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LGHL Gene Brown announces he will enter transfer portal after three seasons at Ohio State

Gene Brown announces he will enter transfer portal after three seasons at Ohio State
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

NCAA Basketball: Penn State at Ohio State

Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

Brown battled injuries and inconsistent playing time during his three years at Ohio State.

Less than a month after Ohio State’s season officially ended with it being excluded from the 2023 NCAA Tournament with a 16-19 overall record, a huge domino dropped in what is sure to be an interesting and rapidly evolving off-season. Gene Brown, a third-year guard from Conyers, Georgia who has appeared in 77 games for the Buckeyes, announced he will enter the transfer portal, ending his career at Ohio State.

Love Always, EB3 ❤️ pic.twitter.com/LIZz5JUGL8

— Eugene Brown III (@eugenebrown3_) March 30, 2023
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Brown has never shown the offensive chops needed to crack the starting lineup consistently, but has been a valuable bench piece for the Buckeyes when healthy. He was also a fan and locker room favorite, going by the nickname “Gene Bean” with his teammates and always bringing energy off the bench when given the opportunity. With Brice Sensabaugh likely heading to the NBA and Justice Sueing moving on from college, Brown may have seen increased opportunities next season. Despite this, he will move on and seek a new program for the 2023-2024 season.

A four-star recruit in the 2020 class that also included Zed Key and Meechie Johnson, Brown’s transfer now leaves Key as the only member of the 2020 class still on the Ohio State roster. Brown dealt with injuries throughout his time in Columbus. Most notably, Brown dealt with two concussions — one during his sophomore season against Xavier and another this past season right before games began in November.

EUGENE BROWN ‼️‼️‼️#B1GMBBT x @OhioStateHoops pic.twitter.com/iDl9dNUmvA

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) March 11, 2023
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Brown played in 22 games this past season — starting one — and averaged 2.2 points and 1.5 rebounds per contest. He shot 53.1% overall and 37.5% from beyond the arc, but it was a small sample size, as he only took 32 total shots during his 22 games. For his career, Brown averages an almost identical 2.2 points and 1.7 rebounds per game. Brown is listed as a guard on Ohio State’s official website, but guarded every position as a Buckeye, including some time guarding 7-foot-4 Purdue center. Zach Edey this past season.

In addition to Ohio State, Brown was also recruited heavily by Georgia, Georgia Tech, Mississippi State, Texas A&M, Xavier, and Louisville. He has two years of eligibility left, including the extra COVID season granted after the 2020-2021 season.

Good luck to Gene wherever he winds up!

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Google Maxwell Riley became Ohio State’s latest 2026 target, ‘experiencing a lot of emotions’ in the process: Buckey - cleveland.com

Maxwell Riley became Ohio State’s latest 2026 target, ‘experiencing a lot of emotions’ in the process: Buckey - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".

Maxwell Riley became Ohio State’s latest 2026 target, ‘experiencing a lot of emotions’ in the process: Buckey cleveland.com

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LGHL Column: Ohio State returns three starters at receiver, but the future of the position is on the line this spring

Column: Ohio State returns three starters at receiver, but the future of the position is on the line this spring
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

With two out of three of the top returnees out this spring with injuries, the young receivers have an opportunity to show Brian Hartline who is up next.

Ohio State has continued their spring practice this week coming off their first competitive scrimmage of the season. After a set of three more practices, there has been a lot of conversations coming out of the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.

One of the main conversation topics has been about the receiver room, and the talent inside it. Offensive coordinator and receivers coach Brian Hartline has stocked the room up better than any program in the country. After stacking up first round picks in the draft from his room and five-stars on the recruiting trail, the natural succession plan has taken a foothold on the room.

Last season, that plan included the emergence of former four-star receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., five-star receiver Emeka Egbuka, and five-star receiver Julian Fleming. There was a slight drop off after the injury of Jaxon-Smith Njigba, but the overall depth from recruiting kept the Ohio State receiver core as one of the best in the country.

This spring, Egbuka and Fleming are both out, opening up opportunities for young guys – and one older guy – to step up with the additional reps. The rotations have been increidbly tight under Hartline, so if a player makes him rotate, they have absolutely earned it. That is what this offseason is about: who is going to step up and solidify their role and future in the rotation.

Jayden Ballard will be a key contributor this season

Starting with Jayden Ballard is the only logical place for this conversation to begin. Ballard is a former top-100 recruit who was part of the 2021 class that included Harrison Jr. and Egbuka. Both his classmates had breakout campaigns last year, with one leading the team in touchdowns and yards, and the other leading the team in receptions. Ballard was behind Julian Fleming and Harrison Jr. on the outside, and due to the inexperience of those two they needed as many reps as possible.

Coming into this offseason, this is absolutely a make or break spring for the Massillon Washington product. There is already trust in Ballard. C.J. Stroud trusted him as a receiver at his pro-day, and albeit in shorts, Ballard did not look out of place. On top of that early momentum, Ballard scored a crucial touchdown on a double move that showed off the work he has put in as a route runner to go with his high end speed. One play and a few catches against air are not enough to show he belongs on the field, to Hartline consistency is key

“You’ve got to make sure there’s not a fall-off if you’re gonna get an opportunity to be on the field on Saturday,” Hartline said this offseason.

Hartline alluded to him being six months behind where he expected him to be, but with a few injury bumps early that can halt progress. That pissed off Hartline because he feels Ballard is not living up to expectations. That does not mean he can’t get caught up in the progress department, especially now that there is extra reps. Ryan Day believes he has the potential and now it is time for him to live up to it.

“You can see his speed, you can see his change of direction. Even at the workout the other day, he caught a lot of people’s eyes. So he has the ability and hopefully if he can continue to make plays like he did today, then he can start producing for us,” Day said about Ballard.

This is opportunity to join his fellow classmates, and take the room by storm to close out his career the next two seasons. For the Buckeyes he has a different skill set than what is on the field already, and there is value in that – if he can prove he belongs on the field regularly.

Xavier Johnson will have an expanded role

Last season, the player who caught the touchdown to take the lead against Notre Dame was not one of the 10 top-150 recruits at receiver. It was former walk-on Xavier Johnson.

Johnson finished the year with 297 yards of total offense on 25 touches. His best work came on the 71 yard touchdown run against Indiana where he made every Hoosier defender miss, and his most important work came on his touchdown catch out of the backfield against Georgia in the College Football Playoff.

Johnson has played running back, cornerback, and wide receiver to go along with being a special team ace on kick off coverage. His Swiss Army Knife capabilities have been well-documented and this year is his opportunity to go past surprising people. For Johnson, he showed he deserves a legitimate role in the offense. When he had the ball in his hands last year, good things happened.

“Xavier Johnson is a really good receiver and a really good running back. So it’s our job to find ways to use that,” Hartline said.

Johnson will have his share of competition at both running back and receiver, but ideally there is a place to integrate him in to situations to create confusion for defenses. Last season Ohio State used Johnson to motion into the backfield, or out of the backfield to receiver. This level of versatility is valuable, and the Buckeyes would be best using it in a way similar to last season.

For Johnson, showing NFL scouts he can do both well at the college level and continues performing on special teams, there is a lot he can do for franchises at the pro level. This is the same case for Ohio State, and if he continues to perform on Saturdays, there is no reason he should not continue to get more opportunities on the field.

The freshmen will surpass the second year receivers

This is not a hot take. Noah Rogers was the talk of the town after two practices and Carnell Tate already removed his black stripe. The competitive nature of this class is already coming into fruition, and with a consistently banged up second year group, there is a window for the incoming guys to show that when the current stars go, they should be up next.

welcome to Zone 6, @carnelltate_❗️#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/KBS6bjjRT2

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) March 26, 2023
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Caleb Burton was hurt in the first spring practice and Kyion Grayes was unable to participate in the first scrimmage. As the old adage goes, the best ability is availability, and if the second year Buckeyes can’t stay healthy, there will be additional opportunities for the freshmen receivers.

There is not a lot to go on, and there will be a ton of weight put on the next few scrimmages. Hartline mentioned the professionalism and willingness to learn from the freshman as ways he sees them as a different group. There was now slow playing them along, they came ready to go. That is one of the most ringing endorsements for a group Hartline has ever given, and Hartline does not give endorsements if they are not warranted.

Kaleb Brown will be the second year player who finds a role

When reading through the first scrimmage observations, the name Kaleb Brown kept popping up as one of the best performers of the day. Both quarterbacks frequently targeted him in key situations, including the red zone drills. Brown was returning punts and playing with the ones, but that was mostly due to the injuries of players ahead of him.

Being healthy gave him an opportunity to get a high volume set of reps with both quarterbacks and he lived up to the moment. Scoring touchdowns in key situations is not easy, and he set up a pair of other touchdowns with big gains. If he shows a routine for making explosive plays in practice, the Buckeyes will find ways to get involved.

Brown has obviously positioned himself well to be the punt returner, and if he excels at that he sets himself up for more future opportunities. Think back to Egbuka his freshman season. He returned kicks and got on the field. Even in a role that is on the field any where from six to 10 times, there is an immense value to earning that trust from the coaching staff.

Even if this doesn’t carve out a consistent role in the receiver rotation, there is plenty of room for him to work his way into being a player next in line after Harrison Jr., Egbuka, Fleming, and Johnson move on to the next level, there will be a list of positions to to be filled. Brown has a different skillset than the rest of the room, and his future work out of the slot will be built on a successful spring and fall behind the scenes.


The receiver room is the least of the worries when it comes to Ohio State due to Brian Hartline’s elite recruiting. That does not mean there is not a lot to talk about in regards to the position with two of the top three returning receivers out for the spring with injuries. When Fleming and Egbuka return, it is pretty safe to assume that they will be pencilled back into their starting roles, but the pecking order behind them has a lot left to decipher.

The hope would be that Ohio State’s receiver room could progress through spring with their health, especially given the fact the Buckeyes have two quarterbacks competing for the starting job. Without the health at the top of room though, the Buckeyes have an opportunity to build depth and take a look at what’s next in a key position.

The Buckeyes have older guys like Jayden Ballard and Xavier Johnson looking to solidify their roles this season. They also have younger guys trying to make the most of the additional reps to show that they are capable of taking over the mantle. This spring is huge for a variety of players and the future of the position.

Brian Hartline has done an incredible job building out the receiver room. Now it’s time for the iron-sharpens-iron mantra to take a foothold and show which receivers will be next in line.

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LGHL Roundball Round-up: How the former Buckeyes are faring as the the NBA regular season winds down

Roundball Round-up: How the former Buckeyes are faring as the the NBA regular season winds down
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Atlanta Hawks v Minnesota Timberwolves

Photo by Jordan Johnson/NBAE via Getty Images

There are only a couple games left before the NBA playoffs are scheduled to begin.

While three former Buckeyes currently playing in the NBA know they’ll be spending the playoffs watching from home, there are a few Ohio State alums that are still in the thick of the NBA playoff race. With just a couple weeks left in the regular season, now is a good time to see how the Buckeyes in the NBA are doing.

D’Angelo Russell - Los Angeles Lakers​


Following a trade on Feb. 9 that sent Russell back to the Lakers, the former Ohio State guard has had a tough time staying on the court recently because of a hip injury. Prior to last night’s game, which he was probable for, the last time Russell was able to play was on March 22. Since being traded by Minnesota, Russell has played in just 11 games for the Lakers.

It has been tough to truly gauge how Russell’s second stint in Los Angeles is going because the Lakers have been dealing with so many injuries since the trade. Not only has Russell been in-and-out of the lineup because of injury, LeBron James also missed a month because of a foot injury he suffered in late February. James returned to the court on Sunday.

Los Angeles Lakers v Houston Rockets
Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

Luckily for the Lakers, even though James and Russell have been dealing with injuries, Los Angeles is in the thick of the playoff race in the Western Conference. The Lakers don’t have any room for error though, as they are just half a game ahead of Dallas, who sits outside of the play-in game spots.

When he has been able to play, Russell has been an important part of the offense for Los Angeles, averaging 18 points per game and 6.4 assists per game. If Davis, James, and Russell are able to stay healthy, the Lakers could make some noise in the playoff race.

Mike Conley - Minnesota Timberwolves​


The NBA veteran was a part of the trade that sent D’Angelo Russell to the Lakers in February. Conley was sent from Utah to Minnesota, with the Lakers shipping Russell Westbrook to Utah in the three-team trade. After a bit of a slow start in his first six games with the Timberwolves that saw him score 51 total points, Conley has seen a big uptick in his offensive production in March.

Prior to the trade, Conley had scored 20 points in a game just once this season. Since the calendar turned to March, the former Buckeye has scored at least 20 points in a game four times. The 15.7 points per game Conley is averaging this month, is four more points per game than the point guard has scored in any other month this season.

Conley has been forced to become more of a scorer since joining the Timberwolves because of injuries. Karl-Anthony Towns has recently returned to the court after being out of action since late November, and Anthony Edwards has missed a few games because of his own injury issues.

With both stars returning to the lineup, Conley won’t have to look for his shot as much, and can focus a little more on distributing the basketball and playing solid defense. Currently the Timberwolves sit seventh in the Western Conference, but there is little room for error with nine teams separated by just five games.

Malaki Branham - San Antonio Spurs​


Following a February that saw Branham average 16.8 points per game, the Ohio State rookie’s performance has been a little more hit-or-miss in March. Branham has had four games where he has scored at least 15 points, but he has also had four games where he has scored seven points or less.

Since he is a rookie and we have seen many first year pros hit a wall with the grueling NBA schedule, it’s understandable why Branham’s production might not be quite as consistent as the season winds down.

Unfortunately for Branham, he won’t have to wait too long for a bit of a break, since San Antonio has already been eliminated from playoff contention this season. Following Wednesday night’s game against Utah, the Spurs have just seven games left this season. After getting his legs under him at the professional level, a good bet would be to see Branham be more confident and consistent next year, as the Spurs continue their rebuild to try and return to the playoffs.

Keita Bates-Diop - San Antonio Spurs​


Another former Buckeye who is also playing in San Antonio is Keita Bates-Diop. Even though his numbers won’t jump off the page, this has been Bates-Diop’s best season in the NBA. One reason for that is the forward has seen more consistent playing time this year. Bates-Diop has already set career-highs with 60 games played and 35 games started.

The 21.1 minutes per game Bates-Diop is averaging is just under four minutes per game more than his previous career-high of 17.5 minutes per game, which came in the 2019-20 season when he was with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Bates-Diop had one of the better offensive games of his career on Friday when he hit four three-pointers and scored 20 points in a loss to Washington. This was the first time this season that Bates-Diop has scored at least 20 points in a game, and the second time this month that he has knocked in four three-pointers in a game.

Indiana Pacers v San Antonio Spurs
Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images

The uptick in play this season is coming at a perfect time for Bates-Diop since after the season he will be an unrestricted free agent. It is unknown if Bates-Diop is in San Antonio’s plans going forward, but if the Spurs were serious about keeping the Ohio State alum around, they would have signed him to a contract extension already. Even if he doesn’t return to San Antonio, Bates-Diop has shown enough this year on the court that there should be other suitors in the NBA.

Jae’Sean Tate - Houston Rockets​


Much like Branham and Bates-Diop, Jae’Sean Tate is playing on a team that has already been eliminated from playoff contention. This has been a season to forget for Tate, who has only been able to play in 31 games because of injuries. When Tate has been able to play, his role has been pretty obvious. Houston has relied on the former Buckeye to play somewhere around 20-25 minutes per game.

Unfortunately for Tate, the last time he was able to suit up for the Rockets was on March 19. Since then Tate has been out of action while dealing with a knee injury. Prior to the injury, Tate was hitting double figures on the scoresheet on a consistent basis, with the 10.9 points per game he was averaging in March being his highest total.

Unlike Bates-Diop, Tate doesn’t have to worry about where he’ll be playing next season. During the offseason, Tate signed a three-year contract with the Rockets. Hopefully next season will see Tate healthier and on the court more, since he provides a veteran influence to a team that is full of young talent.

Duane Washington Jr - New York Knicks​


After appearing in 31 games for the Phoenix Suns, starting three of those games, Washington was released by the Suns on Feb. 1. On the final day of February, Washington signed a two-way contract with the New York Knicks. Washington has yet to appear for the Knicks, and lately has been dealing with a hip injury that has kept him off the court.

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Google Calif. DB, Recent Buckeye Visitor Mitchell Sets Commitment Date | 2024 Ohio State Football Recruiting Tracker - Sports Illustrated

Calif. DB, Recent Buckeye Visitor Mitchell Sets Commitment Date | 2024 Ohio State Football Recruiting Tracker - Sports Illustrated
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".

Calif. DB, Recent Buckeye Visitor Mitchell Sets Commitment Date | 2024 Ohio State Football Recruiting Tracker Sports Illustrated

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Google Better Know a Buckeye: Jason Moore Has the Size, Versatility, and Quickness Off the Line to Dominate at Any Po - Eleven Warriors

Better Know a Buckeye: Jason Moore Has the Size, Versatility, and Quickness Off the Line to Dominate at Any Po - Eleven Warriors
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".

Better Know a Buckeye: Jason Moore Has the Size, Versatility, and Quickness Off the Line to Dominate at Any Po Eleven Warriors

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LGHL Jacy Sheldon’s return to Ohio State strengthens Buckeyes as transfer destination

Jacy Sheldon’s return to Ohio State strengthens Buckeyes as transfer destination
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch

Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Columbus, Ohio is looking pretty good for players looking for a chance to compete late in March.

Wednesday evening, 46 hours after the Ohio State women’s basketball team ended their season in the Elite Eight, the team received a shot in the arm. Local guard Jacy Sheldon announced her return to the Buckeyes for a fifth and final season, exercising a final year of playing collegiate basketball due to the extra year provided to athletes whose seasons were cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Unfinished business. @OhioStateWBB pic.twitter.com/fmupOsUMOS

— Jacy (@JacySheldon) March 29, 2023
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The return is an obvious win on the court for the Scarlet & Gray. Sheldon entered her senior season following a unanimous All-B1G First Team and All-B1G Defensive Team player and falling three points short of beating the Texas Longhorns in the 2022 Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament.

Sheldon entered the 22-23 season playing her best basketball. The guard averaged 16.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and an unimaginable 5.5 steals per game in her first five games of the season. Then, injury befell the point guard, playing once in the remaining 23 games of the regular season.

Then, Sheldon returned with a few minutes in the Big Ten Tournament and back to starting status in the NCAA Tournament. A March Madness season that saw Ohio State defeat the heavily favored UConn Huskies before falling short of a Final Four berth, losing to the Virginia Tech Hokies.

Now, with Sheldon’s return, the Buckeyes don’t only have an adaptable guard who plays multiple guard positions, but the return creates a premier destination for players in the transfer portal.

Saturday afternoon in Seattle wasn’t only a win but a recruiting video seen by 2.4 million people. Ohio State’s 73-61 victory saw the largest set of eyes on a Sweet Sixteen game in the history of the women’s basketball tournament. Sheldon’s 17 points, seven rebounds, and five assists are just the beginning of a list of positives.

A player who joins the Scarlet & Gray gets to play alongside not only Sheldon but Big Ten Freshman of the Year Cotie McMahon. The forward averaged 15.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and countless highlights per game in her first year. For many, the phrase “she doesn’t look like a freshman” is frequently attached to McMahon.

Against UConn, McMahon had 23 points and five assists. A quieter performance that still led the Buckeyes in scoring. Back in the Big Ten Tournament, at the beginning of March, McMahon averaged 21 points and 11 rebounds in the Buckeyes’ surprise run to the tournament final.

Also, there’s forward/guard Taylor Thierry. The Cleveland, Ohio sophomore is in the beginning stages of a promising career. Thierry started every game this season and landed eighth in the country hitting 62.5% of her shots, third in the Big Ten. The forward brings a steadiness and efficiency that makes any second chance ball in the hands of the Buckeyes a threat for more points.

Plus there’s a strong group of veterans around Ohio State’s three stars. There’s senior forward Eboni Walker who came on strong in her first season with Ohio State and has a year of eligibility remaining. No signs of Walker leaving NCAA basketball as of publishing.

Not to mention guard Rikki Harris who plays multiple positions well on the court or forward Rebeka Mikulasikova who’s improved over the past two seasons and can hit shots from beyond the arc. Also, next season, 6-foot-4 center Faith Carson joins the fold after winning Michigan’s Division III Player of the Year award after averaging 19.3 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 6.2 in her final year of high school.

There’s also Madison Greene who, if healthy, plays a quiet but confident style of point guard who dishes out assists and scores consistently. Although there’s no timeline on the guard’s return after going out for the season with a knee injury on Dec. 20.

All of those positives don’t even mention that Ohio State was one game away from playing in the Final Four. Had a few more shots fallen, the Buckeyes’ season might still be going on from Dallas, Texas.

Ohio State has a gap with guard Taylor Mikesell’s career ending in the Elite Eight. It’s a tough hole to fill from a player who was effective from beyond the arc and led the Scarlet and Gray on and off the court. However, with a team like the OSU has, there’s bound to be someone who fits that role well who wants to win now.

With the Buckeyes, that’s a possibility.

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Google Buckeyes are the 'front runner' going into huge visit from the country's No. 5 RB - 247Sports

Buckeyes are the 'front runner' going into huge visit from the country's No. 5 RB - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".

  1. Buckeyes are the 'front runner' going into huge visit from the country's No. 5 RB 247Sports
  2. Crystal Ball pick for Buckeyes to add Top100 overall prospect to the program 247Sports
  3. Georgia Bulldogs CB Javon Bullard Unveils Ohio State Buckeyes Themed NIL Deal Sports Illustrated

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