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LGHL Ohio State football adds another massive commit, women’s basketball beats another top-10 team
- News
- 0 Replies
Ohio State football adds another massive commit, women’s basketball beats another top-10 team
Matt Tamanini 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
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 | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
2025 5-star CB Na’eem Offord from Alabama commits to Ohio State football
Colin Gay, The Columbus Dispatch
Social media reacted after elite cornerback Na’eem Offord committed to Ohio State
Bill Kurelic, Bucknuts
Analyzing impact as 5-star cornerback Na’eem Offord commits to Ohio State (paywall)
Jeremy Birmingham, Dotting the Eyes
Ohio State’s 2025 Cornerback Recruiting Class Poised to Be One of the Best Ever With Nation’s Top Two Cornerbacks Already Committed
Garrick Hodge, Eleven Warriors
Coach breaks down what Ohio State is getting in 5-star cornerback Na’eem Offord
Bill Kurelic, Bucknuts
Big Ten, SEC form advisory group as conferences’ bond tightens
Heather Dinich, ESPN
C.J. Stroud, Denzel Ward Make Highlight-Reel Plays in Pro Bowl Games
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
Why Bill O’Brien Would Be a Home Run Hire (and Realistic) for Boston College Football
Curtis Flannery, BC Interruption
Why Buckeyes picking Will Kacmarek wasn’t a surprise — to him (paywall)
Austin Ward, Dotting the Eyes
Archie Griffin to be honored with statue outside Rose Bowl
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
No. 8 Ohio State women’s basketball win close game against No. 10 Indiana 74-69
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State men fall on the road again, lose to Iowa 79-77
Justin Golba, Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State men’s golf wins the season-opening Southwestern Collegiate Invitational
Justin Golba, Land-Grant Holy Land
Men’s Lacrosse: Buckeyes Take Down No. 15 Utah 11-8 in First Game of the Season
Luke Caputo, The Lantern
Women’s Ice Hockey: Buglioni Nets First Career Hat Trick in 9-1 Win Over Bemidji State
Reid Murray, The Lantern
Women’s Tennis: Schaub, Cantos Break Records as No. 12 Buckeyes Down No. 13 UCLA, 4-0
Ohio State Athletics
Women’s Gymnastics: No. 12 Buckeyes Defeat No. 25 Terrapins For First Road Win of the Year
Ohio State Athletics
This is one of my top-five favorite songs of all-time, and seeing Tracy do it again is magical:
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
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
For your Earholes...
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On the Gridiron
2025 5-star CB Na’eem Offord from Alabama commits to Ohio State football
Colin Gay, The Columbus Dispatch
Social media reacted after elite cornerback Na’eem Offord committed to Ohio State
Bill Kurelic, Bucknuts
Analyzing impact as 5-star cornerback Na’eem Offord commits to Ohio State (paywall)
Jeremy Birmingham, Dotting the Eyes
Ohio State’s 2025 Cornerback Recruiting Class Poised to Be One of the Best Ever With Nation’s Top Two Cornerbacks Already Committed
Garrick Hodge, Eleven Warriors
Coach breaks down what Ohio State is getting in 5-star cornerback Na’eem Offord
Bill Kurelic, Bucknuts
Big Ten, SEC form advisory group as conferences’ bond tightens
Heather Dinich, ESPN
C.J. Stroud, Denzel Ward Make Highlight-Reel Plays in Pro Bowl Games
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
Why Bill O’Brien Would Be a Home Run Hire (and Realistic) for Boston College Football
Curtis Flannery, BC Interruption
Why Buckeyes picking Will Kacmarek wasn’t a surprise — to him (paywall)
Austin Ward, Dotting the Eyes
Archie Griffin to be honored with statue outside Rose Bowl
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
On the Hardwood
No. 8 Ohio State women’s basketball win close game against No. 10 Indiana 74-69
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land
Top-10 win for the Buckeyes#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/OHa2KQOjNt
— Ohio State WBB (@OhioStateWBB) February 4, 2024
Ohio State men fall on the road again, lose to Iowa 79-77
Justin Golba, Land-Grant Holy Land
Outside the Shoe and Schott
Ohio State men’s golf wins the season-opening Southwestern Collegiate Invitational
Justin Golba, Land-Grant Holy Land
Men’s Lacrosse: Buckeyes Take Down No. 15 Utah 11-8 in First Game of the Season
Luke Caputo, The Lantern
Women’s Ice Hockey: Buglioni Nets First Career Hat Trick in 9-1 Win Over Bemidji State
Reid Murray, The Lantern
Women’s Tennis: Schaub, Cantos Break Records as No. 12 Buckeyes Down No. 13 UCLA, 4-0
Ohio State Athletics
Women’s Gymnastics: No. 12 Buckeyes Defeat No. 25 Terrapins For First Road Win of the Year
Ohio State Athletics
And now for something completely different...
This is one of my top-five favorite songs of all-time, and seeing Tracy do it again is magical:
Continue reading...
LGHL BOOOOOM! No. 1 CB in the 2025 class, Na’eem Offord, commits to Ohio State
- News
- 0 Replies
BOOOOOM! No. 1 CB in the 2025 class, Na’eem Offord, commits to Ohio State
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The Buckeyes’ impressive offseason just keeps getting better.
It had been a whole three days into February without Ohio State landing a single commitment, and many people were starting to wonder if Ryan Day and his staff had lost their fastball.
Sarcasm aside, January was an insanely productive month for the Buckeyes in building for the future in 2024 and beyond, whether it be one last addition to a strong 2024 recruiting class, a number of important players joining the roster via the transfer portal or needed changes to the coaching staff, Day has had about as positive an offseason possible — especially given how last season ended.
Ohio State will look to keep the good times rolling in the coming months, and Sunday kept that momentum going in a major way when one of the nation’s top players in the 2025 class announced his commitment to the Buckeyes. That was of course five-star cornerback Na’eem Offord, the No. 1 CB and No. 5 player nationally per the 247Sports Composite.
Offord, an Alabama native, holds nearly 50 offers to his name, including every major program across the country you could think of. The highly sought-after 6-foot-1 corner received a Crystal Ball prediction in favor of Ohio State from Steve Wiltfong earlier this week, and with Offord on campus this weekend, the Buckeyes’ coaching staff was able to seal the deal. It is the first time Ohio State has earned a commitment from the No. 1 CB in a cycle since Jeff Okudah in 2017.
This most recent visit was only Offord’s second trip to Columbus, with the other being for a recruiting event all the way back in July. However, cornerback’s coach Tim Walton had gone all-out for Offord this offseason, especially once Devin Sanchez had already committed in early January. Walton remained in constant contact with Offord and even made the trip down south to visit him last month, and this latest meeting between the two sides was enough to push the star corner toward pulling the trigger.
Playing in one of Alabama’s higher classifications, Offord has served as a two-way player each of the past two seasons for Birmingham Parker. As a sophomore, he managed 726 yards of total offense with six touchdowns before bursting onto the scene as a junior, racking up five interceptions and four PBUs during the 2023-24 season — in addition to 518 total yards offensively with 10 TDs plus a 41-yard TD pass as well as two punt returns for scores — helping to lead the Thundering Heard to a perfect 10-0 regular season.
Here is what 247Sports’ Director of Scouting Andrew Ivins had to say of Offord’s game:
Should his commitment hold until signing day, Offord would become the first recruit from Alabama to sign with Ohio State since defensive tackle Donte Wheat in 1981. Wheat, however, may have never actually enrolled with the Buckeyes, appearing on the official roster the following year but ending up at Louisville instead. Offord could have been the first scholarship player from Alabama to ever play for the Buckeyes had Ohio State not added Quinshon Judkins via the transfer portal this offseason, who is from Pike Road, AL.
With Offord in the fold, it gives the Buckeyes the nation’s No. 1 and No. 2 cornerbacks in 2025 between he and Sanchez. Walton is off to a ridiculous start in the cycle, landing the best two players at the position in addition to another top-100 player in Blake Woodby. Ohio State is also still among the favorites for a trio of top-40 prospects at defensive back, including five-star corner Dorian Brew (No. 4 CB in 2025), high four-star safety Trey McNutt (No. 2 S) and five-star safety Faheem Delane (No. 1 S).
It isn’t an exaggeration to say that if Ohio State were to somehow land all three of those guys, in addition to the three already committed, it would make for a generational DB class. This would even outweigh the 2017 cycle, where the Buckeyes’ became the first and only school to sign the top two corners in the 247Sports Composite (Jeff Okudah and Shaun Wade) in the modern recruiting era.
Four-star linebacker Tarvos Alford made a big step in his recruiting processes when he publicly declared both his top six schools and a decision date on Friday. The Vero Beach, Florida native is the No. 7 LB and No. 48 player nationally per 247Sports, and will choose between Florida, Florida State, Miami, Tennessee, UCF and Ohio State on March 30.
While the lone Crystal Ball for Alford is in favor of the Gators, that prediction came all the way back in April 2023. Things have seemingly shifted heavily in favor of Ohio State since then, as the Buckeyes’ coaching staff has been all over the 6-foot-2, 210-pound linebacker over the past few months, including multiple trips to the Sunshine State to check in with Alford as recently as just last week when James Laurinaitis and Jim Knowles stopped at his high school.
“It was a great visit,” Alford told Eleven Warriors after Day personally went down to visit him in the middle of January. “I really appreciate coach Day coming down. I know there’s a lot of people he could have seen instead of me, so I appreciated that. Coach Laurinaitis, I was also just glad he was able to come down. That’s my guy. So it was great seeing him again.”
Alford himself visited Ohio State on his own dime twice this past year, taking a multi-day visit for a recruiting camp back in June and also attending the Michigan State game in early November. Notably, he has another unofficial visit scheduled for March 23 — just one week before he is set to announce his commitment. He also told Eleven Warriors he would ‘definitely’ make an official visit to Columbus this summer, but that was before he scheduled a commitment date, so that could obviously change if he commits elsewhere.
In speaking to On3 about his final schools, this is what Alford had to say of Ohio State:
“From my first visit to Ohio State, I felt like it was somewhere I could call home. The coaches really treat me like family. They have shown they truly want me and I like the feeling I have up there.”
Nothing is set in stone, but it does appear the Buckeyes are in strong standing to land the talented linebacker. Alford would be the second player at the position to commit to Ohio State in the 2025 class, joining Ohio native Eli Lee. Having racked up 114 tackles, 12 TFLs, four sacks and an interception in his junior season, this is a guy Laurinaitis and Knowles would love to have in their room.
Continue reading...
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The Buckeyes’ impressive offseason just keeps getting better.
It had been a whole three days into February without Ohio State landing a single commitment, and many people were starting to wonder if Ryan Day and his staff had lost their fastball.
Sarcasm aside, January was an insanely productive month for the Buckeyes in building for the future in 2024 and beyond, whether it be one last addition to a strong 2024 recruiting class, a number of important players joining the roster via the transfer portal or needed changes to the coaching staff, Day has had about as positive an offseason possible — especially given how last season ended.
Ohio State will look to keep the good times rolling in the coming months, and Sunday kept that momentum going in a major way when one of the nation’s top players in the 2025 class announced his commitment to the Buckeyes. That was of course five-star cornerback Na’eem Offord, the No. 1 CB and No. 5 player nationally per the 247Sports Composite.
Offord, an Alabama native, holds nearly 50 offers to his name, including every major program across the country you could think of. The highly sought-after 6-foot-1 corner received a Crystal Ball prediction in favor of Ohio State from Steve Wiltfong earlier this week, and with Offord on campus this weekend, the Buckeyes’ coaching staff was able to seal the deal. It is the first time Ohio State has earned a commitment from the No. 1 CB in a cycle since Jeff Okudah in 2017.
This most recent visit was only Offord’s second trip to Columbus, with the other being for a recruiting event all the way back in July. However, cornerback’s coach Tim Walton had gone all-out for Offord this offseason, especially once Devin Sanchez had already committed in early January. Walton remained in constant contact with Offord and even made the trip down south to visit him last month, and this latest meeting between the two sides was enough to push the star corner toward pulling the trigger.
Playing in one of Alabama’s higher classifications, Offord has served as a two-way player each of the past two seasons for Birmingham Parker. As a sophomore, he managed 726 yards of total offense with six touchdowns before bursting onto the scene as a junior, racking up five interceptions and four PBUs during the 2023-24 season — in addition to 518 total yards offensively with 10 TDs plus a 41-yard TD pass as well as two punt returns for scores — helping to lead the Thundering Heard to a perfect 10-0 regular season.
Here is what 247Sports’ Director of Scouting Andrew Ivins had to say of Offord’s game:
Should his commitment hold until signing day, Offord would become the first recruit from Alabama to sign with Ohio State since defensive tackle Donte Wheat in 1981. Wheat, however, may have never actually enrolled with the Buckeyes, appearing on the official roster the following year but ending up at Louisville instead. Offord could have been the first scholarship player from Alabama to ever play for the Buckeyes had Ohio State not added Quinshon Judkins via the transfer portal this offseason, who is from Pike Road, AL.
With Offord in the fold, it gives the Buckeyes the nation’s No. 1 and No. 2 cornerbacks in 2025 between he and Sanchez. Walton is off to a ridiculous start in the cycle, landing the best two players at the position in addition to another top-100 player in Blake Woodby. Ohio State is also still among the favorites for a trio of top-40 prospects at defensive back, including five-star corner Dorian Brew (No. 4 CB in 2025), high four-star safety Trey McNutt (No. 2 S) and five-star safety Faheem Delane (No. 1 S).
It isn’t an exaggeration to say that if Ohio State were to somehow land all three of those guys, in addition to the three already committed, it would make for a generational DB class. This would even outweigh the 2017 cycle, where the Buckeyes’ became the first and only school to sign the top two corners in the 247Sports Composite (Jeff Okudah and Shaun Wade) in the modern recruiting era.
Priority LB target sets commitment date
Four-star linebacker Tarvos Alford made a big step in his recruiting processes when he publicly declared both his top six schools and a decision date on Friday. The Vero Beach, Florida native is the No. 7 LB and No. 48 player nationally per 247Sports, and will choose between Florida, Florida State, Miami, Tennessee, UCF and Ohio State on March 30.
NEWS 4-star LB Tarvos Alford is down to 6⃣ schools and will announce his commitment on March 30, he tells @ChadSimmons_
Alford is a Top-50 prospect in the 2025 On300.
Read: https://t.co/TPoqWgvy5f pic.twitter.com/DARWjBrukM
— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) February 3, 2024
While the lone Crystal Ball for Alford is in favor of the Gators, that prediction came all the way back in April 2023. Things have seemingly shifted heavily in favor of Ohio State since then, as the Buckeyes’ coaching staff has been all over the 6-foot-2, 210-pound linebacker over the past few months, including multiple trips to the Sunshine State to check in with Alford as recently as just last week when James Laurinaitis and Jim Knowles stopped at his high school.
“It was a great visit,” Alford told Eleven Warriors after Day personally went down to visit him in the middle of January. “I really appreciate coach Day coming down. I know there’s a lot of people he could have seen instead of me, so I appreciated that. Coach Laurinaitis, I was also just glad he was able to come down. That’s my guy. So it was great seeing him again.”
Alford himself visited Ohio State on his own dime twice this past year, taking a multi-day visit for a recruiting camp back in June and also attending the Michigan State game in early November. Notably, he has another unofficial visit scheduled for March 23 — just one week before he is set to announce his commitment. He also told Eleven Warriors he would ‘definitely’ make an official visit to Columbus this summer, but that was before he scheduled a commitment date, so that could obviously change if he commits elsewhere.
In speaking to On3 about his final schools, this is what Alford had to say of Ohio State:
“From my first visit to Ohio State, I felt like it was somewhere I could call home. The coaches really treat me like family. They have shown they truly want me and I like the feeling I have up there.”
Nothing is set in stone, but it does appear the Buckeyes are in strong standing to land the talented linebacker. Alford would be the second player at the position to commit to Ohio State in the 2025 class, joining Ohio native Eli Lee. Having racked up 114 tackles, 12 TFLs, four sacks and an interception in his junior season, this is a guy Laurinaitis and Knowles would love to have in their room.
Continue reading...
LGHL Five Storylines: No. 8 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. No. 10 Indiana Hoosiers
- News
- 0 Replies
Five Storylines: No. 8 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. No. 10 Indiana Hoosiers
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
Some storylines to get you ready for Sunday’s action.
The Big Ten schedule changes year-after-year, and that means Ohio State women’s basketball faces the Indiana Hoosiers only once this season. An unfortunate byproduct of a rotating schedule of opponents keeps two of the best teams in the Big Ten from playing more than once.
Unless the Buckeyes and Hoosiers meet in the postseason, Sunday’s noon tip is the only chance to see not only an intriguing matchup in the conference standings, but the last time to see forward Mackenzie Holmes face Ohio State.
Those topics and more to get you ready for a game that could decide who wins a trophy and who doesn’t at the end of the regular season.
The Maine native who took her basketball craft to Indiana is no stranger to playing the Buckeyes. In five seasons, Holmes faced Ohio State eight times, averaging 19.3 points per game. That efficiency’s grown in the last three years, bumping up to 22.6 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.
That’s because at the start of the 21/22 season, the Buckeyes lost post presence in forwards Dorka Juhász and Aaliyah Patty transferring out of the program. Since then, the paint has been a sore spot for Ohio State defenses over the past three seasons. Sunday, Holmes comes in as good as ever.
Holmes is a 6-foot-3 forward who can play strong near the basket, use finesse to find space against defenders and now increasingly finding room on the perimeter to hit midrange shots. If not for the existence of Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark, the All-American Holmes would be a shoo-in for Big Ten Player of the Year.
Ohio State has shown recently that when it doesn’t play to its needed energy levels, bigs hurt the Buckeyes even more. Thursday showed that yin-yang style difference in defending against Wisconsin Badgers sophomore Serah Williams, that you can read more about here.
Can the Buckeyes show that second half style of defense against Holmes? Getting in the forward’s face before the ball gets to her and making it increasingly difficult to get baskets, while simultaneously stop shooters who benefit from that added coverage?
Indiana’s head coach Teri Moren uses a four-in style offensive set. Holmes is the lone player inside the arc when plays begin to develop in half court offense. The four Hoosiers playing on the outside are lethal in their own rights.
Senior guard Chloe Moore-McNeil, heralded more for her defense than offense, is the new point guard for Moren after the graduation of Grace Berger. Moore-McNeil’s offense is increasing to career highs in her fourth season in Bloomington, scoring 10.1 points per game but leading Indiana with 4.5 assists per game. The Buckeyes allowing Moore-McNeil to shoot from deep is the team’s best option if a player is to be left more open with attention shifting to Holmes.
However, the point for Indiana has plenty of options outside of Holmes. A pair of guards in Sara Scalia and Yarden Garzon are not afraid to shoot from beyond the arc.
Scalia, playing her second year in Indiana after transferring from the Minnesota Golden Gophers in 2022, is second in the conference in three-pointers made and efficiency, hitting 63 at a 44.4% clip. If Scalia is given any space whatsoever, she’ll take the shot. It’s not at Clark levels of “no thinking, just shoot,” but Scalia will push the Ohio State defense to not leave her open in the slightest.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25264874/usa_today_22318149.jpg "Syndication: The Herald-Times")
Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK
In Garzon’s case, the dynamic freshman is having something of a sophomore slump, but not much of one. The 6-foot-3 wing’s impact is down slightly this season, scoring less points and grabbing almost two less rebounds per game, but Garzon showed the Buckeyes what she was capable of during the 22/23 season.
Garzon had her best game as a freshman against Ohio State, when the scarlet and gray traveled to Bloomington, Indiana on Jan. 26, 2023. The guard scored 20 points, adding 10 rebounds for her only NCAA career double-double, going 4-for-9 from deep.
The final guard spot would go to Sydney Parrish, except a foot injury has the senior wearing a boot on the bench. Ohio State fans know how that goes with Guard Jacy Sheldon missing most of last season with a foot injury herself.
Parrish is Indiana’s best defensive and rebounding guard, second only to Holmes in rebounds per game and defensive rating. With her likely out Sunday, look for sophomore guard Lexus Bargesser to likely fill the role.
Bargesser’s started the last three games with Parrish out, helping in different ways each game. The sophomore’s only scored points in one of those three games, nine in a win over the Maryland Terrapins, but averages 4.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists as a starter. It also wouldn't be a surprise to see freshman Lenée Beaumont get substantial minutes or even start. The first year Hoosier has the courage of an upperclassmen, not afraid to attack the paint and provide a scoring spark for Indiana.
Speaking of spark, the way Ohio State plays defense, intensity is as important as a tangible statistic like rebounds or steals. The Buckeyes will try to use its full court press, especially against a side like Indiana where Holmes won’t get back as quickly as others and youth coming off the bench who might struggle against the defensive pressure.
Against the Illinois Fighting Illini, Purdue Boilermakers and Wisconsin Badgers, Ohio State wasn’t dangerous when it was playing down to opponents. In this case, playing like they assumed things would go their way. Things go the Buckeyes’ way when they’ve got the the pedal to the metal.
As corny as the phrase might be, it’s right. Look at the second quarter against Illinois and the third quarter against Wisconsin. Before halftime in Champaign, Illinois, head coach Kevin McGuff’s side looked lethargic. Fresh off a program-shifting win against the No. 2 Iowa Hawkeyes, the then 9-10 Fighting Illini was a different kind of opponent. The Buckeyes scored four points in the quarter, best for the worst scoring quarter in program history.
Then on Thursday, after McGuff had a “spirited” team talk with the Buckeyes at half time, showing another slow half against the Badgers, played its needed level of intensity and scored a program record-tying 39 points.
For Ohio State to be effective against the Hoosiers, all five Buckeyes on the court will need that focus to stop passes from getting into the paint or not missing assignments when the ball finds one of Indiana’s dangerous shooters on the perimeter. Should that happen, it bodes well for the scarlet and gray on the final scoreline and in conference standings.
Sunday’s game features two of the three teams tied for No. 1 in the Big Ten standings. The conference awards the regular season title with no tiebreakers, depending entirely on in-conference standings to decide a winner.
Fans of the scarlet and gray shouldn’t be a stranger to this idea, with the Buckeyes and Hawkeyes sharing the Big Ten regular season conference title in the 21/22 season, even though Ohio State beat the Hawkeyes in Carver-Hawkeye Arena during the regular season.
So, if the season ended today, Indiana, Iowa and Ohio State would share the honor. Except, there’s still more basketball to be played. Whoever wins Sunday creates work for the losing side. Especially when those remaining games join the conversation.
Indiana welcomes Iowa to Assembly Hall on Feb. 22. After an 84-57 blowout defeat to the Hawkeyes on Jan. 13, Indiana shouldn’t be short any motivation to have a better performance. The Buckeyes also enter the equation.
Even though Ohio State doesn’t play the Hoosiers again in the regular season, the final game before the playoffs pits the Buckeyes and Hawkeyes against each other in what could be a Pay-Per-View event if it decides the conference champion.
So, yeah. Sunday is pretty important for both Associated Press top 10 teams.
After the Jerome Schottenstein Center saw a capacity crowd against the Iowa Hawkeyes on Jan. 21, 2024, the program is opening the upper deck again to face the Hoosiers. At the time of writing this article, only general admission upper deck seats are available for face value. All lower bowl seats are resale, meaning paying a little bit more to get closer to the Buckeyes.
However, it’s not the inflated resale prices brought on the by the presence of superstar guard Caitlin Clark. Fans can get seats in the lower sections starting at $45.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25264895/usa_today_22343597.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
After the Jan. 21 game, the Buckeyes shared how much the experience meant, playing in front of a capacity crowd. It doesn’t seem like the Iowa attendance will be met, but it's another matchup that deserves similar attention.
Continue reading...
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
Some storylines to get you ready for Sunday’s action.
The Big Ten schedule changes year-after-year, and that means Ohio State women’s basketball faces the Indiana Hoosiers only once this season. An unfortunate byproduct of a rotating schedule of opponents keeps two of the best teams in the Big Ten from playing more than once.
Unless the Buckeyes and Hoosiers meet in the postseason, Sunday’s noon tip is the only chance to see not only an intriguing matchup in the conference standings, but the last time to see forward Mackenzie Holmes face Ohio State.
Those topics and more to get you ready for a game that could decide who wins a trophy and who doesn’t at the end of the regular season.
Mackenzie Holmes
The Maine native who took her basketball craft to Indiana is no stranger to playing the Buckeyes. In five seasons, Holmes faced Ohio State eight times, averaging 19.3 points per game. That efficiency’s grown in the last three years, bumping up to 22.6 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.
That’s because at the start of the 21/22 season, the Buckeyes lost post presence in forwards Dorka Juhász and Aaliyah Patty transferring out of the program. Since then, the paint has been a sore spot for Ohio State defenses over the past three seasons. Sunday, Holmes comes in as good as ever.
Holmes is a 6-foot-3 forward who can play strong near the basket, use finesse to find space against defenders and now increasingly finding room on the perimeter to hit midrange shots. If not for the existence of Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark, the All-American Holmes would be a shoo-in for Big Ten Player of the Year.
Ohio State has shown recently that when it doesn’t play to its needed energy levels, bigs hurt the Buckeyes even more. Thursday showed that yin-yang style difference in defending against Wisconsin Badgers sophomore Serah Williams, that you can read more about here.
Can the Buckeyes show that second half style of defense against Holmes? Getting in the forward’s face before the ball gets to her and making it increasingly difficult to get baskets, while simultaneously stop shooters who benefit from that added coverage?
Three-Point Shooting
Indiana’s head coach Teri Moren uses a four-in style offensive set. Holmes is the lone player inside the arc when plays begin to develop in half court offense. The four Hoosiers playing on the outside are lethal in their own rights.
Senior guard Chloe Moore-McNeil, heralded more for her defense than offense, is the new point guard for Moren after the graduation of Grace Berger. Moore-McNeil’s offense is increasing to career highs in her fourth season in Bloomington, scoring 10.1 points per game but leading Indiana with 4.5 assists per game. The Buckeyes allowing Moore-McNeil to shoot from deep is the team’s best option if a player is to be left more open with attention shifting to Holmes.
However, the point for Indiana has plenty of options outside of Holmes. A pair of guards in Sara Scalia and Yarden Garzon are not afraid to shoot from beyond the arc.
Scalia, playing her second year in Indiana after transferring from the Minnesota Golden Gophers in 2022, is second in the conference in three-pointers made and efficiency, hitting 63 at a 44.4% clip. If Scalia is given any space whatsoever, she’ll take the shot. It’s not at Clark levels of “no thinking, just shoot,” but Scalia will push the Ohio State defense to not leave her open in the slightest.
In Garzon’s case, the dynamic freshman is having something of a sophomore slump, but not much of one. The 6-foot-3 wing’s impact is down slightly this season, scoring less points and grabbing almost two less rebounds per game, but Garzon showed the Buckeyes what she was capable of during the 22/23 season.
Garzon had her best game as a freshman against Ohio State, when the scarlet and gray traveled to Bloomington, Indiana on Jan. 26, 2023. The guard scored 20 points, adding 10 rebounds for her only NCAA career double-double, going 4-for-9 from deep.
The final guard spot would go to Sydney Parrish, except a foot injury has the senior wearing a boot on the bench. Ohio State fans know how that goes with Guard Jacy Sheldon missing most of last season with a foot injury herself.
Parrish is Indiana’s best defensive and rebounding guard, second only to Holmes in rebounds per game and defensive rating. With her likely out Sunday, look for sophomore guard Lexus Bargesser to likely fill the role.
Bargesser’s started the last three games with Parrish out, helping in different ways each game. The sophomore’s only scored points in one of those three games, nine in a win over the Maryland Terrapins, but averages 4.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists as a starter. It also wouldn't be a surprise to see freshman Lenée Beaumont get substantial minutes or even start. The first year Hoosier has the courage of an upperclassmen, not afraid to attack the paint and provide a scoring spark for Indiana.
Buckeye Intensity
Speaking of spark, the way Ohio State plays defense, intensity is as important as a tangible statistic like rebounds or steals. The Buckeyes will try to use its full court press, especially against a side like Indiana where Holmes won’t get back as quickly as others and youth coming off the bench who might struggle against the defensive pressure.
Against the Illinois Fighting Illini, Purdue Boilermakers and Wisconsin Badgers, Ohio State wasn’t dangerous when it was playing down to opponents. In this case, playing like they assumed things would go their way. Things go the Buckeyes’ way when they’ve got the the pedal to the metal.
As corny as the phrase might be, it’s right. Look at the second quarter against Illinois and the third quarter against Wisconsin. Before halftime in Champaign, Illinois, head coach Kevin McGuff’s side looked lethargic. Fresh off a program-shifting win against the No. 2 Iowa Hawkeyes, the then 9-10 Fighting Illini was a different kind of opponent. The Buckeyes scored four points in the quarter, best for the worst scoring quarter in program history.
Then on Thursday, after McGuff had a “spirited” team talk with the Buckeyes at half time, showing another slow half against the Badgers, played its needed level of intensity and scored a program record-tying 39 points.
For Ohio State to be effective against the Hoosiers, all five Buckeyes on the court will need that focus to stop passes from getting into the paint or not missing assignments when the ball finds one of Indiana’s dangerous shooters on the perimeter. Should that happen, it bodes well for the scarlet and gray on the final scoreline and in conference standings.
Big Ten Implications
Sunday’s game features two of the three teams tied for No. 1 in the Big Ten standings. The conference awards the regular season title with no tiebreakers, depending entirely on in-conference standings to decide a winner.
Fans of the scarlet and gray shouldn’t be a stranger to this idea, with the Buckeyes and Hawkeyes sharing the Big Ten regular season conference title in the 21/22 season, even though Ohio State beat the Hawkeyes in Carver-Hawkeye Arena during the regular season.
So, if the season ended today, Indiana, Iowa and Ohio State would share the honor. Except, there’s still more basketball to be played. Whoever wins Sunday creates work for the losing side. Especially when those remaining games join the conversation.
Indiana welcomes Iowa to Assembly Hall on Feb. 22. After an 84-57 blowout defeat to the Hawkeyes on Jan. 13, Indiana shouldn’t be short any motivation to have a better performance. The Buckeyes also enter the equation.
Even though Ohio State doesn’t play the Hoosiers again in the regular season, the final game before the playoffs pits the Buckeyes and Hawkeyes against each other in what could be a Pay-Per-View event if it decides the conference champion.
So, yeah. Sunday is pretty important for both Associated Press top 10 teams.
The Schott Expands Again
After the Jerome Schottenstein Center saw a capacity crowd against the Iowa Hawkeyes on Jan. 21, 2024, the program is opening the upper deck again to face the Hoosiers. At the time of writing this article, only general admission upper deck seats are available for face value. All lower bowl seats are resale, meaning paying a little bit more to get closer to the Buckeyes.
However, it’s not the inflated resale prices brought on the by the presence of superstar guard Caitlin Clark. Fans can get seats in the lower sections starting at $45.
After the Jan. 21 game, the Buckeyes shared how much the experience meant, playing in front of a capacity crowd. It doesn’t seem like the Iowa attendance will be met, but it's another matchup that deserves similar attention.
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LGHL Visiting Locker Room: Talking top 10 matchup against Hoosiers with Crimson Quarry
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Visiting Locker Room: Talking top 10 matchup against Hoosiers with Crimson Quarry
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by David Berding/Getty Images
Checking in on Indiana before the Buckeyes and Hoosiers lone regular season game of the Big Ten campaign.
March 4, 2023 was the last time Ohio State women’s basketball faced the Indiana Hoosiers. It was in Minneapolis, Minnesota at the Big Ten Tournament. Up 20 points heading into halftime, Indiana looked like it would continue its form against the Buckeyes that gave them two regular season wins in the 22/23 season.
By the final buzzer, Ohio State made Big Ten tournament history, erasing what was once a 24-point lead and moving into the Big Ten Tournament finale.
Since then, the Hoosiers have changed. Gone is star guard Grace Berger, now playing professional basketball in Indiana with the WNBA’s Indiana Fever. Even with Berger’s departure, Indiana has looked dominant this season behind the leadership of forward Mackenzie Holmes, losing two games all season. Unfortunately for Indiana, those two loses were severely lopsided.
To get the pulse of the 2023-24 edition of the Hoosiers, Land-Grant Holy Land talked with someone who knows them well. Miles Regan, who covers the team for Crimson Quarry, answered questions about Berger, those tough losses, the status of an important guard and more.
Land-Grant Holy Land: The last time Ohio State and Indiana faced each other, it was quite the story. Since then, both teams have made their fair share of changes. Now, with Berger gone especially, what’s different about the 23/24 edition of Indiana basketball?
LGHL: There are two versions of the Hoosiers this season: The team that confidently dismantles opponents, and then the side that’s crumbled against Stanford and Iowa. What went wrong in the lopsided defeat to the Hawkeyes? Is it a case of mentally struggling with adversity or were there glaring mistakes?
LGHL: Recently, guard Sydney Parrish was added to the availability report due to a lingering foot injury. First, is it unlikely that Parrish sees the court against Ohio State? Second, what are the Hoosiers missing without Parrish on the court?
LGHL: For years, it was the Berger and Mackenzie Holmes show for head coach Teri Moren. How, if at all, has Holmes’ game changed without that partnership?
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ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by David Berding/Getty Images
Checking in on Indiana before the Buckeyes and Hoosiers lone regular season game of the Big Ten campaign.
March 4, 2023 was the last time Ohio State women’s basketball faced the Indiana Hoosiers. It was in Minneapolis, Minnesota at the Big Ten Tournament. Up 20 points heading into halftime, Indiana looked like it would continue its form against the Buckeyes that gave them two regular season wins in the 22/23 season.
By the final buzzer, Ohio State made Big Ten tournament history, erasing what was once a 24-point lead and moving into the Big Ten Tournament finale.
Since then, the Hoosiers have changed. Gone is star guard Grace Berger, now playing professional basketball in Indiana with the WNBA’s Indiana Fever. Even with Berger’s departure, Indiana has looked dominant this season behind the leadership of forward Mackenzie Holmes, losing two games all season. Unfortunately for Indiana, those two loses were severely lopsided.
To get the pulse of the 2023-24 edition of the Hoosiers, Land-Grant Holy Land talked with someone who knows them well. Miles Regan, who covers the team for Crimson Quarry, answered questions about Berger, those tough losses, the status of an important guard and more.
Land-Grant Holy Land: The last time Ohio State and Indiana faced each other, it was quite the story. Since then, both teams have made their fair share of changes. Now, with Berger gone especially, what’s different about the 23/24 edition of Indiana basketball?
LGHL: There are two versions of the Hoosiers this season: The team that confidently dismantles opponents, and then the side that’s crumbled against Stanford and Iowa. What went wrong in the lopsided defeat to the Hawkeyes? Is it a case of mentally struggling with adversity or were there glaring mistakes?
LGHL: Recently, guard Sydney Parrish was added to the availability report due to a lingering foot injury. First, is it unlikely that Parrish sees the court against Ohio State? Second, what are the Hoosiers missing without Parrish on the court?
LGHL: For years, it was the Berger and Mackenzie Holmes show for head coach Teri Moren. How, if at all, has Holmes’ game changed without that partnership?
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LGHL Uncut: McGuff, McMahon, Sheldon talk top-10 win over Indiana
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Uncut: McGuff, McMahon, Sheldon talk top-10 win over Indiana
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Doral Chenoweth / USA TODAY NETWORK
After the game, the Hoosiers and Buckeyes spoke with the media about Ohio State’s top 10 victory
Throughout the year, Land-Grant Holy Land will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.
Sunday, the Ohio State women’s basketball team welcomed the No. 10 ranked Indiana Hoosiers to the Schottenstein Center. The Buckeyes had the tall task of defeating Indiana in the regular season for the first time since Jan. 2021. The scarlet and gray defeated the Hoosiers 74-69 behind a season-high in turnovers for Indiana.
Following the game, head coach Kevin McGuff, forward Cotie McMahon, and Guard Jacy Sheldon talked about the win. Sheldon talked about her strong second half, McMahon discussed the Buckeyes’ second-half surge and McGuff talked about McMahon’s continued growth, forcing turnovers and taking good shots even if they aren’t falling.
Stick around after the Buckeyes to hear from Indiana head coach Teri Moren and forward Mackenzie Holmes. Moren talks about the turnovers, complete with 21 points off those turnovers for Ohio State, being the difference maker in the defeat. Holmes discusses what Ohio State did to her specifically in the second half to neutralize her game, scoring no points and having no rebounds in the third quarter.
That and more on the latest Land-Grant Uncut.
Connect with Thomas:
Twitter: @1ThomasCostello
Threads: @1ThomasCostello
Bluesky: @thomascostello.bsky.social
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ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Doral Chenoweth / USA TODAY NETWORK
After the game, the Hoosiers and Buckeyes spoke with the media about Ohio State’s top 10 victory
Throughout the year, Land-Grant Holy Land will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.
Sunday, the Ohio State women’s basketball team welcomed the No. 10 ranked Indiana Hoosiers to the Schottenstein Center. The Buckeyes had the tall task of defeating Indiana in the regular season for the first time since Jan. 2021. The scarlet and gray defeated the Hoosiers 74-69 behind a season-high in turnovers for Indiana.
Following the game, head coach Kevin McGuff, forward Cotie McMahon, and Guard Jacy Sheldon talked about the win. Sheldon talked about her strong second half, McMahon discussed the Buckeyes’ second-half surge and McGuff talked about McMahon’s continued growth, forcing turnovers and taking good shots even if they aren’t falling.
Stick around after the Buckeyes to hear from Indiana head coach Teri Moren and forward Mackenzie Holmes. Moren talks about the turnovers, complete with 21 points off those turnovers for Ohio State, being the difference maker in the defeat. Holmes discusses what Ohio State did to her specifically in the second half to neutralize her game, scoring no points and having no rebounds in the third quarter.
That and more on the latest Land-Grant Uncut.
Connect with Thomas:
Twitter: @1ThomasCostello
Threads: @1ThomasCostello
Bluesky: @thomascostello.bsky.social
Theme music provided by www.bensound.com
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LGHL No. 8 Ohio State women’s basketball win close game against No. 10 Indiana 74-69
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No. 8 Ohio State women’s basketball win close game against No. 10 Indiana 74-69
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State University athletic department
After a second quarter lull, the Buckeyes take the lead and don’t give it up.
Another Sunday, another big game for Ohio State women’s basketball. While this weekend closing game didn’t feature a superstar from Iowa, it pit two complete teams against each other in a top 10 matchup.
The No. 8 Buckeyes defeated the No. 10 Indiana Hoosiers 74-69, in a close fourth quarter. It increases Ohio State’s winning streak to nine games, and keeps pace with the Iowa Hawkeyes at the top of the Big Ten standings.
Entering Sunday, the matchup to watch was Indiana forward Mackenzie Holmes and how the Buckeyes could match up. From the jump, the answer was: Not well. Holmes got going early for the Hoosiers, scoring the first two baskets of the game, including a free throw with the second layup ending with a foul from forward Rebeka Mikulášiková.
Holmes scored the first seven points for the Hoosiers, with the Buckeyes hitting two threes, out of five attempted, halfway through the first quarter. Indiana excelled at stopping anything from getting into the paint, with Ohio State struggling to adjust out of the gate.
Eventually, Holmes quieted and the turnovers picked up for the Buckeyes’ press. In the first quarter, head coach Kevin McGuff’s side forced six turnovers, scoring seven points off those turnovers. Also, the defense didn’t let guard Sara Scalia get open looks from three-point range. Scalia took two of the Hoosiers three attempts from beyond the arc, with Indiana missing all three.
Inversely, the Buckeyes three-point shooting improved. Ohio State shot 57.1% to finish off the quarter, going 4-for-7 overall. It gave the home side an 18-11 lead after 10 minutes of play.
Scalia responded quickly in the second quarter. The graduate senior scored the first seven points for the Hoosiers, trimming Ohio State’s lead to two points in 1:36 of the quarter. Then a 10-second swing put the momentum back in the Buckeyes’ favor.
At half court, Scalia bobbled the ball, with forward Cotie McMahon grabbing the loose ball and finding guard Rikki Harris for a layup. Immediately on the IU inbound, McMahon stole the ball and hit a layup, plus a blocking foul against guard Chloe Moore-McNeil. Hoosiers head coach Teri Moren was visibly upset at the call and opting to use a timeout to calm down the Buckeyes.
Ohio State did relax a bit, putting the Hoosiers firmly in the game. After making seven straight shots from the first to the second quarter, the scarlet and gray went 4-for-10. At the same time, Indiana scored 12 of the next 16 points, earning the visitor’s first lead of the second quarter.
Things didn’t get much better for the Buckeyes. After a three-point shot by guard/forward Taylor Thierry, Ohio State didn’t score again for the remaining 4:09 of the half. That, plus foul trouble putting the visitors in the bonus, gave Indiana a seven-point run to end the quarter.
The seven point lead of McGuff’s side at the end of the first quarter turned into a five-point Hoosiers advantage heading into halftime. In the second, Ohio State shot 37.5%, going 6-for-16 from the floor.
Ohio State cut the five-point deficit down in the first minute and eight seconds of the second half. Making the second half resemble the start of the first half with both teams playing each other strong and taking turns making baskets.
It also resembled parts of the end of the first quarter, where the Buckeyes pulled away. Ohio State went on an 11-point scoring run, creating a 14-point swing from the start of the start of the half, going up eight points on the Hoosiers.
Despite picking up a third foul in that run, McMahon stayed on the court and rewarded McGuff’s coaching decision. The sophomore was responsible for eight of the 11 points. By the end of the third quarter, Ohio State was up eight points. While the offense was needed, a quiet strength of the 10 minutes was how the Buckeyes kept Holmes from impacting the game.
In seven third quarter minutes, Holmes didn’t score a point or grab a rebound for Indiana. However, the graduate senior did give the ball away four times and pick up two fouls. Alongside point guard Moore-McNeil, the Hoosiers had two players with three fouls entering the fourth quarter.
By the start of the final quarter, Indiana already had 21 turnovers in the game, three more than its single game high entering Sunday’s contest. Ohio State had 21 points off those turnovers before the beginning of the fourth, with Ohio State up 55-47.
To start the fourth quarter, both coaches had a difficult decision to make. Both Holmes and McMahon grabbed their fourth fouls in consecutive possessions. Coach Moren of Indiana kept Holmes in, with the Hoosiers down 14. Coach McGuff sent McMahon to the bench, leading in points, rebounds and assists for Ohio State at that point with 20, seven and five.
With McMahon on the bench, the Hoosiers lead shrunk to eight points. The Buckeyes had 4:06 remaining to hold onto the lead and defeat Indiana in the regular season for the first time since Jan 28, 2021.
Out of a media timeout, McMahon was back in, with McGuff opting to go with the sophomore until the final buzzer or final foul whistle. Ohio State responded first. Guard Celeste Taylor got it going with a block on Hoosiers’ Moore-McNeil, followed by a three-point shot by guard/forward Thierry.
For the final 1:45 of the game, it would be without McMahon, who fouled out with Ohio State up eight points. That’s when IU guard Yarden Garzon started connecting.
Garzon began the fourth quarter hitting two three-point shots. That trimmed Ohio State’s lead down from eight to four points with 28.8 seconds remaining. Plus, any fouls committed by the Buckeyes would send the Hoosiers to the line, with the Buckeyes still not in the bonus.
Ohio State called a timeout and on the inbound following its conclusion, Sheldon missed a layup, but got the rebound. The guard trimmed nine seconds off the clock, and hit two free throws to put Ohio State up six points.
Indiana threw the ball into play and Scalia, who had 22 points until that moment, was fouled on a three-point attempt. The graduate senior hit all three to but Ohio State’s lead down to three.
Even so, the Buckeyes being in the bonus gave chances to score. After Scalia missed a three-point shot, landing in the hands of guard Rikki Harris, Ohio State hit the final free throws, courtesy of Sheldon, winning 74-69.
The first half of Sunday’s game featured strong defense against Indiana’s Scalia. Part of that was Buckeyes’ Sheldon. Offensively though, the guard had a quiet start to the game. That changed in the second half.
Sheldon led Ohio State with 20 points in the second half, with six coming from the free throw line and going 3-for-4 from the stripe in the final quarter. The 25-point game gives her 1,846 on her career with seven regular season games remaining to hit 2,000.
Entering the second half, three of the five Buckeyes’ starters had two fouls apiece: guards Sheldon, Taylor and McMahon. Of the three, Taylor played the least in the first half, only logging 10 of the 20 minutes (only one in the second quarter), compared to 16 and 18 from McMahon and Sheldon respectively.
The ever-changing lineup gave Indiana the offensive advantage that required the Buckeyes to play from behind in the second half.
Outside of McMahon fouling out, the Buckeyes were able to keep most of the starting group on the floor to close the game out.
Ohio State is off until Thursday, when it starts a two-game road trip. It starts against the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Minnesota’s surprised teams this season, until the unfortunate injury to sophomore guard Mara Braun. The Gophers are on a three-game losing streak, and travel to East Lansing Monday to face the Michigan State Spartans. Thursday is the lone matchup between the Golden Gophers and Buckeyes in the 23/24 regular season.
After that, the Buckeyes are in East Lansing themselves, facing the Spartans for the second time this season. In the first matchup, Ohio State won 70-65 in a game dominated by defense.
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ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State University athletic department
After a second quarter lull, the Buckeyes take the lead and don’t give it up.
Another Sunday, another big game for Ohio State women’s basketball. While this weekend closing game didn’t feature a superstar from Iowa, it pit two complete teams against each other in a top 10 matchup.
The No. 8 Buckeyes defeated the No. 10 Indiana Hoosiers 74-69, in a close fourth quarter. It increases Ohio State’s winning streak to nine games, and keeps pace with the Iowa Hawkeyes at the top of the Big Ten standings.
Entering Sunday, the matchup to watch was Indiana forward Mackenzie Holmes and how the Buckeyes could match up. From the jump, the answer was: Not well. Holmes got going early for the Hoosiers, scoring the first two baskets of the game, including a free throw with the second layup ending with a foul from forward Rebeka Mikulášiková.
Holmes scored the first seven points for the Hoosiers, with the Buckeyes hitting two threes, out of five attempted, halfway through the first quarter. Indiana excelled at stopping anything from getting into the paint, with Ohio State struggling to adjust out of the gate.
Eventually, Holmes quieted and the turnovers picked up for the Buckeyes’ press. In the first quarter, head coach Kevin McGuff’s side forced six turnovers, scoring seven points off those turnovers. Also, the defense didn’t let guard Sara Scalia get open looks from three-point range. Scalia took two of the Hoosiers three attempts from beyond the arc, with Indiana missing all three.
Inversely, the Buckeyes three-point shooting improved. Ohio State shot 57.1% to finish off the quarter, going 4-for-7 overall. It gave the home side an 18-11 lead after 10 minutes of play.
Scalia responded quickly in the second quarter. The graduate senior scored the first seven points for the Hoosiers, trimming Ohio State’s lead to two points in 1:36 of the quarter. Then a 10-second swing put the momentum back in the Buckeyes’ favor.
At half court, Scalia bobbled the ball, with forward Cotie McMahon grabbing the loose ball and finding guard Rikki Harris for a layup. Immediately on the IU inbound, McMahon stole the ball and hit a layup, plus a blocking foul against guard Chloe Moore-McNeil. Hoosiers head coach Teri Moren was visibly upset at the call and opting to use a timeout to calm down the Buckeyes.
Ohio State did relax a bit, putting the Hoosiers firmly in the game. After making seven straight shots from the first to the second quarter, the scarlet and gray went 4-for-10. At the same time, Indiana scored 12 of the next 16 points, earning the visitor’s first lead of the second quarter.
Things didn’t get much better for the Buckeyes. After a three-point shot by guard/forward Taylor Thierry, Ohio State didn’t score again for the remaining 4:09 of the half. That, plus foul trouble putting the visitors in the bonus, gave Indiana a seven-point run to end the quarter.
The seven point lead of McGuff’s side at the end of the first quarter turned into a five-point Hoosiers advantage heading into halftime. In the second, Ohio State shot 37.5%, going 6-for-16 from the floor.
Ohio State cut the five-point deficit down in the first minute and eight seconds of the second half. Making the second half resemble the start of the first half with both teams playing each other strong and taking turns making baskets.
It also resembled parts of the end of the first quarter, where the Buckeyes pulled away. Ohio State went on an 11-point scoring run, creating a 14-point swing from the start of the start of the half, going up eight points on the Hoosiers.
Despite picking up a third foul in that run, McMahon stayed on the court and rewarded McGuff’s coaching decision. The sophomore was responsible for eight of the 11 points. By the end of the third quarter, Ohio State was up eight points. While the offense was needed, a quiet strength of the 10 minutes was how the Buckeyes kept Holmes from impacting the game.
In seven third quarter minutes, Holmes didn’t score a point or grab a rebound for Indiana. However, the graduate senior did give the ball away four times and pick up two fouls. Alongside point guard Moore-McNeil, the Hoosiers had two players with three fouls entering the fourth quarter.
By the start of the final quarter, Indiana already had 21 turnovers in the game, three more than its single game high entering Sunday’s contest. Ohio State had 21 points off those turnovers before the beginning of the fourth, with Ohio State up 55-47.
To start the fourth quarter, both coaches had a difficult decision to make. Both Holmes and McMahon grabbed their fourth fouls in consecutive possessions. Coach Moren of Indiana kept Holmes in, with the Hoosiers down 14. Coach McGuff sent McMahon to the bench, leading in points, rebounds and assists for Ohio State at that point with 20, seven and five.
With McMahon on the bench, the Hoosiers lead shrunk to eight points. The Buckeyes had 4:06 remaining to hold onto the lead and defeat Indiana in the regular season for the first time since Jan 28, 2021.
Out of a media timeout, McMahon was back in, with McGuff opting to go with the sophomore until the final buzzer or final foul whistle. Ohio State responded first. Guard Celeste Taylor got it going with a block on Hoosiers’ Moore-McNeil, followed by a three-point shot by guard/forward Thierry.
For the final 1:45 of the game, it would be without McMahon, who fouled out with Ohio State up eight points. That’s when IU guard Yarden Garzon started connecting.
Garzon began the fourth quarter hitting two three-point shots. That trimmed Ohio State’s lead down from eight to four points with 28.8 seconds remaining. Plus, any fouls committed by the Buckeyes would send the Hoosiers to the line, with the Buckeyes still not in the bonus.
Ohio State called a timeout and on the inbound following its conclusion, Sheldon missed a layup, but got the rebound. The guard trimmed nine seconds off the clock, and hit two free throws to put Ohio State up six points.
Indiana threw the ball into play and Scalia, who had 22 points until that moment, was fouled on a three-point attempt. The graduate senior hit all three to but Ohio State’s lead down to three.
Even so, the Buckeyes being in the bonus gave chances to score. After Scalia missed a three-point shot, landing in the hands of guard Rikki Harris, Ohio State hit the final free throws, courtesy of Sheldon, winning 74-69.
Second Half Sheldon
The first half of Sunday’s game featured strong defense against Indiana’s Scalia. Part of that was Buckeyes’ Sheldon. Offensively though, the guard had a quiet start to the game. That changed in the second half.
Sheldon led Ohio State with 20 points in the second half, with six coming from the free throw line and going 3-for-4 from the stripe in the final quarter. The 25-point game gives her 1,846 on her career with seven regular season games remaining to hit 2,000.
Fouls Fouls Fouls
Entering the second half, three of the five Buckeyes’ starters had two fouls apiece: guards Sheldon, Taylor and McMahon. Of the three, Taylor played the least in the first half, only logging 10 of the 20 minutes (only one in the second quarter), compared to 16 and 18 from McMahon and Sheldon respectively.
The ever-changing lineup gave Indiana the offensive advantage that required the Buckeyes to play from behind in the second half.
Outside of McMahon fouling out, the Buckeyes were able to keep most of the starting group on the floor to close the game out.
What’s Next
Ohio State is off until Thursday, when it starts a two-game road trip. It starts against the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Minnesota’s surprised teams this season, until the unfortunate injury to sophomore guard Mara Braun. The Gophers are on a three-game losing streak, and travel to East Lansing Monday to face the Michigan State Spartans. Thursday is the lone matchup between the Golden Gophers and Buckeyes in the 23/24 regular season.
After that, the Buckeyes are in East Lansing themselves, facing the Spartans for the second time this season. In the first matchup, Ohio State won 70-65 in a game dominated by defense.
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LGHL Game Preview: No. 8 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. No. 10 Indiana
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Game Preview: No. 8 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. No. 10 Indiana
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Mackenzie Holmes makes her final trip to Columbus, while Buckeyes try to prove Iowa win wasn’t an isolated incident
The last time Ohio State women’s basketball defeated the Indiana Hoosiers in Columbus, it was Jan 10, 2019. Due to sanctions, that win doesn’t count for the Buckeyes, making the last official win against the scarlet and gray’s neighbors to the West back in January of 2016. Does that streak end Sunday?
That’s what the Buckeyes are hoping, welcoming the Hoosiers to the Schottenstein Center for a matchup between two top-10 teams in the country. Will a more defensive side like Ohio State fair well against one of the best shooting teams in the nation?
How good is Indiana’s offense? The team’s overall 51.5% overall field goal percentage is the best in the Big Ten and third in the nation. It all goes through forward Mackenzie Holmes.
The Maine native and career Hoosier is an agile, yet physical, big who can hurt teams in and outside of the paint. At 6-foot-3, Holmes plays the five position for head coach Teri Moren, who uses Holmes inside the paint and the remaining four guards moving all around the perimeter.
Defending Indiana is a “pick your poison” decision: Leave Holmes in one-on-one matchups in the paint and try and slow dangerous outside shooting, or put two on Holmes and hope that the Hoosiers miss, or you’re fast enough to make up a lot of ground quickly.
In the past two seasons, Holmes’ knees have dealt the graduate senior issues, but this year the soon-to-be professional is healthy and leading Indiana in scoring and rebounding, per the usual. Ohio State fans are well versed in Holmes, who’s played against the Buckeyes in eight previous games, winning five of the eight.
For Ohio State, there isn’t anyone who can go one-on-one with Holmes completely. Forward Taylor Thierry is athletic and can put up a fight, but the movement of Holmes isn’t easy to predict. Also, any of the fives who head coach Kevin McGuff will employ will have defensive issues. Offensively though, starting forward Rebeka Mikulášiková can draw Holmes out for the Buckeyes’ offense to find any space.
The likely response is having one on Holmes, with another joining the fray if the ball goes the forward’s way. That’s only one dimension, as Hoosier guards can all provide a spark, and leaving them open causes problems.
Leading the way offensively for the guards is Sara Scalia. The graduate senior shooting guard won’t waste time shooting if the ball comes her way on the wing, and defense gives her space. Averaging 15.5 points per game, Scalia enters Sunday scoring at least 20 points in three of her last four games, making up for the loss of Sydney Parrish.
Parrish suffered a foot injury and is “day-to-day,” although she’s seen wearing a boot after missing the last three games for Indiana. That’s left Coach Moren with sophomore Lexus Bargesser filling in for Parrish, but isn't the same player. Parrish is the best rebounding guard on the team, and puts in work defensively. The inexperienced Bargesser will grab rebounds and provide assists, but hasn’t scored much, with nine points in one game, and none in the other two starts.
Then there’s point guard Chloe Moore-McNeil and 6-foot-3 guard Yarden Garzon. Moore-McNeil took the point role after the graduation of Grace Berger, who now plays for the Indiana Fever of the WNBA. If Ohio State is going to let any of the starting guards shoot, it’s Moore-McNeil, who’s known for her defensive ability and not lights out shooting.
Garzon is a sophomore who lit the Buckeyes up last season, having the best game of her young NCAA career with 20 points and 10 rebounds when the scarlet and gray traveled to Indiana. This year though, the guard is having something of a sophomore slump but still averaging 11.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per game.
While Indiana’s offense is dangerous, it doesn’t mean its unbeatable. After all, the Hoosiers have lost, and one of those games gives a glimpse into how it's done.
Against the Iowa Hawkeyes, on Jan. 13, the Hoosiers fell to superstar Caitlin Clark, and fell hard. Iowa won 84-57, forcing 15 turnovers from Indiana. That was with a healthy starting lineup too.
Should Ohio State have its havoc-inducing press find its stride, Indiana can come apart. The Buckeyes did that in the 2023 Big Ten Tournament, coming back after going down 24 points, forcing 18 turnovers from the Hoosiers. Ohio State scored 21 points off turnovers that day and now the scarlet and gray defense is better.
In that Iowa defeat, Garzon gave up the ball six times for Indiana. Plus, an inexperienced underclassmen like Bargesser or freshman Lenée will get extended minutes against the first team of Ohio State. The power of Indiana’s starting five drops when bench players get into the game, not matching up well against the likes of redshirt senior Buckeye backup guards Madison Greene and Rikki Harris.
The starting guard trio of Jacy Sheldon, Celeste Taylor and Thierry, along with forward Cotie McMahon, will have their hands full, but have shown this year that it can be done. Plus, any of the four have the defensive ability to double up with Mikulášiková, Taiyier Parks and Eboni Walker in the paint against Holmes.
Speaking of McMahon, the Ohio State sophomore’s been everything for the Buckeyes since the calendar change to 2024. McMahon enters Sunday with four double-doubles in a row, and was two assists shy from her first triple-double, against Purdue.
The forward will go up against Holmes for rebounds throughout the game, and can take some away from the Hoosier. Against the 6-foot-4 Wisconsin forward Serah Williams, McMahon grabbed only one less rebound than the taller Williams, with McMahon’s physicality and pure desire taking some away from the stronger post player. McMahon will also still find ways to get to the basket.
What will make or break the game for the Buckeyes is how its offense plays against Indiana. While offense is important for any team to win, the experience of four of the five likely Hoosier starters means they can play more one-on-one. Should Moren use more zone looks on defense, it will welcome the evolving game of McMahon to drive and dish or find open teammates. The shots of those teammates need to fall.
Since hitting 11-for-22 from beyond the arc against the Iowa Hawkeyes, the Buckeyes’ three-point shooting is down big. In the three games that have followed, Ohio State is shooting 29.5% from deep. A one-dimensional offense can beat teams like the Illinois Fighting Illini and Wisconsin Badgers, but the Buckeyes will need more against Indiana.
G- Jacy Sheldon
G- Celeste Taylor
G- Taylor Thierry
F- Cotie McMahon
F- Rebeka Mikulášikova
G- Chloe Moore-McNeil
G- Sara Scalia
G- Lexus Bargesser
G- Yarden Garzon
F- Mackenzie Holmes
Missing Sydney Parrish is a tough loss, plus its the first time Indiana faces Ohio State without Berger. That gives the Buckeyes an advantage with a stronger defensive guard group over a stronger Hoosiers offensive guard group.
The scarlet and gray are able to force turnovers against the Hoosiers, disrupting the Indiana offense. Plus, the increased attendance will put the Buckeyes into better shooting form, for a team that seems to grow when more eyes are watching.
Thierry is the x-factor for Ohio State, becoming the outlet to compete with Holmes in the paint, offensively. It’s a close game but the Buckeyes come away with another marquee victory, despite going down against the Hoosiers for a spell of the first half.
Date: Sunday, February 4, 2024
Time: 12:00 p.m. ET
Where: Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio
Television: FS1
Stream: Fox Sports App
Last WNBA season, the Indiana Fever drafted former Ohio State shooting guard Taylor Mikesell. Although the guard didn’t make the opening day roster, getting cut in the offseason, Mikesell landed with the Atlanta Dream, making six appearances before getting released.
Now Mikesell joins with a training camp contract to make the cut on the Los Angeles roster, a team that’s going through a rebuild.
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Mackenzie Holmes makes her final trip to Columbus, while Buckeyes try to prove Iowa win wasn’t an isolated incident
The last time Ohio State women’s basketball defeated the Indiana Hoosiers in Columbus, it was Jan 10, 2019. Due to sanctions, that win doesn’t count for the Buckeyes, making the last official win against the scarlet and gray’s neighbors to the West back in January of 2016. Does that streak end Sunday?
That’s what the Buckeyes are hoping, welcoming the Hoosiers to the Schottenstein Center for a matchup between two top-10 teams in the country. Will a more defensive side like Ohio State fair well against one of the best shooting teams in the nation?
Preview
How good is Indiana’s offense? The team’s overall 51.5% overall field goal percentage is the best in the Big Ten and third in the nation. It all goes through forward Mackenzie Holmes.
The Maine native and career Hoosier is an agile, yet physical, big who can hurt teams in and outside of the paint. At 6-foot-3, Holmes plays the five position for head coach Teri Moren, who uses Holmes inside the paint and the remaining four guards moving all around the perimeter.
Defending Indiana is a “pick your poison” decision: Leave Holmes in one-on-one matchups in the paint and try and slow dangerous outside shooting, or put two on Holmes and hope that the Hoosiers miss, or you’re fast enough to make up a lot of ground quickly.
In the past two seasons, Holmes’ knees have dealt the graduate senior issues, but this year the soon-to-be professional is healthy and leading Indiana in scoring and rebounding, per the usual. Ohio State fans are well versed in Holmes, who’s played against the Buckeyes in eight previous games, winning five of the eight.
For Ohio State, there isn’t anyone who can go one-on-one with Holmes completely. Forward Taylor Thierry is athletic and can put up a fight, but the movement of Holmes isn’t easy to predict. Also, any of the fives who head coach Kevin McGuff will employ will have defensive issues. Offensively though, starting forward Rebeka Mikulášiková can draw Holmes out for the Buckeyes’ offense to find any space.
The likely response is having one on Holmes, with another joining the fray if the ball goes the forward’s way. That’s only one dimension, as Hoosier guards can all provide a spark, and leaving them open causes problems.
Leading the way offensively for the guards is Sara Scalia. The graduate senior shooting guard won’t waste time shooting if the ball comes her way on the wing, and defense gives her space. Averaging 15.5 points per game, Scalia enters Sunday scoring at least 20 points in three of her last four games, making up for the loss of Sydney Parrish.
Parrish suffered a foot injury and is “day-to-day,” although she’s seen wearing a boot after missing the last three games for Indiana. That’s left Coach Moren with sophomore Lexus Bargesser filling in for Parrish, but isn't the same player. Parrish is the best rebounding guard on the team, and puts in work defensively. The inexperienced Bargesser will grab rebounds and provide assists, but hasn’t scored much, with nine points in one game, and none in the other two starts.
Then there’s point guard Chloe Moore-McNeil and 6-foot-3 guard Yarden Garzon. Moore-McNeil took the point role after the graduation of Grace Berger, who now plays for the Indiana Fever of the WNBA. If Ohio State is going to let any of the starting guards shoot, it’s Moore-McNeil, who’s known for her defensive ability and not lights out shooting.
Garzon is a sophomore who lit the Buckeyes up last season, having the best game of her young NCAA career with 20 points and 10 rebounds when the scarlet and gray traveled to Indiana. This year though, the guard is having something of a sophomore slump but still averaging 11.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per game.
While Indiana’s offense is dangerous, it doesn’t mean its unbeatable. After all, the Hoosiers have lost, and one of those games gives a glimpse into how it's done.
Against the Iowa Hawkeyes, on Jan. 13, the Hoosiers fell to superstar Caitlin Clark, and fell hard. Iowa won 84-57, forcing 15 turnovers from Indiana. That was with a healthy starting lineup too.
Should Ohio State have its havoc-inducing press find its stride, Indiana can come apart. The Buckeyes did that in the 2023 Big Ten Tournament, coming back after going down 24 points, forcing 18 turnovers from the Hoosiers. Ohio State scored 21 points off turnovers that day and now the scarlet and gray defense is better.
In that Iowa defeat, Garzon gave up the ball six times for Indiana. Plus, an inexperienced underclassmen like Bargesser or freshman Lenée will get extended minutes against the first team of Ohio State. The power of Indiana’s starting five drops when bench players get into the game, not matching up well against the likes of redshirt senior Buckeye backup guards Madison Greene and Rikki Harris.
The starting guard trio of Jacy Sheldon, Celeste Taylor and Thierry, along with forward Cotie McMahon, will have their hands full, but have shown this year that it can be done. Plus, any of the four have the defensive ability to double up with Mikulášiková, Taiyier Parks and Eboni Walker in the paint against Holmes.
Speaking of McMahon, the Ohio State sophomore’s been everything for the Buckeyes since the calendar change to 2024. McMahon enters Sunday with four double-doubles in a row, and was two assists shy from her first triple-double, against Purdue.
The forward will go up against Holmes for rebounds throughout the game, and can take some away from the Hoosier. Against the 6-foot-4 Wisconsin forward Serah Williams, McMahon grabbed only one less rebound than the taller Williams, with McMahon’s physicality and pure desire taking some away from the stronger post player. McMahon will also still find ways to get to the basket.
Q2 | Double figures for @cotiemcmahon23 with a little finesse#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/ZbEu7ybk4Y
— Ohio State WBB (@OhioStateWBB) February 1, 2024
What will make or break the game for the Buckeyes is how its offense plays against Indiana. While offense is important for any team to win, the experience of four of the five likely Hoosier starters means they can play more one-on-one. Should Moren use more zone looks on defense, it will welcome the evolving game of McMahon to drive and dish or find open teammates. The shots of those teammates need to fall.
Since hitting 11-for-22 from beyond the arc against the Iowa Hawkeyes, the Buckeyes’ three-point shooting is down big. In the three games that have followed, Ohio State is shooting 29.5% from deep. A one-dimensional offense can beat teams like the Illinois Fighting Illini and Wisconsin Badgers, but the Buckeyes will need more against Indiana.
Ohio State
G- Jacy Sheldon
G- Celeste Taylor
G- Taylor Thierry
F- Cotie McMahon
F- Rebeka Mikulášikova
Lineup Notes
- Guard Jacy Sheldon has 1,821 points in her NCAA career, all with Ohio State. To achieve that in the regular season, the guard has to average at least 22.4 points per game. That reduces to 17.9 per game if the Buckeyes play once in the Big Ten tournament and once in the NCAA Tournament.
- Against the Wisconsin Badgers, the Buckeyes tied a season high with 26 assists in the 87-49 victory.
- Ohio State has the best defensive rating in the Big Ten, allowing 83.6 points per 100 possessions.
Indiana
G- Chloe Moore-McNeil
G- Sara Scalia
G- Lexus Bargesser
G- Yarden Garzon
F- Mackenzie Holmes
Lineup Notes
- Forward Mackenzie Holmes is 58 points away from securing the Indiana women’s basketball record for career points. Holmes sits with 2,306 career points.
- Indiana’s overall shooting is first in the Big Ten and third in the nation, hitting shots with 51.5% efficiency.
- Guard Sara Scalia’s 63 threes is the second most in the conference, behind guard Caitlin Clark.
Prediction
Missing Sydney Parrish is a tough loss, plus its the first time Indiana faces Ohio State without Berger. That gives the Buckeyes an advantage with a stronger defensive guard group over a stronger Hoosiers offensive guard group.
The scarlet and gray are able to force turnovers against the Hoosiers, disrupting the Indiana offense. Plus, the increased attendance will put the Buckeyes into better shooting form, for a team that seems to grow when more eyes are watching.
Thierry is the x-factor for Ohio State, becoming the outlet to compete with Holmes in the paint, offensively. It’s a close game but the Buckeyes come away with another marquee victory, despite going down against the Hoosiers for a spell of the first half.
How to Watch
Date: Sunday, February 4, 2024
Time: 12:00 p.m. ET
Where: Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio
Television: FS1
Stream: Fox Sports App
LGHL Prediction: 78-75 Ohio State Buckeyes
Taylor Mikesell Signs with Los Angeles
Last WNBA season, the Indiana Fever drafted former Ohio State shooting guard Taylor Mikesell. Although the guard didn’t make the opening day roster, getting cut in the offseason, Mikesell landed with the Atlanta Dream, making six appearances before getting released.
Now Mikesell joins with a training camp contract to make the cut on the Los Angeles roster, a team that’s going through a rebuild.
Signed on the dotted line.
Welcome to LA, @TMikesell23! pic.twitter.com/i9jnEmYE35
— Los Angeles Sparks (@LASparks) February 2, 2024
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