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LGHL Ohio State women’s basketball falls to Maryland 82-61 in early tournament exit
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Ohio State women’s basketball falls to Maryland 82-61 in early tournament exit
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The Terrapins started off fast, Ohio State responded, but couldn’t keep up with Maryland for 40 minutes
The postseason officially began for Ohio State women’s basketball on Friday. Up first was a tough tournament test against a team that the Buckeyes have ample Big Ten Tournament history against the Maryland Terrapins. Although it isn’t in a tournament final, like the two team’s previous three meetings, the extra eyes of a sellout crowd in Minneapolis, Minnesota gave it the tournament-final kind of feeling.
Although Ohio State entered as the No. 1 seed and hasn’t lost under head coach Kevin McGuff in the first game when it enters in the quarterfinals, the Terps made up for two regular season losses to the Buckeyes. Maryland moves on after defeating Ohio State soundly. Terps move on after an 82-61 upset victory.
Entering Friday, the Terrapins had the advantage of playing the day before. It not only meant they were in better playing form but knowing the court and basket pays dividends. It looked like the Buckeyes were cold from the jump.
Without a full practice on the court, Ohio State missed its first four shots of the quarter, plus two missed free throws. It took over two and a half minutes before the Buckeyes got onto the scoreboard, thanks to a three-point shot by forward Rebeka Mikulášiková.
Even so, Maryland built a quick five-point lead before the Buckeyes’ passing put them back into the game. Partly because it gave Ohio State higher efficiency attempts in the paint. Forward Taylor Thierry hit two layups, with one teardrop layup while going around the Maryland defense.
Of the Scarlet and Gray’s first five baskets, each one came with an assist. The Buckeyes took advantage of a game that started at a rapid pace. Then, with shots going in, the Ohio State full-court press could get to work. The Buckeyes went on an eight-point run to earn its first lead of the game.
Ohio State was everywhere, even on the Maryland bench when guard Rikki Harris collided with Terrapins head coach Brenda Frese. The legendary program leader for the Terps was fine, helping Harris up and smiling the contact off.
Despite being outrebounded 17-10 in the first 10 minutes, the Buckeyes forced six turnovers and ended the quarter with a 17-12 lead.
That lead wouldn't last. The slow start of the first quarter transferred over to the second for Ohio State. Coach McGuff’s side went 1-for-5 from the floor in the first three and a half minutes of the period. Outside of a layup by Mikulášiková, Maryland scored nine of the first 11 points.
Also, the Buckeyes’ bench depth took a hit. In five minutes on the court in the first half, Harris picked up three fouls and a spot back on the sidelines. After a blocking foul, Harris had two fouls called off the ball.
Maryland guard Brinae Alexander, the leading three-point shooter for Coach Frese’s side, hit two in a row, from deep. The two shots were part of an 11-point Terps run in the first half of the second quarter. It dug the Buckeyes into a seven-point deficit with half the quarter to go before halftime.
While Ohio State trimmed it to four points with a three-point shot by guard Madison Greene, a first half of struggle for sophomore forward Cotie McMahon was the difference in the scoreline.
McMahon started the game going 0-for-8 from the floor, and 3-for-8 from the free throw line. The forward still contributed with four first-half rebounds but without layups falling, Maryland grew stronger in its zone defense.
Guard Jacy Sheldon, who led Ohio State with eight points in the first half, got a little momentum going back the Buckeyes’ way with 1:18 remaining in the quarter. Sheldon hit a layup, followed by a steal and layup by guard Celeste Taylor on the inbound pass. It cut the lead to five, but Maryland’s Alexander followed it up with her third three of the game.
Ohio State’s McMahon responded, hitting her first shot from the floor, but guard Shyanne Sellers pushed its lead back to eight points at the buzzer. At the top of the key, Sellers pulled up to hit a midrange shot, releasing it with less than a second remaining on the clock.
Maryland took a 38-30 lead into the halftime locker room, leading the Buckeyes in points, assists, and +14 in rebounding.
After the Terps hit its first shot of the quarter, the Buckeyes offense looked revitalized after the halftime break. Ohio State trimmed its 10-point deficit down to five, starting again with a Mikulášiková three-pointer. Then, two assists by McMahon to Sheldon and Thierry created two layup baskets for the Scarlet and Gray.
Then, a potentially scary moment for the Terps. McDaniel and McMahon went for a rebound and the two made contact. McDaniel went to the ground and her head hit the court. The sophomore needed help getting off the court, but would soon return.
Halting Ohio State’s scoring momentum was a foul called against and on McMahon. The forward went to the basket and Sellers made contact. Then, on the followthrough, McMahon’s arm made contact with Maryland forward Allie Kubek. After a review, both teams took free throws with McMahon hitting both and Sellers missing both. It got Ohio State to within a possession.
It was a short-lived, single-possession deficit, with forward Jakia Brown-Turner and Sellers hitting three combined layups, with the last of the three ending with a free throw to extend the lead back to 10 points. Ohio State couldn’t find an answer against Maryland.
The lead continued to increase, thanks to a nine-point run by the Terps. Ohio State’s Taylor hit a three-point shot to stop it, but then forward Faith Masonius hit a layup and free throw to completely negate the shot.
Overall, the game felt a lot like Ohio State’s last game of the regular season, against the Iowa Hawkeyes. Regardless of what the Buckeyes tried, its opponent had an answer for everything.
Then, a technical was assessed to McGuff. That’s after Masonius put her arm up when McMahon went for a rebound, making contact with McMahon’s face. In the run of play, Maryland ran down the court and Alexander hit a three-point shot while McGuff was yelling at the referees.
After reviewing the call, no foul was assessed to Masonius, instead going to McGuff. That gave Maryland the three-point shot, plus two free throws and possession. Then, another foul against Ohio State put the Terps in the bonus and its lead increased to 19 points.
Maybe it was the technical or the mounting feeling of an early tournament exit, but the Buckeyes responded at the end of the quarter. In less than a minute, Ohio State went on an eight-point run, featuring three layups by McMahon and Thierry. Each also turned one of their layups into an extra trip to the line. McMahon hit the final one to cut the deficit to 11 points.
However, Sellers hit the final shot of the quarter, going back up 13 points at the end of the third quarter. The Buckeyes had 10 minutes to create another Big Ten Tournament comeback story after returning from 24 points down against the Indiana Hoosiers last season.
After a midrange jumper by Taylor to start the last quarter, Maryland went on a six-point run, all but putting the nail in the coffin of the Buckeyes’ Big Ten tournament.
With the lead, Maryland slowed the game down, taking the car from 60 to zero. With each Ohio State miss (starting the quarter going 1-for-6), the Terrapins ran the clock down close to zero. Even if shots were falling for the Buckeyes, it was cutting down the available time to mount any kind of response.
Alexander added more points for the Terps, scoring her fifth three-point shot of the game. With five minutes remaining, the Buckeyes stared into the face of an insurmountable 18-point deficit.
Maryland chose a good time to win its first ranked-game of the season, defeating the Buckeyes 82-61.
Sellers, who didn’t play over 30 minutes in any previous game against the Buckeyes this season, due to fouls, led everyone in scoring with 25 points in 40 minutes. Plus seven rebounds and seven assists.
With the early defeat in the tournament, the Buckeyes wait until March 17, when the NCAA announces its field for the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Ohio State is likely to obtain a top-four seed to host the first two rounds of the tournament. Who their opponent will be, and which bracket they sit in (either Albany, New York or Portland, Oregon) will be announced live at 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.
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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
The Terrapins started off fast, Ohio State responded, but couldn’t keep up with Maryland for 40 minutes
The postseason officially began for Ohio State women’s basketball on Friday. Up first was a tough tournament test against a team that the Buckeyes have ample Big Ten Tournament history against the Maryland Terrapins. Although it isn’t in a tournament final, like the two team’s previous three meetings, the extra eyes of a sellout crowd in Minneapolis, Minnesota gave it the tournament-final kind of feeling.
Although Ohio State entered as the No. 1 seed and hasn’t lost under head coach Kevin McGuff in the first game when it enters in the quarterfinals, the Terps made up for two regular season losses to the Buckeyes. Maryland moves on after defeating Ohio State soundly. Terps move on after an 82-61 upset victory.
Entering Friday, the Terrapins had the advantage of playing the day before. It not only meant they were in better playing form but knowing the court and basket pays dividends. It looked like the Buckeyes were cold from the jump.
Without a full practice on the court, Ohio State missed its first four shots of the quarter, plus two missed free throws. It took over two and a half minutes before the Buckeyes got onto the scoreboard, thanks to a three-point shot by forward Rebeka Mikulášiková.
Even so, Maryland built a quick five-point lead before the Buckeyes’ passing put them back into the game. Partly because it gave Ohio State higher efficiency attempts in the paint. Forward Taylor Thierry hit two layups, with one teardrop layup while going around the Maryland defense.
Of the Scarlet and Gray’s first five baskets, each one came with an assist. The Buckeyes took advantage of a game that started at a rapid pace. Then, with shots going in, the Ohio State full-court press could get to work. The Buckeyes went on an eight-point run to earn its first lead of the game.
Ohio State was everywhere, even on the Maryland bench when guard Rikki Harris collided with Terrapins head coach Brenda Frese. The legendary program leader for the Terps was fine, helping Harris up and smiling the contact off.
Despite being outrebounded 17-10 in the first 10 minutes, the Buckeyes forced six turnovers and ended the quarter with a 17-12 lead.
That lead wouldn't last. The slow start of the first quarter transferred over to the second for Ohio State. Coach McGuff’s side went 1-for-5 from the floor in the first three and a half minutes of the period. Outside of a layup by Mikulášiková, Maryland scored nine of the first 11 points.
Also, the Buckeyes’ bench depth took a hit. In five minutes on the court in the first half, Harris picked up three fouls and a spot back on the sidelines. After a blocking foul, Harris had two fouls called off the ball.
Maryland guard Brinae Alexander, the leading three-point shooter for Coach Frese’s side, hit two in a row, from deep. The two shots were part of an 11-point Terps run in the first half of the second quarter. It dug the Buckeyes into a seven-point deficit with half the quarter to go before halftime.
While Ohio State trimmed it to four points with a three-point shot by guard Madison Greene, a first half of struggle for sophomore forward Cotie McMahon was the difference in the scoreline.
McMahon started the game going 0-for-8 from the floor, and 3-for-8 from the free throw line. The forward still contributed with four first-half rebounds but without layups falling, Maryland grew stronger in its zone defense.
Guard Jacy Sheldon, who led Ohio State with eight points in the first half, got a little momentum going back the Buckeyes’ way with 1:18 remaining in the quarter. Sheldon hit a layup, followed by a steal and layup by guard Celeste Taylor on the inbound pass. It cut the lead to five, but Maryland’s Alexander followed it up with her third three of the game.
Ohio State’s McMahon responded, hitting her first shot from the floor, but guard Shyanne Sellers pushed its lead back to eight points at the buzzer. At the top of the key, Sellers pulled up to hit a midrange shot, releasing it with less than a second remaining on the clock.
Maryland took a 38-30 lead into the halftime locker room, leading the Buckeyes in points, assists, and +14 in rebounding.
After the Terps hit its first shot of the quarter, the Buckeyes offense looked revitalized after the halftime break. Ohio State trimmed its 10-point deficit down to five, starting again with a Mikulášiková three-pointer. Then, two assists by McMahon to Sheldon and Thierry created two layup baskets for the Scarlet and Gray.
Then, a potentially scary moment for the Terps. McDaniel and McMahon went for a rebound and the two made contact. McDaniel went to the ground and her head hit the court. The sophomore needed help getting off the court, but would soon return.
Halting Ohio State’s scoring momentum was a foul called against and on McMahon. The forward went to the basket and Sellers made contact. Then, on the followthrough, McMahon’s arm made contact with Maryland forward Allie Kubek. After a review, both teams took free throws with McMahon hitting both and Sellers missing both. It got Ohio State to within a possession.
It was a short-lived, single-possession deficit, with forward Jakia Brown-Turner and Sellers hitting three combined layups, with the last of the three ending with a free throw to extend the lead back to 10 points. Ohio State couldn’t find an answer against Maryland.
The lead continued to increase, thanks to a nine-point run by the Terps. Ohio State’s Taylor hit a three-point shot to stop it, but then forward Faith Masonius hit a layup and free throw to completely negate the shot.
Overall, the game felt a lot like Ohio State’s last game of the regular season, against the Iowa Hawkeyes. Regardless of what the Buckeyes tried, its opponent had an answer for everything.
Then, a technical was assessed to McGuff. That’s after Masonius put her arm up when McMahon went for a rebound, making contact with McMahon’s face. In the run of play, Maryland ran down the court and Alexander hit a three-point shot while McGuff was yelling at the referees.
After reviewing the call, no foul was assessed to Masonius, instead going to McGuff. That gave Maryland the three-point shot, plus two free throws and possession. Then, another foul against Ohio State put the Terps in the bonus and its lead increased to 19 points.
Maybe it was the technical or the mounting feeling of an early tournament exit, but the Buckeyes responded at the end of the quarter. In less than a minute, Ohio State went on an eight-point run, featuring three layups by McMahon and Thierry. Each also turned one of their layups into an extra trip to the line. McMahon hit the final one to cut the deficit to 11 points.
However, Sellers hit the final shot of the quarter, going back up 13 points at the end of the third quarter. The Buckeyes had 10 minutes to create another Big Ten Tournament comeback story after returning from 24 points down against the Indiana Hoosiers last season.
After a midrange jumper by Taylor to start the last quarter, Maryland went on a six-point run, all but putting the nail in the coffin of the Buckeyes’ Big Ten tournament.
With the lead, Maryland slowed the game down, taking the car from 60 to zero. With each Ohio State miss (starting the quarter going 1-for-6), the Terrapins ran the clock down close to zero. Even if shots were falling for the Buckeyes, it was cutting down the available time to mount any kind of response.
Alexander added more points for the Terps, scoring her fifth three-point shot of the game. With five minutes remaining, the Buckeyes stared into the face of an insurmountable 18-point deficit.
Maryland chose a good time to win its first ranked-game of the season, defeating the Buckeyes 82-61.
Sellers, who didn’t play over 30 minutes in any previous game against the Buckeyes this season, due to fouls, led everyone in scoring with 25 points in 40 minutes. Plus seven rebounds and seven assists.
What’s Next
With the early defeat in the tournament, the Buckeyes wait until March 17, when the NCAA announces its field for the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Ohio State is likely to obtain a top-four seed to host the first two rounds of the tournament. Who their opponent will be, and which bracket they sit in (either Albany, New York or Portland, Oregon) will be announced live at 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.
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2025 MO OL Jack Lange (Missouri Signee)
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HudL
Class: 2025
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School: Eureka(MO) Eureka
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Weight: 275lbs
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P Nick McLarty (National Champion)
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Position: Punter
Pro Kick Australia, Melbourne
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Weight: 255lbs
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LGHL Ohio State Wrestling: Previewing the 2024 Big Ten Championships
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Ohio State Wrestling: Previewing the 2024 Big Ten Championships
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State Wrestling - X/Twitter @wrestlingbucks
Despite finishing the regular season ranked No. 6 nationally, OSU sits behind three teams in the loaded Big Ten. Can the Buckeyes make a run at the conference crown this weekend?
When the 2024 Big Ten Championships begin on Saturday, March 9, Ohio State will likely have the fourth or fifth-best odds to win... Despite being ranked sixth in the country! This is because the Big Ten is, and has been, the preeminent conference in college wrestling for decades, with Penn State, Iowa, Minnesota, and Ohio State accounting for all but four of the sport’s national championships since 1994.
Currently, the Big Ten boasts seven of the top 14 teams in the national rankings, with Penn State, Iowa, and Nebraska leading the way. And since all of these teams will obviously be competing in Maryland – the site of the 2024 conference tourney – it goes without saying that OSU faces an uphill battle just to finish inside the top three, something the Buckeyes have not achieved since 2020.
But don’t tell Tom Ryan and Co. that they are longshots to win or even secure a podium finish. Doing so would be an exercise in futility. Not only is this Ohio State squad extremely talented, but they also seem to possess a certain amount of youthful ignorance. Or better yet, fearlessness.
This is the byproduct of several “new” Buckeyes being forced into action, only to come out battle-tested and calloused but otherwise unscathed, and often victorious, as evidenced by OSU’s 15-2 record in duals.
As a result of all the moving, shaking, and injuries, the team’s current lineup features just two regulars from a year ago, one of whom is true sophomore Jesse Mendez. The rest of the lineup is littered with first and second-year grapplers, including two true freshmen and a redshirt freshman in Nick Feldman, who missed all of last season due to injury.
Of course, Ohio State’s vast collection of talent (young or old) is not some rare outlier in the Big Ten. Penn State boasts one of the best rosters ever assembled. Iowa has won 24 national championships since 1975. I could go on and on. But the Buckeyes should still be expected to perform well in College Park, MD.
They have proven themselves time and time again this season – not just against several Big Ten opponents, but also the likes of Virginia Tech and North Carolina State, ranked No. 3 and No. 2 respectively when taken down by OSU.
Here are Ohio State’s expected competitors at the 2024 Big Ten Championships:
Despite wins over No. 1 and No. 4 (nationally, at the time) in the 125-lb weight class, McCrone will enter this tournament as an 8-seed. While both of his top-5 victories were very impressive, neither took place in conference competition. Against ranked Big Ten opponents, McCrone went 1-2 with losses via major decision and pinfall.
Bouzakis will be a 3-seed behind the two Dylans – Ragusin of Michigan and Shawver of Rutgers – who handed him his only conference losses of the season (6-2 in B1G duals). But seeding aside, Bouzakis should be considered a legitimate threat to win 133, thanks to his impressive ability to rack up both points and pins in bunches.
Mendez will be the 2-seed at 141, behind Penn State’s Beau Bartlett, who handed the former his only conference loss of the season — a one-point loss in sudden victory. In addition to Bartlett, Mendez could also face Iowa’s Real Woods and/or Nebraska’s Brock Hardy during this tournament, both of whom (like Bartlett and Mendez) are ranked inside the top-5 nationally. So while Mendez is arguably the Buckeyes’ best shot at winning an individual conference title, the battle at 141 is shaping up to be a bloodbath.
One of Tom Ryan’s few veteran leaders, D’Emilio knows exactly what to expect this weekend. The fifth-year grappler will be making his fourth appearance at the Big Ten Championships, where he is 8-6 overall with two top-5 finishes. D’Emilio will head to Maryland as a 5-seed.
“Mr. Versatility”, Wilcox was the only Buckeye to receive a double-digit seed for this tournament (10). But with a career-high 18 wins on the season already, do not be surprised if Wilcox pulls off an upset or two.
With 10 of his 13 wins this season coming via major decision, tech fall, or pin, Hepner should be viewed as a dangerous 8-seed. In fact, I could see both Hepner and fellow 8-seed McCrone placing much higher than they are currently projected or seeded.
One of two true freshmen in Ohio State’s “starting lineup”, Welsh came on like a freight train after Carson Kharchla’s unfortunate injury, earning himself a 5-seed for this tournament. He quickly racked up 17 wins, and gave the best 174-pounders in the Big Ten all they could handle, dropping matches to conference opponents ranked No. 3, 4, and 1 nationally — by a combined 4 points! If Welsh can score at least one minor upset, look for him to chase a podium finish (top-3).
All gas, no breaks, Rogotzke is always looking to pin somebody. Easier said than done at the Big Ten Championships, but OSU’s other true freshman phenom (rightfully) earned a 4-seed with his late-season performance. Interestingly enough, Rogotzke could end up facing his brother in Maryland, as Roman (Rogotzke) competes at 184 for the Indiana Hoosiers.
Geog went 5-1 in conference duals, earning the 6-seed at 197. And although he has yet to notch a win over a ranked B1G opponent, Geog did defeat Virginia Tech’s Andy Smith early in the season, who was ranked No. 14 at the time. The 197 class is not as stacked as it has been in years past, so perhaps the local, homegrown Buckeye can make a run.
Feldman heads to Maryland as a 2-seed, thanks to his 8-1 Big Ten dual record and a victory over Michigan’s Lucas Davison, who is ranked higher nationally but lost to his Scarlet and Gray rival during the regular season. Conversely, the Buckeye big man is seeded behind Penn State’s Greg Kerkvliet Penn State, who defeated Feldman via major decision in early February. But if the latter finds a way to defeat Kerkvliet – or somehow avoids him – then Feldman could run away with the heavyweight crown.
Continue reading...
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State Wrestling - X/Twitter @wrestlingbucks
Despite finishing the regular season ranked No. 6 nationally, OSU sits behind three teams in the loaded Big Ten. Can the Buckeyes make a run at the conference crown this weekend?
When the 2024 Big Ten Championships begin on Saturday, March 9, Ohio State will likely have the fourth or fifth-best odds to win... Despite being ranked sixth in the country! This is because the Big Ten is, and has been, the preeminent conference in college wrestling for decades, with Penn State, Iowa, Minnesota, and Ohio State accounting for all but four of the sport’s national championships since 1994.
Currently, the Big Ten boasts seven of the top 14 teams in the national rankings, with Penn State, Iowa, and Nebraska leading the way. And since all of these teams will obviously be competing in Maryland – the site of the 2024 conference tourney – it goes without saying that OSU faces an uphill battle just to finish inside the top three, something the Buckeyes have not achieved since 2020.
But don’t tell Tom Ryan and Co. that they are longshots to win or even secure a podium finish. Doing so would be an exercise in futility. Not only is this Ohio State squad extremely talented, but they also seem to possess a certain amount of youthful ignorance. Or better yet, fearlessness.
This is the byproduct of several “new” Buckeyes being forced into action, only to come out battle-tested and calloused but otherwise unscathed, and often victorious, as evidenced by OSU’s 15-2 record in duals.
As a result of all the moving, shaking, and injuries, the team’s current lineup features just two regulars from a year ago, one of whom is true sophomore Jesse Mendez. The rest of the lineup is littered with first and second-year grapplers, including two true freshmen and a redshirt freshman in Nick Feldman, who missed all of last season due to injury.
Of course, Ohio State’s vast collection of talent (young or old) is not some rare outlier in the Big Ten. Penn State boasts one of the best rosters ever assembled. Iowa has won 24 national championships since 1975. I could go on and on. But the Buckeyes should still be expected to perform well in College Park, MD.
They have proven themselves time and time again this season – not just against several Big Ten opponents, but also the likes of Virginia Tech and North Carolina State, ranked No. 3 and No. 2 respectively when taken down by OSU.
Here are Ohio State’s expected competitors at the 2024 Big Ten Championships:
Brendan McCrone (R-Fr.) – 125 pounds
Despite wins over No. 1 and No. 4 (nationally, at the time) in the 125-lb weight class, McCrone will enter this tournament as an 8-seed. While both of his top-5 victories were very impressive, neither took place in conference competition. Against ranked Big Ten opponents, McCrone went 1-2 with losses via major decision and pinfall.
Nic Bouzakis (R-Fr.) – 133 pounds
Bouzakis will be a 3-seed behind the two Dylans – Ragusin of Michigan and Shawver of Rutgers – who handed him his only conference losses of the season (6-2 in B1G duals). But seeding aside, Bouzakis should be considered a legitimate threat to win 133, thanks to his impressive ability to rack up both points and pins in bunches.
Jess Mendez (So.) – 141 pounds
Mendez will be the 2-seed at 141, behind Penn State’s Beau Bartlett, who handed the former his only conference loss of the season — a one-point loss in sudden victory. In addition to Bartlett, Mendez could also face Iowa’s Real Woods and/or Nebraska’s Brock Hardy during this tournament, both of whom (like Bartlett and Mendez) are ranked inside the top-5 nationally. So while Mendez is arguably the Buckeyes’ best shot at winning an individual conference title, the battle at 141 is shaping up to be a bloodbath.
Dylan D’Emilio (R-Sr.) – 149 pounds
One of Tom Ryan’s few veteran leaders, D’Emilio knows exactly what to expect this weekend. The fifth-year grappler will be making his fourth appearance at the Big Ten Championships, where he is 8-6 overall with two top-5 finishes. D’Emilio will head to Maryland as a 5-seed.
Isaac Wilcox (Sr.) – 157 pounds
“Mr. Versatility”, Wilcox was the only Buckeye to receive a double-digit seed for this tournament (10). But with a career-high 18 wins on the season already, do not be surprised if Wilcox pulls off an upset or two.
Bryce Hepner (R-Jr.) – 165 pounds
With 10 of his 13 wins this season coming via major decision, tech fall, or pin, Hepner should be viewed as a dangerous 8-seed. In fact, I could see both Hepner and fellow 8-seed McCrone placing much higher than they are currently projected or seeded.
Rocco Welsh (Fr.) – 174 pounds
One of two true freshmen in Ohio State’s “starting lineup”, Welsh came on like a freight train after Carson Kharchla’s unfortunate injury, earning himself a 5-seed for this tournament. He quickly racked up 17 wins, and gave the best 174-pounders in the Big Ten all they could handle, dropping matches to conference opponents ranked No. 3, 4, and 1 nationally — by a combined 4 points! If Welsh can score at least one minor upset, look for him to chase a podium finish (top-3).
Ryder Rogotzke (Fr.) – 184 pounds
All gas, no breaks, Rogotzke is always looking to pin somebody. Easier said than done at the Big Ten Championships, but OSU’s other true freshman phenom (rightfully) earned a 4-seed with his late-season performance. Interestingly enough, Rogotzke could end up facing his brother in Maryland, as Roman (Rogotzke) competes at 184 for the Indiana Hoosiers.
Luke Geog (R-Fr.) – 197 pounds
Geog went 5-1 in conference duals, earning the 6-seed at 197. And although he has yet to notch a win over a ranked B1G opponent, Geog did defeat Virginia Tech’s Andy Smith early in the season, who was ranked No. 14 at the time. The 197 class is not as stacked as it has been in years past, so perhaps the local, homegrown Buckeye can make a run.
Nick Feldman (R-Fr.) – 285 pounds/Heavyweight
Feldman heads to Maryland as a 2-seed, thanks to his 8-1 Big Ten dual record and a victory over Michigan’s Lucas Davison, who is ranked higher nationally but lost to his Scarlet and Gray rival during the regular season. Conversely, the Buckeye big man is seeded behind Penn State’s Greg Kerkvliet Penn State, who defeated Feldman via major decision in early February. But if the latter finds a way to defeat Kerkvliet – or somehow avoids him – then Feldman could run away with the heavyweight crown.
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