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LGHL Ohio State spring sport storylines other than football you should be following
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Ohio State spring sport storylines other than football you should be following
Jami Jurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
@OhioStAthletics Twitter
The No. 1 men’s tennis team keeps dominating, and an OSU golfer surprises at the Masters, plus more Buckeye news.
Whether you’re looking to get on the tennis train, take a few laps around the track, or root, root, root for the Buckeyes’ baseball and softball teams, here at LGHL, we’re keeping you up-to-date on what’s happening with all your Buckeye sports teams.
The baseball team (17-15, 5-4) had a busy week, winning four of five games—all at home—in the last seven days.
The week started with a 6-4 win over Bowling Green last Tuesday, followed by a 13-7 win over Morehead State the next day, a game in which Mitchell Okuley hit two home runs.
Up next was a three-game series against preseason Big Ten favorite Iowa (18-17, 6-6), which the Buckeyes took, 2-1, dropping the game Saturday before finishing the series with a dominant win in only eight innings Sunday.
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@OhioStAthletics Twitter
The series opener on Friday marked the Buckeyes’ fourth consecutive victory, 8-5. The Buckeye bats were hot, with Joseph Mershon leading the Buckeyes with a season-high four hits, along with three stolen bases. Henry Kaczmar, Matthew Graveline, and Nick Giamarusti put up two hits apiece, and Landon Beidelschies recorded the win for OSU, striking out seven in 5.2 innings pitched.
Saturday was a more defensive battle, with the Hawkeyes evening the series to end OSU’s four-game win streak, 3-2. Tyler Pettorini led the Buckeyes with two hits, and Isaac Cadena scored the first home run of his career, a solo homer in the bottom of the seventh. Gavin Bruni recorded the loss for the Buckeyes, despite a strong performance. He struck out six, allowing two runs on three hits in five innings pitched.
It was Ohio State domination on Sunday, though, with the Buckeyes winning the game, 11-1, to clinch the series. The Hawkeyes got on the board quickly, posting their only run in the first inning. From there, it was all Buckeye bats. Jacob Morin earned the win in the team effort, with Trey Lipsey, Okuley, Mershon, and Ryan Miller leading OSU with two hits apiece. Lipsey drove in three runs, and Josh Stevenson had a team-high, season-high four RBIs.
Next up, the boys in Scarlet finish their six-game homestand on Tuesday against Wright State. They’ll hit the road to take on Kent State on Wednesday, finishing the weekend in Ann Arbor for a three-game series against Michigan, Friday-Sunday.
The Buckeye softball team (21-17) shut out Ohio (20-19), 8-0, at home on Wednesday, before dropping two of three at Wisconsin over the weekend.
Sophomore Hannah Church scored her first home run at Buckeye Field in the Ohio matchup—and it was not just any home run. The Buckeyes were up, 3-0, after the third, but Church’s home run—a grand slam—added the cherry on top in what would be a five-run fifth inning.
The Buckeyes finished the game with five hits from five different players in the victory.
They then headed to Madison, Wisconsin, for a three-game series against the Badgers over the weekend. The Badgers took the first two games of the series, 8-4, and 10-5, respectively.
In Friday’s game, the Buckeyes held a 3-2 lead in the third, but the Badgers managed to tie the game in the fourth and sealed their victory in the fifth. Kami Kortokrax led OSU in the game, with three hits and two RBIs. Allison Smith pitched for OSU, and her five strikeouts moved her into fifth place on the program’s all-time strikeouts list, with 496.
On Saturday, the Badgers never trailed, jumping out to an early 3-0 lead in the first. The Buckeyes pulled within one, down just 4-3 in the top of the fifth, but a six-run bottom half of the inning created a chasm too wide for OSU to clear. The Buckeyes had no trouble getting on base, but getting them home proved challenging, with 17 runners stranded in the first two games of the series.
One player who had no trouble getting home? Kirsten Eppele, who stole home in the fourth.
The Buckeyes rallied to victory on Sunday, however, in a 9-5 come-from-behind victory. After trailing, 4-3, for four innings, a six-run fifth for the Buckeyes sealed their victory. Smith won her 13th win of the season, recording her 500th career strikeout and becoming just the fifth player in OSU history to do so.
McKenzie Bump finished 3-for-3, with a home run and two RBIs. Jasmyn Burns also finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs, and Bump and Burns hit back-to-back home runs.
Next up, the Buckeyes will begin a nine-game homestand, kicking off tonight with a doubleheader against Penn State. They play again Wednesday against Maryland before a three-game series against Maryland this weekend.
Off the field, Sam Hackenbrecht was named a Big Ten Medal of Honor Finalist for her excellence both on and off the field.
The women’s golf team ended their regular season on a high note in Columbus this weekend, where they won the Therese Hession Buckeye Invitational at the OSU Scarlet Course after shooting back-to-back rounds of 283 (7-under, overall).
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25398138/WGolf.jpeg)
@OhioStAthletics Twitter
They won by 20 strokes in a tournament comprised of 10 other Big Ten teams and Kent State. Senior Caley McGinty won the individual title—her seventh collegiate career title—with a score of 210 (-6). Faith Choi and Kary Hollenbaugh tied for second overall, each shooting 214.
Next up, the women head to Havre de Grace, Maryland, for the Big Ten Championships at Blue Rock Golf Course, this Friday to Sunday.
The men’s team had the week off from competition. Instead, they were busy preparing for their next outing, the Robert Kepler Intercollegiate tournament in Columbus, this Friday to Sunday.
One Buckeye had an extra-special weekend, though. Senior Neal Shipley went on to become the only amateur to make the cut at the Masters. He spent Sunday of the competition paired with Tiger Woods, and he earned the 2024 low amateur Silver Cup.
The women’s lacrosse team (7-7, 1-4) played the final two games of a three-game road stretch and fell both times, first to Louisville, followed by No. 1 Northwestern.
Their non-conference matchup against Louisville was a 22-10 decision, though it remained close in the first half. Louisville led, 4-2, at the end of the first quarter, before both teams scored four goals in the second. The Cardinals got going quickly in the second half though, putting up four of the first five goals in the third quarter, which ended 14-8, and then out-scoring the Buckeyes 8-2 in the fourth.
Still, freshman Kampbell Stone had her first career hat trick to lead the Buckeyes, and Jamie Lasda, who had a stellar week across both games, recorded a career-best 11 draw controls. This ties her for fifth-most in a single game in program history. Lasda leads the Buckeyes this season.
Kate Tyack also had two goals, her fifth career multiple-goal outing.
Saturday’s game against Northwestern (12-2, 4-1) brought a similar outcome, with the Buckeyes falling, 19-10. The Wildcats built an early lead to finish the first quarter up, 8-2. That woke the Buckeyes up.
The Buckeyes went on to outscore Northwestern, 7-5, in the second and third quarters, heading into the fourth down, 13-9. They couldn’t get the job done, scoring just one goal in the fourth, while the Wildcats put up six.
Emily Magalotti, Leah Sax, Zoe Coleman, and Lasda each scored twice. Lasda’s performance brought her season tally to a team-best and career-best 37 goals, the first of which was her 100th career goal. Tyack, for her part, has tallied more than three points in each of the last four games and is on a six-game goal streak.
Regan Alexander, the senior goalie, recorded 12 saves. Alexander was named a finalist for the 2024 Big Ten Medal of Honor, which is awarded to one male and one female student-athlete for excellence on and off the field, this past Monday.
Next up, the women will host Rutgers this coming Thursday. It will mark the regular-season home finale and OSU’s Senior Day.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25398144/LAX.jpeg)
@OhioStAthletics Twitter
The men’s team (6-7, 1-3) lost a heartbreaker in overtime at home against No. 5 Johns Hopkins, 11-10. It was their fourth matchup in five weeks against a top-10 team.
It was a hard-fought game, with the Buckeyes leaving everything on the field in the matchup, after starting strong and jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the first 10 minutes of the game. It marked just the third time this season Johns Hopkins was held scoreless in the first quarter.
OSU led by as many as five goals throughout the game, and led 7-4 at half and 9-6 at the end of the third, but the Jayhawks found their stride at the end of the third, going on a five-goal run that went into the fourth to give them the lead for the first time in the game, 10-9.
The OSU defense wasn’t giving up that easily, forcing three turnovers, and Alex Marinier tied the game up for the Buckeyes to force overtime. It marked his third hat trick of the season.
Overtime was an even match, with the Jayhawks claiming victory with only 24 seconds remaining in extra time. It was the Buckeyes’ first overtime game this season.
Freshman goalie Caleb Fyock had 11 saves, his fifth-straight game with double-digit saves.
Next, the men will close the regular season at home when they host Michigan this Saturday, April 20.
The Ohio State Track & Field team split time this weekend at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational and Bryan Clay Invitational this past Friday and Saturday, posting some memorable performances throughout the weekend.
Most notably, Daniella Santos and Andrea Kuhn moved into the top five in program history in the 5000m on Friday, with times that place them third and fifth in OSU history, respectively. Santos finished with a time of 15:56.71, while Kuhn posted a time of 15:57.72.
Other Buckeyes to place at the Bryan Clay Invite included Columba Effiong, who finished third in the women’s 200m with a PR of 23.82, and DJ Fillmore, whose long jump of 7.47m / 24’6.25” made him the runner-up.
On Saturday, the Buckeyes swept the shot put competition at Tom Jones, with Lacey Stringer moving into third on OSU’s all-time leaders list with a mark of 17.21m / 56’5.75”. Adam Riedinger posted a season-best throw of 17.53m / 57’6.25” on his way to victory on the men’s side.
The Buckeyes also placed well in other events throughout the day. Faith Bender placed third in discus with a season-best 56.91m / 186’8”, while Tanner Watson was the men’s runner-up with a throw of 54.45m / 178’7”. Sophie Fong and Morgan Fijalkowski finished second and fourth, respectively, in the pole vault. Amaya Ugarte cleared 1.84m / 6’0.5” in the high jump to finish in third.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25398141/Track_Field.jpeg)
@OhioStAthletics Twitter
Up next, the Buckeyes will host the Jesse Owens Classic this coming Friday and Saturday.
The No. 12 Ohio State women’s rowing team had the weekend off. They’re busy preparing for their trip to Sarasota, Florida, for the Big Ten Invite, this coming Friday, April 19.
The No. 3-seed Buckeyes’ men’s volleyball team (20-8) advanced in the MIVA Tournament after defeating No. 6-seed Lewis (15-15) last Saturday in Columbus in the tournament quarterfinals, 3-1.
Ohio State posted scores of 26-24, 25-27, 25-21, 25-20 over the Flyers, dropping only the second set in the match. Shane Wetzel and Jacob Pasteur combined for 33 kills, while Cole Young recorded his 100th career block in the matchup.
Now, the Buckeyes move on to face No. 2-seed Loyola Chicago in the tournament semifinal this Thursday at 4 p.m. ET. The match, along with the rest of the tournament matches from here on out, will take place at Ball State in Muncie, Indiana. The Buckeyes lost both their previous matchups with the Ramblers, 2-3, this season.
The No. 16 Ohio State women’s tennis team (15-6, 8-1) defeated Iowa, 4-1, in Iowa City Friday night, followed by a 4-1 victory on the road at Nebraska on Sunday to close out its regular season road schedule.
Friday’s win came with four straight-set singles wins from Luciana Perry, Sydni Ratliff, Shelly Bereznyak, and Audrey Spencer, with Iowa claiming only the doubles point (though the duo of Ratliff and Spencer did win their doubles match).
In Lincoln, the Buckeyes extended their win streak to eight matches, taking the doubles point on victories from the duos of Irina Cantos Siemers and Akanksha Bhan, along with that of Alessia Cau and Madeline Atway. Siemers, Ratliff, and Spencer also posted singles victories.
Up next, the women return home to end the regular season with matches Friday against Northwestern and Sunday against Illinois (the Buckeyes’ Senior Day).
The No. 1 Ohio State men’s tennis team keeps on rolling, after defeating both Big Ten schools from that state up north this weekend. They remain atop the Big Ten standings as the lone undefeated team in the conference, improving to 25-1 on the season.
The weekend began with a 6-1 home victory over No. 18 Michigan State, who entered the match also undefeated in conference play. Robert Cash, Cannon Kingsley, and JJ Tracy all won in both singles and doubles.
The Buckeyes first clinched the doubles’ point, thanks to victories from Cash and Bryce Nakashima, along with Kingsley and Tracy. OSU then won the first four singles matches, with singles wins coming from the aforementioned players, as well as Jack Anthrop and Alexander Bernard.
On Sunday, OSU took down rival Michigan, sweeping them, 4-0. While the doubles point was a rollercoaster requiring the tiebreaker, victories from the duos of Kingsley/Anthrop and Cash/Tracy clinched the point for the Buckeyes.
In singles play, Anthrop, Tracy, and Bernard all posted victories to seal the results.
The Buckeyes hit the road this weekend to take on Nebraska Friday and Wisconsin Sunday. They need just one win to clinch a share of the Big Ten title—it would be their 18th consecutive conference title if they’re able to stay on track.
Siemers and Cash, it is worth noting, are both also Big Ten Medal of Honor Finalists.
Continue reading...
Jami Jurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
@OhioStAthletics Twitter
The No. 1 men’s tennis team keeps dominating, and an OSU golfer surprises at the Masters, plus more Buckeye news.
Whether you’re looking to get on the tennis train, take a few laps around the track, or root, root, root for the Buckeyes’ baseball and softball teams, here at LGHL, we’re keeping you up-to-date on what’s happening with all your Buckeye sports teams.
Baseball
The baseball team (17-15, 5-4) had a busy week, winning four of five games—all at home—in the last seven days.
The week started with a 6-4 win over Bowling Green last Tuesday, followed by a 13-7 win over Morehead State the next day, a game in which Mitchell Okuley hit two home runs.
Up next was a three-game series against preseason Big Ten favorite Iowa (18-17, 6-6), which the Buckeyes took, 2-1, dropping the game Saturday before finishing the series with a dominant win in only eight innings Sunday.
The series opener on Friday marked the Buckeyes’ fourth consecutive victory, 8-5. The Buckeye bats were hot, with Joseph Mershon leading the Buckeyes with a season-high four hits, along with three stolen bases. Henry Kaczmar, Matthew Graveline, and Nick Giamarusti put up two hits apiece, and Landon Beidelschies recorded the win for OSU, striking out seven in 5.2 innings pitched.
Saturday was a more defensive battle, with the Hawkeyes evening the series to end OSU’s four-game win streak, 3-2. Tyler Pettorini led the Buckeyes with two hits, and Isaac Cadena scored the first home run of his career, a solo homer in the bottom of the seventh. Gavin Bruni recorded the loss for the Buckeyes, despite a strong performance. He struck out six, allowing two runs on three hits in five innings pitched.
It was Ohio State domination on Sunday, though, with the Buckeyes winning the game, 11-1, to clinch the series. The Hawkeyes got on the board quickly, posting their only run in the first inning. From there, it was all Buckeye bats. Jacob Morin earned the win in the team effort, with Trey Lipsey, Okuley, Mershon, and Ryan Miller leading OSU with two hits apiece. Lipsey drove in three runs, and Josh Stevenson had a team-high, season-high four RBIs.
Next up, the boys in Scarlet finish their six-game homestand on Tuesday against Wright State. They’ll hit the road to take on Kent State on Wednesday, finishing the weekend in Ann Arbor for a three-game series against Michigan, Friday-Sunday.
Softball
The Buckeye softball team (21-17) shut out Ohio (20-19), 8-0, at home on Wednesday, before dropping two of three at Wisconsin over the weekend.
Sophomore Hannah Church scored her first home run at Buckeye Field in the Ohio matchup—and it was not just any home run. The Buckeyes were up, 3-0, after the third, but Church’s home run—a grand slam—added the cherry on top in what would be a five-run fifth inning.
The Buckeyes finished the game with five hits from five different players in the victory.
They then headed to Madison, Wisconsin, for a three-game series against the Badgers over the weekend. The Badgers took the first two games of the series, 8-4, and 10-5, respectively.
In Friday’s game, the Buckeyes held a 3-2 lead in the third, but the Badgers managed to tie the game in the fourth and sealed their victory in the fifth. Kami Kortokrax led OSU in the game, with three hits and two RBIs. Allison Smith pitched for OSU, and her five strikeouts moved her into fifth place on the program’s all-time strikeouts list, with 496.
On Saturday, the Badgers never trailed, jumping out to an early 3-0 lead in the first. The Buckeyes pulled within one, down just 4-3 in the top of the fifth, but a six-run bottom half of the inning created a chasm too wide for OSU to clear. The Buckeyes had no trouble getting on base, but getting them home proved challenging, with 17 runners stranded in the first two games of the series.
One player who had no trouble getting home? Kirsten Eppele, who stole home in the fourth.
The Buckeyes rallied to victory on Sunday, however, in a 9-5 come-from-behind victory. After trailing, 4-3, for four innings, a six-run fifth for the Buckeyes sealed their victory. Smith won her 13th win of the season, recording her 500th career strikeout and becoming just the fifth player in OSU history to do so.
#Buckeyes drop a six-spot in the fifth and take a 9-4 lead over Wisconsin.
A recap of some of the big moments#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/2tJv4CfixY
— Ohio State Softball (@OhioStateSB) April 14, 2024
McKenzie Bump finished 3-for-3, with a home run and two RBIs. Jasmyn Burns also finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs, and Bump and Burns hit back-to-back home runs.
Next up, the Buckeyes will begin a nine-game homestand, kicking off tonight with a doubleheader against Penn State. They play again Wednesday against Maryland before a three-game series against Maryland this weekend.
Off the field, Sam Hackenbrecht was named a Big Ten Medal of Honor Finalist for her excellence both on and off the field.
Golf
The women’s golf team ended their regular season on a high note in Columbus this weekend, where they won the Therese Hession Buckeye Invitational at the OSU Scarlet Course after shooting back-to-back rounds of 283 (7-under, overall).
They won by 20 strokes in a tournament comprised of 10 other Big Ten teams and Kent State. Senior Caley McGinty won the individual title—her seventh collegiate career title—with a score of 210 (-6). Faith Choi and Kary Hollenbaugh tied for second overall, each shooting 214.
Next up, the women head to Havre de Grace, Maryland, for the Big Ten Championships at Blue Rock Golf Course, this Friday to Sunday.
The men’s team had the week off from competition. Instead, they were busy preparing for their next outing, the Robert Kepler Intercollegiate tournament in Columbus, this Friday to Sunday.
One Buckeye had an extra-special weekend, though. Senior Neal Shipley went on to become the only amateur to make the cut at the Masters. He spent Sunday of the competition paired with Tiger Woods, and he earned the 2024 low amateur Silver Cup.
Lacrosse
The women’s lacrosse team (7-7, 1-4) played the final two games of a three-game road stretch and fell both times, first to Louisville, followed by No. 1 Northwestern.
Their non-conference matchup against Louisville was a 22-10 decision, though it remained close in the first half. Louisville led, 4-2, at the end of the first quarter, before both teams scored four goals in the second. The Cardinals got going quickly in the second half though, putting up four of the first five goals in the third quarter, which ended 14-8, and then out-scoring the Buckeyes 8-2 in the fourth.
Still, freshman Kampbell Stone had her first career hat trick to lead the Buckeyes, and Jamie Lasda, who had a stellar week across both games, recorded a career-best 11 draw controls. This ties her for fifth-most in a single game in program history. Lasda leads the Buckeyes this season.
Kate Tyack also had two goals, her fifth career multiple-goal outing.
Saturday’s game against Northwestern (12-2, 4-1) brought a similar outcome, with the Buckeyes falling, 19-10. The Wildcats built an early lead to finish the first quarter up, 8-2. That woke the Buckeyes up.
The Buckeyes went on to outscore Northwestern, 7-5, in the second and third quarters, heading into the fourth down, 13-9. They couldn’t get the job done, scoring just one goal in the fourth, while the Wildcats put up six.
Emily Magalotti, Leah Sax, Zoe Coleman, and Lasda each scored twice. Lasda’s performance brought her season tally to a team-best and career-best 37 goals, the first of which was her 100th career goal. Tyack, for her part, has tallied more than three points in each of the last four games and is on a six-game goal streak.
Regan Alexander, the senior goalie, recorded 12 saves. Alexander was named a finalist for the 2024 Big Ten Medal of Honor, which is awarded to one male and one female student-athlete for excellence on and off the field, this past Monday.
Next up, the women will host Rutgers this coming Thursday. It will mark the regular-season home finale and OSU’s Senior Day.
The men’s team (6-7, 1-3) lost a heartbreaker in overtime at home against No. 5 Johns Hopkins, 11-10. It was their fourth matchup in five weeks against a top-10 team.
It was a hard-fought game, with the Buckeyes leaving everything on the field in the matchup, after starting strong and jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the first 10 minutes of the game. It marked just the third time this season Johns Hopkins was held scoreless in the first quarter.
OSU led by as many as five goals throughout the game, and led 7-4 at half and 9-6 at the end of the third, but the Jayhawks found their stride at the end of the third, going on a five-goal run that went into the fourth to give them the lead for the first time in the game, 10-9.
The OSU defense wasn’t giving up that easily, forcing three turnovers, and Alex Marinier tied the game up for the Buckeyes to force overtime. It marked his third hat trick of the season.
Overtime was an even match, with the Jayhawks claiming victory with only 24 seconds remaining in extra time. It was the Buckeyes’ first overtime game this season.
Freshman goalie Caleb Fyock had 11 saves, his fifth-straight game with double-digit saves.
Next, the men will close the regular season at home when they host Michigan this Saturday, April 20.
Track & Field
The Ohio State Track & Field team split time this weekend at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational and Bryan Clay Invitational this past Friday and Saturday, posting some memorable performances throughout the weekend.
Most notably, Daniella Santos and Andrea Kuhn moved into the top five in program history in the 5000m on Friday, with times that place them third and fifth in OSU history, respectively. Santos finished with a time of 15:56.71, while Kuhn posted a time of 15:57.72.
Other Buckeyes to place at the Bryan Clay Invite included Columba Effiong, who finished third in the women’s 200m with a PR of 23.82, and DJ Fillmore, whose long jump of 7.47m / 24’6.25” made him the runner-up.
On Saturday, the Buckeyes swept the shot put competition at Tom Jones, with Lacey Stringer moving into third on OSU’s all-time leaders list with a mark of 17.21m / 56’5.75”. Adam Riedinger posted a season-best throw of 17.53m / 57’6.25” on his way to victory on the men’s side.
The Buckeyes also placed well in other events throughout the day. Faith Bender placed third in discus with a season-best 56.91m / 186’8”, while Tanner Watson was the men’s runner-up with a throw of 54.45m / 178’7”. Sophie Fong and Morgan Fijalkowski finished second and fourth, respectively, in the pole vault. Amaya Ugarte cleared 1.84m / 6’0.5” in the high jump to finish in third.
Up next, the Buckeyes will host the Jesse Owens Classic this coming Friday and Saturday.
Rowing
The No. 12 Ohio State women’s rowing team had the weekend off. They’re busy preparing for their trip to Sarasota, Florida, for the Big Ten Invite, this coming Friday, April 19.
Men’s Volleyball
The No. 3-seed Buckeyes’ men’s volleyball team (20-8) advanced in the MIVA Tournament after defeating No. 6-seed Lewis (15-15) last Saturday in Columbus in the tournament quarterfinals, 3-1.
Ohio State posted scores of 26-24, 25-27, 25-21, 25-20 over the Flyers, dropping only the second set in the match. Shane Wetzel and Jacob Pasteur combined for 33 kills, while Cole Young recorded his 100th career block in the matchup.
Now, the Buckeyes move on to face No. 2-seed Loyola Chicago in the tournament semifinal this Thursday at 4 p.m. ET. The match, along with the rest of the tournament matches from here on out, will take place at Ball State in Muncie, Indiana. The Buckeyes lost both their previous matchups with the Ramblers, 2-3, this season.
Tennis
The No. 16 Ohio State women’s tennis team (15-6, 8-1) defeated Iowa, 4-1, in Iowa City Friday night, followed by a 4-1 victory on the road at Nebraska on Sunday to close out its regular season road schedule.
Friday’s win came with four straight-set singles wins from Luciana Perry, Sydni Ratliff, Shelly Bereznyak, and Audrey Spencer, with Iowa claiming only the doubles point (though the duo of Ratliff and Spencer did win their doubles match).
In Lincoln, the Buckeyes extended their win streak to eight matches, taking the doubles point on victories from the duos of Irina Cantos Siemers and Akanksha Bhan, along with that of Alessia Cau and Madeline Atway. Siemers, Ratliff, and Spencer also posted singles victories.
Up next, the women return home to end the regular season with matches Friday against Northwestern and Sunday against Illinois (the Buckeyes’ Senior Day).
The No. 1 Ohio State men’s tennis team keeps on rolling, after defeating both Big Ten schools from that state up north this weekend. They remain atop the Big Ten standings as the lone undefeated team in the conference, improving to 25-1 on the season.
The weekend began with a 6-1 home victory over No. 18 Michigan State, who entered the match also undefeated in conference play. Robert Cash, Cannon Kingsley, and JJ Tracy all won in both singles and doubles.
The Buckeyes first clinched the doubles’ point, thanks to victories from Cash and Bryce Nakashima, along with Kingsley and Tracy. OSU then won the first four singles matches, with singles wins coming from the aforementioned players, as well as Jack Anthrop and Alexander Bernard.
On Sunday, OSU took down rival Michigan, sweeping them, 4-0. While the doubles point was a rollercoaster requiring the tiebreaker, victories from the duos of Kingsley/Anthrop and Cash/Tracy clinched the point for the Buckeyes.
In singles play, Anthrop, Tracy, and Bernard all posted victories to seal the results.
The Buckeyes hit the road this weekend to take on Nebraska Friday and Wisconsin Sunday. They need just one win to clinch a share of the Big Ten title—it would be their 18th consecutive conference title if they’re able to stay on track.
Siemers and Cash, it is worth noting, are both also Big Ten Medal of Honor Finalists.
Continue reading...
LGHL Bucketheads Podcast: Ohio State picks up commitment from former McDonalds All-American
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Bucketheads Podcast: Ohio State picks up commitment from former McDonalds All-American
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Clare Grant/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK
Former Kentucky center and No. 4 overall recruit Aaron Bradshaw is heading to Columbus, while Zed is heading to Dayton. And Marcus Johnson commits to Ohio State
“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. In every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in college hoops.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On episode 117 of Bucketheads, the Ohio State men’s basketball team is so back.
The Buckeyes and head coach Jake Diebler have secured a commitment from Kentucky center Aaron Bradshaw, a former McDonald’s All-American and the No. 4 overall recruit in the 2023 class. We talk about Bradshaw's fit on this team, and how he works next to Felix Okpara.
Also, the Buckeyes secured a commitment from Northeast Ohio five-star 2025 guard Marcus Johnson, the cousin of Meechie Johnson. Johnson is a huge pickup and the first five-star to come to Columbus since D’Angelo Russell.
To close, we discuss Zed Key committing to Dayton and his fit there, as well as more transfer portal updates
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
Clare Grant/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK
Former Kentucky center and No. 4 overall recruit Aaron Bradshaw is heading to Columbus, while Zed is heading to Dayton. And Marcus Johnson commits to Ohio State
“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. In every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in college hoops.
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On episode 117 of Bucketheads, the Ohio State men’s basketball team is so back.
The Buckeyes and head coach Jake Diebler have secured a commitment from Kentucky center Aaron Bradshaw, a former McDonald’s All-American and the No. 4 overall recruit in the 2023 class. We talk about Bradshaw's fit on this team, and how he works next to Felix Okpara.
Also, the Buckeyes secured a commitment from Northeast Ohio five-star 2025 guard Marcus Johnson, the cousin of Meechie Johnson. Johnson is a huge pickup and the first five-star to come to Columbus since D’Angelo Russell.
To close, we discuss Zed Key committing to Dayton and his fit there, as well as more transfer portal updates
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
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LGHL Celeste Taylor selected by the Indiana Fever in the WNBA Draft
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Celeste Taylor selected by the Indiana Fever in the WNBA Draft
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 Sarah Stier/Getty Images
The former Buckeye transfer moved to the professional ranks Monday night in New York City
After the end of the 22/23 season, guard Celeste Taylor traded in Duke Blue Devils blue for the scarlet and gray of Ohio State women’s basketball. In one season, Taylor completed an impressive five-year NCAA career. On Monday night, she moved on to the pros, being selected by the Indiana Fever with the No. 15 pick.
With Taylor’s selection, she becomes the 19th Buckeye chosen in a WNBA college draft. Also, with former teammate, guard Jacy Sheldon, coming off the board earlier in the night, becomes the third pair in program history selected in the same draft.
Initially recruited by head coach Kevin McGuff out of high school, Taylor opted to go to the University of Texas, followed by a two-year spell with the Duke Blue Devils, before coming to Ohio State.
After winning the ACC Defensive Player of the Year award in her final year at Duke, Taylor continued the trend by earning the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honor. In one season with the Buckeyes, Taylor led the conference in defensive rating (82.4), steals (80) and steals per game (2.8).
All of that bodes well for a league that benefits those who can defend, but feedback received about Taylor from coaches and scouts is on the offensive side of the ball.
Taylor averaged 10.8 points in her NCAA career, but showed improvement year-over-year. The 23/24 season is a good representation of that growth. In 32 games, Taylor had her best shooting percentage as a college player, hitting 40.9% of her shots.
Look into the lone season with the Buckeyes and Taylor started off slow, offensively. While still learning the system, Taylor averaged 7.3 points per game up until Dec. 22. Then, in the final 22 games of the season, Taylor increased her scoring to 11.6 points per game, and added deep shooting to the mix, hitting 1.6 shots from beyond the arc per game.
That offensive work continued after the season, with hopes of making one of the 12 WNBA rosters, which isn’t easy to accomplish. Each team only has room for 12 players.
If a player doesn’t make their drafted team though, it’s not the end of their WNBA careers. Each season, draftees don’t make their teams, get waived and then picked up by another side.
Last season, the Indiana Fever selected another Buckeye, shooting guard Taylor Mikesell, with the first pick of the second round. Mikesell didn’t make the Fever out of training camp, but got signed by the Atlanta Dream off the waiver wire. Mikesell had six appearances for the Dream, averaging 4.8 minutes per appearance before being waived by Atlanta.
The duo of Sheldon and Taylor are the third pair of Buckeyes to get drafted in the same year and the first time since 2018. That was when guard Kelsey Mitchell and forward Stephanie Mavunga were taken off the board.
Taylor joins No. 1 overall pick Caitlin Clark in Indiana. It’s also the second season in a row that a Buckeye was drafted by the Fever. Last year, guard Taylor Mikesell went to the Fever with the first pick in the second round.
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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 Sarah Stier/Getty Images
The former Buckeye transfer moved to the professional ranks Monday night in New York City
After the end of the 22/23 season, guard Celeste Taylor traded in Duke Blue Devils blue for the scarlet and gray of Ohio State women’s basketball. In one season, Taylor completed an impressive five-year NCAA career. On Monday night, she moved on to the pros, being selected by the Indiana Fever with the No. 15 pick.
With Taylor’s selection, she becomes the 19th Buckeye chosen in a WNBA college draft. Also, with former teammate, guard Jacy Sheldon, coming off the board earlier in the night, becomes the third pair in program history selected in the same draft.
Initially recruited by head coach Kevin McGuff out of high school, Taylor opted to go to the University of Texas, followed by a two-year spell with the Duke Blue Devils, before coming to Ohio State.
After winning the ACC Defensive Player of the Year award in her final year at Duke, Taylor continued the trend by earning the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honor. In one season with the Buckeyes, Taylor led the conference in defensive rating (82.4), steals (80) and steals per game (2.8).
All of that bodes well for a league that benefits those who can defend, but feedback received about Taylor from coaches and scouts is on the offensive side of the ball.
Taylor averaged 10.8 points in her NCAA career, but showed improvement year-over-year. The 23/24 season is a good representation of that growth. In 32 games, Taylor had her best shooting percentage as a college player, hitting 40.9% of her shots.
Look into the lone season with the Buckeyes and Taylor started off slow, offensively. While still learning the system, Taylor averaged 7.3 points per game up until Dec. 22. Then, in the final 22 games of the season, Taylor increased her scoring to 11.6 points per game, and added deep shooting to the mix, hitting 1.6 shots from beyond the arc per game.
That offensive work continued after the season, with hopes of making one of the 12 WNBA rosters, which isn’t easy to accomplish. Each team only has room for 12 players.
If a player doesn’t make their drafted team though, it’s not the end of their WNBA careers. Each season, draftees don’t make their teams, get waived and then picked up by another side.
Last season, the Indiana Fever selected another Buckeye, shooting guard Taylor Mikesell, with the first pick of the second round. Mikesell didn’t make the Fever out of training camp, but got signed by the Atlanta Dream off the waiver wire. Mikesell had six appearances for the Dream, averaging 4.8 minutes per appearance before being waived by Atlanta.
The duo of Sheldon and Taylor are the third pair of Buckeyes to get drafted in the same year and the first time since 2018. That was when guard Kelsey Mitchell and forward Stephanie Mavunga were taken off the board.
Taylor joins No. 1 overall pick Caitlin Clark in Indiana. It’s also the second season in a row that a Buckeye was drafted by the Fever. Last year, guard Taylor Mikesell went to the Fever with the first pick in the second round.
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LGHL Former Kentucky forward Ajae Petty transfers to Ohio State
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Former Kentucky forward Ajae Petty transfers to Ohio State
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports
The Kentucky Wildcat who averaged a double-double joins the Buckeyes for her last season of eligibility
On Sunday, Ohio State women’s basketball added its first transfer of the portal season. Guard Chance Gray, out of the Oregon Ducks, joined the Buckeyes to help fill gaps in perimeter shooting left by graduating seniors. Now, head coach Kevin McGuff has added another name to address a key area of concern for Ohio State, as former Kentucky Wildcats forward Ajae Petty announced on Monday that she would be joining the Buckeyes.
It took a while for Petty to make a substantial impact at the collegiate level, but last season she delivered. In the forward’s first four years in college basketball, she split it with two years as an LSU Tiger and two seasons in Kentucky.
In her first three seasons, Petty had 60 appearances, but no starts, across the two SEC sides. In those appearances, Petty averaged 3.5 points and 3.1 rebounds with an average of 10 minutes played per game. Last year though, Petty finally got the chance to start and she made the best of it.
Starting all 32 games for the Wildcats, Petty had a career season. The forward averaged 14.2 points and 10.6 rebounds for the struggling Kentucky side. In those 32 games were 18 double-double performances, ending the season third in the conference in rebounds (339) and rebounds per game.
Now, Petty joins an Ohio State side that has struggled to grab missed shots for the last four seasons. Each year, the Buckeyes ended the season with a negative rebounding differential, and no year was worse than the 2023-24 season. The Scarlet and Gray ended the year with a -2.4 rebounding differential, good for the second-worst mark in the conference. It especially hurt Ohio State in the postseason.
Against the Maryland Terrapins, in the Buckeyes’ lone game of the Big Ten Tournament, the Terrapins outrebounded Ohio State 55-31 in an 82-61 lopsided Maryland win. Then, in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament, the Duke Blue Devils held the Scarlet and Gray to only 20 rebounds, grabbing 18 more than the No. 2 seed.
Adding Petty helps lessen that rebounding gap to Ohio State’s opponents. The graduate senior joins senior Taylor Thierry, junior Cotie McMahon, and sophomore center Faith Carson in the group of forwards. Also, Eboni Walker might have an extra year of eligibility due to an injury sustained in the 2021-22 season when she played for the Syracuse Orange, but McGuff and company are still waiting on a ruling from the NCAA.
The Buckeyes also have a group of incoming freshmen which includes forwards Ella Hobbs and Elsa Lemmila. Standing at 6-foot-3 and 6-foot-6 respectively, they add to an OSU post presence that’s more formidable than in years past.
The transfer portal will remain open until May 1, giving McGuff more time to add names to the Buckeyes roster. With Petty, Ohio State is up to 13 players on its 2024-25 roster, with a few potential spots yet to fill.
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ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports
The Kentucky Wildcat who averaged a double-double joins the Buckeyes for her last season of eligibility
On Sunday, Ohio State women’s basketball added its first transfer of the portal season. Guard Chance Gray, out of the Oregon Ducks, joined the Buckeyes to help fill gaps in perimeter shooting left by graduating seniors. Now, head coach Kevin McGuff has added another name to address a key area of concern for Ohio State, as former Kentucky Wildcats forward Ajae Petty announced on Monday that she would be joining the Buckeyes.
It took a while for Petty to make a substantial impact at the collegiate level, but last season she delivered. In the forward’s first four years in college basketball, she split it with two years as an LSU Tiger and two seasons in Kentucky.
In her first three seasons, Petty had 60 appearances, but no starts, across the two SEC sides. In those appearances, Petty averaged 3.5 points and 3.1 rebounds with an average of 10 minutes played per game. Last year though, Petty finally got the chance to start and she made the best of it.
Starting all 32 games for the Wildcats, Petty had a career season. The forward averaged 14.2 points and 10.6 rebounds for the struggling Kentucky side. In those 32 games were 18 double-double performances, ending the season third in the conference in rebounds (339) and rebounds per game.
Now, Petty joins an Ohio State side that has struggled to grab missed shots for the last four seasons. Each year, the Buckeyes ended the season with a negative rebounding differential, and no year was worse than the 2023-24 season. The Scarlet and Gray ended the year with a -2.4 rebounding differential, good for the second-worst mark in the conference. It especially hurt Ohio State in the postseason.
Against the Maryland Terrapins, in the Buckeyes’ lone game of the Big Ten Tournament, the Terrapins outrebounded Ohio State 55-31 in an 82-61 lopsided Maryland win. Then, in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament, the Duke Blue Devils held the Scarlet and Gray to only 20 rebounds, grabbing 18 more than the No. 2 seed.
Adding Petty helps lessen that rebounding gap to Ohio State’s opponents. The graduate senior joins senior Taylor Thierry, junior Cotie McMahon, and sophomore center Faith Carson in the group of forwards. Also, Eboni Walker might have an extra year of eligibility due to an injury sustained in the 2021-22 season when she played for the Syracuse Orange, but McGuff and company are still waiting on a ruling from the NCAA.
The Buckeyes also have a group of incoming freshmen which includes forwards Ella Hobbs and Elsa Lemmila. Standing at 6-foot-3 and 6-foot-6 respectively, they add to an OSU post presence that’s more formidable than in years past.
The transfer portal will remain open until May 1, giving McGuff more time to add names to the Buckeyes roster. With Petty, Ohio State is up to 13 players on its 2024-25 roster, with a few potential spots yet to fill.
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LGHL 2024 Ohio State Spring Game: Three pleasant surprises
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2024 Ohio State Spring Game: Three pleasant surprises
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Here are a few things that stood out from Saturday’s Spring Game.
The annual Ohio State Spring Game has come and gone. Team Scarlet nipped Team Gray, 34-33, in front of a crowd of 80,012 at the Horseshoe. However, since the Spring Game isn’t really a football game these days, the score and winning side is almost immaterial — except that all wholesome, correct-thinking individuals will always root for Team Scarlet, but I digress.
As always, there were plenty of talking points, and here are three of the things that stood out to me on Saturday.
It was interesting to see a running game emerge during the Spring Game. With many players considered “down” when touched — or even just at the threat of it happening — it’s unusual for the running backs to stand out, but that’s what happened on Saturday, as the final tally was 243 rushing yards. That’s pretty good when most players don’t have the option to break tackles and gain extra yards after contact (although some did, as it was a mixture of live action and “thud tempo”).
There was good jump in the legs of both presumed starters, TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, but they weren’t the only ones who looked good. With Dallan Hayden moving on, I was interested in seeing what the Buckeyes have behind Henderson and Judkins, and I wasn’t disappointed.
James Peoples and Sam Williams-Dixon showed their skills, and the Buckeyes look like they’ll be OK in the depth department this season. Peoples ran for 36 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries, but he always looked threatening in an if-this-game-was-for-real-things-might-be-different kind of way. Williams-Dixon did even better, running for 75 yards and a score on 11 attempts.
Both players look like they’ll be able to help out if needed in 2024. Plus, TC Caffey looks healthy again.
It wasn’t lost on me that the quarterbacks combined for 46 of those rushing yards, and I expect we’ll see more quarterback running in 2024 than we have over the past several seasons.
Linebackers CJ Hicks and Sonny Styles tallied a combined 14 tackles in the Spring Game, and it seemed like more. Both guys were around the ball a lot, with Hicks finishing with eight stops and Styles ending the day with six.
There will be snaps for new faces at linebacker in 2024, and it’s a good look for Hicks and Styles to contribute. Sure, it’s just the Spring Game, but it’s still good to see them stepping up with Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers departing.
Speaking of linebackers, Mitchell Melton also flashed in this game. Can this guy just stay healthy for a season — please? I’m interested to know what a season with a completely healthy Melton looks like.
It wasn’t exactly surprising that Ohio State’s secondary was good on Saturday. The defensive backs were up against opposing quarterbacks that were either inexperienced, new to the program, or both. But they were also competing against an insanely talented wide receivers group, and it seemed like everyone was making plays.
Calvin Simpson-Hunt, Inky Jones, Jaylen McClain, and Dianté Griffin all got their hands on an interception on Saturday. Jones was everywhere, finishing with seven tackles, while freshman cornerback Aaron Scott made six stops. Veteran Davison Igbinosun had terrific blanket coverage for most of his snaps, too.
One can never put too much stock in Spring Game performances, but that’s all the live Ohio State football we get until the fall, so it’s still worth watching.
Which players impressed you?
Continue reading...
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Here are a few things that stood out from Saturday’s Spring Game.
The annual Ohio State Spring Game has come and gone. Team Scarlet nipped Team Gray, 34-33, in front of a crowd of 80,012 at the Horseshoe. However, since the Spring Game isn’t really a football game these days, the score and winning side is almost immaterial — except that all wholesome, correct-thinking individuals will always root for Team Scarlet, but I digress.
As always, there were plenty of talking points, and here are three of the things that stood out to me on Saturday.
Running Back Depth
It was interesting to see a running game emerge during the Spring Game. With many players considered “down” when touched — or even just at the threat of it happening — it’s unusual for the running backs to stand out, but that’s what happened on Saturday, as the final tally was 243 rushing yards. That’s pretty good when most players don’t have the option to break tackles and gain extra yards after contact (although some did, as it was a mixture of live action and “thud tempo”).
There was good jump in the legs of both presumed starters, TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, but they weren’t the only ones who looked good. With Dallan Hayden moving on, I was interested in seeing what the Buckeyes have behind Henderson and Judkins, and I wasn’t disappointed.
James Peoples and Sam Williams-Dixon showed their skills, and the Buckeyes look like they’ll be OK in the depth department this season. Peoples ran for 36 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries, but he always looked threatening in an if-this-game-was-for-real-things-might-be-different kind of way. Williams-Dixon did even better, running for 75 yards and a score on 11 attempts.
Both players look like they’ll be able to help out if needed in 2024. Plus, TC Caffey looks healthy again.
It wasn’t lost on me that the quarterbacks combined for 46 of those rushing yards, and I expect we’ll see more quarterback running in 2024 than we have over the past several seasons.
Hicks, Styles Looked the Part
Linebackers CJ Hicks and Sonny Styles tallied a combined 14 tackles in the Spring Game, and it seemed like more. Both guys were around the ball a lot, with Hicks finishing with eight stops and Styles ending the day with six.
There will be snaps for new faces at linebacker in 2024, and it’s a good look for Hicks and Styles to contribute. Sure, it’s just the Spring Game, but it’s still good to see them stepping up with Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers departing.
Speaking of linebackers, Mitchell Melton also flashed in this game. Can this guy just stay healthy for a season — please? I’m interested to know what a season with a completely healthy Melton looks like.
One Serious Secondary
It wasn’t exactly surprising that Ohio State’s secondary was good on Saturday. The defensive backs were up against opposing quarterbacks that were either inexperienced, new to the program, or both. But they were also competing against an insanely talented wide receivers group, and it seemed like everyone was making plays.
Calvin Simpson-Hunt, Inky Jones, Jaylen McClain, and Dianté Griffin all got their hands on an interception on Saturday. Jones was everywhere, finishing with seven tackles, while freshman cornerback Aaron Scott made six stops. Veteran Davison Igbinosun had terrific blanket coverage for most of his snaps, too.
One can never put too much stock in Spring Game performances, but that’s all the live Ohio State football we get until the fall, so it’s still worth watching.
Which players impressed you?
Continue reading...
C Aaron Bradshaw (transfer to Memphis)
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- Buckeye Alumni
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Aaron Bradshaw, Kentucky Wildcats, Center (BK)
Aaron Bradshaw is a 7-0, 207-pound Center from Roselle, NJ.
247sports.com
Aaron Bradshaw
Aaron Bradshaw was viewed as the top center prospect in the national class of 2023. He was 7-feet plus, mobile, and athletic with good hands, a soft touch that extended out to the three-point line, and shot-blocking ability. Production didn’t always live up to his potential though, with his motor and physicality both being clear works-in-progress during his high school years.It was more of the same this year at Kentucky, especially after his transition to the college game was impeded by an injury that cost him the first few weeks of the season. While he made an immediate impact upon returning in early December, he saw his role diminish as the season went on. He finished the season averaging just 4.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks in 13.8 minutes per night.
While there is unfortunately now a pattern of underachieving, what is debatable is how much of that is contextual, after playing on teams built around DJ Wagner throughout high school. What remains undeniable is that Bradshaw’s ceiling remains high if he ever fully commits himself to maximizing his potential. There just aren’t many seven-footers who can space the floor vertically and with their shooting while simultaneously being able to protect the rim and move their feet laterally.
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LGHL BOOM! Kentucky transfer, former five-star recruit Aaron Bradshaw will transfer to Ohio State
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BOOM! Kentucky transfer, former five-star recruit Aaron Bradshaw will transfer to Ohio State
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports
The rising sophomore averaged 4.9 points and 3.3 rebounds per game for Kentucky last season.
Let Jake Diebler cook.
On Monday afternoon, Ohio State landed a commitment from Aaron Bradshaw, a 7-foot-1, 225-pound center who is a rising sophomore and played sparingly at Kentucky during his freshman season. Bradshaw averaged 4.9 points and 3.3 rebounds per game last season while playing just under 14 minutes per game. He shot 57.6% overall, but only took 3.3 shot attempts per game.
He visited Ohio State this past weekend, April 13-14. According to the Columbus Dispatch, Bradshaw committed to Diebler and the Buckeyes while on his visit.
Per 247Sports, Bradshaw was the No. 4 overall player and a consensus five-star recruit in the class of 2023. He was the top center in the class and the top player in the state of New Jersey, just ahead of high school (Camden) and Kentucky teammate DJ Wagner. News broke on April 7 that UK head coach John Calipari was leaving Kentucky after 15 seasons to take the same job at Arkansas. By the next day, Bradshaw had opted to transfer.
Bradshaw’s best performance of the season was a 17-point, 11-rebound double-double against Penn on December 9. Both marks were career-highs for the freshman, whose role dwindled over the final nine games of the season. From February 17 onward, Bradshaw averaged just 5.6 minutes per game, and only played four minutes in Kentucky’s 80-76 loss to Oakland in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The talented freshman was expected to be a key rotation piece for the Wildcats, but sustained a foot fracture in late June, which took over five months to fully heal. He missed the entire pre-season as well as the first seven games of the regular season, and once he returned, a good chunk of the minutes at center went to Ugonna Onyenso, Zvonimir Ivišić, and Tre Mitchell.
Bradshaw was named the SEC Freshman of the Week on January 8, following a win over Florida where he scored 10 points, grabbed seven rebounds, had two steals, and blocked one shot. He scored all 10 points in the final 9:05 of the game.
Aside from the fact that Bradshaw is perhaps the most talented center — from a pure skills standpoint — to don the scarlet and gray since Greg Oden, the big question is how Bradshaw fits with the current roster. Felix Okpara — Ohio State’s starting center this past season — announced he was coming back on April 1. Zed Key, who was the primary backup at center, transferred to Dayton on Monday morning. Rising sophomore Austin Parks, a 6-foot-10, 250 pound big man who was also pursued by Illinois and Michigan State, has not entered the transfer portal or given any indication that he will do so.
So where does Bradshaw fit in? With his talent, it’s unlikely that he would opt to go somewhere that couldn’t give him plenty of minutes. At the same time, Okpara may not have come back if he knew that he would be relegated to the bench, especially after playing the best basketball of his career at the end of the season.
While Bradshaw is taller than Okpara by two inches, he has not shown the same shot-blocking prowess in high school or at Kentucky that Okpara — who was second in the Big Ten in blocks this season — already has. Okpara also finished 14th in rebounds in the Big Ten this season, despite playing just 24 minutes per game.
Okpara has not and may never develop an outside shot, nor does the ball wind up in his hands very often other than below the basket. Bradshaw, on the other hand, was touted as a big who can stretch the floor coming out of Camden High School, as well as a player who can handle the ball reasonably well. He only took 14 three-point attempts as a freshman at Kentucky and hit four of them (28.6%), but scouting reports in high school described him as someone who can shoot from range and move his feet on the perimeter.
Without hearing it directly from Diebler, it sure looks like the first-year head coach is scheming up a way to play both bigs at the same time, with Austin Parks waiting in reserve. Chris Holtmann tried this at times with Okpara and Key, but Bradshaw has the mobility and shooting potential that Key did not, which makes a “twin towers” lineup more feasible with Bradshaw. Even if Bradshaw doesn’t start right away, he will easily play more than the 13.7 minutes per game he played at Kentucky last season.
With the addition of Bradshaw, Ohio State now has two scholarships remaining. They will likely add another guard, and a wing who can be plugged in to play at forward alongside Devin Royal or Evan Mahaffey.
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Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports
The rising sophomore averaged 4.9 points and 3.3 rebounds per game for Kentucky last season.
Let Jake Diebler cook.
On Monday afternoon, Ohio State landed a commitment from Aaron Bradshaw, a 7-foot-1, 225-pound center who is a rising sophomore and played sparingly at Kentucky during his freshman season. Bradshaw averaged 4.9 points and 3.3 rebounds per game last season while playing just under 14 minutes per game. He shot 57.6% overall, but only took 3.3 shot attempts per game.
He visited Ohio State this past weekend, April 13-14. According to the Columbus Dispatch, Bradshaw committed to Diebler and the Buckeyes while on his visit.
Per 247Sports, Bradshaw was the No. 4 overall player and a consensus five-star recruit in the class of 2023. He was the top center in the class and the top player in the state of New Jersey, just ahead of high school (Camden) and Kentucky teammate DJ Wagner. News broke on April 7 that UK head coach John Calipari was leaving Kentucky after 15 seasons to take the same job at Arkansas. By the next day, Bradshaw had opted to transfer.
Bradshaw’s best performance of the season was a 17-point, 11-rebound double-double against Penn on December 9. Both marks were career-highs for the freshman, whose role dwindled over the final nine games of the season. From February 17 onward, Bradshaw averaged just 5.6 minutes per game, and only played four minutes in Kentucky’s 80-76 loss to Oakland in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The talented freshman was expected to be a key rotation piece for the Wildcats, but sustained a foot fracture in late June, which took over five months to fully heal. He missed the entire pre-season as well as the first seven games of the regular season, and once he returned, a good chunk of the minutes at center went to Ugonna Onyenso, Zvonimir Ivišić, and Tre Mitchell.
Bradshaw was named the SEC Freshman of the Week on January 8, following a win over Florida where he scored 10 points, grabbed seven rebounds, had two steals, and blocked one shot. He scored all 10 points in the final 9:05 of the game.
The Fit
Aside from the fact that Bradshaw is perhaps the most talented center — from a pure skills standpoint — to don the scarlet and gray since Greg Oden, the big question is how Bradshaw fits with the current roster. Felix Okpara — Ohio State’s starting center this past season — announced he was coming back on April 1. Zed Key, who was the primary backup at center, transferred to Dayton on Monday morning. Rising sophomore Austin Parks, a 6-foot-10, 250 pound big man who was also pursued by Illinois and Michigan State, has not entered the transfer portal or given any indication that he will do so.
So where does Bradshaw fit in? With his talent, it’s unlikely that he would opt to go somewhere that couldn’t give him plenty of minutes. At the same time, Okpara may not have come back if he knew that he would be relegated to the bench, especially after playing the best basketball of his career at the end of the season.
While Bradshaw is taller than Okpara by two inches, he has not shown the same shot-blocking prowess in high school or at Kentucky that Okpara — who was second in the Big Ten in blocks this season — already has. Okpara also finished 14th in rebounds in the Big Ten this season, despite playing just 24 minutes per game.
Okpara has not and may never develop an outside shot, nor does the ball wind up in his hands very often other than below the basket. Bradshaw, on the other hand, was touted as a big who can stretch the floor coming out of Camden High School, as well as a player who can handle the ball reasonably well. He only took 14 three-point attempts as a freshman at Kentucky and hit four of them (28.6%), but scouting reports in high school described him as someone who can shoot from range and move his feet on the perimeter.
Without hearing it directly from Diebler, it sure looks like the first-year head coach is scheming up a way to play both bigs at the same time, with Austin Parks waiting in reserve. Chris Holtmann tried this at times with Okpara and Key, but Bradshaw has the mobility and shooting potential that Key did not, which makes a “twin towers” lineup more feasible with Bradshaw. Even if Bradshaw doesn’t start right away, he will easily play more than the 13.7 minutes per game he played at Kentucky last season.
With the addition of Bradshaw, Ohio State now has two scholarships remaining. They will likely add another guard, and a wing who can be plugged in to play at forward alongside Devin Royal or Evan Mahaffey.
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