LGHL Game Preview: No. 9 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. Minnesota
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Game Preview: No. 9 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. Minnesota
Jami Jurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images
The Buckeyes look to bounce back from their winless trip out west as they welcome the Golden Gophers to Columbus.
After a rough trip to Los Angeles, in which No. 1 UCLA and No. 7 USC handed Ohio State two consecutive losses (only their second and third of the season, respectively), the No. 9 Buckeyes (20-3, 9-3 B1G) return home tonight to reset against Minnesota at the Schottenstein Center.
After the Golden Gophers (19-6, 7-6 B1G) dropped their own road games to UCLA and USC, plus a home game against Iowa, they had lost three consecutive games before snapping their streak with a 77-66 home win over Indiana this past Sunday.
Ohio State and Minnesota last faced off in February 2024 in Minneapolis, a 24-point road win for the Buckeyes, 71-47. Forward Cotie McMahon had 13 points and nine rebounds in the matchup, a game in which the Buckeyes outscored the Golden Gophers 26-6 off turnovers and held Minnesota to just 4-of-16 from three-point range.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25866432/usa_today_25375041.jpg "NCAA Womens Basketball: Ohio St. at Southern California")
Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images
Coming off two consecutive stumbles, including their biggest defeat of the season in their 19-point loss against USC, it’s possible the Buckeyes are their own biggest challenge in this game. On paper, Kevin McGuff’s team has the stats and the record on their side, and that should hold as long as they can stay focused.
It will require a team effort—and improved shooting. Though four Buckeyes finished with double-digit scoring against USC, both the Bruins and the Trojans held the Buckeyes to just 29.4 percent field goal shooting.
The friendlier environment should help, as Ohio State is 11-0 at home this year. They’ve already proven to have the grit needed to bounce back, as they followed their only other loss this season (a 62-59 road loss to Penn State) with an eight-point win over No. 8 Maryland.
Against USC, Taylor Thierry led the Buckeyes with 14 points and five rebounds, while Ajae Petty was good for a team-leading four assists.
On the season, McMahon leads the team in scoring with an average of 16.2 points per game. She is also putting up 4.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.4 steals per game on 42.2% shooting. McMahon was good for 13 and 14 points against USC and UCLA, respectively.
Also averaging in double digits for the Buckeyes are freshman Jaloni Cambridge (14.8 ppg), Thierry (10.6 ppg), and junior guard Chance Gray (14.0 ppg).
Petty leads the team in rebounds with an average of 7.0 per game, while Cambridge leads with 3.9 assists per game.
Though they had shooting challenges out west, the Buckeyes looked good defensively, forcing 23 turnovers against USC, along with 13 steals. It is their seventh consecutive game with 10 steals or more.
This defense should help them stave off Minnesota offensively.
The Golden Gophers, for their part, have been without Mara Braun for most of this season, and in her absence, they are led by Amaya Battle, who reached 1,000 career points against Indiana last weekend and who averages 11.8 points per game. Battle leads the team in points, assists, and steals.
Also averaging double figures are Grace Grocholski (11.4 ppg) and Tori McKinney (10.1 ppg), while Mallory Heyer is boasting a team-best 7.3 rebounds per game.
In their last outing, the Gophers moved the ball well and contained Indiana offensively, holding them to 37.5 percent shooting from the field and just three offensive rebounds, leading to a 66-56 win for Minnesota.
Ohio State
G- Jaloni Cambridge
G- Chance Gray
G- Taylor Thierry
F- Cotie McMahon
F- Ajae Petty
Lineup Notes
Minnesota
G- Amaya Battle
G- Grace Grocholski
C- Sophie Hart
F- Mallory Heyer
G- Tori McKinney
Lineup Notes
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25871680/usa_today_25348095.jpg "NCAA Womens Basketball: Minnesota at UCLA")
Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images
If two consecutive losses feel out of character for this team, it is, but don’t read too much into it—UCLA and USC are, after all, two of the top teams in the country. Playing one of them is tough enough. Having to face them both back-to-back is a different story.
That’s not to imply that Minnesota doesn’t pose a threat, especially if the Buckeyes can’t knock down their shots. In fact, the teams are matched pretty decently statistically, with the Buckeyes averaging 71.1 points per game while shooting 41.3% from the field in their last 10, compared to 70.7 points per game while shooting 41.5% from the field for Minnesota.
While those averages are skewed a bit by their lackluster performances out west, the Golden Gophers should be able to keep this game interesting, especially if they can contain the Buckeyes offensively, but…
They have yet to beat a ranked team this season, and they’ve struggled on the road, collecting only two road wins (against Wisconsin and Northwestern who have two and one conference win, respectively).
Though they’re chasing a marquee victory—and they’re certainly good enough to get it if the Buckeyes leave the door cracked—it’s unlikely the Buckeyes will give them the wiggle room required to complete the job.
Look to the Golden Gophers to keep the game interesting, but ultimately, the Buckeyes should be able to outplay them and get the train righted on the tracks.
Date: Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Where: Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio
Stream: Peacock
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Jami Jurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images
The Buckeyes look to bounce back from their winless trip out west as they welcome the Golden Gophers to Columbus.
After a rough trip to Los Angeles, in which No. 1 UCLA and No. 7 USC handed Ohio State two consecutive losses (only their second and third of the season, respectively), the No. 9 Buckeyes (20-3, 9-3 B1G) return home tonight to reset against Minnesota at the Schottenstein Center.
After the Golden Gophers (19-6, 7-6 B1G) dropped their own road games to UCLA and USC, plus a home game against Iowa, they had lost three consecutive games before snapping their streak with a 77-66 home win over Indiana this past Sunday.
Ohio State and Minnesota last faced off in February 2024 in Minneapolis, a 24-point road win for the Buckeyes, 71-47. Forward Cotie McMahon had 13 points and nine rebounds in the matchup, a game in which the Buckeyes outscored the Golden Gophers 26-6 off turnovers and held Minnesota to just 4-of-16 from three-point range.
Preview
Coming off two consecutive stumbles, including their biggest defeat of the season in their 19-point loss against USC, it’s possible the Buckeyes are their own biggest challenge in this game. On paper, Kevin McGuff’s team has the stats and the record on their side, and that should hold as long as they can stay focused.
It will require a team effort—and improved shooting. Though four Buckeyes finished with double-digit scoring against USC, both the Bruins and the Trojans held the Buckeyes to just 29.4 percent field goal shooting.
The friendlier environment should help, as Ohio State is 11-0 at home this year. They’ve already proven to have the grit needed to bounce back, as they followed their only other loss this season (a 62-59 road loss to Penn State) with an eight-point win over No. 8 Maryland.
Against USC, Taylor Thierry led the Buckeyes with 14 points and five rebounds, while Ajae Petty was good for a team-leading four assists.
On the season, McMahon leads the team in scoring with an average of 16.2 points per game. She is also putting up 4.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.4 steals per game on 42.2% shooting. McMahon was good for 13 and 14 points against USC and UCLA, respectively.
Also averaging in double digits for the Buckeyes are freshman Jaloni Cambridge (14.8 ppg), Thierry (10.6 ppg), and junior guard Chance Gray (14.0 ppg).
Petty leads the team in rebounds with an average of 7.0 per game, while Cambridge leads with 3.9 assists per game.
Though they had shooting challenges out west, the Buckeyes looked good defensively, forcing 23 turnovers against USC, along with 13 steals. It is their seventh consecutive game with 10 steals or more.
This defense should help them stave off Minnesota offensively.
The Golden Gophers, for their part, have been without Mara Braun for most of this season, and in her absence, they are led by Amaya Battle, who reached 1,000 career points against Indiana last weekend and who averages 11.8 points per game. Battle leads the team in points, assists, and steals.
Also averaging double figures are Grace Grocholski (11.4 ppg) and Tori McKinney (10.1 ppg), while Mallory Heyer is boasting a team-best 7.3 rebounds per game.
In their last outing, the Gophers moved the ball well and contained Indiana offensively, holding them to 37.5 percent shooting from the field and just three offensive rebounds, leading to a 66-56 win for Minnesota.
Projected Starters
Ohio State
G- Jaloni Cambridge
G- Chance Gray
G- Taylor Thierry
F- Cotie McMahon
F- Ajae Petty
Lineup Notes
- McMahon, Cambridge, Thierry, and Gray all boast double-digit scoring averages. They each put up double digits against USC this past weekend.
- Against USC, all five starters logged at least 8 points, 3 rebounds, and an assist.
- McGuff has used three different starting lineups this season, compared to just one game with a different lineup in 2023-2024. However, he has used the same starting five in each of the last five games.
Minnesota
G- Amaya Battle
G- Grace Grocholski
C- Sophie Hart
F- Mallory Heyer
G- Tori McKinney
Lineup Notes
- Since November 20, Minnesota has changed the starting lineup just once—a January win over Rutgers in which Tori McKinney was out with a concussion.
- Battle, Grocholski, and McKinney are each averaging double-digit scoring this season.
- Battle also leads the team in assists and steals.
Prediction
If two consecutive losses feel out of character for this team, it is, but don’t read too much into it—UCLA and USC are, after all, two of the top teams in the country. Playing one of them is tough enough. Having to face them both back-to-back is a different story.
That’s not to imply that Minnesota doesn’t pose a threat, especially if the Buckeyes can’t knock down their shots. In fact, the teams are matched pretty decently statistically, with the Buckeyes averaging 71.1 points per game while shooting 41.3% from the field in their last 10, compared to 70.7 points per game while shooting 41.5% from the field for Minnesota.
While those averages are skewed a bit by their lackluster performances out west, the Golden Gophers should be able to keep this game interesting, especially if they can contain the Buckeyes offensively, but…
They have yet to beat a ranked team this season, and they’ve struggled on the road, collecting only two road wins (against Wisconsin and Northwestern who have two and one conference win, respectively).
Though they’re chasing a marquee victory—and they’re certainly good enough to get it if the Buckeyes leave the door cracked—it’s unlikely the Buckeyes will give them the wiggle room required to complete the job.
Look to the Golden Gophers to keep the game interesting, but ultimately, the Buckeyes should be able to outplay them and get the train righted on the tracks.
How to Watch
Date: Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Where: Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio
Stream: Peacock
LGHL Score Prediction: 71-66, Ohio State Buckeyes
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