-
New here? Register here now for access to all the forums, download game torrents, private messages, polls, Sportsbook, etc. Plus, stay connected and follow BP on Instagram @buckeyeplanet and Facebook.
LGHL Column: Take a bow, Jake Diebler
- News
- 0 Replies
Column: Take a bow, Jake Diebler
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
A proud Ohio kid turned proud Ohio State coach took the Buckeyes on a thrilling, memorable run to end the season.
Sitting in the visitor’s locker room at the Target Center, not even 30 minutes after bowing out of the Big Ten Tournament following a 77-74 loss to No. seed 2 Illinois in the quarterfinal, a red-eyed Jake Diebler took questions about his future with the Ohio State men’s basketball program: the program that he has now worked at for eight seasons under four different titles — video coordinator, assistant coach, associate head coach, and now interim head coach; the program his younger brother, Jon, established himself as the greatest three-pointer the school has ever seen; the program he grew up having ultimate reverence for as a northwest-Ohio native and graduate of Upper Sandusky High School.
“There will be a time and place to think through that. Right now, there’s still a job to be done and my focus is on that.” Diebler said. “When Gene (Smith) asked me to do this… I just want to serve these guys the best that I possibly can, until the absolute last second of this year. And I want to serve this program. I love this program.
“This program means so much to me and my family, and I want to serve this program with everything I have. As far as kind of what’s next, I don’t think there’s been an appropriate time to fully think through that because the focus has been on the here and now. So, there will be a time for that. Sorry if that’s not now.”
When former Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann was fired on Feb. 14, Diebler was tasked with executing an emergency crash landing. The Buckeyes were 4-10 in Big Ten play and were jostling with Michigan on a game-by-game basis to not be in last place in the conference standings. Purdue was coming to town in four days; a daunting trip to Michigan State was on the schedule for one week later.
No one expected much from Diebler on Valentine’s Day, so saying “he exceeded expectations” would not do justice to the job he and the Ohio State coaching staff did over the final five weeks of the season. Diebler, Jack Owens, Mike Netti, Brandon Bailey, Terence Dials, Nick Kellogg, and Quadrian Banks galvanized a group of young men when it would have been so much easier to just go through the motions until the season ended. Somehow, they did the opposite.
Sitting in 13th-place in the Big Ten, how do you get a full team of 18 to 23-year-olds to fully buy in? How do you persuade the entire team that even though nobody believes in you — including your own fans — there’s still a reason to fight? Somehow, Diebler didn’t only get Ohio State to keep playing, he got them to take it up to another level.
The Buckeyes turned up the defensive intensity, holding Michigan State, Nebraska, Michigan, and Rutgers to an average of 59.5 points per game — all Ohio State wins. The Buckeyes' defensive efficiency ranking was worse than 100th in the country when Diebler took over. Following the loss to Illinois, Ohio State now sits at No. 65 nationally, allowing 100.2 points per 100 possessions — which is seventh in the Big Ten.
He got buy-in on the defensive end by holding players’ feet to the flames on the little things that win games. It didn’t matter if it was Bruce Thornton, Bowen Hardman, or anyone in between — if you don’t box out, you’re sitting on the bench. If you don’t immediately get back in transition, you’re sitting on the bench. With the thought of getting pulled (even for just a minute or two) lingering in the backs of their minds, the Buckeyes created more consistent habits — habits that just weren’t sticking with Holtmann.
Diebler also decided immediately that he wanted the Buckeyes to move more quickly. Ohio State has annually been in the bottom third of all college basketball teams in terms of tempo. The interim head coach decided that was going to change.
“We’re playing to win,” Diebler said after an 84-61 shellacking of Michigan on March 3. “We need to be aggressive. We need to play with pace. We need to strike early.”
The Buckeyes did just that, increasing their tempo, pushing the ball up the floor in transition, and trying to catch their opponents sleeping. After every missed shot by the opposition, you could see Diebler waving his right arm in a windmill motion, directing the offense to speed it up like a conductor commanding an orchestra.
These habits led to wins. First, the upset of No. 2 Purdue. With just four days to prepare for the National Player of the Year and reigning Big Ten Champions, Diebler guided Ohio State to its biggest home win in years. He did it while also managing the emotions of 15 young men — and staff — who were blindsided by the firing of Holtmann just a few days earlier. After the win, Thornton mentioned how Diebler was focused on helping them clear their minds in the days leading up to the Purdue game, because, “We can’t win the basketball game if our minds are focused on something else.”
Then, they knocked off Michigan State at Breslin for the first time since 2012. When Dale Bonner buried the game-winner with under one second remaining, Diebler fell to the floor before realizing that there was still time on the clock and that he needed to get his celebrating team off the court before they received a bench technical. It was an emotional win for the Buckeyes after trailing by double-digits at halftime. Even being down in the final minutes, Diebler said that’s exactly where he hoped they would be at the end — within a few points with a chance to win on the road. The win also snapped a program-record 17 consecutive road losses.
The Buckeyes then finished the regular season by winning three in a row, including yet another road win, this time over Rutgers at the RAC by 22 points. Jokes about making the NCAA Tournament quickly turned into something tangible. There was an arbitrary line drawn by ball-knowers everywhere — Ohio State could actually make the NCAA Tournament with two or three wins in the Big Ten Tournament. The Buckeyes did not need to win it all, although they certainly wanted to.
After out-pacing Iowa in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament, Ohio State fell in the final 70 seconds to Illinois in a game that — if that had won — may have completed the miraculous turnaround and put them in the NCAA Tournament. Evan Mahaffey and Felix Okpara both fouled out. Devin Royal and Battle were both playing with four fouls. Meanwhile, Dain Dainja and Terrence Shannon were drawing fouls left and right, leaving Diebler with few options or answers. The gas ran out. The bubble popped. The hourglass had flipped, and all of the sand had hit the bottom.
After (kind of) answering the question about his future, Diebler was asked how he would handle the next two days. Ohio State will likely get an invitation to the NIT, and it sounds like they will accept if offered. But that technically is not a guarantee, so there won’t be practice this weekend. Nobody knows if there’s another game coming up, who the next coach is, or which players may be transferring away in the coming days. Some members of the team may never play another game or go through another practice donning scarlet and gray.
“Just keep serving these guys the best I can,” Diebler said. “We’ve earned the right to play in the postseason. Considering where we were to where we are now, I just think that’s such a great thing. And we may have fallen a little short, we’ll see. Certainly, we’ve worked our way onto the bubble. But, I think [the] postseason is absolutely there for us in some way. And we’ve got a lot of guys who will embrace that.”
He went on, when asked specifically about the NIT, “I’ve had a lot of fun with this group. These guys are a joy to coach, and I think if we do play, there’s a championship to be won. And I know the competitive spirit of this group. So I would anticipate if that’s the case that we’ll be ready to go.”
NCAA Tournament or no NCAA Tournament, NIT or no NIT, head coach, assistant coach, or no coach at all. Regardless of how the next few days shape up, go ahead and take a bow, Jake Diebler.
Maybe Ross Bjork will remove the interim tag and make Diebler the permanent head coach. Maybe he won’t. But the six wins he and staff earned over the past five weeks showed all of America the type of person and coach that the elder Diebler is, and will continue to be, wherever his next stop is.
It may have only been six wins, but they were six wins that Buckeye Nation will never forget.
Continue reading...
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
A proud Ohio kid turned proud Ohio State coach took the Buckeyes on a thrilling, memorable run to end the season.
Sitting in the visitor’s locker room at the Target Center, not even 30 minutes after bowing out of the Big Ten Tournament following a 77-74 loss to No. seed 2 Illinois in the quarterfinal, a red-eyed Jake Diebler took questions about his future with the Ohio State men’s basketball program: the program that he has now worked at for eight seasons under four different titles — video coordinator, assistant coach, associate head coach, and now interim head coach; the program his younger brother, Jon, established himself as the greatest three-pointer the school has ever seen; the program he grew up having ultimate reverence for as a northwest-Ohio native and graduate of Upper Sandusky High School.
“There will be a time and place to think through that. Right now, there’s still a job to be done and my focus is on that.” Diebler said. “When Gene (Smith) asked me to do this… I just want to serve these guys the best that I possibly can, until the absolute last second of this year. And I want to serve this program. I love this program.
“This program means so much to me and my family, and I want to serve this program with everything I have. As far as kind of what’s next, I don’t think there’s been an appropriate time to fully think through that because the focus has been on the here and now. So, there will be a time for that. Sorry if that’s not now.”
When former Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann was fired on Feb. 14, Diebler was tasked with executing an emergency crash landing. The Buckeyes were 4-10 in Big Ten play and were jostling with Michigan on a game-by-game basis to not be in last place in the conference standings. Purdue was coming to town in four days; a daunting trip to Michigan State was on the schedule for one week later.
No one expected much from Diebler on Valentine’s Day, so saying “he exceeded expectations” would not do justice to the job he and the Ohio State coaching staff did over the final five weeks of the season. Diebler, Jack Owens, Mike Netti, Brandon Bailey, Terence Dials, Nick Kellogg, and Quadrian Banks galvanized a group of young men when it would have been so much easier to just go through the motions until the season ended. Somehow, they did the opposite.
Sitting in 13th-place in the Big Ten, how do you get a full team of 18 to 23-year-olds to fully buy in? How do you persuade the entire team that even though nobody believes in you — including your own fans — there’s still a reason to fight? Somehow, Diebler didn’t only get Ohio State to keep playing, he got them to take it up to another level.
The Buckeyes turned up the defensive intensity, holding Michigan State, Nebraska, Michigan, and Rutgers to an average of 59.5 points per game — all Ohio State wins. The Buckeyes' defensive efficiency ranking was worse than 100th in the country when Diebler took over. Following the loss to Illinois, Ohio State now sits at No. 65 nationally, allowing 100.2 points per 100 possessions — which is seventh in the Big Ten.
He got buy-in on the defensive end by holding players’ feet to the flames on the little things that win games. It didn’t matter if it was Bruce Thornton, Bowen Hardman, or anyone in between — if you don’t box out, you’re sitting on the bench. If you don’t immediately get back in transition, you’re sitting on the bench. With the thought of getting pulled (even for just a minute or two) lingering in the backs of their minds, the Buckeyes created more consistent habits — habits that just weren’t sticking with Holtmann.
Diebler also decided immediately that he wanted the Buckeyes to move more quickly. Ohio State has annually been in the bottom third of all college basketball teams in terms of tempo. The interim head coach decided that was going to change.
“We’re playing to win,” Diebler said after an 84-61 shellacking of Michigan on March 3. “We need to be aggressive. We need to play with pace. We need to strike early.”
The Buckeyes did just that, increasing their tempo, pushing the ball up the floor in transition, and trying to catch their opponents sleeping. After every missed shot by the opposition, you could see Diebler waving his right arm in a windmill motion, directing the offense to speed it up like a conductor commanding an orchestra.
These habits led to wins. First, the upset of No. 2 Purdue. With just four days to prepare for the National Player of the Year and reigning Big Ten Champions, Diebler guided Ohio State to its biggest home win in years. He did it while also managing the emotions of 15 young men — and staff — who were blindsided by the firing of Holtmann just a few days earlier. After the win, Thornton mentioned how Diebler was focused on helping them clear their minds in the days leading up to the Purdue game, because, “We can’t win the basketball game if our minds are focused on something else.”
DALE BONNER WINS IT FOR @OhioStateHoops
(via @CBSSports)
pic.twitter.com/ZRr6qZznNw
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) February 25, 2024
Then, they knocked off Michigan State at Breslin for the first time since 2012. When Dale Bonner buried the game-winner with under one second remaining, Diebler fell to the floor before realizing that there was still time on the clock and that he needed to get his celebrating team off the court before they received a bench technical. It was an emotional win for the Buckeyes after trailing by double-digits at halftime. Even being down in the final minutes, Diebler said that’s exactly where he hoped they would be at the end — within a few points with a chance to win on the road. The win also snapped a program-record 17 consecutive road losses.
The Buckeyes then finished the regular season by winning three in a row, including yet another road win, this time over Rutgers at the RAC by 22 points. Jokes about making the NCAA Tournament quickly turned into something tangible. There was an arbitrary line drawn by ball-knowers everywhere — Ohio State could actually make the NCAA Tournament with two or three wins in the Big Ten Tournament. The Buckeyes did not need to win it all, although they certainly wanted to.
After out-pacing Iowa in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament, Ohio State fell in the final 70 seconds to Illinois in a game that — if that had won — may have completed the miraculous turnaround and put them in the NCAA Tournament. Evan Mahaffey and Felix Okpara both fouled out. Devin Royal and Battle were both playing with four fouls. Meanwhile, Dain Dainja and Terrence Shannon were drawing fouls left and right, leaving Diebler with few options or answers. The gas ran out. The bubble popped. The hourglass had flipped, and all of the sand had hit the bottom.
After (kind of) answering the question about his future, Diebler was asked how he would handle the next two days. Ohio State will likely get an invitation to the NIT, and it sounds like they will accept if offered. But that technically is not a guarantee, so there won’t be practice this weekend. Nobody knows if there’s another game coming up, who the next coach is, or which players may be transferring away in the coming days. Some members of the team may never play another game or go through another practice donning scarlet and gray.
“Just keep serving these guys the best I can,” Diebler said. “We’ve earned the right to play in the postseason. Considering where we were to where we are now, I just think that’s such a great thing. And we may have fallen a little short, we’ll see. Certainly, we’ve worked our way onto the bubble. But, I think [the] postseason is absolutely there for us in some way. And we’ve got a lot of guys who will embrace that.”
He went on, when asked specifically about the NIT, “I’ve had a lot of fun with this group. These guys are a joy to coach, and I think if we do play, there’s a championship to be won. And I know the competitive spirit of this group. So I would anticipate if that’s the case that we’ll be ready to go.”
NCAA Tournament or no NCAA Tournament, NIT or no NIT, head coach, assistant coach, or no coach at all. Regardless of how the next few days shape up, go ahead and take a bow, Jake Diebler.
Maybe Ross Bjork will remove the interim tag and make Diebler the permanent head coach. Maybe he won’t. But the six wins he and staff earned over the past five weeks showed all of America the type of person and coach that the elder Diebler is, and will continue to be, wherever his next stop is.
It may have only been six wins, but they were six wins that Buckeye Nation will never forget.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State’s men’s hockey team battles Michigan State in Big Ten Tournament semifinal
- News
- 0 Replies
Ohio State’s men’s hockey team battles Michigan State in Big Ten Tournament semifinal
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Buckeyes will look to pull another upset to move on to next week’s conference title game.
It has been a rough season for the Ohio State men’s hockey team, but the Buckeyes are playing some of their best hockey of the year when it matters most. Last weekend in the Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinals, Ohio State went into Madison and upset the Wisconsin Badgers, the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament.
The Buckeyes won two of three games in the best-of-three series to advance in the conference tournament, setting up a semifinal meeting with the Michigan State Spartans.
Prior to their meeting last weekend, Ohio State and Wisconsin had split the four games they played during the regular season. Back in early December, the Buckeyes made the trip to Madison and were smashed by the home team, falling by a combined score of 9-1 over two games. Ohio State was able to earn some revenge, sweeping Wisconsin in the two games the teams played in Columbus in the middle of February. The 3-2 win in overtime on Feb. 16 by the Buckeyes halted a seven-game losing streak.
In the opening game of the quarterfinal series, Brent Johnson gave Ohio State an early lead, scoring 9:08 into the first period. Wisconsin quickly responded, knotting the score at one just over two minutes later when William Whitelaw found the back of the net. After a scoreless second period, Max Montes scored what would end up being the game-winning-goal 2:21 into the third period as the Buckeyes were on the power play. Montes would add an insurance goal late in the period when Wisconsin pulled their goal to put an extra attacker on the ice.
Game two on Saturday night didn’t go quite as smoothly for Ohio State. This time the Badgers got on the scoreboard first when Christian Fitzgerald scored on the power play 13 minutes into the opening period. Late in the first period the Buckeyes responded with a power play goal of their own with a minute left in the period courtesy of Thomas Weis.
Unfortunately for Ohio State, Wisconsin took control of the game in the next period with two goals, and while Patrick Guzzo closed the deficit to one in the middle of the third period, the Badgers added an empty net goal late in the period to tie the series up.
In the deciding game, Ohio State jumped out on the Badgers early when Davis Burnside scored on the power play at the 6:16 mark of the first period. Scooter Brickley doubled the lead halfway through the second period, and Burnside iced the game with an empty net goal with three minutes left in the game. Wisconsin pulled one back to ruin the shutout but that would be the only goal they would score in the game.
Not only was the win by Ohio State the 1,000th victory in school history, the Buckeyes became the first seven-seed to win a quarterfinal series in the Big Ten Tournament.
With their victories in Madison, Ohio State will now hit the road again this weekend, this time traveling to East Lansing for a semifinal showdown with the Michigan State Spartans. Despite losing three of four games to the Spartans during the regular season, the lone win for the Buckeyes this year between the teams did come in East Lansing.
After Gavin O’Connell opened the scoring for the Spartans in the contest on Feb. 23, Ohio State reeled off four-straight goals, with two of them coming off the stick of Sam Deckhut. The Buckeyes would go on to win the game 6-2 before falling to the Spartans 5-2 the next night.
Michigan State enters the semifinal with a 22-9-3 record on the season. While Ohio State battled Wisconsin last week, the Spartans were able to relax at home, as they were the recipient of a bye in the Big Ten Tournament since they were the top team in the conference during the regular season. The last time Michigan State took the ice, they split a pair of games at Wisconsin at the beginning of the month.
Leading the charge for Michigan State is freshman defenseman Artyom Levshunov. The Belarusian is a finalist for Big Ten Player of the Year, Big Ten Defenseman of the Year, and Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Levshunov has scored nine goals and dished out 23 assists so far this season in 36 games.
Along with Levshunov, head coach Adam Nightingale is also in the running for conference honors, as the second-year head coach is a finalist for Big Ten Coach of the Year.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25338339/usa_today_22682555.jpg "Syndication: Journal Sentinel")
Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
One player Ohio State is going to have to keep tabs on in the semifinal is Gavin O’Connell. The freshman from Minnesota played his best hockey of the season against Ohio State, scoring two goals in three of the four matchups between the teams, finishing with seven goals over the four games. O’Connell is tied with Karsen Dorwat for the team-lead with 14 goals so far this season.
Dorwat is tied with Levshunov for the most overall points on the squad, with both players have recorded 32 points in Michigan State’s 34 games. Joey Larson and Issac Howard sit just a point behind Dowat and Levshunov, tallying 31 points on the year.
Along with a potent offense, Michigan State also has a strong defense. Starting between the pipes for the Spartans will be Trey Augustiine, who is a finalist for Big Ten Goaltender of the Year. Augustine is 20-8-2 this season, recording three shutouts, a 2.92 goals against average, and a .918 save percentage.
The Buckeyes will have to hope they catch Augustine on a bad night, much like they did in the first matchup in East Lansing when they were able to put six pucks past the freshman goaltender.
The winner of the semifinal between the Buckeyes and Spartans will go on to meet the winner of the other semifinal between Michigan and Minnesota, which will also be played on Saturday. The Big Ten Tournament Championship Game will be played on March 23 at the campus of the higher-seeded team.
If Ohio State is able to upset Michigan State, it will mark the third time the Buckeyes have advanced to the conference title game.
Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
TV: Big Ten Network
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Buckeyes will look to pull another upset to move on to next week’s conference title game.
It has been a rough season for the Ohio State men’s hockey team, but the Buckeyes are playing some of their best hockey of the year when it matters most. Last weekend in the Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinals, Ohio State went into Madison and upset the Wisconsin Badgers, the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament.
The Buckeyes won two of three games in the best-of-three series to advance in the conference tournament, setting up a semifinal meeting with the Michigan State Spartans.
Prior to their meeting last weekend, Ohio State and Wisconsin had split the four games they played during the regular season. Back in early December, the Buckeyes made the trip to Madison and were smashed by the home team, falling by a combined score of 9-1 over two games. Ohio State was able to earn some revenge, sweeping Wisconsin in the two games the teams played in Columbus in the middle of February. The 3-2 win in overtime on Feb. 16 by the Buckeyes halted a seven-game losing streak.
In the opening game of the quarterfinal series, Brent Johnson gave Ohio State an early lead, scoring 9:08 into the first period. Wisconsin quickly responded, knotting the score at one just over two minutes later when William Whitelaw found the back of the net. After a scoreless second period, Max Montes scored what would end up being the game-winning-goal 2:21 into the third period as the Buckeyes were on the power play. Montes would add an insurance goal late in the period when Wisconsin pulled their goal to put an extra attacker on the ice.
Game two on Saturday night didn’t go quite as smoothly for Ohio State. This time the Badgers got on the scoreboard first when Christian Fitzgerald scored on the power play 13 minutes into the opening period. Late in the first period the Buckeyes responded with a power play goal of their own with a minute left in the period courtesy of Thomas Weis.
Unfortunately for Ohio State, Wisconsin took control of the game in the next period with two goals, and while Patrick Guzzo closed the deficit to one in the middle of the third period, the Badgers added an empty net goal late in the period to tie the series up.
In the deciding game, Ohio State jumped out on the Badgers early when Davis Burnside scored on the power play at the 6:16 mark of the first period. Scooter Brickley doubled the lead halfway through the second period, and Burnside iced the game with an empty net goal with three minutes left in the game. Wisconsin pulled one back to ruin the shutout but that would be the only goal they would score in the game.
Not only was the win by Ohio State the 1,000th victory in school history, the Buckeyes became the first seven-seed to win a quarterfinal series in the Big Ten Tournament.
With their victories in Madison, Ohio State will now hit the road again this weekend, this time traveling to East Lansing for a semifinal showdown with the Michigan State Spartans. Despite losing three of four games to the Spartans during the regular season, the lone win for the Buckeyes this year between the teams did come in East Lansing.
After Gavin O’Connell opened the scoring for the Spartans in the contest on Feb. 23, Ohio State reeled off four-straight goals, with two of them coming off the stick of Sam Deckhut. The Buckeyes would go on to win the game 6-2 before falling to the Spartans 5-2 the next night.
Michigan State enters the semifinal with a 22-9-3 record on the season. While Ohio State battled Wisconsin last week, the Spartans were able to relax at home, as they were the recipient of a bye in the Big Ten Tournament since they were the top team in the conference during the regular season. The last time Michigan State took the ice, they split a pair of games at Wisconsin at the beginning of the month.
Leading the charge for Michigan State is freshman defenseman Artyom Levshunov. The Belarusian is a finalist for Big Ten Player of the Year, Big Ten Defenseman of the Year, and Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Levshunov has scored nine goals and dished out 23 assists so far this season in 36 games.
Along with Levshunov, head coach Adam Nightingale is also in the running for conference honors, as the second-year head coach is a finalist for Big Ten Coach of the Year.
One player Ohio State is going to have to keep tabs on in the semifinal is Gavin O’Connell. The freshman from Minnesota played his best hockey of the season against Ohio State, scoring two goals in three of the four matchups between the teams, finishing with seven goals over the four games. O’Connell is tied with Karsen Dorwat for the team-lead with 14 goals so far this season.
Dorwat is tied with Levshunov for the most overall points on the squad, with both players have recorded 32 points in Michigan State’s 34 games. Joey Larson and Issac Howard sit just a point behind Dowat and Levshunov, tallying 31 points on the year.
Along with a potent offense, Michigan State also has a strong defense. Starting between the pipes for the Spartans will be Trey Augustiine, who is a finalist for Big Ten Goaltender of the Year. Augustine is 20-8-2 this season, recording three shutouts, a 2.92 goals against average, and a .918 save percentage.
The Buckeyes will have to hope they catch Augustine on a bad night, much like they did in the first matchup in East Lansing when they were able to put six pucks past the freshman goaltender.
The winner of the semifinal between the Buckeyes and Spartans will go on to meet the winner of the other semifinal between Michigan and Minnesota, which will also be played on Saturday. The Big Ten Tournament Championship Game will be played on March 23 at the campus of the higher-seeded team.
If Ohio State is able to upset Michigan State, it will mark the third time the Buckeyes have advanced to the conference title game.
Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
TV: Big Ten Network
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State’s women’s hockey team looks for a spot in the NCAA Frozen Four
- News
- 0 Replies
Ohio State’s women’s hockey team looks for a spot in the NCAA Frozen Four
Brett Ludwiczak 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
The Buckeyes battle Minnesota-Duluth today in Columbus with a trip to New Hampshire next week on the line.
After falling 6-3 to Wisconsin in the WCHA Final Faceoff Championship Game last Saturday, the Ohio State women’s ice hockey team is itching to get back on the ice. After finding out on Sunday they were the No. 1 overall seed in this year’s NCAA Tournament, on Thursday night the Buckeyes found out they would be taking on a familiar foe in Saturday’s regional final.
Minnesota-Duluth was able to outlast UConn in double overtime. The winner of today’s game between the Buckeyes and Bulldogs will move on to next week’s Frozen Four in New Hampshire.
Ohio State and Minnesota-Duluth have already met five times this season, with the most recent meeting coming just over a week ago in the WCHA Final Faceoff semifinal, where the Buckeyes coasted to a 5-0 victory.
Joy Dunne and Kiara Zanon scored goals just over midway through the first period, Emma Peschel and Makenna Webster added second period goals, and Olivia Mobley closed out the scoring with a goal in the third period. Raygan Kirk saved all 17 of Minnesota-Duluth’s shots, notching her eighth shutout of the year, which is tied for most in the country.
The Buckeyes have won all five meetings with the Bulldogs this season, only allowing two goals to Minnesota-Duluth in those games.
Last time Ohio State took the ice, they put forth their worst performance of the season, losing 6-3 to Wisconsin last Saturday in Minneapolis. The Badgers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period before Jocelyn Amos pulled one back for the Buckeyes early in the second period.
The momentum from the Amos goal was short-lived, as Wisconsin would score four unanswered goals before Hannah Bilka netted two goals in the third period to make the final score look a little more respectable. Bilka now has a team-high 45 points on the season. The six goals Raygan Kirk gave up was the most the standout goaltender has allowed this season in a game.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25338706/usa_today_22550369.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
This marks the seventh NCAA Tournament appearance for the Buckeyes, with all seven trips to the NCAA Tournament coming under head coach Nadine Muzerall, who last week was named WCHA Coach of the Year for the fifth time. Along with Muzerall, Joy Dunne was named WCHA Freshman of the Year after she was the only freshman in the country with at least 20 goals this season. The 38 points Dunne has amassed throughout the season is four more than the next highest total from a freshman this season.
To reach today’s regional final, Minnesota-Duluth was pushed to the limit by UConn on Thursday night in Columbus. After 60 minutes of hockey neither the Bulldogs or Huskies were able to find the back of the net, sending the game to overtime.
Following the first overtime period that saw Minnesota-Duluth outshoot UConn 12-7, things got spicy in the middle of the second overtime period when it looked like the Huskies won the game when Claire Peterson scored, but the goal was challenged by Bulldogs head coach Maura Crowell, and the goal was overturned when it was determined UConn was offsides. Seven minutes later Minnesota-Duluth would secure a rematch with Ohio State when Mannon McMahon scored to end the game.
While McMahon scored the game-winning goal for the Bulldogs, the star of the game for Minnesota-Duluth was goaltender Eve Gascon, who became the first freshman goalie to start a NCAA Tournament game for the Bulldogs since 2010. Gascon not only finished the game with 33 saves, she earned her seventh shutout of the season, which is the third-most in a season in program history.
For the season, Minnesota-Duluth goalies have 13 shutouts, putting them one away from tying the single-season school record of 14 shutouts, which was set last season.
Now Ohio State will be looking to earn their sixth win of the season over Minnesota-Duluth. Entering today’s game, the Buckeyes have outscored the Bulldogs 16-2 in the previous five matchups, shutting out Minnesota-Duluth in each of the last four meetings.
These two programs are no stranger to squaring off in high-profile battles. Not only did the teams meet just a week ago in the 2024 WCHA Final Faceoff semifinal, they also did battle in the 2022 NCAA Championship Game, where Ohio State came out on top 3-2. Minnesota-Duluth holds a 32-74-9 lead all-time, but the Buckeyes have closed the gap recently, winning nine of the last ten meetings with the Bulldogs.
Time: 4 p.m. ET
TV: B1G+
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Buckeyes battle Minnesota-Duluth today in Columbus with a trip to New Hampshire next week on the line.
After falling 6-3 to Wisconsin in the WCHA Final Faceoff Championship Game last Saturday, the Ohio State women’s ice hockey team is itching to get back on the ice. After finding out on Sunday they were the No. 1 overall seed in this year’s NCAA Tournament, on Thursday night the Buckeyes found out they would be taking on a familiar foe in Saturday’s regional final.
Minnesota-Duluth was able to outlast UConn in double overtime. The winner of today’s game between the Buckeyes and Bulldogs will move on to next week’s Frozen Four in New Hampshire.
Ohio State and Minnesota-Duluth have already met five times this season, with the most recent meeting coming just over a week ago in the WCHA Final Faceoff semifinal, where the Buckeyes coasted to a 5-0 victory.
Joy Dunne and Kiara Zanon scored goals just over midway through the first period, Emma Peschel and Makenna Webster added second period goals, and Olivia Mobley closed out the scoring with a goal in the third period. Raygan Kirk saved all 17 of Minnesota-Duluth’s shots, notching her eighth shutout of the year, which is tied for most in the country.
The Buckeyes have won all five meetings with the Bulldogs this season, only allowing two goals to Minnesota-Duluth in those games.
Last time Ohio State took the ice, they put forth their worst performance of the season, losing 6-3 to Wisconsin last Saturday in Minneapolis. The Badgers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period before Jocelyn Amos pulled one back for the Buckeyes early in the second period.
The momentum from the Amos goal was short-lived, as Wisconsin would score four unanswered goals before Hannah Bilka netted two goals in the third period to make the final score look a little more respectable. Bilka now has a team-high 45 points on the season. The six goals Raygan Kirk gave up was the most the standout goaltender has allowed this season in a game.
This marks the seventh NCAA Tournament appearance for the Buckeyes, with all seven trips to the NCAA Tournament coming under head coach Nadine Muzerall, who last week was named WCHA Coach of the Year for the fifth time. Along with Muzerall, Joy Dunne was named WCHA Freshman of the Year after she was the only freshman in the country with at least 20 goals this season. The 38 points Dunne has amassed throughout the season is four more than the next highest total from a freshman this season.
To reach today’s regional final, Minnesota-Duluth was pushed to the limit by UConn on Thursday night in Columbus. After 60 minutes of hockey neither the Bulldogs or Huskies were able to find the back of the net, sending the game to overtime.
Following the first overtime period that saw Minnesota-Duluth outshoot UConn 12-7, things got spicy in the middle of the second overtime period when it looked like the Huskies won the game when Claire Peterson scored, but the goal was challenged by Bulldogs head coach Maura Crowell, and the goal was overturned when it was determined UConn was offsides. Seven minutes later Minnesota-Duluth would secure a rematch with Ohio State when Mannon McMahon scored to end the game.
While McMahon scored the game-winning goal for the Bulldogs, the star of the game for Minnesota-Duluth was goaltender Eve Gascon, who became the first freshman goalie to start a NCAA Tournament game for the Bulldogs since 2010. Gascon not only finished the game with 33 saves, she earned her seventh shutout of the season, which is the third-most in a season in program history.
For the season, Minnesota-Duluth goalies have 13 shutouts, putting them one away from tying the single-season school record of 14 shutouts, which was set last season.
Now Ohio State will be looking to earn their sixth win of the season over Minnesota-Duluth. Entering today’s game, the Buckeyes have outscored the Bulldogs 16-2 in the previous five matchups, shutting out Minnesota-Duluth in each of the last four meetings.
These two programs are no stranger to squaring off in high-profile battles. Not only did the teams meet just a week ago in the 2024 WCHA Final Faceoff semifinal, they also did battle in the 2022 NCAA Championship Game, where Ohio State came out on top 3-2. Minnesota-Duluth holds a 32-74-9 lead all-time, but the Buckeyes have closed the gap recently, winning nine of the last ten meetings with the Bulldogs.
Time: 4 p.m. ET
TV: B1G+
Continue reading...
LGHL In-state prospects continue to plan visits to Ohio State spring practices
- News
- 0 Replies
In-state prospects continue to plan visits to Ohio State spring practices
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Cam Thomas | 247Sports
Multiple 2026 in-state prospects set visit dates to see the Buckeyes.
Thursday proved to be a slower day with recruiting news, but that makes sense considering where the staff is channeling the majority of their focus. Set to get back on the practice field and finding a new running backs coach, Day and crew have plenty of work to get done these next few weeks, but it should be full of optimism considering how the rest of this off-season has gone for Ohio State.
Visits galore are set to be taken by countless top recruits, and though the 2024 season is the main focus right now, this staff is always dealing with several topics on the to-do list. Fortunately, the coaches have handled it well thus far.
Ohio State has done a great job at locking up its in-state targets early over the last several recruiting cycles. Making Ohio the first priority is always going to be atop the board of priorities for any Buckeye coaching staffer and having the amount of talent in their backyard certainly helps. The 2025 class is proving to be extremely solid and 2026 looks to be much of the same.
Cam Thomas is one of the latest Ohio natives to plan a trip to campus over the next few weeks..
A 6-foot-2, 200-pound athlete, Thomas plays his ball at Lakota West, a program that has produced multiple Buckeyes over the last few years. Yet to be ranked via his 247Sports profile, Thomas is currently listed as an athlete, but likely projects as an outside linebacker at the next level. Having over 20 offers to his name, it won’t be a surprise to see him listed with a rankings boost when his class is updated.
Programs such as Cincinnati, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Virginia Tech, Wisconsin, and a host of others have already entered the mix for Thomas. Set to see Ohio State on March 21, an offer may not happen yet, but continued points of contact sure don’t hurt his chances. Taking visits to other schools in the coming weeks, Cam is looking at really getting a serious look at his top choices and the Buckeyes of course have plenty of his attention even before offering.
Continue reading...
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Cam Thomas | 247Sports
Multiple 2026 in-state prospects set visit dates to see the Buckeyes.
Thursday proved to be a slower day with recruiting news, but that makes sense considering where the staff is channeling the majority of their focus. Set to get back on the practice field and finding a new running backs coach, Day and crew have plenty of work to get done these next few weeks, but it should be full of optimism considering how the rest of this off-season has gone for Ohio State.
Visits galore are set to be taken by countless top recruits, and though the 2024 season is the main focus right now, this staff is always dealing with several topics on the to-do list. Fortunately, the coaches have handled it well thus far.
In-state linebacker sets visit plans to see OSU and more
Ohio State has done a great job at locking up its in-state targets early over the last several recruiting cycles. Making Ohio the first priority is always going to be atop the board of priorities for any Buckeye coaching staffer and having the amount of talent in their backyard certainly helps. The 2025 class is proving to be extremely solid and 2026 looks to be much of the same.
Cam Thomas is one of the latest Ohio natives to plan a trip to campus over the next few weeks..
A 6-foot-2, 200-pound athlete, Thomas plays his ball at Lakota West, a program that has produced multiple Buckeyes over the last few years. Yet to be ranked via his 247Sports profile, Thomas is currently listed as an athlete, but likely projects as an outside linebacker at the next level. Having over 20 offers to his name, it won’t be a surprise to see him listed with a rankings boost when his class is updated.
Programs such as Cincinnati, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Virginia Tech, Wisconsin, and a host of others have already entered the mix for Thomas. Set to see Ohio State on March 21, an offer may not happen yet, but continued points of contact sure don’t hurt his chances. Taking visits to other schools in the coming weeks, Cam is looking at really getting a serious look at his top choices and the Buckeyes of course have plenty of his attention even before offering.
Quick Hits:
- Another in-state, 2026 prospect making his way to Columbus in the coming days, receiver prospect Jaeden Ricketts will be at practice on March 19. An unranked player right now, Ricketts does currently have one offer from Bowling Green, but is looking to see his interest from other programs start to pick up.
Blessed to receive a invite to attend Ohio states spring practice! I will be at Ohio state on the 19th@etwill21 @brianhartline @ryandaytime @TLow14 @crossfit161 @Watkins_FB @CoachJordan82 @WM_Warriors pic.twitter.com/p4gQfI7SGW
— Jaeden ricketts (@JaedenRicketts2) March 13, 2024
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State can’t hold off Illinois, falling 77-74 in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal
- News
- 0 Replies
Ohio State can’t hold off Illinois, falling 77-74 in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
The Buckeyes gave Illinois everything they could handle on Friday night.
The Ohio State men’s basketball team (20-13, 9-11) lost to the Illinois Fighting Illini (25-8, 14-6) 77-74 in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals.
The No. 10 seed Buckeyes started the Big Ten Tournament off with a bang, defeating the No. 7 seed Iowa Hawkeyes 90-78 on Thursday night. The Buckeyes never trailed in the contest, taking a single-digit lead into the halftime break but increasing their lead to as much as 16 and winning by 12.
Ohio State entered this contest with five straight wins and 6-1 under interim head coach Jake Diebler, who took over the program after head coach Chris Holtmann was fired on February 14. The Buckeyes have seen their defense sharply improve since Diebler took over, as well as deeper utilization of the bench.
Jamison Battle got the scoring going against Illinois hitting the first jumper of the game 1:18 into the night. Battle scored 23 points in the first-round game against Iowa, with all 23 coming in the second half. He didn’t wait that long in this one. Bruce Thornton recorded the next five points for Ohio State, and they jumped out to a quick 7-4 lead. Roddy Gayle recorded the next bucket for the Buckeyes, so the three top scorers for Ohio State all got on the stat sheet early on.
After some back-and-forth offense, Illinois led 16-15 by the under-12 media timeout. Illinois jumped out to a 25-18 lead after some untimely Ohio State fouls and missed shots by the Buckeyes, but an 11-6 run to end the half for Ohio State cut the Illinois lead to only two at 31-29 at the halftime break.
Thornton led the Buckeyes with seven first-half points, while Gayle and Battle added six points each in the first half. The Buckeyes committed eleven fouls and recorded nine turnovers in the opening 20 minutes, which forced Diebler to roll with some different combinations. Devin Royal and Mahaffey each picked up two first-half fouls, while Battle and Thornton each had two. Battle sat the final eight-plus minutes of the first half after picking up his second.
Terrance Shannon led Illinois with 14 first-half points on 6-of-13 shooting. Marcus Domask, Shannon’s right-hand man in scoring for Illinois, had zero first-half points on 0-for-6 shooting. Both Shannon and Domask were named All-Big Ten First Team on Tuesday afternoon.
To start the second half, Ohio State went on a speedy 8-0 run to take a 37-31 lead. A tip-in from Ty Rodgers on a Marcus Domask missed three-pointer gave Illinois its first points of the second half, with Ohio State leading 37-33.
Domask recorded his first points of the game at 16:24 after making a three-pointer. He missed his first eight field goal attempts of the game. An Okpara foul on a driving Justin Harmon sent Illinois to the line, down 38-36 with 15:31 left in the game. Harmon knocked down both, tying it up at 38 and erasing the Buckeyes’ six-point lead.
The Buckeyes then went on a 14-6 run, with seven points from Bruce Thornton and five points from Scotty Middleton, to take a 52-44 lead at the under-12 timeout. Middleton was invisible in the first half but stepped up and knocked down two big shots to give the Buckeyes the lead.
Terrance Shannon Jr. finally got going in the second half for the Illini, recording five quick points and cutting the Buckeye lead to just three. Illinois got another bucket from Dain Dainja to make it 57-56, but a fourth foul on Shannon forced him to go to the bench with 9:04 remaining in the game, but he came back in less than three minutes later.
Illinois tied the game at 59, capping off a 13-3 run in three minutes to put them back in the game. The Buckeyes answered with a quick 6-2 run of their own and led 65-61 with just over five minutes left in the game. Jamison Battle’s put-back off his own miss made it 69-66 with 3:35 remaining.
The Buckeyes and Illini continued to trade baskets back and forth, with Illinois tying the game up at 71 and Felix Okpara and Evan Mahaffey both fouling out with 2:26 left.
Jamison Battle knocked down a three-pointer to give the Buckeyes a 74-71 lead, but two Shannon free throws cut the lead to one. Coleman Hawkins got a block on the other end and made two free throws to give Illinois a one-point lead.
Shannon missed a three-pointer with 11 seconds left, but an offensive rebound by Coleman Hawkins gave the Illinois free throws. He would make both, and Ohio State took a timeout down 77-74.
Jamison Battle missed a three at the end of the game, and Ohio State fell 77-74.
Here are some takeaways from the Buckeyes loss to Illinois
One of the things that makes Illinois so tough to beat is the one-two punch that is Terrence Shannon Jr. and Marcus Domask, two first-team all-conference selections. Shannon had 14 points in the first half to lead all scorers, but Domask was 0-for-6 from the field, recording no points.
Domask recorded his first points with 16:24 left in the second half after missing his first eight field goal attempts. He would finish with seven points.
One key to winning this one for the Buckeyes is limiting Illinois in transition. The Illini like to get out and push the pace, and score on the run. The Buckeyes made it harder on themselves in the first half by committing nine turnovers but found a way to hold the Illini to just 31 first-half points.
They committed just two second-half turnovers.
The Buckeyes trailed at the half 31-29, but that deficit did not last long. Ohio State started the second half on an 8-0 run in the opening two minutes to take a 37-31 lead and help the Buckeyes not have to chase all second half, with how good Illinois is on offense.
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
Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
The Buckeyes gave Illinois everything they could handle on Friday night.
The Ohio State men’s basketball team (20-13, 9-11) lost to the Illinois Fighting Illini (25-8, 14-6) 77-74 in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals.
The No. 10 seed Buckeyes started the Big Ten Tournament off with a bang, defeating the No. 7 seed Iowa Hawkeyes 90-78 on Thursday night. The Buckeyes never trailed in the contest, taking a single-digit lead into the halftime break but increasing their lead to as much as 16 and winning by 12.
Ohio State entered this contest with five straight wins and 6-1 under interim head coach Jake Diebler, who took over the program after head coach Chris Holtmann was fired on February 14. The Buckeyes have seen their defense sharply improve since Diebler took over, as well as deeper utilization of the bench.
Jamison Battle got the scoring going against Illinois hitting the first jumper of the game 1:18 into the night. Battle scored 23 points in the first-round game against Iowa, with all 23 coming in the second half. He didn’t wait that long in this one. Bruce Thornton recorded the next five points for Ohio State, and they jumped out to a quick 7-4 lead. Roddy Gayle recorded the next bucket for the Buckeyes, so the three top scorers for Ohio State all got on the stat sheet early on.
After some back-and-forth offense, Illinois led 16-15 by the under-12 media timeout. Illinois jumped out to a 25-18 lead after some untimely Ohio State fouls and missed shots by the Buckeyes, but an 11-6 run to end the half for Ohio State cut the Illinois lead to only two at 31-29 at the halftime break.
Thornton led the Buckeyes with seven first-half points, while Gayle and Battle added six points each in the first half. The Buckeyes committed eleven fouls and recorded nine turnovers in the opening 20 minutes, which forced Diebler to roll with some different combinations. Devin Royal and Mahaffey each picked up two first-half fouls, while Battle and Thornton each had two. Battle sat the final eight-plus minutes of the first half after picking up his second.
Terrance Shannon led Illinois with 14 first-half points on 6-of-13 shooting. Marcus Domask, Shannon’s right-hand man in scoring for Illinois, had zero first-half points on 0-for-6 shooting. Both Shannon and Domask were named All-Big Ten First Team on Tuesday afternoon.
To start the second half, Ohio State went on a speedy 8-0 run to take a 37-31 lead. A tip-in from Ty Rodgers on a Marcus Domask missed three-pointer gave Illinois its first points of the second half, with Ohio State leading 37-33.
Domask recorded his first points of the game at 16:24 after making a three-pointer. He missed his first eight field goal attempts of the game. An Okpara foul on a driving Justin Harmon sent Illinois to the line, down 38-36 with 15:31 left in the game. Harmon knocked down both, tying it up at 38 and erasing the Buckeyes’ six-point lead.
The Buckeyes then went on a 14-6 run, with seven points from Bruce Thornton and five points from Scotty Middleton, to take a 52-44 lead at the under-12 timeout. Middleton was invisible in the first half but stepped up and knocked down two big shots to give the Buckeyes the lead.
Terrance Shannon Jr. finally got going in the second half for the Illini, recording five quick points and cutting the Buckeye lead to just three. Illinois got another bucket from Dain Dainja to make it 57-56, but a fourth foul on Shannon forced him to go to the bench with 9:04 remaining in the game, but he came back in less than three minutes later.
Illinois tied the game at 59, capping off a 13-3 run in three minutes to put them back in the game. The Buckeyes answered with a quick 6-2 run of their own and led 65-61 with just over five minutes left in the game. Jamison Battle’s put-back off his own miss made it 69-66 with 3:35 remaining.
The Buckeyes and Illini continued to trade baskets back and forth, with Illinois tying the game up at 71 and Felix Okpara and Evan Mahaffey both fouling out with 2:26 left.
Jamison Battle knocked down a three-pointer to give the Buckeyes a 74-71 lead, but two Shannon free throws cut the lead to one. Coleman Hawkins got a block on the other end and made two free throws to give Illinois a one-point lead.
Shannon missed a three-pointer with 11 seconds left, but an offensive rebound by Coleman Hawkins gave the Illinois free throws. He would make both, and Ohio State took a timeout down 77-74.
Jamison Battle missed a three at the end of the game, and Ohio State fell 77-74.
Here are some takeaways from the Buckeyes loss to Illinois
Limiting the dynamic duo
One of the things that makes Illinois so tough to beat is the one-two punch that is Terrence Shannon Jr. and Marcus Domask, two first-team all-conference selections. Shannon had 14 points in the first half to lead all scorers, but Domask was 0-for-6 from the field, recording no points.
Domask recorded his first points with 16:24 left in the second half after missing his first eight field goal attempts. He would finish with seven points.
Taking care of the ball
One key to winning this one for the Buckeyes is limiting Illinois in transition. The Illini like to get out and push the pace, and score on the run. The Buckeyes made it harder on themselves in the first half by committing nine turnovers but found a way to hold the Illini to just 31 first-half points.
They committed just two second-half turnovers.
Fast start to the second half
The Buckeyes trailed at the half 31-29, but that deficit did not last long. Ohio State started the second half on an 8-0 run in the opening two minutes to take a 37-31 lead and help the Buckeyes not have to chase all second half, with how good Illinois is on offense.
Continue reading...
LGHL Men’s basketball Buckeyes keep tournament hopes alive; former OSU RB wants to come home
- News
- 0 Replies
Men’s basketball Buckeyes keep tournament hopes alive; former OSU RB wants to come home
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
One more win and Jake Diebler should have his team dancing, and the word “interim” dropped from his title.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
Pepe Pearson wants to join Ryan Day’s staff as OSU running backs coach
Rob Oller, The Columbus Dispatch
Sources — CFP nears finish line for changes starting in ‘26
Heather Dinich and Pete Thamel, ESPN
2024 college football transfer portal player rankings: Ohio State trio headlines new top 150
Clint Brewster, 247Sports
Why this spring is so critical for Tyleik Williams, Buckeyes defensive tackles (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Former Ohio State Club Football Receiver, Track Athlete Praise Olatoke Chasing NFL Dream Through International Pathway Program
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
Ohio State Men’s Basketball Big Ten Tournament vs Illinois: Game Preview and Prediction
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State gets revenge on Iowa 90-78, advances to Big Ten quarterfinal
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land
Login to view embedded media
4 takeaways: Hot-shooting Scotty Middleton helps Ohio State past Iowa
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Quick Takes: Buckeyes get important contributions at key times to beat Iowa at Big Ten Tournament
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Jamison Battle right at home but all business in Target Center (paywall)
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row
With work still to do, Ohio State on the March Madness bubble
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Former Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann has agreed to become the next head coach of DePaul
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land
Men’s Swimming and Diving: Three Buckeyes Qualify for NCAA Championships on Day One of Zones
Oho State Athletics
Ohio State Wrestling: Mendez a champ, Buckeyes settle for fifth at the 2024 Big Ten Championships
Josh Dooley, Land-Grant Holy Land
I am ready:
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
One more win and Jake Diebler should have his team dancing, and the word “interim” dropped from his title.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
On the Gridiron
Pepe Pearson wants to join Ryan Day’s staff as OSU running backs coach
Rob Oller, The Columbus Dispatch
Sources — CFP nears finish line for changes starting in ‘26
Heather Dinich and Pete Thamel, ESPN
2024 college football transfer portal player rankings: Ohio State trio headlines new top 150
Clint Brewster, 247Sports
Why this spring is so critical for Tyleik Williams, Buckeyes defensive tackles (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Former Ohio State Club Football Receiver, Track Athlete Praise Olatoke Chasing NFL Dream Through International Pathway Program
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
On the Hardwood
Ohio State Men’s Basketball Big Ten Tournament vs Illinois: Game Preview and Prediction
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State gets revenge on Iowa 90-78, advances to Big Ten quarterfinal
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land
Login to view embedded media
Special Teams, Special Plays, Special Players@battletime510 x @thesketchreal pic.twitter.com/aqKGoyrUIe
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) March 15, 2024
4 takeaways: Hot-shooting Scotty Middleton helps Ohio State past Iowa
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Quick Takes: Buckeyes get important contributions at key times to beat Iowa at Big Ten Tournament
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
Jamison Battle right at home but all business in Target Center (paywall)
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row
With work still to do, Ohio State on the March Madness bubble
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Congratulations to Jacy Sheldon on being named a semifinalist for the Naismith Player of the Year
: https://t.co/PAplmEp30s#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/QpfwGybWWH
— Ohio State Women’s Basketball (@OhioStateWBB) March 14, 2024
Former Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann has agreed to become the next head coach of DePaul
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land
Outside the Shoe and Schott
Men’s Swimming and Diving: Three Buckeyes Qualify for NCAA Championships on Day One of Zones
Oho State Athletics
Ohio State Wrestling: Mendez a champ, Buckeyes settle for fifth at the 2024 Big Ten Championships
Josh Dooley, Land-Grant Holy Land
And now for something completely different...
I am ready:
Continue reading...
LGHL You’re Nuts: What is the biggest key to upsetting Illinois in the Big Ten quarterfinal?
- News
- 0 Replies
You’re Nuts: What is the biggest key to upsetting Illinois in the Big Ten quarterfinal?
Connor Lemons 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
Ohio State is one win away from maybe-possibly-perhaps earning an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
At first it was a joke. Then it was a pipe dream. Now? Now the Ohio State men’s basketball team is one win away from having a strong argument for swiping one of the 32 at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament.
After knocking off Iowa on Thursday night in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament, the Buckeyes improved to 20-12 overall and 7-11 against Quad 1 & Quad 2 opponents. They were listed among the “next four out” in some bracket predictions before the Iowa win, so the assumption is Ohio State remains in that group of six-to-eight teams hoping to sneak in on this final weekend.
Of course, winning the Big Ten Tournament would do the job, too.
Last week, Connor and Justin debated which Rutgers player should’ve been at the top of the scouting report as Ohio State traveled to New Jersey for the final game of the regular season. Connor went with senior center Cliff Omoruyi, while Justin picked sophomore guard Derek Simpson. 83% of the readers sided with Connor, and Omoruyi did in fact outscore Simpson in the game, 10-0.
Connor- 71
We now turn our attention to the Illinois Fighting Illini. The No. 2 seed in the Big Ten Tournament beat Ohio State 87-75 on Jan. 30. Both Terrence Shannon and Marcus Domask had 23 points in Illinois 12-point win. One day after winning a track meet with Iowa, what will be the biggest key to beating Illinois and advancing to the Big Ten semifinal for the second straight season?
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25337194/usa_today_22555662.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Purdue at Ohio State")
Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
Ohio State’s bench outscored Iowa’s bench 37-16 on Thursday night, including 11 points from Scotty Middleton (all in the first half!), eight from Devin Royal, and eight from Zed Key. Leaning on his team’s depth has been something interim head coach Jake Diebler has been talking about since he was elevated to head coach, saying that the bench, “should be a strength of this team.” Against Iowa, it was the difference in a 90-78 win.
Diebler would certainly love to see more of that against Illinois, and they might need it if they have any chance of advancing to the Big Ten semifinal on Saturday. Last time these teams played, Illinois was able to completely shut off the water to Bruce Thornton and Felix Okpara, holding the former to seven points on 3-of-11 shooting and the latter to zero points and only two shot attempts in 18 minutes.
The Buckeyes’ bench didn’t make up for the difference, scoring just 14 points as the Buckeyes lost by 12. Illinois has not been quite as studly on the defensive end since that game, but the goal will still be to cut off Thornton, who is the head of the snake and makes everything happen for Ohio State offensively. He flirted with a triple-double against Iowa, finishing with 14 points, 9 assists, and 6 rebounds. Illinois wants that line to be much closer to the seven points and five assists he had against them two months ago.
On top of the obvious “more points!” Ohio State also needs to lean on its bench because there are going to be some tired legs wearing scarlet and gray on Friday night. Diebler has this team fully bought-in on giving 100% hustle at all times — getting back in transition, fighting in crowds for rebounds, trying to save every ball that is going out of bounds. The players have to be winded and tired after the track meet with Iowa on Thursday, and now they’ll be lacing it up to face the team that is probably the second-fastest, up and down team in the Big Ten just 24 hours later.
Guys are going to have tired legs and sometimes get out-ran by Illinois, who has not played in five days. When that happens, Diebler is going to utilize his bench liberally — like he has been lately — to get guys breathers. But as we’ve seen, guys like Taison Chatman, Devin Royal, and Scotty Middleton aren’t just in the game to give starters a break. Diebler expects those players to take and make big shots, too. Each of those three did that on Thursday, and they will need to do it again Friday to win.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25337220/1464071181.jpg "Illinois v Iowa")
Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images
Illinois is dangerous in many ways and can hurt you in a variety of areas, but almost no one in the country can hurt you in transition like Illinois and Terrance Shannon Jr.
Illinois is second in the conference at 83.9 points per game, and second in the conference in point differential at +11.0. The Fighting Illini are a team that loves to push the pace and beat you in transition. Think Iowa, but faster and more lethal.
Shannon Jr. is one of the best players in the country when he can get out and run and create in transition. Marcus Domask is also great in transition, and can hurt you from all three levels if you lose track of him.
Ohio State just ran up and down the court against Iowa, and Illinois was sitting and watching, so the Illini have an advantage there. They are going to want to push the pace and test Ohio State’s stamina. However, Illinois hasn’t played all week, so the Buckeyes come in with some momentum after a hot shooting night.
The Buckeyes will need the same bench production they got against Iowa to show up in this one. Devin Royal, Taison Chatman, Scotty Middleton, and Zed Key are all going to play meaningful minutes to give Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle, and Jamison Battle some rest on their legs, and if they can’t give them those minutes, Illinois will just continue to push the pace.
If they can force Illinois to play through the half-court and not let them get out into transition, they can slow the game down and force the Illini to execute.
Continue reading...
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Ohio State is one win away from maybe-possibly-perhaps earning an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
At first it was a joke. Then it was a pipe dream. Now? Now the Ohio State men’s basketball team is one win away from having a strong argument for swiping one of the 32 at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament.
After knocking off Iowa on Thursday night in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament, the Buckeyes improved to 20-12 overall and 7-11 against Quad 1 & Quad 2 opponents. They were listed among the “next four out” in some bracket predictions before the Iowa win, so the assumption is Ohio State remains in that group of six-to-eight teams hoping to sneak in on this final weekend.
Of course, winning the Big Ten Tournament would do the job, too.
Last week, Connor and Justin debated which Rutgers player should’ve been at the top of the scouting report as Ohio State traveled to New Jersey for the final game of the regular season. Connor went with senior center Cliff Omoruyi, while Justin picked sophomore guard Derek Simpson. 83% of the readers sided with Connor, and Omoruyi did in fact outscore Simpson in the game, 10-0.
After 143 weeks:
Connor- 71
Justin- 53
Other- 15
(There have been four ties)
We now turn our attention to the Illinois Fighting Illini. The No. 2 seed in the Big Ten Tournament beat Ohio State 87-75 on Jan. 30. Both Terrence Shannon and Marcus Domask had 23 points in Illinois 12-point win. One day after winning a track meet with Iowa, what will be the biggest key to beating Illinois and advancing to the Big Ten semifinal for the second straight season?
Today’s Question: What is the biggest key to upsetting Illinois in the Big Ten quarterfinal?
Connor: Bench production
Ohio State’s bench outscored Iowa’s bench 37-16 on Thursday night, including 11 points from Scotty Middleton (all in the first half!), eight from Devin Royal, and eight from Zed Key. Leaning on his team’s depth has been something interim head coach Jake Diebler has been talking about since he was elevated to head coach, saying that the bench, “should be a strength of this team.” Against Iowa, it was the difference in a 90-78 win.
Diebler would certainly love to see more of that against Illinois, and they might need it if they have any chance of advancing to the Big Ten semifinal on Saturday. Last time these teams played, Illinois was able to completely shut off the water to Bruce Thornton and Felix Okpara, holding the former to seven points on 3-of-11 shooting and the latter to zero points and only two shot attempts in 18 minutes.
The Buckeyes’ bench didn’t make up for the difference, scoring just 14 points as the Buckeyes lost by 12. Illinois has not been quite as studly on the defensive end since that game, but the goal will still be to cut off Thornton, who is the head of the snake and makes everything happen for Ohio State offensively. He flirted with a triple-double against Iowa, finishing with 14 points, 9 assists, and 6 rebounds. Illinois wants that line to be much closer to the seven points and five assists he had against them two months ago.
On top of the obvious “more points!” Ohio State also needs to lean on its bench because there are going to be some tired legs wearing scarlet and gray on Friday night. Diebler has this team fully bought-in on giving 100% hustle at all times — getting back in transition, fighting in crowds for rebounds, trying to save every ball that is going out of bounds. The players have to be winded and tired after the track meet with Iowa on Thursday, and now they’ll be lacing it up to face the team that is probably the second-fastest, up and down team in the Big Ten just 24 hours later.
Guys are going to have tired legs and sometimes get out-ran by Illinois, who has not played in five days. When that happens, Diebler is going to utilize his bench liberally — like he has been lately — to get guys breathers. But as we’ve seen, guys like Taison Chatman, Devin Royal, and Scotty Middleton aren’t just in the game to give starters a break. Diebler expects those players to take and make big shots, too. Each of those three did that on Thursday, and they will need to do it again Friday to win.
Justin: Transition defense
Illinois is dangerous in many ways and can hurt you in a variety of areas, but almost no one in the country can hurt you in transition like Illinois and Terrance Shannon Jr.
Illinois is second in the conference at 83.9 points per game, and second in the conference in point differential at +11.0. The Fighting Illini are a team that loves to push the pace and beat you in transition. Think Iowa, but faster and more lethal.
Shannon Jr. is one of the best players in the country when he can get out and run and create in transition. Marcus Domask is also great in transition, and can hurt you from all three levels if you lose track of him.
Ohio State just ran up and down the court against Iowa, and Illinois was sitting and watching, so the Illini have an advantage there. They are going to want to push the pace and test Ohio State’s stamina. However, Illinois hasn’t played all week, so the Buckeyes come in with some momentum after a hot shooting night.
The Buckeyes will need the same bench production they got against Iowa to show up in this one. Devin Royal, Taison Chatman, Scotty Middleton, and Zed Key are all going to play meaningful minutes to give Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle, and Jamison Battle some rest on their legs, and if they can’t give them those minutes, Illinois will just continue to push the pace.
If they can force Illinois to play through the half-court and not let them get out into transition, they can slow the game down and force the Illini to execute.
Continue reading...
