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LGHL Pre-spring football depth chart projection: Defense
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Pre-spring football depth chart projection: Defense
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 Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes bring back the majority of their defensive starters while also adding a huge name via the portal.
With spring practices set to ramp up in early March, it’s a good time to take a look at where Ohio State’s roster currently stands and attempt to project forward ahead of some key position battles. After running through the offense last time, now we can take aim at the defense, where the Buckeyes bring back nearly all of its starting production while also adding a huge name through the transfer portal.
DE: Jack Sawyer, J.T. Tuimoloau
DT: Tyleik Williams, Ty Hamilton
DE Depth: Caden Curry, Kenyatta Jackson, Eddrick Houston, Mitchell Melton
DT Depth: Hero Kanu, Tywone Malone, Kayden McDonald, Jason Moore
Ohio State could’ve been in a pretty precarious position along its defensive line had Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau elected to enter the NFL Draft. Instead, both starting ends return for another season in Columbus, with only one loss from last year’s starting front four as Mike Hall Jr. went pro. This gives the Buckeyes a ton of experience at the position, but it is also a group that will have to improve upon some less than stellar pass rushing numbers over the last two seasons.
Larry Johnson’s unit has not had a player even come close to reaching double-digit sacks since Chase Young’s 16.5 in 2019. In fact, they’ve only had two players record more than five sacks in a season since Young, with Haskell Garrett leading the team with 5.5 in 2021 and Jack Sawyer recording a team-high 6.5 this past year. It is also worth noting that three of those sacks for Sawyer came in Ohio State’s bowl game against Missouri, just about doubling his 2023 total.
The Buckeyes ranked 10th in the Big Ten this past year with 28 total sacks across 13 games. For a program with seemingly endless talent, led by a pair of five-star defensive ends at the top, that is just not going to cut it. The defensive tackle group has been solid, taking care of things in the run game and even getting some good pressure on opposing QBs at times, but Ohio State will have to get more out of its ends in the sack department in order to make a great defense an elite one. Luckily, with both Sawyer and Tuimoloau back for another year in addition to rising talents in Caden Curry and Kenyatta Jackson, that should be doable.
WILL: Sonny Styles
MIKE: Cody Simon
Depth: CJ Hicks, Gabe Powers, Arvell Reese
Linebacker is really the only position on the defense that sees significant turnover, as both of last year’s starters in Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers are now gone. Luckily for James Laurinaitis, Ohio State brings back Cody Simon, who has played over 600 snaps at linebacker for the Buckeyes over the past two seasons. However, outside of Simon, there is little to no experience returning — at least among guys who have been linebackers to this point in their career.
I say this because there is a very real and likely scenario that Sonny Styles moves down from his safety position to linebacker. The former five-star prospect, who skipped his senior year of high school football to enroll early at Ohio State, played the most snaps of any non-Josh Proctor safety in 2023, but with his frame and skillset, in addition to the team’s needs, it makes far more sense for Styles to play at linebacker in 2024. The ability to put a player like Styles in the box to help make plays in the run game and also as a potential extra pass-rusher makes far too much sense to not give it a shot.
Of course, there are others in the room who can contribute as well, and that conversation likely starts with CJ Hicks. A former five-star prospect as well, Hicks played just 75 defensive snaps a year ago after playing only on special teams as a freshman. Now entering year three, it is time for him to show off the talents that made him such a highly touted recruit coming out of high school. Hicks has struggled a bit when thrust into action, but there’s a good chance he was pressing in his limited opportunities. With a full spring to finally get some consistent reps with the ones, the Dayton, Ohio native could make a big impact this season.
CB1: Denzel Burke
CB2: Davison Igbinosun
CB Depth: Jermaine Mathews Jr., Calvin Simpson-Hunt, Aaron Scott, Bryce West
On the complete opposite spectrum of the linebackers, Ohio State brings back its entire cornerback room, led by somewhat surprising return of Denzel Burke. The three-year starter was a freshman All-American in 2021, and bounced back from a just-okay 2022 campaign to be named first-team all-conference by Big Ten coaches this past season. Burke likely would’ve been an early-round pick had he decided to forgo his senior season to enter the NFL Draft, but instead he will anchor the nation’s top passing defense from 2023 for another year.
Returning by his side is Davison Igbinosun, a former Ole Miss transfer who performed more than admirably this past season opposite Burke. Igbinosun was one of the team’s best open-field tacklers last year, finishing third on the team with 59 total tackles to go along with 1.5 tackles for loss and five pass breakups. With opposing teams’ unwillingness to throw a Burke, Igbinosun was tested pretty regularly, and was more than up to the task at hand despite some intermittent penalty issues.
Behind the two returning starters, Jermaine Mathews Jr. will certainly see the field in a rotational role to keep everyone fresh. Named a freshman All-American by College Football Network, Mathews was the No. 6 CB in the 2023 recruiting class, and looked every bit the part in limited opportunities this past season, even recording a 58-yard pick-six against Western Kentucky. In addition to Mathews, Ohio State brings in a loaded 2024 class at the position, highlighted by Aaron Scott and Bryce West.
Nickel: Jordan Hancock
Free Safety: Caleb Downs
Strong Safety: Lathan Ransom
Nickel Depth: Lorenzo Styles Jr., Jayden Bonsu
Safety Depth: Malik Hartford, Cedric Hawkins, Ja’Had Carter
Despite all the other talent across the defense for Ohio State, there is no position that is more loaded than at safety, and that only got even better this offseason with the addition of Alabama transfer Caleb Downs. With Josh Proctor the only exit from the room, the Buckeyes can insert Downs alongside a pair of other studs in the defensive backfield in Lathan Ransom and nickel Jordan Hancock, both of whom were excellent in 2023.
Downs was one of the best defensive players in the country as a freshman with the Crimson Tide this past season, leading the SEC with 70 solo tackles (107 total) to go along with 3.5 TFLs, two picks, four pass breakups and a punt return TD on special teams. The younger brother of Colts wide receiver Josh Downs, Caleb was the guy that everyone had their eyes on as soon as Nick Saban announced his retirement. His move to Ohio State can take an already impressive defense to the next level.
Ransom and Hancock are coming off pretty impressive campaigns of their own. Ransom played in only eight games before injuring his foot against Wisconsin, and would end up missing the rest of the year, but has been a real force at the back end of the defense each of the last two seasons. Hancock, meanwhile, shined in his first season as a starter, taking over the nickel role and leading the team with a pair of interceptions, including a 93-yard pick-six against Rutgers.
Those three are going to get the lion’s share of the reps at the safety spots, but Jim Knowles and Matt Guerrieri are fortunate to have some really strong depth behind them as well. Guys like Cedric Hawkins and Malik Hartford have been pushing for playing time early in their careers, while Lorenzo Styles Jr. — Sonny’s brother — is an intriguing player having transferred to Ohio State after playing wide receiver at Notre Dame. Ja’Had Carter could see the field in a rotational role as well, having transferred in from Syracuse prior to last season, where injuries played a large part in keeping him from making a real impact.
Continue reading...
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 Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes bring back the majority of their defensive starters while also adding a huge name via the portal.
With spring practices set to ramp up in early March, it’s a good time to take a look at where Ohio State’s roster currently stands and attempt to project forward ahead of some key position battles. After running through the offense last time, now we can take aim at the defense, where the Buckeyes bring back nearly all of its starting production while also adding a huge name through the transfer portal.
Defensive Line
DE: Jack Sawyer, J.T. Tuimoloau
DT: Tyleik Williams, Ty Hamilton
DE Depth: Caden Curry, Kenyatta Jackson, Eddrick Houston, Mitchell Melton
DT Depth: Hero Kanu, Tywone Malone, Kayden McDonald, Jason Moore
Ohio State could’ve been in a pretty precarious position along its defensive line had Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau elected to enter the NFL Draft. Instead, both starting ends return for another season in Columbus, with only one loss from last year’s starting front four as Mike Hall Jr. went pro. This gives the Buckeyes a ton of experience at the position, but it is also a group that will have to improve upon some less than stellar pass rushing numbers over the last two seasons.
Larry Johnson’s unit has not had a player even come close to reaching double-digit sacks since Chase Young’s 16.5 in 2019. In fact, they’ve only had two players record more than five sacks in a season since Young, with Haskell Garrett leading the team with 5.5 in 2021 and Jack Sawyer recording a team-high 6.5 this past year. It is also worth noting that three of those sacks for Sawyer came in Ohio State’s bowl game against Missouri, just about doubling his 2023 total.
The Buckeyes ranked 10th in the Big Ten this past year with 28 total sacks across 13 games. For a program with seemingly endless talent, led by a pair of five-star defensive ends at the top, that is just not going to cut it. The defensive tackle group has been solid, taking care of things in the run game and even getting some good pressure on opposing QBs at times, but Ohio State will have to get more out of its ends in the sack department in order to make a great defense an elite one. Luckily, with both Sawyer and Tuimoloau back for another year in addition to rising talents in Caden Curry and Kenyatta Jackson, that should be doable.
Linebackers
WILL: Sonny Styles
MIKE: Cody Simon
Depth: CJ Hicks, Gabe Powers, Arvell Reese
Linebacker is really the only position on the defense that sees significant turnover, as both of last year’s starters in Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers are now gone. Luckily for James Laurinaitis, Ohio State brings back Cody Simon, who has played over 600 snaps at linebacker for the Buckeyes over the past two seasons. However, outside of Simon, there is little to no experience returning — at least among guys who have been linebackers to this point in their career.
I say this because there is a very real and likely scenario that Sonny Styles moves down from his safety position to linebacker. The former five-star prospect, who skipped his senior year of high school football to enroll early at Ohio State, played the most snaps of any non-Josh Proctor safety in 2023, but with his frame and skillset, in addition to the team’s needs, it makes far more sense for Styles to play at linebacker in 2024. The ability to put a player like Styles in the box to help make plays in the run game and also as a potential extra pass-rusher makes far too much sense to not give it a shot.
Of course, there are others in the room who can contribute as well, and that conversation likely starts with CJ Hicks. A former five-star prospect as well, Hicks played just 75 defensive snaps a year ago after playing only on special teams as a freshman. Now entering year three, it is time for him to show off the talents that made him such a highly touted recruit coming out of high school. Hicks has struggled a bit when thrust into action, but there’s a good chance he was pressing in his limited opportunities. With a full spring to finally get some consistent reps with the ones, the Dayton, Ohio native could make a big impact this season.
Corners
CB1: Denzel Burke
CB2: Davison Igbinosun
CB Depth: Jermaine Mathews Jr., Calvin Simpson-Hunt, Aaron Scott, Bryce West
On the complete opposite spectrum of the linebackers, Ohio State brings back its entire cornerback room, led by somewhat surprising return of Denzel Burke. The three-year starter was a freshman All-American in 2021, and bounced back from a just-okay 2022 campaign to be named first-team all-conference by Big Ten coaches this past season. Burke likely would’ve been an early-round pick had he decided to forgo his senior season to enter the NFL Draft, but instead he will anchor the nation’s top passing defense from 2023 for another year.
Returning by his side is Davison Igbinosun, a former Ole Miss transfer who performed more than admirably this past season opposite Burke. Igbinosun was one of the team’s best open-field tacklers last year, finishing third on the team with 59 total tackles to go along with 1.5 tackles for loss and five pass breakups. With opposing teams’ unwillingness to throw a Burke, Igbinosun was tested pretty regularly, and was more than up to the task at hand despite some intermittent penalty issues.
Behind the two returning starters, Jermaine Mathews Jr. will certainly see the field in a rotational role to keep everyone fresh. Named a freshman All-American by College Football Network, Mathews was the No. 6 CB in the 2023 recruiting class, and looked every bit the part in limited opportunities this past season, even recording a 58-yard pick-six against Western Kentucky. In addition to Mathews, Ohio State brings in a loaded 2024 class at the position, highlighted by Aaron Scott and Bryce West.
Safeties
Nickel: Jordan Hancock
Free Safety: Caleb Downs
Strong Safety: Lathan Ransom
Nickel Depth: Lorenzo Styles Jr., Jayden Bonsu
Safety Depth: Malik Hartford, Cedric Hawkins, Ja’Had Carter
Despite all the other talent across the defense for Ohio State, there is no position that is more loaded than at safety, and that only got even better this offseason with the addition of Alabama transfer Caleb Downs. With Josh Proctor the only exit from the room, the Buckeyes can insert Downs alongside a pair of other studs in the defensive backfield in Lathan Ransom and nickel Jordan Hancock, both of whom were excellent in 2023.
Downs was one of the best defensive players in the country as a freshman with the Crimson Tide this past season, leading the SEC with 70 solo tackles (107 total) to go along with 3.5 TFLs, two picks, four pass breakups and a punt return TD on special teams. The younger brother of Colts wide receiver Josh Downs, Caleb was the guy that everyone had their eyes on as soon as Nick Saban announced his retirement. His move to Ohio State can take an already impressive defense to the next level.
Ransom and Hancock are coming off pretty impressive campaigns of their own. Ransom played in only eight games before injuring his foot against Wisconsin, and would end up missing the rest of the year, but has been a real force at the back end of the defense each of the last two seasons. Hancock, meanwhile, shined in his first season as a starter, taking over the nickel role and leading the team with a pair of interceptions, including a 93-yard pick-six against Rutgers.
Those three are going to get the lion’s share of the reps at the safety spots, but Jim Knowles and Matt Guerrieri are fortunate to have some really strong depth behind them as well. Guys like Cedric Hawkins and Malik Hartford have been pushing for playing time early in their careers, while Lorenzo Styles Jr. — Sonny’s brother — is an intriguing player having transferred to Ohio State after playing wide receiver at Notre Dame. Ja’Had Carter could see the field in a rotational role as well, having transferred in from Syracuse prior to last season, where injuries played a large part in keeping him from making a real impact.
Continue reading...
LGHL Five Storylines: No. 2 Ohio State women’s basketball at No. 6 Iowa
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Five Storylines: No. 2 Ohio State women’s basketball at No. 6 Iowa
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
A historic rivalry, full strength teams, records and more.
Sunday afternoon, Ohio State women’s basketball and the Iowa Hawkeyes renew a reinvigorated rivalry in Iowa City. For the first time in two years, the Scarlet and Gray and Black and Gold battle at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
While the implications of the game, competitively, aren’t too high, there are plenty of storylines both on and off the court that makes the game potentially one of the most watched women’s college basketball games of the season.
Here are five storylines to watch.
Wednesday night, Ohio State women’s basketball locked up its 16th conference title, and won it outright. That means the Hawkeyes, who were in the three-team fight for the trophy, walk away from the regular season with nothing to add to its trophy cabinet. The title is added to the Buckeyes’ No. 1 Big Ten Tournament seed.
That gives the appearance of Sunday’s game not mattering, but not necessarily. There is still NCAA Tournament seeding on the line. Right now, Ohio State and Iowa sit at No. 3 and No. 5 in the NCAA Tournament committee’s top-16, released this week.
A win and the Scarlet and Gray keep its No. 1 tournament seed. Lose and it might mean a drop to a No. 2 seed, depending on how close or far away the final score is for the visiting Buckeyes. As long as Ohio State doesn’t fall below a No. 4 seed, the first two rounds of the tournament will go through Columbus, Ohio.
Outside of losing to Iowa by a wide margin, and an early exit in the conference tournament, it’s unlikely that Ohio State drops to a No. 5 seed before the March Madness field goes public on March 17. However, the higher the seed, the easier the road to the team’s first Final Four since 1993.
While there’s no title getting lifted Sunday afternoon in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, there is a celebration in the works for Iowa seniors, including one Caitlin Clark. On Thursday, the guard announced she’s leaving Iowa at the end of the season, ready to declare for the WNBA Draft.
With Clark playing her final regular season game in Iowa City, although hosting NCAA Tournament games is likely, it’ll turn an already rowdy Iowa crowd up a few levels. There’s also another record on the line for Clark: the all-time NCAA Division I point scoring record, currently held by former LSU Tiger Pete Maravich.
All Clark needs is 18 points to break the record, which shouldn’t take the guard too long to obtain. The guard hasn’t scored less than 18 points in a game since Feb. 12, 2023, and that was 15 points in 21 minutes. So, the late Maravich’s record is done, it's just a matter of time.
On Jan. 21, when the Buckeyes defeated the Hawkeyes 100-92, it was the game of the conference this season. Which is something considering who was missing for a lot of the game.
In Columbus, foul troubles hampered both teams. Iowa lost leadership in guard Kate Martin and Clark’s favorite outlet in forward Hannah Stuelke to early foul issues. For the Buckeyes, it was guard Celeste Taylor and guard/forward Taylor Thierry, the two players head coach Kevin McGuff planned to have on Clark defensively.
That meant both teams had to adjust, but if the stars for each team can stay on the court, it’ll make a proper matchup between the No. 2 Buckeyes and No. 6 Hawkeyes.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25314455/1925911337.jpg "Michigan State v Ohio State")
Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
Taylor leads the Big Ten in steals, steals per game and defensive rating. Thierry is right behind Taylor in defensive rating, sitting at No. 2. Having both on the court for closer to 40 minutes could mean a slightly more difficult day for Clark.
Beating the Hawkeyes in Carver Arena isn’t impossible. Iowa’s lone loss in Iowa City came at the hands of Kansas State, a team that the Hawkeyes can’t seem to beat after they’ve had Iowa’s number the past two seasons.
In Big Ten play though, the Black and Gold haven’t slipped up. Ohio State has experience defeating the Hawkeyes away from the Schottenstein Center. It happened two years ago.
During the 2021/22 season, when the Buckeyes seemingly won every game except for those where the opposing team had a dominant player in the paint, Ohio State shocked Clark, forward Monika Czinano and the Hawkeyes. The Scarlet and Gray did it through shooting.
The 92-88 victory for the Buckeyes, on Jan. 31, 2022, featured a lot of the same work done this January. Ohio State hit 11 three-pointers, with forward Rebeka Mikulášiková hitting five by herself. The two-point attempts also fell at a high clip, hitting 61.4% from the field.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25299305/usa_today_17595699.jpg "Syndication: HawkCentral")
Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK
Ohio State held all starters except Clark and Czinano to under eight points scored apiece. The win locked up a piece of the Big Ten regular season title for the Buckeyes, ending up sharing with Iowa.
If Ohio State can neutralize the supporting cast around Clark, and make life difficult for the superstar, it could be recent history repeating itself.
Historic Rivalry
Before Jacy Sheldon and Caitlin Clark, there was Katie Smith and Toni Foster. Big Ten women’s basketball, and women’s college basketball overall, was far removed from today’s current levels of attention. Talk to fans of the game who’ve been around for decades, and there were seasons where Buckeyes games were aired to watch at home maybe twice a season.
In that generation of Big Ten basketball, before more schools started caring about their women’s programs, the teams battling at the top were Ohio State and Iowa. While historically the Buckeyes have dominated fellow original Big Ten teams like Indiana (58-26) and the Michigan Wolverines (60-17), the Buckeyes and Hawkeyes have a close 39-36 series record.
Look at the first 10 years of the conference, and nine seasons ended with either the Buckeyes or Hawkeyes winning the regular season championship — three times both teams sharing the crown. In 1993, the two teams played in the Final Four, with Ohio State edging the Hawkeyes in overtime.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25314423/Screenshot_2024_03_02_at_9.05.53_AM.png)
Harry Baumert/Register File Photo
Iowa’s Necole Tunsil and Ohio State’s Katie Smith in the 1993 Final Four National Semifinal
So, a rivalry between the Scarlet and Gray and Black and Gold is nothing new, and predates any kind of rivalry with the usual suspects from up north in Ann Arbor. Even though more eyes, and new eyes, are looking at the Iowa and Ohio State matchup, it stands on a firm foundation.
Sunday is another chapter in one of the longest history books in conference history.
Continue reading...
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
A historic rivalry, full strength teams, records and more.
Sunday afternoon, Ohio State women’s basketball and the Iowa Hawkeyes renew a reinvigorated rivalry in Iowa City. For the first time in two years, the Scarlet and Gray and Black and Gold battle at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
While the implications of the game, competitively, aren’t too high, there are plenty of storylines both on and off the court that makes the game potentially one of the most watched women’s college basketball games of the season.
Here are five storylines to watch.
What’s On The Line
Wednesday night, Ohio State women’s basketball locked up its 16th conference title, and won it outright. That means the Hawkeyes, who were in the three-team fight for the trophy, walk away from the regular season with nothing to add to its trophy cabinet. The title is added to the Buckeyes’ No. 1 Big Ten Tournament seed.
That gives the appearance of Sunday’s game not mattering, but not necessarily. There is still NCAA Tournament seeding on the line. Right now, Ohio State and Iowa sit at No. 3 and No. 5 in the NCAA Tournament committee’s top-16, released this week.
A win and the Scarlet and Gray keep its No. 1 tournament seed. Lose and it might mean a drop to a No. 2 seed, depending on how close or far away the final score is for the visiting Buckeyes. As long as Ohio State doesn’t fall below a No. 4 seed, the first two rounds of the tournament will go through Columbus, Ohio.
Outside of losing to Iowa by a wide margin, and an early exit in the conference tournament, it’s unlikely that Ohio State drops to a No. 5 seed before the March Madness field goes public on March 17. However, the higher the seed, the easier the road to the team’s first Final Four since 1993.
Iowa’s Senior Day
While there’s no title getting lifted Sunday afternoon in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, there is a celebration in the works for Iowa seniors, including one Caitlin Clark. On Thursday, the guard announced she’s leaving Iowa at the end of the season, ready to declare for the WNBA Draft.
With Clark playing her final regular season game in Iowa City, although hosting NCAA Tournament games is likely, it’ll turn an already rowdy Iowa crowd up a few levels. There’s also another record on the line for Clark: the all-time NCAA Division I point scoring record, currently held by former LSU Tiger Pete Maravich.
All Clark needs is 18 points to break the record, which shouldn’t take the guard too long to obtain. The guard hasn’t scored less than 18 points in a game since Feb. 12, 2023, and that was 15 points in 21 minutes. So, the late Maravich’s record is done, it's just a matter of time.
Full Strength Teams
On Jan. 21, when the Buckeyes defeated the Hawkeyes 100-92, it was the game of the conference this season. Which is something considering who was missing for a lot of the game.
In Columbus, foul troubles hampered both teams. Iowa lost leadership in guard Kate Martin and Clark’s favorite outlet in forward Hannah Stuelke to early foul issues. For the Buckeyes, it was guard Celeste Taylor and guard/forward Taylor Thierry, the two players head coach Kevin McGuff planned to have on Clark defensively.
That meant both teams had to adjust, but if the stars for each team can stay on the court, it’ll make a proper matchup between the No. 2 Buckeyes and No. 6 Hawkeyes.
Taylor leads the Big Ten in steals, steals per game and defensive rating. Thierry is right behind Taylor in defensive rating, sitting at No. 2. Having both on the court for closer to 40 minutes could mean a slightly more difficult day for Clark.
Repeating Recent History
Beating the Hawkeyes in Carver Arena isn’t impossible. Iowa’s lone loss in Iowa City came at the hands of Kansas State, a team that the Hawkeyes can’t seem to beat after they’ve had Iowa’s number the past two seasons.
In Big Ten play though, the Black and Gold haven’t slipped up. Ohio State has experience defeating the Hawkeyes away from the Schottenstein Center. It happened two years ago.
During the 2021/22 season, when the Buckeyes seemingly won every game except for those where the opposing team had a dominant player in the paint, Ohio State shocked Clark, forward Monika Czinano and the Hawkeyes. The Scarlet and Gray did it through shooting.
The 92-88 victory for the Buckeyes, on Jan. 31, 2022, featured a lot of the same work done this January. Ohio State hit 11 three-pointers, with forward Rebeka Mikulášiková hitting five by herself. The two-point attempts also fell at a high clip, hitting 61.4% from the field.
Ohio State held all starters except Clark and Czinano to under eight points scored apiece. The win locked up a piece of the Big Ten regular season title for the Buckeyes, ending up sharing with Iowa.
If Ohio State can neutralize the supporting cast around Clark, and make life difficult for the superstar, it could be recent history repeating itself.
Historic Rivalry
Before Jacy Sheldon and Caitlin Clark, there was Katie Smith and Toni Foster. Big Ten women’s basketball, and women’s college basketball overall, was far removed from today’s current levels of attention. Talk to fans of the game who’ve been around for decades, and there were seasons where Buckeyes games were aired to watch at home maybe twice a season.
In that generation of Big Ten basketball, before more schools started caring about their women’s programs, the teams battling at the top were Ohio State and Iowa. While historically the Buckeyes have dominated fellow original Big Ten teams like Indiana (58-26) and the Michigan Wolverines (60-17), the Buckeyes and Hawkeyes have a close 39-36 series record.
Look at the first 10 years of the conference, and nine seasons ended with either the Buckeyes or Hawkeyes winning the regular season championship — three times both teams sharing the crown. In 1993, the two teams played in the Final Four, with Ohio State edging the Hawkeyes in overtime.
Iowa’s Necole Tunsil and Ohio State’s Katie Smith in the 1993 Final Four National Semifinal
So, a rivalry between the Scarlet and Gray and Black and Gold is nothing new, and predates any kind of rivalry with the usual suspects from up north in Ann Arbor. Even though more eyes, and new eyes, are looking at the Iowa and Ohio State matchup, it stands on a firm foundation.
Sunday is another chapter in one of the longest history books in conference history.
Continue reading...
