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LGHL Five Storylines: No. 12 Ohio State women’s basketball visits Illinois Fighting Illini

Five Storylines: No. 12 Ohio State women’s basketball visits Illinois Fighting Illini
ThomasCostello
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch

Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Illinois is down, but certainly not out. That should put the Buckeyes on the defensive, and more storylines for Thursday.

On Jan. 8, 2023, the Ohio State women’s basketball team sat undefeated, rising up to No. 3 in the national AP poll. That’s when the Illinois Fighting Illini came to Columbus and gave the Buckeyes almost more than they could handle. Thanks to 22 points by then-freshman Cotie McMahon and 31 from former shooting guard Taylor Mikesell, the scarlet and gray erased a 17-point deficit in one quarter.

Now, the Illini are no longer the surprise team of the Big Ten, and welcome Ohio State on the back of an 8-9 record, struggling in head coach Shauna Green’s sophomore season. That and more in five quick storylines to prepare you for Thursday night’s game in Champaign.


Avoiding the Letdown Game


Sunday’s win over the Iowa Hawkeyes was big for Ohio State. 3.9 million people big. That’s the top number of people who tuned into the Buckeyes’ 100-92 win over guard Caitlin Clark and then No. 2 Iowa. That’s the highest viewership for a regular-season women’s college basketball game since 2010.

Tack on playing in front of a program record 18,660 people and the hype and energy from Sunday’s game makes Thursday look like Ohio State is playing on a completely different planet. That gives the matchup against Illinois all the makings of a letdown game.

After fans and pundits rained praise on the scarlet and gray this week, they have to go to Champaign and face a team that, despite the record, is tough to beat. Of the Illini’s nine losses this season, five put Illinois within two possessions at the final buzzer. Also, while Illinois enters Thursday following a road defeat in a tough Xfinity Arena in Maryland, the Illini beat the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and Northwestern Wildcats 28 and 46 respectively before that defeat to the Terrapins. Showing a side growing stronger as the season progresses.

Plus, Illinois has someone the Buckeyes haven’t faired too well against in the last few seasons in forward Kendall Bostic.

Containing Kendall


To put it simply, Bostic shows up when the Buckeyes are her opponent. The 6-foot-2 forward menaces Ohio State inside the paint, averaging 16.6 rebounds in three previous matchups. That’s more than her 15.6 points per game. Last year, Bostic had a career-high 27 points against the smaller Buckeyes interior presence, plus 12 rebounds.

It isn’t only a traditional center-like role for Bostic, but the forward also works from beyond the arc.


.@Kendallbostic22 FOR THREE‼️

4:49 3Q | #Illini 60, Rutgers 42 pic.twitter.com/h9OgP6X5Se

— Illinois Women's Basketball (@IlliniWBB) January 18, 2024

So, how can Ohio State start a player who averages a strong double-double each time she’s faced? It’s a game with forward Taiyier Parks written all over it.

While the forward isn’t likely to start, she’ll see minutes against her former Michigan State Spartans teammate. Expect head coach Kevin McGuff to use Parks, and if she’s effective it could be her time to shine. Especially following strong production in a few minutes against the Hawkeyes on Sunday.

Standout Transfer


Playing alongside Bostic, and not making game planning any easier for Coach McGuff, is graduate senior Camille Hobby. Joining Illinois following four seasons with the NC State Wolfpack, Hobby’s come on strong lately for the Fighting Illini.

In the last three games, Hobby averages 16.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, complimenting Bostic well. Ohio State has struggled with strong rebounders, and the addition of a second for Coach Green and the Illini means more work to do for the Buckeyes.

The likely matchup for Hobby is forward Taylor Thierry. A strong rebounder in her own right, Thierry will have her work cut out for her playing a tall and agile Hobby on defense and fighting for loose balls off missed shots.

How the Buckeyes play against those Illinois players with dominant paint presence might dictate who comes away with the victory.

Stay Out of Trouble


For the last two games, Ohio State’s gotten into heavy foul trouble. Against the Maryland Terrapins, it was guard Celeste Taylor grabbing two fouls in the first quarter, at a time when the Buckeyes couldn’t afford to lose her defense and rebounding. McGuff kept the graduate senior in the game though, risking a potential fouling out and it paid off.

Against Iowa, the same thing happened and then some. Except this time, Taylor went to the bench alongside Thierry who also picked up whistles against her early in the contest.

With the aforementioned rebounding might of Bostic and Hobby, Ohio State needs all the rebounders it can get. Thierry and Taylor are a strong part of that, but also forward Cotie McMahon. The 33-point-scoring sophomore against Iowa also grabbed 12 rebounds in the win. That same kind of work on the boards is needed against Illinois Thursday.

All three Buckeyes either had four fouls, or Thierry’s five to foul out, against Iowa. Can the fouls be avoided on Thursday? It’ll be difficult against not only the bigs in the paint but guards Makira Cook and Genesis Bryant.

Keeping it Rolling


Following the win Sunday, Coach McGuff surveyed the Buckeyes’ season, saying that the team is slowly reaching its competitive peak. He compared that to last season when Ohio State peaked early in the season and again in the postseason.

The 23-24 campaign didn’t start the way the Buckeyes wanted, losing three and falling against top opponents, but the calendar flip to 2024 shows a team on the rise. Thursday is an opportunity for Ohio State to keep climbing.

What does that look like? Is it increased full-court pressure following three games where half-court defense reigned? Continuing the high-efficiency three-point shooting?

Find out Thursday when the two Big Ten sides tip off at 7 p.m. ET on Peacock.

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LGHL You’re Nuts: Which Ohio State basketball player has been most impressive this season?

You’re Nuts: Which Ohio State basketball player has been most impressive this season?
Brett Ludwiczak
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


NCAA Basketball: Minnesota at Ohio State

Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.

Now that the deadline for players to announce for the NFL Draft has finally passed, it feels like now is a good time for our attention to turn away from the football program and towards the hardwood. When it comes to the men’s basketball team, even though the year has changed, the team still can’t find a way to win an important game in January. The latest setback came on Monday afternoon when the Buckeyes blew another second half lead to fall to Michigan in Ann Arbor.

At least things are a little more positive when it comes to Ohio State’s women’s basketball team. On Sunday the Buckeyes beat Michigan State 70-65 to extend their winning streak to three games. With the victory over the Spartans, Ohio State is now 13-3 on the season, sitting 18th in the rankings, Next up for the Buckeyes is a trip to Maryland to take on the Terrapins before returning home on Sunday afternoon for a massive showdown with Caitlin Clark and Iowa.

Since both teams are a little more than halfway through their regular season schedules, now feels like a good time to look at who has been most impressive on the court this year for the Buckeyes. Your choice could be a player from either the men’s or the women’s team. Maybe there has been a player that has shown improvement from last year or even the start of this season, or it could be a player that was expected to lead their team and they have lived up to the hype so far this year.

Today’s question: Which Ohio State basketball player has been most impressive so far this season?

We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.


Brett’s answer: Felix Okpara


Even though basketball has become more of a perimeter game, there’s nothing quite like having a dominant force in the paint on defense. The Buckeyes haven’t really had a big man that opponents feared since Greg Oden. While I’m not saying Felix Okpara is the next Oden, the sophomore is making opponents think twice before taking the basketball to the rim. Okpara had two blocks in last night’s loss to the Huskers, pushing his season total to 47 swats, which ranks second in the Big Ten behind Cliff Omoruyi of Rutgers who has 59. Following the loss to Nebraska, Okpara has now blocked at least one shot in 25 consecutive games.

There’s no doubt guys like Jamison Battle, Bruce Thornton, and Roddy Gayle Jr. have all had some great moments so far this season, what makes Okpara so impressive is his potential. Already Okpara is one of the toughest defenders in college basketball, the sophomore just has to work on his offensive game and he’ll be in the conversation as one of the best big men in the country by the time he is a senior.

I just hope Okpara is still in Columbus in two years. If the Buckeyes don’t shake off their recent funk associated with a 13-game road losing streak, it’s highly unlikely that Chris Holtmann will be the head coach of Ohio State next year, and you could see Okpara either hit the transfer portal or declare for the NBA Draft. Hopefully, it doesn’t come to that since Holtmann seems like a great person, and it has been fun to watch the growth of Okpara. In a perfect world, the Buckeyes will catch fire in February and March, with Okpara’s presence in the paint being a major reason why Ohio State is able to go on a run and make it to at least the Sweet Sixteen.


Matt’s answer: Cotie McMahon


Coming off of last season’s Elite 8 run, Ohio State fans knew that players like Jacy Sheldon and Taylor Thierry would be at the center of the Buckeyes’ success in 2023-24. However, it would have been understandable if some fans had questioned whether or not last year’s Big Ten Freshman of the Year Cotie McMahon would suffer from the proverbial sophomore slump.

So far, she hasn’t — at least not to any substantive degree.

During her freshman campaign, the 6-foot forward averaged 15.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Through the first 18 games of the season — half of what she played in last year — McMahon is on a 13.9 point and 5.5 board clip. While her points are down slightly, she is also playing fewer minutes and taking fewer shots, thanks to a deeper and more experienced roster, but also in an effort to keep her fresh for the stretch run.

If you were one of the millions of people who tuned into Sunday’s record-breaking game against Iowa, you know that McMahon is very much capable of producing in the highest-pressure situations. Against the then-No. 2 Hawkeyes, the Buckeye went for a career-high 33 points and a near-career-high 12 boards propelling OSU to a 100-92 win in overtime.

For McMahon, the game was personal, and her efforts earned her the Naismith National Player of the Week honor. As her sophomore season progresses, there’s little doubt that head coach Kevin McGuff will be looking to rely on her more and more. And if she can stay fresh for the postseason, another deep trip in the Big Dance could be in the cards.

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LGHL Visiting Locker Room: Talking Illinois Fighting Illini with Champaign Room with Ohio State looming

Visiting Locker Room: Talking Illinois Fighting Illini with Champaign Room with Ohio State looming
ThomasCostello
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


COLLEGE BASKETBALL: NOV 15 Women’s - Saint Peter’s at Illinois

Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

An Illinois side in a tough stretch welcomes Ohio State on Thursday, hoping for a top win to turn the season around

Last season, the Illinois Fighting Illini held a 17-point lead over the Ohio State women’s basketball team in the third quarter. What happened next was indicative of what happened in a lot of games for the Buckeyes, with the scarlet and gray roaring back to take the victory. Thursday is the first time the two teams face off since that fateful day.

Since then, Illinois went from the surprise team of the conference to a side fighting to hit .500 on the season. Even though the Illini are playing close to the same basketball, statistically. To learn more, Land-Grant Holy Land reached out to our SBNation friends at The Champaign Room. Writer Zeno Jo took on the assignment, looking into why this season hasn’t gone the Illini’s way, the play of forward Kendall Bostic and NC State transfer guard Camille Hobby.



Land-Grant Holy Land: Last season, the Fighting Illini were the surprise team of the conference under then first-year Illinois head coach Shauna Green. Now, this season, with most of the team still intact, the results aren’t coming up in Illinois’ favor. What’s hurt the Illini this season?

The Champaign Room: The sentiment around Champaign is that Green’s puzzle may have been solved. While cynical fans are calling the 2022-23 season its “Linsanity” season, Illinois is still showing signs of promise.

Soccer has a term called ‘new manager bounce’, where a new manager might invigorate a squad to play better in the manager’s first year. The second year is always the toughest for a new coach and, in my opinion, Green is doing great things for the program, recruiting like nobody before her and bringing a belief that Illinois is a force to be reckoned with in the Big Ten.

The results just aren’t coming, and I might point to the early absence of guard Makira Cook as to why. She was out with an undisclosed, day-to-day injury to start the season, and the team seemed to stagnate offensively as it tried to reintegrate her. In my mind, there’s no doubt that this Illinois team in March will be better than it was in November.

LGHL: Over the last three games, NC State guard Camille Hobby’s been averaging 16.3 points and 7.3 rebounds. Is this a sign of Hobby adjusting to the Illini offense? How can she help Illinois in the final stretch of the season?

CR: One of the biggest things with Camille is that she’s been introduced (reintroduced?) to the starting five. It’s given her some confidence, and she’s surprisingly been the answer for Coach Green as a stretch five who can shoot the ball, whereas forward Kendall Bostic is more reliable in the paint.

There’s been a greater emphasis on ball movement in recent weeks, with assist numbers up all across the board. Finding the open shooter and being that open shooter is what Hobby has to do to help Illinois, along with rebounding, which is something she’s always been a talent at.

LGHL: Someone who’s hurt the Buckeyes in the past is forward Kendall Bostic. The forward averages at least 15 rebounds in the three games she’s played against the scarlet and gray, going off for 27 points and 16 rebounds in Columbus last season. In games where Bostic is less effective, what have teams done to limit the big?

CR: Earlier on in the season, Bostic struggled against teams that run two bigs. One of the best games this season to see the reaction to this struggle was the Rutgers game last week. Against a team that ran two (or three, depending on how you look at things) bigs, Green opted to start both Bostic and Hobby.

This lightened the load, so to speak, on Bostic to be the sole paint presence on both sides of the ball. Where KB has looked most vulnerable this season has been with the ball on the outside. There have been more than a few shaky moments throughout the year where she has her back to the basket on the three-point line with no guard in sight.

Pushing Bostic away from the paint, where she’s most successful, is the key to success in going up against her, daring her to shoot her still developing jumper with the awareness that she can hit a three-pointer.

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LGHL Ohio State’s athletic revenue leads country at $280M; Men’s basketball drops 13th-straight road game

Ohio State’s athletic revenue leads country at $280M; Men’s basketball drops 13th-straight road game
Matt Tamanini
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch

FRED SQUILLANTE / USA TODAY NETWORK

All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.

Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.

Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.

You’re welcome!


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On the Gridiron


Ohio State football: C.J. Stroud earns Rookie of the Year, Browns OL Dawand Jones named to all-rookie team
Raymond Lucas Jr., 247Sports

We new C.J. was a lock, but I love seeing this one too:


Excited for our guy @dawandj79 on being named to the PFWA All-Rookie offensive team!

: https://t.co/S4anBccq4o pic.twitter.com/oowfsCZfId

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) January 23, 2024

Four Buckeyes Land on ESPN’s Way-Too-Early 2024 College Football All-America Team, Most of Any School
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors

You’re Nuts: Which college football player would be your dream transfer portal target for Ohio State?
Brett Ludwiczak and Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land


On the Hardwood


Ohio State’s road struggles continue, falling to Nebraska 83-69
Justin Golba, Land-Grant Holy Land


Chris Holtmann is red-faced, furious and absolutely lighting the #Buckeyes up in this timeout.

— Adam Jardy (@AdamJardy) January 24, 2024

Ohio State has no answers for Nebraska’s Rienk Mast: 5 takeaways
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch

Quick Takes: Buckeyes do themselves no favors in latest road loss at Nebraska (paywall)
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

For Ohio State men’s basketball, it’s time to conquer road woes or watch this season slip away
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land


Sunday’s Iowa-Ohio State overtime thriller on NBC and @peacock is the most-watched regular season women’s college basketball game since 2010.

Details here: https://t.co/FiBA74QBWe pic.twitter.com/brbdZkP7mH

— NBC Sports PR (@NBCSportsPR) January 23, 2024

Ohio State women’s overtime upset over Iowa draws a record breaking number of viewers
Brianna Mac Kay, The Columbus Dispatch

Ohio State women’s basketball commit Jaloni Cambridge selected to McDonald’s All-American Team
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land


Outside the Shoe and Schott


OSU athletics tops nation with $280 million revenue in ‘23 fiscal year
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch

Men’s Volleyball: Pasteur Earns MIVA, AVCA POW Honors
Ohio State Athletics

Women’s Gymnastics: Harris and Hodges Earn B1G Weekly Awards
Ohio State Athletics


And now for something completely different...


Here’s me on a local Minnesota TV station talking about sports broadcasting rights.


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