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LGHL Ohio State men’s basketball vs. Michigan: Game preview and prediction

Ohio State men’s basketball vs. Michigan: Game preview and prediction
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Michigan State v Michigan

Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images

The Buckeyes will look to close out their regular season home schedule with a win over Michigan today at Value City Arena.

Following Thursday night’s 78-69 win over Nebraska at Value City Arena, Ohio State will close out their home schedule today when they host the Michigan Wolverines. Not only will the Buckeyes be celebrating seniors Jamison Battle, Dale Bonner, Zed Key, and Owen Spencer, but Jake Diebler’s team will be looking to keep their slim NCAA Tournament hopes alive. After their win over the Cornhuskers, Ohio State has now won three of four games since moving on from head coach Chris Holtmann on Valentine’s Day. If the Buckeyes want to make the tournament, they’ll not only have to beat the Wolverines today and Rutgers next Sunday, they’ll need a strong showing in this year’s Big Ten Tournament.

After their thrilling win last Sunday at Michigan State, Ohio State was able to keep the momentum going on Thursday with a victory over Nebraska, avenging the loss to the Cornhuskers earlier this year in Lincoln. Much like the game against the Spartans when they were without Jamison Battle, the Buckeyes were missing one of their key players on Thursday night when Bruce Thornton wasn’t available to play because of a migraine.

With Thornton sidelined, Dale Bonner saw more playing time, finishing with 33 minutes played, marking just the second time this year he has been on the floor for more than 30 minutes in a game, with the first coming in the double-overtime win against Maryland.

While Thornton wasn’t able to play on Thursday, Ohio State was able to welcome Jamison Battle back to the lineup after he missed the Michigan State game. The transfer from Minnesota didn’t take long to find his shot, hitting his first three three-point attempts on his way to a season-high 32 points. Along with his three-point shooting,

Battle also hit all 10 of his free throw attempts and has now hit 50 of his last 51 free throws. As a team, Ohio State was 24 of 28 from the foul line, while Nebraska shot just eight free throws.

NCAA Basketball: Nebraska at Ohio State
Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

Jamison Battle wasn’t the only Buckeye to come up big in Thornton’s absence. Roddy Gayle Jr. recorded the first double-double of his college career, finishing with 16 points and 10 rebounds. With his scoring output on Thursday night, Gayle is just one point shy of 400 points this season.

The sophomore from Niagara Falls is the third-leading scorer for Ohio State this year, averaging 13.8 points per game, which is only topped by Thornton and Battle. Gayle’s double-double was the fourth of the year by an Ohio State player, with Zed Key notching the first three double-doubles this season.

A huge reason why Ohio State was able to earn the victory on Thursday night was their play before and after halftime. Not only did the Buckeyes end the first half on a 12-3 run to head into the break with a 39-37 lead, they opened up the second half with a 7-0 run to push their lead to 46-37. While Nebraska was able to crawl back within a bucket on a number of occasions, Ohio State wouldn’t trail in the game after halftime.

Preview​


After splitting the regular season series with Nebraska, now Ohio State will be looking to do the same with Michigan, who beat the Buckeyes 73-65 in Ann Arbor back in January. Even though Ohio State was able to take the lead in the second half after going on a 16-0 run, the Buckeyes couldn’t make the edge stick. The result might have been different had Ohio State not struggled so much from behind the arc, going just 3-25 from three-point range in the loss. Jamison Battle struggled mightily against the Wolverines, hitting just one of his eight three-point attempts on his way to finishing with five points in the game. Bruce Thornton led Ohio State with 19 points in the matinee on Martin Luther King Day.

Entering today’s contest, Ohio State holds a 101-82 advantage in the all-time series. Lately, the rivalry has been back-and-forth, as the schools have split the last 16 meetings. The score differential proves just how tight those 16 games have been, with the Buckeyes scoring 1,089 points in those games, while Michigan has scored 1,083. If Ohio State is able to win today, it will snap a three-game losing streak to the Wolverines.

Like Ohio State, Michigan also played on Thursday night. The Wolverines hit the road to take on Rutgers and were demolished by the Scarlet Knights 82-52. The loss was the sixth straight setback for Juwan Howard’s team. Dug McDaniel scored a team-high 13 points in the game, while Tarris Reed Jr. was the only other Michigan player to reach double figures in scoring, finishing with 12 points. Terrance Williams II added nine points and six rebounds in the loss.

In the first meeting with Ohio State, Olivier Nkamhoua led the Wolverines with 20 points in the victory back in January. Unfortunately for Michigan, Nkamhoua won’t be available to play the rest of the season after the transfer from Tennessee underwent wrist surgery a couple of weeks ago. Before suffering the injury, Nkamhoua was the team’s second-leading scorer, with his 14.8 points per game only topped by the 16.5 points per game Dug McDaniel is averaging. Nkamhoua was also a force on the glass, averaging 7.1 rebounds per contest.

With Nkamhoua on the shelf, Will Tschetter has moved into the Michigan starting lineup. In their January meeting, Tschetter scored seven points in 15 minutes off the bench. Along with Tschetter, expect Juwan Howard to start Terrance Williams II and Tarris Reed Jr. in the frontcourt, while Nimari Burnett will join Dug McDaniel at the guard positions. This will mark just the second road game McDaniel will be eligible to play in after serving a six-game suspension which consisted of only road games after he was found not to meet the school’s academic standards.

NCAA Basketball: Purdue at Michigan
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Unless the teams meet in the Big Ten Tournament, this will likely be the last time Juwan Howard leads Michigan into battle against Ohio State. After a bright start to his coaching career that saw Howard lead the Wolverines to the Elite Eight in his second year in charge of his alma mater, results haven’t met expectations since, as Michigan has lost at least 15 games in each of the last three years. After missing the first 10 games of this season due to heart surgery, the Wolverines are just 3-16 with Howard on the bench.

Prediction​


Ohio State has been rejuvenated after the firing of head coach Chris Holtmann, winning three of four games under interim head coach Jake Diebler. Not only did the Buckeyes earn their first road victory in over a calendar year last Sunday, but they have won their last two games while missing a key player in each contest. Unless something unforeseen happens prior to the game, expect Ohio State to have Bruce Thornton back in the lineup for the final regular season home game for the Buckeyes.

As if Senior Day festivities and a game against their rivals weren’t enough to get up for, the Buckeyes still have an outside chance at making the NCAA Tournament. The road to the Big Dance isn’t going to be easy, but if Ohio State can win their final two games of the regular season, followed by string together a few wins in the Big Ten Tournament, it’s not crazy to think the team could miraculously make the tournament after looking dead in the water last month. To keep hope alive, beating Michigan today is imperative.

With so much at stake for the Buckeyes, it’s hard to see them laying an egg against their rival today, especially with how awful the Wolverines have been playing lately. Not only will this be the final home game for Battle, Bonner, Key, and Spencer, but it could be the final time some other Buckeyes wear the scarlet and gray in Columbus since there could be massive roster changes with a new head coach coming in for next season. All signs point to Ohio State beating a Michigan team that can’t wait for the season to end.


ESPN BPI: Ohio State 86.8%
Time: 4 p.m. ET
TV: CBS

LGHL score prediction: Ohio State 72, Michigan 60​


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LGHL Ohio State recruiting: Nation’s No. 1 OT puts Buckeyes in top schools

Ohio State recruiting: Nation’s No. 1 OT puts Buckeyes in top schools
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

11917885.0.jpg

2025 OT David Sanders Jr. | Jim Hawkins, Inside Carolina/247Sports

The Buckeyes made the short list for a trio of elite prospects over the weekend.

Ohio State is set to kick off its spring practice schedule this week, and with it will come a laundry list of the nation’s top prospects making their way to Columbus for recruiting visits. Even before those begin, the Buckeyes have been maintaining a wave of positive momentum on the trail, and that continued this past weekend with a trio of big names including the program among their top schools.

Starting things off with a bang, Ohio State got big news on Saturday when it learned it made the cut for the No. 1 offensive tackle in the country. David Sanders Jr., the No. 2 player in the 2025 class overall, listed the Buckeyes among his final six schools, alongside Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee.


Top 6️⃣‼️ One step closer to home! pic.twitter.com/rrvex6zLiv

— David Sanders Jr. (@DavidLSandersJr) March 2, 2024​
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The five-star North Carolina native is a multi-sport athlete, playing basketball and also competing in track and field in both the shot put and discus throws. It is no surprise the 6-foot-6, 270-pound Sanders has amassed over 40 scholarship offers to his name from all of the heavy hitters. Cutting that hefty offer sheet all the way down to just a half-dozen shows the Providence Day High School product is getting serious in his recruitment, and position coach Justin Frye has to be thrilled with this latest development.

Speaking to Rivals about his short list, here is what Sanders had to say about Ohio State making the cut:

“Obviously they’re such a far distance away,” Sanders said. “They call me on a regular basis and we’re building those relationships. Knowing that I’m a kid from down south with all these big SEC and ACC schools down here right in my backyard pretty much, they’ve done an amazing job. They’re known for making bookend tackles. Having that opportunity to be coached by the best and play the best each and every Saturday is something that really appeals to me.”

It sounds as though it’ll be a bit of an uphill battle for the Buckeyes, with distance playing a large factor in that climb. However, Frye and the Ohio State staff have done enough to this point to warrant them still being in the running even despite the geographic challenges, and so expect them to continue to press for Sanders with a rather large need at offensive tackle both on the current roster and moving forward.

Speaking of offensive linemen, Sanders wasn’t the only big blocker to include Ohio State among their top schools over the weekend. Heading a bit further south down to Florida, four-star interior OL Kaden Strayhorn listed the Buckeyes as one of his final 12 teams, making the list alongside Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Texas, USC and others.


To all the coaches who recruited me. Thank you for believing in me! pic.twitter.com/6QBZWDa8F4

— Kaden Strayhorn (@kaden_strayhorn) March 2, 2024​
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Strayhorn is the No. 20 IOL and the No. 380 player overall in the 2025 class. Hailing out of IMG Academy, the 6-foot-3, 285-pounder is originally from Detroit, so he has some ties to Big Ten country. Strayhorn played his freshman year at Detroit Catholic Central before making the move to the elite southern prep program. The Michigan native has further ties to the B1G, as he is a Michigan State legacy, with his father Jason spending his playing days with the Spartans.

Strayhorn has visits planned to Alabama, Florida and Georgia, and says he plans to visit both Ohio State and Miami as well. Before he can further narrow his list, the MaxPreps Preseason Sophomore All-American first-team selection told 247Sports what he is looking for at the next level:

“The culture of the program, who the the coaches are, how they develop the center position and interior offensive line, who they’ve sent to the NFL and how they coach and the type of offense they run. Who they play against also, like I think the Big Ten and SEC are the best but the only reason I wouldn’t go to either of those conferences is for Miami.”

Switching to the other side of the ball for our third and final bullet point in this section, Ohio State also made the top schools for a four-star linebacker in the 2025 class. The Texas native Elijah Barnes put the Buckeyes in his top 10 on Friday, alongside Alabama, Florida State, LSU, Texas, Oregon and others.


NEWS: Four-Star LB Elijah Barnes is down to Schools!

The 6’3 225 LB from Dallas, TX is ranked as a Top 110 Recruit in the ‘25 Class (per On3)

Where Should He Go? https://t.co/E7xS4mDXsH pic.twitter.com/5IYfJ3pTaC

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) March 1, 2024​
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Barnes is the No. 14 LB and just outside the top-100 as the No. 106 player nationally, per the 247Sports Composite. After being named the Texas District 11-6A Defensive Newcomer of the Year as a sophomore, the 6-foot-2, 225-pound linebacker put together a big season for Skyline High School as a junior. Barnes recorded 65 total tackles with 12 tackles for loss in 2023, adding three sacks and four interceptions to his numbers.

For Ohio State, it is impressive to make Barnes’ short list being that Barnes has never actually been to Columbus. In January, Buckeye coaches Ryan Day, James Laurinaitis (pre-promotion) and Jim Knowles all made a stop at Skyline to visit the talented LB, and shortly after Barnes made plans to visit Ohio State with a date set for March 22. With Laurinaitis now the full-time position coach and OSU already doing enough to this point for Barnes to include them among his final schools prior to a visit, that trip could prove to be an important one in this recruitment.

Quick Hits​

  • While the focus right now is spring camp, Ohio State is also getting out ahead and filling up the calendar for the summer as well. This past weekend, it was announced that four-star running back Marquiss Davis will be making an official visit with the Buckeyes on June 7, in addition to looking to make an unofficial visit during the spring. An Ohio native, Davis is the No. 13 RB in the country in the 2025 class in addition to being the No. 170 player nationally and the seventh-best player in the state.

According to Bill Kurelic 2025 four-star running back Marquiss Davis has his Official Visit to Ohio State scheduled for June 7th and he will visit Spring Practice as well. pic.twitter.com/ihwzyinCgC

— The Scarlet and Gray Podcast (@TheSG_Podcast) March 2, 2024​
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  • Ohio State wide receiver commit Jayvan Boggs was turning some heads at the Under Armour Next camp over the weekend. Making his verbal commitment to the Buckeyes back in October, Boggs is rated as the No. 22 WR and the No. 187 player in the 2025 class, but it is expected that those numbers will continue to rise as we get closer to signing day. Boggs was named MVP of the event on Sunday as evidence of his potentially underrated skillset.

TOP PLAY #Rivals100 Ohio State WR commit Jayvon Boggs with the catch of the day pic.twitter.com/CtkwGkqFLn

— Rivals (@Rivals) March 3, 2024​
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LGHL Buckeyes send seniors off with 84-61 blowout of Michigan, keep March dreams alive

Buckeyes send seniors off with 84-61 blowout of Michigan, keep March dreams alive
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

NCAA Basketball: Michigan at Ohio State

Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

Ohio State is now 4-1 under interim head coach Jake Diebler following Sunday’s win.

“Tomorrow is March. Let the madness begin.”

Those were the words of Jamison Battle following Ohio State’s win (18-12, 8-11) over Nebraska Thursday night. Sunday’s battle with the Michigan Wolverines (8-22, 3-16) was the Buckeyes’ first game during the wild and wacky month of March and was also an opportunity to even the score after the Wolverines beat Ohio State 73-65 in Ann Arbor back on January 15.

On top of the obvious implications for the season that came with Sunday’s bout with That Team Up North, Ohio State was also honoring four seniors. Jamison Battle, Dale Bonner, Owen Spencer, and Zed Key were all honored before the game with a framed jersey. Key still has eligibility if he wants to return next season, but with the uncertainty regarding the coaching situation, it looks unlikely at the moment.

For Senior Day, Jake Diebler went with a starting five of Bruce Thornton, Dale Bonner, Jamison Battle, Zed Key, and Owen Spencer. Losers of 11 of their last 12, Michigan went with a starting five of Dug McDaniel, Nimari Burnett, Will Tschetter, Terrance Williams, and Tarris Reed.

The two rival programs combined to go 3-for-12 over the first 4:12, with the Buckeyes leading 4-2 at the first media timeout. Key started the game with a thunderous dunk right on Tschetter’s head that immediately engaged the crowd, but Ohio State missed its next three shots, which settled things down for Michigan.

ZED KEY‼️

The senior opens his senior day with a gigantic flush.

: CBS pic.twitter.com/aMwwV7175c

— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) March 3, 2024
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Ohio State opened up a 10-2 lead early, but McDaniel pulled the Wolverines back into it with five consecutive points. Michigan then cut it to a one-point deficit, but the Buckeyes responded with a 7-0 run and led 19-13 at the under-eight media timeout with 7:37 remaining in the half.

The Buckeyes just destroyed that rim in the first half. @Felixokpara24 x @OhioStateHoops

: CBS pic.twitter.com/Hz5H7q9kL3

— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) March 3, 2024
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The Wolverines fell behind early in the half but quickly got it back to a one-possession game, keeping it close for the majority of the first 20 minutes. But Ohio State outscored Michigan 7-3 over the final 3:35 to go into the halftime locker room up 32-27. The Buckeyes got eight points from Thornton and eight more from Key in the first half. Six different Buckeyes turned the ball over in the first half alone, preventing them from turning a five-point lead into something much bigger.

Michigan got a combined 17 points from McDaniel and Williams and shot an even 40% as a team in the first half. Ohio State shot 44.4% in the first half.

Ohio State came out of the halftime locker room and went on the offensive, opening the half with a 10-0 run, making it 42-27 not even three minutes into the second half and forcing a Michigan timeout. The Wolverines responded with buckets from McDaniel, Williams, and Youssef Khayat, pulling it back to 42-34 by the first media timeout.

The deficit for Michigan continued to float back and forth between six for most of the second half, with the Buckeyes pushing it back to 13 momentarily on a Gayle and-one layup with 8:42 left in the game. A Tarris Reed foul with 7:21 remaining took this one to the under-eight timeout with Ohio State up 60-49. The Buckeyes weren’t hitting many jumpers, but Thornton and Gayle were getting downhill easily in the second half to score or draw fouls.

Try as they might, the Wolverines were never able to string together enough buckets to get back within a possession or two, as the Buckeyes salted it away over the last several minutes and won, 84-61. The win was Ohio State’s third in a row, and improves Jake Diebler’s record as interim head coach to 4-1, with one game remaining in the regular season.

If you weren’t around this afternoon to see Ohio State extend its winning streak to three games and keep its slim tournament hopes alive, here are a few key moments, plays, and runs that played a part in the win:

Welcome to the Thunder Dome, Will Tschetter​


Battle missed the first shot of the game, and on the other end, Reed turned the ball over. On Ohio State’s second possession of the game, Key was handed the ball at the top of the arc and immediately attacked the basket, throwing down a massive dunk right over the top of Tschetter to open the scoring 47 seconds into the game.

McDaniel tightens things up a bit ​


The Buckeyes took an early 10-2 lead after seven minutes, but McDaniel — Michigan’s leading scorer — knocked down a three-pointer and a layup off the glass in a span of 36 seconds to make it a one-possession game, 10-7, with 11:37 left in the first half.

Missed layups hurt Ohio State in the first half​


The fighting Jake Dieblers never trailed in the first half, but missed layups kept the Wolverines in this one when the Buckeyes should’ve been running away. Ohio State went 6-for-11 on layups over the first 20 minutes, with Gayle, Battle, and Evan Mahaffey all missing at least once.

Buckeyes open the second half with a 10-0 run ​


Thornton was fouled by McDaniel on the first possession of the second half and hit both free throws to make it 34-27. The Buckeyes then got baskets from Gayle, Mahaffey, and Okpara to make it 40-27 not even three minutes into the second half.

The 8-0 run then became a 10-0 run when a Tschetter turnover turned into a fastbreak slam for Gayle, making it 42-27 and giving Ohio State its biggest lead of the afternoon.

Burnett pays Key back, gets Wolverines back within six​


With Ohio State leading 46-38, Scotty Middleton lost control of the ball and Burnett grabbed it, streaking down the floor for an open basket. Key got down there in time to contest it, but the 6-foot-4 guard from Chicago rose up and slammed one down on Key’s head, making it 46-40 and getting the Michigan bench riled up.

Battle’s three makes it 65-51​


Jamison Battle got a lot of attention from the Wolverines after his 32-point game last time out, and Ohio State struggled to get him open looks for most of the game. But with 6:39 left on the clock, Gayle drew a double team near the basket and then found Battle open in the corner closest to Ohio State’s bench. The sophomore hit the senior with a perfect chest pass, and Battle drained it to put the Buckeyes up two touchdowns on their rivals from up north.

Up Next:​


It’s an odd schedule twist, but Ohio State (18-12, 8-11) now has six days off to prepare for Rutgers. The Buckeyes will travel to New Jersey at the end of the week and will face the Scarlet Knights on Sunday. Rutgers (15-13, 7-10) is in the same boat as Ohio State — trying to dig themselves out of the bottom four and get a bye in the upcoming Big Ten Tournament.

Ohio State’s game against Rutgers will be their senior day. Tip-off is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on Big Ten Network.

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Google Michigan Wolverines vs. Ohio State Buckeyes Odds, Betting Lines, Expert picks, Game Projections and DFS ... - SportsLine

Michigan Wolverines vs. Ohio State Buckeyes Odds, Betting Lines, Expert picks, Game Projections and DFS ... - SportsLine
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".

Michigan Wolverines vs. Ohio State Buckeyes Odds, Betting Lines, Expert picks, Game Projections and DFS ... SportsLine

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LGHL No. 2 Ohio State women’s basketball falls in Iowa City 93-83 over No. 6 Iowa

No. 2 Ohio State women’s basketball falls in Iowa City 93-83 over No. 6 Iowa
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

NCAA Womens Basketball: Ohio St. at Iowa

Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports

The two top teams in the Big Ten battled in Iowa City, but the Buckeyes couldn’t mount another comeback.

The No. 2 Ohio State women’s basketball celebrated its 16th Big Ten title on Wednesday. On Sunday, it was time to close out the regular season and it doesn’t get much bigger than doing it in Iowa City, against the No. 6 Iowa Hawkeyes. In guard Caitlin Clark’s final regular season game playing on campus, no title or conference tournament seeding would be determined but each team continues fighting for a strong NCAA Tournament seed; plus a historic rivalry between schools that’s personal to the Scarlet and Gray.

After defeating the Hawkeyes on Jan. 21 in overtime, the Buckeyes fell to the Hawkeyes 93-83.

Off the jump, it was guard Jacy Sheldon getting the scoring started for the visitors. The graduate senior began the day with a driving layup, then a three-point shot that rolled in off the front of the rim.

Following that 2-for-3 shooting start to the game, the baskets stopped falling. Ohio State missed three contested layups, going 1-for-5 from the floor following its strong start. Iowa played the offense it's known for playing.

The Hawkeyes hit five of their first 10 shots, with only one coming from superstar guard Caitlin Clark who needed 18 points to pass Pete Maravich for Division I all-time leading scorer. However, Clark still had three assists to put the home side up to a 13-7 start.

Defensively, guard Celeste Taylor was responsible for guarding Clark, and the superstar hit only one of her first four attempts from the floor. Taylor had a hand in the guard’s face, as did all of the Buckeye defenders going up against Hawkeye players around the arc.

Clark’s passing continued to exploit the Buckeyes defense. With 2:55 remaining in the quarter, Clark already hit seven assists, the total she hit in Columbus on Jan. 21. That forced a timeout from head coach Kevin McGuff, with his team down 12 points early.

Iowa’s scoring continued, going on a 10-point run before guard Madison Greene finally broke it with a three-point shot. The first make for Ohio State in almost two and a half minutes.

Ohio State ended the quarter by scoring nine of the last 12 points. It cut a 15-point lead down to nine points. Across the board, the Buckeyes struggled in the first half, with Iowa out-rebounding, out-shooting, and passing better than Ohio State.

The start of the second quarter saw the Buckeyes continuing that momentum, although Clark kept responding from deep. The guard hit two, scoring the first eight points of the game and keeping the crowd in the game, until an unfortunate accident for Iowa.

Guard Molly Davis, also being celebrated Sunday for Senior Day, went for a steal on the inbound pass and rolled her ankle, going to the ground and holding her entire lower leg. Davis went to the bench, with help from Iowa’s staff. Davis didn’t return to the game.

From there, the fans in Carver-Hawkeye started booing Ohio State’s Greene, who was in the guard’s proximity when she rolled her ankle. Despite there being no contact between the two players causing the injury.

Despite the crowd going hostile, the Buckeyes mirrored Clark’s deep shooting, hitting two to cut the Iowa lead down to four points, forcing an Iowa timeout.

The two sides traded baskets and it appeared that Ohio State would be down four points going into halftime. That’s when a foul was called on forward Hannah Stuelke, with Greene hitting the ball away and not making contact with the forward. In the lead-up to free throws, Clark walked up and put her shoulder into Buckeyes forward Cotie McMahon. The sophomore turned, lifting her arm slightly, and Clark reacted as if she was hit by the Buckeye, earning a technical foul against the Ohio State player.

Iowa hit four free throws on two debatable calls to increase its lead back to nine points going into the locker room, with Iowa up 48-39. Of the two free throws for Clark, on the technical foul, the second broke the Division I points record, previously held by Pete Maravich.

Sheldon led the Buckeyes with 12 points, compared to 18 points for Clark. Ohio State forced 10 turnovers but was outshot 42.9% to 50%. Iowa had 12 free throws, compared to four for the visitors.

Known for big third-quarter performances, the Buckeyes scored the first seven points to cut its deficit down to a single possession. Ohio State did it with movement inside the paint and the first three of the day by forward Rebeka Mikulášiková, after missing her first two attempts.

However, threes by Clark and guard Gabbie Marshall quickly put the deficit back to eight points, motivating another timeout by McGuff with 6:31 remaining in the quarter.

Out of the timeout, the Scarlet and Gray had another made shot from deep from Mikulášiková, but turnovers hurt the Buckeyes. Iowa expanded the lead back to nine points again with two straight layups, off poor passing leading to turnovers.

McGuff again called a timeout, because it looked like the Buckeyes were too amped up coming out of halftime. Out of the moment to calm, Ohio State responded with two layups, one off a turnover, putting the game back to within two possessions.

Then, another technical foul against the Buckeyes. This time it was guard Rikki Harris. After going out of bounds, Harris was upset with the referees after thinking she was pushed out of bounds. That gave Stuelke a free throw for the bonus and two technical free throws by Clark.

It began a run that ballooned Iowa’s lead up to 17 points, scoring 13 of 14 points in a minute and a half. The game was slipping away from the Buckeyes, and couldn’t slow down Iowa’s conference-leading offensive work.

Even so, Ohio State scored eight of the last 10 to cut its deficit back to 11 points by the end of the quarter. The Buckeyes would need another double-digit comeback in the fourth quarter to defeat the Hawkeyes. It did on Jan. 21, when Ohio State was down 12 points in the fourth quarter.

After expending all timeouts in the third quarter, the margin for error from the visitors was little to none. It didn’t start well for Ohio State. After another Mikulášiková three-point shot, Iowa hit two layups to bring the lead back up to 13 points.

Then, on an inbound pass, Clark received a pass. Taylor and Sheldon descended, with the Buckeyes playing a strong full-court press in the fourth, and Clark called a timeout as Sheldon and Taylor wrestled for the ball. After the whistle, Clark threw Sheldon’s arm up and then pushed her in the chest. Referees looked at it and gave no technical, although it was more contact than McMahon had at the end of the second quarter.

The Buckeyes tried, but there was no stopping the Hawkeyes. Iowa defeated Ohio State 93-83. Although it has no weight in the title or conference tournament seeding, its a game the Buckeyes wanted to win to end the season.

Leading the way for the Scarlet and Gray was Sheldon, scoring 24 points in the defeat.

Free Throw Disparity​


Making the difference in the Buckeyes’ defeat were trips to the foul line. The Hawkeyes had 23 attempts from the free throw line, compared to eight for the Buckeyes. Overall, Iowa had 15 points more than Ohio State from the line alone.

Of the 23 for Iowa, four of those came from technical fouls picked up by McMahon and Harris.

Better Clark Defense​


While it doesn’t look like it, go further behind Clark’s numbers and the Buckeyes had strong spells against the superstar. After having six assists in the first half, Ohio State held Clark to three in the second half. Also, after having two triple-double performances against the Scarlet and Gray last season, Clark was held to under a double-double for the second time this season, against the Buckeyes.

It isn’t much of a consolation prize for Ohio State, but it showed improvement.

Three-Point High​


In the 10-point defeat, Ohio State hit 14 three-point shots, going 46.7% from the floor. Much of that was because of being down double-digits for most of the second half, but it was also credit to the Iowa defense whose zone forced deep shooting.

What’s Next​


Now that the regular season is over, it’s time for the Big Ten Tournament. Friday, the Buckeyes will face the winner of the No. 8 vs. No. 9 game. As of publishing, that’s either the Michigan Wolverines or Illinois Fighting Illini, but with the rest of the conference slated to play today, not much of the seeding is certain; except for the No. 1 Buckeyes.

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Google What channel is Iowa vs. Ohio State on today? Time, TV schedule to watch Caitlin Clark, Hawkeyes vs. Buckeyes - Sporting News

What channel is Iowa vs. Ohio State on today? Time, TV schedule to watch Caitlin Clark, Hawkeyes vs. Buckeyes - Sporting News
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What channel is Iowa vs. Ohio State on today? Time, TV schedule to watch Caitlin Clark, Hawkeyes vs. Buckeyes Sporting News

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LGHL Game Preview: No. 2 Ohio State women’s basketball at No. 6 Iowa

Game Preview: No. 2 Ohio State women’s basketball at No. 6 Iowa
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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Iowa v Ohio State

Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images

Although the all stakes are no longer there, the top-10 matchup segues the Big Ten into the postseason

It’s been 118 days since the start of Ohio State women’s basketball’s 2023-24 season. After starting the year losing three of its first 13 games, the Buckeyes head into the final day of the regular season campaign on a 15-game winning streak.

Before the Big Ten Tournament or March Madness begins, the Scarlet and Gray have one more opponent in front of it, and it’s a big one. Here’s what you need to know about Ohio State vs. the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Preview​


On Jan. 21, No. 18 Ohio State vs. No. 2 Iowa lived up to its billing. After two sound defeats to the Hawkeyes in the 2022-23 season, the Buckeyes overcame a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter to come away with a 100-92 overtime victory.

Since then, the two favorites to win the Big Ten went down slightly different paths. For Ohio State, it was the continuation of an in-conference winning streak that hasn’t been seen in Big Ten country in almost 18 years. That culminated with an outright regular season title celebration on Wednesday, against the Michigan Wolverines.

That title wouldn’t be possible without the Hawkeyes slipping up on its race to the postseason.

On Super Bowl Sunday, with the Hawkeyes riding a four-game winning streak that kept them tied with the Buckeyes at the top of the standings, the Nebraska Cornhuskers welcomed Iowa to Lincoln, Nebraska and shocked the nation. Up 14 points with 44 seconds remaining in the third quarter, the Hawkeyes let it slip away.

Nebraska went on a 10-point run to end the fourth quarter, edging Iowa 82-79. That was without guard Molly Davis, who missed due to illness. The defeat put Ohio State at the top of the standings, but the season still could have ended with a tie of the title. However, Iowa lost again, this time a convincing defeat to the Indiana Hoosiers in Bloomington, Indiana’s Assembly Hall.

The rest is history, but Sunday itself features another chance at history.

In Carver-Hawkeye Arena, the focus of the raucous home crowd will be on none other than superstar guard Caitlin Clark. Pause for shock

Sunday was already going to be key in the guard’s impact on the history books. The Des Moines, Iowa native is 18 points away from breaking “Pistol” Pete Maravich’s NCAA Division I scoring record, after already breaking both the NCAA Division I women and AIAW scoring records. Clark hasn’t scored less than 18 points since February of 2023.

Illinois v Iowa
Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images
The graphic added to the floor of Carver-Hawkeye Arena to designate where Clark broke the DI women’s basketball scoring record

What elevated the weekend to a different level is the finality of Clark’s collegiate career. Although it’s still highly likely that the Hawkeyes host the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, Sunday is the last regular season game she’ll play in Iowa City. That’s because Thursday, Clark announced her decision to forego her final year of NCAA eligibility to declare for the WNBA Draft.

The decision wasn’t too much of a shock. Clark was planned to be part of Iowa’s Senior Day celebration. Plus, the program set up a game in her home city of Des Moines earlier this season, which is something a team isn’t likely to do until the player is on their going-away tour.

Clark welcomes the Buckeyes on the back of one of her best games of the season. Earning her sixth triple-double of the season, Clark led the Hawkeyes over the injury-ridden Minnesota Golden Gophers with 33 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds.

In the Schottenstein Center, on Jan. 21, Ohio State mostly gave Clark the space to score all the points she wanted. Where the Buckeyes were successful was neutralizing the players around the star, and didn’t let her rebound.

Ohio State held Clark to three total rebounds and seven assists, a down game for the superstar. Also, scoring-wise, the rest of the Scarlet and Gray defense didn’t give teammates the ability to give Clark more assists. Of Iowa’s starting five, three scored under season averages.

That was mostly without Buckeye guards Celeste Taylor and Taylor Thierry available.

In the first quarter, Taylor quickly picked up two fouls. Thierry followed with two of her own, and the main players in the defensive game plan against Clark were watching from the sidelines.

Will Taylor and Thierry staying on the court mean Clark will struggle offensively? More than likely no, but the idea isn’t stopping the guard, its slowing her down and disrupting the Hawkeyes.

The more Clark gets frustrated, the more she takes low percentage shots. While the guard will elicit screams from the crowd, and commentary teams, alike on her long three-point shots, its a better pick that passing in to forward Hannah Stuelke or finding an open teammate on the wing.

Speaking of Stuelke, the sophomore forward was also watching much of the game from the bench, picking up fouls herself. Should referees give more allowance to play on Sunday, she adds a dangerous dimension in which the Buckeyes need to prepare. It’s unsure how Ohio State will do because of previously mentioned foul issues.

Sunday could be the game that both teams were planning for in January, with all the adjustment required.

For the Buckeyes, remaining calm will be paramount. Remember that Ohio State was down 12 points to this very side in the fourth quarter and came back. That’s because the Scarlet and Gray didn’t focus on the scoreboard, according to guard Jacy Sheldon following the game.

Iowa v Ohio State
Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images

Following Wednesday’s win over the Wolverines, the Buckeyes were clear that even though there is no title or seeding directly on the line in Iowa City, there’s no let up expected. Head coach Kevin McGuff doesn’t want his team thinking they can flip a switch whenever they choose.

Also, to the players, this game is still personal. Nothing was resolved beating the Hawkeyes in front of a sellout crowd of almost 19,000, a program home record.

Is that because of the postgame actions of Clark in last year’s January victory over Ohio State, taking a “Dub Chain” shirt and throwing it over her shoulder? The lopsided defeat to the Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Tournament? Does the collision following the Jan. 21 game between Clark and someone storming the court have something to do with it?

The players wouldn’t say, but they did say Iowa will get everything they have available to give.

Ohio State​


G- Jacy Sheldon
G- Celeste Taylor
G- Taylor Thierry
F- Cotie McMahon
F- Rebeka Mikulášikova

Lineup Notes​

  • Guard Jacy Sheldon has scored double figures in 25 of 28 games this season.
  • Sheldon is 42 points away from scoring 2,000 career points, all with the Buckeyes.
  • Guard Celeste Taylor averages 3.0 steals in the month of February.

Iowa​


G- Molly Davis
G- Caitlin Clark
G- Gabbie Marshall
G- Kate Martin
F- Hannah Stuelke

Lineup Notes​

  • Caitlin Clark’s 32.2 points per game average leads NCAA Division I women’s basketball.
  • Clark is also the only women in Division I basketball history to score at least 3,600 points, 1,000 assists and 900 rebounds in a career.
  • The Hawkeyes are 3-2 against ranked teams this season, losing to the Buckeyes and Indiana Hoosiers.

Prediction​


It’s going to be another close game between the sides, but Iowa gets the advantage playing at home. It’ll be a better game defensively than the January matchup, with Taylor and Thierry playing more minutes than in Columbus.

The Hawkeyes will go down in the first half but have a strong second half, ultimately winning with free throws.

How to Watch​


Date: Sunday, March 3, 2024
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Where: Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Iowa City, Iowa
Television: Fox
Stream: Fox Sports App

LGHL Prediction: 85-80 Iowa Hawkeyes​

Final Day Implications​


Every Big Ten team plays on Sunday, and the end result some teams are fighting for is Big Ten tournament seeding. Here’s where the standings fall before the games tip, and the schedule of seven games:

Big Ten conference website
Big Ten conference website

The biggest jumps available for teams include the final double-bye and single-bye spots. The Michigan State Spartans hold the fourth spot. If they lose and the Nebraska Cornhuskers win, Big Red takes the fourth seed, earning an additional day off.

At the bottom of the conference, Purdue can also find itself earning a day of rest. If the Boilermakers defeat the Michigan Wolverines and both Minnesota and the Wisconsin Badgers fall, Purdue gets to start its tournament on Thursday.

There’s also tournament seeding for March Madness. Teams like the Maryland Terrapins, Wolverines and Nittany Lions are all playing for a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Wins Sunday, plus strong runs in the conference tournament, make them dangerous teams both Sunday and into the postseason.

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