Bench depth vital for Ohio State Sunday against Tennessee
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Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Vols bring five-player substitutions to support Kim Caldwell’s game plan, and here is how Ohio State’s bench will help

For sports fans who have never attended a track meet, Sunday night’s game between Ohio State women’s basketball and the Tennessee Volunteers will be their first. The Big Ten and SEC sides do not shy away from running, and conditioning for both sides is vital in team strategy. How can the Buckeyes outlast the Vols onslaught? Look to the bench.

First year Tennessee head coach Kim Caldwell brought tactics to basketball that make the phrase “run and gun” look like it's in slow motion. On offense, the Vols do not waste time taking shots, and a lot of those come from beyond the arc. The 31.1 attempts per game is top of the SEC and third in the nation, with seven players averaging at least two attempted shots from deep per game.

Defensively, the Vols press their opponents to force live ball turnovers and generally disrupt their opponent’s rhythm.

It is going to be a handful for the starting five of Ohio State. When the taller Tennessee side passes out of the press, Buckeye defenders have to get back faster than usual to get a hand in the face of whoever has the ball outside of the arc, because it could be one of many. Then, on offense, the Scarlet and Gray have to move both quickly and while protecting the ball to try and get behind the Tennessee defense.

The Tennessee starting five does not matter in the slightest. In 32 games, Caldwell picked 17 different starting five groups. That’s because within a couple minutes of the tip, five new players will come in and take their place. The Vols have 10 players who average between 14.7 and 25 minutes per game, with nobody playing more than those 25 minutes by guard Samara Spencer.

What this all means is that there cannot be a dip in intensity for Ohio State when players come in off the bench. More than any other game this season, the substitutes need to match Tennessee the second they get on the floor, without time to get a feel for the game.

“I mean, for me, I’m excited,” said graduate senior forward Eboni Walker, with a smile on her face. “I do my best to come out on fire. I mean, that’s what we want to do. I think from all the years of playing, I kind of get excited with teams that do a lot of subbing, just giving you new looks, a new way to score, and just having that flow of basketball.”

Walker is one of five likely available players for head coach Kevin McGuff’s side, and one of the reasons Ohio State’s bench depth is different than other teams in the country.

Ohio State does not have a roster of 13-15 players who come in every game, but the bench is a story of quality over quantity and, on their best nights, bring different looks to the game that make opponents adjust.

Take graduate senior Madison Greene for example. The guard is not an offensive weapon like starting freshman Jaloni Cambridge, but she has six years in the Ohio State program and 47 starts under her belt. Before two ACL tears sidelined the Pickerington, Ohio native, Greene started as a freshman and earned the trust of coach McGuff quickly.

When Greene comes into the game, she brings a calm to the team on offense, and enhanced ball handling, something the Buckeyes will need against Tennessee’s full court pressure. How good is it? Against the Maryland Terrapins on the final day of the regular season, Greene went to the ground twice while still keeping a dribble going to avoid a travel.

For Walker, the fifth year senior forward plays a hybrid power forward/center-like position for McGuff. If the Buckeye defense forces tough shots for Tennessee that clang off the rim, Walker brings energy to the boards and is not afraid to go up against players taller than her inside the paint.

The two experienced Ohio State players are also playing in their last game on their home court, adding even more motivation to a game that is already overflowing with expectations to move on in the NCAA Tournament.

“It’s win-or-go-home and we need to come out there tomorrow and just give it our all, and just have fun at the end of the day,” said Greene.

Redshirt sophomore guard Kennedy Cambridge does not need much help matching a team’s pressure because when the defense-minded guard enters the game she typically raises the intensity levels. Ohio State needs Cambridge to come in and annoy the Volunteers, force turnovers and go for loose basketballs.

Then there is the freshman duo of guard Ava Watson and center Elsa Lemmilä rounding out who will be available for Ohio State. Both are either coming off of, or playing through, injuries at this point of the season, but each brings skills that enhance what the Buckeyes can do against Tennessee on the court.

Watson came back against Montana State on Friday for the first time in over a month, after spraining her ankle against the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Feb. 13. The shooting guard has featured in a few games in her freshman season from beyond the arc, and if Ohio State is hitting extra passes and finding Watson, shots going down will go a long way.

However, Watson can also defend. In high school, Watson led her team to a state championship using a full court press like McGuff’s at Ohio State. Although the freshman did not score any points on Friday, she forced a steal and played well in one-on-one defense.

“I think she could be really instrumental tomorrow and with their style of play,” said McGuff. “We are going to interest to play a lot of people to try to stay fresh. Everybody is kind of all hands on deck. Everybody should show up and be ready.”

The question mark of the group of substitutes is Lemmilä. Since the end of 2024, the 6-foot-6 Finn played through a foot injury, but returned to practice on Friday. Lemmilä did not dress for Ohio State’s First Round game, likely as a means to keep the center’s minutes reserved for the challenge of Tennessee.

Tennessee’s length will be difficult for Ohio State, especially 6-foot-4 forward Zee Spearman and 6-foot-5 forward Jillian Hollingshead. When either are in the game, having someone like Lemmilä available will help the Vols think twice going attacking the basket. Lemmilä’s 58 blocks this season is the most for a Buckeye since the Tori McCoy’s 59 in the 16-17 campaign. All of Lemmilä’s came from the bench too.

How the bench five play is crucial for Ohio State’s success on Sunday, and on Saturday Walker gave the fans credit for one of the last times in her NCAA career. She also turned into an expert marketer.

“I think it’s almost unfair for us to be here; they give us a lot of added energy, and we definitely feed off of them. So if anyone is listening, come to the game tomorrow, 8:00, after church. You know, church is early, 8:00 is late. Perfect time for us,” said Walker. “It’s going to be special, thinking about how long we’ve been here and the kind of history that we’ve been able to build.”

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