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LGHL Bucketheads Podcast: Is Ohio State back in the NCAA Tournament conversation?
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- 0 Replies
Bucketheads Podcast: Is Ohio State back in the NCAA Tournament conversation?
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK
We discuss what the Buckeyes have to do to make the NCAA Tournament and have another coaching conversation.
“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 107 of Bucketheads, The Ohio State men’s basketball team is back. Connor and Justin break down the Dale Bonner shot, and the Buckeyes’ win over Michigan State.
Now, the important question arises: How can the Buckeyes play their way into the NCAA Tournament? And is that even a realistic possibility?
We also talk about coaches and whether or not Jake Diebler has a legitimate shot to be the next head coach. And who do we want to get the job? It looks like Greg McDermott might be out, so who is on the list?
Make sure to like, subscribe, comment, and leave a review 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
Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK
We discuss what the Buckeyes have to do to make the NCAA Tournament and have another coaching conversation.
“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 107 of Bucketheads, The Ohio State men’s basketball team is back. Connor and Justin break down the Dale Bonner shot, and the Buckeyes’ win over Michigan State.
Now, the important question arises: How can the Buckeyes play their way into the NCAA Tournament? And is that even a realistic possibility?
We also talk about coaches and whether or not Jake Diebler has a legitimate shot to be the next head coach. And who do we want to get the job? It looks like Greg McDermott might be out, so who is on the list?
Make sure to like, subscribe, comment, and leave a review on the show!
Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Continue reading...
LGHL No. 2 Ohio State women’s basketball wins outright B1G title, defeats Michigan 67-51
- News
- 0 Replies
No. 2 Ohio State women’s basketball wins outright B1G title, defeats Michigan 67-51
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
The Buckeyes win its ninth outright regular season conference title, beating the Wolverines in the process
The mission for Ohio State women’s basketball Wednesday night was simple: Beat the Michigan Wolverines and lock up an outright Big Ten regular season title. Those Wolverines, the only team to beat the Buckeyes on the conference calendar, had a goal themselves, to strengthen its resume for a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
Ohio State avenged its Dec. 30 loss to the Wolverines, locking up its 16th conference title and ninth outright title, beating Michigan 67-51 victory.
Right out of the gate, which was again delayed by leftover confetti from last week’s Drake concerts, Ohio State was pushing its agenda.
After winning the tip, the Buckeyes got out to a quick 4-0 lead, until Michigan forward Elissa Brett poked the ball out of the hands of forward Rebeka Mikulášiková, going on the fast break. As the Maize and Blue forward went up for what she thought was an easy layup, Ohio State guard Celeste Taylor swatted the ball out of bounds.
Michigan would respond offensively, as both teams took turns making baskets. Adding to the highlights of the first quarter, guard Jacy Sheldon showed the hustle that’s made her a fan favorite for five seasons. Off a missed corner three-point shot, Sheldon ran up to knock the ball out of a Michigan rebounder’s hands, leap out of bounds to save the ball from going out and getting it to the hands of forward Taylor Thierry who hit a reverse layup under the basket.
In the final five minutes of the quarter, the fast offensive start of the game slowed a bit, with both teams combining for three total baskets. Of the three, Ohio State hit two, taking a 13-9 lead into the second quarter. Although foul trouble showed its head again.
Receiving the fouls weren’t any Buckeye starters, but two role-players off the bench. Guard Rikki Harris and forward Taiyier Parks each picked up two fouls in three minutes on the court. The latter was worrying for Ohio State with forward Eboni Walker listed as out for the game, and not in the arena.
The second quarter, the Buckeyes started separating themselves from the visiting rivals. Michigan hit one of its first six shots of the quarter, forcing four quick turnovers. Offensively, Ohio State was exploiting its own recent form from beyond the arc. With five players who are capable of shooting from deep, once Wolverine defenders closed in, the Buckeyes didn’t shoot or pass. Instead, they ran to the basket.
Ohio State increased its first half lead to nearly double-digits, but Michigan fought back. Out of the second quarter media timeout, the Wolverines went on a 10-point run, turning an eight-point deficit into a two-point lead.
In the pendulum swing in the visitor’s favor, Ohio State missed all four of its attempted shots and gave the ball away three times before head coach Kevin McGuff called a timeout. A timeout 48.8 seconds away from halftime.
Out of the timeout, forward Cotie McMahon hit a layup to tie the game, and that's where things stood entering halftime locked at 22-22.
The Wolverines made shooting difficult in the second quarter. Outside of forcing six turnovers from the Buckeyes, the Michigan defense didn’t give anyone space when they took the ball into the paint, making Ohio State shoot midrange and long-range attempts. The 4-for-13 shooting performance let the Wolverines flip the first quarter score, outscoring the Scarlet and Gray 13-9.
Hurting the Buckeyes especially was the play of Wolverines bench forward Cameron Williams. The forward hurt Ohio State in the paint, leading the visitors with six points. In the second half. Williams returned to the game and the Buckeyes showed halftime adjustments.
When Williams got the ball, a second Ohio State player joined to defend, making Williams either take a tough shot or find a teammate for something outside of the paint. Improved defense and forcing three turnovers in the first two and a half minutes of the second half put the home side back on top, starting the quarter with six unanswered points.
Also, Sheldon found a deep shooting stroke. Hitting two in the first half of the third quarter put the Buckeyes back up seven points with a quarter and a half remaining sitting between Ohio State and a title celebration at home.
Michigan hoped for a similar swing in their direction following a timeout, but it continued to be the Buckeyes turning the screw. McMahon hit a layup on the inbound pass, with Taylor following up with her first made three-point shot of the game. That three put Ohio State up double-digits for the first time. By the time the 10-point Buckeyes run was over, the home side had a 14-point lead on the Maize and Blue.
The visitors almost cut the lead back down to 10 quickly, if not for a tough moment for Michigan’s Lauren Hansen. Intercepting the pass and going on a clear fast break, Hansen went up for a layup that rolled off the rim, into the hands of Sheldon who was fouled in the process.
That gave the home side the bonus for the remaining 2:38 of the quarter. The Wolverines kept the chess game going, making its own moves to right the ship. How they did it was by mimicking passes to the basket and then finding open guards on the wing.
Ohio State gave up a three-point shot to cut its lead to nine points, with two seconds remaining, Harris stole the ball, it got to Sheldon and the graduate senior hit a layup right before the sound of the buzzer. It gave the Buckeyes an 11-point lead with 10 minutes remaining.
In the fourth, the defensive pressure continued for the home side. In the first two minutes, Ohio State forced two more turnovers, up to 22 with eight minutes remaining of the game. The Buckeyes turned those turnovers into six of the first eight points scored in the quarter. It increased Coach McGuff’s side’s lead to 15 points.
The Buckeyes eventually helped the Wolverines hit a new season record in turnovers, and Ohio State didn’t relent. Turnovers continued to go the Buckeyes’ way but fouls reared their ugly head.
Issues with keeping a forward in the game became real with Parks and Mikulášiková each earning four fouls with half the fourth quarter remaining. Plus, a Parks foul was Ohio State’s fifth, putting Michigan in the bonus.
Even with the extra trips to the line, the Buckeyes held onto its lead, and with it the outright Big Ten regular season championship, 67-51.
Leading the way for Coach McGuff was Sheldon. Playing her final regular season game at home, the guard scored a team high 22 points, including four shots from deep.
Following the game, as fireworks popped inside the stadium, and scarlet and gray confetti shot through the air, the Buckeyes celebrated on the court with coaches and family. Each player taking a turn climbing up the ladder to cut down a piece of the net. At the end, Coach McGuff cutting the entire net down and swinging it around, exciting the crowd of over a thousand who stuck around to watch the celebrations.
Against Michigan on Dec. 30, Sheldon and McMahon scored a combined 12 points in the 69-60 win over the Wolverines. Wednesday night, the pair accounted for 40 of the Buckeyes’ 67 points.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25310784/2038749988.jpg "COLLEGE BASKETBALL: FEB 28 Women’s - Michigan at Ohio State")
Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It was a far cry from the performance that left the Scarlet and Gray soul searching at the end of the 2023 calendar. Now, 15 games later, the Buckeyes lift a regular season title thanks to not only the star pair, but a game where seemingly every Ohio State player who saw the court left an impact.
After celebrating on the court for over 30 minutes, Ohio State regrouped in the locker room. In the usual tradition of awarding a “dub chain” performance after each win, McGuff changed things around, applauding that team performance.
In the last 15 games, the Buckeyes beat everyone in its path. That includes ranked teams like the Iowa Hawkeyes and Indiana Hoosiers, and multiple games against teams in the top half of the standings, like the Michigan State Spartans and Maryland Terrapins.
For all the success and accolades given to the side, Sheldon said something after the game that should scare some opponents.
“I don’t even think we’ve played our best 40 minutes yet, which is pretty exciting.”
The graduate senior forward wasn’t on the bench for the end of Ohio State’s win over the Maryland Terrapins on Sunday. That absence continued Wednesday night, when Walker was listed as “out” on the availability report and wasn’t seen on the bench for the Buckeyes.
After the game, Coach McGuff addressed her absence.
“She’s currently away from the team. There’s no certainty about her status moving forward.”
A response without specificity, but still carries weight on the chances of Walker returning to the court this season.
The Buckeyes have one more game left of the regular season, and it’s a big one. Coach McGuff’s side travels to Iowa City, Iowa to face the No. 6 Iowa Hawkeyes. Last time out, the Scarlet and Gray welcomed the Hawkeyes to the Schottenstein Center and came back from 12 points down to defeat Iowa 100-92.
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
The Buckeyes win its ninth outright regular season conference title, beating the Wolverines in the process
The mission for Ohio State women’s basketball Wednesday night was simple: Beat the Michigan Wolverines and lock up an outright Big Ten regular season title. Those Wolverines, the only team to beat the Buckeyes on the conference calendar, had a goal themselves, to strengthen its resume for a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
Ohio State avenged its Dec. 30 loss to the Wolverines, locking up its 16th conference title and ninth outright title, beating Michigan 67-51 victory.
Right out of the gate, which was again delayed by leftover confetti from last week’s Drake concerts, Ohio State was pushing its agenda.
After winning the tip, the Buckeyes got out to a quick 4-0 lead, until Michigan forward Elissa Brett poked the ball out of the hands of forward Rebeka Mikulášiková, going on the fast break. As the Maize and Blue forward went up for what she thought was an easy layup, Ohio State guard Celeste Taylor swatted the ball out of bounds.
Michigan would respond offensively, as both teams took turns making baskets. Adding to the highlights of the first quarter, guard Jacy Sheldon showed the hustle that’s made her a fan favorite for five seasons. Off a missed corner three-point shot, Sheldon ran up to knock the ball out of a Michigan rebounder’s hands, leap out of bounds to save the ball from going out and getting it to the hands of forward Taylor Thierry who hit a reverse layup under the basket.
In the final five minutes of the quarter, the fast offensive start of the game slowed a bit, with both teams combining for three total baskets. Of the three, Ohio State hit two, taking a 13-9 lead into the second quarter. Although foul trouble showed its head again.
Receiving the fouls weren’t any Buckeye starters, but two role-players off the bench. Guard Rikki Harris and forward Taiyier Parks each picked up two fouls in three minutes on the court. The latter was worrying for Ohio State with forward Eboni Walker listed as out for the game, and not in the arena.
The second quarter, the Buckeyes started separating themselves from the visiting rivals. Michigan hit one of its first six shots of the quarter, forcing four quick turnovers. Offensively, Ohio State was exploiting its own recent form from beyond the arc. With five players who are capable of shooting from deep, once Wolverine defenders closed in, the Buckeyes didn’t shoot or pass. Instead, they ran to the basket.
Ohio State increased its first half lead to nearly double-digits, but Michigan fought back. Out of the second quarter media timeout, the Wolverines went on a 10-point run, turning an eight-point deficit into a two-point lead.
In the pendulum swing in the visitor’s favor, Ohio State missed all four of its attempted shots and gave the ball away three times before head coach Kevin McGuff called a timeout. A timeout 48.8 seconds away from halftime.
Out of the timeout, forward Cotie McMahon hit a layup to tie the game, and that's where things stood entering halftime locked at 22-22.
The Wolverines made shooting difficult in the second quarter. Outside of forcing six turnovers from the Buckeyes, the Michigan defense didn’t give anyone space when they took the ball into the paint, making Ohio State shoot midrange and long-range attempts. The 4-for-13 shooting performance let the Wolverines flip the first quarter score, outscoring the Scarlet and Gray 13-9.
Hurting the Buckeyes especially was the play of Wolverines bench forward Cameron Williams. The forward hurt Ohio State in the paint, leading the visitors with six points. In the second half. Williams returned to the game and the Buckeyes showed halftime adjustments.
When Williams got the ball, a second Ohio State player joined to defend, making Williams either take a tough shot or find a teammate for something outside of the paint. Improved defense and forcing three turnovers in the first two and a half minutes of the second half put the home side back on top, starting the quarter with six unanswered points.
Also, Sheldon found a deep shooting stroke. Hitting two in the first half of the third quarter put the Buckeyes back up seven points with a quarter and a half remaining sitting between Ohio State and a title celebration at home.
Michigan hoped for a similar swing in their direction following a timeout, but it continued to be the Buckeyes turning the screw. McMahon hit a layup on the inbound pass, with Taylor following up with her first made three-point shot of the game. That three put Ohio State up double-digits for the first time. By the time the 10-point Buckeyes run was over, the home side had a 14-point lead on the Maize and Blue.
The visitors almost cut the lead back down to 10 quickly, if not for a tough moment for Michigan’s Lauren Hansen. Intercepting the pass and going on a clear fast break, Hansen went up for a layup that rolled off the rim, into the hands of Sheldon who was fouled in the process.
That gave the home side the bonus for the remaining 2:38 of the quarter. The Wolverines kept the chess game going, making its own moves to right the ship. How they did it was by mimicking passes to the basket and then finding open guards on the wing.
Ohio State gave up a three-point shot to cut its lead to nine points, with two seconds remaining, Harris stole the ball, it got to Sheldon and the graduate senior hit a layup right before the sound of the buzzer. It gave the Buckeyes an 11-point lead with 10 minutes remaining.
In the fourth, the defensive pressure continued for the home side. In the first two minutes, Ohio State forced two more turnovers, up to 22 with eight minutes remaining of the game. The Buckeyes turned those turnovers into six of the first eight points scored in the quarter. It increased Coach McGuff’s side’s lead to 15 points.
The Buckeyes eventually helped the Wolverines hit a new season record in turnovers, and Ohio State didn’t relent. Turnovers continued to go the Buckeyes’ way but fouls reared their ugly head.
Issues with keeping a forward in the game became real with Parks and Mikulášiková each earning four fouls with half the fourth quarter remaining. Plus, a Parks foul was Ohio State’s fifth, putting Michigan in the bonus.
Even with the extra trips to the line, the Buckeyes held onto its lead, and with it the outright Big Ten regular season championship, 67-51.
Leading the way for Coach McGuff was Sheldon. Playing her final regular season game at home, the guard scored a team high 22 points, including four shots from deep.
Non-Drake Confetti
Following the game, as fireworks popped inside the stadium, and scarlet and gray confetti shot through the air, the Buckeyes celebrated on the court with coaches and family. Each player taking a turn climbing up the ladder to cut down a piece of the net. At the end, Coach McGuff cutting the entire net down and swinging it around, exciting the crowd of over a thousand who stuck around to watch the celebrations.
McMahon and Sheldon Excellence
Against Michigan on Dec. 30, Sheldon and McMahon scored a combined 12 points in the 69-60 win over the Wolverines. Wednesday night, the pair accounted for 40 of the Buckeyes’ 67 points.
It was a far cry from the performance that left the Scarlet and Gray soul searching at the end of the 2023 calendar. Now, 15 games later, the Buckeyes lift a regular season title thanks to not only the star pair, but a game where seemingly every Ohio State player who saw the court left an impact.
No Dub Chain Winner
After celebrating on the court for over 30 minutes, Ohio State regrouped in the locker room. In the usual tradition of awarding a “dub chain” performance after each win, McGuff changed things around, applauding that team performance.
Still Not at its Peak
In the last 15 games, the Buckeyes beat everyone in its path. That includes ranked teams like the Iowa Hawkeyes and Indiana Hoosiers, and multiple games against teams in the top half of the standings, like the Michigan State Spartans and Maryland Terrapins.
For all the success and accolades given to the side, Sheldon said something after the game that should scare some opponents.
“I don’t even think we’ve played our best 40 minutes yet, which is pretty exciting.”
Eboni Walker Absence
The graduate senior forward wasn’t on the bench for the end of Ohio State’s win over the Maryland Terrapins on Sunday. That absence continued Wednesday night, when Walker was listed as “out” on the availability report and wasn’t seen on the bench for the Buckeyes.
After the game, Coach McGuff addressed her absence.
“She’s currently away from the team. There’s no certainty about her status moving forward.”
A response without specificity, but still carries weight on the chances of Walker returning to the court this season.
What’s Next
The Buckeyes have one more game left of the regular season, and it’s a big one. Coach McGuff’s side travels to Iowa City, Iowa to face the No. 6 Iowa Hawkeyes. Last time out, the Scarlet and Gray welcomed the Hawkeyes to the Schottenstein Center and came back from 12 points down to defeat Iowa 100-92.
Continue reading...
LGHL No. 2 Ohio State women’s basketball wins outright B1G title, defeats Michigan 67-51
- News
- 0 Replies
No. 2 Ohio State women’s basketball wins outright B1G title, defeats Michigan 67-51
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
The Buckeyes win its ninth outright regular season conference title, beating the Wolverines in the process
The mission for Ohio State women’s basketball Wednesday night was simple: Beat the Michigan Wolverines and lock up an outright Big Ten regular season title. Those Wolverines, the only team to beat the Buckeyes on the conference calendar, had a goal themselves, to strengthen its resume for a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
Ohio State avenged its Dec. 30 loss to the Wolverines, locking up its 16th conference title and ninth outright title, beating Michigan 67-51 victory.
Right out of the gate, which was again delayed by leftover confetti from last week’s Drake concerts, Ohio State was pushing its agenda.
After winning the tip, the Buckeyes got out to a quick 4-0 lead, until Michigan forward Elissa Brett poked the ball out of the hands of forward Rebeka Mikulášiková, going on the fast break. As the Maize and Blue forward went up for what she thought was an easy layup, Ohio State guard Celeste Taylor swatted the ball out of bounds.
Michigan would respond offensively, as both teams took turns making baskets. Adding to the highlights of the first quarter, guard Jacy Sheldon showed the hustle that’s made her a fan favorite for five seasons. Off a missed corner three-point shot, Sheldon ran up to knock the ball out of a Michigan rebounder’s hands, leap out of bounds to save the ball from going out and getting it to the hands of forward Taylor Thierry who hit a reverse layup under the basket.
In the final five minutes of the quarter, the fast offensive start of the game slowed a bit, with both teams combining for three total baskets. Of the three, Ohio State hit two, taking a 13-9 lead into the second quarter. Although foul trouble showed its head again.
Receiving the fouls weren’t any Buckeye starters, but two role-players off the bench. Guard Rikki Harris and forward Taiyier Parks each picked up two fouls in three minutes on the court. The latter was worrying for Ohio State with forward Eboni Walker listed as out for the game, and not in the arena.
The second quarter, the Buckeyes started separating themselves from the visiting rivals. Michigan hit one of its first six shots of the quarter, forcing four quick turnovers. Offensively, Ohio State was exploiting its own recent form from beyond the arc. With five players who are capable of shooting from deep, once Wolverine defenders closed in, the Buckeyes didn’t shoot or pass. Instead, they ran to the basket.
Ohio State increased its first half lead to nearly double-digits, but Michigan fought back. Out of the second quarter media timeout, the Wolverines went on a 10-point run, turning an eight-point deficit into a two-point lead.
In the pendulum swing in the visitor’s favor, Ohio State missed all four of its attempted shots and gave the ball away three times before head coach Kevin McGuff called a timeout. A timeout 48.8 seconds away from halftime.
Out of the timeout, forward Cotie McMahon hit a layup to tie the game, and that's where things stood entering halftime locked at 22-22.
The Wolverines made shooting difficult in the second quarter. Outside of forcing six turnovers from the Buckeyes, the Michigan defense didn’t give anyone space when they took the ball into the paint, making Ohio State shoot midrange and long-range attempts. The 4-for-13 shooting performance let the Wolverines flip the first quarter score, outscoring the Scarlet and Gray 13-9.
Hurting the Buckeyes especially was the play of Wolverines bench forward Cameron Williams. The forward hurt Ohio State in the paint, leading the visitors with six points. In the second half. Williams returned to the game and the Buckeyes showed halftime adjustments.
When Williams got the ball, a second Ohio State player joined to defend, making Williams either take a tough shot or find a teammate for something outside of the paint. Improved defense and forcing three turnovers in the first two and a half minutes of the second half put the home side back on top, starting the quarter with six unanswered points.
Also, Sheldon found a deep shooting stroke. Hitting two in the first half of the third quarter put the Buckeyes back up seven points with a quarter and a half remaining sitting between Ohio State and a title celebration at home.
Michigan hoped for a similar swing in their direction following a timeout, but it continued to be the Buckeyes turning the screw. McMahon hit a layup on the inbound pass, with Taylor following up with her first made three-point shot of the game. That three put Ohio State up double-digits for the first time. By the time the 10-point Buckeyes run was over, the home side had a 14-point lead on the Maize and Blue.
The visitors almost cut the lead back down to 10 quickly, if not for a tough moment for Michigan’s Lauren Hansen. Intercepting the pass and going on a clear fast break, Hansen went up for a layup that rolled off the rim, into the hands of Sheldon who was fouled in the process.
That gave the home side the bonus for the remaining 2:38 of the quarter. The Wolverines kept the chess game going, making its own moves to right the ship. How they did it was by mimicking passes to the basket and then finding open guards on the wing.
Ohio State gave up a three-point shot to cut its lead to nine points, with two seconds remaining, Harris stole the ball, it got to Sheldon and the graduate senior hit a layup right before the sound of the buzzer. It gave the Buckeyes an 11-point lead with 10 minutes remaining.
In the fourth, the defensive pressure continued for the home side. In the first two minutes, Ohio State forced two more turnovers, up to 22 with eight minutes remaining of the game. The Buckeyes turned those turnovers into six of the first eight points scored in the quarter. It increased Coach McGuff’s side’s lead to 15 points.
The Buckeyes eventually helped the Wolverines hit a new season record in turnovers, and Ohio State didn’t relent. Turnovers continued to go the Buckeyes’ way but fouls reared their ugly head.
Issues with keeping a forward in the game became real with Parks and Mikulášiková each earning four fouls with half the fourth quarter remaining. Plus, a Parks foul was Ohio State’s fifth, putting Michigan in the bonus.
Even with the extra trips to the line, the Buckeyes held onto its lead, and with it the outright Big Ten regular season championship, 67-51.
Leading the way for Coach McGuff was Sheldon. Playing her final regular season game at home, the guard scored a team high 22 points, including four shots from deep.
The Buckeyes have one more game left of the regular season, and it’s a big one. Coach McGuff’s side travels to Iowa City, Iowa to face the No. 6 Iowa Hawkeyes. Last time out, the Scarlet and Gray welcomed the Hawkeyes to the Schottenstein Center and came back from 12 points down to defeat Iowa 100-92.
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
The Buckeyes win its ninth outright regular season conference title, beating the Wolverines in the process
The mission for Ohio State women’s basketball Wednesday night was simple: Beat the Michigan Wolverines and lock up an outright Big Ten regular season title. Those Wolverines, the only team to beat the Buckeyes on the conference calendar, had a goal themselves, to strengthen its resume for a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
Ohio State avenged its Dec. 30 loss to the Wolverines, locking up its 16th conference title and ninth outright title, beating Michigan 67-51 victory.
Right out of the gate, which was again delayed by leftover confetti from last week’s Drake concerts, Ohio State was pushing its agenda.
After winning the tip, the Buckeyes got out to a quick 4-0 lead, until Michigan forward Elissa Brett poked the ball out of the hands of forward Rebeka Mikulášiková, going on the fast break. As the Maize and Blue forward went up for what she thought was an easy layup, Ohio State guard Celeste Taylor swatted the ball out of bounds.
Michigan would respond offensively, as both teams took turns making baskets. Adding to the highlights of the first quarter, guard Jacy Sheldon showed the hustle that’s made her a fan favorite for five seasons. Off a missed corner three-point shot, Sheldon ran up to knock the ball out of a Michigan rebounder’s hands, leap out of bounds to save the ball from going out and getting it to the hands of forward Taylor Thierry who hit a reverse layup under the basket.
In the final five minutes of the quarter, the fast offensive start of the game slowed a bit, with both teams combining for three total baskets. Of the three, Ohio State hit two, taking a 13-9 lead into the second quarter. Although foul trouble showed its head again.
Receiving the fouls weren’t any Buckeye starters, but two role-players off the bench. Guard Rikki Harris and forward Taiyier Parks each picked up two fouls in three minutes on the court. The latter was worrying for Ohio State with forward Eboni Walker listed as out for the game, and not in the arena.
The second quarter, the Buckeyes started separating themselves from the visiting rivals. Michigan hit one of its first six shots of the quarter, forcing four quick turnovers. Offensively, Ohio State was exploiting its own recent form from beyond the arc. With five players who are capable of shooting from deep, once Wolverine defenders closed in, the Buckeyes didn’t shoot or pass. Instead, they ran to the basket.
Ohio State increased its first half lead to nearly double-digits, but Michigan fought back. Out of the second quarter media timeout, the Wolverines went on a 10-point run, turning an eight-point deficit into a two-point lead.
In the pendulum swing in the visitor’s favor, Ohio State missed all four of its attempted shots and gave the ball away three times before head coach Kevin McGuff called a timeout. A timeout 48.8 seconds away from halftime.
Out of the timeout, forward Cotie McMahon hit a layup to tie the game, and that's where things stood entering halftime locked at 22-22.
The Wolverines made shooting difficult in the second quarter. Outside of forcing six turnovers from the Buckeyes, the Michigan defense didn’t give anyone space when they took the ball into the paint, making Ohio State shoot midrange and long-range attempts. The 4-for-13 shooting performance let the Wolverines flip the first quarter score, outscoring the Scarlet and Gray 13-9.
Hurting the Buckeyes especially was the play of Wolverines bench forward Cameron Williams. The forward hurt Ohio State in the paint, leading the visitors with six points. In the second half. Williams returned to the game and the Buckeyes showed halftime adjustments.
When Williams got the ball, a second Ohio State player joined to defend, making Williams either take a tough shot or find a teammate for something outside of the paint. Improved defense and forcing three turnovers in the first two and a half minutes of the second half put the home side back on top, starting the quarter with six unanswered points.
Also, Sheldon found a deep shooting stroke. Hitting two in the first half of the third quarter put the Buckeyes back up seven points with a quarter and a half remaining sitting between Ohio State and a title celebration at home.
Michigan hoped for a similar swing in their direction following a timeout, but it continued to be the Buckeyes turning the screw. McMahon hit a layup on the inbound pass, with Taylor following up with her first made three-point shot of the game. That three put Ohio State up double-digits for the first time. By the time the 10-point Buckeyes run was over, the home side had a 14-point lead on the Maize and Blue.
The visitors almost cut the lead back down to 10 quickly, if not for a tough moment for Michigan’s Lauren Hansen. Intercepting the pass and going on a clear fast break, Hansen went up for a layup that rolled off the rim, into the hands of Sheldon who was fouled in the process.
That gave the home side the bonus for the remaining 2:38 of the quarter. The Wolverines kept the chess game going, making its own moves to right the ship. How they did it was by mimicking passes to the basket and then finding open guards on the wing.
Ohio State gave up a three-point shot to cut its lead to nine points, with two seconds remaining, Harris stole the ball, it got to Sheldon and the graduate senior hit a layup right before the sound of the buzzer. It gave the Buckeyes an 11-point lead with 10 minutes remaining.
In the fourth, the defensive pressure continued for the home side. In the first two minutes, Ohio State forced two more turnovers, up to 22 with eight minutes remaining of the game. The Buckeyes turned those turnovers into six of the first eight points scored in the quarter. It increased Coach McGuff’s side’s lead to 15 points.
The Buckeyes eventually helped the Wolverines hit a new season record in turnovers, and Ohio State didn’t relent. Turnovers continued to go the Buckeyes’ way but fouls reared their ugly head.
Issues with keeping a forward in the game became real with Parks and Mikulášiková each earning four fouls with half the fourth quarter remaining. Plus, a Parks foul was Ohio State’s fifth, putting Michigan in the bonus.
Even with the extra trips to the line, the Buckeyes held onto its lead, and with it the outright Big Ten regular season championship, 67-51.
Leading the way for Coach McGuff was Sheldon. Playing her final regular season game at home, the guard scored a team high 22 points, including four shots from deep.
What’s Next
The Buckeyes have one more game left of the regular season, and it’s a big one. Coach McGuff’s side travels to Iowa City, Iowa to face the No. 6 Iowa Hawkeyes. Last time out, the Scarlet and Gray welcomed the Hawkeyes to the Schottenstein Center and came back from 12 points down to defeat Iowa 100-92.
Continue reading...
LGHL Game Preview: No. 2 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. Michigan
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Game Preview: No. 2 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. Michigan
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ben Cole - Land-Grant Holy Land
With a title on the line, the Buckeyes welcome the only team to beat them in the Big Ten this season: The Michigan Wolverines
Wednesday night at the Schottenstein Center is the final regular season home game for Ohio State women’s basketball. Although it's not the largest billing to the greater NCAA basketball world — that comes Sunday when the No. 2 Buckeyes travel to Iowa City to face the No. 6 Iowa Hawkeyes — it’s the game with the most riding on it.
For head coach Kevin McGuff’s side, it’s simple: Win and the Big Ten regular season championship belongs to the Buckeyes.
It just so happens to be against hated rivals in the Michigan Wolverines. The same Wolverines who gave Ohio State its only loss of the conference season.
On Dec. 30, when these two teams last played, everything that could go wrong for the Buckeyes did go wrong. It was the team’s fewest rebounds in a game (27), lowest turnover margin of the season (-4) and second worst shooting performance from beyond the arc of its Big Ten calendar (20.8%).
The only thing that worked that fateful day was the shooting of guard Celeste Taylor. With 16 points, Taylor hit her highest scoring total of the first half of the season. Taylor also added four assists and four steals. Outside of that, it was rough goings.
Guard/forward Taylor Thierry added 15 points and nine rebounds, but no other starter hit double-digit scoring. Forward Cotie McMahon scored five points in 17 minutes, sitting most of the game due to foul trouble.
After the game, when coaches spend a couple minutes talking to each other before walking into the locker room to address the team, the coaching staff spoke to each other for close to 15 minutes before even talking with the players. Whatever was said in that coaches meeting, and subsequent team talk, turned Ohio State from a team expecting wins to come its way to a side that began putting in the work to make sure it happened.
McMahon is the starring example. Since that defeat, McMahon’s practice habits changed and the competitive sophomore the country met in the 2022-23 season took that competitive spirit into practice. The harder the practices, the more McMahon shined on the court.
The forward more than made up for the rough display in Ann Arbor on Jan. 21, when McMahon scored 33 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in a marquee win against the then No. 2 Iowa Hawkeyes in Columbus.
Taylor’s season-high 16 points was also eclipsed, multiple times. Following the holiday break, Taylor became a different player on offense, going from 7.6 points per game in non-conference play to 12.1 points against Big Ten opponents. The defense hasn’t dropped off either, as Taylor is first in the Big Ten in defensive rating (80.1), has the most steals (60) and most steals per game (2.2).
As a team, things are clicking for the Buckeyes to the tune of a 14-game winning streak. Offensively, Ohio State averages 19.5 assists on an average of 29.8 field goals made per game. That means 65% of the time the Scarlet and Gray are moving the ball around the court and finding either the open look or somebody making a play, up 15% from the 13 games prior to the winning streak’s start with the calendar flip to 2024.
The Wolverines still have a say in how the game ends.
Michigan, who began the Big Ten season 2-0, became the unknown of the conference. The Wolverines sit at 8-8 in conference play. Since the win over Ohio State, head coach Kim Barnes Arico’s side is 5-2 against teams currently in the bottom half of the Big Ten standings and 1-6 against teams in the top half.
Guard Laila Phelia leads the way. The junior from Cincinnati is the top scorer for the Wolverines and enters Wednesday off a 16 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and four steals performance against the Northwestern Wildcats.
Phelia scored 26 points against Ohio State on Dec. 30, scoring 16 of those points inside the arc. The guard ran into and past the Buckeyes defense and Ohio State couldn’t find an answer for the junior.
Around Phelia is a team without one dominant rebounder. Instead, Michigan is a team where everyone rebounds. When shots go up in the air, the Maize and Blue crash the paint to grab anything that bounces off the rim. Michigan’s +5.7 rebounding margin is the third highest in the Big Ten. It’s something Ohio State needs to contest with, especially if shooting doesn't go its way to start.
G- Jacy Sheldon
G- Celeste Taylor
G- Taylor Thierry
F- Cotie McMahon
F- Rebeka Mikulášikova
G- Laila Phelia
G- Elissa Brett
G- Lauren Hansen
G- Jordan Hobbs
F- Chyra Evans
Expect the Buckeyes to come out strong and push for a 40-minute performance. After some nervy early shooting from Ohio State, the team will calm down and take control of the Wolverines.
McMahon will have a standout performance for the Scarlet and Gray after being neutralized by foul trouble in Ann Arbor. Ohio State will have at least 20 assists in the game, breaking the Wolverines zone and getting around the press they will implement at different parts of the evening.
Date: Wednesday, February 28, 2024
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio
Stream: Peacock
Tuesday, a pair of Buckeyes earned a place on another prestigious Player of the Year Award watchlist. The USBWA, United States Basketball Writers Association, named McMahon and Sheldon to its annual Ann Meyers-Drysdale Award watchlist. Not to be confused with the Naismith Ann Meyers-Drysdale Award, given to best shooting guard in the country, basketball writers give this award out to the best overall player of the season.
This isn’t the first award list for the pair. The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame also chose the pair of Buckeyes for its National Player of the Year Award watchlist.
For all the fun of receiving recognition, some was taken away from Taylor this week. On Monday, ESPN released its weekly Power Rankings, which includes its Player of the Week honor. Taylor received it for her performances against the Penn State Nittany Lions and Maryland Terrapins, scoring a combined 36 points, 10 steals, nine assists and seven rebounds.
When the Big Ten followed a couple hours later, it was Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark picking up the Player of the Week honor. While Clark did have a triple-double performance against the Illinois Fighting Illini, the guard also shot 30% against the Indiana Hoosiers in a 17-point defeat on Thursday.
The Big Ten still awarded Taylor a place on the weekly honor roll.
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
Ben Cole - Land-Grant Holy Land
With a title on the line, the Buckeyes welcome the only team to beat them in the Big Ten this season: The Michigan Wolverines
Wednesday night at the Schottenstein Center is the final regular season home game for Ohio State women’s basketball. Although it's not the largest billing to the greater NCAA basketball world — that comes Sunday when the No. 2 Buckeyes travel to Iowa City to face the No. 6 Iowa Hawkeyes — it’s the game with the most riding on it.
For head coach Kevin McGuff’s side, it’s simple: Win and the Big Ten regular season championship belongs to the Buckeyes.
It just so happens to be against hated rivals in the Michigan Wolverines. The same Wolverines who gave Ohio State its only loss of the conference season.
Preview
On Dec. 30, when these two teams last played, everything that could go wrong for the Buckeyes did go wrong. It was the team’s fewest rebounds in a game (27), lowest turnover margin of the season (-4) and second worst shooting performance from beyond the arc of its Big Ten calendar (20.8%).
The only thing that worked that fateful day was the shooting of guard Celeste Taylor. With 16 points, Taylor hit her highest scoring total of the first half of the season. Taylor also added four assists and four steals. Outside of that, it was rough goings.
Guard/forward Taylor Thierry added 15 points and nine rebounds, but no other starter hit double-digit scoring. Forward Cotie McMahon scored five points in 17 minutes, sitting most of the game due to foul trouble.
After the game, when coaches spend a couple minutes talking to each other before walking into the locker room to address the team, the coaching staff spoke to each other for close to 15 minutes before even talking with the players. Whatever was said in that coaches meeting, and subsequent team talk, turned Ohio State from a team expecting wins to come its way to a side that began putting in the work to make sure it happened.
McMahon is the starring example. Since that defeat, McMahon’s practice habits changed and the competitive sophomore the country met in the 2022-23 season took that competitive spirit into practice. The harder the practices, the more McMahon shined on the court.
The forward more than made up for the rough display in Ann Arbor on Jan. 21, when McMahon scored 33 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in a marquee win against the then No. 2 Iowa Hawkeyes in Columbus.
Taylor’s season-high 16 points was also eclipsed, multiple times. Following the holiday break, Taylor became a different player on offense, going from 7.6 points per game in non-conference play to 12.1 points against Big Ten opponents. The defense hasn’t dropped off either, as Taylor is first in the Big Ten in defensive rating (80.1), has the most steals (60) and most steals per game (2.2).
As a team, things are clicking for the Buckeyes to the tune of a 14-game winning streak. Offensively, Ohio State averages 19.5 assists on an average of 29.8 field goals made per game. That means 65% of the time the Scarlet and Gray are moving the ball around the court and finding either the open look or somebody making a play, up 15% from the 13 games prior to the winning streak’s start with the calendar flip to 2024.
The Wolverines still have a say in how the game ends.
Michigan, who began the Big Ten season 2-0, became the unknown of the conference. The Wolverines sit at 8-8 in conference play. Since the win over Ohio State, head coach Kim Barnes Arico’s side is 5-2 against teams currently in the bottom half of the Big Ten standings and 1-6 against teams in the top half.
Guard Laila Phelia leads the way. The junior from Cincinnati is the top scorer for the Wolverines and enters Wednesday off a 16 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and four steals performance against the Northwestern Wildcats.
Phelia scored 26 points against Ohio State on Dec. 30, scoring 16 of those points inside the arc. The guard ran into and past the Buckeyes defense and Ohio State couldn’t find an answer for the junior.
Around Phelia is a team without one dominant rebounder. Instead, Michigan is a team where everyone rebounds. When shots go up in the air, the Maize and Blue crash the paint to grab anything that bounces off the rim. Michigan’s +5.7 rebounding margin is the third highest in the Big Ten. It’s something Ohio State needs to contest with, especially if shooting doesn't go its way to start.
Ohio State
G- Jacy Sheldon
G- Celeste Taylor
G- Taylor Thierry
F- Cotie McMahon
F- Rebeka Mikulášikova
Lineup Notes
- Of guard Celeste Taylor’s best offensive games this season, three of the top four came in February.
- Guard Jacy Sheldon is 64 points away from scoring 2,000 career points, all with the Buckeyes.
- Guard/forward Taylor Thierry has won 21 of the Buckeyes 27 jump balls this season.
Michigan
G- Laila Phelia
G- Elissa Brett
G- Lauren Hansen
G- Jordan Hobbs
F- Chyra Evans
Lineup Notes
- Showing her all-around game, guard Laila Phelia had 16 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and four steals in 37 minutes against the Northwestern Wildcats on Saturday.
- The Wolverines have never won a road game against a top-five team in the country.
- Michigan has not won or lost more than two consecutive Big Ten games this season.
Prediction
Expect the Buckeyes to come out strong and push for a 40-minute performance. After some nervy early shooting from Ohio State, the team will calm down and take control of the Wolverines.
McMahon will have a standout performance for the Scarlet and Gray after being neutralized by foul trouble in Ann Arbor. Ohio State will have at least 20 assists in the game, breaking the Wolverines zone and getting around the press they will implement at different parts of the evening.
How to Watch
Date: Wednesday, February 28, 2024
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio
Stream: Peacock
LGHL Prediction: 78-63 Ohio State Buckeyes
Award Watch and Snub
Tuesday, a pair of Buckeyes earned a place on another prestigious Player of the Year Award watchlist. The USBWA, United States Basketball Writers Association, named McMahon and Sheldon to its annual Ann Meyers-Drysdale Award watchlist. Not to be confused with the Naismith Ann Meyers-Drysdale Award, given to best shooting guard in the country, basketball writers give this award out to the best overall player of the season.
This isn’t the first award list for the pair. The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame also chose the pair of Buckeyes for its National Player of the Year Award watchlist.
For all the fun of receiving recognition, some was taken away from Taylor this week. On Monday, ESPN released its weekly Power Rankings, which includes its Player of the Week honor. Taylor received it for her performances against the Penn State Nittany Lions and Maryland Terrapins, scoring a combined 36 points, 10 steals, nine assists and seven rebounds.
When the Big Ten followed a couple hours later, it was Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark picking up the Player of the Week honor. While Clark did have a triple-double performance against the Illinois Fighting Illini, the guard also shot 30% against the Indiana Hoosiers in a 17-point defeat on Thursday.
The Big Ten still awarded Taylor a place on the weekly honor roll.
Continue reading...
LGHL You’re Nuts: Would you prefer OSU WBB beat TTUN to win outright B1G title tonight or wait to do it at Iowa on Sunday?
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You’re Nuts: Would you prefer OSU WBB beat TTUN to win outright B1G title tonight or wait to do it at Iowa on Sunday?
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 Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images
A win against the rival for the Buckeyes locks up the title, but a loss sets up a main event of main events Sunday in Iowa City
Ohio State women’s basketball is on the brink of its first outright Big Ten regular season championship since the 17/18 season. The Buckeyes have done it, despite conference coaches and media selecting the Iowa Hawkeyes to win the regular season crown in the preseason.
In 16 conference games, the Scarlet and Gray fell just once, and that was 15 games ago. The Buckeyes’ 14-game winning streak, including victories over the Iowa Hawkeyes and Indiana Hoosiers, has head coach Kevin McGuff’s side one win away from the regular season championship, with two games remaining. Win one of the two final games, and the title goes to Columbus, shared with nobody.
This leads to today’s question.
Before the hate mail, and vicious Twitter @s, start coming my way, I want to preface my argument with the fact that I don’t think this will happen. The Buckeyes are on a tear and the amount of motivation to face the Michigan Wolverines on Wednesday is at a near all-time high.
After all, the Maize and Blue are the lone team to defeat the Buckeyes in conference play this season. It was honestly the game that changed Ohio State’s trajectory. A wake-up call, if you will.
However, the Big Ten schedule makers knew what they were doing this season. There were three teams who were realistically going to compete at the top of the conference in the Buckeyes, Hawkeyes, and Hoosiers. The scriptwriters had a 33% chance of getting it right and they did. For weeks, it looked like Iowa vs. Ohio State was the WrestleMania main event.
Now, I understand the heat that it will get me to say that losing to the Michigan Wolverines isn’t the worst thing that could happen to the Scarlet and Gray on Wednesday. My argument is summarized best with a quote from someone who knows WrestleMania main events: The Nature Boy Ric Flair.
“To be the man, you’ve gotta beat the man! Wooooo!”
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25307359/93353438.jpg "Hulk Hogan’s Hulkamania Tour Hits Perth")
Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images
Sure, Ohio State’s already beaten Iowa this year, coming back from 12 points against superstar, top scorer in Division I women’s basketball history, guard Caitlin Clark. There was one thing that was missing that day, compared to Sunday. The implications weren’t huge.
Ohio State’s lone game against the Iowa Hawkeyes that had immediate consequences for the Buckeyes’ trophy cabinet was last year in the Big Ten Tournament. After a monumental comeback against the Hoosiers in the semifinal, Iowa and Ohio State met in the final and the Buckeyes were played out of the building.
The Scarlet and Gray left black and blue, falling 105-72, complete with a triple-double for Clark. Win the title outright against Iowa, in Iowa, in what might be one of Clark’s final games on her home court would be a better feeling for Buckeyes fans than a win over Michigan.
Also, should Michigan pull off the upset of the season and beat the Buckeyes in Columbus, Ohio State will still walk out of Carver Arena on Sunday with a piece of thechampionship belt Big Ten regular season title.
That Sunday game, with ESPN’s “College GameDay” in town, between No. 2 and No. 6 in the nation, would surely hit another ratings record. A record the Buckeyes and Hawkeyes set on Jan. 21.
Could the possibility of Sunday’s matchup having huge conference and NCAA Tournament implications push women’s college basketball to a whole new stratosphere? There’s only one way to find out.
Look, I respect Thomas immensely. He is the absolute best that there is when it comes to covering the Ohio State women’s basketball team. That is not LGHL bias, that is not hyperbole, that is not me hyping up my You’re Nuts opponent for the week just so I can absolutely shred him in this column; it is simply the truth.
However, he is an objective beat reporter with no allegiance to Ohio State other than the fact that he covers the WBB team. So while he understands this point intellectually, he doesn’t understand it on a cellular level. There is no situation in which anyone who cares about OSU athletics should ever directly or indirectly root for the Buckeyes to lose to Michigan... which is in fact what he is doing.
Because the football team has fumbled The Game the last three seasons, the animosity between the bitter rivals is at a 21st-century high, and in many ways, that transcends sports, so there will certainly be no love lost between the Scarlet and Gray and Corn and Blue tonight. But this is more than that.
Kevin McGuff’s Buckeyes are 24-3 on the season, including a near-spotless 15-1 record in Big Ten play this season. Who delivered that lone B1G L to OSU? That’s right, The Fighting Meerkats of Ann Arbor. Ohio State’s last loss came on Dec. 30 in a not-very-nice 69-60 defeat at the hands of Mitten State Skunk Bears.
Since then, OSU is a perfect 14-0 and ranked second in the country. Unless they meet up in the NCAA Tournament, McGuff’s squad won’t be able to avenge its other two losses on the season until next Big Ten season, as they fell to both USC (83-74 in the season opener on Nov. 6) and UCLA (77-71 on Dec. 18) in non-conference play. However, the Bucks have a chance to right the wrong tonight at the Schott when the Muskrats come to town.
And while I understand the drama that would be at play to win the Big Ten title outright in the regular season finale on the road in the defending conference champion’s building on what should be an absolutely historic day when Caitlin Clark is likely to pass Pistol Pete Maravich’s all-time NCAA scoring mark, there is just something special about doing it at home, in front of your fans, against your hated rival.
So, no matter the season, no matter the sport, I say, “Go Bucks! Beat Michigan!”
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 Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images
A win against the rival for the Buckeyes locks up the title, but a loss sets up a main event of main events Sunday in Iowa City
Ohio State women’s basketball is on the brink of its first outright Big Ten regular season championship since the 17/18 season. The Buckeyes have done it, despite conference coaches and media selecting the Iowa Hawkeyes to win the regular season crown in the preseason.
In 16 conference games, the Scarlet and Gray fell just once, and that was 15 games ago. The Buckeyes’ 14-game winning streak, including victories over the Iowa Hawkeyes and Indiana Hoosiers, has head coach Kevin McGuff’s side one win away from the regular season championship, with two games remaining. Win one of the two final games, and the title goes to Columbus, shared with nobody.
This leads to today’s question.
Today’s question: Would you prefer the OSU women’s basketball team beat Michigan to win the outright Big Ten title tonight, or wait to do it at Iowa on Sunday?
We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.
Thomas’ answer: Win it in Iowa
Before the hate mail, and vicious Twitter @s, start coming my way, I want to preface my argument with the fact that I don’t think this will happen. The Buckeyes are on a tear and the amount of motivation to face the Michigan Wolverines on Wednesday is at a near all-time high.
After all, the Maize and Blue are the lone team to defeat the Buckeyes in conference play this season. It was honestly the game that changed Ohio State’s trajectory. A wake-up call, if you will.
However, the Big Ten schedule makers knew what they were doing this season. There were three teams who were realistically going to compete at the top of the conference in the Buckeyes, Hawkeyes, and Hoosiers. The scriptwriters had a 33% chance of getting it right and they did. For weeks, it looked like Iowa vs. Ohio State was the WrestleMania main event.
Now, I understand the heat that it will get me to say that losing to the Michigan Wolverines isn’t the worst thing that could happen to the Scarlet and Gray on Wednesday. My argument is summarized best with a quote from someone who knows WrestleMania main events: The Nature Boy Ric Flair.
“To be the man, you’ve gotta beat the man! Wooooo!”
Sure, Ohio State’s already beaten Iowa this year, coming back from 12 points against superstar, top scorer in Division I women’s basketball history, guard Caitlin Clark. There was one thing that was missing that day, compared to Sunday. The implications weren’t huge.
Ohio State’s lone game against the Iowa Hawkeyes that had immediate consequences for the Buckeyes’ trophy cabinet was last year in the Big Ten Tournament. After a monumental comeback against the Hoosiers in the semifinal, Iowa and Ohio State met in the final and the Buckeyes were played out of the building.
The Scarlet and Gray left black and blue, falling 105-72, complete with a triple-double for Clark. Win the title outright against Iowa, in Iowa, in what might be one of Clark’s final games on her home court would be a better feeling for Buckeyes fans than a win over Michigan.
Also, should Michigan pull off the upset of the season and beat the Buckeyes in Columbus, Ohio State will still walk out of Carver Arena on Sunday with a piece of the
That Sunday game, with ESPN’s “College GameDay” in town, between No. 2 and No. 6 in the nation, would surely hit another ratings record. A record the Buckeyes and Hawkeyes set on Jan. 21.
Could the possibility of Sunday’s matchup having huge conference and NCAA Tournament implications push women’s college basketball to a whole new stratosphere? There’s only one way to find out.
Matt’s answer: Beat Michigan
Look, I respect Thomas immensely. He is the absolute best that there is when it comes to covering the Ohio State women’s basketball team. That is not LGHL bias, that is not hyperbole, that is not me hyping up my You’re Nuts opponent for the week just so I can absolutely shred him in this column; it is simply the truth.
However, he is an objective beat reporter with no allegiance to Ohio State other than the fact that he covers the WBB team. So while he understands this point intellectually, he doesn’t understand it on a cellular level. There is no situation in which anyone who cares about OSU athletics should ever directly or indirectly root for the Buckeyes to lose to Michigan... which is in fact what he is doing.
Because the football team has fumbled The Game the last three seasons, the animosity between the bitter rivals is at a 21st-century high, and in many ways, that transcends sports, so there will certainly be no love lost between the Scarlet and Gray and Corn and Blue tonight. But this is more than that.
Kevin McGuff’s Buckeyes are 24-3 on the season, including a near-spotless 15-1 record in Big Ten play this season. Who delivered that lone B1G L to OSU? That’s right, The Fighting Meerkats of Ann Arbor. Ohio State’s last loss came on Dec. 30 in a not-very-nice 69-60 defeat at the hands of Mitten State Skunk Bears.
Since then, OSU is a perfect 14-0 and ranked second in the country. Unless they meet up in the NCAA Tournament, McGuff’s squad won’t be able to avenge its other two losses on the season until next Big Ten season, as they fell to both USC (83-74 in the season opener on Nov. 6) and UCLA (77-71 on Dec. 18) in non-conference play. However, the Bucks have a chance to right the wrong tonight at the Schott when the Muskrats come to town.
And while I understand the drama that would be at play to win the Big Ten title outright in the regular season finale on the road in the defending conference champion’s building on what should be an absolutely historic day when Caitlin Clark is likely to pass Pistol Pete Maravich’s all-time NCAA scoring mark, there is just something special about doing it at home, in front of your fans, against your hated rival.
So, no matter the season, no matter the sport, I say, “Go Bucks! Beat Michigan!”
Continue reading...
LGHL Taking Buckeye Nation’s pulse on the football and men’s and women’s basketball teams
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Taking Buckeye Nation’s pulse on the football and men’s and women’s basketball teams
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Fill out our Land-Grant Holy Land fan survey.
Before, during, and after the Ohio State football season, we here at Land-Grant Holy Land like to ask and answer questions about the team, college football, and anything else on our collective minds of varying degrees of importance. If you have a question that you would like to ask, you can tweet us @LandGrant33 or if you need more than 280 characters, send an email HERE.
It is an interesting time for Buckeye fans right now. The football team — always the focus of attention — is less than a week away from the start of spring practice, but there is intrigue for both the men’s and women’s basketball teams, admittedly for very different reasons.
So, we wanted to gauge your thoughts on all three programs in a special fan survey. There is one question about each team in the survey at the end of the article. We will run through each question beforehand, so make sure that you scroll all the way down to vote.
If you have a take that doesn’t fit neatly into the predetermined questions, feel free to share it in the comments at the bottom of the page, and check back on Thursday for the results.
This one is a little bit of a trick question because we won’t actually get to watch much of anything during the spring except for the Spring Game. However, OSU beat reporters should have access to about one-third of the practices, so hopefully, we will hear a little bit about each of these topics over the next few weeks.
For me, I am less concerned about the stuff on the defensive side of the ball, because of how strong that unit was last year. I am fully confident that Caleb Downs joining the safeties room can only be a positive, and while I would love to see Sonny Styles make the move to linebacker, even if he doesn’t, I am optimistic that they will find a way to utilize his freakish talents.
While James Laurinaitis is stepping up to his first real, full-time coaching position, Jim Knowles will still be there to help him, and I have full faith in Little Animal’s ability to be excellent as the linebackers coach.
But we all know that it was the offense that kept the Buckeyes from a shot at the national title last year. So, between Chip Kelly’s influence over the offense, both in terms of schemes and play-calling, and Will Howard’s adaptation to the program, that is where I am most focused during these 15 practices.
Our men’s basketball writers Connor Lemons and Justin Golba have done an excellent job in covering the firing of Chris Holtmann and subsequent transitional period that the team is currently in. The wins against Purdue and Michigan State that Jake Diebler has orchestrated have been impressive, but the team also lost to Minnesota in between, so it hasn’t been a complete 180° turnaround.
Depending on who the next head coach is, I would not be opposed to keeping him on staff as he has been the team’s leading recruiter, and talent accumulation has not be the downfall of the team.
I get it that lots of Ohio State fans aren’t exactly basketball fans, and even fewer regularly follow women’s sports, but this team is a ton of fun to watch. They are aggressive defensively, they have knock-down sharpshooters, and there is no deficit that cannot be overcome.
They made an impressive Elite 8 run last year and look to be a markedly better team in 2024 than they were in 2023. So, now is a perfect time to jump on the bandwagon, especially since they could secure an outright Big Ten title with a win tonight against Michigan.
Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Ohio State fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
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Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Fill out our Land-Grant Holy Land fan survey.
Before, during, and after the Ohio State football season, we here at Land-Grant Holy Land like to ask and answer questions about the team, college football, and anything else on our collective minds of varying degrees of importance. If you have a question that you would like to ask, you can tweet us @LandGrant33 or if you need more than 280 characters, send an email HERE.
It is an interesting time for Buckeye fans right now. The football team — always the focus of attention — is less than a week away from the start of spring practice, but there is intrigue for both the men’s and women’s basketball teams, admittedly for very different reasons.
So, we wanted to gauge your thoughts on all three programs in a special fan survey. There is one question about each team in the survey at the end of the article. We will run through each question beforehand, so make sure that you scroll all the way down to vote.
If you have a take that doesn’t fit neatly into the predetermined questions, feel free to share it in the comments at the bottom of the page, and check back on Thursday for the results.
Question 1: What are you most excited to watch during spring practice?
This one is a little bit of a trick question because we won’t actually get to watch much of anything during the spring except for the Spring Game. However, OSU beat reporters should have access to about one-third of the practices, so hopefully, we will hear a little bit about each of these topics over the next few weeks.
For me, I am less concerned about the stuff on the defensive side of the ball, because of how strong that unit was last year. I am fully confident that Caleb Downs joining the safeties room can only be a positive, and while I would love to see Sonny Styles make the move to linebacker, even if he doesn’t, I am optimistic that they will find a way to utilize his freakish talents.
While James Laurinaitis is stepping up to his first real, full-time coaching position, Jim Knowles will still be there to help him, and I have full faith in Little Animal’s ability to be excellent as the linebackers coach.
But we all know that it was the offense that kept the Buckeyes from a shot at the national title last year. So, between Chip Kelly’s influence over the offense, both in terms of schemes and play-calling, and Will Howard’s adaptation to the program, that is where I am most focused during these 15 practices.
Question 2: What should Ohio State do with Jake Diebler?
Our men’s basketball writers Connor Lemons and Justin Golba have done an excellent job in covering the firing of Chris Holtmann and subsequent transitional period that the team is currently in. The wins against Purdue and Michigan State that Jake Diebler has orchestrated have been impressive, but the team also lost to Minnesota in between, so it hasn’t been a complete 180° turnaround.
Depending on who the next head coach is, I would not be opposed to keeping him on staff as he has been the team’s leading recruiter, and talent accumulation has not be the downfall of the team.
Question 3: How plugged in are you to the women’s basketball team?
I get it that lots of Ohio State fans aren’t exactly basketball fans, and even fewer regularly follow women’s sports, but this team is a ton of fun to watch. They are aggressive defensively, they have knock-down sharpshooters, and there is no deficit that cannot be overcome.
They made an impressive Elite 8 run last year and look to be a markedly better team in 2024 than they were in 2023. So, now is a perfect time to jump on the bandwagon, especially since they could secure an outright Big Ten title with a win tonight against Michigan.
Share your thoughts here:
Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Ohio State fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Check out DraftKings Sportsbook, the official sportsbook partner of SB Nation.
Continue reading...
LGHL Visiting Locker Room: Her Hoop Stats on Michigan Wolverines’ up-and-down season
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Visiting Locker Room: Her Hoop Stats on Michigan Wolverines’ up-and-down season
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 Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images
What can Michigan do to win two against the Buckeyes, plus the players to watch beyond Laila Phelia.
Wednesday night reignites a rivalry that’s spanned generations. Ohio State versus Michigan has enough chapters for multiple books. Now, when Ohio State women’s basketball welcomes the Michigan Wolverines to Columbus, the Buckeyes hope to add a new, trophy-filled chapter.
A win for the Scarlet and Gray puts a 16th Big Ten regular season title in the program’s trophy cabinet. However, the Wolverines are the one team who’s bested the Buckeyes during the Big Ten season.
To see how Michigan’s doing, players to watch and how they can beat Ohio State, Land-Grant Holy Land reached out to Olivia Janik from Her Hoop Stats. She discusses all those topics ahead of the midweek Big Ten matchup.
Land-Grant Holy Land: Michigan is .500 in-conference this season, after winning its first two games against Illinois and Ohio State, they’ve lost eight of 14. What have you seen holding the Wolverines back in 2024?
LGHL: Guard Laila Phelia is the clear cut leader of this year’s Michigan team. Who else has to step up for the Maize and Blue to be effective against Ohio State?
LGHL: Michigan is a far better rebounding team than the Buckeyes (comparing a +5.7 to -.9 rebounding margin). How are they so effective at grabbing missed shots?
LGHL: How can Michigan beat Ohio State on Wednesday?
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 Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images
What can Michigan do to win two against the Buckeyes, plus the players to watch beyond Laila Phelia.
Wednesday night reignites a rivalry that’s spanned generations. Ohio State versus Michigan has enough chapters for multiple books. Now, when Ohio State women’s basketball welcomes the Michigan Wolverines to Columbus, the Buckeyes hope to add a new, trophy-filled chapter.
A win for the Scarlet and Gray puts a 16th Big Ten regular season title in the program’s trophy cabinet. However, the Wolverines are the one team who’s bested the Buckeyes during the Big Ten season.
To see how Michigan’s doing, players to watch and how they can beat Ohio State, Land-Grant Holy Land reached out to Olivia Janik from Her Hoop Stats. She discusses all those topics ahead of the midweek Big Ten matchup.
Land-Grant Holy Land: Michigan is .500 in-conference this season, after winning its first two games against Illinois and Ohio State, they’ve lost eight of 14. What have you seen holding the Wolverines back in 2024?
LGHL: Guard Laila Phelia is the clear cut leader of this year’s Michigan team. Who else has to step up for the Maize and Blue to be effective against Ohio State?
LGHL: Michigan is a far better rebounding team than the Buckeyes (comparing a +5.7 to -.9 rebounding margin). How are they so effective at grabbing missed shots?
LGHL: How can Michigan beat Ohio State on Wednesday?
Continue reading...