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LGHL Ohio State men’s basketball in midst of historically poor run
- News
- 0 Replies
Ohio State men’s basketball in midst of historically poor run
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
It’s been a quarter century since the last time Ohio State struggled this badly.
The Ohio State’s men’s basketball team has lost nine of its last 10 games, which is the team’s worst run of any form since the 1997-98 season. Things seemed to be going well until this swoon began with a late blown lead over No. 1 Purdue back on Jan. 5. The Buckeyes basically had only to hit free throws to seal the upset win at home, but a turnover deep in their own back court allowed the Boilermakers to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
That painful loss knocked the wheels off the season, and things unraveled quickly. Ohio State entered that game with a 10-3 record, losing only to a good San Diego State team in the Maui Invitational, to Duke on the road, and in overtime against North Carolina at the CBS Sports Classic in New York.
After that loss to the Tar Heels, the Buckeyes reeled off three-straight wins, then let that late lead slip away against the Boilermakers. Ever since, Ohio State has been in free fall, adding four more consecutive losses to the wrong side of the win-loss column after the Purdue defeat, and then getting just the briefest respite with a 93-77 dismantling of Iowa before dropping four more in a row.
The Buckeyes entered the weekend already easily in the worst run of form of the Chris Holtmann era, and then suffered a humiliating lopsided defeat to rival Michigan on Sunday.
Justice Sueing missed an easy shot from just a few feet out late in the first half that would have cut the Wolverines’ lead to just one point, but that miss led to a run that saw Michigan extend its lead to eight. Ohio State ultimately trailed by five at the break after settling for a terrible shot at the buzzer — a contested three from Sueing.
Extended ineffective minutes in the second half by Eugene Brown and Felix Opara allowed Michigan to maintain its lead throughout the second half, and the Buckeyes’ plummet continued with a 77-69 loss in Ann Arbor that wasn’t as close as the final score indicates.
Previously, the worst runs under Holtmann for the Buckeyes were back-to-back seasons with 1-6 stretches in both 2018-19 and 2019-20. Dropping nine of 10 after that start is unacceptable. That Holtmann hasn’t found any combination of lineups or tactics to halt the slide is concerning.
Did Ohio State miss that badly on talent evaluation and recruiting? Is the current roster unteachable or tuning out the instruction being given? Are the coaches failing the players? It is likely some combination of that.
Ohio State’s five consecutive losses prior to the win over Iowa equaled the worst stretch of Holtmann’s OSU tenure. His Buckeyes lost five consecutive games from Jan. 5-23, 2019, and four of those losses were by double figures. These losses have mostly been closer, but that’s only made them more frustrating.
This year’s poor stretch under Holtmann is also worse than any the Buckeyes had in 13 seasons under Thad Matta. One must go back to the Jim O’Brien era to find anything resembling this current run. Ohio State lost six out of seven under O’Brien in his final season from Jan. 4-28, 2004, but even that is better than what this year’s team has done since that late meltdown against the Boilermakers.
To find a worse stretch, you have to go way back to O’Brien’s first year with the Buckeyes in 1997-98, when Ohio State lost 17 consecutive games from Dec. 28 to Feb. 1. That team finished the year losing 19 of its last 20.
The Buckeyes weren’t very good in Randy Ayers’ final season of 1996-97, but they were much better than O’Brien’s first team. Ayers’ final OSU team finished the season with six consecutive losses and lost eight of its last nine games, ending the season with a dreadful 15-17 record. Sitting at 11-12 this year, the Buckeyes have some work to do to be as good as the last Ayers team.
There is a segment of the OSU fanbase that assumes Ohio State’s ceiling is where the team was under Matta — and that Holtmann is a better coach than fans should reasonably expect at the helm of the Buckeyes. I don’t support that viewpoint. While I genuinely like Holtmann as a person, and up to this point as Ohio State’s coach, I’m not sure if this is fixable.
Ohio State shouldn’t take a backseat to anyone in the country, and should be able to compete at a high level in men’s basketball. For many years, Ohio State has been much closer to becoming an elite men’s basketball program than it has been to reverting to what is largely perceived as the mediocrity of the Eldon Miller era.
For the record, Miller had only one losing season in Columbus — his first, when the Buckeyes were 11-16 (6-12 in the B1G) in 1976-77. After that, Miller’s worst season in conference play was 8-10.
Holtmann’s 2022-2023 Buckeyes are below .500 now and don’t seem capable — at the moment, at least — of turning things around and finishing with a winning record, even though there is plenty of time to do so.
Getting back to where this program can and should realistically be, even in a rebuilding year, fans should reasonably be able to expect a winning record. The non-conference schedule is full of beatable teams, and even though the league is a tough one, there’s no reason not to expect the team to be able to compete to the point of being somewhere in the neighborhood of the .500 mark in conference play. This year’s team dropped to 3-9 in the Big Ten this season on Sunday.
When Matta was at the helm, there were good years and rebuilds, but he never allowed things to reach this current nadir, even if his final two seasons were his worst (21-14 in 2015-2016 (11-7 in the B1G) and 17-15 in 2016-2017 (7-11 in the conference)). This year’s team must win half of its remaining games to get to seven league wins. It’s possible, but that’s going to require a new mentality and a lot more execution on the court.
An abnormally poor three-point shooting night against Kentucky in 2011 — for a team that was usually good from the arc — and a 2007 Florida team that had enough talented big men to throw at Greg Oden, absorbing lots of fouls, are likely all that stood between Matta and two national titles at Ohio State. While the Buckeyes are members of a difficult hoops conference, there is precedent that the team can have sustained success at a higher level than it has shown in recent years under Holtmann.
It’s difficult to say where Ohio State’s men’s basketball team would be if it had held on to beat Purdue in early January. It seemed like a club closer to the top of the Big Ten than the bottom, but perhaps this current funk was always coming. It’s not apparent how this team can end the year on a positive, but maybe it has some surprises left to show us.
To my fellow Buckeyes who live where sports gambling is legal, I recommend not betting on it.
Continue reading...
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
It’s been a quarter century since the last time Ohio State struggled this badly.
The Ohio State’s men’s basketball team has lost nine of its last 10 games, which is the team’s worst run of any form since the 1997-98 season. Things seemed to be going well until this swoon began with a late blown lead over No. 1 Purdue back on Jan. 5. The Buckeyes basically had only to hit free throws to seal the upset win at home, but a turnover deep in their own back court allowed the Boilermakers to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
That painful loss knocked the wheels off the season, and things unraveled quickly. Ohio State entered that game with a 10-3 record, losing only to a good San Diego State team in the Maui Invitational, to Duke on the road, and in overtime against North Carolina at the CBS Sports Classic in New York.
After that loss to the Tar Heels, the Buckeyes reeled off three-straight wins, then let that late lead slip away against the Boilermakers. Ever since, Ohio State has been in free fall, adding four more consecutive losses to the wrong side of the win-loss column after the Purdue defeat, and then getting just the briefest respite with a 93-77 dismantling of Iowa before dropping four more in a row.
The Buckeyes entered the weekend already easily in the worst run of form of the Chris Holtmann era, and then suffered a humiliating lopsided defeat to rival Michigan on Sunday.
Justice Sueing missed an easy shot from just a few feet out late in the first half that would have cut the Wolverines’ lead to just one point, but that miss led to a run that saw Michigan extend its lead to eight. Ohio State ultimately trailed by five at the break after settling for a terrible shot at the buzzer — a contested three from Sueing.
Extended ineffective minutes in the second half by Eugene Brown and Felix Opara allowed Michigan to maintain its lead throughout the second half, and the Buckeyes’ plummet continued with a 77-69 loss in Ann Arbor that wasn’t as close as the final score indicates.
Previously, the worst runs under Holtmann for the Buckeyes were back-to-back seasons with 1-6 stretches in both 2018-19 and 2019-20. Dropping nine of 10 after that start is unacceptable. That Holtmann hasn’t found any combination of lineups or tactics to halt the slide is concerning.
Did Ohio State miss that badly on talent evaluation and recruiting? Is the current roster unteachable or tuning out the instruction being given? Are the coaches failing the players? It is likely some combination of that.
Ohio State’s five consecutive losses prior to the win over Iowa equaled the worst stretch of Holtmann’s OSU tenure. His Buckeyes lost five consecutive games from Jan. 5-23, 2019, and four of those losses were by double figures. These losses have mostly been closer, but that’s only made them more frustrating.
This year’s poor stretch under Holtmann is also worse than any the Buckeyes had in 13 seasons under Thad Matta. One must go back to the Jim O’Brien era to find anything resembling this current run. Ohio State lost six out of seven under O’Brien in his final season from Jan. 4-28, 2004, but even that is better than what this year’s team has done since that late meltdown against the Boilermakers.
To find a worse stretch, you have to go way back to O’Brien’s first year with the Buckeyes in 1997-98, when Ohio State lost 17 consecutive games from Dec. 28 to Feb. 1. That team finished the year losing 19 of its last 20.
The Buckeyes weren’t very good in Randy Ayers’ final season of 1996-97, but they were much better than O’Brien’s first team. Ayers’ final OSU team finished the season with six consecutive losses and lost eight of its last nine games, ending the season with a dreadful 15-17 record. Sitting at 11-12 this year, the Buckeyes have some work to do to be as good as the last Ayers team.
There is a segment of the OSU fanbase that assumes Ohio State’s ceiling is where the team was under Matta — and that Holtmann is a better coach than fans should reasonably expect at the helm of the Buckeyes. I don’t support that viewpoint. While I genuinely like Holtmann as a person, and up to this point as Ohio State’s coach, I’m not sure if this is fixable.
Ohio State shouldn’t take a backseat to anyone in the country, and should be able to compete at a high level in men’s basketball. For many years, Ohio State has been much closer to becoming an elite men’s basketball program than it has been to reverting to what is largely perceived as the mediocrity of the Eldon Miller era.
For the record, Miller had only one losing season in Columbus — his first, when the Buckeyes were 11-16 (6-12 in the B1G) in 1976-77. After that, Miller’s worst season in conference play was 8-10.
Holtmann’s 2022-2023 Buckeyes are below .500 now and don’t seem capable — at the moment, at least — of turning things around and finishing with a winning record, even though there is plenty of time to do so.
Getting back to where this program can and should realistically be, even in a rebuilding year, fans should reasonably be able to expect a winning record. The non-conference schedule is full of beatable teams, and even though the league is a tough one, there’s no reason not to expect the team to be able to compete to the point of being somewhere in the neighborhood of the .500 mark in conference play. This year’s team dropped to 3-9 in the Big Ten this season on Sunday.
When Matta was at the helm, there were good years and rebuilds, but he never allowed things to reach this current nadir, even if his final two seasons were his worst (21-14 in 2015-2016 (11-7 in the B1G) and 17-15 in 2016-2017 (7-11 in the conference)). This year’s team must win half of its remaining games to get to seven league wins. It’s possible, but that’s going to require a new mentality and a lot more execution on the court.
An abnormally poor three-point shooting night against Kentucky in 2011 — for a team that was usually good from the arc — and a 2007 Florida team that had enough talented big men to throw at Greg Oden, absorbing lots of fouls, are likely all that stood between Matta and two national titles at Ohio State. While the Buckeyes are members of a difficult hoops conference, there is precedent that the team can have sustained success at a higher level than it has shown in recent years under Holtmann.
It’s difficult to say where Ohio State’s men’s basketball team would be if it had held on to beat Purdue in early January. It seemed like a club closer to the top of the Big Ten than the bottom, but perhaps this current funk was always coming. It’s not apparent how this team can end the year on a positive, but maybe it has some surprises left to show us.
To my fellow Buckeyes who live where sports gambling is legal, I recommend not betting on it.
Continue reading...
LGHL We’ll talk about this later: The Pro Bowl, a true underdog story
- News
- 0 Replies
We’ll talk about this later: The Pro Bowl, a true underdog story
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
Your dose of lighthearted takes from this week’s happenings.
Each week, we’ll break down something that happened during the Ohio State game (and occasionally other games and events) that we’ll be talking about for a while—you know, the silly sideline interactions, the awful announcing and the weird storylines that stick with us for years to come. We’ll also compare each of these happenings to memorable moments in pop culture, because who doesn’t love a good Office reference?
When I was a kid, the Pro Bowl was simply a football scrimmage in Hawaii. There weren’t that many Cleveland Browns players selected, but it was exciting at least to know that some aspect of the organization was working when players were taken. And it was cool to see former Buckeyes head to the Pro Bowl.
Now, the Pro Bowl looks a lot different. The events of the extended weekend included a skills competition, dodgeball and flag football.
There are legitimate reasons for shifting the format. After a grueling 17-week regular season and several more games for players from playoff teams, the last thing anyone wants to do (I’m guessing, having never played professional football) is put on pads and play another game as a reward for a good season. The players might know each other, but they haven’t practiced together. Folks nursing injuries won’t participate. And players from Super Bowl teams won’t make it.
It seemed that years ago, the Pro Bowl tried to straddle the line between incentive and spectacle, which meant it didn’t do either the incentive thing or the spectacle well. Broadcasting a glorified scrimmage at the end of a season when fans are fatigued from the regular season doesn’t generate a lot of excitement, especially as much of the nation is looking ahead to the Super Bowl. And it didn’t feel much like an incentive for the aforementioned reasons (again, speaking as someone who hasn’t played professional football or been selected to a Pro Bowl).
Now, while the events of the last week have been televised and promoted, it seems like there is at least more of the reward factor for being selected to the Pro Bowl other than getting to play in a scrimmage to end the season. From an outsider’s perspective, it feels more social and engaging.
Plus, as we’ve seen over the last year, flag football in particular has been growing in popularity among girls and women — and playing a flag football game as part of the Pro Bowl is one more way to engage more fans.
And while I can’t say I’m any more liable to watch the events themselves than I was when it was a scrimmage, it’s been cool to see the social content from the different skills challenges. Plus, who doesn’t want to see highlights of some of the best athletes in the world playing dodgeball with each other?
Continue reading...
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
Your dose of lighthearted takes from this week’s happenings.
Each week, we’ll break down something that happened during the Ohio State game (and occasionally other games and events) that we’ll be talking about for a while—you know, the silly sideline interactions, the awful announcing and the weird storylines that stick with us for years to come. We’ll also compare each of these happenings to memorable moments in pop culture, because who doesn’t love a good Office reference?
When I was a kid, the Pro Bowl was simply a football scrimmage in Hawaii. There weren’t that many Cleveland Browns players selected, but it was exciting at least to know that some aspect of the organization was working when players were taken. And it was cool to see former Buckeyes head to the Pro Bowl.
Now, the Pro Bowl looks a lot different. The events of the extended weekend included a skills competition, dodgeball and flag football.
There are legitimate reasons for shifting the format. After a grueling 17-week regular season and several more games for players from playoff teams, the last thing anyone wants to do (I’m guessing, having never played professional football) is put on pads and play another game as a reward for a good season. The players might know each other, but they haven’t practiced together. Folks nursing injuries won’t participate. And players from Super Bowl teams won’t make it.
It seemed that years ago, the Pro Bowl tried to straddle the line between incentive and spectacle, which meant it didn’t do either the incentive thing or the spectacle well. Broadcasting a glorified scrimmage at the end of a season when fans are fatigued from the regular season doesn’t generate a lot of excitement, especially as much of the nation is looking ahead to the Super Bowl. And it didn’t feel much like an incentive for the aforementioned reasons (again, speaking as someone who hasn’t played professional football or been selected to a Pro Bowl).
Now, while the events of the last week have been televised and promoted, it seems like there is at least more of the reward factor for being selected to the Pro Bowl other than getting to play in a scrimmage to end the season. From an outsider’s perspective, it feels more social and engaging.
Plus, as we’ve seen over the last year, flag football in particular has been growing in popularity among girls and women — and playing a flag football game as part of the Pro Bowl is one more way to engage more fans.
And while I can’t say I’m any more liable to watch the events themselves than I was when it was a scrimmage, it’s been cool to see the social content from the different skills challenges. Plus, who doesn’t want to see highlights of some of the best athletes in the world playing dodgeball with each other?
Continue reading...
LGHL Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for February 6, 2023
- News
- 0 Replies
Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for February 6, 2023
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
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!
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
How Much Remaining Eligibility Each Ohio State Scholarship Player Has Entering the 2023 Season
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
Three goals for Ohio State’s 2024 recruiting efforts
Chip Minnich, Land-Grant Holy Land
How James Laurinaitis will attack role with vision to be ‘best linebackers coach in the country’ (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Noah deserves nothing but the best:
Trial to begin for two former OSU football players accused of 2020 rape
Jordan Laird, The Columbus Dispatch
College football’s 30 best uniforms ranked ahead of 2023 season
Brad Crawford, 247Sports
This tracks:
Ohio State’s nightmare season continues with 77-69 loss to Michigan in Ann Arbor
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State plays more freely but still loses at Michigan
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State Has No Answer for Hunter Dickinson as Michigan Big Man Outscores Both Buckeye Centers by 20
Griffin Strom, Eleven Warriors
No. 10 Ohio State women fall big to No. 8 Maryland, 90-54
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State Suffers Lopsided Loss to Maryland, 90-54, for Fourth Defeat in Five Games Despite Jacy Sheldon’s Return
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
Catching up with where Ohio State’s men’s and women’s hockey teams stand
Brett Ludwiczak, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State Lacrosse Teams Already Seeing Benefits of Finally Having Their Own Stadium Entering 2023 Season
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
Wrestling: No. 5 Buckeyes Win at No. 14 Northwestern, 21-12
Ohio State Athletics
Fencing: Ohio State Undefeated at Northwestern Duals
Ohio State Athletics
Women’s Gymnastics: Buckeyes Dominate Longhorns 4-0 in Top-10 Matchup
Ohio State Athletics
Men’s Tennis: Buckeyes Dominate Longhorns 4-0 in Top-10 Matchup
Ohio State Athletics
I am enthusiastic about his sadness, does that count?
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
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!
For your Earholes...
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On the Gridiron
How Much Remaining Eligibility Each Ohio State Scholarship Player Has Entering the 2023 Season
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
Three goals for Ohio State’s 2024 recruiting efforts
Chip Minnich, Land-Grant Holy Land
How James Laurinaitis will attack role with vision to be ‘best linebackers coach in the country’ (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Noah deserves nothing but the best:
Trial to begin for two former OSU football players accused of 2020 rape
Jordan Laird, The Columbus Dispatch
College football’s 30 best uniforms ranked ahead of 2023 season
Brad Crawford, 247Sports
This tracks:
On the Hardwood
Ohio State’s nightmare season continues with 77-69 loss to Michigan in Ann Arbor
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State plays more freely but still loses at Michigan
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State Has No Answer for Hunter Dickinson as Michigan Big Man Outscores Both Buckeye Centers by 20
Griffin Strom, Eleven Warriors
No. 10 Ohio State women fall big to No. 8 Maryland, 90-54
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State Suffers Lopsided Loss to Maryland, 90-54, for Fourth Defeat in Five Games Despite Jacy Sheldon’s Return
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
Outside the Shoe and Schott
Catching up with where Ohio State’s men’s and women’s hockey teams stand
Brett Ludwiczak, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State Lacrosse Teams Already Seeing Benefits of Finally Having Their Own Stadium Entering 2023 Season
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
Wrestling: No. 5 Buckeyes Win at No. 14 Northwestern, 21-12
Ohio State Athletics
Fencing: Ohio State Undefeated at Northwestern Duals
Ohio State Athletics
Women’s Gymnastics: Buckeyes Dominate Longhorns 4-0 in Top-10 Matchup
Ohio State Athletics
Men’s Tennis: Buckeyes Dominate Longhorns 4-0 in Top-10 Matchup
Ohio State Athletics
And now for something completely different...
I am enthusiastic about his sadness, does that count?
Continue reading...
LGHL I-70 Football Podcast: ‘22 season recap, B1G Tier 3, Kirk Ferentz’s stubbornness
- News
- 0 Replies
I-70 Football Podcast: ‘22 season recap, B1G Tier 3, Kirk Ferentz’s stubbornness
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
In this episode, we get into Ferentz’s refusal to change and the teams who fall into tier 3 of our ‘22 season review.
Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s I-70 Podcast. On this show, we talk about all things Big Ten football and basketball. After every week of action, we will get you caught up on all the conference’s games and look ahead at the matchups, storylines, and players that you should be paying attention to in the next week. My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host Dante Morgan.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
Despite having the second-worst offense in college football buoyed by the second-best defense, Kirk Ferentz refuses to make changes to his offensive coaching staff. By deciding not to fire his son — who serves as offensive coordinator — and rework his staff, he is doing a disservice to his defensive players, staff, the university, and all of Iowa’s fans.
Ferentz believes that history will prove that his staff is competent, but getting to the Big Ten championship and getting blown out should not be the goal. Ferentz’s focus on history also ignores the future of the Big Ten, which USC and UCLA are joining, Luke Fickell and Matt Rhule are coaching in the conference, and division-less football is on the horizon. This is almost guaranteed to take the Hawkeye program down a peg or two.
After airing their frustrations about Ferentz and Iowa’s 2022 offense, Jordan and Dante break down Wisconsin and Maryland — the other Tier 3 teams. Wisconsin’s season started about as bad as you could imagine, leading to the firing of Paul Christ. Interim head coach and defensive coordinator, Jim Leonhard, did his best to right the ship, ending the season a respectable 7-6 with a bowl appearance.
Despite his success, albeit limited, Leonhard was not retained, as the Badgers hired Luke Fickell away from Cincinnati. Wisconsin’s 2022 season was not one to write home about, but the future may be bright!
Maryland continues to improve under coach Mike Locksley. After the 2021 season, where they needed a win against Rutgers in the final game of the season for bowl eligibility, Maryland won eight games despite Tualia missing a few games due to injury. Maryland played Michigan and Ohio State tough, and showcased explosive capability at times.
Their biggest issues throughout 2022 were the relatively poor play from their wide receivers and lack of consistency in all areas, including offensive play calling. Altogether 2022 was a positive season for Maryland. They are building for the future in hopes of being a consistent winner when their season doesn’t consist of games against Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State every year.
Connect with us on Twitter:
Jordan: @JordanW330
Dante: @DanteM10216
Continue reading...
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
In this episode, we get into Ferentz’s refusal to change and the teams who fall into tier 3 of our ‘22 season review.
Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s I-70 Podcast. On this show, we talk about all things Big Ten football and basketball. After every week of action, we will get you caught up on all the conference’s games and look ahead at the matchups, storylines, and players that you should be paying attention to in the next week. My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host Dante Morgan.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
Despite having the second-worst offense in college football buoyed by the second-best defense, Kirk Ferentz refuses to make changes to his offensive coaching staff. By deciding not to fire his son — who serves as offensive coordinator — and rework his staff, he is doing a disservice to his defensive players, staff, the university, and all of Iowa’s fans.
Ferentz believes that history will prove that his staff is competent, but getting to the Big Ten championship and getting blown out should not be the goal. Ferentz’s focus on history also ignores the future of the Big Ten, which USC and UCLA are joining, Luke Fickell and Matt Rhule are coaching in the conference, and division-less football is on the horizon. This is almost guaranteed to take the Hawkeye program down a peg or two.
After airing their frustrations about Ferentz and Iowa’s 2022 offense, Jordan and Dante break down Wisconsin and Maryland — the other Tier 3 teams. Wisconsin’s season started about as bad as you could imagine, leading to the firing of Paul Christ. Interim head coach and defensive coordinator, Jim Leonhard, did his best to right the ship, ending the season a respectable 7-6 with a bowl appearance.
Despite his success, albeit limited, Leonhard was not retained, as the Badgers hired Luke Fickell away from Cincinnati. Wisconsin’s 2022 season was not one to write home about, but the future may be bright!
Maryland continues to improve under coach Mike Locksley. After the 2021 season, where they needed a win against Rutgers in the final game of the season for bowl eligibility, Maryland won eight games despite Tualia missing a few games due to injury. Maryland played Michigan and Ohio State tough, and showcased explosive capability at times.
Their biggest issues throughout 2022 were the relatively poor play from their wide receivers and lack of consistency in all areas, including offensive play calling. Altogether 2022 was a positive season for Maryland. They are building for the future in hopes of being a consistent winner when their season doesn’t consist of games against Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State every year.
Connect with us on Twitter:
Jordan: @JordanW330
Dante: @DanteM10216
Continue reading...
LGHL No. 10 Ohio State women fall big to No. 8 Maryland, 54-90
- News
- 0 Replies
No. 10 Ohio State women fall big to No. 8 Maryland, 54-90
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Twitter | @OhioStateWBB
The Buckeyes can’t capitalize on the return of Jacy Sheldon, going down early against the Terrapins and never coming close to closing the gap.
After 67 days away from competitive basketball, Sunday’s Ohio State women’s basketball game featured the return of guard Jacy Sheldon. It was the first time the Buckeyes started the same starting five from the season opener since Nov. 30, against then-No. 18 Louisville Cardinals.
Unlike that Buckeyes win in Kentucky, Ohio State falls for the third-straight time against a ranked Big Ten team, with Sunday’s being the worst of their conference losses. The Scarlet & Gray plummet to the Maryland Terrapins, in College Park by a score of 54-90.
When the Scarlet & Gray’s social media team announced pregame that the Sheldon would return, there was expected excitement from Buckeye fans. Unfortunately for them, after the first quarter there wasn’t a lot of excitement remaining.
Ohio State started the game going 1-for-9 from the field. It gave the Terrapins a quick five-point lead. The Buckeyes responded with Sheldon hitting her first points of the game, a three-point shot, and forward Taylor Thierry following with a layup.
It looked like head coach Kevin McGuff’s side shook off some early rust, tied 7-7 halfway into the first quarter. However, it was only the beginning of Ohio State's struggles. Maryland came out of the media timeout with a 12-point run. A big part of that run was guard Abby Meyers. The Princeton transfer scored eight of the 12 points for the Terrapins, putting the home team up 19-7 after the first quarter.
The Buckeyes made three baskets the entire first quarter. Going into the second quarter though, Ohio State found some offensive rhythm. It only took the visitors 1:26 off the clock to make three shots.
While offense improved, Maryland’s kept in stride. Thierry helped, hitting two threes for the first time in her career, but the Terrapins made moves to get into the paint and get either layups or free throws.
Halfway into the second quarter, the Buckeyes already had nine fouls called against them. That meant forward Cotie McMahon had to go to the bench for parts of the first and second quarters, limiting her impact to only two points in the first half.
Ohio State entered the locker room still down 12 points in a 42-30 game at halftime. The Buckeyes shot 12-for-32 in the first two quarters, and aside from 15 points from Thierry, couldn’t get anyone else in a rhythm offensively, and had difficulty stopping Maryland defensively, allowing the Terps to shoot 53.1% from the floor.
Coming out of the second half, it was the Diamond Miller show early. The Maryland guard scored seven of the Terrapins’ first 10 points of the quarter. Miller and Thierry led their respective teams in scoring at the beginning of the third quarter, and on the court the intensity between the two got heated.
It began with a foul against Thierry by Miller, where the Ohio State guard hit both free throws. After the foul, Miller was talking to Thierry and the usually quiet Buckeyes sophomore responded, a rarity.
On the next possession for the Buckeyes, Thierry and Miller ran through a screen with Thierry’s elbow hitting Miller in the move. No foul was called but Maryland coach Brenda Frese and the Maryland fans were not too happy with the no call.
Instead of getting back with their words, the Terrapins pushed the lead. Maryland extended their lead up to 17 points. The only points the Buckeyes could muster after 4:30 of the second half was in the books was seven — all from Thierry.
At the end of the third quarter, Miller had 16 points in the quarter, outscoring the Buckeyes who only scored 14 points. Miller scored 27 points and eight rebounds after only three quarters. Overall, the Terrapins scored 15 of the 17 total points scored in the second half of the third quarter. Maryland stretched their 14-point halftime lead up to 25 points with still a quarter remaining.
Both teams came out for the final quarter, but the result was already set in stone. The Buckeyes had their worst defeat of the season, losing to the Terrapins 54-90. Before Sunday, their lowest point total in a game was 65 points.
In the fourth quarter, McMahon and Thierry each fouled out. The only starter McGuff left on the court was guard Taylor Mikesell, who scored 12 points on 5-for-19 shooting. A difficult day all around for Ohio State basketball.
Usually there’s something that sticks out as a good building point for Ohio State. An element of the game that gives the team hope for the upcoming games of the season. Against Maryland, outside of Sheldon being on the court, there wasn’t any of that to point to.
A moral win was Thierry’s offensive output. The Cleveland, Ohio native scored 21 points and grabbed seven rebounds. On the other side of the ball though, she was part of the few players chosen to focus on Miller, and the future WNBA Draft pick hurt the Buckeyes the entire game.
Offensively, the Buckeyes had another game where lack of movement in the half court created moments where players tried to make magic individually.
Also, Ohio State was turned over more by the Terrapins by a wide margin. The full court press wasn’t effective for coach McGuff’s side.
Ohio State’s lone win since the start of the three-game losing streak on Jan. 23 was against the Wisconsin Badgers, a team near the bottom of the standings. This Maryland defeat showed that there’s still work to be done.
After Sheldon’s return was announced, the next question was how much would she play and would she be effective immediately?
The first question had an answer from coach McGuff on Tuesday, saying Sheldon wouldn’t come back and play 40 minutes. Instead, an approach where she played more around 20 minutes.
At the end of the second quarter, Sheldon already played 19 minutes. Being down double-digits and losing teammates to the bench for fouls are likely candidates for higher-than-expected playing time. Even so, Sheldon had five points with five rebounds, two assists and a steal.
Through the third quarter, Sheldon played 25 minutes, but didn't need too many in the final quarter with Ohio State down so big.
The Buckeyes return home following Sunday’s trip to Maryland. On Wednesday, the Scarlet & Gray welcome the Minnesota Golden Gophers for their last multiple game home streak of the regular season.
Then, on Monday Feb. 13, the No. 4 Indiana Hoosiers try to replicate their home win, this time at the Schottenstein Center.
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1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Twitter | @OhioStateWBB
The Buckeyes can’t capitalize on the return of Jacy Sheldon, going down early against the Terrapins and never coming close to closing the gap.
After 67 days away from competitive basketball, Sunday’s Ohio State women’s basketball game featured the return of guard Jacy Sheldon. It was the first time the Buckeyes started the same starting five from the season opener since Nov. 30, against then-No. 18 Louisville Cardinals.
Unlike that Buckeyes win in Kentucky, Ohio State falls for the third-straight time against a ranked Big Ten team, with Sunday’s being the worst of their conference losses. The Scarlet & Gray plummet to the Maryland Terrapins, in College Park by a score of 54-90.
When the Scarlet & Gray’s social media team announced pregame that the Sheldon would return, there was expected excitement from Buckeye fans. Unfortunately for them, after the first quarter there wasn’t a lot of excitement remaining.
Ohio State started the game going 1-for-9 from the field. It gave the Terrapins a quick five-point lead. The Buckeyes responded with Sheldon hitting her first points of the game, a three-point shot, and forward Taylor Thierry following with a layup.
It looked like head coach Kevin McGuff’s side shook off some early rust, tied 7-7 halfway into the first quarter. However, it was only the beginning of Ohio State's struggles. Maryland came out of the media timeout with a 12-point run. A big part of that run was guard Abby Meyers. The Princeton transfer scored eight of the 12 points for the Terrapins, putting the home team up 19-7 after the first quarter.
The Buckeyes made three baskets the entire first quarter. Going into the second quarter though, Ohio State found some offensive rhythm. It only took the visitors 1:26 off the clock to make three shots.
While offense improved, Maryland’s kept in stride. Thierry helped, hitting two threes for the first time in her career, but the Terrapins made moves to get into the paint and get either layups or free throws.
Halfway into the second quarter, the Buckeyes already had nine fouls called against them. That meant forward Cotie McMahon had to go to the bench for parts of the first and second quarters, limiting her impact to only two points in the first half.
Ohio State entered the locker room still down 12 points in a 42-30 game at halftime. The Buckeyes shot 12-for-32 in the first two quarters, and aside from 15 points from Thierry, couldn’t get anyone else in a rhythm offensively, and had difficulty stopping Maryland defensively, allowing the Terps to shoot 53.1% from the floor.
Coming out of the second half, it was the Diamond Miller show early. The Maryland guard scored seven of the Terrapins’ first 10 points of the quarter. Miller and Thierry led their respective teams in scoring at the beginning of the third quarter, and on the court the intensity between the two got heated.
It began with a foul against Thierry by Miller, where the Ohio State guard hit both free throws. After the foul, Miller was talking to Thierry and the usually quiet Buckeyes sophomore responded, a rarity.
On the next possession for the Buckeyes, Thierry and Miller ran through a screen with Thierry’s elbow hitting Miller in the move. No foul was called but Maryland coach Brenda Frese and the Maryland fans were not too happy with the no call.
Instead of getting back with their words, the Terrapins pushed the lead. Maryland extended their lead up to 17 points. The only points the Buckeyes could muster after 4:30 of the second half was in the books was seven — all from Thierry.
At the end of the third quarter, Miller had 16 points in the quarter, outscoring the Buckeyes who only scored 14 points. Miller scored 27 points and eight rebounds after only three quarters. Overall, the Terrapins scored 15 of the 17 total points scored in the second half of the third quarter. Maryland stretched their 14-point halftime lead up to 25 points with still a quarter remaining.
Both teams came out for the final quarter, but the result was already set in stone. The Buckeyes had their worst defeat of the season, losing to the Terrapins 54-90. Before Sunday, their lowest point total in a game was 65 points.
In the fourth quarter, McMahon and Thierry each fouled out. The only starter McGuff left on the court was guard Taylor Mikesell, who scored 12 points on 5-for-19 shooting. A difficult day all around for Ohio State basketball.
No Positives for Buckeyes
Usually there’s something that sticks out as a good building point for Ohio State. An element of the game that gives the team hope for the upcoming games of the season. Against Maryland, outside of Sheldon being on the court, there wasn’t any of that to point to.
A moral win was Thierry’s offensive output. The Cleveland, Ohio native scored 21 points and grabbed seven rebounds. On the other side of the ball though, she was part of the few players chosen to focus on Miller, and the future WNBA Draft pick hurt the Buckeyes the entire game.
Offensively, the Buckeyes had another game where lack of movement in the half court created moments where players tried to make magic individually.
Also, Ohio State was turned over more by the Terrapins by a wide margin. The full court press wasn’t effective for coach McGuff’s side.
Ohio State’s lone win since the start of the three-game losing streak on Jan. 23 was against the Wisconsin Badgers, a team near the bottom of the standings. This Maryland defeat showed that there’s still work to be done.
Jacy Sheldon’s Return
After Sheldon’s return was announced, the next question was how much would she play and would she be effective immediately?
The first question had an answer from coach McGuff on Tuesday, saying Sheldon wouldn’t come back and play 40 minutes. Instead, an approach where she played more around 20 minutes.
At the end of the second quarter, Sheldon already played 19 minutes. Being down double-digits and losing teammates to the bench for fouls are likely candidates for higher-than-expected playing time. Even so, Sheldon had five points with five rebounds, two assists and a steal.
Through the third quarter, Sheldon played 25 minutes, but didn't need too many in the final quarter with Ohio State down so big.
What’s Next
The Buckeyes return home following Sunday’s trip to Maryland. On Wednesday, the Scarlet & Gray welcome the Minnesota Golden Gophers for their last multiple game home streak of the regular season.
Then, on Monday Feb. 13, the No. 4 Indiana Hoosiers try to replicate their home win, this time at the Schottenstein Center.
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LGHL Ohio State’s nightmare season continues with 77-69 loss to Michigan in Ann Arbor
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Ohio State’s nightmare season continues with 77-69 loss to Michigan in Ann Arbor
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images
This edition of the rivalry on the hardwood featured two teams desperately searching for answers. One found them.
Completely contrary to typical college basketball trends, the rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan last season resulted in both teams winning on the opponent’s home court. The Buckeyes beat Michigan 68-57 on Feb. 12, 2022 in Ann Arbor, but the Wolverines came back and spoiled Senior Day for Ohio State on March 6, beating them 75-69.
This trend was bucked this afternoon, however, as the Wolverines (13-10, 7-5) defended home court and handed Ohio State (11-12, 3-9) its ninth loss over their last 10 games, 77-69. Hunter Dickinson led the maize and blue with 26 point and 11 rebounds over 36 minutes. Kobe Bufkin and Jett Howard also scored in double digits with 13 and 16, respectively. Bruce Thornton led Ohio State with a career-high 22 points on 10-13 shooting over 36 minutes and also added two steals. Justice Sueing and Brice Sensabaugh also scored in double digits as well, with both going for 14 points.
Ohio State went with an older lineup of Thornton, Sean McNeil, Sueing, Isaac Likekele, and Zed Key, which meant leading scorer Sensabaugh came off the bench initially. Juwan Howard rolled with a starting five of Dug McDaniel, Bufkin, Terrance Williams, Jett Howard, and Dickinson.
The Wolverines hit five of their first 11 shots, and took a 12-6 lead into the first media timeout 4:52 into the game. Ohio State, on the other hand, hit two of their first eight shots en route to their six points. Dickinson was especially problematic for the Buckeyes, scoring a quick six points and grabbing two offensive rebounds.
Michigan extended their lead to 26-17 by the under-eight timeout with 7:58 to go. Ohio State had closed the gap to three points for a moment, but a quick 7-0 run by Michigan put some space (10 points of space, to be exact) between the Buckeyes and their foes to the north. Dickinson continued to be a matchup problem for both Key and Okpara, the latter of which picked up two quick fouls in two minutes of play.
UM went up by as many as 11 during the first half, but Ohio State outscored Michigan 13-7 over the final six minutes of the half to go into the locker room down just five, 41-36. Thornton got into the paint over and over for high-percentage looks, and led Ohio State with 11 first-half points on 5-of-6 shooting. Dickinson had 13 first-half points for the Wolverines, but Bufkin and Howard each had 10 points apiece as well during the opening 20.
The Wolverines continued to keep the Buckeyes just out of reach, hanging on to a 48-42 lead at the first media timeout 4:06 into the second half. Bufkin continued his great day with another three-pointer to give Michigan that six-point lead right after Likekele had cut it to a three-point game moments earlier.
The Buckeyes once again got back within one possession with about 14 minutes remaining, but Michigan answered with three consecutive buckets from Dickinson, Dickinson, and Joey Baker to put them up 56-47 going into the second media timeout at the 11:34 mark. Neither Okpara nor Key had much success doubling Dickinson, and Bufkin knocking down three-pointers (a 29% 3PT shooter) forced Ohio State to go one-on-one below the basket more often than they would like.
Bruce Thornton’s three-pointer with 6:58 left got Ohio State back within nine points, but a blocking foul was immediately called on Gene Brown to send Dickinson back to the line and push the lead back out to double-digits.
Ohio State was unable to get back within one possession again, as the Wolverines continued to keep the Buckeyes at arm’s length for the entirety of the game. Ohio State never led in this game, and eventually fell to UM, 77-69.
If you weren’t around this afternoon to catch Michigan extend their winning streak over Ohio State to two games, here are a few key moments and runs that propelled the skunk bears to their seventh conference win of the season:
After Sensabaugh hit one of two free throws to cut the deficit to 12-11, Michigan answered with five consecutive points to make it 17-11 Wolverines again with 11:53 remaining in the first half.
But Gene Brown knocked down a three from the far corner — just his third triple of the season — to get the Buckeyes back within one possession, 17-14. However, Howard answered with a triple of his own at the other end to make it 20-14, and Dickinson knocked down a pair of free throws to put Michigan up 22-14 with just over 10 minutes left in the first half.
Brown ended with three points and two rebounds over 14 minutes.
Already leading 17-14 with just under 11 minutes remaining in the first half, Michigan scored seven consecutive points go up double digits:
It started with a Howard three-pointer from the right wing to make it 20-14. Then Dickinson was fouled below the basket by Brown, and knocked down both FT’s to make it 22-14. Bufkin closed the run with a difficult baseline floater over the head of Key to make it 24-14 with 9:50 remaining until the break.
Ohio State fell behind by as many as 11 during the first half, but Thornton — who has struggled mightily since the calendar flipped to 2023 — scored seven consecutive points for Ohio State to get his team back in it. Thornton’s three from the left wing and then a floater over the head of Dickinson made it 34-28 with 4:50 remaining in the half, and then Michigan’s bench was assessed a technical foul.
McNeil hit one of the two free throws from the tech, and then a Key fadeaway from about 10 feet dropped to get Ohio State back within 34-31 with just over four minutes remaining in the opening frame.
Neither Key nor Okpara had much luck stopping the 7-footer from Virginia, but Dickinson felt especially confident going up against the much thinner Okpara during Sunday’s game. After Sensabaugh cut Michigan’s lead to 50-47 with 14 minutes remaining, Dickinson backed down Ohio State’s freshman center on back-to-back possessions for relatively easy buckets, turning what was once a one-possession game back into a 54-47 lead for the home team.
Okpara finished the game with zero points on 0-3 shooting, four rebounds, and two fouls over 14 minutes.
Like Bufkin, McDaniel has not shot the three-ball well this season, with both Michigan guards hitting fewer than 31% of their shots from long range. But today was different, with both knocking down multiple threes against the Buckeyes — usually with the shot clock dwindling.
McDaniel’s in particular were timely. His second three-pointer rung in with 9:26 remaining and gave the Wolverines a 61-50 lead over the Buckeyes.
Ohio State (11-12, 3-9) plays each of their next two games at home, starting with Northwestern (15-7, 6-5) Thursday night. The Wildcats are one of just two teams Ohio State has beaten in 2023, having defeated Northwestern 73-57 in Evanston back on New Year’s Day. Ohio State’s game vs. Northwestern on Thursday night will tip off at 8:00 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on FS1.
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Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images
This edition of the rivalry on the hardwood featured two teams desperately searching for answers. One found them.
Completely contrary to typical college basketball trends, the rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan last season resulted in both teams winning on the opponent’s home court. The Buckeyes beat Michigan 68-57 on Feb. 12, 2022 in Ann Arbor, but the Wolverines came back and spoiled Senior Day for Ohio State on March 6, beating them 75-69.
This trend was bucked this afternoon, however, as the Wolverines (13-10, 7-5) defended home court and handed Ohio State (11-12, 3-9) its ninth loss over their last 10 games, 77-69. Hunter Dickinson led the maize and blue with 26 point and 11 rebounds over 36 minutes. Kobe Bufkin and Jett Howard also scored in double digits with 13 and 16, respectively. Bruce Thornton led Ohio State with a career-high 22 points on 10-13 shooting over 36 minutes and also added two steals. Justice Sueing and Brice Sensabaugh also scored in double digits as well, with both going for 14 points.
Ohio State went with an older lineup of Thornton, Sean McNeil, Sueing, Isaac Likekele, and Zed Key, which meant leading scorer Sensabaugh came off the bench initially. Juwan Howard rolled with a starting five of Dug McDaniel, Bufkin, Terrance Williams, Jett Howard, and Dickinson.
The Wolverines hit five of their first 11 shots, and took a 12-6 lead into the first media timeout 4:52 into the game. Ohio State, on the other hand, hit two of their first eight shots en route to their six points. Dickinson was especially problematic for the Buckeyes, scoring a quick six points and grabbing two offensive rebounds.
Michigan extended their lead to 26-17 by the under-eight timeout with 7:58 to go. Ohio State had closed the gap to three points for a moment, but a quick 7-0 run by Michigan put some space (10 points of space, to be exact) between the Buckeyes and their foes to the north. Dickinson continued to be a matchup problem for both Key and Okpara, the latter of which picked up two quick fouls in two minutes of play.
UM went up by as many as 11 during the first half, but Ohio State outscored Michigan 13-7 over the final six minutes of the half to go into the locker room down just five, 41-36. Thornton got into the paint over and over for high-percentage looks, and led Ohio State with 11 first-half points on 5-of-6 shooting. Dickinson had 13 first-half points for the Wolverines, but Bufkin and Howard each had 10 points apiece as well during the opening 20.
The Wolverines continued to keep the Buckeyes just out of reach, hanging on to a 48-42 lead at the first media timeout 4:06 into the second half. Bufkin continued his great day with another three-pointer to give Michigan that six-point lead right after Likekele had cut it to a three-point game moments earlier.
The Buckeyes once again got back within one possession with about 14 minutes remaining, but Michigan answered with three consecutive buckets from Dickinson, Dickinson, and Joey Baker to put them up 56-47 going into the second media timeout at the 11:34 mark. Neither Okpara nor Key had much success doubling Dickinson, and Bufkin knocking down three-pointers (a 29% 3PT shooter) forced Ohio State to go one-on-one below the basket more often than they would like.
Bruce Thornton’s three-pointer with 6:58 left got Ohio State back within nine points, but a blocking foul was immediately called on Gene Brown to send Dickinson back to the line and push the lead back out to double-digits.
Ohio State was unable to get back within one possession again, as the Wolverines continued to keep the Buckeyes at arm’s length for the entirety of the game. Ohio State never led in this game, and eventually fell to UM, 77-69.
If you weren’t around this afternoon to catch Michigan extend their winning streak over Ohio State to two games, here are a few key moments and runs that propelled the skunk bears to their seventh conference win of the season:
Gene Brown connects from deep, Howard answers
After Sensabaugh hit one of two free throws to cut the deficit to 12-11, Michigan answered with five consecutive points to make it 17-11 Wolverines again with 11:53 remaining in the first half.
But Gene Brown knocked down a three from the far corner — just his third triple of the season — to get the Buckeyes back within one possession, 17-14. However, Howard answered with a triple of his own at the other end to make it 20-14, and Dickinson knocked down a pair of free throws to put Michigan up 22-14 with just over 10 minutes left in the first half.
Brown ended with three points and two rebounds over 14 minutes.
Wolverines extend their lead to double digits
Already leading 17-14 with just under 11 minutes remaining in the first half, Michigan scored seven consecutive points go up double digits:
It started with a Howard three-pointer from the right wing to make it 20-14. Then Dickinson was fouled below the basket by Brown, and knocked down both FT’s to make it 22-14. Bufkin closed the run with a difficult baseline floater over the head of Key to make it 24-14 with 9:50 remaining until the break.
Thornton goes on a run, Buckeyes cut it back to three
Bruceeeee with
OSU:
TTUN:#Team124 | #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/YkhHOFdxWt
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) February 5, 2023
Ohio State fell behind by as many as 11 during the first half, but Thornton — who has struggled mightily since the calendar flipped to 2023 — scored seven consecutive points for Ohio State to get his team back in it. Thornton’s three from the left wing and then a floater over the head of Dickinson made it 34-28 with 4:50 remaining in the half, and then Michigan’s bench was assessed a technical foul.
McNeil hit one of the two free throws from the tech, and then a Key fadeaway from about 10 feet dropped to get Ohio State back within 34-31 with just over four minutes remaining in the opening frame.
Dickinson takes Okpara to school, extends UM lead
Neither Key nor Okpara had much luck stopping the 7-footer from Virginia, but Dickinson felt especially confident going up against the much thinner Okpara during Sunday’s game. After Sensabaugh cut Michigan’s lead to 50-47 with 14 minutes remaining, Dickinson backed down Ohio State’s freshman center on back-to-back possessions for relatively easy buckets, turning what was once a one-possession game back into a 54-47 lead for the home team.
Okpara finished the game with zero points on 0-3 shooting, four rebounds, and two fouls over 14 minutes.
McDaniel gives Michigan a double-digit lead once again
Like Bufkin, McDaniel has not shot the three-ball well this season, with both Michigan guards hitting fewer than 31% of their shots from long range. But today was different, with both knocking down multiple threes against the Buckeyes — usually with the shot clock dwindling.
McDaniel’s in particular were timely. His second three-pointer rung in with 9:26 remaining and gave the Wolverines a 61-50 lead over the Buckeyes.
Up Next:
Ohio State (11-12, 3-9) plays each of their next two games at home, starting with Northwestern (15-7, 6-5) Thursday night. The Wildcats are one of just two teams Ohio State has beaten in 2023, having defeated Northwestern 73-57 in Evanston back on New Year’s Day. Ohio State’s game vs. Northwestern on Thursday night will tip off at 8:00 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on FS1.
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