into the fourth quarter, pushing Illinois to its second-worst turnover performance of the season, giving the ball away 20 times. Outside of a couple of steals and solo fast-break opportunities, the Buckeyes didn’t panic when the ball was turned over. Instead, the team went into another offensive play.
Behind a game-leading 25 points for Sheldon and 14 points for Taylor (all coming in the second half), the Buckeyes held a calm demeanor, despite the deficit. It was a similar response against the Iowa Hawkeyes in Sunday’s 100-92 Ohio State victory. Down 12 points in the fourth quarter, the scarlet and gray had to find another gear to turn things around.
With Thursday’s game coming four days after such a monumental win in a loud home atmosphere for the Buckeyes, the Illini looked like a potential letdown game, and the first half had all the characteristics of one. Ultimately the win in Champaign, Illinois becomes a learning lesson.
“I feel like anybody that they would have put after us would have given us some match-up,” said Taylor. “And, you know, that’s just us trying to handle success, us trying to handle winning a huge game like that and then coming and turning around and not letting that hinder us, rather push us forward to continue to excel and continue on our peak up until March”
On Sunday, Feb. 4, the Buckeyes face its second toughest conference home game of the season, against the Indiana Hoosiers. The crimson, like Iowa, mostly had Ohio State’s number last season, outside of what could be called a miraculous 25-point comeback in the Big Ten tournament semifinal. In the regular season, it was all Indiana.
Between that Sunday noon game and now, the scarlet and gray have two teams on the bottom half of the Big Ten schedule in the Purdue Boilermakers and the Wisconsin Badgers. Each team looking at a game against Ohio State as a means to inject themselves into the conversation.
That Thursday escape act gives the Buckeyes a reminder to focus on the present and ignore everything else.
Continue reading...
LGHL Uncut: A tale of two halves with Kevin McGuff, Jacy Sheldon and Celeste Taylor
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Uncut: A tale of two halves with Kevin McGuff, Jacy Sheldon and Celeste Taylor
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes struggled in the second quarter against the Illini, but return from an 11-point deficit
Throughout the year, Land-Grant Holy Land will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.
The Ohio State women’s basketball team saw itself in familiar territory Thursday night: Down double digits in the second half of a Big Ten game. Even so, the Buckeyes came away with a 67-59 win over the Illinois Fighting Illini, after going down 11 points at halftime.
Head coach Kevin McGuff and graduate senior guards Jacy Sheldon and Celeste Taylor spoke with the media after the win. Coach McGuff started things off with his message to the team at halftime, following a program record four points scored in the second quarter, the fewest in any quarter Ohio State’s ever played. Also, the play of Jacy Sheldon and the growing passing game of forward Rebeka Mikulášiková.
Then, Sheldon discusses what the deficit means about the team, the team’s motivation in the second half and the effectiveness of the full court press in the comeback.
Last up is Taylor, who talks more about the passing of Mikulášiková, her own offensive burst in the final 20 minutes and avoiding a letdown game following a season-defining win over the Iowa Hawkeyes on Sunday.
That and more on the latest Land-Grant Uncut.
Connect with Thomas:
Twitter: @1ThomasCostello
Threads: @1ThomasCostello
Bluesky: @thomascostello.bsky.social
Theme music provided by www.bensound.com
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
Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes struggled in the second quarter against the Illini, but return from an 11-point deficit
Throughout the year, Land-Grant Holy Land will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.
The Ohio State women’s basketball team saw itself in familiar territory Thursday night: Down double digits in the second half of a Big Ten game. Even so, the Buckeyes came away with a 67-59 win over the Illinois Fighting Illini, after going down 11 points at halftime.
Head coach Kevin McGuff and graduate senior guards Jacy Sheldon and Celeste Taylor spoke with the media after the win. Coach McGuff started things off with his message to the team at halftime, following a program record four points scored in the second quarter, the fewest in any quarter Ohio State’s ever played. Also, the play of Jacy Sheldon and the growing passing game of forward Rebeka Mikulášiková.
Then, Sheldon discusses what the deficit means about the team, the team’s motivation in the second half and the effectiveness of the full court press in the comeback.
Last up is Taylor, who talks more about the passing of Mikulášiková, her own offensive burst in the final 20 minutes and avoiding a letdown game following a season-defining win over the Iowa Hawkeyes on Sunday.
That and more on the latest Land-Grant Uncut.
Connect with Thomas:
Twitter: @1ThomasCostello
Threads: @1ThomasCostello
Bluesky: @thomascostello.bsky.social
Theme music provided by www.bensound.com
Continue reading...
2024 College Football Playoffs Discussion (12 Team Format)
- By ScriptOhio
- College Football
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College Football Playoff Expands to 12 Teams Beginning in 2024 - College Football Playoff
IRVING, Texas – Members of the College Football Playoff (CFP) Board of Managers have agreed to begin the newly-expanded 12-team playoff during the 2024-2025 season.
collegefootballplayoff.com
Members of the College Football Playoff (CFP) Board of Managers have agreed to begin the newly-expanded 12-team playoff during the 2024-2025 season.
"We're delighted to be moving forward," said Bill Hancock, Executive Director of the College Football Playoff. "When the board expanded the playoff beginning in 2026 and asked the CFP Management Committee to examine the feasibility of starting the new format earlier, the Management Committee went right to work. More teams and more access mean more excitement for fans, alumni, students and student-athletes. We appreciate the leaders of the six bowl games and the two future national championship game host cities for their cooperation. Everyone realized that this change is in the best interest of college football and pulled together to make it happen."
The first round of the playoff in 2024 will take place the week ending Saturday, December 21, at either the home field of the higher-seeded team or at another site designated by the higher-seeded institution. (No. 12 at No. 5, No. 11 at No. 6, No. 10 at No. 7, and No. 9 at No. 8.) The specific game dates, likely late in that week, will be announced later.
For the 2024 and 2025 seasons, the four quarterfinal games and two Playoff Semifinal games will be played in bowls on a rotating basis. The 2024 quarterfinals will take place in the Fiesta Bowl, Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl, while the Cotton Bowl and Orange Bowl will host the Playoff Semifinals. The 2025 quarterfinals will take place in the Cotton Bowl, Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl, while the Fiesta Bowl and Peach Bowl will host the Playoff Semifinals. Specific dates for all quarterfinal and semifinal games will be announced at a later time.
The national championship games will be played January 20, 2025, in Atlanta, and January 19, 2026, in Miami.
College Football Playoff officials will introduce a 12-team playoff bracket next season, expanding from the current four-team format.
How the 12-team College Football Playoff will work: Teams, schedule, bids
Here's a breakdown of how the new 12-team College Football Playoff will work — starting in 2024-25 — according to CFP officials.
www.ncaa.com
How CFP teams are selected under new format
The new 12-team College Football Playoff field will include the six highest-ranked conference champions, which will receive automatic bids. The top four teams will receive a first-round bye to the quarterfinals.The six highest-ranked teams remaining will round out the 12-team format.
Bowl games
CFP officials stated that the four quarterfinal games and two Playoff Semifinal games will be played in bowls on a rotating basis.
2024 quarterfinals: Fiesta Bowl, Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl
2024 semifinals: Cotton Bowl and Orange Bowl
2025 quarterfinals: Cotton Bowl, Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl
2025 semifinals: Fiesta Bowl and Peach Bowl
The CFP schedule for the 2024 and 2025 seasons:
2024 CFP Schedule| GAME | DATE |
|---|---|
| First round | Dec. 20-21 |
| Fiesta Bowl | Quarterfinals | Dec. 31 |
| Peach, Rose, Sugar Bowl | Quarterfinals | Jan. 1 |
| Orange Bowl | Semifinals | Jan. 9 |
| Cotton Bowl | Semifinals | Jan. 10 |
| Atlanta, GA | National Championship | Jan. 20 |
| GAME | DATE |
|---|---|
| First round | Dec. 19-20 |
| Cotton Bowl | Quarterfinals | Dec. 31 |
| Orange, Rose, Sugar Bowls | Quarterfinals | Jan. 1 |
| Fiesta Bowl | Semifinals | Jan. 8 |
| Peach Bowl | Semifinals | Jan. 9 |
| Miami, FL | National Championship | Jan. 19 |
Ranking the 12 games in 2024 with the biggest implications for a 12-team playoff
From the best nonconference games to the best new conference contests, these are dates to circle on your college football calendar.
Just sayin': Anyway the top 4 teams get a 1st round bye.
