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LGHL Jaloni Cambridge leads Ohio State women in lopsided win over Northwestern 92-62

Jaloni Cambridge leads Ohio State women in lopsided win over Northwestern 92-62
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

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Ralph Schudel - Columbus Wired

The Buckeyes make easy work of the Wildcats as they return home and start Big Ten play in earnest.

The No. 10 Ohio State women’s basketball team was back home for the first time since December 17, taking on the Northwestern Wildcats before a predicted snowstorm was set to hit Central Ohio. In the Schottenstein Center, freshman guard Jaloni Cambridge reasserted herself following a right shoulder injury, scoring 20 points to lead the Buckeyes over the Wildcats 92-62.

Ohio State couldn’t have gotten off to a better start defensively. Each of the first four possessions for the Wildcats ended in turnovers. The Buckeyes went ahead 7-0 quickly, forcing Northwestern head coach Joe McKeown to call a timeout after 1:39 trickled off the game clock.

Making matters worse for the Wildcats was the absence of graduate senior forward Taylor Williams. The former Michigan Wolverine was questionable on the availability report Sunday but didn’t see the court. That meant the Wildcats were without Williams’ 10.5 points and 9.1 rebounds per game.

Even without Williams, Northwestern’s early break helped and the Illinois side responded with a six-point run. The momentum didn’t last but the Wildcats did keep up offensively for the remainder of the quarter. At the end of the first, Ohio State had a 10-point lead.

The Buckeyes extended the lead to nearly 20 points by the end of the second quarter, but it was without much play from freshman center Elsa Lemmilä. Head coach Kevin McGuff’s sixth player in most games came into the game but picked up fouls quickly. In four minutes between the first and second quarters, Lemmilä picked up four fouls.

That’s because Northwestern’s focus was mainly on the post. The Wildcats had 16 points in the paint, just under half of their 34-point first-half total coming near the basket. Northwestern took advantage of their size and physicality to out-rebound Ohio State in the opening 20 minutes 22-14 with senior Caileigh Walsh leading everyone with six first-half rebounds and a team-leading 12 points, starting in Williams’ place.

McGuff’s side wasn’t too phased by Northwestern excelling inside, because the Ohio State defense and perimeter shooting separated the sides.

Leading the deep shooting effort for the Scarlet and Gray was freshman Ava Watson who hit all three attempts in the first half, enjoying more minutes moving ahead of Kennedy Cambridge on the Buckeyes’ depth chart. Watson and Chance Gray hit all five of Ohio State’s three-point shots of the half, going 50 percent from the floor as a team.

Watson added two steals defensively, part of a half where the Buckeyes forced 16 Wildcat turnovers, turning them into 15 additional points.

McMahon ended the first half emphatically on the last offensive possession. After the Buckeyes drained the shot clock, McMahon went to the basket, took contact from two Wildcats, and hit a layup as she fell to the court. No foul was called but McMahon was excited regardless, screaming at half-court as the team headed to the locker room.

To start the second half, Ohio State freshman Cambridge began to reassert herself for the first time since returning from injury on Dec. 20 against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. After scoring 11 points in the first half, the freshman scored seven quick points in the first three minutes of the third quarter, plus 2 steals, 2 rebounds, 1 block, and an assist. It was three minutes of play that outshined Cambridge’s two points in 27 minutes against Rutgers.

Cambridge led a third quarter where the Scarlet and Gray continued to pull away from the Wildcats.

At the end of the third, Ohio State pushed the lead up to 34 points after outscoring the visitors 24-9 in the quarter. Capping it off was an impressive play by Lemmilä, who McGuff brought back in during the third quarter. After the rough start to the game, Lemmilä took a Watson missed a three-point attempt and while in midair tossed the offensive rebound into the basket for a second chance point at the buzzer that put the crowd on their feet.

With 3:42 remaining in the third quarter, McGuff took most of his starters out of the game, and none returned in the fourth quarter with Ohio State so far ahead. The Buckeyes kept pushing, matching Northwestern’s shots and extending the home lead.

Cambridge led the Buckeyes in the win with 20 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals. McMahon added 16 points with five rebounds while Watson and Gray ended the day with a combined seven three-point shots. Ohio State had five players hit double-digit scoring, with Lemmilä scoring 11 in the second half.

The Wildcats had four players in double figures themselves, but only two other players got on the scoresheet for coach McKeown’s side.

What’s Next​


The Buckeyes now have two days off until they make the short trip north to Ann Arbor on Wednesday night. It’s the line regular season matchup against their Michigan Wolverine rivals.

Last season, Ohio State lost to the Wolverines to end the 2023 calendar on Dec. 30 but responded with a 15-game winning streak. On Feb. 28, 2024, the Buckeyes faced Michigan again, this time defeating them 67-51, following it up with a trophy celebration for securing the outright Big Ten regular season championship.

This time around, the Wolverines have a vastly different roster, anchored by a group of three freshmen that includes a candidate for Big Ten Freshman of the Year in guard Syla Swords. The freshman has 16.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists for the Wolverines.

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LGHL Ohio State vs. Texas: Key matchups to watch

Ohio State vs. Texas: Key matchups to watch
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: NOV 30 Michigan at Ohio State

Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Buckeyes battle the Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl.

Nobody quite knew what to make of this Ohio State team heading into the College Football Playoff. It was clear this roster is tremendously talented, but coming off a puzzling loss to a bad Michigan team, both fans and media alike had their doubts about the Buckeyes.

Those doubts have now completely vanished, as Ohio State has thoroughly dominated each of its first two opponents — including No. 1 Oregon in the Rose Bowl — to set up a date with Texas in the Cotton Bowl with a trip to the national title game on the line. Once viewed as a dark-horse candidate in this field of 12, the Buckeyes have become the clear favorite to win it all, but they have another tough test in front of them in the form of the Longhorns.

Here are some of the key matchups to watch when Ohio State and Texas face-off on Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Donovan Jackson vs. Colin Simmons

Trench play is of the utmost importance in football, and even more so when talent is largely equated across the board in these College Football Playoff games. Heading into the Rose Bowl against Oregon, Ohio State’s offensive line going up against the likes of Jordan Burch, Matayo Uiagalelei and Derrick Harmon was a major area of focus. The unit more than handled business, allowing zero sacks in the matchup and helping pave the way for a 500-yard performance for the Buckeyes.

Texas presents another challenge for Ohio State up front, but there is one individual matchup to key a close eye on at the Cotton Bowl. That is senior guard-turned-tackle Donovan Jackson going up against Texas defensive end and Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year, Colin Simmons.

Jackson has been one of the unsung heroes of the season for Ohio State, moving from tackle to guard in his final year of college football once Josh Simmons went down. The 6-foot-4 Texas native is coming off one of the best games of his career, allowing zero pressures on 27 pass-blocking snaps and posting an 81.7 grade against Oregon, per PFF. He will be tasked with slowing down Simmons, who led the Longhorns with nine sacks to go along with 14 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles as a freshman.

As a unit, this Texas defensive line will be an even bigger test than the Ducks. Alongside Simmons, guys like Barryn Sorrell and Trey Moore are going to cause trouble, tallying 11 and 10 tackles for loss on the year, respectively, with 5.5 sacks apiece. If Jackson can keep his side of the line locked down, it’ll go a long way in keeping Ohio State’s offense on track.

Jeremiah Smith vs. Jahdae Barron

I think we’ve seen enough at this point to know that if the Buckeyes are getting Jeremiah Smith his fair share of targets, there is nobody in the country that can guard the sensational freshman one-on-one. Ohio State’s five-star phenom has 13 catches for 290 yards and four touchdowns through two College Football Playoff games, and it seems that just about every ball thrown his way ends up in a completed pass — and any one of those can turn into a touchdown from anywhere on the field.

Smith has done this against some really good defensive backs. Tennessee corner Jermod McCoy earned First Team All-SEC honors and was a finalist for the Thorpe Award, as was Oregon's Jabbar Muhammad, who led the Big Ten in pass breakups this season. Next man up with the unenviable task of guarding Smith is Texas’ Jahdae Barron, the 2024 Thorpe Award winner and the defensive MVP of the Peach Bowl against Arizona State after recording a team-high 11 total tackles.

Barron will obviously not be alone in his assignment, but the talented Austin native will find himself matched up opposite against Smith more often than not. Smith has a pretty significant height advantage in the matchup, standing at 6-foot-3 compared to the 5-foot-11 Barron, but that doesn’t automatically spell victory for the taller receiver. Barron finished the year with an SEC-high five picks and 11 pass breakups, and his play in this game will be pivotal in keeping the Buckeyes’ top target from having another huge performance.

Caleb Downs vs. Gunnar Helm

Ohio State has done a great job against tight ends this season, and they will have to keep that going against Texas’ Gunnar Helm. The Buckeyes have played some other top players at the position earlier this year, including Penn State’s Tyler Warren and Oregon’s Terrance Ferguson, so this isn’t exactly a new concept to them, but the 6-foot-5 Helm is an especially prolific part of the Longhorns’ passing attack. Luckily, Ohio State has its own weapon over the middle on the other side in Caleb Downs.

Prior to the loss to Oregon in mid-October, the Alabama transfer’s presence wasn’t really felt in the Buckeyes’ defense. A big part of Jim Knowles’ overhauling of the unit involved moving Downs right into the center of the defense, functioning as almost a middle linebacker/safety hybrid. Since the change, Downs has looked every bit like one of the best defensive players in college football, making plays sideline to sideline and at all three levels. As one of the main guys over the middle, it will likely be his responsibility to keep a close eye on Helm.

The Texas tight end has been one of the team’s best offensive players in the College Football Playoff, catching nine passes for 133 yards and two touchdowns across the two wins against Clemson and Arizona State — one of which was the game-winning score against the Sun Devils in double-OT. Texas has great receivers on the outside like Mathew Golden and Isaiah Bond, but they cannot afford to lose sight of Helm. Downs will play a key part in taking away that threat.

Buckeyes vs. Complacency

It would be unfair to call either of Ohio State’s wins over Tennessee and Oregon ‘easy’ games, but the Buckeyes have made it look like they can put up points without breaking a sweat. In both victories, Ryan Day’s group got out to big early leads, allowing the defense to lock in and play more aggressive, furthering Ohio State’s momentum. It is a far cry from what we saw in the final game of the regular season, but the Buckeyes cannot afford to revert back now.

Ohio State needs to play with the same fire and intensity we saw in its first two College Football Playoff games. The Buckeyes can’t start to get conservative, even though Texas is likely the best overall defense the team has faced thus far in the postseason. Chip Kelly and Day must continue to come out firing, getting the ball in the hands of Smith and Emeka Egbuka early and often and using that dynamic passing attack to open up the run game.

The Buckeyes have been able feed into the underdog mentality to this point. First it was all the question marks following the Michigan loss and a “Tennessee takeover” in Columbus, and then it was a rematch against the No. 1 team in the country who they previously lost to. That ship has sailed, as Ohio State is favored both in this game and to win the national title. However, betting lines don't make you entitled to wins, and this talented group of players must continue to buy in.

Ohio State is two wins away from its first national title in a decade. There is no time to take your foot off the gas now, or you risk the season coming to an untimely end in Arlington.

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LGHL Hangout in the Holy Land: Ohio State is peaking at the right time, how are they doing it?

Hangout in the Holy Land: Ohio State is peaking at the right time, how are they doing it?
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

NCAA Football: Rose Bowl-Ohio State at Oregon

Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

How have the coaches unlocked this team’s full potential? Plus, we have a College Football Playoff discussion

The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast is here! Join LGHL personalities as they discuss Ohio State football, basketball, recruiting, and much more! Come for the hot takes. Stay for the warm ones.


Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio


For this Sunday morning episode of Hangout in the Holy Land, Justin Golba is joined by Land-Grant Holy Land Managing Editor Matt Tamanini to wrap up the Ohio State Buckeyes and Oregon Ducks conversation.

How has Ohio State unlocked its full potential at the right time? What have the coaches done to put the players in the best position to succeed? And can the Buckeyes keep it going for two more games?

To end the episode, we discuss the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff and our full thoughts on the tournament thus far, including why it seems everyone is so negative about an awesome thing.

Make sure to like and subscribe to the podcast. As always, Go Bucks!


Connect with the pod:
Twitter: @HolyLandPod

Connect with Justin Golba:
Twitter: @justin_golba

Connect with Matt Tamanini:
Online Profile: https://authory.com/MattTamanini

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LGHL Game Preview: No. 10 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. Northwestern

Game Preview: No. 10 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. Northwestern
Jami Jurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ohio State looks to carry its unbeaten record into the New Year with a home matchup against the 7-7 Wildcats.

“New Year, New Me” might apply to everyone else, but No. 10 Ohio State women’s basketball (13-0, 2-0 Big Ten) is looking for business as usual when they welcome Northwestern to the Schottenstein Center this afternoon and work to preserve their undefeated record.

The Wildcats (7-7, 0-3 in conference) have yet to win a conference matchup, most recently losing by 20 points at home to Oregon, 85-65, on New Year’s Eve.

The teams faced off just once last season — a 30-point win for the Buckeyes on the road in Evanston, Illinois, 90-60, exactly one year ago today.

NCAA Womens Basketball: Bowling Green At Ohio St
Samantha Madar/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

Preview​


Northwestern heads to Columbus in search of its first win over the Buckeyes since 2020, but Ohio State is currently on a tear and hopes to keep the train steamrolling right over the Wildcats.

Head coach Kevin McGuff has an arsenal at his fingertips to help him do just that, with an offense currently leading the Big Ten and ranked 10th nationally with 85.9 points per game and five Buckeyes averaging in double-digit scoring.

Star forward Cotie McMahon leads the team with 18 points per game, going for more than 20 points in four separate games this season. She is joined by Chance Gray (who just scored her 1000th NCAA point against Rutgers and is averaging 16.2 ppg), Jaloni Cambridge (12.7 ppg), Ajae Petty (12.1 ppg), and Taylor Thierry (10.8 ppg).

Cambridge, who returned to play against Rutgers after missing three games after taking a hard fall against Ball State on Dec. 10, also leads the team in average steals (2.5) and assists (4.7). Petty leads the team in rebounds, averaging 8.1 points per game.

Defensively, the Buckeyes are 30th in the nation in scoring defense (allowing an average of 55.2 points per game) and 6th in steals (14.4 per game). In fact, it was this full-court pressure defense that helped them stave off a tremendous performance from Rutgers senior guard Destiny Adams, whose 31 points singlehandedly kept her team in the game, in the Buckeyes’ outing against the Scarlet Knights.

After the Buckeyes gave themselves a double-digit cushion early in the second quarter, Ohio State didn’t allow Rutgers to get within 10 points until the final three minutes of the game. The Buckeyes logged 15 steals and forced 22 turnovers and scored 29 points off of them.

Offensively, the Buckeyes were led by McMahon and Petty, who were good for 16 points and a double-double each (adding 11 rebounds and 10 rebounds, respectively).

Though Cambridge struggled offensively, finishing the game with just two points, she came out of the gate strong defensively in her return, forcing an early steal. She also had three assists in the outing.

This well-rounded defensive effort should help the Buckeyes against Northwestern. Searching for their first conference win of the season, the Wildcats have four players averaging in double figures.

Senior forward Caileigh Walsh leads the team with 11.2 ppg. She is joined by Daley (10.7) and forwards Taylor Williams and Grace Sullivan with 10.5 ppg each. Williams leads the team in rebounds, with an average of 9.1 per game, while Caroline Lau leads in assists (6.2) and steals (1.4).

Senior guard Melannie Daley has earned double figures in five consecutive games, most recently leading the team with 17 points in their loss against Oregon on Dec. 31.

The Wildcats had momentum against Oregon early, jumping to a 5-0 lead and finding their rhythm late in the first quarter, but with 55 percent shooting from the Ducks, Northwestern wasn’t able to close the deficit.

Against the Ducks, Daley led with 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting, followed by Walsh with 15 points and Kyla Jones with 14 points. The Wildcats were good for 32 rebounds in the contest, converting them into 15 second-chance baskets.

Projected Starters ​

Ohio State​


G- Jaloni Cambridge
G- Chance Gray
G- Taylor Thierry
F- Cotie McMahon
F- Ajae Petty

Lineup Notes​

  • Gray, McMahon, Petty and Thierry each earned double figures against the Scarlet Knights, with double-doubles for McMahon and Petty.
  • All five projected starters are averaging in double-digit scoring.
  • Chance Gray logged her 1,000th NCAA point with less than two minutes left in the game against Rutgers.
  • Of the 10 players who have taken the court this year, nine have had at least one game in double figures, while six have had at least one game with over 20 points.
  • McGuff has used three different starting lineups this season, compared to just one game with a different lineup in 2023-2024. However, with Cambridge’s return against Rutgers, McGuff also returned to the starting five he used in each of this season’s first three games.

Northwestern​


G- Casey Harter
G- Kyla Jones
G- Caroline Lau
F- Caileigh Walsh
F- Taylor Williams

Lineup Notes​

  • Northwestern has used the same starting five in each of their last two games, opting to start Walsh over forward Grace Sullivan (who had started in all prior games this season). The rest of the starting roster has remained the same all season.
  • Mercy Ademusayo made her season debut for the Wildcats against Oregon, contributing six points off the bench.
Syndication: HawkCentral
Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK

Prediction ​


In his 17th season with the Wildcats, it’s possible head coach Joe McKeown is fighting for his job this year. He has made the NCAA tournament just two times during his tenure (though it would have been three times had the 2020 tournament not been cancelled due to COVID-19). The past two seasons, Northwestern has finished just 6-30 in conference play.

Suffice it to say, McKeown and his team are looking for a marquee conference win. And it’s not entirely out of the question — their closest conference loss this year was to No. 23 Michigan, who beat the Wildcats by just six points, 60-54.

Still, Oregon’s depth off the bench last time out helped them keep the Wildcats at arms’ length throughout the second half. Expect to see more of the same against the Buckeyes, who have a bench with enough talent to remain composed and protect a comfortable lead.

OSU’s press and aggression on defense allow them to force turnovers, something we saw work to their advantage against Rutgers. Look to them to create problems for the Wildcats early and often by capitalizing on possession changes.

Barring an absolute breakdown from the Buckeyes, Ohio State should have no trouble handling the Wildcats at home with a double-digit victory.

How to Watch ​


Date: Sunday, January 5, 2025
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Where: Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio
Stream: B1G+

LGHL Score Prediction: 88-60, Ohio State Buckeyes ​


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Google Ohio State Falls to No. 18 Michigan State 69-62 to Open Conference Play Off 38 Spartan Points in the Paint | E - Eleven Warriors

Ohio State Falls to No. 18 Michigan State 69-62 to Open Conference Play Off 38 Spartan Points in the Paint | E - Eleven Warriors
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".

Ohio State Falls to No. 18 Michigan State 69-62 to Open Conference Play Off 38 Spartan Points in the Paint | E Eleven Warriors

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Google How to watch Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Michigan State Spartans: Live stream, TV channel, start time for Friday's NCAA Basketball game - CBS Sports

How to watch Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Michigan State Spartans: Live stream, TV channel, start time for Friday's NCAA Basketball game - CBS Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".

How to watch Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Michigan State Spartans: Live stream, TV channel, start time for Friday's NCAA Basketball game CBS Sports

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