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LGHL Seventh heaven: Buckeyes stifle Redhawks 84-64, extend winning streak to seven games
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Seventh heaven: Buckeyes stifle Redhawks 84-64, extend winning streak to seven games
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
Ohio State completes a clean three-game sweep of the MAC portion of their schedule.
Sandwiched in between two Big Ten games this week, the Ohio State men’s basketball team (8-1, 1-0) welcomed in-state foe Miami (OH) (4-4) to the Schott on Wednesday evening. Calling Wednesday night’s tilt a “trap” game takes away from Ohio State’s MAC foe, but the coaching staff’s ears were certainly perked up for this one.
The Redhawks were fresh off a win against Marshall, and are led by former Xavier head man and Ohio State GA Travis Steele. Miami also shot the three-ball at a 38% clip coming into this game— the second-highest clip in the MAC. Toss in the fact that this game was squeezed in between two seemingly more important games, and you had a recipe for a potential letdown.
Chris Holtmann did not change the starting lineup he’s been using for the entire season, going with sophomores Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle, Evana Mahaffey, Felix Okpara and senior forward Jamison Battle.
Travis Steele went with a lineup of Ryan Mabrey, Evan Ipsaro, Darweshi Hunter, Bryson Bultman, and Jaquel Morris.
Miami led 7-6 at the first media timeout that happened 4:04 into the game. The Buckeyes struggled to contain the ball, and Steele was doing a good job drawing up plays to isolate his guys against Battle and Okpara early on. Thanks to a Roddy Gayle steal-and-slam, Ohio State was able to retake the lead, 17-13, by the under-12 timeout.
The story of the first half was Ohio State’s inbility to finish at the rim, but the second-most important stat of the first half was all of the second-chance points the Buckeyes scored over a smaller Miami team. Zed Key, Gayle, Dale Bonner, and Devin Royal all missed point-blank attempts in the first half, but the Buckeyes racked up 15 second-chance points over the first 20 minutes. It grabbed 12 offensive rebounds in the first half alone, and led 39-26 at the halftime break.
As a unit, the Buckeyes shot 38.2% in the first half, which was one of its worst offensive halves of basketball it has played this year so far. Both Thornton (11) and Gayle (12) scored double-digit points in the first half. Hunter had seven points for Miami on 3-7 shooting in the first half, but oddly enough was a team-worst -13 plus/minus for the Redhawks in the opening stanza.
Miami was pretty clearly out-classed in this one, but there was never a point during the game where it felt like Ohio State was going to run them off the floor — nor was there ever a moment where the outcome of this game felt like it might be in doubt. With 8:49 remaining in the game, Battle scored on back-to-back possessions (the second being his first three of the game), giving Ohio State a 63-44 lead — its largest of the game at the time.
Even though it trailed for the first five minutes or so of this game, Ohio State’s offense was steady, even if it was a bit slow to develop. Its defense wasn’t great when Miami was able to slow down and run its sets, but the Buckeyes did force Redhawks into 17 turnovers, which kneecapped their chances at an upset. When the final buzzer sounded, the Buckeyes had wrapped up their seventh consecutive win, 84-64.
Gayle led Ohio State in scoring with 15 points on 4-of-9 shooting over 32 minutes, while also chipping in four rebounds, three assists, and one steal. Five other Buckeyes also scored in double digits, including Zed Key, who had a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Hunter led Miami with 15 points as well, although he did it on a less than efficient 6-of-16 shooting over 37 minutes.
If you weren’t around tonight to see Ohio State extend its winning streak to seven games (or you don’t have BTN+, which is understandable), here are some key stats and figures that were noteworthy during the Buckeyes’ seventh consecutive win.
This isn’t Travis Steele’s first ride on the turnip truck, having coached at Xavier from 2018-2022. The now-second year Miami coach did a good job early on of drawing up sets to isolate his guys against Battle and Okpara, two defenders that Ohio State would prefer not be the ones chasing around ballhandlers. The Redhawks led for the first several minutes in this one, before Gayle’s steal near midcourt and fastbreak slam made it 10-9, 5:30 into the game.
After Miami got back-to-back back buckets to drop to re-take a 13-12 lead, Bruce Thornton and Zed Key went on a 9-0 run to turn the one-point deficit into an eight-point lead. Over a span of 3:26, Thornton knocked down two free throws and knocked down a three, followed by a dunk from Key followed by a pair of free throws. During that time, Miami missed the three shots they took.
As noted above, Ohio State missed more than a handful of point-blank shots in the first half of this one. The plays that were being called led to open looks, but pretty much everyone chipped in at least one miss for the collective cause. However, the Buckeyes crashed the offensive glass like they hadn’t all season to this point, snagging 12 offensive rebounds in the first half. Key had six of them by himself. Those second-chance points were a big difference maker, since Ohio State wasn’t exactly lights-out from distance (3-10 in the first half) either.
With Ohio State leading 44-33 just over minutes into the second half, Miami’s Evan Ipsaro drove to the basket but was fouled by Okpara as he went up. No foul was called, however, so after Mahaffey scored at the other end to put OSU up 13, Steele took an opportunity to call a timeout and discuss the no-call with the officials.
Unsuprisingly, the zebras weren’t too appreciative of Steele’s feedback, and he was slapped with a technical foul. Battle knocked down both free throws to push Ohio State’s lead to 13 points with over 17 minutes left in the game.
With 14:46 left in the game, Ipsaro was trying to get free of Scotty Middleton to recieve an inbounds pass, but Middleton was leaning on him and preventing him from getting free, while also putting his hands high in the air to say “I’m not touching you.” Ipsaro tried to shove through him, and the two had words for each other until a ref separated the two of them. To Ipsaro’s credit, he did go down to the other end and score on Middleton 10 seconds later.
Then, 28 seconds later, Ryan Mabrey unintentionally tripped Gayle on a long inbounds play, sending the sophomore sliding to the ground in an awkward position. The two had words, and both teams ran over. After a mostly uneventful shouting match, the squads separated and nothing came of it.
Not even two minutes after that, Ipsaro slapped the ball away from Key below the basket on a layup attempt, and both teams were immediately on the ground grabbing for it. Key and Thornton were two of the last guys on the pile. During the pileup, Key and Hunter got into it, and both were assessed technical fouls. The call, ultimately, was a jump ball, with the possession aarow pointing to the Redhawks.
Despite this game being a slower developing one from an offensive standpoint, Ohio State still wound up scoring 84 points, with six guys in double digits.
Ohio State (8-1, 1-0) has a quick turnaround, as it travels to Penn State (4-4) on Saturday for its second Big Ten game of the season. The Nittany Lions are now led by Mike Rhoades, who took over the program after Micah Shrewsberry took the Notre Dame job. Penn State has the lowest KenPom rank of any Big Ten team this year, at No. 129.
Ohio State’s game against Penn State will tip off at 6:00 p.m. and will be broadcast on Big Ten Network.
Continue reading...
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
Ohio State completes a clean three-game sweep of the MAC portion of their schedule.
Sandwiched in between two Big Ten games this week, the Ohio State men’s basketball team (8-1, 1-0) welcomed in-state foe Miami (OH) (4-4) to the Schott on Wednesday evening. Calling Wednesday night’s tilt a “trap” game takes away from Ohio State’s MAC foe, but the coaching staff’s ears were certainly perked up for this one.
The Redhawks were fresh off a win against Marshall, and are led by former Xavier head man and Ohio State GA Travis Steele. Miami also shot the three-ball at a 38% clip coming into this game— the second-highest clip in the MAC. Toss in the fact that this game was squeezed in between two seemingly more important games, and you had a recipe for a potential letdown.
Chris Holtmann did not change the starting lineup he’s been using for the entire season, going with sophomores Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle, Evana Mahaffey, Felix Okpara and senior forward Jamison Battle.
Travis Steele went with a lineup of Ryan Mabrey, Evan Ipsaro, Darweshi Hunter, Bryson Bultman, and Jaquel Morris.
Miami led 7-6 at the first media timeout that happened 4:04 into the game. The Buckeyes struggled to contain the ball, and Steele was doing a good job drawing up plays to isolate his guys against Battle and Okpara early on. Thanks to a Roddy Gayle steal-and-slam, Ohio State was able to retake the lead, 17-13, by the under-12 timeout.
RODDY@OhioStateHoops pic.twitter.com/peIIrOyPV4
— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) December 7, 2023
The story of the first half was Ohio State’s inbility to finish at the rim, but the second-most important stat of the first half was all of the second-chance points the Buckeyes scored over a smaller Miami team. Zed Key, Gayle, Dale Bonner, and Devin Royal all missed point-blank attempts in the first half, but the Buckeyes racked up 15 second-chance points over the first 20 minutes. It grabbed 12 offensive rebounds in the first half alone, and led 39-26 at the halftime break.
As a unit, the Buckeyes shot 38.2% in the first half, which was one of its worst offensive halves of basketball it has played this year so far. Both Thornton (11) and Gayle (12) scored double-digit points in the first half. Hunter had seven points for Miami on 3-7 shooting in the first half, but oddly enough was a team-worst -13 plus/minus for the Redhawks in the opening stanza.
Miami was pretty clearly out-classed in this one, but there was never a point during the game where it felt like Ohio State was going to run them off the floor — nor was there ever a moment where the outcome of this game felt like it might be in doubt. With 8:49 remaining in the game, Battle scored on back-to-back possessions (the second being his first three of the game), giving Ohio State a 63-44 lead — its largest of the game at the time.
Even though it trailed for the first five minutes or so of this game, Ohio State’s offense was steady, even if it was a bit slow to develop. Its defense wasn’t great when Miami was able to slow down and run its sets, but the Buckeyes did force Redhawks into 17 turnovers, which kneecapped their chances at an upset. When the final buzzer sounded, the Buckeyes had wrapped up their seventh consecutive win, 84-64.
Gayle led Ohio State in scoring with 15 points on 4-of-9 shooting over 32 minutes, while also chipping in four rebounds, three assists, and one steal. Five other Buckeyes also scored in double digits, including Zed Key, who had a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Hunter led Miami with 15 points as well, although he did it on a less than efficient 6-of-16 shooting over 37 minutes.
If you weren’t around tonight to see Ohio State extend its winning streak to seven games (or you don’t have BTN+, which is understandable), here are some key stats and figures that were noteworthy during the Buckeyes’ seventh consecutive win.
5:30
How long Miami led to start the game
This isn’t Travis Steele’s first ride on the turnip truck, having coached at Xavier from 2018-2022. The now-second year Miami coach did a good job early on of drawing up sets to isolate his guys against Battle and Okpara, two defenders that Ohio State would prefer not be the ones chasing around ballhandlers. The Redhawks led for the first several minutes in this one, before Gayle’s steal near midcourt and fastbreak slam made it 10-9, 5:30 into the game.
Nine
Consecutive points to take the lead back
After Miami got back-to-back back buckets to drop to re-take a 13-12 lead, Bruce Thornton and Zed Key went on a 9-0 run to turn the one-point deficit into an eight-point lead. Over a span of 3:26, Thornton knocked down two free throws and knocked down a three, followed by a dunk from Key followed by a pair of free throws. During that time, Miami missed the three shots they took.
12
Offensive rebounds in the first half for the Buckeyes
As noted above, Ohio State missed more than a handful of point-blank shots in the first half of this one. The plays that were being called led to open looks, but pretty much everyone chipped in at least one miss for the collective cause. However, the Buckeyes crashed the offensive glass like they hadn’t all season to this point, snagging 12 offensive rebounds in the first half. Key had six of them by himself. Those second-chance points were a big difference maker, since Ohio State wasn’t exactly lights-out from distance (3-10 in the first half) either.
One
Technical foul for Travis Steele
With Ohio State leading 44-33 just over minutes into the second half, Miami’s Evan Ipsaro drove to the basket but was fouled by Okpara as he went up. No foul was called, however, so after Mahaffey scored at the other end to put OSU up 13, Steele took an opportunity to call a timeout and discuss the no-call with the officials.
Unsuprisingly, the zebras weren’t too appreciative of Steele’s feedback, and he was slapped with a technical foul. Battle knocked down both free throws to push Ohio State’s lead to 13 points with over 17 minutes left in the game.
Three
Scuffles in the second half
With 14:46 left in the game, Ipsaro was trying to get free of Scotty Middleton to recieve an inbounds pass, but Middleton was leaning on him and preventing him from getting free, while also putting his hands high in the air to say “I’m not touching you.” Ipsaro tried to shove through him, and the two had words for each other until a ref separated the two of them. To Ipsaro’s credit, he did go down to the other end and score on Middleton 10 seconds later.
Then, 28 seconds later, Ryan Mabrey unintentionally tripped Gayle on a long inbounds play, sending the sophomore sliding to the ground in an awkward position. The two had words, and both teams ran over. After a mostly uneventful shouting match, the squads separated and nothing came of it.
Not even two minutes after that, Ipsaro slapped the ball away from Key below the basket on a layup attempt, and both teams were immediately on the ground grabbing for it. Key and Thornton were two of the last guys on the pile. During the pileup, Key and Hunter got into it, and both were assessed technical fouls. The call, ultimately, was a jump ball, with the possession aarow pointing to the Redhawks.
Six
Buckeyes in double digits
Despite this game being a slower developing one from an offensive standpoint, Ohio State still wound up scoring 84 points, with six guys in double digits.
Up Next:
Ohio State (8-1, 1-0) has a quick turnaround, as it travels to Penn State (4-4) on Saturday for its second Big Ten game of the season. The Nittany Lions are now led by Mike Rhoades, who took over the program after Micah Shrewsberry took the Notre Dame job. Penn State has the lowest KenPom rank of any Big Ten team this year, at No. 129.
Ohio State’s game against Penn State will tip off at 6:00 p.m. and will be broadcast on Big Ten Network.
Continue reading...
LGHL Uncut: Kevin McGuff on Buckeyes in-state rivalry win and upcoming Penn State matchup
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Uncut: Kevin McGuff on Buckeyes in-state rivalry win and upcoming Penn State matchup
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 Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Plus guards Emma Shumate and Kaia Henderson talk career nights.
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.
Tuesday night, the Ohio State women’s basketball team welcomed in-state Ohio University to the Schottenstein Center. After 40 minutes, the Buckeyes record against the Athens, Ohio side improved to 23-1 after defeating the Bobcats 85-45.
In the win, guards Emma Shumate and Kaia Henderson had career nights. Shumate led all Buckeyes with 22 points (a career high), with six shots from beyond the arc. Henderson followed suit with a career-high six points on perfect shooting from the floor. This episode of Uncut features both guards plus head coach Kevin McGuff.
Coach McGuff discusses what guard Emma Shumate needs to do to get into bigger games, what he said to the team at halftime, already up 29 points, and looking ahead to the first conference game of the season against the Penn State Nittany Lions.
Shumate and Henderson talk about their impressive evenings. Shumate talks about the support from her teammates, the boost in confidence from last season to this season and Henderson goes deeper into her perfect shooting performance.
Connect with Thomas:
Twitter: @1ThomasCostello
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 Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Plus guards Emma Shumate and Kaia Henderson talk career nights.
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.
Tuesday night, the Ohio State women’s basketball team welcomed in-state Ohio University to the Schottenstein Center. After 40 minutes, the Buckeyes record against the Athens, Ohio side improved to 23-1 after defeating the Bobcats 85-45.
In the win, guards Emma Shumate and Kaia Henderson had career nights. Shumate led all Buckeyes with 22 points (a career high), with six shots from beyond the arc. Henderson followed suit with a career-high six points on perfect shooting from the floor. This episode of Uncut features both guards plus head coach Kevin McGuff.
Coach McGuff discusses what guard Emma Shumate needs to do to get into bigger games, what he said to the team at halftime, already up 29 points, and looking ahead to the first conference game of the season against the Penn State Nittany Lions.
Shumate and Henderson talk about their impressive evenings. Shumate talks about the support from her teammates, the boost in confidence from last season to this season and Henderson goes deeper into her perfect shooting performance.
Connect with Thomas:
Twitter: @1ThomasCostello
Theme music provided by www.bensound.com
Continue reading...
#25 Ohio State vs. Miami (OH), Wednesday, Dec 6, 2023 at 7PM, BTN+
- By brodybuck21
- Buckeye Basketball
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BASKETBALL PREVIEW: OHIO STATE PLAYS PENULTIMATE MID-MAJOR TUNEUP VS. MIAMI (OHIO) BEFORE SCHEDULE RAMPS UP
By Andy Anders on December 6, 2023 at 8:35 am @andyanders55
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If one were still caught up in the throes of football season, it might be a surprise to find out that only two mid-major opponents remain on the Ohio State men’s basketball schedule.
MIAMI
REDHAWKS
4 - 3
ROSTER | SCHEDULE
DEC. 6, 2023 - 7 PM ET
VALUE CITY ARENA
COLUMBUS, OHIO
B1G+OSU -21
The Buckeyes play their second Big Ten game of the season at Penn State on Sunday and will see UCLA and West Virginia sandwiched around their final mid-major, New Orleans, before they hit the conference-only portion of their schedule starting in January.
First, however, Ohio State clashes with Miami (Ohio) on Wednesday. The Buckeyes are riding a six-game winning streak with a victory in their first conference contest against Minnesota on Sunday, and Chris Holtmann says his squad will need “great preparation” to maintain momentum before its first true road game against the Nittany Lions.
The RedHawks have a 4-3 record after a 0-2 start to the year, but Ohio State will be their first opponent of the season from a power conference.
“(Miami) is playing well right now, just won at Marshall, won four of the last five games they’ve played,” Holtmann said. “They’ve got a great, very skilled group that is difficult (to defend), their effective field goal percentage is really good. They’re a disciplined group and well-coached and (we) need to have a readiness to play tomorrow.”
NEED TO KNOW
SUBOPTIMAL SCORING
Miami ranks 243rd in college basketball with 71.7 points per game, and its rate statistics aren’t any better. The Redhawks are only 240th nationally with 102.7 points per 100 possessions. Only one player on the team averages double figures, that being the 13.4 per contest scored by Darweshi Hunter.To Holtmann’s point about effective field goal percentage, however, a big contributing factor to that statistic is 3-point percentage, which Miami is 42nd nationally in at 38.1%. Conversely, however, it is 240th converting from inside the arc at 49.8%.
XAVIER BEHAVIOR
Travis Steele, head coach of the RedHawks, has experience from another, larger basketball program in Ohio. Steele spent four seasons as head coach of Xavier from 2018-22 after spending nine seasons as an assistant for the Musketeers. However, his four-year stint as head coach coincided with Xavier’s only four-year NCAA Tournament drought since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985. He had a 70-50 career record with the Cincinnati-based university and was fired immediately following a first-round victory in the NIT in 2022.The system Steele ran at Xavier is alike in some ways to what he’s running at Miami and different in others, Holtmann said.
“There are some similarities for sure, but there’s also some differences there,” Holtmann said. “They’re different offensively than what they were when he was (at Xavier), (Miami) is predicated on great spacing and skill. They’ve got some really good young players, a couple are returning players that have done some really high-level things for them.”
GRAY UNIS
Ohio State will be pulling out its gray alternate uniforms for the first time this season when it faces Miami.Login to view embedded media
Basketball Preview: Ohio State Plays Penultimate Mid-Major Tuneup vs. Miami (Ohio) Before Schedule Ramps Up
Bridging the gap between its first two Big Ten games, Ohio State plays its penultimate mid-major opponent of the season in Miami (Ohio) on Wednesday.
LGHL Ohio State Men’s Basketball vs. Miami (OH): Game Preview and Prediction
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Ohio State Men’s Basketball vs. Miami (OH): 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
Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
Tonight’s contest against the RedHawks is sandwiched between Ohio State’s first two Big Ten games of the season.
After opening up their Big Ten schedule with an 84-74 win over Minnesota on Sunday evening, Ohio State’s men’s basketball team jumps back out of conference tonight to host the Miami (OH) RedHawks. Tonight’s matchup marks the 10th meeting between the in-state foes, with the Buckeyes holding a 7-2 edge in the series. The last time the teams met saw Ohio State beat the RedHawks 72-59 in the 2017-18 season. Aside from Miami winning the first game between the schools in 1916, their only other win came in 1993 when they defeated the Buckeyes 56-53 in the first round of the NIT.
Since losing to Texas A&M in the second game of the season, Ohio State enters tonight’s contest riding a six-game winning streak. In their last time on the court, the Buckeyes never trailed against Minnesota, scoring 42 points in each half to down the Golden Gophers. Not only did Jamison Battle put home a season-high 25 points against his former team, Bruce Thornton added a team-high 26 points in the victory, and Roddy Gayle Jr. scored 16 points on Sunday night. Ohio State blocked six shots in the game, with five of those swats coming from Felix Okpara, tying his career-high.
With his performance against the Golden Gophers, Thornton has now scored in double figures in seven of eight games this season, and cracked the 20-point mark in three of the last four games. After scoring 26 points on Sunday night, Thornton surpassed 500 career points in the scarlet and gray. Thornton is not only filling it up in the scoring column, he is also doing a great job at finding his teammates, registering at least five assists in a game for the fifth time this season.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25135660/usa_today_19625600.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Miami (OH) at Cincinnati")
Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports
Miami comes to Columbus on a two-game winning streak after beating Marshall 79-74 on Saturday. The RedHawks led 77-59 with just over three minutes left in the second half before the Thundering Herd were able to go on a 15-2 run to close the gap before the game ended. Miami was able to earn the victory because of their ability to hit shots from beyond the arc, netting 13 of their 26 three-point attempts. Mekhi Cooper led the RedHawks with a career-high 17 points in the win, while Evan Ipsaro added 16 points, and Bradley Dean scored 14 points in 22 minutes off the bench.
With the win, Miami is now 4-3 on the season, with their losses coming to Evansville, Texas State, and St. Bonaventure. The RedHawks are coached by former Xavier coach Travis Steele, who is in his second season in Oxford. During his four seasons at Xavier after replacing Chris Mack, Steele posted a 70-50 record, and he was 12-20 last year in his debut season at Miami. Steele is hoping to bring the RedHawks back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2007. Along with coaching at two Division I programs in Ohio, Steele is the brother of former Ohio State assistant coach and current Akron head coach John Groce.
Through seven games this season, Miami is led in scoring by Darweshi Hunter, who is averaging 13.4 points per game. The senior guard is also second on the team with 5.1 rebounds per contest. Oddly enough, Hunter has been at his best this year in Miami’s losses, with his three highest scoring outputs of the season all coming in the three setbacks the RedHawks have suffered. This is Hunter’s first season in Oxford after spending the last two at Northern Illinois.
Along with Hunter, Miami has a couple freshmen at guard that are averaging at least 24 minutes per game this year. Evan Ipsaro is second on the team in scoring, averaging 9.1 points per game, and Mekhi Cooper is right behind Cooper, scoring 8.9 points per game. On Saturday night, Ipsaro hit four three-pointers, which is the most of his young career. Cooper will likely enter tonight’s game with a ton of confidence after leading the RedHawks in scoring against the Thundering Herd.
In the frontcourt, center Jaquel Morris will have his hands full with Felix Okpara and Zed Key. Miami doesn’t look for Morris to do a ton of the offensive end, instead hoping the sophomore big man makes a difference on the defensive end of the floor. So far this year, Morris has blocked at least two shots in over half of Miami’s games. Along with Morris, Bryce Bultman will also try and make a difference in the paint. The graduate transfer in his first season with the RedHawks after spending four years at Division-II McKendree University.
Tonight will mark the third game this season Ohio State has played against a team from the MAC. In their first two games against teams from the conference this year, the Buckeyes have had little trouble, beating Western Michigan and Central Michigan by a combined 44 points. As long as the Buckeyes aren’t looking ahead to Saturday’s Big Ten game at Penn State, Chris Holtmann’s team shouldn’t have much trouble with the RedHawks.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25135665/usa_today_22030209.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Minnesota at Ohio State")
Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
So far this year Miami hasn’t played all that tough of a schedule and they have still lost three games. If the RedHawks can’t beat teams like Texas State and Evansville, they are going to have a lot of trouble against an Ohio State team that is gaining confidence with each game. Bruce Thornton is playing like a leader, Roddy Gayle Jr. is consistently getting better, Jamison Battle provides a veteran presence, and Felix Okpara and Zed Key are a force in the paint. The Buckeyes are going to overwhelm a Miami team that can struggle to score at times.
ESPN BPI: Ohio State 92.7%
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
TV: B1G+
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
Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
Tonight’s contest against the RedHawks is sandwiched between Ohio State’s first two Big Ten games of the season.
After opening up their Big Ten schedule with an 84-74 win over Minnesota on Sunday evening, Ohio State’s men’s basketball team jumps back out of conference tonight to host the Miami (OH) RedHawks. Tonight’s matchup marks the 10th meeting between the in-state foes, with the Buckeyes holding a 7-2 edge in the series. The last time the teams met saw Ohio State beat the RedHawks 72-59 in the 2017-18 season. Aside from Miami winning the first game between the schools in 1916, their only other win came in 1993 when they defeated the Buckeyes 56-53 in the first round of the NIT.
Preview
Since losing to Texas A&M in the second game of the season, Ohio State enters tonight’s contest riding a six-game winning streak. In their last time on the court, the Buckeyes never trailed against Minnesota, scoring 42 points in each half to down the Golden Gophers. Not only did Jamison Battle put home a season-high 25 points against his former team, Bruce Thornton added a team-high 26 points in the victory, and Roddy Gayle Jr. scored 16 points on Sunday night. Ohio State blocked six shots in the game, with five of those swats coming from Felix Okpara, tying his career-high.
With his performance against the Golden Gophers, Thornton has now scored in double figures in seven of eight games this season, and cracked the 20-point mark in three of the last four games. After scoring 26 points on Sunday night, Thornton surpassed 500 career points in the scarlet and gray. Thornton is not only filling it up in the scoring column, he is also doing a great job at finding his teammates, registering at least five assists in a game for the fifth time this season.
Miami comes to Columbus on a two-game winning streak after beating Marshall 79-74 on Saturday. The RedHawks led 77-59 with just over three minutes left in the second half before the Thundering Herd were able to go on a 15-2 run to close the gap before the game ended. Miami was able to earn the victory because of their ability to hit shots from beyond the arc, netting 13 of their 26 three-point attempts. Mekhi Cooper led the RedHawks with a career-high 17 points in the win, while Evan Ipsaro added 16 points, and Bradley Dean scored 14 points in 22 minutes off the bench.
With the win, Miami is now 4-3 on the season, with their losses coming to Evansville, Texas State, and St. Bonaventure. The RedHawks are coached by former Xavier coach Travis Steele, who is in his second season in Oxford. During his four seasons at Xavier after replacing Chris Mack, Steele posted a 70-50 record, and he was 12-20 last year in his debut season at Miami. Steele is hoping to bring the RedHawks back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2007. Along with coaching at two Division I programs in Ohio, Steele is the brother of former Ohio State assistant coach and current Akron head coach John Groce.
Through seven games this season, Miami is led in scoring by Darweshi Hunter, who is averaging 13.4 points per game. The senior guard is also second on the team with 5.1 rebounds per contest. Oddly enough, Hunter has been at his best this year in Miami’s losses, with his three highest scoring outputs of the season all coming in the three setbacks the RedHawks have suffered. This is Hunter’s first season in Oxford after spending the last two at Northern Illinois.
Along with Hunter, Miami has a couple freshmen at guard that are averaging at least 24 minutes per game this year. Evan Ipsaro is second on the team in scoring, averaging 9.1 points per game, and Mekhi Cooper is right behind Cooper, scoring 8.9 points per game. On Saturday night, Ipsaro hit four three-pointers, which is the most of his young career. Cooper will likely enter tonight’s game with a ton of confidence after leading the RedHawks in scoring against the Thundering Herd.
In the frontcourt, center Jaquel Morris will have his hands full with Felix Okpara and Zed Key. Miami doesn’t look for Morris to do a ton of the offensive end, instead hoping the sophomore big man makes a difference on the defensive end of the floor. So far this year, Morris has blocked at least two shots in over half of Miami’s games. Along with Morris, Bryce Bultman will also try and make a difference in the paint. The graduate transfer in his first season with the RedHawks after spending four years at Division-II McKendree University.
Prediction
Tonight will mark the third game this season Ohio State has played against a team from the MAC. In their first two games against teams from the conference this year, the Buckeyes have had little trouble, beating Western Michigan and Central Michigan by a combined 44 points. As long as the Buckeyes aren’t looking ahead to Saturday’s Big Ten game at Penn State, Chris Holtmann’s team shouldn’t have much trouble with the RedHawks.
So far this year Miami hasn’t played all that tough of a schedule and they have still lost three games. If the RedHawks can’t beat teams like Texas State and Evansville, they are going to have a lot of trouble against an Ohio State team that is gaining confidence with each game. Bruce Thornton is playing like a leader, Roddy Gayle Jr. is consistently getting better, Jamison Battle provides a veteran presence, and Felix Okpara and Zed Key are a force in the paint. The Buckeyes are going to overwhelm a Miami team that can struggle to score at times.
ESPN BPI: Ohio State 92.7%
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
TV: B1G+
LGHL score prediction: Ohio State 78, Miami (OH) 59
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LGHL Hangout in the Holy Land Podcast: CFP reactions, Ohio State deserved better, and who the hell is suiting up for the Cotton Bowl!?
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Hangout in the Holy Land Podcast: CFP reactions, Ohio State deserved better, and who the hell is suiting up for the Cotton Bowl!?
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Josh and Chuck react to controversial (or not?) CFP selections, before turning their attention to... uh... certain, unnamed Buckeyes who are probably playing in a less-than-meaningful bowl game. Seriously, who’s in and who’s out!?
The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast is here! Join LGHL’s Josh Dooley and Chuck Holmes as they discuss Ohio State football, recruiting, and much, much more! Come for the hot takes, stay for the warm ones.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
On this episode of “Hangout in the Holy Land,” Josh and Chuck do their best to recap – and react to – a wild couple of days in college football, especially as it pertains to the Ohio State Buckeyes.
It was common knowledge that OSU would not be receiving an invite to this year’s College Football Playoff, but did the selection committee get it right? And why didn’t Florida State just win their conference title game 59-0, making the process easier for everyone?
While the Buckeyes were left out of the CFP, they have remained relevant in the CFB news cycle. Several Ohio State players have already announced their intent to transfer, including QB Kyle McCord. The hosts discuss potential comings and goings, as well as who might actually participate in the team’s upcoming bowl game.
Cotton Bowl fever, baby! Feel the excitement!
Please make sure to like, rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast! And as always, Go Bucks!
Connect with the pod
Twitter: @HolyLandPod
Connect with Josh Dooley
Twitter: @jdooleybuckeye
Connect with Chuck Holmes
Twitter: @ctholmes3
Continue reading...
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Josh and Chuck react to controversial (or not?) CFP selections, before turning their attention to... uh... certain, unnamed Buckeyes who are probably playing in a less-than-meaningful bowl game. Seriously, who’s in and who’s out!?
The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast is here! Join LGHL’s Josh Dooley and Chuck Holmes as they discuss Ohio State football, recruiting, and much, much more! Come for the hot takes, stay for the warm ones.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On this episode of “Hangout in the Holy Land,” Josh and Chuck do their best to recap – and react to – a wild couple of days in college football, especially as it pertains to the Ohio State Buckeyes.
It was common knowledge that OSU would not be receiving an invite to this year’s College Football Playoff, but did the selection committee get it right? And why didn’t Florida State just win their conference title game 59-0, making the process easier for everyone?
While the Buckeyes were left out of the CFP, they have remained relevant in the CFB news cycle. Several Ohio State players have already announced their intent to transfer, including QB Kyle McCord. The hosts discuss potential comings and goings, as well as who might actually participate in the team’s upcoming bowl game.
Cotton Bowl fever, baby! Feel the excitement!
Please make sure to like, rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast! And as always, Go Bucks!
Connect with the pod
Twitter: @HolyLandPod
Connect with Josh Dooley
Twitter: @jdooleybuckeye
Connect with Chuck Holmes
Twitter: @ctholmes3
Continue reading...
LGHL No. 12 Ohio State women’s basketball takes bite out of Ohio Bobcats 85-45
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No. 12 Ohio State women’s basketball takes bite out of Ohio Bobcats 85-45
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State University athletic department
There was no upsetting the Buckeyes before the move to Big Ten play
Tuesday, the Ohio State women’s basketball team took the court less than two days since beating the Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville, Tennessee. The task wasn’t as big at the Schottenstein Center, taking on in-state MAC school Ohio University.
After a close first half of the first quarter, the Buckeyes surged and never looked back, defeating the Bobcats 85-45.
Ohio University came in the heavy underdogs but didn’t look like it on the defensive end of the court to start the game. Halfway through the first quarter, the Buckeyes were 1-for-7 from the floor, with a lone three-point shot made by forward Rebeka Mikulášiková.
That’s because the Bobcats controlled the perimeter on defense, not allowing players like forwards Cotie McMahon and Taylor Thierry much room to work inside the paint. The Buckeyes combated it with passes around the arc but the open three attempts weren’t falling early.
Head coach Kevin McGuff adjusted, deciding to go right at the paint, leaning on Thierry and McMahon to do more. It worked, with Ohio State responding with 6-for-10 shooting to end the quarter, with Thierry’s seven points and McMahon’s four leading the scarlet and gray to a 16-6 lead at the end of the first quarter, with 10 points coming off turnovers.
Defensively, the Buckeyes limited shots, outshooting the Athens, Ohio side 17-11. The Bobcats hit two, both from deep, and had other chances but failed to convert.
The second quarter began with much of the same, plus a familiar moment for Buckeyes fans, courtesy of guard Celeste Taylor. The Big Ten Player of the Week added another impressive block to her scarlet and gray resume. Guard Kate Dennis went for the inside shot, but Taylor came up from behind and stuffed the shot out of bounds. It was that kind of first half for the Bobcats.
Although Ohio responded with a three-point shot, only its third made shot of the game, the Buckeyes’ offense nullified it quickly. Mikulášiková scored the first eight points of the second quarter. The first from deep and then hurting the visitors from inside the paint.
It was clear that the Bobcats’ burst of energy to start the game waned, and then the threes began falling for the Buckeyes.
Ohio State started the game going 1-for-7 from beyond the arc in the first quarter. In the second, it shot up to 5-for-8, with guard Emma Shumate doing the most damage. The Newark, Ohio high school graduate shot 4-for-5 from beyond the arc; all corner threes. At halftime, the Buckeyes were up 42-13, with Shumate’s career high 12 points outscoring the entire Bobcats team 12-7 in the second quarter.
Out of the locker room for the second half, the Buckeyes kept its starters in the game. On Ohio’s first offensive possession, Taylor grabbed another block, this time on a spinning layup attempt by guard Monica Williams. Outside of a three-point shot by Bobcats’ guard Kennedi Watkins, the Buckeye domination continued, responding with an 11-point run to extend the lead to 36 points with 16 minutes remaining in the game.
Taylor was the lone starter on the court with under four minutes remaining in the third quarter, still not losing intensity. After missing a layup, Taylor ran behind the Ohio player taking the ball up the court and took over her dribbling, turning into another offensive possession. It was that kind of night for the Buckeyes.
The fourth quarter saw no Buckeye starters on the court, giving them rest before Sunday’s visit from the Nittany Lions. Of the starting five, three scored in double figures on the night: Thierry and Mikulášiková each scoring 15 points and McMahon not far behind with 13 points.
While the Bobcats cut into its deficit at moments in the fourth quarter, there was no coming back from the mid-major. Ohio State held on comfortably, beating Ohio 85-45.
Leading the Buckeyes from deep was Shumate. Hitting an NCAA career high six in the game, the guard showed why Coach McGuff has so much faith in the shooter. Shumate wasn’t only hitting shots, but hitting them confidently without hesitation. The guard led the Buckeyes with 22 points.
It came after not receiving many minutes against the Vols on Sunday, playing only two of the 40 minutes, and not taking a shot. Granted the competition wasn’t the same as the SEC Side on Sunday, if Shumate continues shooting like she did from deep on Tuesday, it’ll be hard to not see the guard in bigger game scenarios.
While it wasn’t a record-breaking winning margin for the Buckeyes over the Bobcats, that was a 70-point Ohio State walloping on Dec. 1, 2004, it was a one-sided game for most of the 40 minutes of basketball. After defeating OU in Athens by 30 points last season, a Buckeyes side with improved defense from last time out were already up 29 points at the half.
At one point in the second half, the lead stretched to 41 points in the scarlet and gray’s favor. With the win, Ohio State goes to 23-1 against the Bobcats all-time.
Now the Buckeyes start the Big Ten conference schedule, at least for one game. Ohio State welcomes the Penn State Nittany Lions to the Schottenstein Center Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET. The Nittany Lions grabbed attention to start the season, going 7-1 and losing to the USC Trojans by only a single point it its lone loss, but tripped up on the team’s first day back in the AP poll in ten years.
Monday, Penn State lost to the West Virginia Mountaineers in Morgantown 83-65. The Mountaineers used a pressing defensive style to disrupt the Big Ten side for its first win over Penn State since 1989.
Ohio State played Penn State once last year. After amassing a big lead after three quarters, Nittany Lions’ guard Makenna Marisa scored 19 points in the fourth quarter to bring the game to a 67-55 scoreline.
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
Ohio State University athletic department
There was no upsetting the Buckeyes before the move to Big Ten play
Tuesday, the Ohio State women’s basketball team took the court less than two days since beating the Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville, Tennessee. The task wasn’t as big at the Schottenstein Center, taking on in-state MAC school Ohio University.
After a close first half of the first quarter, the Buckeyes surged and never looked back, defeating the Bobcats 85-45.
Ohio University came in the heavy underdogs but didn’t look like it on the defensive end of the court to start the game. Halfway through the first quarter, the Buckeyes were 1-for-7 from the floor, with a lone three-point shot made by forward Rebeka Mikulášiková.
That’s because the Bobcats controlled the perimeter on defense, not allowing players like forwards Cotie McMahon and Taylor Thierry much room to work inside the paint. The Buckeyes combated it with passes around the arc but the open three attempts weren’t falling early.
Head coach Kevin McGuff adjusted, deciding to go right at the paint, leaning on Thierry and McMahon to do more. It worked, with Ohio State responding with 6-for-10 shooting to end the quarter, with Thierry’s seven points and McMahon’s four leading the scarlet and gray to a 16-6 lead at the end of the first quarter, with 10 points coming off turnovers.
Defensively, the Buckeyes limited shots, outshooting the Athens, Ohio side 17-11. The Bobcats hit two, both from deep, and had other chances but failed to convert.
The second quarter began with much of the same, plus a familiar moment for Buckeyes fans, courtesy of guard Celeste Taylor. The Big Ten Player of the Week added another impressive block to her scarlet and gray resume. Guard Kate Dennis went for the inside shot, but Taylor came up from behind and stuffed the shot out of bounds. It was that kind of first half for the Bobcats.
Although Ohio responded with a three-point shot, only its third made shot of the game, the Buckeyes’ offense nullified it quickly. Mikulášiková scored the first eight points of the second quarter. The first from deep and then hurting the visitors from inside the paint.
It was clear that the Bobcats’ burst of energy to start the game waned, and then the threes began falling for the Buckeyes.
Ohio State started the game going 1-for-7 from beyond the arc in the first quarter. In the second, it shot up to 5-for-8, with guard Emma Shumate doing the most damage. The Newark, Ohio high school graduate shot 4-for-5 from beyond the arc; all corner threes. At halftime, the Buckeyes were up 42-13, with Shumate’s career high 12 points outscoring the entire Bobcats team 12-7 in the second quarter.
Out of the locker room for the second half, the Buckeyes kept its starters in the game. On Ohio’s first offensive possession, Taylor grabbed another block, this time on a spinning layup attempt by guard Monica Williams. Outside of a three-point shot by Bobcats’ guard Kennedi Watkins, the Buckeye domination continued, responding with an 11-point run to extend the lead to 36 points with 16 minutes remaining in the game.
Taylor was the lone starter on the court with under four minutes remaining in the third quarter, still not losing intensity. After missing a layup, Taylor ran behind the Ohio player taking the ball up the court and took over her dribbling, turning into another offensive possession. It was that kind of night for the Buckeyes.
The fourth quarter saw no Buckeye starters on the court, giving them rest before Sunday’s visit from the Nittany Lions. Of the starting five, three scored in double figures on the night: Thierry and Mikulášiková each scoring 15 points and McMahon not far behind with 13 points.
While the Bobcats cut into its deficit at moments in the fourth quarter, there was no coming back from the mid-major. Ohio State held on comfortably, beating Ohio 85-45.
Shumate Shooting Continues
Leading the Buckeyes from deep was Shumate. Hitting an NCAA career high six in the game, the guard showed why Coach McGuff has so much faith in the shooter. Shumate wasn’t only hitting shots, but hitting them confidently without hesitation. The guard led the Buckeyes with 22 points.
It came after not receiving many minutes against the Vols on Sunday, playing only two of the 40 minutes, and not taking a shot. Granted the competition wasn’t the same as the SEC Side on Sunday, if Shumate continues shooting like she did from deep on Tuesday, it’ll be hard to not see the guard in bigger game scenarios.
In-State Dominance
While it wasn’t a record-breaking winning margin for the Buckeyes over the Bobcats, that was a 70-point Ohio State walloping on Dec. 1, 2004, it was a one-sided game for most of the 40 minutes of basketball. After defeating OU in Athens by 30 points last season, a Buckeyes side with improved defense from last time out were already up 29 points at the half.
At one point in the second half, the lead stretched to 41 points in the scarlet and gray’s favor. With the win, Ohio State goes to 23-1 against the Bobcats all-time.
What’s Next
Now the Buckeyes start the Big Ten conference schedule, at least for one game. Ohio State welcomes the Penn State Nittany Lions to the Schottenstein Center Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET. The Nittany Lions grabbed attention to start the season, going 7-1 and losing to the USC Trojans by only a single point it its lone loss, but tripped up on the team’s first day back in the AP poll in ten years.
Monday, Penn State lost to the West Virginia Mountaineers in Morgantown 83-65. The Mountaineers used a pressing defensive style to disrupt the Big Ten side for its first win over Penn State since 1989.
Ohio State played Penn State once last year. After amassing a big lead after three quarters, Nittany Lions’ guard Makenna Marisa scored 19 points in the fourth quarter to bring the game to a 67-55 scoreline.
Continue reading...
LGHL Bucketheads Podcast: The Ohio State men’s basketball team is on a six-game winning streak
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Bucketheads Podcast: The Ohio State men’s basketball team is on a six-game winning streak
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Clare Grant/The Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Plus, is the Big Ten up for grabs after Purdue’s loss to Northwestern?
“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. Every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in the college hoops world.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On episode 95 of Bucketheads, Connor and Justin talk about the Buckeyes six-game winning streak and the 84-74 win over Minnesota. Again, it was not perfect, but a conference win is a conference win, and if the season ended today, Ohio State would win the Big Ten!
What has been going right for the Buckeyes? And just how good is this backcourt of Bruce Thornton and Roddy Gayle?
Also, we have to have a conversation about Purdue. Does their upset against Northwestern change our opinion of them? And what is wrong with Maryland? And is quote tweeting bad?
Be sure to like and subscribe to the podcast and leave a review of your thoughts on the show!
Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Continue reading...
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Clare Grant/The Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Plus, is the Big Ten up for grabs after Purdue’s loss to Northwestern?
“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. Every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in the college hoops world.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On episode 95 of Bucketheads, Connor and Justin talk about the Buckeyes six-game winning streak and the 84-74 win over Minnesota. Again, it was not perfect, but a conference win is a conference win, and if the season ended today, Ohio State would win the Big Ten!
What has been going right for the Buckeyes? And just how good is this backcourt of Bruce Thornton and Roddy Gayle?
Also, we have to have a conversation about Purdue. Does their upset against Northwestern change our opinion of them? And what is wrong with Maryland? And is quote tweeting bad?
Be sure to like and subscribe to the podcast and leave a review of your thoughts on the show!
Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Continue reading...
LGHL You’re Nuts: Which non-CFP bowl game are you most interested in watching?
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You’re Nuts: Which non-CFP bowl game are you most interested in watching?
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Brian Bishop-USA TODAY Sports
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
With the revealing of the College Football Playoff matchups on Sunday, the rest of the bowl schedule was set soon after. The bowl season will kick off on Saturday December 16 with the Myrtle Beach Bowl between Georgia Southern and Ohio being the first bowl game of the season. Five other bowl games will take place on that day, and by the time bowl season wraps up in early January, over 40 bowl games will have been played.
This year’s bowl season will be the last that will accompany the four-team College Football Playoff. It will be interesting to see how schools approach the 12-team playoff starting next year, especially after the changes we have seen after the introduction of the College Football Playoff at the end of the 2014 season. Along with the playoff, the transfer portal and more players sitting out bowl games to focus on the NFL Draft have changed how bowl games are treated by teams.
Despite some of the prestige of bowl games being diminished by changes over the last decade, the final couple weeks of college football for nine months still can be a ton of fun. Not only does it provide people with something to watch during the holidays, it can also be a hit with gamblers if they are on the right side. There are also some interesting sponsors for bowl games. Just look at the Duke’s Mayo Bowl. You don’t have much of a pulse if you don’t want to see the winning coach showered with a bunch of mayo.
Today we want to know which bowl game outside the College Football Playoff you are most interested in watching this year. Maybe you want to get a look at one of the teams joining the Big Ten, or another conference, this offseason. It could be a battle between a couple of college football’s top programs. Or you could be a fan of a team that is going to have a lot of turnover in the transfer portal, so you want to see who could be next in line at a certain position. There’s no wrong answer, since if you’re spending the holidays watching college football bowl games then you are already on the right side.
This New Year’s Six bowl game already received a shot in the arm when Oregon head coach Dan Lanning revealed quarterback Bo Nix wants to play in the New Year’s Day game. After starting for multiple years at Auburn and Oregon, there really isn’t much to be gained from Nix playing in this game aside from Nix wanting to finish out his college career with his teammates on the field and not on the sidelines. Even though things could change between now and when the game kicks off on the first day of 2024, it sounds like Oregon is taking this game seriously.
On the other side, Liberty will not only be trying to pull a huge upset, as they head into this game as two-touchdown underdogs, they also will be trying to finish the season undefeated. In Jamey Chadwell’s first season as head coach, Liberty has a high-powered offense that has scored at least 30 points in 12 of 13 games so far this year. Sophomore quarterback Kaidon Salter has not only thrown for 2,750 yards and 31 touchdowns this year, he has added 1,064 yards and 12 scores on the ground.
Another reason this game is so interesting to me is because the Group of Five team playing in a New Year’s Six bowl always seems to bring it. At the end of the 2015 season, Houston beat Florida State. UCF beat Auburn to cap off an undefeated 2017 season, and then pushed LSU to the limit the next year. Last year Tulane stunned Caleb Williams and USC 46-45 in the Cotton Bowl. Even if they aren’t able to beat Oregon, Liberty should at least make this contest interesting in Oregon’s last game as a member of the Pac-12.
I think the easy answer here would be something along the lines of the Orange Bowl with a pair of disgruntled teams who both feel that they should have been included in the College Football Playoff field. However, that’s too easy, so I’m going with a bit of a deep cut.
Yes, I know that this probably won’t be an enjoyable game to watch if you like a bunch... or any offense, but I don’t know how you can be a college football fan and not root for David Braun and Northwestern. He was thrown into an absolutely horrendous situation that he had no hand in creating and still led his team to a bowl game while earning Big Ten Coach of the Year honors. Now, the university has removed the interim tag and he is the Wildcats’ full-time head coach. In the new B1G alignment, will he ever have the success that Pat Fitzgerald did? Honestly, it’s doubtful, but that doesn’t diminish that accomplishment of this season.
Then there’s the Utah Utes. Obviously playing in the Las Vegas Bowl two days before Christmas isn’t what Kyle Whittingham and his team had in mind coming into the season Coming off of back-to-back Pac-12 titles, I am sure they wanted to close out the conference as the definitive top dog out West. However, the fact that Cam Rising never fully recuperated from his ACL tear suffered in last year’s bowl game essentially led to the Utes never being able to capitalize on a top-notch defense.
So, while there likely won’t be a ton of offensive fireworks in this one, it features a couple of coaches that you have to respect and root for, or at least I do, which is why I am interested in watching this one, even if it won’t be the most aesthetically pleasing game on the 2023-24 bowl schedule.
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
Brian Bishop-USA TODAY Sports
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
With the revealing of the College Football Playoff matchups on Sunday, the rest of the bowl schedule was set soon after. The bowl season will kick off on Saturday December 16 with the Myrtle Beach Bowl between Georgia Southern and Ohio being the first bowl game of the season. Five other bowl games will take place on that day, and by the time bowl season wraps up in early January, over 40 bowl games will have been played.
This year’s bowl season will be the last that will accompany the four-team College Football Playoff. It will be interesting to see how schools approach the 12-team playoff starting next year, especially after the changes we have seen after the introduction of the College Football Playoff at the end of the 2014 season. Along with the playoff, the transfer portal and more players sitting out bowl games to focus on the NFL Draft have changed how bowl games are treated by teams.
Despite some of the prestige of bowl games being diminished by changes over the last decade, the final couple weeks of college football for nine months still can be a ton of fun. Not only does it provide people with something to watch during the holidays, it can also be a hit with gamblers if they are on the right side. There are also some interesting sponsors for bowl games. Just look at the Duke’s Mayo Bowl. You don’t have much of a pulse if you don’t want to see the winning coach showered with a bunch of mayo.
Today we want to know which bowl game outside the College Football Playoff you are most interested in watching this year. Maybe you want to get a look at one of the teams joining the Big Ten, or another conference, this offseason. It could be a battle between a couple of college football’s top programs. Or you could be a fan of a team that is going to have a lot of turnover in the transfer portal, so you want to see who could be next in line at a certain position. There’s no wrong answer, since if you’re spending the holidays watching college football bowl games then you are already on the right side.
Today’s question: Which non-CFP bowl game are you most interested in watching?
We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.
Brett’s answer: Liberty v. Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl
This New Year’s Six bowl game already received a shot in the arm when Oregon head coach Dan Lanning revealed quarterback Bo Nix wants to play in the New Year’s Day game. After starting for multiple years at Auburn and Oregon, there really isn’t much to be gained from Nix playing in this game aside from Nix wanting to finish out his college career with his teammates on the field and not on the sidelines. Even though things could change between now and when the game kicks off on the first day of 2024, it sounds like Oregon is taking this game seriously.
On the other side, Liberty will not only be trying to pull a huge upset, as they head into this game as two-touchdown underdogs, they also will be trying to finish the season undefeated. In Jamey Chadwell’s first season as head coach, Liberty has a high-powered offense that has scored at least 30 points in 12 of 13 games so far this year. Sophomore quarterback Kaidon Salter has not only thrown for 2,750 yards and 31 touchdowns this year, he has added 1,064 yards and 12 scores on the ground.
Another reason this game is so interesting to me is because the Group of Five team playing in a New Year’s Six bowl always seems to bring it. At the end of the 2015 season, Houston beat Florida State. UCF beat Auburn to cap off an undefeated 2017 season, and then pushed LSU to the limit the next year. Last year Tulane stunned Caleb Williams and USC 46-45 in the Cotton Bowl. Even if they aren’t able to beat Oregon, Liberty should at least make this contest interesting in Oregon’s last game as a member of the Pac-12.
Matt’s answer: Las Vegas Bowl: Utah vs. Northwestern
I think the easy answer here would be something along the lines of the Orange Bowl with a pair of disgruntled teams who both feel that they should have been included in the College Football Playoff field. However, that’s too easy, so I’m going with a bit of a deep cut.
Yes, I know that this probably won’t be an enjoyable game to watch if you like a bunch... or any offense, but I don’t know how you can be a college football fan and not root for David Braun and Northwestern. He was thrown into an absolutely horrendous situation that he had no hand in creating and still led his team to a bowl game while earning Big Ten Coach of the Year honors. Now, the university has removed the interim tag and he is the Wildcats’ full-time head coach. In the new B1G alignment, will he ever have the success that Pat Fitzgerald did? Honestly, it’s doubtful, but that doesn’t diminish that accomplishment of this season.
Then there’s the Utah Utes. Obviously playing in the Las Vegas Bowl two days before Christmas isn’t what Kyle Whittingham and his team had in mind coming into the season Coming off of back-to-back Pac-12 titles, I am sure they wanted to close out the conference as the definitive top dog out West. However, the fact that Cam Rising never fully recuperated from his ACL tear suffered in last year’s bowl game essentially led to the Utes never being able to capitalize on a top-notch defense.
So, while there likely won’t be a ton of offensive fireworks in this one, it features a couple of coaches that you have to respect and root for, or at least I do, which is why I am interested in watching this one, even if it won’t be the most aesthetically pleasing game on the 2023-24 bowl schedule.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State five-star OL target sets commitment date
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Ohio State five-star OL target sets commitment date
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2024 five-star OT Jordan Seaton via @JordanSeaton_ on X
Ohio State learned when its biggest remaining target in the 2024 class will commit, and the Buckeyes also made the top-10 schools for a 2025 four-star DE.
Ohio State’s football team has had a busy 48 hours. The Buckeyes learned their opponent and bowl game location on Sunday, and will now get to work preparing for Missouri. However, the news did not stop there, as Monday brought even more headlines for Ohio State.
Ryan Day’s program saw multiple players officially enter their names into the transfer portal, including starting quarterback Kyle McCord. The Buckeyes’ starting quarterback was not the only guy starter to enter his name into the portal, but he certainly stole many of the headlines — rightfully so. Land-Grant Holy Land is compiling a live, running list of Buckeyes that enter their names into the portal, so keep up with it here.
The transfer portal has proven that recruiting is never allowed a pause if a football program wants to remain elite. Fortunately for Ohio State, Day and his coaching staff know this as the Buckeyes made multiple recruiting headlines to start the week.
Fresh off an official visit, 2024 five-star offensive tackle Jordan Seaton (Brandton, FL / IMG Academy) has announced a commitment date and a top six schools list.
Alongside Ohio State, Seaton included Maryland, Oregon, Alabama, Florida and Tennessee as finalists in his recruitment which is scheduled to end this Thursday. Ohio State was once viewed as the leaders in Seaton’s recruitment, but the other remaining schools have made strong pushes late in the battle, especially Oregon and Tennessee.
The Buckeyes have long wanted to get Seaton on campus, and as was previously mentioned, Seaton finally was able to take an official visit to Ohio State this weekend. The elite talent had previously scheduled an official visit in November for the Michigan State game. However, because his high school team was still playing in the playoffs, he had to reschedule. Unfortunately for him and the Buckeyes, he was unable to do so for a gameday.
This led many to believe the Buckeyes chances in landing Seaton had dropped, which made sense. However, Ohio State seemingly impressed Seaton enough last weekend as they are still in contention to land him. Not only that, some believe Ohio State is among the leaders in his recruitment with the Ducks and Volunteers.
Ohio State would love to add Seaton to its class, as the program has wanted to add an elite talent to its offensive line haul which includes four-star Ian Moore and three-stars Gabe VanSickle, Devontae Armstrong and his twin Deontae Armstrong.
Seaton is the No. 1 OT in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 15 overall prospect. He is also the No. 4 recruit out of the talent-rich state of Florida.
Ohio State is making the defensive line a position of importance in the 2025 recruiting class. Already, the Buckeyes have offered nearly 20 prospects along the defensive line. The team has yet to secure a commitment, but the hard work may soon payoff as the Buckeyes made the top-10 schools for four-star defensive end, Javion Hilson (Cocoa, FL / Cocoa).
Ohio State has some difficult competition for the blue-chip edge as Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Penn State, Miami, Florida, Florida State, Tennessee and UCF all made the list for the 6-foot-3.5, 225-pound lineman.
Hilson was able to travel to Columbus in June to participate in a recruiting camp, and this visit helped him build a solid relationship with the Ohio State coaching staff. The Buckeyes will likely try and get him back on campus next year for another recruiting visit and then a visit during a gameday.
Hilson is the No. 7 DE in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 48 overall prospect. He is also the No. 6 recruit out of Florida.
Keeping with theme of the defensive line in the 2025 recruiting class, Ohio State officially offered four-star DL Jaylen Williams (Palatine, IL / Palatine) on Monday.
The Buckeyes are not alone in their pursuit for Williams, as he holds offers from some of the nation’s top programs like Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Oregon, USC, Florida State, Auburn, Louisville, Tennessee and Texas A&M. Currently, Michigan is the favorite to land him, but the Buckeyes will try and turn the tide now that they have offered him.
Williams has not yet made an Ohio State visit, but look for the Buckeyes to try and bring him in for a spring or summer recruiting visit next year. Williams is the No. 26 DL in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 228 overall prospect. He is also the No. 6 recruit out of Illinois.
Leonard seems to be favoring Notre Dame, but the Buckeyes are making a strong push. Ward, however, may take more time in deciding his next school, and he has an impressive list of suitors including Oregon, USC, Washington, Wisconsin, Miami, Florida State and others.
Continue reading...
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2024 five-star OT Jordan Seaton via @JordanSeaton_ on X
Ohio State learned when its biggest remaining target in the 2024 class will commit, and the Buckeyes also made the top-10 schools for a 2025 four-star DE.
Ohio State’s football team has had a busy 48 hours. The Buckeyes learned their opponent and bowl game location on Sunday, and will now get to work preparing for Missouri. However, the news did not stop there, as Monday brought even more headlines for Ohio State.
Ryan Day’s program saw multiple players officially enter their names into the transfer portal, including starting quarterback Kyle McCord. The Buckeyes’ starting quarterback was not the only guy starter to enter his name into the portal, but he certainly stole many of the headlines — rightfully so. Land-Grant Holy Land is compiling a live, running list of Buckeyes that enter their names into the portal, so keep up with it here.
The transfer portal has proven that recruiting is never allowed a pause if a football program wants to remain elite. Fortunately for Ohio State, Day and his coaching staff know this as the Buckeyes made multiple recruiting headlines to start the week.
Jordan Seaton announces commitment date
Fresh off an official visit, 2024 five-star offensive tackle Jordan Seaton (Brandton, FL / IMG Academy) has announced a commitment date and a top six schools list.
Alongside Ohio State, Seaton included Maryland, Oregon, Alabama, Florida and Tennessee as finalists in his recruitment which is scheduled to end this Thursday. Ohio State was once viewed as the leaders in Seaton’s recruitment, but the other remaining schools have made strong pushes late in the battle, especially Oregon and Tennessee.
The Buckeyes have long wanted to get Seaton on campus, and as was previously mentioned, Seaton finally was able to take an official visit to Ohio State this weekend. The elite talent had previously scheduled an official visit in November for the Michigan State game. However, because his high school team was still playing in the playoffs, he had to reschedule. Unfortunately for him and the Buckeyes, he was unable to do so for a gameday.
This led many to believe the Buckeyes chances in landing Seaton had dropped, which made sense. However, Ohio State seemingly impressed Seaton enough last weekend as they are still in contention to land him. Not only that, some believe Ohio State is among the leaders in his recruitment with the Ducks and Volunteers.
"I would go with Oregon, Ohio State and Tennessee..."
- @ChadSimmons_ says three teams in 5️ Jordan Seaton's top-7 are trending above the rest
More Seaton talk: https://t.co/v9aNJOIxs8 pic.twitter.com/rzvRhyrsNU
— Josh Newberg (@josh_newberg) December 4, 2023
Ohio State would love to add Seaton to its class, as the program has wanted to add an elite talent to its offensive line haul which includes four-star Ian Moore and three-stars Gabe VanSickle, Devontae Armstrong and his twin Deontae Armstrong.
Seaton is the No. 1 OT in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 15 overall prospect. He is also the No. 4 recruit out of the talent-rich state of Florida.
Ohio State a top 10 school for 2025 four-star DE
Ohio State is making the defensive line a position of importance in the 2025 recruiting class. Already, the Buckeyes have offered nearly 20 prospects along the defensive line. The team has yet to secure a commitment, but the hard work may soon payoff as the Buckeyes made the top-10 schools for four-star defensive end, Javion Hilson (Cocoa, FL / Cocoa).
Ohio State has some difficult competition for the blue-chip edge as Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Penn State, Miami, Florida, Florida State, Tennessee and UCF all made the list for the 6-foot-3.5, 225-pound lineman.
Hilson was able to travel to Columbus in June to participate in a recruiting camp, and this visit helped him build a solid relationship with the Ohio State coaching staff. The Buckeyes will likely try and get him back on campus next year for another recruiting visit and then a visit during a gameday.
Hilson is the No. 7 DE in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 48 overall prospect. He is also the No. 6 recruit out of Florida.
Ohio State offers 2025 DL
Keeping with theme of the defensive line in the 2025 recruiting class, Ohio State officially offered four-star DL Jaylen Williams (Palatine, IL / Palatine) on Monday.
#AGTG!! Extremely blessed to receive an offer from The Ohio State university!!!️ @EDGYTIM @Rivals_Clint @R2X_Rushmen1 @OhioStateFB @JoshBostick8 @PHS_Football @AllenTrieu @LemmingReport @On3sports @adamgorney @TH3FBA pic.twitter.com/659tKHEJ9Y
— Jaylen williams ✞ (@jay_williams55) December 4, 2023
The Buckeyes are not alone in their pursuit for Williams, as he holds offers from some of the nation’s top programs like Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Oregon, USC, Florida State, Auburn, Louisville, Tennessee and Texas A&M. Currently, Michigan is the favorite to land him, but the Buckeyes will try and turn the tide now that they have offered him.
Williams has not yet made an Ohio State visit, but look for the Buckeyes to try and bring him in for a spring or summer recruiting visit next year. Williams is the No. 26 DL in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and is the No. 228 overall prospect. He is also the No. 6 recruit out of Illinois.
Quick Hits
- With all the news surrounding Kyle McCord transferring out of the program on Monday, there has been a lot of talk around Buckeye Nation on what the future of the quarterback position may hold for the Buckeyes. Ohio State 2024 five-star quarterback commit Air Noland took to X to provide as much relief as possible, reaffirming his commitment to Ryan Day and the Buckeyes.
- Noland was not the only talk Monday regards to the next Ohio State quarterback. Many believe the Buckeyes could now turn to the transfer portal themselves to replace McCord, and two of the names linked most with the Buckeyes are Duke QB Riley Leonard and Washington State QB Cam Ward.
Leonard seems to be favoring Notre Dame, but the Buckeyes are making a strong push. Ward, however, may take more time in deciding his next school, and he has an impressive list of suitors including Oregon, USC, Washington, Wisconsin, Miami, Florida State and others.
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2025 IL DE Jaylen Williams (Wisconsin Signee)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
- 11 Replies
247
Rivals
Twitter
HudL
Class: 2025
Position: DE
School: Palatine(IL) Palatine
Height: 6-foot-6
Weight: 265lbs
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Rivals
HudL
Class: 2025
Position: DE
School: Palatine(IL) Palatine
Height: 6-foot-6
Weight: 265lbs
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LGHL With McCord in the portal, what will the Cotton Bowl and beyond look like for Ohio State?
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With McCord in the portal, what will the Cotton Bowl and beyond look like for Ohio State?
Megan.Husslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
The Buckeyes’ future plans changed on Monday.
I’m sure I’m not the only one who rolled over to check their phone this morning and was immediately awakened by the news of Kyle McCord entering the transfer portal. A million thoughts were swirling around in my brain. When did he decide on this? What does this mean for the Cotton Bowl? What quarterback should the Buckeyes target in the transfer portal? And so much more... let’s get into it.
First off, this isn’t a total shock. During Sunday’s press conference, Ryan Day hinted that he wasn’t sure who the starting quarterback would be in the bowl game or next year. Every time a reporter asked a question about the position, he kept dancing around it, never truly giving an answer.
I wonder if Day’s answers at the press conference and their conversations about the future behind closed doors are what pushed McCord over the edge and made the decision final for him. Once he learned that he wasn’t the definite QB1 any more, maybe that is what changed his mind.
So, what is the Cotton Bowl going to look like? I’m sure we will hear more about this in the weeks to come, but my guess is that we are going to see Devin Brown and Lincoln Kienholz split time. Why wouldn’t you? Yes, Day said that his priority is winning the game, but you also have to see what you have in store for next season. Plus, I believe these guys also have the talent to help the team win the game. Win-win situation.
It will be interesting to see what weapons Ohio State will have on offense. With a lot of guys going pro and maybe opting out of the game, and some in the portal, who knows who Brown and/or Kienholz will be throwing to. Julian Fleming is a definite no as he is in the portal. TreVeyon Henderson and Marvin Harrison Jr. are questionable, as they will most likely be going pro.
That leaves them with (most likely) Emeka Egbuka, Cade Stover (I feel like this man will refuse to NOT play), Carnell Tate, Brandon Innis, Xavier Johnson, Chip Trayanum and Dallan Hayden. This is a pretty darn good group of guys, with a nice mix of veteran experience and some freshmen getting the opportunity to show what they’re all about.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25132701/1811970864.jpg "Michigan State v Ohio State")
Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images
McCord’s decision to transfer makes the bowl game a lot more intriguing. Now, we will have the opportunity to see Brown play in (potentially) a full game, and Kienholz play some meaningful snaps. This will be the first true look at who Buckeye fans could be watching on Saturdays next fall.
Or, it could be a totally different guy who isn’t even on the team yet. Air Noland is the five-star commit who will be a freshman next year, but I honestly don’t see Day starting a true freshman when he has other options.
Who are those other options? Well, McCord isn’t the only highly-touted QB who put his name in the transfer portal. Oklahoma’s Dillon Gabriel, Oregon State’s DJ Uiagalelei, Washington State’s Cam Ward, UCLA’s Dante Moore and so many more have entered the portal as well.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25132724/1817074725.jpg "Oregon State v Oregon")
Photo by Tom Hauck/Getty Images
Gabriel had a really nice season with the Sooners, throwing for over 3,600 yards, 30 touchdowns, six picks and finishing with a 87.3 QBR, good for fourth in the nation. Uiagalelei put up solid numbers, with 2,600 yards, 21 TDs, 7 INTs, and a 80.8 QBR.
Rumors are that Ward could be the No. 1 target for the Buckeyes. He threw for 3,700 yards, 25 touchdowns and seven picks, but finished with a 60.6 QBR. He has one year of eligibility remaining, so he could be the one-year veteran QB that the Buckeyes need while they let Noland take a year to develop.
I feel like I could write ‘what if’s’ all day about who could end up under center next year. Arch Manning could enter the portal if Quinn Ewers decides to stay another year at Texas. What if he wanted to be a Buckeye? I mean at this point, half of college football’s quarterbacks are in the portal, so anything is possible.
Either way, I think this is a win-win for both sides. I wish nothing but the absolute best for McCord, and I hope he balls out wherever he ends up. I think a fresh start is needed for both him and for the Buckeyes. He was getting relentlessly hated on by a vocal minority of the fanbase, as people didn’t believe he was the man for the job. Now, someone else will have the opportunity to prove that they are. Let the madness begin!
Continue reading...
Megan.Husslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
The Buckeyes’ future plans changed on Monday.
I’m sure I’m not the only one who rolled over to check their phone this morning and was immediately awakened by the news of Kyle McCord entering the transfer portal. A million thoughts were swirling around in my brain. When did he decide on this? What does this mean for the Cotton Bowl? What quarterback should the Buckeyes target in the transfer portal? And so much more... let’s get into it.
First off, this isn’t a total shock. During Sunday’s press conference, Ryan Day hinted that he wasn’t sure who the starting quarterback would be in the bowl game or next year. Every time a reporter asked a question about the position, he kept dancing around it, never truly giving an answer.
I wonder if Day’s answers at the press conference and their conversations about the future behind closed doors are what pushed McCord over the edge and made the decision final for him. Once he learned that he wasn’t the definite QB1 any more, maybe that is what changed his mind.
So, what is the Cotton Bowl going to look like? I’m sure we will hear more about this in the weeks to come, but my guess is that we are going to see Devin Brown and Lincoln Kienholz split time. Why wouldn’t you? Yes, Day said that his priority is winning the game, but you also have to see what you have in store for next season. Plus, I believe these guys also have the talent to help the team win the game. Win-win situation.
It will be interesting to see what weapons Ohio State will have on offense. With a lot of guys going pro and maybe opting out of the game, and some in the portal, who knows who Brown and/or Kienholz will be throwing to. Julian Fleming is a definite no as he is in the portal. TreVeyon Henderson and Marvin Harrison Jr. are questionable, as they will most likely be going pro.
That leaves them with (most likely) Emeka Egbuka, Cade Stover (I feel like this man will refuse to NOT play), Carnell Tate, Brandon Innis, Xavier Johnson, Chip Trayanum and Dallan Hayden. This is a pretty darn good group of guys, with a nice mix of veteran experience and some freshmen getting the opportunity to show what they’re all about.
McCord’s decision to transfer makes the bowl game a lot more intriguing. Now, we will have the opportunity to see Brown play in (potentially) a full game, and Kienholz play some meaningful snaps. This will be the first true look at who Buckeye fans could be watching on Saturdays next fall.
Or, it could be a totally different guy who isn’t even on the team yet. Air Noland is the five-star commit who will be a freshman next year, but I honestly don’t see Day starting a true freshman when he has other options.
Who are those other options? Well, McCord isn’t the only highly-touted QB who put his name in the transfer portal. Oklahoma’s Dillon Gabriel, Oregon State’s DJ Uiagalelei, Washington State’s Cam Ward, UCLA’s Dante Moore and so many more have entered the portal as well.
Gabriel had a really nice season with the Sooners, throwing for over 3,600 yards, 30 touchdowns, six picks and finishing with a 87.3 QBR, good for fourth in the nation. Uiagalelei put up solid numbers, with 2,600 yards, 21 TDs, 7 INTs, and a 80.8 QBR.
Rumors are that Ward could be the No. 1 target for the Buckeyes. He threw for 3,700 yards, 25 touchdowns and seven picks, but finished with a 60.6 QBR. He has one year of eligibility remaining, so he could be the one-year veteran QB that the Buckeyes need while they let Noland take a year to develop.
I feel like I could write ‘what if’s’ all day about who could end up under center next year. Arch Manning could enter the portal if Quinn Ewers decides to stay another year at Texas. What if he wanted to be a Buckeye? I mean at this point, half of college football’s quarterbacks are in the portal, so anything is possible.
Either way, I think this is a win-win for both sides. I wish nothing but the absolute best for McCord, and I hope he balls out wherever he ends up. I think a fresh start is needed for both him and for the Buckeyes. He was getting relentlessly hated on by a vocal minority of the fanbase, as people didn’t believe he was the man for the job. Now, someone else will have the opportunity to prove that they are. Let the madness begin!
Continue reading...
LGHL Game Preview: No. 12 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. Ohio University
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Game Preview: No. 12 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. Ohio University
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio University Women’s basketball Twitter | @OhioWBasketball
The in-state rivalry returns for a second straight season
When it comes to in-state games, Ohio State women’s basketball doesn’t lose too often. In the past 20 years, it's happened three times in 38 games. The latest was against the Ohio Bobcats back on Nov. 17, 2019. Last year, the scarlet and gray avenged that defeat in Southeast Ohio, and Tuesday, the Buckeyes take on those same Bobcats again looking to continue its in-state dominance.
In what looks like a tune-up game before the start of Big Ten basketball, Ohio State needs to avoid looking too far into the future.
Tuesday night looks like a chance for the Buckeyes to put up a lot of points and continue working towards the team it wants to be come March.
Last season, head coach Kevin McGuff’s side traveled to Ohio University and defeated the Bobcats 86-56. This season, Ohio returns only 25% of the scoring from last year, and are off to a 2-3 start for head coach Bob Bolden. However, this matchup is likely the game Ohio University players are most looking forward to, which means anything could happen if the Buckeyes are caught in an off night.
The likelihood of that happening is fairly slim. So far this season, outside of the first game of the year, Ohio State’s looked like a team on the same page. Plus its an improved side defensively, while the Bobcats lost a key piece on the offensive end of the court.
Guard Yaya Felder stood out in a big way against the scarlet and gray last year, scoring 21 points and leading all scorers from either team. Now the junior is in Big 12 country, transferring to Baylor University following the Bobcats’ 6-23 season. Who does that leave then for Ohio on Tuesday?
A bulk of the scoring will land at the hands of Jaya McClure. The 5-foot-6 sophomore leads Ohio, averaging 14.5 points per game. The sophomore has flourished this year after a debut season averaging eight points.
However, McClure and the Bobcats haven’t faced a team of the Buckeyes’ caliber so far this season. Ohio’s lone wins come against the Dayton Flyers and a team Ohio State took care of handedly in the IUPUI Jaguars.
For the Buckeyes, Tuesday is a brief hiatus from Power Five conference competition, sandwiched in the middle of a win over the Tennessee Vols and its first Big Ten opponents in the No. 25 Penn State Nittany Lions.
Ohio State won’t have too many wholesale problems against the Bobcats. Sunday’s win showed a Buckeyes’ team hitting its stride, which is bad news for the MAC side. Expect Thierry and forward Cotie McMahon to have big games against a unit that’s not strong in the paint.
If there are multiple starters playing for the scarlet and gray in the fourth quarter, something has gone terribly wrong.
Date: Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Where: Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio
Stream: B1G+
While multiple teams fell out of the AP Top 25 in the Big Ten, the story lately has been focused around a surging Penn State Nittany Lions team. After amassing a 7-1 record, with the lone loss coming against the USC Trojans by a single point, Penn State was back in the top 25 for the first time since 2014.
Then Monday night happened.
Playing away against the West Virginia Mountaineers, the Nittany Lions struggled to score against a strong Mountaineers defense, losing 83-65. It was PSU’s first loss against WVU since 1989.
Were the Lions looking ahead to the Buckeyes game on Sunday?
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
Ohio University Women’s basketball Twitter | @OhioWBasketball
The in-state rivalry returns for a second straight season
When it comes to in-state games, Ohio State women’s basketball doesn’t lose too often. In the past 20 years, it's happened three times in 38 games. The latest was against the Ohio Bobcats back on Nov. 17, 2019. Last year, the scarlet and gray avenged that defeat in Southeast Ohio, and Tuesday, the Buckeyes take on those same Bobcats again looking to continue its in-state dominance.
In what looks like a tune-up game before the start of Big Ten basketball, Ohio State needs to avoid looking too far into the future.
Preview
Tuesday night looks like a chance for the Buckeyes to put up a lot of points and continue working towards the team it wants to be come March.
Last season, head coach Kevin McGuff’s side traveled to Ohio University and defeated the Bobcats 86-56. This season, Ohio returns only 25% of the scoring from last year, and are off to a 2-3 start for head coach Bob Bolden. However, this matchup is likely the game Ohio University players are most looking forward to, which means anything could happen if the Buckeyes are caught in an off night.
The likelihood of that happening is fairly slim. So far this season, outside of the first game of the year, Ohio State’s looked like a team on the same page. Plus its an improved side defensively, while the Bobcats lost a key piece on the offensive end of the court.
Guard Yaya Felder stood out in a big way against the scarlet and gray last year, scoring 21 points and leading all scorers from either team. Now the junior is in Big 12 country, transferring to Baylor University following the Bobcats’ 6-23 season. Who does that leave then for Ohio on Tuesday?
A bulk of the scoring will land at the hands of Jaya McClure. The 5-foot-6 sophomore leads Ohio, averaging 14.5 points per game. The sophomore has flourished this year after a debut season averaging eight points.
However, McClure and the Bobcats haven’t faced a team of the Buckeyes’ caliber so far this season. Ohio’s lone wins come against the Dayton Flyers and a team Ohio State took care of handedly in the IUPUI Jaguars.
For the Buckeyes, Tuesday is a brief hiatus from Power Five conference competition, sandwiched in the middle of a win over the Tennessee Vols and its first Big Ten opponents in the No. 25 Penn State Nittany Lions.
Lineup Notes
- Guard Celeste Taylor enters Tuesday coming off her best game as a Buckeye, scoring 15 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in the victory over the Tennessee Volunteers. It won Taylor the Big Ten Player of the Week award.
- Sunday’s win against the Vols featured a quieter performance by uard/forward Taylor Thierry, who had nine points and four rebounds. The first game this season where Thierry didn’t get to double-digit scoring.
- Last season, guard Jacy Sheldon led the Buckeyes with 16 points against Ohio University, but it was one of her last games before a foot injury kept her out most of the regular season.
Lineup Notes
- Ohio is likely to start two transfers: Junior forward Kennedi Watkins from Southeast Missouri State and guard Bengisu Alper. The Turkish guard Alper is on her fourth team in five years, after stints with Maine, Colorado State and Northwestern State.
- The 14-player Bobcats roster features only three seniors who play minutes and seven underclassmen, of which five are freshman.
- McClure’s 21 points in a win against IUPUI is a season high for Ohio.
Prediction
Ohio State won’t have too many wholesale problems against the Bobcats. Sunday’s win showed a Buckeyes’ team hitting its stride, which is bad news for the MAC side. Expect Thierry and forward Cotie McMahon to have big games against a unit that’s not strong in the paint.
If there are multiple starters playing for the scarlet and gray in the fourth quarter, something has gone terribly wrong.
How to Watch
Date: Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Where: Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio
Stream: B1G+
LGHL Prediction: 98-51 Ohio State Buckeyes
Penn State Stumbles
While multiple teams fell out of the AP Top 25 in the Big Ten, the story lately has been focused around a surging Penn State Nittany Lions team. After amassing a 7-1 record, with the lone loss coming against the USC Trojans by a single point, Penn State was back in the top 25 for the first time since 2014.
Then Monday night happened.
Playing away against the West Virginia Mountaineers, the Nittany Lions struggled to score against a strong Mountaineers defense, losing 83-65. It was PSU’s first loss against WVU since 1989.
Were the Lions looking ahead to the Buckeyes game on Sunday?
Continue reading...
LGHL Silver Bullets Podcast: Bowl season, the transfer portal, and Kyle McCord
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Silver Bullets Podcast: Bowl season, the transfer portal, and Kyle McCord
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
It was an eventful week for the Ohio State Buckeyes and they didn’t even play a game.
Ohio State’s first week off between the end of the regular season and... [checks notes] the Cotton Bowl... has been an eventful one. The Buckeyes may be preparing for a game against Missouri, but there’s no telling what that will look like.
Our show starts with a discussion of Ohio State’s bowl bid, the College Football Playoff, Florida State’s snub, and the other noteworthy games. We discuss where the other Big Ten teams ended up in terms of bowl season and how we think those matchups will go.
We then turned our attention to the transfer portal. The Buckeyes have had a dozen players declare for the portal so far. Most of them were unsurprising — players who had been backups, struggled with injuries, got passed on the depth chart by younger guys, or a combination of those things. However, there were a couple of big surprises, especially starting quarterback Kyle McCord.
We dive into McCord’s decision and how it may (or may not) work out for him, and discuss the other prominent quarterbacks who entered the portal. The other key name was Julian Fleming, and we touch on what he may be thinking in terms of improving his draft stock.
We also discussed Miyan Williams’ decision to enter the NFL Draft. Chop has struggled with injuries, but could be an intriguing player on Sundays if he can stay healthy. But is it better for him to get drafted or find a good situation as an undrafted free agent?
Finally, we are happy to talk about Tommy Eichenberg accepting his invitation to the Senior Bowl. These all-star games are a great way for players to make connections and show scouts how they stack up against other great players. It is also fun to have a rooting interest in the game, so we’re glad Tommy made the decision to accept his invitation.
We’ll be here with you every week from now until the end of the 2023 Ohio State football season (and then monthly). We’d love to hear from you, so please reach out with your feedback and questions below in the comments section or send us an email.
Be sure to subscribe, rate, review, share, and follow the show over on Twitter at @SilvrBulletsPod.
As always, thanks for listening!
Continue reading...
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
It was an eventful week for the Ohio State Buckeyes and they didn’t even play a game.
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Ohio State’s first week off between the end of the regular season and... [checks notes] the Cotton Bowl... has been an eventful one. The Buckeyes may be preparing for a game against Missouri, but there’s no telling what that will look like.
Our show starts with a discussion of Ohio State’s bowl bid, the College Football Playoff, Florida State’s snub, and the other noteworthy games. We discuss where the other Big Ten teams ended up in terms of bowl season and how we think those matchups will go.
We then turned our attention to the transfer portal. The Buckeyes have had a dozen players declare for the portal so far. Most of them were unsurprising — players who had been backups, struggled with injuries, got passed on the depth chart by younger guys, or a combination of those things. However, there were a couple of big surprises, especially starting quarterback Kyle McCord.
We dive into McCord’s decision and how it may (or may not) work out for him, and discuss the other prominent quarterbacks who entered the portal. The other key name was Julian Fleming, and we touch on what he may be thinking in terms of improving his draft stock.
We also discussed Miyan Williams’ decision to enter the NFL Draft. Chop has struggled with injuries, but could be an intriguing player on Sundays if he can stay healthy. But is it better for him to get drafted or find a good situation as an undrafted free agent?
Finally, we are happy to talk about Tommy Eichenberg accepting his invitation to the Senior Bowl. These all-star games are a great way for players to make connections and show scouts how they stack up against other great players. It is also fun to have a rooting interest in the game, so we’re glad Tommy made the decision to accept his invitation.
We’ll be here with you every week from now until the end of the 2023 Ohio State football season (and then monthly). We’d love to hear from you, so please reach out with your feedback and questions below in the comments section or send us an email.
Be sure to subscribe, rate, review, share, and follow the show over on Twitter at @SilvrBulletsPod.
As always, thanks for listening!
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LGHL Uncut Podcast: Chris Holtmann, Ben Johnson discuss Ohio State’s 84-74 win over Minnesota
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Uncut Podcast: Chris Holtmann, Ben Johnson discuss Ohio State’s 84-74 win over Minnesota
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
Both head coaches spoke to the media after the game, as well as select players.
Throughout the season, Land-Grant will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.
Head coaches Chris Holtmann and Ben Johnson, as well as Jamison Battle and Bruce Thornton, spoke with the media following Ohio State’s 84-74 win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers at the Schott Sunday night.
Johnson said that the Buckeyes have “taken a step up” defensively since Minnesota last faced them — which was, of course, when they beat the Buckeyes in January in Columbus. Johnson said that Ohio State’s backcourt specifically is “very long and physical” and that the games they lost last year have undoubtedly played dividends this year and both Gayle and Thornton’s development.
Thornton talked about the final stretch where Ohio State put the game away with three three-pointers from three different players on three consecutive possessions, saying that he does not want other teams to be able to “key in on” any particular guy late in games. Battle talked about Dawson Garcia (who had 36 points), saying that they were roommates last year at Minnesota, but that on the court “it’s war.”
Holtmann praised Minnesota’s rebounding and Garcia’s ability to stay mobile, but also said that he loved his team’s start to the game, when it jumped ahead by 15 early. He said his team needs to close the first half better, but was proud of their poise in the closing minutes.
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
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Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
Both head coaches spoke to the media after the game, as well as select players.
Throughout the season, Land-Grant will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
Head coaches Chris Holtmann and Ben Johnson, as well as Jamison Battle and Bruce Thornton, spoke with the media following Ohio State’s 84-74 win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers at the Schott Sunday night.
Johnson said that the Buckeyes have “taken a step up” defensively since Minnesota last faced them — which was, of course, when they beat the Buckeyes in January in Columbus. Johnson said that Ohio State’s backcourt specifically is “very long and physical” and that the games they lost last year have undoubtedly played dividends this year and both Gayle and Thornton’s development.
Thornton talked about the final stretch where Ohio State put the game away with three three-pointers from three different players on three consecutive possessions, saying that he does not want other teams to be able to “key in on” any particular guy late in games. Battle talked about Dawson Garcia (who had 36 points), saying that they were roommates last year at Minnesota, but that on the court “it’s war.”
Holtmann praised Minnesota’s rebounding and Garcia’s ability to stay mobile, but also said that he loved his team’s start to the game, when it jumped ahead by 15 early. He said his team needs to close the first half better, but was proud of their poise in the closing minutes.
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Theme music provided by www.bensound.com
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LGHL Celeste Taylor named Big Ten Player of the Week after Tennessee performance
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Celeste Taylor named Big Ten Player of the Week after Tennessee performance
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
An impressive performance against the Vols gives Taylor her first conference hardware of the season
The Ohio State women’s basketball team looked impressive on Sunday in a total performance against the Tennessee Volunteers. In the 78-58 victory, head coach Kevin McGuff’s side led the game from the jump to the final buzzer, securing the Buckeyes’ first win against the Vols on Rocky Top after four previous defeats. From that victory, a member of the scarlet and gray secured solo recognition, when the Big Ten named guard Celeste Taylor the player of the week.
Taylor had her best performance in a short seven-game career in scarlet and gray. The graduate senior transfer from Duke University was everywhere Ohio State needed her to be against the Volunteers.
Offensively, Taylor scored a season high 15 points as a member of the Buckeyes. In addition, Taylor added six offensive rebounds, matching the entire roster of Tennessee players put together. Taylor also added three assists.
Defensively, Taylor played the game Ohio State fans are now coming to expect from the Long Island native. Taylor added two steals and a block. A look closer at the performance itself and Taylor didn’t relent.
In the first quarter, with Ohio State already up 20-9 with under four minutes remaining, the Volunteers had three players in the paint, waiting to grab a defensive rebound. With most of the Buckeyes already getting back on defense, Taylor noticed the rebound wasn’t falling cleanly to the Vols. Taylor jumped up from behind and grabbed the ball away from Tennessee for one of her six offensive rebounds on the night.
On the Buckeyes next defensive possession, 6-foot-3 forward Karoline Striplin had the ball in the paint and went up for a layup. The 5-foot-11 Taylor didn’t let Striplin get the ball in the net, swatting the ball away for her lone block of the game.
Taylor also excelled in the half court. Tennessee guard Jasmine Powell, who started against the Buckeyes Sunday, entered the game averaging 12.7 points per contest. With Taylor involved in guarding on defense, Powell ended the game scoring just two points.
Overall, the win against Tennessee put Taylor within one rebound of her four-year career high, spanning stops with the Texas Longhorns and Duke Blue Devils.
While it was a weekly award, Taylor’s defense has impressed all season. While still adjusting to a new system, Taylor averages 2.0 steals per game and is third on the roster in defensive rating.
This award is the first for Taylor, and the first Buckeye to win the honor since Taylor’s predecessor at shooting guard, now professional Taylor Mikesell, won on Jan. 9, 2023. In two seasons with the Blue Devils, Taylor didn’t earn the honor of ACC Player of the Week but did win Defensive Player of the Year and was one of three finalists for Naismith Defensive Player of the Year.
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
Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
An impressive performance against the Vols gives Taylor her first conference hardware of the season
The Ohio State women’s basketball team looked impressive on Sunday in a total performance against the Tennessee Volunteers. In the 78-58 victory, head coach Kevin McGuff’s side led the game from the jump to the final buzzer, securing the Buckeyes’ first win against the Vols on Rocky Top after four previous defeats. From that victory, a member of the scarlet and gray secured solo recognition, when the Big Ten named guard Celeste Taylor the player of the week.
Taylor had her best performance in a short seven-game career in scarlet and gray. The graduate senior transfer from Duke University was everywhere Ohio State needed her to be against the Volunteers.
Offensively, Taylor scored a season high 15 points as a member of the Buckeyes. In addition, Taylor added six offensive rebounds, matching the entire roster of Tennessee players put together. Taylor also added three assists.
Defensively, Taylor played the game Ohio State fans are now coming to expect from the Long Island native. Taylor added two steals and a block. A look closer at the performance itself and Taylor didn’t relent.
In the first quarter, with Ohio State already up 20-9 with under four minutes remaining, the Volunteers had three players in the paint, waiting to grab a defensive rebound. With most of the Buckeyes already getting back on defense, Taylor noticed the rebound wasn’t falling cleanly to the Vols. Taylor jumped up from behind and grabbed the ball away from Tennessee for one of her six offensive rebounds on the night.
On the Buckeyes next defensive possession, 6-foot-3 forward Karoline Striplin had the ball in the paint and went up for a layup. The 5-foot-11 Taylor didn’t let Striplin get the ball in the net, swatting the ball away for her lone block of the game.
Taylor also excelled in the half court. Tennessee guard Jasmine Powell, who started against the Buckeyes Sunday, entered the game averaging 12.7 points per contest. With Taylor involved in guarding on defense, Powell ended the game scoring just two points.
Overall, the win against Tennessee put Taylor within one rebound of her four-year career high, spanning stops with the Texas Longhorns and Duke Blue Devils.
While it was a weekly award, Taylor’s defense has impressed all season. While still adjusting to a new system, Taylor averages 2.0 steals per game and is third on the roster in defensive rating.
This award is the first for Taylor, and the first Buckeye to win the honor since Taylor’s predecessor at shooting guard, now professional Taylor Mikesell, won on Jan. 9, 2023. In two seasons with the Blue Devils, Taylor didn’t earn the honor of ACC Player of the Week but did win Defensive Player of the Year and was one of three finalists for Naismith Defensive Player of the Year.
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LGHL Ohio State women’s basketball a different team from first game of the season
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Ohio State women’s basketball a different team from first game of the season
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
After starting the campaign with a tough defeat, the Buckeyes’ focus on key parts of its game yields results
Last season, the Ohio State women’s basketball team made a reputation for its ability to come back from deficits. Big deficits. The Buckeyes scaled 14, 17, and even 24-point mountains. Mountains might not be fair though; it was more like climbing out of self-dug holes. At the start of the 23-24 season, Ohio State almost did it again.
Down 18 points to the USC Trojans at halftime, the scarlet and gray ended the third quarter with a two-point lead. Except the script was a little different than the 22-23 season. The Buckeyes lost in a fourth quarter where USC looked like the dominant side behind 32 points and six rebounds from Juju Watkins, who might not be competing for only Freshman of the Year but maybe even Player of the Year.
Coming back from deficits is great for the onlooker but teams and coaches would rather have Sunday’s Buckeyes game against the Tennessee Volunteers.
The game was entertaining, highlighting talented teams with stars on each side, but competitively it was one-sided. The Buckeyes led from the jump, never relinquishing its lead; a juxtaposition to game one.
“I don’t think we put our best foot forward in that first game,” said head coach Kevin McGuff. “I told the team after the game that this is the best week of practice that we had. And that’s why we improved and that’s why we played well.”
What did Ohio State practice that showed on the court? Rebounding.
Tennessee entered the game with four players averaging at least five rebounds a game, not including injured forward Rickea Jackson who averages 12 per game. Not a huge total but compared to the Buckeyes whose lone player above or close to that amount was guard/forward Taylor Thierry averaging 7.7 per game.
The Vols are a team with tall, athletic, forwards who can make things difficult inside the paint, limiting offensive rebounds. Ohio State had 17 against Tennessee. That’s the highest offensive rebound total in a game for the Buckeyes in almost four years, grabbing 17 against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Feb. 2, 2020.
Leading the way for the Scarlet and Gray weren’t the usual suspects of Thierry or forward Cotie McMahon. Nope, it was the starting guard duo of Celeste Taylor and Jacy Sheldon.
After making passes, the guards found solid positioning in the paint, boxing out taller Tennessee players, to better positions to jump and grab loose balls on the offensive boards. Of Taylor’s 12 rebounds on the night, half came offensively. It was by design.
“I knew rebounding would be a huge key to this game, but we did emphasize offensive rebounding all week because what happens is they’re so big around the basket. When you drive it, their post players do a good job. They come over, test shots, trying to take it away, which allows the person that they’re guarding to come in offensive,” said McGuff. “So I thought our guards did a good job attacking and making the post help.”
For Taylor and Sheldon, it wasn’t only rebounding. A look at the stat lines for the two guards tells the story of being everywhere on the court, and finding a way to make an impact:
It was part of an overall fantastic gift for coach McGuff on his birthday, with Taylor even regifting following the game, in the locker room.
The fun off the court matches how the Buckeyes played on it, in Knoxville. Now, the competition gets more difficult for the rest of December. On Dec. 18, the No. 2 team in the nation, the UCLA Bruins, descended on the Schottenstein Center. However, Sunday showed a team that’s growing in the early part of the season.
“We looked really connected out there today,” said McGuff. “I think both ends of the court did a really good job playing together.”
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
Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
After starting the campaign with a tough defeat, the Buckeyes’ focus on key parts of its game yields results
Last season, the Ohio State women’s basketball team made a reputation for its ability to come back from deficits. Big deficits. The Buckeyes scaled 14, 17, and even 24-point mountains. Mountains might not be fair though; it was more like climbing out of self-dug holes. At the start of the 23-24 season, Ohio State almost did it again.
Down 18 points to the USC Trojans at halftime, the scarlet and gray ended the third quarter with a two-point lead. Except the script was a little different than the 22-23 season. The Buckeyes lost in a fourth quarter where USC looked like the dominant side behind 32 points and six rebounds from Juju Watkins, who might not be competing for only Freshman of the Year but maybe even Player of the Year.
Coming back from deficits is great for the onlooker but teams and coaches would rather have Sunday’s Buckeyes game against the Tennessee Volunteers.
The game was entertaining, highlighting talented teams with stars on each side, but competitively it was one-sided. The Buckeyes led from the jump, never relinquishing its lead; a juxtaposition to game one.
“I don’t think we put our best foot forward in that first game,” said head coach Kevin McGuff. “I told the team after the game that this is the best week of practice that we had. And that’s why we improved and that’s why we played well.”
What did Ohio State practice that showed on the court? Rebounding.
Tennessee entered the game with four players averaging at least five rebounds a game, not including injured forward Rickea Jackson who averages 12 per game. Not a huge total but compared to the Buckeyes whose lone player above or close to that amount was guard/forward Taylor Thierry averaging 7.7 per game.
The Vols are a team with tall, athletic, forwards who can make things difficult inside the paint, limiting offensive rebounds. Ohio State had 17 against Tennessee. That’s the highest offensive rebound total in a game for the Buckeyes in almost four years, grabbing 17 against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Feb. 2, 2020.
Leading the way for the Scarlet and Gray weren’t the usual suspects of Thierry or forward Cotie McMahon. Nope, it was the starting guard duo of Celeste Taylor and Jacy Sheldon.
After making passes, the guards found solid positioning in the paint, boxing out taller Tennessee players, to better positions to jump and grab loose balls on the offensive boards. Of Taylor’s 12 rebounds on the night, half came offensively. It was by design.
“I knew rebounding would be a huge key to this game, but we did emphasize offensive rebounding all week because what happens is they’re so big around the basket. When you drive it, their post players do a good job. They come over, test shots, trying to take it away, which allows the person that they’re guarding to come in offensive,” said McGuff. “So I thought our guards did a good job attacking and making the post help.”
For Taylor and Sheldon, it wasn’t only rebounding. A look at the stat lines for the two guards tells the story of being everywhere on the court, and finding a way to make an impact:
It was part of an overall fantastic gift for coach McGuff on his birthday, with Taylor even regifting following the game, in the locker room.
The fun off the court matches how the Buckeyes played on it, in Knoxville. Now, the competition gets more difficult for the rest of December. On Dec. 18, the No. 2 team in the nation, the UCLA Bruins, descended on the Schottenstein Center. However, Sunday showed a team that’s growing in the early part of the season.
“We looked really connected out there today,” said McGuff. “I think both ends of the court did a really good job playing together.”
Continue reading...
LGHL You’re Nuts: College Football Playoff predictions
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You’re Nuts: College Football Playoff predictions
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Brandon Sloter/Image Of Sport/Getty Images
Who is going to win it all?
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.
The 2023-24 College Football Playoff is officially set, and well, people certainly have feelings about the selection committee’s decision-making process, general intelligence, motive(s), and/or possible hatred toward their team. Not me, though... Not my team, not my problem.
I actually think that the selection committee nailed it this year. Breaking precedent to leave Florida State out was a bold and controversial decision, but in my opinion, also the right one. I mean, did you see the Noles against Florida and/or Louisville? Their offense was putrid without Jordan Travis. And I have nothing against FSU – you certainly don’t want to see them penalized because of injury – but we literally just saw what would have happened had they snuck in at No. 4. Here’s a hint: The Midwest version of Florida State played in Indianapolis a few nights ago, and it ended very, very poorly.
In the last year of the four-team playoff, I appreciate that the selection committee went with the four best — in their opinion. As opposed to the most deserving. It sucks for FSU, but them’s the breaks. If the Noles wanted to leave nothing up to chance, they should have simply waxed Louisville 59-0 — something that is absolutely and undeniably possible with a third-string QB.
Now that I have pissed off all of Tallahassee, I will just tell you that Gene and I picked some low-hanging fruit for today’s edition of You’re Nuts. We are going to share our CFP predictions, all of which will surely come to fruition. We were originally going to debate whether Kyle McCord eventually becomes Ohio State’s eighth Heisman Trophy winner (seventh individual), but that no longer appears to be likely.
Getting back to the CFP; I anticipate fireworks. The committee chose four really good teams, and as a result, I believe that we will see two close games. TTUN, Washington, Texas, and Alabama are all capable of winning it (the natty), but in the end, I expect superior coaching to determine the champion.
What do I mean by that? I just think that Nick Saban and Kalen DeBoer have a leg up in their respective matchups. The latter is viewed by some as the “new kid on the block”, but he has three NAIA championships on his resume and boasts a 24-2 record at Washington. I also love his aggressive mindset and willingness to let his guy make a play, regardless of the situation. As for the former, well, Saban is Saban, and he is going up against Jim Harbaugh who hasn’t won a bowl game since the Reagan administration.
I think Washington-Texas becomes a shootout, which will ultimately be won by Michael Penix Jr. and his impressive arsenal of weapons. The crowd will likely be full of burnt orange, but UT already lost their starting running back and saw Xavier Worthy go down in the Big 12 title game. So the Longhorns could be hurting/lacking weapons, while the Huskies appear to be firing on all cylinders.
In the other semifinal, I expect Alabama’s collective talent and experience to win out. Don’t get me wrong: TTUN has some guys. And they play well together on both sides of the ball. But Bama has a roster full of studs who also play well together — and are coached by the GOAT. The trump card here is that Saban will coach to win... Do with that comment what you will.
Then, if and/or when Washington and Alabama meet up, I think the Huskies pull off a minor upset. There’s just something about this DeBoer and this UW team that makes me believe. I think their defense plays ‘well enough’ in this hypothetical final matchup, and Rome Odunze goes bananas. Maybe this is wishful thinking, but give me 31-24 Washington.
I want to start off by saying that unlike Josh, I find it patently ridiculous that Florida State was left out of the College Football Playoff as a 13-0 Power 5 conference champion. Sure, the Seminoles’ offense looked really bad in the win over Louisville in the ACC title game, but they still beat a top-15 team by double-digits to remain undefeated. Alabama beat Georgia in the SEC title game, which is obviously an impressive feat, but the rest of their season was pedestrian at best in what was a down year for the SEC — the league’s 7-9 OOC record was the worst among the P5. Florida State scheduled and beat two SEC teams this season in LSU and Florida, and for them to do everything possible in their power and still not make the CFP feels wrong.
That being said, there is nothing that can be done to change things now, and while I don’t think Alabama deserved to be here, there is still a very legitimate chance that the Crimson Tide go on to win it all, because at the end of the day Nick Saban is the greatest to ever do it in this sport.
I believe Alabama will defeat Michigan in the No. 1 vs. No. 4 matchup, and yes it is partially just because I am a hater. However, I also think that the Tide will challenge the Wolverines in ways that Ohio State could not, and that starts first and foremost with a head coach who wont be afraid of the moment and a defense that can pin its ears back and create pressure on J.J. McCarthy. Michigan allowed four sacks in the win over Iowa in the B1G title game, and guys like Dallas Turner and Chris Braswell will be a huge challenge for a Wolverines offensive line that has looked susceptible in pass protection at times. It will probably be a lower-scoring game, but I cannot in good faith pick a Jim Harbaugh-led team over a Saban one.
On the other side, I think Washington-Texas is going to be a banger, but I love this Huskies team. Michael Penix Jr. has been sensational this year, throwing for over 4,200 yards and 33 touchdowns, and he has a treasure trove of incredibly talented wide receivers at his disposal in Rome Odunze, Ja’Lynn Polk and Jalen McMillan as well as a sturdy running back in Dillon Johnson. Texas has some great receiver talent as well in Xavier Worthy and Adonai Mitchell, and Quinn Ewers is no slouch either at QB, but I just like what Washington has going a lot more. Again, looking at the coaches on each sideline, I think Kalen DeBoer is one of the best head coaches in the sport and is never afraid to trust his best players in the biggest spots, while Steve Sarkisian has been known to throw up a stinker.
Back in September I picked Washington as my national title favorite, and while the other three teams in my CFP prediction turned out to be incorrect (Georgia, Ohio State and Florida State), I am sticking with the Huskies to win it all. I am incredibly worried that Josh and I picking the same champion will almost certainly backfire, but I do genuinely think Washington has been the most complete team in college football this season. Jalen Milroe has made tremendous strides from where he started the year, but he is still no Penix, and Alabama’s wide receiver core is nowhere near as talented as the Huskies’. This Crimson Tide team is clearly talented, but I cannot pick a team that needed to convert a 4th-and-31 to win the game against Auburn — a team that lost by 21 points to New Mexico State — to win the whole damn thing.
Both teams have strong defensive units, but I’ll take the team with a more dynamic offense in a 31-20 victory for Washington to secure the program’s third claimed national championship and the first since 1991.
Continue reading...
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Brandon Sloter/Image Of Sport/Getty Images
Who is going to win it all?
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.
This week’s topic: Our College Football Playoff predictions.
Josh’s Take
The 2023-24 College Football Playoff is officially set, and well, people certainly have feelings about the selection committee’s decision-making process, general intelligence, motive(s), and/or possible hatred toward their team. Not me, though... Not my team, not my problem.
I actually think that the selection committee nailed it this year. Breaking precedent to leave Florida State out was a bold and controversial decision, but in my opinion, also the right one. I mean, did you see the Noles against Florida and/or Louisville? Their offense was putrid without Jordan Travis. And I have nothing against FSU – you certainly don’t want to see them penalized because of injury – but we literally just saw what would have happened had they snuck in at No. 4. Here’s a hint: The Midwest version of Florida State played in Indianapolis a few nights ago, and it ended very, very poorly.
In the last year of the four-team playoff, I appreciate that the selection committee went with the four best — in their opinion. As opposed to the most deserving. It sucks for FSU, but them’s the breaks. If the Noles wanted to leave nothing up to chance, they should have simply waxed Louisville 59-0 — something that is absolutely and undeniably possible with a third-string QB.
Now that I have pissed off all of Tallahassee, I will just tell you that Gene and I picked some low-hanging fruit for today’s edition of You’re Nuts. We are going to share our CFP predictions, all of which will surely come to fruition. We were originally going to debate whether Kyle McCord eventually becomes Ohio State’s eighth Heisman Trophy winner (seventh individual), but that no longer appears to be likely.
Getting back to the CFP; I anticipate fireworks. The committee chose four really good teams, and as a result, I believe that we will see two close games. TTUN, Washington, Texas, and Alabama are all capable of winning it (the natty), but in the end, I expect superior coaching to determine the champion.
What do I mean by that? I just think that Nick Saban and Kalen DeBoer have a leg up in their respective matchups. The latter is viewed by some as the “new kid on the block”, but he has three NAIA championships on his resume and boasts a 24-2 record at Washington. I also love his aggressive mindset and willingness to let his guy make a play, regardless of the situation. As for the former, well, Saban is Saban, and he is going up against Jim Harbaugh who hasn’t won a bowl game since the Reagan administration.
I think Washington-Texas becomes a shootout, which will ultimately be won by Michael Penix Jr. and his impressive arsenal of weapons. The crowd will likely be full of burnt orange, but UT already lost their starting running back and saw Xavier Worthy go down in the Big 12 title game. So the Longhorns could be hurting/lacking weapons, while the Huskies appear to be firing on all cylinders.
In the other semifinal, I expect Alabama’s collective talent and experience to win out. Don’t get me wrong: TTUN has some guys. And they play well together on both sides of the ball. But Bama has a roster full of studs who also play well together — and are coached by the GOAT. The trump card here is that Saban will coach to win... Do with that comment what you will.
Then, if and/or when Washington and Alabama meet up, I think the Huskies pull off a minor upset. There’s just something about this DeBoer and this UW team that makes me believe. I think their defense plays ‘well enough’ in this hypothetical final matchup, and Rome Odunze goes bananas. Maybe this is wishful thinking, but give me 31-24 Washington.
Gene’s Take
I want to start off by saying that unlike Josh, I find it patently ridiculous that Florida State was left out of the College Football Playoff as a 13-0 Power 5 conference champion. Sure, the Seminoles’ offense looked really bad in the win over Louisville in the ACC title game, but they still beat a top-15 team by double-digits to remain undefeated. Alabama beat Georgia in the SEC title game, which is obviously an impressive feat, but the rest of their season was pedestrian at best in what was a down year for the SEC — the league’s 7-9 OOC record was the worst among the P5. Florida State scheduled and beat two SEC teams this season in LSU and Florida, and for them to do everything possible in their power and still not make the CFP feels wrong.
That being said, there is nothing that can be done to change things now, and while I don’t think Alabama deserved to be here, there is still a very legitimate chance that the Crimson Tide go on to win it all, because at the end of the day Nick Saban is the greatest to ever do it in this sport.
I believe Alabama will defeat Michigan in the No. 1 vs. No. 4 matchup, and yes it is partially just because I am a hater. However, I also think that the Tide will challenge the Wolverines in ways that Ohio State could not, and that starts first and foremost with a head coach who wont be afraid of the moment and a defense that can pin its ears back and create pressure on J.J. McCarthy. Michigan allowed four sacks in the win over Iowa in the B1G title game, and guys like Dallas Turner and Chris Braswell will be a huge challenge for a Wolverines offensive line that has looked susceptible in pass protection at times. It will probably be a lower-scoring game, but I cannot in good faith pick a Jim Harbaugh-led team over a Saban one.
On the other side, I think Washington-Texas is going to be a banger, but I love this Huskies team. Michael Penix Jr. has been sensational this year, throwing for over 4,200 yards and 33 touchdowns, and he has a treasure trove of incredibly talented wide receivers at his disposal in Rome Odunze, Ja’Lynn Polk and Jalen McMillan as well as a sturdy running back in Dillon Johnson. Texas has some great receiver talent as well in Xavier Worthy and Adonai Mitchell, and Quinn Ewers is no slouch either at QB, but I just like what Washington has going a lot more. Again, looking at the coaches on each sideline, I think Kalen DeBoer is one of the best head coaches in the sport and is never afraid to trust his best players in the biggest spots, while Steve Sarkisian has been known to throw up a stinker.
Back in September I picked Washington as my national title favorite, and while the other three teams in my CFP prediction turned out to be incorrect (Georgia, Ohio State and Florida State), I am sticking with the Huskies to win it all. I am incredibly worried that Josh and I picking the same champion will almost certainly backfire, but I do genuinely think Washington has been the most complete team in college football this season. Jalen Milroe has made tremendous strides from where he started the year, but he is still no Penix, and Alabama’s wide receiver core is nowhere near as talented as the Huskies’. This Crimson Tide team is clearly talented, but I cannot pick a team that needed to convert a 4th-and-31 to win the game against Auburn — a team that lost by 21 points to New Mexico State — to win the whole damn thing.
Both teams have strong defensive units, but I’ll take the team with a more dynamic offense in a 31-20 victory for Washington to secure the program’s third claimed national championship and the first since 1991.
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LGHL LIVE: Ohio State football transfer portal tracker
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LIVE: Ohio State football transfer portal tracker
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
An up-to-date list of Buckeyes that have entered their name in the transfer portal.
The college football transfer portal has turned into the Wild West. It can be hard to keep track of which players are coming and going in what has become a rapidly evolving space. As such, Land-Grant Holy Land is here to keep you updated on which Ohio State players will be looking for new homes this offseason. This tracker will only focus on outgoing names, as we will have individual breakdowns for any Buckeye newcomers.
The below is sorted in the order these decisions were announced, and we will keep this space updated as new names join the list, with the transfer portal period officially spanning from Dec. 4-Jan. 2.
Amor was the No. 63 overall player and No. 6 edge rusher in the 2022 class per the 247Sports Composite. The Texas native’s time in Columbus was mostly spent on the sideline as a result of injuries, playing just one game in 2022 before redshirting and then needing surgery for an undisclosed injury prior to the 2023 campaign. Abor officially played 29 total snaps this season, registering two total tackles — one each against Western Kentucky and Purdue — and one tackle for loss. He has three years of eligibility remaining.
Martinez came to Ohio State as the No. 14 athlete and No. 7 player out of Michigan in the 2020 class, per the 247Sports Composite. After playing 175 snaps for the Buckeyes last season in a rotational role, Martinez played just 28 total snaps this year, with all but six of those coming in the team’s first three games. A dynamic player two-way player out of high school, it wasn’t clear which side of the ball he would end up at for the Buckeyes, but he spent his time almost exclusively in the defensive backfield. In his three years in Columbus, Martinez totaled 38 tackles, four pass breakups and a pick-six. He has two years of eligibility remaining.
After transferring to Ohio State prior to the 2023 season, Cutler is now back in the transfer portal. As the starting left tackle for UL Monroe in 2022, the 6-foot-3, 300-pound offensive lineman came to Columbus expecting to compete for the center job, but it was ultimately Carson Hinzman that earned the starting nod. Cutler appeared only in mop-up duty for Ohio State, playing 21 snaps spanning the course of five games. He has one year of eligibility remaining.
There was hope that Pryor would join the running back rotation at Ohio State as more of a pass-catching threat, but a torn patellar tendon that caused him to miss the entire 2022 season hampered those expectations. Pryor joined the Buckeyes as the No. 6 running back and No. 83 player nationally in the 2021 class, per the 247Sports Composite, and was highly sought-after because of his dual-threat ability as a runner and in the passing game. As a result of the injury and a crowded RB room, Pryor saw just 32 snaps this season, tallying 19 carries for 49 yards and one reception for two yards. He has three years of eligibility remaining.
Turner, a Florida native, came to Ohio State as a four-star prospect and the No. 37 corner in the 2022 class, per the 247Sports Composite. After playing in four games (20 snaps) and redshirting last season, Turner appeared in just two games this year, playing 14 snaps apiece in blowout wins over Michigan State and Minnesota. In total, the Chaminade-Madonna College Prep product recorded three tackles, one tackle for loss and one sack in his two years with the Buckeyes. He has three years of eligibility remaining.
Lewis transferred to Ohio State in 2022, sitting behind Noah Ruggles for a year and looking to compete for the starting kicker role this season. That job was ultimately won by Jayden Fielding, and with Fielding being just a sophomore, that left Lewis without a clear path for playing time with the Buckeyes. Lewis appeared in just one game for OSU this season, taking a pair of kickoffs against Western Kentucky — both of which resulted in touchbacks. In his two years with the Trojans, Lewis made 26 of his 35 field goal attempts and went 46-of-47 on extra points. He enters the portal as a grad transfer.
The third member of Ohio State’s secondary to enter the portal thus far, Brown was the No. 24 CB in the 2022 class and the No. 8 player out of Ohio, per the 247Sports Composite. It looked as though the Lakota West product was poised for an increase in playing time in his sophomore season after playing in 10 games (197 snaps) as a freshman, recording three pass breakups and a forced fumble, but saw just 47 snaps this year as he trailed Denzel Burke, Davison Igbinosun, Jordan Hancock and Jermaine Mathews Jr. on the depth chart. He has three years of eligibility remaining.
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Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
An up-to-date list of Buckeyes that have entered their name in the transfer portal.
The college football transfer portal has turned into the Wild West. It can be hard to keep track of which players are coming and going in what has become a rapidly evolving space. As such, Land-Grant Holy Land is here to keep you updated on which Ohio State players will be looking for new homes this offseason. This tracker will only focus on outgoing names, as we will have individual breakdowns for any Buckeye newcomers.
The below is sorted in the order these decisions were announced, and we will keep this space updated as new names join the list, with the transfer portal period officially spanning from Dec. 4-Jan. 2.
- Omari Abor - DE
Amor was the No. 63 overall player and No. 6 edge rusher in the 2022 class per the 247Sports Composite. The Texas native’s time in Columbus was mostly spent on the sideline as a result of injuries, playing just one game in 2022 before redshirting and then needing surgery for an undisclosed injury prior to the 2023 campaign. Abor officially played 29 total snaps this season, registering two total tackles — one each against Western Kentucky and Purdue — and one tackle for loss. He has three years of eligibility remaining.
- Cam Martinez - SAF
Martinez came to Ohio State as the No. 14 athlete and No. 7 player out of Michigan in the 2020 class, per the 247Sports Composite. After playing 175 snaps for the Buckeyes last season in a rotational role, Martinez played just 28 total snaps this year, with all but six of those coming in the team’s first three games. A dynamic player two-way player out of high school, it wasn’t clear which side of the ball he would end up at for the Buckeyes, but he spent his time almost exclusively in the defensive backfield. In his three years in Columbus, Martinez totaled 38 tackles, four pass breakups and a pick-six. He has two years of eligibility remaining.
- Victor Cutler - OL
After transferring to Ohio State prior to the 2023 season, Cutler is now back in the transfer portal. As the starting left tackle for UL Monroe in 2022, the 6-foot-3, 300-pound offensive lineman came to Columbus expecting to compete for the center job, but it was ultimately Carson Hinzman that earned the starting nod. Cutler appeared only in mop-up duty for Ohio State, playing 21 snaps spanning the course of five games. He has one year of eligibility remaining.
- Evan Pryor - RB
There was hope that Pryor would join the running back rotation at Ohio State as more of a pass-catching threat, but a torn patellar tendon that caused him to miss the entire 2022 season hampered those expectations. Pryor joined the Buckeyes as the No. 6 running back and No. 83 player nationally in the 2021 class, per the 247Sports Composite, and was highly sought-after because of his dual-threat ability as a runner and in the passing game. As a result of the injury and a crowded RB room, Pryor saw just 32 snaps this season, tallying 19 carries for 49 yards and one reception for two yards. He has three years of eligibility remaining.
- Ryan Turner - CB
Turner, a Florida native, came to Ohio State as a four-star prospect and the No. 37 corner in the 2022 class, per the 247Sports Composite. After playing in four games (20 snaps) and redshirting last season, Turner appeared in just two games this year, playing 14 snaps apiece in blowout wins over Michigan State and Minnesota. In total, the Chaminade-Madonna College Prep product recorded three tackles, one tackle for loss and one sack in his two years with the Buckeyes. He has three years of eligibility remaining.
- Parker Lewis - K
Lewis transferred to Ohio State in 2022, sitting behind Noah Ruggles for a year and looking to compete for the starting kicker role this season. That job was ultimately won by Jayden Fielding, and with Fielding being just a sophomore, that left Lewis without a clear path for playing time with the Buckeyes. Lewis appeared in just one game for OSU this season, taking a pair of kickoffs against Western Kentucky — both of which resulted in touchbacks. In his two years with the Trojans, Lewis made 26 of his 35 field goal attempts and went 46-of-47 on extra points. He enters the portal as a grad transfer.
- Jyaire Brown - CB
The third member of Ohio State’s secondary to enter the portal thus far, Brown was the No. 24 CB in the 2022 class and the No. 8 player out of Ohio, per the 247Sports Composite. It looked as though the Lakota West product was poised for an increase in playing time in his sophomore season after playing in 10 games (197 snaps) as a freshman, recording three pass breakups and a forced fumble, but saw just 47 snaps this year as he trailed Denzel Burke, Davison Igbinosun, Jordan Hancock and Jermaine Mathews Jr. on the depth chart. He has three years of eligibility remaining.
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LGHL Ohio State survives second-half scare, beats Minnesota 84-74 to extend winning streak to six gamees
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Ohio State survives second-half scare, beats Minnesota 84-74 to extend winning streak to six gamees
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
The Buckeyes have now won six games in a row, and are 1-0 in the Big Ten.
After knocking off a maroon and gold team last week to extend its winning streak to five games (its longest such streak in nearly two years), the Ohio State men’s basketball team (7-1, 1-0) welcomed another maroon and gold team to the Schottenstein Center Sunday evening in the Big Ten opener.
Minnesota (5-3, 0-1) is coming off of a 97-64 blowout win over New Orleans Thursday night. The Golden Gophers had five different players score in double digits as the team nearly put up 100 points, but even with that performance, Minnesota was still just No. 127 in offensive efficiency in the nation coming into this game, according to KenPom. Conversely, Ohio State was No. 17. in the country entering this game.
Chris Holtmann went with the same starting lineup he’s used all season, with sophomores Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle, Felix Okpara, and Evan Mahaffey joined by senior (and former Minnesota star) Jamison Battle.
Ben Johnson’s Gophers rolled out a starting lineup of Johua Ola-Joseph, Elijah Hawkins, Braeden Carrington, Isaiah Ihnen, and Dawson Garcia.
Ohio State sprinted out to an 11-2 lead over the Gophers by the first media timeout, thanks in large part to the heroics of a former Gopher sticking it to his former team. Battle took three shots, including two three-pointers, over the first 3:23, and knocked down all three of them, leading to a quick eight points.
The Buckeyes pushed their lead out to 30-15 by the under-eight media timeout, mostly in thanks to Battle and Thornton. The pair both scored in double digits in the first half, and were given lots of extra opportunities thanks to plenty of Minnesota turnovers. However, Minnesota went on an 8-0 run over the final 2:37 of the first half to go into the break down 42-28, when things certainly looked like they were about to get much, much uglier.
Thornton, Gayle, and Battle all scored in double digits in the first half for Ohio State, which shot 55.6% overall over the first 20 minutes. Garcia had eight points and five rebounds in the first half for Minnesota.
Ohio State’s 14-point lead held firm by the under-12 timeout, with the Buckeyes leading 58-44. It turned into Dawson Garcia against the world, with Minnesota’s junior big man taking nearly half of his team’s shots for the second-straight year against the Buckeyes. Ohio State had no answer for him, but fortunately Minnesota wasn’t able to string enough stops together on the other end to cut into the deficit.
After falling way behind over the first 10 minutes or so, the Golden Gophers hung with the Buckeyes for the remaining 30 but weren’t ever able to string enough stops together to make it a one-possession game again. What once looked like a Buckeye blowout wound up being a grind-it-out win, but a win nonetheless. By the time the buzzer sounded, Ohio State had locked up its sixth consecutive win, 84-74.
If you weren’t around tonight to see Ohio State open Big Ten play with a win and extend its winning streak to six, here are a few key moments and plays that had a hand in the big win:
As many times as he was asked about it this week, Battle would not bite on the idea that there was any exta motivation playing against his former home state school. Battle said multiple times this past week that the guys on Minnesota are “his brothers” and that there was nothing but love between him and his former Gopher teammates.
Maybe it wasn’t fueled by disdain for his “brothers”, but Battle came out scorching hot in the first few minutes of Sunday’s game, dropping eight points on his former team over the first 3:23 of the game. After knocking down a three from the far corner 1:46 into the game, he followed it with a step-back triple from the top of the key a moment later, and was converted a pair of free throws after being fouled at the 16:37 mark. Those free throws put Ohio State up 10-2 in the early going.
Thornton and Battle were about as close to perfect as could be in the first half of this one, combining for 22 points on 7-of-9 shooting. The two outscored Minnesota by themselves for most of the first half, finishing with six fewer points than the entire Minnesota team in the first half.
Amongst several other issues, the Gophers did not take care of the ball at all. Minnesota turned over the biscuit nine times in the first half of Sunday night’s game, which led to 11 Ohio State points for the Buckeyes. Minnesota did better in the second half, only turning it over four times, which turned into seven second-chance points.
It looked like Minnesota was on the brink of getting run off the floor at the end of the first half, with Ohio State up 22 with 2:37 remaining until the bell. However, the Buckeyes gave up multiple easy dunks plus two extra buckets down the stretch, allowing Minnesota to end the half on an 8-0 run. That gave the Gophers some confidence heading the locker room, but in reality Ohio State should’ve been up 25+ points, and the game should’ve been all but over before the halftime bell.
Garcia was the main reason the Gophers were able to upset Ohio State in Columbus last season — aside from that arroneus foul call at the very end of the game. In that game, Garica had 28 points on 9-of-15 shooting, nine rebounds, and two assists.
Garcia wasn’t as efficient on Sunday, but he was still all over the box score. Minnesota’s leading scorer carries a heavy load for the Gophers — so much so, that he took nearly half of their shot attempts in this game.
Ohio State started the game with Mahaffey guarding him, but in the second half made a switch and put Okpara on him. At 6-foot-11, he’s a tough matchup since he can step several feet away from the basket and still knock down shots. Garcia finished with 36 points on 12-of-25 shooting in 38 minutes. He also had 11 rebounds, two steals, and an assist.
The second half had absolutely no rhythm to it, with both teams getting into the bonus with 11:02 remaining in the game. With 11 minutes still to play, 30 fouls had been called, with nine different players getting called for multiple fouls by that point.
By the time the final horn sounded, the two teams had combined for 40 personal fouls (22 for Minnesota, 18 for Ohio State).
Ohio State never figured out how to stop Dawson Garica. Even when he missed his shots, he was somehow scoring points. With 5:55 remaining in the game and Ohio State up 66-55, Garcia drove to the basket and missed a shot. The rebound went high in the air above the rim, and both he and Mahaffey got a hand on it, tipping it into the air yet again. Garcia was able to get a hand on it the third time over Mahaffey, tipping the ball into the basket for 27th and 28th points of the game. This pulled Minnesota back within nine points for the first time since the 10:46 mark of the first half — a stretch of 24:51.
Chris Holtmann’s infamous salmon suit jacket, which we have discussed numerous times over the years here at Land-Grant Holy Land, made an appearance for tonight’s game against the Gophers.
A favorite amongst fans and amongst his own players, Holtmann has typically only pulled out the salmon suit for one or two of the biggest home games each year. A few years ago, Holtmann wore it when the Buckeyes took on Cleveland State at historic St. John arena, and again when they faced Kent State over at that old barn across Lane Avenue.
Tonight did not seem like a big enough occasion to break out his first-string suit jacket, but in his defense, Holtmann did hype up this Minnesota team quite a bit this week, and the program gave out Deion Sanders-esque sunglasses to the first 500 students on Sunday ngiht.
Ohio State (7-1, 1-0) has a quick turnaround as in-state foe Miami (OH) travels to Columbus Wednesday night. The Redhawks (4-3) are the No. 249 team in the nation, and recently won on the road at Marshall. Miami was picked to finish sixth in the MAC this season.
Ohio State’s game against Miami tips off at 7:00 p.m. and will be broadcast on BTN+.
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Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
The Buckeyes have now won six games in a row, and are 1-0 in the Big Ten.
After knocking off a maroon and gold team last week to extend its winning streak to five games (its longest such streak in nearly two years), the Ohio State men’s basketball team (7-1, 1-0) welcomed another maroon and gold team to the Schottenstein Center Sunday evening in the Big Ten opener.
Minnesota (5-3, 0-1) is coming off of a 97-64 blowout win over New Orleans Thursday night. The Golden Gophers had five different players score in double digits as the team nearly put up 100 points, but even with that performance, Minnesota was still just No. 127 in offensive efficiency in the nation coming into this game, according to KenPom. Conversely, Ohio State was No. 17. in the country entering this game.
Chris Holtmann went with the same starting lineup he’s used all season, with sophomores Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle, Felix Okpara, and Evan Mahaffey joined by senior (and former Minnesota star) Jamison Battle.
Ben Johnson’s Gophers rolled out a starting lineup of Johua Ola-Joseph, Elijah Hawkins, Braeden Carrington, Isaiah Ihnen, and Dawson Garcia.
Ohio State sprinted out to an 11-2 lead over the Gophers by the first media timeout, thanks in large part to the heroics of a former Gopher sticking it to his former team. Battle took three shots, including two three-pointers, over the first 3:23, and knocked down all three of them, leading to a quick eight points.
The Buckeyes pushed their lead out to 30-15 by the under-eight media timeout, mostly in thanks to Battle and Thornton. The pair both scored in double digits in the first half, and were given lots of extra opportunities thanks to plenty of Minnesota turnovers. However, Minnesota went on an 8-0 run over the final 2:37 of the first half to go into the break down 42-28, when things certainly looked like they were about to get much, much uglier.
PAYNE WITH THE SLAM
— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) December 3, 2023
Thornton, Gayle, and Battle all scored in double digits in the first half for Ohio State, which shot 55.6% overall over the first 20 minutes. Garcia had eight points and five rebounds in the first half for Minnesota.
Ohio State’s 14-point lead held firm by the under-12 timeout, with the Buckeyes leading 58-44. It turned into Dawson Garcia against the world, with Minnesota’s junior big man taking nearly half of his team’s shots for the second-straight year against the Buckeyes. Ohio State had no answer for him, but fortunately Minnesota wasn’t able to string enough stops together on the other end to cut into the deficit.
You simply can't stop Bruce
— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) December 4, 2023
After falling way behind over the first 10 minutes or so, the Golden Gophers hung with the Buckeyes for the remaining 30 but weren’t ever able to string enough stops together to make it a one-possession game again. What once looked like a Buckeye blowout wound up being a grind-it-out win, but a win nonetheless. By the time the buzzer sounded, Ohio State had locked up its sixth consecutive win, 84-74.
If you weren’t around tonight to see Ohio State open Big Ten play with a win and extend its winning streak to six, here are a few key moments and plays that had a hand in the big win:
Just a bit of a sibling rivalry
As many times as he was asked about it this week, Battle would not bite on the idea that there was any exta motivation playing against his former home state school. Battle said multiple times this past week that the guys on Minnesota are “his brothers” and that there was nothing but love between him and his former Gopher teammates.
Maybe it wasn’t fueled by disdain for his “brothers”, but Battle came out scorching hot in the first few minutes of Sunday’s game, dropping eight points on his former team over the first 3:23 of the game. After knocking down a three from the far corner 1:46 into the game, he followed it with a step-back triple from the top of the key a moment later, and was converted a pair of free throws after being fouled at the 16:37 mark. Those free throws put Ohio State up 10-2 in the early going.
Two-man wrecking crew
Thornton and Battle were about as close to perfect as could be in the first half of this one, combining for 22 points on 7-of-9 shooting. The two outscored Minnesota by themselves for most of the first half, finishing with six fewer points than the entire Minnesota team in the first half.
Taking advantage of turnovers
Amongst several other issues, the Gophers did not take care of the ball at all. Minnesota turned over the biscuit nine times in the first half of Sunday night’s game, which led to 11 Ohio State points for the Buckeyes. Minnesota did better in the second half, only turning it over four times, which turned into seven second-chance points.
Minnesota closes the first half strong
It looked like Minnesota was on the brink of getting run off the floor at the end of the first half, with Ohio State up 22 with 2:37 remaining until the bell. However, the Buckeyes gave up multiple easy dunks plus two extra buckets down the stretch, allowing Minnesota to end the half on an 8-0 run. That gave the Gophers some confidence heading the locker room, but in reality Ohio State should’ve been up 25+ points, and the game should’ve been all but over before the halftime bell.
Ohio State was still not sure what to do with Dawson Garcia
Garcia was the main reason the Gophers were able to upset Ohio State in Columbus last season — aside from that arroneus foul call at the very end of the game. In that game, Garica had 28 points on 9-of-15 shooting, nine rebounds, and two assists.
Garcia wasn’t as efficient on Sunday, but he was still all over the box score. Minnesota’s leading scorer carries a heavy load for the Gophers — so much so, that he took nearly half of their shot attempts in this game.
Ohio State started the game with Mahaffey guarding him, but in the second half made a switch and put Okpara on him. At 6-foot-11, he’s a tough matchup since he can step several feet away from the basket and still knock down shots. Garcia finished with 36 points on 12-of-25 shooting in 38 minutes. He also had 11 rebounds, two steals, and an assist.
Ref show
The second half had absolutely no rhythm to it, with both teams getting into the bonus with 11:02 remaining in the game. With 11 minutes still to play, 30 fouls had been called, with nine different players getting called for multiple fouls by that point.
By the time the final horn sounded, the two teams had combined for 40 personal fouls (22 for Minnesota, 18 for Ohio State).
Garcia cuts it to single-digits
Ohio State never figured out how to stop Dawson Garica. Even when he missed his shots, he was somehow scoring points. With 5:55 remaining in the game and Ohio State up 66-55, Garcia drove to the basket and missed a shot. The rebound went high in the air above the rim, and both he and Mahaffey got a hand on it, tipping it into the air yet again. Garcia was able to get a hand on it the third time over Mahaffey, tipping the ball into the basket for 27th and 28th points of the game. This pulled Minnesota back within nine points for the first time since the 10:46 mark of the first half — a stretch of 24:51.
Return of the salmon suit
Chris Holtmann’s infamous salmon suit jacket, which we have discussed numerous times over the years here at Land-Grant Holy Land, made an appearance for tonight’s game against the Gophers.
A favorite amongst fans and amongst his own players, Holtmann has typically only pulled out the salmon suit for one or two of the biggest home games each year. A few years ago, Holtmann wore it when the Buckeyes took on Cleveland State at historic St. John arena, and again when they faced Kent State over at that old barn across Lane Avenue.
Tonight did not seem like a big enough occasion to break out his first-string suit jacket, but in his defense, Holtmann did hype up this Minnesota team quite a bit this week, and the program gave out Deion Sanders-esque sunglasses to the first 500 students on Sunday ngiht.
Up Next:
Ohio State (7-1, 1-0) has a quick turnaround as in-state foe Miami (OH) travels to Columbus Wednesday night. The Redhawks (4-3) are the No. 249 team in the nation, and recently won on the road at Marshall. Miami was picked to finish sixth in the MAC this season.
Ohio State’s game against Miami tips off at 7:00 p.m. and will be broadcast on BTN+.
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