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LGHL Land-Grant Uncut: McMahon says UConn wasn’t the only great team in Ohio State women’s win
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Land-Grant Uncut: McMahon says UConn wasn’t the only great team in Ohio State women’s win
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
What head coach Kevin McGuff, Jacy Sheldon and Cotie McMahon said after the huge win over the UConn Huskies.
Throughout the year, Land-Grant Holy Land will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.
Saturday afternoon, the Ohio State women’s basketball team did something few expected them to do in Seattle, Washington: The Buckeyes defeated the UConn Huskies, ending their quest for a 15th straight trip to the Final Four.
Following the emphatic victory, forward Cotie McMahon, guard Jacy Sheldon and head coach Kevin McGuff addressed the media.
McMahon talked about beating a team that many thought would roll over the Buckeyes, the love of her mom and what she’s done for her basketball career and her big performance in the victory. Sheldon talks about how teammate Taylor Mikesell is tough as nails following a game where Mikesell appeared to play through injury, McMahon’s confidence and more.
Coach McGuff goes into what the win means for the team, preparing against not only the Huskies but the aura the Huskies bring to games, and how parity in NCAA women’s basketball has changed over the past few years.
That and a lot more in the latest Uncut.
Connect with Thomas:
Twitter: @1ThomasCostello
Theme music provided by www.bensound.com
Continue reading...
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
What head coach Kevin McGuff, Jacy Sheldon and Cotie McMahon said after the huge win over the UConn Huskies.
Throughout the year, Land-Grant Holy Land will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.
Saturday afternoon, the Ohio State women’s basketball team did something few expected them to do in Seattle, Washington: The Buckeyes defeated the UConn Huskies, ending their quest for a 15th straight trip to the Final Four.
Following the emphatic victory, forward Cotie McMahon, guard Jacy Sheldon and head coach Kevin McGuff addressed the media.
McMahon talked about beating a team that many thought would roll over the Buckeyes, the love of her mom and what she’s done for her basketball career and her big performance in the victory. Sheldon talks about how teammate Taylor Mikesell is tough as nails following a game where Mikesell appeared to play through injury, McMahon’s confidence and more.
Coach McGuff goes into what the win means for the team, preparing against not only the Huskies but the aura the Huskies bring to games, and how parity in NCAA women’s basketball has changed over the past few years.
That and a lot more in the latest Uncut.
Connect with Thomas:
Twitter: @1ThomasCostello
Theme music provided by www.bensound.com
Continue reading...
LGHL Four Storylines: No. 3 Ohio State women vs. No. 1 Virginia Tech
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Four Storylines: No. 3 Ohio State women vs. No. 1 Virginia Tech
1ThomasCostello 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 status of guard Taylor Mikesell, pressing, aggressive VT offense and the quest for the Final Four
A lot of people didn’t put the Ohio State women’s basketball team this far into the tournament. The “people’s bracket” for ESPN had 12% of folks completing a bracket featuring the Buckeyes this far. Even in the game preview for Saturday’s game against the UConn Huskies Land-Grant Holy Land picked the Huskies in a narrow victory.
None of that matters because the Scarlet & Gray are in the Elite Eight following a 73-61 defeat of coach Geno Auriemma and the 11-time champions.
Now, the Buckeyes have a matchup against a No. 1 seed on the horizon. Here are a few things to watch when the No. 3 Buckeyes take on the No. 1 Virginia Tech Hokies Monday night in Seattle, Washington.
Watch Saturday’s Buckeyes victory over the Huskies and something in and out of the game grabbing attention was the health of guard Taylor Mikesell. After logging the most minutes in the Big Ten this season, it looked to have caught up with Mikesell.
During timeouts the guard received treatment, in the game Mikesell wasn’t taking as many shots and went to the bench for 1:29 of the game, only to return and close out the remaining 13 game minutes. Sunday, Mikesell made it clear about her status for Monday.
“I mean, I feel good,” said Mikesell. “The most important thing is to win and we got that. Credit to everybody that stepped up but I’ll be ready to go tomorrow.”
Mikesell is important For Ohio State not only because she can hit shots with the best of them in the NCAA but the Massillon, Ohio native also draws in the defense, making life easier for her teammates. The Virginia Tech is a sound defensive team, and the Buckeyes will need all hands on deck if they hope to topple a No. 1 seeded Hokies.
Saturday’s inspirational performance for Mikesell is an added layer of motivation for the Scarlet & Gray. Don’t expect any players to be out Monday night.
The Buckeyes faced their fair share of dominant post players in the 22-23 season. During the non-conference schedule the Buckeyes fought Tennessee Volunteers’ center Tamari Key before injury ended her season. Before Christmas, it was against Dulcy Fankam-Mendjiadeu who almost toppled Ohio State’s then perfect record with a stat line of 34 points and 17 rebounds.
It didn’t get much easier in the Big Ten. The Scarlet & Gray faced Indiana Hoosiers forward Mackenzie Holmes three times, along with two losses to Iowa Hawkeyes and outstanding center Monika Czinano. Monday night, the Buckeyes face a different kind of challenge in Virginia Tech Hokies’ center Elizabeth Kitley.
“She’s really versatile. She can score around the basket. She’s got nice touch. But she can also step away 15, 16, 17 feet and make shots,” said head coach Kevin McGuff. “So I just think usually we’re playing post players that are good on the perimeter or they’re good around the basket and she’s kind of good at both.”
Kitley will give forwards Eboni Walker, Rebeka Mikulášiková and whoever else slides into the role a difficult night. No surprise with Kitley’s status as a Naismith National Player of the Year candidate. It’s likely that Ohio State won’t completely stop the 6-foot-6 center, but limiting Kitley is possible.
Ohio State has athletic players who slide under the basket when needed. Forward Cotie McMahon, and guard/forward combo Taylor Thierry are the likely candidates to stop a shot under the rim. If the Buckeyes hold Kitley to a night similar to that of Dorka Juhász’s 12 points and 10 rebounds, Ohio State has a strong chance to continue making headlines.
Before Saturday’s Ohio State victory over the UConn Huskies, the narrative was around the perennial powerhouse that is UConn continuing their run to 15-straight Final Fours. Following a Buckeyes’ defensive performance that ended with 25 forced turnovers on Connecticut, 18 in the first half alone, the conversation quickly shifted to the press. Mainly, how do the Hokies handle it?
Virginia Tech, unlike the Huskies, is used to facing a defensive press. Games against the Duke Blue Devils, Miami Hurricanes and Louisville Cardinals are proof. While the Hokies lost to Miami and Duke, a loss to the latter was also the catalyst for the 14-game winning streak Virginia Tech currently sits in.
“When we got beat at Duke, the game before Virginia. They really manhandled us,” said Virginia Tech head coach Kenny Brooks. “They really put pressure on Georgia (Amoore). They were extremely physical with her. They were extremely physical with Liz (Kitley). From that point on, we developed a mantra. It was like, okay, we have to be physical.”
The Hokies will be physical with Ohio State, but not in the way people think of throwing their bodies into a charge on defense or not relenting on pressuring shooters. No, it’s offensive pressure.
Virginia Tech began enforcing its will on the offensive side of the ball. In the game, it materializes in the form of quick transition offense, sending up quick shots with only seconds coming off the clock.
It’s not layups or midrange jumpers either. It’s also from deep. Guard Georgia Amoore is the person who will lead the way in that category. Amoore only has a 35.1% average from deep, but the total of shots the Australian will take from deep is staggering. The guard averages 9.2 three-point attempts per game, still making 3.2 per game.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24538788/usa_today_20323185.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
That's just more than Mikesell for Ohio State, hitting 3.1 per game on 7.7 attempts per game. For Mikesell, she sees it as a positive — for the Buckeyes.
“She’s an incredible player, just to see her, the volume that she shoots it at is really incredible,” said Mikesell. “But I think it plays well in our favor, the pace that they play at. Just being able to cause some havoc in our press, get some easy looks in transition, obviously push pace as well on offense.”
For both the Buckeyes and Hokies, Monday’s game is historic. In the Hokies’ camp, the Elite Eight appearance is the first in the history of the Blacksburg, Virginia program. On the Ohio State side, the first trip this far into the NCAA Tournament since 1993, when freshman Katie Smith led the Scarlet & Gray to within two points of a National Championship trophy.
“we’ve talked a lot about parity in recent years in our game, and I think it — there is a lot more parity than there used to be,” said McGuff. “But to really validate that statement we need new teams in the Final Four. So I think this is obviously a great opportunity for both programs.”
Of the remaining teams in the tournament, the Miami Hurricanes and the Virginia Tech Hokies are the last remaining sides to not see a Final Four birth. It’s safe to say that coach McGuff won’t want the Hokies to get that first Final Four this season, but should Ohio State make the national semifinal, it will go against the Final Fours of recent seasons that predominantly featured the UConn Huskies, South Carolina Gamecocks and Notre Dame Fighting Irish teams of the world.
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1ThomasCostello 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 status of guard Taylor Mikesell, pressing, aggressive VT offense and the quest for the Final Four
A lot of people didn’t put the Ohio State women’s basketball team this far into the tournament. The “people’s bracket” for ESPN had 12% of folks completing a bracket featuring the Buckeyes this far. Even in the game preview for Saturday’s game against the UConn Huskies Land-Grant Holy Land picked the Huskies in a narrow victory.
None of that matters because the Scarlet & Gray are in the Elite Eight following a 73-61 defeat of coach Geno Auriemma and the 11-time champions.
Now, the Buckeyes have a matchup against a No. 1 seed on the horizon. Here are a few things to watch when the No. 3 Buckeyes take on the No. 1 Virginia Tech Hokies Monday night in Seattle, Washington.
Taylor Mikesell’s Status
Watch Saturday’s Buckeyes victory over the Huskies and something in and out of the game grabbing attention was the health of guard Taylor Mikesell. After logging the most minutes in the Big Ten this season, it looked to have caught up with Mikesell.
During timeouts the guard received treatment, in the game Mikesell wasn’t taking as many shots and went to the bench for 1:29 of the game, only to return and close out the remaining 13 game minutes. Sunday, Mikesell made it clear about her status for Monday.
“I mean, I feel good,” said Mikesell. “The most important thing is to win and we got that. Credit to everybody that stepped up but I’ll be ready to go tomorrow.”
Mikesell is important For Ohio State not only because she can hit shots with the best of them in the NCAA but the Massillon, Ohio native also draws in the defense, making life easier for her teammates. The Virginia Tech is a sound defensive team, and the Buckeyes will need all hands on deck if they hope to topple a No. 1 seeded Hokies.
Saturday’s inspirational performance for Mikesell is an added layer of motivation for the Scarlet & Gray. Don’t expect any players to be out Monday night.
Containing Elizabeth Kitley
The Buckeyes faced their fair share of dominant post players in the 22-23 season. During the non-conference schedule the Buckeyes fought Tennessee Volunteers’ center Tamari Key before injury ended her season. Before Christmas, it was against Dulcy Fankam-Mendjiadeu who almost toppled Ohio State’s then perfect record with a stat line of 34 points and 17 rebounds.
It didn’t get much easier in the Big Ten. The Scarlet & Gray faced Indiana Hoosiers forward Mackenzie Holmes three times, along with two losses to Iowa Hawkeyes and outstanding center Monika Czinano. Monday night, the Buckeyes face a different kind of challenge in Virginia Tech Hokies’ center Elizabeth Kitley.
“She’s really versatile. She can score around the basket. She’s got nice touch. But she can also step away 15, 16, 17 feet and make shots,” said head coach Kevin McGuff. “So I just think usually we’re playing post players that are good on the perimeter or they’re good around the basket and she’s kind of good at both.”
Kitley will give forwards Eboni Walker, Rebeka Mikulášiková and whoever else slides into the role a difficult night. No surprise with Kitley’s status as a Naismith National Player of the Year candidate. It’s likely that Ohio State won’t completely stop the 6-foot-6 center, but limiting Kitley is possible.
Ohio State has athletic players who slide under the basket when needed. Forward Cotie McMahon, and guard/forward combo Taylor Thierry are the likely candidates to stop a shot under the rim. If the Buckeyes hold Kitley to a night similar to that of Dorka Juhász’s 12 points and 10 rebounds, Ohio State has a strong chance to continue making headlines.
Pressing, Pressing, Pressing
Before Saturday’s Ohio State victory over the UConn Huskies, the narrative was around the perennial powerhouse that is UConn continuing their run to 15-straight Final Fours. Following a Buckeyes’ defensive performance that ended with 25 forced turnovers on Connecticut, 18 in the first half alone, the conversation quickly shifted to the press. Mainly, how do the Hokies handle it?
Virginia Tech, unlike the Huskies, is used to facing a defensive press. Games against the Duke Blue Devils, Miami Hurricanes and Louisville Cardinals are proof. While the Hokies lost to Miami and Duke, a loss to the latter was also the catalyst for the 14-game winning streak Virginia Tech currently sits in.
“When we got beat at Duke, the game before Virginia. They really manhandled us,” said Virginia Tech head coach Kenny Brooks. “They really put pressure on Georgia (Amoore). They were extremely physical with her. They were extremely physical with Liz (Kitley). From that point on, we developed a mantra. It was like, okay, we have to be physical.”
The Hokies will be physical with Ohio State, but not in the way people think of throwing their bodies into a charge on defense or not relenting on pressuring shooters. No, it’s offensive pressure.
Virginia Tech began enforcing its will on the offensive side of the ball. In the game, it materializes in the form of quick transition offense, sending up quick shots with only seconds coming off the clock.
It’s not layups or midrange jumpers either. It’s also from deep. Guard Georgia Amoore is the person who will lead the way in that category. Amoore only has a 35.1% average from deep, but the total of shots the Australian will take from deep is staggering. The guard averages 9.2 three-point attempts per game, still making 3.2 per game.
That's just more than Mikesell for Ohio State, hitting 3.1 per game on 7.7 attempts per game. For Mikesell, she sees it as a positive — for the Buckeyes.
“She’s an incredible player, just to see her, the volume that she shoots it at is really incredible,” said Mikesell. “But I think it plays well in our favor, the pace that they play at. Just being able to cause some havoc in our press, get some easy looks in transition, obviously push pace as well on offense.”
At the Doorstep of the Final Four
For both the Buckeyes and Hokies, Monday’s game is historic. In the Hokies’ camp, the Elite Eight appearance is the first in the history of the Blacksburg, Virginia program. On the Ohio State side, the first trip this far into the NCAA Tournament since 1993, when freshman Katie Smith led the Scarlet & Gray to within two points of a National Championship trophy.
“we’ve talked a lot about parity in recent years in our game, and I think it — there is a lot more parity than there used to be,” said McGuff. “But to really validate that statement we need new teams in the Final Four. So I think this is obviously a great opportunity for both programs.”
Of the remaining teams in the tournament, the Miami Hurricanes and the Virginia Tech Hokies are the last remaining sides to not see a Final Four birth. It’s safe to say that coach McGuff won’t want the Hokies to get that first Final Four this season, but should Ohio State make the national semifinal, it will go against the Final Fours of recent seasons that predominantly featured the UConn Huskies, South Carolina Gamecocks and Notre Dame Fighting Irish teams of the world.
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LGHL Preview: Ohio State men’s hockey battles Quinnipac for a spot in the Frozen Four
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Preview: Ohio State men’s hockey battles Quinnipac for a spot in the 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
Photo by M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes are seeking their third Frozen Four appearance when they take on the Bobcats.
After thrashing Harvard 8-1 on Friday, Ohio State now takes on Quinnipiac on Sunday in Bridgeport, Connecticut with a spot in the Frozen Four up for grabs. The Buckeyes will be looking to advance to the Frozen Four for the third time in school history, with the first two coming in 1998 and 2018.
On Friday afternoon, Steve Rohlik’s team scored early and often to easily dispatch Harvard. Cam Thiesing was first to light the lamp for Ohio State, scoring 3:22 into the game. Cole McWard scored with less than two minutes left in the first period to send the Buckeyes into the first intermission with a 2-0 lead.
Ohio State didn’t take their foot off the gas in the second period, netting five goals. Gustaf Westlund notched his second goal of the year 3:44 into the period. The Buckeyes added to their lead just six seconds later when Thiesing registered his second goal of the contest. Mason Lohrei, Joe Dunlap, and McWard added tallies to give Ohio State a 7-0 lead after 40 minutes of action. Through the first two periods, the Buckeyes put 34 of their 40 shots in the game on goal.
Patrick Guzzo extended the lead to 8-0 just over a minute into the final period. Harvard scored their only goal of the game on the power play at the 16:44 mark of the third. The eight goals scored by Ohio State were a school NCAA Tournament record, with their previous high-mark coming in 2018 when they beat Denver 5-1.
Even though he didn’t score a goal on Friday, Jake Wise led Ohio State with four points in the game, as he was credited with four assists. Cam Thiesing, Mason Lohrei, and Gustaf Westlund all had three points in the game. Wise is now two points away from tying Stephen Halliday’s team-lead of 41 points. Thiesing’s two goals allowed him to pass Davis Burnside for the team-high with 15 goals.
It was an incredible Friday for the three Big Ten teams in action. Ohio State’s seven goal margin of victory was previously tied for the biggest in an NCAA Regional game before Penn State beat Michigan Tech 8-0 just a few hours later. Then later in the evening Michigan rolled Colgate 11-1.
This afternoon the Buckeyes will take on Quinnipiac, who beat Merrimack 5-0. A few weeks ago, Ohio State’s women’s team bounced the Bobcats from the NCAA Tournament in Columbus. Now the Buckeyes will be trying to do the same against the men’s team in Connecticut, where Quinnipiac is located.
Quinnipac and Merrimack played a scoreless first period before the Bobcats took control of the game. Joey Cipollone opened up the scoring in the game 1:56 into the second period. Less than two minutes later Jacob Quillan doubled Quinnipiac’s lead. Then in the third period the Bobcats added three insurance goals. Michael Lombardi scored at the 6:28 mark of the period, followed by another goal from Quillan, and an empty netter from Sam Lipkin. Quinnipiac outshot Merrimack 35-15 in the contest.
The shutout for goaltender Yaniv Perets was his 10th of the season, which puts him in a tie for most shutouts in the country. By blanking Merrimack, Perets now has 21 career shutouts, which adds to his school record and ECAC career record, and also ties him for third-most in NCAA history. Perets has been a fixture between the pipes for the Bobcats, playing all but about 80 minutes this season.
Much like Harvard, Quinnipiac comes into the game with a group of credible goal scorers. The Bobcats are led by Collin Graf, who has 20 goals, as well as 36 assists. Ethan de Jong is nearing the 20-goal mark this year, potting 18 goals so far this year. Jacob Quillan’s two goals on Friday raised his season total to 16 goals. Four other players from Quinnipiac have notched at least 10 goals this year, with the Bobcats scoring 150 goals overall this year. With the numerous scoring threats, Ohio State goaltender Jakub Dobes will have to be at the top of his game today.
Quinnipiac has become one of the best hockey programs in the country, making the NCAA Tournament eight times since 2013. The Bobcats are still looking for their first NCAA Championship, though. If they win today, Quinnipiac will make the Frozen Four for the third time in school history, and have advanced to the title game in both of their Frozen Four appearances. The Bobcats lost to Yale 4-0 in the 2013 title game, and 5-1 to North Dakota in 2016.
The Buckeyes received a huge boost with the return of captain Gustaf Westlund, who had only played in five games this year before Friday. On a team with a lot of youth, the addition of Westlund comes at a time when the pressure is ratcheted up significantly. The forward was Ohio State’s Rookie of the Year in 2019, and was named to the Big Ten’s All-Freshman Team.
Time: 4:00 p.m. ET
TV: ESPNU
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Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes are seeking their third Frozen Four appearance when they take on the Bobcats.
After thrashing Harvard 8-1 on Friday, Ohio State now takes on Quinnipiac on Sunday in Bridgeport, Connecticut with a spot in the Frozen Four up for grabs. The Buckeyes will be looking to advance to the Frozen Four for the third time in school history, with the first two coming in 1998 and 2018.
On Friday afternoon, Steve Rohlik’s team scored early and often to easily dispatch Harvard. Cam Thiesing was first to light the lamp for Ohio State, scoring 3:22 into the game. Cole McWard scored with less than two minutes left in the first period to send the Buckeyes into the first intermission with a 2-0 lead.
Ohio State didn’t take their foot off the gas in the second period, netting five goals. Gustaf Westlund notched his second goal of the year 3:44 into the period. The Buckeyes added to their lead just six seconds later when Thiesing registered his second goal of the contest. Mason Lohrei, Joe Dunlap, and McWard added tallies to give Ohio State a 7-0 lead after 40 minutes of action. Through the first two periods, the Buckeyes put 34 of their 40 shots in the game on goal.
Patrick Guzzo extended the lead to 8-0 just over a minute into the final period. Harvard scored their only goal of the game on the power play at the 16:44 mark of the third. The eight goals scored by Ohio State were a school NCAA Tournament record, with their previous high-mark coming in 2018 when they beat Denver 5-1.
Even though he didn’t score a goal on Friday, Jake Wise led Ohio State with four points in the game, as he was credited with four assists. Cam Thiesing, Mason Lohrei, and Gustaf Westlund all had three points in the game. Wise is now two points away from tying Stephen Halliday’s team-lead of 41 points. Thiesing’s two goals allowed him to pass Davis Burnside for the team-high with 15 goals.
It was an incredible Friday for the three Big Ten teams in action. Ohio State’s seven goal margin of victory was previously tied for the biggest in an NCAA Regional game before Penn State beat Michigan Tech 8-0 just a few hours later. Then later in the evening Michigan rolled Colgate 11-1.
Preview
This afternoon the Buckeyes will take on Quinnipiac, who beat Merrimack 5-0. A few weeks ago, Ohio State’s women’s team bounced the Bobcats from the NCAA Tournament in Columbus. Now the Buckeyes will be trying to do the same against the men’s team in Connecticut, where Quinnipiac is located.
Quinnipac and Merrimack played a scoreless first period before the Bobcats took control of the game. Joey Cipollone opened up the scoring in the game 1:56 into the second period. Less than two minutes later Jacob Quillan doubled Quinnipiac’s lead. Then in the third period the Bobcats added three insurance goals. Michael Lombardi scored at the 6:28 mark of the period, followed by another goal from Quillan, and an empty netter from Sam Lipkin. Quinnipiac outshot Merrimack 35-15 in the contest.
The shutout for goaltender Yaniv Perets was his 10th of the season, which puts him in a tie for most shutouts in the country. By blanking Merrimack, Perets now has 21 career shutouts, which adds to his school record and ECAC career record, and also ties him for third-most in NCAA history. Perets has been a fixture between the pipes for the Bobcats, playing all but about 80 minutes this season.
Much like Harvard, Quinnipiac comes into the game with a group of credible goal scorers. The Bobcats are led by Collin Graf, who has 20 goals, as well as 36 assists. Ethan de Jong is nearing the 20-goal mark this year, potting 18 goals so far this year. Jacob Quillan’s two goals on Friday raised his season total to 16 goals. Four other players from Quinnipiac have notched at least 10 goals this year, with the Bobcats scoring 150 goals overall this year. With the numerous scoring threats, Ohio State goaltender Jakub Dobes will have to be at the top of his game today.
Quinnipiac has become one of the best hockey programs in the country, making the NCAA Tournament eight times since 2013. The Bobcats are still looking for their first NCAA Championship, though. If they win today, Quinnipiac will make the Frozen Four for the third time in school history, and have advanced to the title game in both of their Frozen Four appearances. The Bobcats lost to Yale 4-0 in the 2013 title game, and 5-1 to North Dakota in 2016.
The Buckeyes received a huge boost with the return of captain Gustaf Westlund, who had only played in five games this year before Friday. On a team with a lot of youth, the addition of Westlund comes at a time when the pressure is ratcheted up significantly. The forward was Ohio State’s Rookie of the Year in 2019, and was named to the Big Ten’s All-Freshman Team.
Time: 4:00 p.m. ET
TV: ESPNU
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LGHL How the Big Ten and Ohio State women bucked history in Sweet Sixteen
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How the Big Ten and Ohio State women bucked history in Sweet Sixteen
1ThomasCostello 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
After early tournament defeats, the Big Ten enters the Elite Eight with momentum
The Ohio State women’s basketball team caught a lot of people’s attention on Saturday. Playing on network television, the Buckeyes took on the UConn Huskies, a team with a devoted following and 11 NCAA Tournament titles.
In front of an in-arena crowd of over ten thousand, including former UConn and WNBA legend Sue Bird, the Scarlet & Gray went down eight points early. However, with the full court press working and UConn not accounting for forward Cotie McMahon, the Buckeyes pulled away in the second quarter and never looked back.
Head coach Kevin McGuff’s side won 73-61, moving the Scarlet & Gray into the Elite Eight for the first time in 30 years. That win packs a historical punch for not only Ohio State’s program but the Big Ten as a whole.
Entering Saturday, the Buckeyes lost all six previous games against the Huskies, in all competitions. The Big Ten’s record facing UConn in the NCAA Tournament was even worse, losing all 14 games against the Huskies in March Madness.
Ohio State put both streaks to an end, which is no surprise to the Scarlet & Gray. The mysticism and history of the Huskies didn’t apply to the Buckeyes before the game.
“I mean, you don’t, obviously, want to come into a game expecting to lose or kind of even being nervous,” said McMahon, who scored 23 points in the game. “I feel like, we as a team, we weren’t nervous. We looked at it as any other game. I feel like that’s really what helped us, not to feed in — you know, the fact that they are UConn.”
As UConn gave up 18 turnovers in the first half, 25 overall, the Huskies went from the stoic, perennial competitors, to a side struggling to adjust. Ohio State went on a 17-point run that ran from the end of the first quarter through half of the second. The Buckeyes held Connecticut to nine points in that second quarter, and the Huskies never outscored the Buckeyes in any remaining quarter.
The turnovers for Ohio State aren’t anything new, but the win continued a trend for the Buckeyes. Coach McGuff’s side hasn’t lost this season when they’ve forced 20 turnovers in a game. A task that’s more difficult in the upcoming Elite Eight against Virginia Tech. The Hokies have experience this season going up against presses and feature Naismith Player of the Year finalist: Center Elizabeth Kitley.
That game, plus two more for the Big Ten, is another piece of history. The Buckeyes, Iowa Hawkeyes and Maryland Terrapins each extended their stays in Seattle, Washington and Greenville, South Carolina. It’s a group of the only time in NCAA women’s basketball history that three teams represent the Big Ten in the NCAA Tournament regional finals.
Now, each of the three teams hope to move into the Final Four, next weekend in Dallas, Texas.
“This has been an incredible season for the Big Ten. It’s as deep and as talented as it’s ever been since I’ve been here,” said coach McGuff. “So I’m not surprised that we have people who have advanced. And I think one thing in particular, we have teams that can really score the ball in the Big Ten.”
The Big Ten conference’s three programs is tied with the ACC for the most teams in the Elite Eight, with the SEC rounding out the remaining two spots. Out of the Big Ten’s three games, Iowa faces the Louisville Cardinals and the Maryland Terrapins face the No. 1 overall seeded South Carolina Gamecocks.
It’s a tough road for each of the three teams but that’s what to expect when there are only eight teams left in March Madness. Should any of the three sides win their Elite Eight matchup, it’ll represent the first time a Big Ten team made it to the Final Four since the 2015 Maryland Terrapins did it in the program’s first year in the conference.
Should two or all three make it, it’ll mark the first time multiple Big Ten schools represented the conference in the national semifinal since 1993. That season, the Iowa Hawkeyes and Ohio State Buckeyes battled in the semifinal, with the Scarlet & Gray losing by two points in the final to basketball legend Sheryl Swoopes and Texas A&M.
Never has the conference had three teams in the Final Four. It’s a tall task, but this March Madness especially shows that nothing is impossible.
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1ThomasCostello 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
After early tournament defeats, the Big Ten enters the Elite Eight with momentum
The Ohio State women’s basketball team caught a lot of people’s attention on Saturday. Playing on network television, the Buckeyes took on the UConn Huskies, a team with a devoted following and 11 NCAA Tournament titles.
In front of an in-arena crowd of over ten thousand, including former UConn and WNBA legend Sue Bird, the Scarlet & Gray went down eight points early. However, with the full court press working and UConn not accounting for forward Cotie McMahon, the Buckeyes pulled away in the second quarter and never looked back.
Head coach Kevin McGuff’s side won 73-61, moving the Scarlet & Gray into the Elite Eight for the first time in 30 years. That win packs a historical punch for not only Ohio State’s program but the Big Ten as a whole.
Entering Saturday, the Buckeyes lost all six previous games against the Huskies, in all competitions. The Big Ten’s record facing UConn in the NCAA Tournament was even worse, losing all 14 games against the Huskies in March Madness.
Ohio State put both streaks to an end, which is no surprise to the Scarlet & Gray. The mysticism and history of the Huskies didn’t apply to the Buckeyes before the game.
“I mean, you don’t, obviously, want to come into a game expecting to lose or kind of even being nervous,” said McMahon, who scored 23 points in the game. “I feel like, we as a team, we weren’t nervous. We looked at it as any other game. I feel like that’s really what helped us, not to feed in — you know, the fact that they are UConn.”
As UConn gave up 18 turnovers in the first half, 25 overall, the Huskies went from the stoic, perennial competitors, to a side struggling to adjust. Ohio State went on a 17-point run that ran from the end of the first quarter through half of the second. The Buckeyes held Connecticut to nine points in that second quarter, and the Huskies never outscored the Buckeyes in any remaining quarter.
The turnovers for Ohio State aren’t anything new, but the win continued a trend for the Buckeyes. Coach McGuff’s side hasn’t lost this season when they’ve forced 20 turnovers in a game. A task that’s more difficult in the upcoming Elite Eight against Virginia Tech. The Hokies have experience this season going up against presses and feature Naismith Player of the Year finalist: Center Elizabeth Kitley.
That game, plus two more for the Big Ten, is another piece of history. The Buckeyes, Iowa Hawkeyes and Maryland Terrapins each extended their stays in Seattle, Washington and Greenville, South Carolina. It’s a group of the only time in NCAA women’s basketball history that three teams represent the Big Ten in the NCAA Tournament regional finals.
Now, each of the three teams hope to move into the Final Four, next weekend in Dallas, Texas.
“This has been an incredible season for the Big Ten. It’s as deep and as talented as it’s ever been since I’ve been here,” said coach McGuff. “So I’m not surprised that we have people who have advanced. And I think one thing in particular, we have teams that can really score the ball in the Big Ten.”
The Big Ten conference’s three programs is tied with the ACC for the most teams in the Elite Eight, with the SEC rounding out the remaining two spots. Out of the Big Ten’s three games, Iowa faces the Louisville Cardinals and the Maryland Terrapins face the No. 1 overall seeded South Carolina Gamecocks.
It’s a tough road for each of the three teams but that’s what to expect when there are only eight teams left in March Madness. Should any of the three sides win their Elite Eight matchup, it’ll represent the first time a Big Ten team made it to the Final Four since the 2015 Maryland Terrapins did it in the program’s first year in the conference.
Should two or all three make it, it’ll mark the first time multiple Big Ten schools represented the conference in the national semifinal since 1993. That season, the Iowa Hawkeyes and Ohio State Buckeyes battled in the semifinal, with the Scarlet & Gray losing by two points in the final to basketball legend Sheryl Swoopes and Texas A&M.
Never has the conference had three teams in the Final Four. It’s a tall task, but this March Madness especially shows that nothing is impossible.
Continue reading...
LGHL ‘Tough as nails’ Taylor Mikesell led Ohio State women through visible pain vs. UConn
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‘Tough as nails’ Taylor Mikesell led Ohio State women through visible pain vs. UConn
1ThomasCostello 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 transfer guard’s started every game for the Buckeyes and continues to battle.
Watch a basketball game and it’s no surprise that some guards get looked at differently than others. It’s the shooting guards. Their primary role is to get open and make shots. Simple enough, right?
Ohio State’s guard is Taylor Mikesell. The Oregon Ducks transfer came to the Buckeyes before the start of the 2021-22 season. Arriving in a year that no one around the Big Ten would be shocked by a dip in success in Columbus, Ohio.
The Buckeyes came out of a sanctioned 2020-21 season featuring no postseason play only to lose two starting forwards to the UConn Huskies and Texas A&M in Dorka Juhász and Aaliyah Patty. Making matters worse, before the start of the 21-22 season, guard Madison Greene suffered a preseason knee injury, leaving Ohio State down a point guard.
Instead of wallowing, Mikesell and fellow guard Jacy Sheldon led the Buckeyes to a share of the Big Ten regular season championship and an NCAA run that left the Scarlet & Gray three points short of moving into the Elite Eight.
In that 21-22 season, Mikesell shot 47.5% from beyond the arc, sometimes eclipsing 50% throughout the latter months of the season. With efficiency like that, it’s easy to put Mikesell into that shooting guard box, but the 2022-23 season shattered the narrative to pieces.
On Saturday, against the UConn Huskies in the NCAA Tournament, Mikesell had a quiet first half, scoring no points on 0-for-3 shooting. Not what anyone who’s watched Ohio State would expect in a half where the Buckeyes led UConn by 10 points.
Before the game, and on most timeouts, Mikesell received treatment by way of a massage by Ohio State’s training staff. For weeks, Mikesell’s received treatment on the court, whether it’s before or during the game.
After playing every minute of the first half, 4:43 into the third quarter Mikesell came out of the game. On the guard’s face was visible pain. Standing in the team timeout, overcome with emotion, Mikesell sat for the first time in the game.
It was a rare look at a player who’s been worn down from the trials of the 22-23 Ohio State season. A glimpse at a player who’s done everything asked by head coach Kevin McGuff.
As Sheldon went down following a lower leg injury in November and Greene suffered a season-ending knee injury on the same knee in December, Mikesell stepped up. Playing not only the two-guard role but moments at point guard.
When the number of available guards shrunk, the pressure on Mikesell grew. Instead of finding open looks like Mikesell was accustomed to in the last year and a half, defenses honed in on the guard. No matter where Mikesell went, there was a shadow in the form of the best defending guard on the opposition.
Saturday, Mikesell appeared to feel every one of the 1,240 minutes she played this season. A total eclipsing everyone in the Big Ten, 45 more minutes than even Iowa Hawkeyes indispensable guard Caitlin Clark.
“We’ve asked so much of Taylor and she’s done everything you could possibly do to help this program,” said head coach Kevin McGuff. “So we’ve worn her out a little bit. So she was obviously a little worn out today.”
Mikesell went to the bench with 5:17 left in the third quarter. Emotion overcoming the face of the graduate senior who's potentially playing her last college game every time the Buckeyes step onto the court.
The Huskies responded, getting within five points of the Buckeyes. After 1:29 passed on the game clock, Mikesell returned. How did the guard respond? Mikesell hit a jumper. Sheldon followed it up with a three. Ohio State was back to a double-digit lead.
“She’s a warrior, man,” said Sheldon. “I mean, she will run through a brick wall for any of us, even if she’s on one leg. So she’s as tough as it gets.”
In obvious pain, certain basketball moves looked more painful than normal. For example, when going around a screen, Mikesell ran into the defender and her face winced in pain.
Ohio State went into the fourth quarter with a 10-point lead, Mikesell scoring only four points through the first 30 minutes. Mikesell made up for the quieter scoring in other ways.
“I thought she was really good on the defensive end, just found ways to contribute,” said McGuff.
At the start of the fourth quarter, and UConn hoping to get off on the right foot in the quarter, Mikesell made the uphill climb even steeper. In the first seven seconds, Mikesell hit a three to put the Buckeyes up 13 points. A deficit the Huskies only ever cut to nine points.
Mikesell ended the game with nine points, far below the 17.2 points the guard averages a game. An average that leads the Buckeyes this season.
Ohio State didn’t need that from Mikesell on Saturday. They got more from the guard. They got someone who defended well, pulled away the attention of the defense to let freshman forward Cotie McMahon score 23 points and fellow splash sister Sheldon score 17 of her own, and lifted the play of those around her.
“She’s an incredible person, a great teammate, and she’s tough as nails,” said Sheldon.
Don’t expect that to stop now, with the Buckeyes' next test Monday in the Elite Eight. The first Elite Eight Mikesell’s seen in her five NCAA careers and the first any Buckeye has seen since 1993.
Continue reading...
1ThomasCostello 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 transfer guard’s started every game for the Buckeyes and continues to battle.
Watch a basketball game and it’s no surprise that some guards get looked at differently than others. It’s the shooting guards. Their primary role is to get open and make shots. Simple enough, right?
Ohio State’s guard is Taylor Mikesell. The Oregon Ducks transfer came to the Buckeyes before the start of the 2021-22 season. Arriving in a year that no one around the Big Ten would be shocked by a dip in success in Columbus, Ohio.
The Buckeyes came out of a sanctioned 2020-21 season featuring no postseason play only to lose two starting forwards to the UConn Huskies and Texas A&M in Dorka Juhász and Aaliyah Patty. Making matters worse, before the start of the 21-22 season, guard Madison Greene suffered a preseason knee injury, leaving Ohio State down a point guard.
Instead of wallowing, Mikesell and fellow guard Jacy Sheldon led the Buckeyes to a share of the Big Ten regular season championship and an NCAA run that left the Scarlet & Gray three points short of moving into the Elite Eight.
In that 21-22 season, Mikesell shot 47.5% from beyond the arc, sometimes eclipsing 50% throughout the latter months of the season. With efficiency like that, it’s easy to put Mikesell into that shooting guard box, but the 2022-23 season shattered the narrative to pieces.
On Saturday, against the UConn Huskies in the NCAA Tournament, Mikesell had a quiet first half, scoring no points on 0-for-3 shooting. Not what anyone who’s watched Ohio State would expect in a half where the Buckeyes led UConn by 10 points.
Before the game, and on most timeouts, Mikesell received treatment by way of a massage by Ohio State’s training staff. For weeks, Mikesell’s received treatment on the court, whether it’s before or during the game.
After playing every minute of the first half, 4:43 into the third quarter Mikesell came out of the game. On the guard’s face was visible pain. Standing in the team timeout, overcome with emotion, Mikesell sat for the first time in the game.
It was a rare look at a player who’s been worn down from the trials of the 22-23 Ohio State season. A glimpse at a player who’s done everything asked by head coach Kevin McGuff.
As Sheldon went down following a lower leg injury in November and Greene suffered a season-ending knee injury on the same knee in December, Mikesell stepped up. Playing not only the two-guard role but moments at point guard.
When the number of available guards shrunk, the pressure on Mikesell grew. Instead of finding open looks like Mikesell was accustomed to in the last year and a half, defenses honed in on the guard. No matter where Mikesell went, there was a shadow in the form of the best defending guard on the opposition.
Saturday, Mikesell appeared to feel every one of the 1,240 minutes she played this season. A total eclipsing everyone in the Big Ten, 45 more minutes than even Iowa Hawkeyes indispensable guard Caitlin Clark.
“We’ve asked so much of Taylor and she’s done everything you could possibly do to help this program,” said head coach Kevin McGuff. “So we’ve worn her out a little bit. So she was obviously a little worn out today.”
Mikesell went to the bench with 5:17 left in the third quarter. Emotion overcoming the face of the graduate senior who's potentially playing her last college game every time the Buckeyes step onto the court.
The Huskies responded, getting within five points of the Buckeyes. After 1:29 passed on the game clock, Mikesell returned. How did the guard respond? Mikesell hit a jumper. Sheldon followed it up with a three. Ohio State was back to a double-digit lead.
“She’s a warrior, man,” said Sheldon. “I mean, she will run through a brick wall for any of us, even if she’s on one leg. So she’s as tough as it gets.”
In obvious pain, certain basketball moves looked more painful than normal. For example, when going around a screen, Mikesell ran into the defender and her face winced in pain.
Ohio State went into the fourth quarter with a 10-point lead, Mikesell scoring only four points through the first 30 minutes. Mikesell made up for the quieter scoring in other ways.
“I thought she was really good on the defensive end, just found ways to contribute,” said McGuff.
At the start of the fourth quarter, and UConn hoping to get off on the right foot in the quarter, Mikesell made the uphill climb even steeper. In the first seven seconds, Mikesell hit a three to put the Buckeyes up 13 points. A deficit the Huskies only ever cut to nine points.
Mikesell ended the game with nine points, far below the 17.2 points the guard averages a game. An average that leads the Buckeyes this season.
Ohio State didn’t need that from Mikesell on Saturday. They got more from the guard. They got someone who defended well, pulled away the attention of the defense to let freshman forward Cotie McMahon score 23 points and fellow splash sister Sheldon score 17 of her own, and lifted the play of those around her.
“She’s an incredible person, a great teammate, and she’s tough as nails,” said Sheldon.
Don’t expect that to stop now, with the Buckeyes' next test Monday in the Elite Eight. The first Elite Eight Mikesell’s seen in her five NCAA careers and the first any Buckeye has seen since 1993.
Continue reading...
LGHL Visiting Locker Room: Tech Sideline on Virginia Tech’s NPOY candidate Elizabeth Kitley and more
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Visiting Locker Room: Tech Sideline on Virginia Tech’s NPOY candidate Elizabeth Kitley and more
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Plus discussion surrounding Virginia Tech’s handling of the press, dangerous shooting and what went into its current 14-game winning streak
The Elite Eight is more interesting in this year’s NCAA Tournament than ever before. Only two No. 1 seeds have a shot at the Final Four with both the Indiana Hoosiers and Stanford falling in the Second Round.
Monday night, the Ohio State women’s basketball team faces one of the two remaining top seeds in the Virginia Tech Hokies. To learn more about the side, David Cunningham from Tech Sideline shared details about outstanding center Elizabeth Kitley, the shooters that can hurt any team and more.
Land-Grant Holy Land: Ohio State showed everyone on ABC what they can do with their press when it’s firing at its highest level. How have the Hokies done against a press this season?
LGHL: Forward Elizabeth Kitley is the main focal point of Virginia Tech’s offense. The Hokies run players through the paint and work hard to put Kitley into good positions to score. When has the star been neutralized this year, if ever?
LGHL: Tech has dropped games throughout the season but are now on a 14-game winning streak. What changed that got the Hokies to their current level?
LGHL: Virginia Tech is known as a strong shooting team. Who are the names people should watch from deep?
Continue reading...
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Plus discussion surrounding Virginia Tech’s handling of the press, dangerous shooting and what went into its current 14-game winning streak
The Elite Eight is more interesting in this year’s NCAA Tournament than ever before. Only two No. 1 seeds have a shot at the Final Four with both the Indiana Hoosiers and Stanford falling in the Second Round.
Monday night, the Ohio State women’s basketball team faces one of the two remaining top seeds in the Virginia Tech Hokies. To learn more about the side, David Cunningham from Tech Sideline shared details about outstanding center Elizabeth Kitley, the shooters that can hurt any team and more.
Land-Grant Holy Land: Ohio State showed everyone on ABC what they can do with their press when it’s firing at its highest level. How have the Hokies done against a press this season?
LGHL: Forward Elizabeth Kitley is the main focal point of Virginia Tech’s offense. The Hokies run players through the paint and work hard to put Kitley into good positions to score. When has the star been neutralized this year, if ever?
LGHL: Tech has dropped games throughout the season but are now on a 14-game winning streak. What changed that got the Hokies to their current level?
LGHL: Virginia Tech is known as a strong shooting team. Who are the names people should watch from deep?
Continue reading...
2024 FL LB Nicholas Rodriguez (Missouri Verbal)
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- Football Recruiting
- 9 Replies
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Class: 2024
Position: LB
School: (FL)St. Thomas Aquinas
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 210lbs
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Class: 2024
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School: (FL)St. Thomas Aquinas
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 210lbs
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2026 NJ DL Preston Carey (Verbal Offer)
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Class:2026
School: Huntington (NY) St. Anthony’s
Position: DL
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 282 lbs
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Class:2026
School: Huntington (NY) St. Anthony’s
Position: DL
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 282 lbs
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2024 OH S Reggie Powers (Oklahoma Verbal)
- By pnuts34
- Football Recruiting
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Class: 2024
School: Centerville(OH) Centerville
Position: S
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 195lbs
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Class: 2024
School: Centerville(OH) Centerville
Position: S
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 195lbs
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