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LGHL Which teams have worse odds to make the men’s Final Four than Ohio State?
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Which teams have worse odds to make the men’s Final Four than Ohio State?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK
Believe it or not, you can still bet on the Buckeyes to make the national semifinals.
I think I speak for all Ohio State fans when I say that we have experienced a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad seven weeks as the men’s basketball Buckeyes have gone 1 and 13 and are just looking to get through the season without enduring too much more pain. But, believe it or not, Vegas bookmakers still have OSU on the board to potentially make it to the Final Four... yes, the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Final Four.
Now, to be clear, there are 358 teams that play NCAA Division I men’s basketball, and DraftKings SportsBook is currently only giving Final Four odds to 86 teams, and the Buckeyes are one of them. In fact, there are actually 17 teams on the board with worse odds than Chris Holtmann’s squad.
As of publishing time, Ohio State line is at +6000, meaning that if you bet $100 on the Buckeyes to make the Final Four and somehow hell freezes over and that happens, you would profit $6,000. While you might be tempted by that insane opportunity, for that to happen, the Bucks would need to win five-straight games in the Big Ten Tournament, and then four in the Big Dance. That would mean that OSU would need to win nine-consecutive games — currently, they have only won 11 games out of the 27 games this season.
And while that is a pretty significant longshot for the Buckeyes, when it comes to Final Four odds, they are tied with perennial basketball powers (to varying degrees) Wake Forest, Villanova, Syracuse, VCU, Wisconsin, and Cincinnati.
I personally would not bet on any of those teams to make it to the national semifinals, but I would never tell another person what to do with their money. But, if the 60-to-1 odds aren’t exciting enough for you, there are actually some big-name teams with worse odds to make the Final Four than Ohio State.
No matter which team you root for in the Apple Cup, you can get your team at +8000 odds currently, or if you are a regular listener to our men’s basketball podcast “Bucketheads,” you could always put some money down on Saint Johns at that number as well.
But, if you want to get really degenerately wild, can I interest you in some +10000 odds? If so, what do you think about the college football national champion Georgia Bulldogs? What about Grammy Award-winning hip-hop artist Drake... oh, I’m sorry the Drake University Bulldogs?
How about this one? Would you put $100 on Buckeye fans’ most hated mid-major Oral Roberts? I mean, if you are bitter at how things have gone this season for Ohio State, what better way to spite the program than by winning $10,000 when the Mouth Bob Golden Eagles make the Final Four?
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24456192/Screen_Shot_2023_02_23_at_5.11.46_PM.png)
While all of these odds are... exotic, if you want to put some money down on some bets that aren’t essentially flushing money down the toilet, head over to the DraftKings SportsBook and check out all the odds.
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
Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK
Believe it or not, you can still bet on the Buckeyes to make the national semifinals.
I think I speak for all Ohio State fans when I say that we have experienced a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad seven weeks as the men’s basketball Buckeyes have gone 1 and 13 and are just looking to get through the season without enduring too much more pain. But, believe it or not, Vegas bookmakers still have OSU on the board to potentially make it to the Final Four... yes, the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Final Four.
Now, to be clear, there are 358 teams that play NCAA Division I men’s basketball, and DraftKings SportsBook is currently only giving Final Four odds to 86 teams, and the Buckeyes are one of them. In fact, there are actually 17 teams on the board with worse odds than Chris Holtmann’s squad.
As of publishing time, Ohio State line is at +6000, meaning that if you bet $100 on the Buckeyes to make the Final Four and somehow hell freezes over and that happens, you would profit $6,000. While you might be tempted by that insane opportunity, for that to happen, the Bucks would need to win five-straight games in the Big Ten Tournament, and then four in the Big Dance. That would mean that OSU would need to win nine-consecutive games — currently, they have only won 11 games out of the 27 games this season.
And while that is a pretty significant longshot for the Buckeyes, when it comes to Final Four odds, they are tied with perennial basketball powers (to varying degrees) Wake Forest, Villanova, Syracuse, VCU, Wisconsin, and Cincinnati.
I personally would not bet on any of those teams to make it to the national semifinals, but I would never tell another person what to do with their money. But, if the 60-to-1 odds aren’t exciting enough for you, there are actually some big-name teams with worse odds to make the Final Four than Ohio State.
No matter which team you root for in the Apple Cup, you can get your team at +8000 odds currently, or if you are a regular listener to our men’s basketball podcast “Bucketheads,” you could always put some money down on Saint Johns at that number as well.
But, if you want to get really degenerately wild, can I interest you in some +10000 odds? If so, what do you think about the college football national champion Georgia Bulldogs? What about Grammy Award-winning hip-hop artist Drake... oh, I’m sorry the Drake University Bulldogs?
How about this one? Would you put $100 on Buckeye fans’ most hated mid-major Oral Roberts? I mean, if you are bitter at how things have gone this season for Ohio State, what better way to spite the program than by winning $10,000 when the Mouth Bob Golden Eagles make the Final Four?
While all of these odds are... exotic, if you want to put some money down on some bets that aren’t essentially flushing money down the toilet, head over to the DraftKings SportsBook and check out all the odds.
Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.
Continue reading...
LGHL Four Storylines: No. 16 Ohio State women battle No. 7 Maryland on Friday
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Four Storylines: No. 16 Ohio State women battle No. 7 Maryland on Friday
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images
With one game remaining until the Big Ten tournament, the Buckeyes have one final shot this regular season to show they’re a top-16 NCAA tournament side.
Friday night is the final night of the Ohio State women’s basketball regular season, and it’s a fitting bookend to the stories of the 2022-23 campaign. After starting the year with the No. 5 Tennessee Volunteers, it ends with a match-up against the No. 7 Maryland Terrapins. The Buckeyes are hoping it looks more like that win over the Volunteers than the 34-point drubbing to the Terrapins in Maryland on Feb. 5.
Here’s what to watch for on Friday.
The February defeat to Maryland isn’t a game where head coach Kevin McGuff could bring up the tape and pinpoint small details to correct. It was more like a game where the tape should be burned altogether.
Ohio State had no answer for Maryland at the start of the month. Guards Diamond Miller, Shyanne Sellers, and Abby Meyers could seemingly do no wrong. Miller showed why she’s a likely lottery pick in the upcoming WNBA draft, scoring 29 points with 10 rebounds and three steals.
Coach McGuff’s side had no answer for her and Sellers attacking the paint. The Terps scored 48 points in the paint. It wasn’t just the post presence that was lacking but allowing Maryland players to make moves to get into positions where they could attack the basket.
Part of that was Maryland’s speed through the Buckeyes’ press. Ohio State forced a respectable 24 turnovers for the Terrapins, but couldn’t capitalize when they won back the ball.
Poor defense from Ohio State and only scoring 54 total points made for a disastrous afternoon overall.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24455133/1463997383.jpg "Ohio State v Maryland")
Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images
Maryland guard Diamond Miller showing what the Buckeyes lacked on Feb. 5: Post defense
That doesn’t mean there’s no hope on Friday. Last season, the Buckeyes used a game against the Terrapins, in Columbus, to propel a late run in the season. This year is a different Maryland side, a side with better chemistry and perimeter play, but if Ohio State shoots closer to their 47% average (hit only 33.7% in their lopsided defeat) and plays strong in the press, it’s a game Ohio State can win.
If the Scarlet & Gray show the same intensity they did against the Wolverines, and string together shots, it’ll be an interesting and exciting end to the Big Ten regular season calendar.
A win wouldn’t just help momentum going into the tournament either.
All season it seems like one or two Buckeyes pull away from their teammates in their 23 wins this season. Most of the time. it has been either forward Cotie McMahon, guard Taylor Mikesell, or guard/forward combo Taylor Thierry.
Lately, point guard Rikki Harris has shown the scoring prowess the Indiana-born Buckeye had in high school. Over the last two games, Harris has a stat line of 15 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in a win over the Penn State Nittany Lions and a career-high 23 points and five assists versus Michigan.
Harris has shown an increased ability to make shots, to which Harris credited slowing down and not rushing shots as how it improved significantly.
At the same time though, McMahon had a more frustrating night not getting calls as she attacked the basket consistently versus Michigan. Thierry was also stifled in the paint without much reward from the free throw line. For Mikesell, the guard hit big shots as part of Ohio State’s eight three-pointers made-in-a-row streak on Monday.
Should Harris continue her form, and her teammates respond with stronger performances of their own, Friday is anyone’s game to win.
That doesn’t even include forward Rebeka Mikulasikova. After suffering a high ankle sprain against Minnesota on Feb. 8, the Slovakian hasn’t started a game. However, on Monday the forward showed that when she’s healthy she can be dangerous. Mikulasikova picked up the Buckeyes' scoring in the third quarter when others received more focus on the defensive side of the court.
The motivation of sitting out games, combined with Ohio State pushing for home games in the NCAA tournament, means the planets could align and the Buckeyes return to scoring like they did to start the season.
Thursday night, at halftime of the No. 1 South Carolina Gamecocks game against the Tennessee Volunteers, the NCAA Committee will release their second and final top-16 ranking before the NCAA March Madness selection show on March 12.
In the first iteration of the ranking, the Buckeyes were No. 16 on the list. That means they held onto the final spot to host the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. Since that Feb. 9 release, Ohio State’s won two out of three, with the loss being a 24-point defeat to the No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers.
It’s hard to know if that means the Buckeyes fall out of the top-16 though, losing to an obvious No. 1 seed. The confusion comes with the Scarlet & Gray following the loss up with a dominating, 13-point, win over the No. 12 Michigan Wolverines. The same Wolverines were No. 11 in the initial NCAA Committee rollout.
A win Friday would strengthen the argument, even more, that coach McGuff’s Buckeyes should be in the top-16. Maryland was No. 9 in that committee unveiling earlier in February and has since followed it up with convincing wins over the Illinois Fighting Illini and a shocking 28-point win over the No. 6 Iowa Hawkeyes.
Friday, Maryland has seeding to play for in the Big Ten Tournament. They can jump Iowa for the second spot, meaning a higher-ranked opponent in the third round of the tournament, already securing a double-bye.
For fans in attendance especially, the tradition of Senior Night takes place before tipoff. That’s when graduate senior Mikesell, along with senior team managers, will receive pregame recognition.
Mikesell’s been a force for Ohio State in only two seasons. Her transfer from the Oregon Ducks to Columbus before last season pushed the Buckeyes to the conference regular season title and within two possessions of moving into the Elite Eight.
It’s an honor fitting for a player who consistently avoids the attention and shifts it back to her teammates. With professional basketball up next for the guard, it might be the last time fans can see Mikesell play in Columbus in her fantastic five NCAA years.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24455277/usa_today_19949947.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Taylor Mikesell honored for her 1,000th point as a Buckeye before facing the Minnesota Golden Gophers
Also, a worthwhile note about Senior Night is the absence of guard Jacy Sheldon. While there’s no official word of Sheldon’s return to college basketball for a final season, not being part of the festivities is as good a sign as any.
Making that potential news more exciting would be if Sheldon suited up healthy. The Maryland defeat at the beginning of the month was the only time Sheldon played for the Scarlet & Gray since Nov. 30.
Return tonight with a win and a past month of up-and-down emotions surrounding the team creates unparalleled excitement going into the postseason.
Continue reading...
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images
With one game remaining until the Big Ten tournament, the Buckeyes have one final shot this regular season to show they’re a top-16 NCAA tournament side.
Friday night is the final night of the Ohio State women’s basketball regular season, and it’s a fitting bookend to the stories of the 2022-23 campaign. After starting the year with the No. 5 Tennessee Volunteers, it ends with a match-up against the No. 7 Maryland Terrapins. The Buckeyes are hoping it looks more like that win over the Volunteers than the 34-point drubbing to the Terrapins in Maryland on Feb. 5.
Here’s what to watch for on Friday.
A Different Buckeyes
The February defeat to Maryland isn’t a game where head coach Kevin McGuff could bring up the tape and pinpoint small details to correct. It was more like a game where the tape should be burned altogether.
Ohio State had no answer for Maryland at the start of the month. Guards Diamond Miller, Shyanne Sellers, and Abby Meyers could seemingly do no wrong. Miller showed why she’s a likely lottery pick in the upcoming WNBA draft, scoring 29 points with 10 rebounds and three steals.
Coach McGuff’s side had no answer for her and Sellers attacking the paint. The Terps scored 48 points in the paint. It wasn’t just the post presence that was lacking but allowing Maryland players to make moves to get into positions where they could attack the basket.
Part of that was Maryland’s speed through the Buckeyes’ press. Ohio State forced a respectable 24 turnovers for the Terrapins, but couldn’t capitalize when they won back the ball.
Poor defense from Ohio State and only scoring 54 total points made for a disastrous afternoon overall.
Maryland guard Diamond Miller showing what the Buckeyes lacked on Feb. 5: Post defense
That doesn’t mean there’s no hope on Friday. Last season, the Buckeyes used a game against the Terrapins, in Columbus, to propel a late run in the season. This year is a different Maryland side, a side with better chemistry and perimeter play, but if Ohio State shoots closer to their 47% average (hit only 33.7% in their lopsided defeat) and plays strong in the press, it’s a game Ohio State can win.
If the Scarlet & Gray show the same intensity they did against the Wolverines, and string together shots, it’ll be an interesting and exciting end to the Big Ten regular season calendar.
A win wouldn’t just help momentum going into the tournament either.
Aligning Strong Scoring Nights
All season it seems like one or two Buckeyes pull away from their teammates in their 23 wins this season. Most of the time. it has been either forward Cotie McMahon, guard Taylor Mikesell, or guard/forward combo Taylor Thierry.
Lately, point guard Rikki Harris has shown the scoring prowess the Indiana-born Buckeye had in high school. Over the last two games, Harris has a stat line of 15 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in a win over the Penn State Nittany Lions and a career-high 23 points and five assists versus Michigan.
Harris has shown an increased ability to make shots, to which Harris credited slowing down and not rushing shots as how it improved significantly.
At the same time though, McMahon had a more frustrating night not getting calls as she attacked the basket consistently versus Michigan. Thierry was also stifled in the paint without much reward from the free throw line. For Mikesell, the guard hit big shots as part of Ohio State’s eight three-pointers made-in-a-row streak on Monday.
Should Harris continue her form, and her teammates respond with stronger performances of their own, Friday is anyone’s game to win.
That doesn’t even include forward Rebeka Mikulasikova. After suffering a high ankle sprain against Minnesota on Feb. 8, the Slovakian hasn’t started a game. However, on Monday the forward showed that when she’s healthy she can be dangerous. Mikulasikova picked up the Buckeyes' scoring in the third quarter when others received more focus on the defensive side of the court.
The motivation of sitting out games, combined with Ohio State pushing for home games in the NCAA tournament, means the planets could align and the Buckeyes return to scoring like they did to start the season.
Fighting for Top-16
Thursday night, at halftime of the No. 1 South Carolina Gamecocks game against the Tennessee Volunteers, the NCAA Committee will release their second and final top-16 ranking before the NCAA March Madness selection show on March 12.
In the first iteration of the ranking, the Buckeyes were No. 16 on the list. That means they held onto the final spot to host the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. Since that Feb. 9 release, Ohio State’s won two out of three, with the loss being a 24-point defeat to the No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers.
It’s hard to know if that means the Buckeyes fall out of the top-16 though, losing to an obvious No. 1 seed. The confusion comes with the Scarlet & Gray following the loss up with a dominating, 13-point, win over the No. 12 Michigan Wolverines. The same Wolverines were No. 11 in the initial NCAA Committee rollout.
A win Friday would strengthen the argument, even more, that coach McGuff’s Buckeyes should be in the top-16. Maryland was No. 9 in that committee unveiling earlier in February and has since followed it up with convincing wins over the Illinois Fighting Illini and a shocking 28-point win over the No. 6 Iowa Hawkeyes.
Friday, Maryland has seeding to play for in the Big Ten Tournament. They can jump Iowa for the second spot, meaning a higher-ranked opponent in the third round of the tournament, already securing a double-bye.
Senior Night
For fans in attendance especially, the tradition of Senior Night takes place before tipoff. That’s when graduate senior Mikesell, along with senior team managers, will receive pregame recognition.
Mikesell’s been a force for Ohio State in only two seasons. Her transfer from the Oregon Ducks to Columbus before last season pushed the Buckeyes to the conference regular season title and within two possessions of moving into the Elite Eight.
It’s an honor fitting for a player who consistently avoids the attention and shifts it back to her teammates. With professional basketball up next for the guard, it might be the last time fans can see Mikesell play in Columbus in her fantastic five NCAA years.
Taylor Mikesell honored for her 1,000th point as a Buckeye before facing the Minnesota Golden Gophers
Also, a worthwhile note about Senior Night is the absence of guard Jacy Sheldon. While there’s no official word of Sheldon’s return to college basketball for a final season, not being part of the festivities is as good a sign as any.
Making that potential news more exciting would be if Sheldon suited up healthy. The Maryland defeat at the beginning of the month was the only time Sheldon played for the Scarlet & Gray since Nov. 30.
Return tonight with a win and a past month of up-and-down emotions surrounding the team creates unparalleled excitement going into the postseason.
Continue reading...
2024 TX DB Corian Gipson (Clemson Verbal)
- By MD Buckeye
- Football Recruiting
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247 Profile
Rivals Profile
On3 Profile
HUDL Highlights
Lancaster (TX)
Ht: 5'11"
Wt: 170 lbs
Class: 2024 (High School)
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Offered in May & is a name to watch, per Bill Greene.
Rivals Profile
On3 Profile
HUDL Highlights
Lancaster (TX)
Ht: 5'11"
Wt: 170 lbs
Class: 2024 (High School)
Login to view embedded media
Offered in May & is a name to watch, per Bill Greene.
LGHL Ohio State women’s basketball returning to form at the right time
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Ohio State women’s basketball returning to form at the right time
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
How focusing on their strengths and a double-bye could go a long way in the postseason
Sometimes it's difficult to believe an athlete when they say they’re just focusing on the next game. Especially for the Ohio State women’s basketball team who have a tall task of facing the No. 7 Maryland Terrapins to finish out the regular season and then a conference and NCAA tournament on the other side of it.
After Monday’s emphatic 74-61 Buckeyes win over the Michigan Wolverines, the Buckeyes could breathe a little easier after losing their previous four games against ranked Big Ten opponents.
Guard Rikki Harris, who led the Buckeyes with 23 points, seven steals, and five assists, proved how focused Ohio State is at this point in the season when she found out the win over the Wolverines came with a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament.
“It did? Really,” asked Harris, adding an enthusiastic clap to the obvious joy on her face. “Sorry, I didn’t know that! Yeah, we’re ready.”
Monday gave all the appearances that Ohio State is ready. Lately, the Scarlet & Gray have thrived over unranked sides like the Penn State Nittany Lions and Minnesota Golden Gophers, but once a team near the top of the standings entered the arena it was a different story.
Against the Wolverines, head coach Kevin McGuff’s side played with high intensity and the results were clear. On New Year’s Eve, when the two teams last faced off, forwards Emily Kiser and Cameron Williams each had a double-double against Ohio State’s post defense. Monday, Kiser had 11 points and only six rebounds. Williams’ two points and a rebound in 9:25 played. No word if an injury is connected to the limited minutes.
The Wolverines’ lone bright spot was guard Leigha Brown who scored 36 of Michigan’s 61 points, but in the second half, when the Maize & Blue needed it the most, the Buckeyes’ defense got stronger.
In the fourth quarter, the Buckeyes held Michigan to 7.7% shooting from the field, hitting one three and 10 free throws.
“I thought we looked different tonight,” said coach McGuff. “Against Penn State in our last outing we had some great stretches but then we just had some awful stretches and that’s what we talked about. ‘Hey, we’ve just got to get closer to 40 minutes with doing what we did in Penn State’ and I thought we competed for 40 minutes.”
Ohio State didn’t just look different. They looked better than their best this season. Against Tennessee, Louisville, and Illinois, the Buckeyes went down double-digits and needed to come back with big scoring runs. Monday, Ohio State was down eight in the first three minutes but came back to lead the game for 33 of the 40 minutes.
A big part of that success was forcing turnovers.
“We looked way more energetic in the press,” said McGuff. “I thought that was really effective. Just our competitive spirit and will get stops and rebounds were better and just our commitment to executing on the offensive end because they’re really good defensively.”
The Buckeyes forced three 10-second violations for having the ball in the backcourt too long and 27 turnovers in the victory. Those 27 turnovers match what Ohio State did back on New Year’s Eve, good for the fifth most turnovers forced in the conference this season; a sign that the undefeated Buckeyes mentality might be back.
“It’s all about us,” said Harris. “If the press ain’t working that means we’re not doing it right or going as hard, so when all four of us, five of us, are in sync and working together, it's hard to beat it.”
Monday showed the Buckeyes press can still be hard to beat. The Scarlet & Gray were leaping out of bounds to keep possession, diving in front of passes, and kept it going even into the fourth quarter when their lead was at double-digits. No late game lapse like a dwindling 29-point lead against Penn State or even back on Dec. 31 when Michigan got to within a possession of Ohio State in the final quarter.
Now the Buckeyes’ attention shifts to Friday. The Terrapins head to the Schottenstein Center fresh off a 28-point win over the No. 6 Iowa Hawkeyes on Tuesday. Back on Feb. 5, Ohio State played the exact opposite way against Maryland than they did against Michigan, losing 90-54.
The final game of the regular season brings the opportunity to show that Monday’s win wasn’t a flash-in-the-pan moment, and take some momentum into the fourth round of the Big Ten Tournament next week in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
“It’s a grind, the Big Ten tournament, so to be able to get to that next day and not have to play is important,” said McGuff. “Especially, you know, we’re still not super deep at this point so I think that could be important for us.”
Continue reading...
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
How focusing on their strengths and a double-bye could go a long way in the postseason
Sometimes it's difficult to believe an athlete when they say they’re just focusing on the next game. Especially for the Ohio State women’s basketball team who have a tall task of facing the No. 7 Maryland Terrapins to finish out the regular season and then a conference and NCAA tournament on the other side of it.
After Monday’s emphatic 74-61 Buckeyes win over the Michigan Wolverines, the Buckeyes could breathe a little easier after losing their previous four games against ranked Big Ten opponents.
Guard Rikki Harris, who led the Buckeyes with 23 points, seven steals, and five assists, proved how focused Ohio State is at this point in the season when she found out the win over the Wolverines came with a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament.
“It did? Really,” asked Harris, adding an enthusiastic clap to the obvious joy on her face. “Sorry, I didn’t know that! Yeah, we’re ready.”
Monday gave all the appearances that Ohio State is ready. Lately, the Scarlet & Gray have thrived over unranked sides like the Penn State Nittany Lions and Minnesota Golden Gophers, but once a team near the top of the standings entered the arena it was a different story.
Against the Wolverines, head coach Kevin McGuff’s side played with high intensity and the results were clear. On New Year’s Eve, when the two teams last faced off, forwards Emily Kiser and Cameron Williams each had a double-double against Ohio State’s post defense. Monday, Kiser had 11 points and only six rebounds. Williams’ two points and a rebound in 9:25 played. No word if an injury is connected to the limited minutes.
The Wolverines’ lone bright spot was guard Leigha Brown who scored 36 of Michigan’s 61 points, but in the second half, when the Maize & Blue needed it the most, the Buckeyes’ defense got stronger.
In the fourth quarter, the Buckeyes held Michigan to 7.7% shooting from the field, hitting one three and 10 free throws.
“I thought we looked different tonight,” said coach McGuff. “Against Penn State in our last outing we had some great stretches but then we just had some awful stretches and that’s what we talked about. ‘Hey, we’ve just got to get closer to 40 minutes with doing what we did in Penn State’ and I thought we competed for 40 minutes.”
Ohio State didn’t just look different. They looked better than their best this season. Against Tennessee, Louisville, and Illinois, the Buckeyes went down double-digits and needed to come back with big scoring runs. Monday, Ohio State was down eight in the first three minutes but came back to lead the game for 33 of the 40 minutes.
A big part of that success was forcing turnovers.
“We looked way more energetic in the press,” said McGuff. “I thought that was really effective. Just our competitive spirit and will get stops and rebounds were better and just our commitment to executing on the offensive end because they’re really good defensively.”
The Buckeyes forced three 10-second violations for having the ball in the backcourt too long and 27 turnovers in the victory. Those 27 turnovers match what Ohio State did back on New Year’s Eve, good for the fifth most turnovers forced in the conference this season; a sign that the undefeated Buckeyes mentality might be back.
“It’s all about us,” said Harris. “If the press ain’t working that means we’re not doing it right or going as hard, so when all four of us, five of us, are in sync and working together, it's hard to beat it.”
Monday showed the Buckeyes press can still be hard to beat. The Scarlet & Gray were leaping out of bounds to keep possession, diving in front of passes, and kept it going even into the fourth quarter when their lead was at double-digits. No late game lapse like a dwindling 29-point lead against Penn State or even back on Dec. 31 when Michigan got to within a possession of Ohio State in the final quarter.
Now the Buckeyes’ attention shifts to Friday. The Terrapins head to the Schottenstein Center fresh off a 28-point win over the No. 6 Iowa Hawkeyes on Tuesday. Back on Feb. 5, Ohio State played the exact opposite way against Maryland than they did against Michigan, losing 90-54.
The final game of the regular season brings the opportunity to show that Monday’s win wasn’t a flash-in-the-pan moment, and take some momentum into the fourth round of the Big Ten Tournament next week in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
“It’s a grind, the Big Ten tournament, so to be able to get to that next day and not have to play is important,” said McGuff. “Especially, you know, we’re still not super deep at this point so I think that could be important for us.”
Continue reading...
LGHL Bucketheads Podcast: Zed Key’s surgery, Michigan State’s emotional win, Big Ten pileup, more
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Bucketheads Podcast: Zed Key’s surgery, Michigan State’s emotional win, Big Ten pileup, more
Connor Lemons 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
We also pour one out for ‘Titus and Tate,’ our favorite college basketball podcast that ended this week.
‘Bucketheads’ is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. Every episode they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in the college hoops world.
During episode 67 of Bucketheads, the guys discuss Zed Key’s injury status, as the junior big man will now have season-ending shoulder surgery. They discuss some of the misguided hate Key gets from a small sub-section of the Ohio State fanbase, and how his being compromised contributed to the Buckeyes’ season snowballing out of control.
They also talked about the ongoing situation at the University of Alabama, after news broke this week that star freshman Brandon Miller was present when a teammate fatally shot a young woman in Tuscaloosa.
Other topics that were hit include Michigan State’s emotional win over Indiana this week following a tragedy on their campus, which Ohio State players could transfer at the end of the season, and the ending of our favorite college basketball podcast, “Titus and Tate.”
Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGHL
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba
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Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
We also pour one out for ‘Titus and Tate,’ our favorite college basketball podcast that ended this week.
‘Bucketheads’ is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. Every episode they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in the college hoops world.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
During episode 67 of Bucketheads, the guys discuss Zed Key’s injury status, as the junior big man will now have season-ending shoulder surgery. They discuss some of the misguided hate Key gets from a small sub-section of the Ohio State fanbase, and how his being compromised contributed to the Buckeyes’ season snowballing out of control.
They also talked about the ongoing situation at the University of Alabama, after news broke this week that star freshman Brandon Miller was present when a teammate fatally shot a young woman in Tuscaloosa.
Other topics that were hit include Michigan State’s emotional win over Indiana this week following a tragedy on their campus, which Ohio State players could transfer at the end of the season, and the ending of our favorite college basketball podcast, “Titus and Tate.”
Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGHL
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba
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LGHL Multiple 2025 in-state prospects share visit plans to see the Buckeyes this spring
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Multiple 2025 in-state prospects share visit plans to see the Buckeyes this spring
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
Spring is going to be another busy recruiting time for the coaching staff at Ohio State.
Spring football practice is coming quickly, and with that comes the opportunity for the Buckeyes to not only develop the current roster, but also improve the future team with the recruiting efforts. Playing host to top targets both nationally and in Ohio, Ryan Day and his crew are going to make sure that the few short weeks are used wisely.
Spring recruiting tends to go pretty well for the coaching staff, and Wednesday proved that several prospects are excited to get to Columbus.
Starting off in Ohio State’s backyard, the Pickerington schools have been great to the Buckeyes over the years. Producing several players that have ended up staying close to home for their college careers, nearby schools developing that amount of talent are always a built-in advantage. Fortunately for the Buckeyes, there looks to be more players coming through the in-state programs that are very fond of Ohio State.
Making the short trek to Columbus in the near future, 2025 receiver prospect Preston Bowman announced via Twitter that he’d be on campus at the end of March. A 6-foot, 190 pound athlete, Bowman is not currently ranked in the 247Sports Composite, but does have two offers to his name right now thanks to Miami (Ohio) and Kentucky.
There’s arguably not a position right now doing better in Columbus than the receiver spot, so surely Brian Hartline is going to have his pick once again nationally. But if Bowman continues to turn heads, Ohio State may take a closer look when considering to offer. At any rate, having him on campus next month is another way to continue building a relationship between the two parties as he hopes to further see his recruitment build up.
Keeping within the Ohio border, a pair of teammates also shared on social media yesterday they too would soon be on campus to see the Buckeyes. Starting with edge rusher Justin Hill, the Cincinnati Winton Woods product will be in town on March 23. A 6-foot-4, 215 pound athlete, Hill is already an impressively sized player, but only being a high school sophomore, the potential for him is pretty exciting if you’re any college program taking interest this early on.
Unranked right now on his 247Sports profile, his double-digit offers will likely increase his stock when the time comes for an update. Programs such as Michigan, Michigan State, Kentucky, Pitt, West Virginia, and a host of others have already entered the mix, but a visit to see Ohio State may just change that list in a good way.
The Buckeyes make it clear every year they want to keep their best in-state players at home, and with the school’s biggest rival already offering Hill, Ohio State may just pull the trigger sooner rather than later. His March visit could be the perfect time.
Not to be forgotten, the fellow Winton Woods teammate to join Hill on the March 23 visit is offensive tackle prospect Raphael Greene. Like the aforementioned Hill, Greene is another class of 2025 athlete that is already an incredible size. At 6-foot-6, 320 pounds, Ohio State certainly has to like the fact that the state continues to produce some monstrous sized linemen that can play at the highest level.
Also unranked on his 247Sports profile, this is another candidate to see his stock continue to rise. Having nearly 10 offers to his name already, schools such as Kentucky, Pitt, Purdue, West Virginia, and others are some of the bigger offers but surely Ohio State would cause a domino effect should they also join the party.
The ensuing visit should get the ball rolling in terms of mutual interest, but one thing that has to be true is his size and potential. March is going to be a busy time for the coaching staff, but that’s a great problem to have.
Continue reading...
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
Spring is going to be another busy recruiting time for the coaching staff at Ohio State.
Spring football practice is coming quickly, and with that comes the opportunity for the Buckeyes to not only develop the current roster, but also improve the future team with the recruiting efforts. Playing host to top targets both nationally and in Ohio, Ryan Day and his crew are going to make sure that the few short weeks are used wisely.
Spring recruiting tends to go pretty well for the coaching staff, and Wednesday proved that several prospects are excited to get to Columbus.
Starting off in Ohio State’s backyard, the Pickerington schools have been great to the Buckeyes over the years. Producing several players that have ended up staying close to home for their college careers, nearby schools developing that amount of talent are always a built-in advantage. Fortunately for the Buckeyes, there looks to be more players coming through the in-state programs that are very fond of Ohio State.
Making the short trek to Columbus in the near future, 2025 receiver prospect Preston Bowman announced via Twitter that he’d be on campus at the end of March. A 6-foot, 190 pound athlete, Bowman is not currently ranked in the 247Sports Composite, but does have two offers to his name right now thanks to Miami (Ohio) and Kentucky.
There’s arguably not a position right now doing better in Columbus than the receiver spot, so surely Brian Hartline is going to have his pick once again nationally. But if Bowman continues to turn heads, Ohio State may take a closer look when considering to offer. At any rate, having him on campus next month is another way to continue building a relationship between the two parties as he hopes to further see his recruitment build up.
Keeping within the Ohio border, a pair of teammates also shared on social media yesterday they too would soon be on campus to see the Buckeyes. Starting with edge rusher Justin Hill, the Cincinnati Winton Woods product will be in town on March 23. A 6-foot-4, 215 pound athlete, Hill is already an impressively sized player, but only being a high school sophomore, the potential for him is pretty exciting if you’re any college program taking interest this early on.
Unranked right now on his 247Sports profile, his double-digit offers will likely increase his stock when the time comes for an update. Programs such as Michigan, Michigan State, Kentucky, Pitt, West Virginia, and a host of others have already entered the mix, but a visit to see Ohio State may just change that list in a good way.
The Buckeyes make it clear every year they want to keep their best in-state players at home, and with the school’s biggest rival already offering Hill, Ohio State may just pull the trigger sooner rather than later. His March visit could be the perfect time.
Not to be forgotten, the fellow Winton Woods teammate to join Hill on the March 23 visit is offensive tackle prospect Raphael Greene. Like the aforementioned Hill, Greene is another class of 2025 athlete that is already an incredible size. At 6-foot-6, 320 pounds, Ohio State certainly has to like the fact that the state continues to produce some monstrous sized linemen that can play at the highest level.
Also unranked on his 247Sports profile, this is another candidate to see his stock continue to rise. Having nearly 10 offers to his name already, schools such as Kentucky, Pitt, Purdue, West Virginia, and others are some of the bigger offers but surely Ohio State would cause a domino effect should they also join the party.
The ensuing visit should get the ball rolling in terms of mutual interest, but one thing that has to be true is his size and potential. March is going to be a busy time for the coaching staff, but that’s a great problem to have.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State men’s basketball vs. Penn State: Game preview and prediction
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Ohio State men’s basketball vs. Penn State: Game preview and prediction
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
Ohio State will be trying to snap an eight-game losing streak when they host Penn State tonight at Value City Arena.
After playing their last two games on the road, Ohio State returns home tonight to host the Penn State Nittany Lions. Whether it has been on the road or at home, the results over the past two months haven’t been what head coach Chris Holtmann and Buckeye Nation have been hoping for. With Sunday’s 82-55 loss to Purdue, Ohio State has now lost eight-straight games, and 12 of their last 13 contests.
The Buckeyes went into Sunday’s game shorthanded, as Zed Key wasn’t in the lineup because of a shoulder injury. With Key missing, Ohio State started four true freshmen for the first time since the final regular season game of the 1995-96 season. Freshmen have played 40 percent of the minutes for the Buckeyes this season, which is the highest percentage in the Big Ten.
After hanging tough for most of the first half in West Lafayette on Sunday, Zach Edey and the Boilermakers eventually took over and showed why they are in the conversation as one of the best teams in the country. Purdue went into halftime leading 38-29 before leaving no doubt in the result, outscoring Ohio State 44-26 in the second half.
Brice Sensabaugh led the Buckeyes with 20 points, while Sean McNeil added 10 points in 32 minutes of the bench. The duo were the only two Ohio State players to reach double figures in scoring in the game. Sensabaugh is now 55 points shy of becoming the sixth Ohio State freshman to score at least 500 points in his first season in Columbus. On the season, Sensabaugh leads the team with 16.5 points per game.
With Key sidelined by inury, Felix Okpara will see more time on the floor the rest of the season. The big man swatted four shots on Sunday, marking the ninth game this year where he has recorded multiple blocks in a game. Okpara has 30 blocks this season, which ranks 10th in the conference despite the freshman only averaging 13.3 minutes per game.
One player that didn’t envision such a struggle in his final year is Justice Sueing. After missing almost all of last season, Sueing returned to Ohio State for his senior season. Even though Sueing is second on the team with 12 points per game, it’s obvious that shouldering so much of a leadership role on a young team is wearing on him. Sueing was just 2-of-9 from the field against Purdue, finishing with six points, as well as five turnovers. Over the last three games, Sueing is 6-of-25 from the field, scoring 19 total points.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24453455/usa_today_20032869.jpg "NCAA Basketball: Penn State at Minnesota")
Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
Tonight Ohio State hosts Penn State, who always seem to give the Buckeyes a tough game. Ohio State won both regular season meetings with the Nittany Lions last year before Micah Shrewsberry’s team snapped a four-game losing streak against the Buckeyes with a 71-68 win in the Big Ten Tournament. Ohio State led by as many as 13 points in the game, and 11 points at halftime before Penn State erased the deficit to move on square off with Purdue in the quarterfinals.
Penn State is in their second season under head coach Micah Shrewsberry, who is 30-28 during his time in State College. Prior to taking the head coaching position at Penn State, Shrewsberry was an assistant with the Boston Celtics from 2013-19 before spending a year on Matt Painter’s staff at Purdue.
Shrewsberry has Penn State in the mix to possibly earn an NCAA Tournament bid if they can close the regular season strong. If the Nittany Lions are included in the field, it would be their first tournament appearance since 2011 when they lost 66-64 to Temple in the first round.
The last time Penn State took the court, they defeated Minnesota 76-69 on Saturday night in Minneapolis. The Nittany Lions fell behind 52-50 in the second half before retaking the lead for good. Jalen Pickett nearly notched a triple-double in the victory, finishing with 32 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists. Camren Wynter added 14 points, while Andrew Funk finished with 11 points.
Pickett’s output against Minnesota wasn’t even his best performance of the week. The senior scored 41 points in a win over Illinois last Tuesday, becoming the first Nittany Lion to score 40 points in a game since 1961. The 41 points are the most scored by a Big Ten player this season. With 73 points and 16 assists over his two games last week, Pickett was named the National and Big Ten Player of the Week.
This season Pickett is averaging 18.6 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game, making him the only player in the country averaging 18/7/7. Over the last 30 years, Denzel Valentine of Michigan State is the only player to hit those marks in a season. With 2,054 points, 707 rebounds, and 787 assists, Pickett is the only player to cross 2,000 points, 700 rebounds, and 700 assists in at least 37 years.
Penn State has expertly used the three-pointer this year to their advantage. As a team, the Nittany Lions have made 293 triples, which is two shy of setting a new school record. In 2017-18, Penn State hit 294 three-pointers in 39 games on their run to winning the NIT Championship. The Nittany Lions are also within striking distance of the Big Ten record of 365 three-pointers that Purdue hit in the 2018-19 season.
When it comes to shots from behind the arc, Penn State has a couple of the best shooters in the conference. Andrew Funk tops the Big Ten with 3.04 three-pointers made per game, while Seth Lundy’s 44.1 percent success rate from distance is the high-mark in the conference, and eighth-best in the country. Five Nittany Lions have hit at least 20 three-pointers this season.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24453442/1468264016.jpg "Ohio State v Purdue")
Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images
Even though it is tough to win on the road in the Big Ten, it has been even tougher for Ohio State to win a game in Big Ten play since the start of 2023. The Buckeyes are struggling mightily, and things are getting worse for Chris Holtmann’s team. For a while, even though Ohio State was losing games, the majority of those losses were by single digits. The last three losses for the Buckeyes have come by a combined 65 points.
In tonight’s game, the biggest difference is going to be experience. Penn State is one of six teams in the country that has five players on their roster who have scored at least 1,000 career points. On the other side, Ohio State is coming off a game where they started four true freshmen in a game for the first time in nearly 30 years. Even though those freshmen are very talented, they haven’t gelled quite like many had thought they would.
Ohio State has to hope that Penn State isn’t hitting their three-pointers if they want to have any hope of snapping their losing streak. Even if the Nittany Lions aren’t seeing their triples fall, they still have an incredible scoring talent in Jalen Pickett, who could do work inside the arc to open up opportunities for his teammates outside the arc. If Pickett is anywhere close to as dialed in as his last two games, it’s hard to see the Buckeyes being able to put in enough points to keep up.
It is tough to have any confidence in Ohio State right now with not only the loss of Zed Key for the rest of the year, but also with just the malaise around the program right now. It is known that Ohio State won’t be playing any basketball after the Big Ten Tournament, and it feels like they have no interest in playing spoiler. The smart thing would be to let the underclassmen gobble up minutes to help prepare them for the future, which isn’t a good recipe against an experienced Penn State team that is hungry to earn their spot in the NCAA Tournament.
ESPN BPI: Ohio State 69.4%
Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
TV: Big Ten Network
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Brett Ludwiczak 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
Ohio State will be trying to snap an eight-game losing streak when they host Penn State tonight at Value City Arena.
After playing their last two games on the road, Ohio State returns home tonight to host the Penn State Nittany Lions. Whether it has been on the road or at home, the results over the past two months haven’t been what head coach Chris Holtmann and Buckeye Nation have been hoping for. With Sunday’s 82-55 loss to Purdue, Ohio State has now lost eight-straight games, and 12 of their last 13 contests.
The Buckeyes went into Sunday’s game shorthanded, as Zed Key wasn’t in the lineup because of a shoulder injury. With Key missing, Ohio State started four true freshmen for the first time since the final regular season game of the 1995-96 season. Freshmen have played 40 percent of the minutes for the Buckeyes this season, which is the highest percentage in the Big Ten.
After hanging tough for most of the first half in West Lafayette on Sunday, Zach Edey and the Boilermakers eventually took over and showed why they are in the conversation as one of the best teams in the country. Purdue went into halftime leading 38-29 before leaving no doubt in the result, outscoring Ohio State 44-26 in the second half.
Brice Sensabaugh led the Buckeyes with 20 points, while Sean McNeil added 10 points in 32 minutes of the bench. The duo were the only two Ohio State players to reach double figures in scoring in the game. Sensabaugh is now 55 points shy of becoming the sixth Ohio State freshman to score at least 500 points in his first season in Columbus. On the season, Sensabaugh leads the team with 16.5 points per game.
With Key sidelined by inury, Felix Okpara will see more time on the floor the rest of the season. The big man swatted four shots on Sunday, marking the ninth game this year where he has recorded multiple blocks in a game. Okpara has 30 blocks this season, which ranks 10th in the conference despite the freshman only averaging 13.3 minutes per game.
One player that didn’t envision such a struggle in his final year is Justice Sueing. After missing almost all of last season, Sueing returned to Ohio State for his senior season. Even though Sueing is second on the team with 12 points per game, it’s obvious that shouldering so much of a leadership role on a young team is wearing on him. Sueing was just 2-of-9 from the field against Purdue, finishing with six points, as well as five turnovers. Over the last three games, Sueing is 6-of-25 from the field, scoring 19 total points.
Preview
Tonight Ohio State hosts Penn State, who always seem to give the Buckeyes a tough game. Ohio State won both regular season meetings with the Nittany Lions last year before Micah Shrewsberry’s team snapped a four-game losing streak against the Buckeyes with a 71-68 win in the Big Ten Tournament. Ohio State led by as many as 13 points in the game, and 11 points at halftime before Penn State erased the deficit to move on square off with Purdue in the quarterfinals.
Penn State is in their second season under head coach Micah Shrewsberry, who is 30-28 during his time in State College. Prior to taking the head coaching position at Penn State, Shrewsberry was an assistant with the Boston Celtics from 2013-19 before spending a year on Matt Painter’s staff at Purdue.
Shrewsberry has Penn State in the mix to possibly earn an NCAA Tournament bid if they can close the regular season strong. If the Nittany Lions are included in the field, it would be their first tournament appearance since 2011 when they lost 66-64 to Temple in the first round.
The last time Penn State took the court, they defeated Minnesota 76-69 on Saturday night in Minneapolis. The Nittany Lions fell behind 52-50 in the second half before retaking the lead for good. Jalen Pickett nearly notched a triple-double in the victory, finishing with 32 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists. Camren Wynter added 14 points, while Andrew Funk finished with 11 points.
Pickett’s output against Minnesota wasn’t even his best performance of the week. The senior scored 41 points in a win over Illinois last Tuesday, becoming the first Nittany Lion to score 40 points in a game since 1961. The 41 points are the most scored by a Big Ten player this season. With 73 points and 16 assists over his two games last week, Pickett was named the National and Big Ten Player of the Week.
This season Pickett is averaging 18.6 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game, making him the only player in the country averaging 18/7/7. Over the last 30 years, Denzel Valentine of Michigan State is the only player to hit those marks in a season. With 2,054 points, 707 rebounds, and 787 assists, Pickett is the only player to cross 2,000 points, 700 rebounds, and 700 assists in at least 37 years.
Penn State has expertly used the three-pointer this year to their advantage. As a team, the Nittany Lions have made 293 triples, which is two shy of setting a new school record. In 2017-18, Penn State hit 294 three-pointers in 39 games on their run to winning the NIT Championship. The Nittany Lions are also within striking distance of the Big Ten record of 365 three-pointers that Purdue hit in the 2018-19 season.
When it comes to shots from behind the arc, Penn State has a couple of the best shooters in the conference. Andrew Funk tops the Big Ten with 3.04 three-pointers made per game, while Seth Lundy’s 44.1 percent success rate from distance is the high-mark in the conference, and eighth-best in the country. Five Nittany Lions have hit at least 20 three-pointers this season.
Prediction
Even though it is tough to win on the road in the Big Ten, it has been even tougher for Ohio State to win a game in Big Ten play since the start of 2023. The Buckeyes are struggling mightily, and things are getting worse for Chris Holtmann’s team. For a while, even though Ohio State was losing games, the majority of those losses were by single digits. The last three losses for the Buckeyes have come by a combined 65 points.
In tonight’s game, the biggest difference is going to be experience. Penn State is one of six teams in the country that has five players on their roster who have scored at least 1,000 career points. On the other side, Ohio State is coming off a game where they started four true freshmen in a game for the first time in nearly 30 years. Even though those freshmen are very talented, they haven’t gelled quite like many had thought they would.
Ohio State has to hope that Penn State isn’t hitting their three-pointers if they want to have any hope of snapping their losing streak. Even if the Nittany Lions aren’t seeing their triples fall, they still have an incredible scoring talent in Jalen Pickett, who could do work inside the arc to open up opportunities for his teammates outside the arc. If Pickett is anywhere close to as dialed in as his last two games, it’s hard to see the Buckeyes being able to put in enough points to keep up.
It is tough to have any confidence in Ohio State right now with not only the loss of Zed Key for the rest of the year, but also with just the malaise around the program right now. It is known that Ohio State won’t be playing any basketball after the Big Ten Tournament, and it feels like they have no interest in playing spoiler. The smart thing would be to let the underclassmen gobble up minutes to help prepare them for the future, which isn’t a good recipe against an experienced Penn State team that is hungry to earn their spot in the NCAA Tournament.
ESPN BPI: Ohio State 69.4%
Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
TV: Big Ten Network
LGHL score prediction: Penn State 73, Ohio State 65
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