Game Notes: No. 3 Ohio State stays unbeaten, beats Illinois
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

It wasn’t just the Cotie McMahon and Taylor Mikesell show on Sunday.

The Ohio State women’s basketball team has made a living this season out of coming back to win. On Sunday, they added another example when the Illinois Fighting Illini came to Columbus.

In an eventual 87-81 Buckeyes win, the Scarlet & Gray came back from seemingly insurmountable odds, and redefined the word insurmountable in the process.

Here are notes from the impressive victory.

Playing with Fire


The old adage goes that if you play with fire you get burned. Multiple times this season, it looked like the Scarlet & Gray were scorched. Against then-No. 5 ranked Tennessee, the Buckeyes were down 12 in the second quarter. In a trip to then-No. 16 Louisville, it was 14 in the first half. Just three weeks ago, it was at the San Diego Invitational, down 18 in the second quarter.

Even three days ago, in Minnesota against the Golden Gophers, the Buckeyes were down 10 points in the third quarter.

Sunday’s win marks the largest second half comeback in program history when Ohio State was down 17 points to Illinois with 6:56 left in the third quarter. Head coach Kevin McGuff called a timeout 10 seconds later, and said this to his team:

“‘Stay level headed. Keep playing how we know how to play and everything will work out if we do what we’re supposed to do,” forward Cotie McMahon revealed following the win. “That was really it, there was no yelling. We know what we’re supposed to do we just gotta do it.”

McMahon and the Buckeyes did that following the timeout to the tune of a 25-8 third quarter run and eventual 50-34 run by Ohio State in the second half. Winning is great, but going down double-digits consistently might not always go in the Buckeyes favor.

“We have to be a four quarter team,” said McMahon. “Not just two. I feel like we always end up, you know, being the ‘hero team’ in the second half and have to stop doing that. Soon it’s going to bite us in the butt.”

Mikesell and McMahon Come Up Big Again


Because of the play of McMahon and guard Taylor Mikesell especially, that didn’t happen. McMahon cut the Illini’s 17-point lead to 10 in under a minute of the third quarter by herself. Then Mikesell scored five in the Buckeyes’ subsequent 11-point run.

The third quarter was the only quarter where Mikesell didn’t lead Ohio State in scoring. Mikesell finished the night with 31 points on 7-for-14 three-point shooting. The shots from deep were falling for Mikesell, leading to a dub chain performance.


McMahon was second on the team, scoring 22 points, but added four rebounds, four assists and two blocks on the night. The emotion from both was evident in the second half after the entire Buckeyes roster looked demoralized — especially compared to a rowdy Illinois team making noise on every play in the Illini’s favor, which there were a lot of examples in the first half.

The win was another step in the development of the freshman McMahon.

“Cotie played really hard, she usually does and I think as the season goes on, every game you can see just a little more understanding of what we do and how we do it,” said McGuff. “She’s practicing really hard, that’s been a big part of her growth. Her practice habits are really good.”

Illinois is the Real Deal


The Fighting Illini weren’t ranked when they faced the Buckeyes, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t a top team in the country. Illinois took it to Ohio State for most of the game. While the Scarlet & Gray went blow for blow with the team from Champaign in the first quarter, it was Illinois’ game to win.

New Illinois head coach Shauna Green has a team of transfers, and few returners from last year, playing with passion and intensity. In her first year, Green’s leading the Illini in their best start in program history.

Sunday’s win was Illinois’. Forward Kendall Bostic had 27 points and 15 rebounds — her third double-double in a row and a new career scoring high for the junior. Guard Genesis Bryant scored 15 points in the first half on 6-for-8 shooting, missing only one of her four shots from deep in the game.

“I thought Illinois played great, in the first half especially,” said McGuff. “They were playing harder and executing better and doing a really good job and we were not playing hard or executing, and they were making us pay.”

It’s their third loss of the season, but also their largest margin of defeat after losing by a combined seven points to the Indiana Hoosiers and University of Delaware. The starting five for Illinois features no seniors either, so the future of the Big Ten might go through Illinois.

Team Basketball


The play that personifies the Buckeyes’ comeback is a three-point shot by Mikesell. It’s not the shot that made it important, but how the play turned into the Mikesell make.

With 7:25 left in the fourth quarter, Ohio State had a three-point lead. Substitute guard Hevynne Bristow, who had a great game off the bench with eight rebounds in under 18 minutes, went towards the basket.

In most cases, a college player with the room Bristow had would go for the layup, especially in the lead. Instead, Bristow found McMahon charging the baseline on her right. McMahon received the pass and went towards the basket too, but like Bristow she decided to pass.

Guard/forward Taylor Thierry got the pass near the basket and without hesitation passed back to Bristow who went around the arc to pass to a wide open Mikesell. The guard from Massillon, Ohio extended Ohio State’s lead to five, and it never went under four in the rest of regulation.


“That was a big point of emphasis at the half, we weren’t moving the ball in the first half, and we were one or two passes and trying to dribble dribble dribble,” said McGuff. “Second half, I thought we moved the ball around quite a bit better and really kind of spread them out, we got them spread out and just led to a lot more good shots.”

It was nothing new to the players on the court.

“We work on that every single day, driving and kick,” said Mikesell. “Find the open person being super unselfish at that point. We had started to see shots fall and we were getting a lot of different momentum swings while there was defense turning into offense.”

For the Fans


An element that doesn’t get talked about more than a blurb or two for ambiance is the crowd. Ohio State had 6,273 fans in attendance for the game. In the grand scheme of the Schottenstein Center’s attendance it isn’t much, but it was a loud and energetic crowd for youth night.

Coach McGuff felt it, and used it to the Buckeyes’ advantage giving the team an added boost in the third quarter.

“I said ‘Hey, we’re either going to fight right now and hit back or we’re going to get embarrassed,’ said McGuff to his team. “We were getting embarrassed. We have a great crowd today here and we’re playing like this its embarrassing. I feel bad for the fans who came out, at that point.”

Also in attendance was arguably the Buckeyes’ No. 1 fan — Landon McChesney. The six-year-old boy with genetic disorder TBCD was honored at halftime with his family in tow. McChesney is one of only a handful of children in the world with the rare disease, and through the LandOn a Cure foundation, they’ve teamed up with the Ohio State basketball team.

Thomas Costello - Land-Grant Holy Land
The Buckeyes saying hi to Landon McChesney on the court following their win over Illinois.

Maybe it’s a coincidence that the Buckeyes fought back shortly after he was honored at halftime, but maybe it wasn't?

Continue reading...

National Championship Game TCU vs. Georgia: Game time, TV schedule, streaming, more
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Just in case you are a glutton for punishment.

Sometimes pain can be good. In its basest form, it can be an instantaneous indication that trouble lies ahead. But, in more cathartic instances, it can serve as a way to harden the more sensitive portions of ourselves to prevent even more extensive damage long-term.

While pain, by definition, hurts in the moment, what’s left behind — be it scars, calluses, or a heretofore unacknowledged truth — can protect us the next time that danger approaches. Thus is the case with tonight’s College Football Playoff National Championship Game.

The No. 3 TCU Horned Frogs will face off against the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs on ESPN beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET, and for Ohio State football fans, this is an opportunity to either embrace the ultimately fortifying benefits of pain or to practice self-care in avoiding the heartache that will inevitably result by tuning in.

All too often in recent years, there has appeared to be something lacking with our beloved Buckeyes; be it any semblance of a reliable defense, or something more ethereal like toughness, a killer instinct, or late-game leadership. Nonetheless, the Buckeyes came up just ever-so-slightly short of playing in tonight’s contest, but still, as a result, feels miles away from where they (and we) want them to be,


Let’s be clear, Ohio State should be playing in this game; should be playing for a national championship tonight were it not for key offensive injuries, were it not for a stupifying reversal on a targeting call, were it not for absolutely horrific play by the defensive secondary, were it not for highly questionable play calling on both sides of the ball down the stretch, were it not for a split-second timeout called by Kirby Smart, were it not for a blown field goal attempt.

If even one of those things above does not happen, Ohio State is likely favored by double digits over the Horned Frogs tonight and Ryan Day is making like Steve Young and miming pulling an invisible monkey off of his literal and proverbial back as he hoists the trophy pictured at the top of this article. Instead, we, as Buckeye fans, are now subjected to another offseason of hand-wringing, concern trolling, and uncertainty as opportunity, optimism, and goodwill have seemingly dissipated from the collective conscience of the vocalist of minorities online.

So, if you are a glutton for punishment, some sort of college football masochist, or an unrepentant college football obsessive, there is one more game to watch tonight. But, if you do watch, just make sure to check in with your sponsor in the morning and embrace the benefits of the pain that you are voluntarily subjecting yourself to.

When is the game and how can I watch it?


Game Date/Time: Monday, Jan. 9 at 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Los Angeles, Cali.
TV: ESPN
Online: Sling TV

DraftKings Sportsbook line: Georgia -12.5 | o/u 63

SP+ Prediction: Georgia 34.9, TCU 24.0

Official LGHL Prediction: We don’t care

Matt’s Official Prediction: I predict I will not be watching

Join the conversation


Below is your College Football National Championship GameThread. Be respectful, be kind and — as always — keep it classy, BuckeyeNation. If you like GIFs, lay ‘em on us. In all, be good fans, cheer for your teams, be cool to each other (even if somebody else isn’t) and everyone wins. Let’s finish the season strong!

Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.

Continue reading...

Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for January 9, 2023
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.

Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.

Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.

You’re welcome!

For your Earholes...


Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio

On the Gridiron


National Championship Game TCU vs. Georgia: Game time, TV schedule, streaming, more
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land

You’re Nuts: Best thing to do instead of watching the National Championship game
Jami Jurich and Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land

Ohio State has three signees named Gatorade State Players of the Year
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

This seems promising:


Which Ohio State football 2023 recruits are expected to enroll early?
Stephen Means, cleveland.com

What Miyan Williams returning means for Buckeyes (paywall)
Austin Ward, Dotting the Eyes

What Miyan Williams return means for tailback room, Buckeyes offense (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

What Ohio State is getting in former Syracuse safety Ja’Had Carter
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

Check out the latest episode of “PLAG”:


Watch: After biding his time, McCord ready to compete for OSU starting QB job
Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts

Storylines to track for Buckeyes after busy first week of offseason (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row

Ryan Day’s big-game record took a hit on New Year’s Eve, but bad luck is at least partially to blame
Josh Dooley, Land-Grant Holy Land

Despite Finishing as a top-25 Scoring Defense in 2022, Job One for Jim Knowles in 2023 Is Limiting Big Plays
Chris Lauderback, Eleven Warriors

Three desired 2023 resolutions for Ohio State football
Chip Minnich, Land-Grant Holy Land

#DevelopedHere


Ex-Ohio State WRs Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, make NFL history with 1,000-yard seasons
Cameron Salerno, 247Sports

Across the Shield: Cameron Heyward Dominates in Season Finale, Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson Make History and Nick Bosa Secures NFL Sack Title
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors

On the Hardwood


No. 24 Ohio State men fight back, but fall to Maryland 80-73
Justin Golba, Land-Grant Holy Land

Felix Okpara, Ohio State struggle with Zed Key sidelined at Maryland
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch

Here’s something good that’s OSU MBB related:


No. 3 Ohio State women come back from 17 down to beat Illinois 87-81
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land

Hear the full postgame press conference following the WBB win on Sunday:

Outside the Shoe and Schott


Men’s Ice Hockey: No. 12 Ohio State Completes Sweep, Shuts Out No. 14 Spartans 6-0
Jacob Benge, The Lantern

Wrestling: Pair Earn Second-Place Finishes in Edinboro Sunday
Ohio State Athletics

Women’s Gymnastics: Buckeyes Win Season Opener in Front of Sold Out Covelli Crowd
Ohio State Athletics

And now for something completely different...


Continue reading...

National Championship Game TCU vs. Georgia: Game time, TV schedule, streaming, more
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Just in case you are a glutton for punishment.

Sometimes pain can be good. In its basest form, it can be an instantaneous indication that trouble lies ahead. But, in more cathartic instances, it can serve as a way to harden the more sensitive portions of ourselves to prevent even more extensive damage long-term.

While pain, by definition, hurts in the moment, what’s left behind — be it scars, calluses, or a heretofore unacknowledged truth — can protect us the next time that danger approaches. Thus is the case with tonight’s College Football Playoff National Championship Game.

The No. 3 TCU Horned Frogs will face off against the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs on ESPN beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET, and for Ohio State football fans, this is an opportunity to either embrace the ultimately fortifying benefits of pain or to practice self-care in avoiding the heartache that will inevitably result by tuning in.

All too often in recent years, there has appeared to be something lacking with our beloved Buckeyes; be it any semblance of a reliable defense, or something more ethereal like toughness, a killer instinct, or late-game leadership. Nonetheless, the Buckeyes came up just ever-so-slightly short of playing in tonight’s contest, but still, as a result, feels miles away from where they (and we) want them to be,


Let’s be clear, Ohio State should be playing in this game; should be playing for a national championship tonight were it not for key offensive injuries, were it not for a stupifying reversal on a targeting call, were it not for absolutely horrific play by the defensive secondary, were it not for highly questionable play calling on both sides of the ball down the stretch, were it not for a split-second timeout called by Kirby Smart, were it not for a blown field goal attempt.

If even one of those things above does not happen, Ohio State is likely favored by double digits over the Horned Frogs tonight and Ryan Day is making like Steve Young and miming pulling an invisible monkey off of his literal and proverbial back as he hoists the trophy pictured at the top of this article. Instead, we, as Buckeye fans, are now subjected to another offseason of hand-wringing, concern trolling, and uncertainty as opportunity, optimism, and goodwill have seemingly dissipated from the collective conscience of the vocalist of minorities online.

So, if you are a glutton for punishment, some sort of college football masochist, or an unrepentant college football obsessive, there is one more game to watch tonight. But, if you do watch, just make sure to check in with your sponsor in the morning and embrace the benefits of the pain that you are voluntarily subjecting yourself to.

When is the game and how can I watch it?


Game Date/Time: Monday, Jan. 9 at 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Los Angeles, Cali.
TV: ESPN
Online: Sling TV

DraftKings Sportsbook line: Georgia -12.5 | o/u 63

SP+ Prediction: Georgia 34.9, TCU 24.0

Official LGHL Prediction: We don’t care

Matt’s Official Prediction: I predict I will not be watching

Join the conversation


Below is your College Football National Championship GameThread. Be respectful, be kind and — as always — keep it classy, BuckeyeNation. If you like GIFs, lay ‘em on us. In all, be good fans, cheer for your teams, be cool to each other (even if somebody else isn’t) and everyone wins. Let’s finish the season strong!

Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.

Continue reading...

We’ll talk about this later: Toys for everyone, an apropos touchdown and nothing but love
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

Your dose of lighthearted takes from this week’s happenings. Or, in this case, just a lot of heart.

Each week, we’ll break down something that happened during the Ohio State game (and occasionally other games and events) that we’ll be talking about for a while—you know, the silly sideline interactions, the awful announcing and the weird storylines that stick with us for years to come. We’ll also compare each of these happenings to memorable moments in pop culture, because who doesn’t love a good Office reference?

Sorry folks, this one isn’t exactly lighthearted, but it’s got a lot of heart.

Last Monday night, the world stopped for a moment as Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field in the Bills’ Monday Night Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The game stopped. Nothing else in sports mattered for days.

As we anxiously sat refreshing our news feeds, hoping for good news on Damar’s condition, another story began to emerge. Damar had started a GoFundMe to purchase toys for kids in his community. He had hoped to raise $2,500. As folks searched for news and found this page, thousands and thousands of people began donating. Within hours, the fundraiser had pulled in more than $3 million in donations.


The gifts kept coming in as Buffalo fans, non-Buffalo fans, sports fans and non-sports fans alike rallied for a way to do anything to support the 24-year old laying in critical condition in Cincinnati. Many fantasy football leagues, whose final weeks were left undecided with the game’s cancellation, donated their collective purses to the cause. As of Sunday afternoon, folks had donated nearly $8.5 million.


We collectively rejoiced when we heard Damar was awake and communicating through writing. We cheered when we heard his breathing tube was removed and he was making steady progress. We continued to hope and pray for a continued recovery. And we probably cried a little as tributes poured in throughout the weekend from NFL teams honoring Damar in their own ways, including in Cincinnati, where Damar was still hospitalized.


And then Sunday, in a moment of absolute poetry, Nyheim Hines ran back the opening kick for Buffalo against New England.


And it was clear who everyone was thinking of.


From the absolute terror we felt last week, it’s been beautiful to see once again how sports have the power to unite and bring love and kindness into the world. From all the kids who will eventually benefit from Damar’s charity to the unity we’ve seen throughout the NFL and beyond — there’s nothing but love for Damar.


Continue reading...

LGHL Uncut Podcast: McGuff, Mikesell and McMahon discuss marquee win over Illinois
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The mood wasn’t all smiles following the 17-point comeback.

Throughout the year, Land-Grant Holy Land will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.


Following a program record-breaking 17-point second half comeback victory over the Illinois Fighting Illini, the Ohio State women’s basketball team wasn’t in the celebrating spirit. The 87-81 win had its positives, but there are reoccurring areas to improve, as highlighted after the game with head coach Kevin McGuff, guard Taylor Mikesell and forward Cotie McMahon.

Coach McGuff is up first. He didn’t mince words when he discussed how the Buckeyes were embarrassing the program in front of a raucous crowd at the Schottenstein Center in the first half. Also, the key factor in what changed in the second half, the performance of McMahon and defining a favorite phrase for the coach — “competitive character.”

Then, Mikesell talks about how Ohio State needs to stop needing to come back like they have this season, but taking value in learning that lesson in a win over a defeat.

McMahon finishes availability off talking about similar items to her teammate and coach, but also goes into more detail about competitive character. Specifically, going out on the hunt in the second half against teams.

The freshman also shares what Coach McGuff said in the second half to get the team prepared to go on a 25-8 run in the third quarter, on the Buckeyes’ way to a perfect 17-0 record on the year.


Connect with Thomas:

Twitter: @1ThomasCostello

Theme music provided by www.bensound.com

Continue reading...

Four-star DL from Chicago includes Ohio State among top group
Bret Favachio via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Justin Scott | 247Sports

The Buckeyes have put themselves in striking distance for a highly-regarded interior defensive lineman from Illinois.

Ohio State and defensive line coach Larry Johnson saw their efforts for a highly-coveted defensive tackle pay off after he included them in his group of finalists. Plus, the Buckeyes officially jump into the picture for an Arkansas signal-caller with their latest offer.

Scott reveals top schools list


It was just a handful of months ago that Ohio State was prepared to begin their pursuit of 2024 four-star defensive lineman Justin Scott of St. Ignatius (IL), as evidenced by their offer that came about in early September.

The Buckeyes aren’t just another team on the offer sheet for Scott, and he showed as much on Sunday when he narrowed his recruitment and will move along with focus on eight teams in specific. The 6-foot-5, 310-pounder garnered nearly 30 offers, and has since determined that these eight schools are in the best position to land his services.


Scott, along with Ohio State, included Alabama, Colorado, Miami (FL), Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon, and USC as the competition for the Chicago native. The Buckeyes welcomed the Illinois standout to campus for a visit in October, and a return visit for Scott would likely go a long way for the chances of ultimately bringing him into the fold.

Despite falling outside of the Top 50 prospects overall for the time being, Scott does grade out as the eighth-best defensive lineman in the class. The Ohio State target also ranks as the second-highest graded player in the cycle from the state of Illinois.

Buckeyes offer Murphy


While Scott including Ohio State as a finalist was the big recruiting story of the weekend, the Buckeyes also made sure to get active on the trail by dipping into the state of Arkansas for their latest offer.

On Saturday, it was 2025 athlete Quentin Murphy of Joe T. Robinson (AR) that picked up an offer from Ohio State, and could be setting himself up to be a top target at the quarterback position along with Ryan Montgomery and Bryce Underwood.


The Buckeyes joined Alabama, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and a few other programs as early offers for the 6-foot-3, 180-pounder.

Quick Hits

• Ohio State welcomed a host of early enrollees in the 2023 recruiting class to campus this weekend. Among the near dozen that arrived on Sunday include Malik Hartford, Jermaine Mathews, Luke Montgomery, Joshua Padilla, Bryson Rodgers, Noah Rogers, Austin Siereveld, Will Smith, Carnell Tate, Jelani Thurman, and Miles Walker.
• The Buckeyes saw arguably their top safety target in 2024 come off of the board when four-star safety Peyton Woodyard of St. John Bosco (CA) announce his pledge to Georgia. With Woodyard off to Athens, expect Ohio State to ramp up their pursuit of five-star safety KJ Bolden of Buford (GA) — the No. 4 player in the country.
• A pair of former Ohio State defensive backs found their new homes this weekend, as Jaylen Johnson is headed to Memphis — where he will reunite with former Buckeye assistant Matt Barnes — and JK Johnson is off to Baton Rouge in a move reminiscent to that of Sevyn Banks last offseason. According to David Johnson of Inside The Rebels, defensive end Javonte Jean-Baptiste, who entered the portal early last week, is scheduled to take a visit to Ole Miss.

Continue reading...

Maybe this is exactly what is supposed to happen. Just saying.

Transferring to Memphis:

Login to view embedded media

By transferring to Memphis, Johnson reunites with former Ohio State safeties coach Matt Barnes, who was his position coach at OSU in 2021 and is now entering his second year as the defensive coordinator at Memphis. He becomes the second Buckeye in two years to transfer to Memphis, joining former Ohio State defensive end Cormontae Hamilton, who recorded 46 tackles with six tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks in his first year at Memphis after playing only sparingly in three years as a Buckeye.

Click to expand...

https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...safety-jaylen-johnson-transferring-to-memphis

No. 24 Ohio State men fight back, but fall to Maryland 80-73
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images

A 14-0 Maryland run to start the second half doomed the Buckeyes after leading by five at halftime.

Following a last-second loss to the Purdue Boilermakers on Thursday, the No. 24 Ohio State Buckeyes (10-5, 2-2) traveled to College Park to take on the Maryland Terrapins (11-5, 2-3). After leading by five at the half, the Buckeyes fell to the Terrapins to record an 0-2 week.

Maryland has had a roller coaster start to their season, as the team went from unranked in the preseason AP Poll all the way to 13th in the country after a 20-point win over Miami. However, Maryland came into this one 1-3 in conference play and scored just 96 points in their last two games combined.

Ohio State is coming off a heartbreaking loss to No. 1 Purdue after leading 69-66 with 40 seconds left and Purdue scored the final five points to win the game 71-69.

Both teams came into this one looking for a win to get back on track.

The buckets were flowing early, as Sean McNeil picked up where he left off and had six early points for the Buckeyes. McNeil had the three-pointer that gave Ohio State a 69-66 lead against Purdue with 40 seconds left on Thursday night.


As basketball is, this one was a game of runs early. Maryland jumped out to a lead early with the Buckeyes answering and taking a tie of 12-12 to the first media timeout behind two early three-pointers from Sean McNeil. McNeil injured his ankle early in the first half against Purdue but was able to tough it out.

However, that same ankle was stepped on early in this contest as well and he left the game with 12 minutes remaining in the first half.

Maryland was able to take a 23-16 lead after a Donta Scott three-pointer, but Ohio State answered with a 7-0 run over two minutes and 17 seconds, including five points from star freshman Brice Sensabaugh.


After some fairly ugly basketball and fouls, Maryland took a 31-26 lead after back-to-back offensive rebounds and four points by Maryland guard and Charlotte transfer Jahmir Young.

The Buckeyes answered out of the Chris Holtmann timeout with a quick five-point run after two free throws from Tanner Holden and another three-pointer by Brice Sensabaugh. Sensabaugh is shooting the three at a 46 percent clip to start the season.

This run forced a Maryland timeout with just under three minutes remaining in the first half.

Justice Sueing got a putback basket on the Sensabaugh miss and two free throws from Young tied the score at 33.


The Buckeyes closed the half on a 6-1 run after the tie game and on a 13-3 run total to take a 39-34 lead into the half.

Justice Sueing and Brice Sensabaugh led the way for the Buckeyes in the opening half, both recording 11 points. Sensabaugh added four rebounds and Sueing added three rebounds.


For Maryland, Jahmir Young recorded 13 points and eight rebounds in the first half, including four offensive rebounds.

Julian Reese recorded six points and five rebounds in the first half. The Buckeyes held leading scorer Donta Scott to just three first-half points and 1-for-5 shooting from the field.

Maryland outrebounded the Buckeyes 24-16 in the first half.

In quite possibly the worst two minutes of basketball of the season for the Buckeyes to open the second half, Ohio State had four turnovers in the first 1:42 of the half and Maryland went on a 6-0 run to take a 40-39 lead.

After back-to-back three-pointers from Donta Scott and Don Carey and the Terrapins pushing the lead to 46-39, Ohio State was forced to use a timeout. Maryland started the second half on a 12-0 run.

With the score at 48-39, Isaac Likekele stopped the bleeding for the Buckeyes after getting an offensive rebound and put back. It took the Buckeyes over five minutes to score to open the second half. After three more made baskets from Maryland, the Buckeyes trailed 56-45 with 11:45 remaining in the game.

Maryland started the second half 10-for-13 from the field after finishing the first half just 2-for-17 from the field. Ohio State started the second half 3-for-11 from the field.

Maryland was able to keep the Buckeyes at arm's length, holding a 60-50 lead with 8:55 left in the second half.

Sueing drilled a three-pointer to make the score 60-53 and give Ohio State a 7-0 run over the span of just one minute. This run also came with Ohio State's leading scorer Brice Sensabaugh on the bench.


Two free throws from Brice Sensabaugh cut the Ohio State deficit to just three and Maryland held a 62-59 lead with 5:56 left. Two free throws from Maryland’s Hakim Hart gave Maryland a 64-59 lead.

Sueing recorded a basket after a three-point play by Jahmir Young for Maryland and Ohio State took a timeout down four with 4:27 left in the game.

Roddy Gayle went on a 5-0 run after a three-pointer and a floater in the lane, but Maryland continued to get to the free-throw line and make the Buckeyes pay for it. The Terrapins led 72-68 with 1:29 left in the game.

With a 74-68 lead, Justice Sueing missed a good look at a three-pointer and Sensabaugh fouled out with 46 seconds left in the game.

Maryland clinched the game at the free throw line and won the game 80-73.

Maryland’s Jahmir Young had a career game, scoring 30 points and grabbing 11 rebounds to lead the Terrapins. Maryland finished with five players in double figures, all starters and only recorded six bench points.

Brice Sensabaugh had 22 points but fouled out and Justice Sueing had 21 points to lead Ohio State.

Bouncing back


This season, the Buckeyes are 3-0 coming off a loss. They took down Cincinnati after losing to San Diego State, took down St. Francis (PA) after losing to Duke, and defeated Maine after falling to North Carolina.

The Buckeyes have also won those three games by an average margin of 33 points, leaving little doubt in any of those games.

Best in the country


After the game against Purdue, the Buckeyes rose to the number one spot on KenPom.com in adjusted offensive efficiency at 119.0. The Buckeyes have been high on the list in offensive efficiency over the last three seasons with guys like E.J. Liddell, Duane Washington, and Malaki Branham, but have yet to hit the top mark.

The Buckeyes still have work to do on defense, as they currently rank 77 in adjusted defensive efficiency at 97.2.

College Park is no friend to Ohio State


It has been tough sledding for the Buckeyes at Maryland since the Terrapins joined the Big Ten.

The Buckeyes entered this contest just 1-5 at the Xfinity Center and an average margin of defeat of 16.2 points per game. The Buckeyes also suffered a 100-65 loss to Maryland in College Park in Chris Holtmann’s first year during the 2016-17 season.

It has been a different story against Maryland in Columbus, as the Buckeyes are 3-0 against Maryland at home.

Okpara gets first start


For the first time this season, freshman center Felix Okpara recorded his first start of the season and of his career. Zed Key had previously started in all 14 games this season.

The rest of the starting lineup was the same, as Bruce Thornton, Sean McNeil, Brice Sensabaugh, and Justice Sueing received the start.

Quick to the bench


While Okpara got his first start of the season, it only took two minutes and 39 seconds for head coach Chris Holtmann to go to the bench to replace him. Junior guard Eugene Brown was subbed in for Okpara and the Buckeyes went with a small ball lineup with Maryland’s tallest player being Julian Reese, who is listed at 6’9.

Foul trouble early


In the first five minutes of the game and before the first media timeout, Maryland forward and top scorer Donta Scott was charged with two fouls and had to spend some early time on the bench.

For the Buckeyes, freshman center Felix Okpara had three fouls in the first half, Bruce Thornton had two fouls in the first half and picked up his third early in the second half and Eugene Brown had two fouls in the first half.

You get a tech, you get a tech


In one of the weirder moments in the game, Maryland head coach Kevin Willard received an early technical foul for leaving the coach's box and use not so nice language toward the officials.

Then, towards the end of the first half, Maryland’s Ian Martinez and Ohio State’s Tanner Holden received double technical fouls after Holden put his knee into Martinez's back during a loose ball, and Martinez took exception, pushing Holden. Those technical fouls offset.

Julian Reese also received a technical foul for Maryland in the second half for taunting Ohio State's Eugene Brown after making a basket over him and that led to a quick four points for Ohio State.

Maryland rolls to start the second half


Ohio State led 39-34 at the half, but the Terrapins took full control of the game to start the second half, opening up an 11-point lead in the first seven minutes of the half and going on a 22-6 run to take a 56-45 lead.

Ohio State had six turnovers in that stretch and just three baskets.

Up Next:


As we get into the heart of conference play, the Buckeyes will come back to Columbus and take on the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Thursday, January 12 at 6:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

Minnesota has struggled this season and sits at 6-8 overall and 0-3 in conference play.

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No. 3 Ohio State women come back from 17 down to beat Illinois 87-81
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ohio State University athletic department

The Buckeyes faced another test, and needed to cram for a strong second half comeback.

The Ohio State women’s basketball team overcame every challenge they’ve faced so far in the 2022-23 season, including four wins against ranked opponents and losing two starting point guards. On Sunday, a season seemingly full of tests welcomed one of the largest against an unlikely opponent — the Illinois Fighting Illini.

In a battle between No. 1 and No. 2 in the Big Ten, Ohio State continued to show they’re up for the challenges that come their way, beating the Illini 86-81.

There was deserved hype entering Sunday’s game, with Ohio State sitting at 16-0 and Illinois starting 14-2. Both teams were in the middle of the best starts to a season in their respective program histories. In the first quarter, the game matched the hype.

Illinois got things going off the jump, with guard Genesis Bryant — the back-to-back B1G Player of the Week — hitting a three-point shot. It was Bryant’s first of 10 points she scored in the first quarter.

The Buckeyes had an answer for the Illini at every turn. Ohio State attacked the basket and got to the free throw line 10 times in the first quarter, hitting nine. In the run of play, they were hitting big shots too.

Guard Taylor Mikesell and forward Rebeka Mikulášiková made a combined three shots from deep. On the boards, guard/forward Taylor Thierry cleaned up. Thierry grabbed three in the first quarter, the best coming near the end of the quarter. After getting the defensive rebound, Thierry found Mikesell charging down the court alone for a Hail Mary pass and layup.

Unfortunately for the Buckeyes’ defense, they had difficulties going up against Illinois forward Kendall Bostic. The leader in the Big Ten in rebounds per game scored eight points and had four rebounds in the first quarter. Those Bostic points came off teammates finding the forward in the paint and grabbing their misses, with two of her four rebounds coming offensively. The game was tied 22-22 at the end of one quarter, in an evenly-matched start to the game.

Bostic continued her reign of terror induced on the Ohio State defense in the second quarter. The forward continued getting the ball under the basket and making easy layups. So much so, that Buckeyes head coach Kevin McGuff called a timeout as a Bostic layup put the visitors up 32-24 with much of the second quarter left.

The rest of the game leading into halftime was the Scarlet & Gray trying to keep the deficit manageable for the final two quarters. Point guard Makira Cook didn’t give the Buckeyes much of a chance. Cook, the former Dayton Flyer, played a strong second quarter, scoring six points and breaking through the Buckeyes' defense.

Ohio State’s shooting wasn’t helping. The Buckeyes were outshot 73.3% to 40%. For every two points the home team scored, the visitors had four to five. Illinois outscored Ohio State 25-15 in the second quarter and went into halftime down 47-37.

Off the second-half inbound, Mikesell hit a three to pull the Ohio State deficit down to seven, but indicative of how the game went to that point, Bryant scored a three of her own on the next possession, with Mikesell’s hand in her face. Then it got worse for the home team.

Illinois started the third quarter outscoring Ohio State 10-3, increasing their lead to 17 points. Coach McGuff called another early-quarter time-out to collect his team and regroup for the 16 minutes of basketball remaining.

Forward Cotie McMahon wasn’t as impressed with the run. Out of the timeout, McMahon went on a seven-point run single-handedly. Illinois helped with two turnovers in consecutive offensive possessions and suddenly the game was back to a 10-point Illinois lead.

The Buckeyes had a response of all responses, outscoring the Illini 25-8 in the last 6:56 of the third quarter. Ohio State got rid of the entire 17-point deficit thanks to all five starters getting on the scoresheet in the quarter.

Outside of McMahon’s 10, Mikesell had eight with two threes. Thierry had four points and three rebounds of her own.

At the end of three, the Buckeyes tied the game at 65 apiece with 10 minutes remaining. It took Ohio State a little over four minutes to cut away the lead too.

Starting the fourth quarter off for Ohio State was guard Rikki Harris. The starting point guard hit a three to put the Buckeyes up three, their largest lead of the game to that point.

Ohio State kept rolling. Mikesell took the torch from McMahon and became the catalyst of the Buckeyes’ offense. The guard shot perfectly for the first four minutes of the quarter, scoring seven points.

Of those seven, three came from impressive team basketball. In a play where every Buckeye touched the ball, players went to the basket and found open teammates. Then repeated it three times before passing around to find an open Mikesell who drained the deep shot.

After the three, Mikesell stole the ball on the inbound and hit a layup.

It put the Buckeyes up eight with just over half the quarter to go, but Illinois fought back. The visitors brought the lead down to five after two Buckeye offensive possessions ended in misses by McMahon and Mikesell.

Even so, Ohio State held on with big play by the entire team, beating the Illini 87-81.

Cotie McMahon Battles


McMahon’s 22 points aren't her NCAA high, but Sunday was a top performance of her freshman career.

The Centerville, Ohio native was the spark that got the Buckeyes going in the third. McMahon shot 60% from the floor and hit 10-13 free throws. Also, the energy she brought propelled the Scarlet And Gray.

Taylor Mikesell Rises Up


Following the win against the Minnesota Golden Gophers, Minnesota media asked Mikesell what she does to improve her shooting after having a couple less than average performances. Paraphrasing Mikesell, she said she’s not changing a thing and she’ll keep shooting.

On Sunday, that shooting was on display. Mikesell went on a 7-2 run in the fourth quarter for Ohio State. Part of a 31-point night for the Northeast Ohioan.

What’s Next


Ohio State doesn't play again until Saturday when they travel west to Nebraska. The Buckeyes face a Cornhuskers’ side that’s looked good, bad, and great throughout the 2022-23 season. That game tips off at 2:30 p.m. ET

After the Scarlet & Gray return to Columbus, they have a two-game streak at home. It starts against the Northwestern Wildcats on Jan. 19 before Ohio State plays a game circled on the schedule for many Big Ten fans, Jan. 23 against the No. 16 Iowa Hawkeyes.

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No. 3 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. Illinois: Game preview and prediction
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Twitter | @IlliniWBB

It’s a game that suddenly feels like one of the biggest challenges of the season for the Buckeyes

Sunday, the Ohio State women’s basketball team is back home for the first time since New Year’s Eve. Like that game, Sunday’s matchup carries excitement and features a tough challenge for the Buckeyes. While it doesn’t include a rivalry like the Scarlet & Gray’s victory over the Michigan Wolverines, the Illinois Fighting Illini travel to Columbus playing the best basketball for their program in over 20 years.

Preview


In recent history, the Buckeyes and Fighting Illini hasn’t been the most exciting of games on the women’s basketball calendar. Ohio State enters the game with five-straight wins, and is 27-5 overall against Illinois in games played in Columbus. This year has all the makings of Illinois making it a contest.

That’s because the Illini are an all-new team. In the offseason, Illinois hired former Dayton Flyers coach Shauna Green to the same role with the team from Champaign, Illinois. Since then, Illinois is 9-0 at home, won 11 games before Christmas for the first time in program history and upset guard Caitlin Clark and the then No. 12 Iowa Hawkeyes.

Green has won with only five returning Illinois players from the 2021-22 season. She has Illinois sitting at 14-2 with transfers, former players from Dayton and a couple standouts from the preview Illini roster.

In the returning player department are forward Kendall Bostic and guard Adalia McKenzie.

Bostic’s name isn’t up there with the likes of Indiana’s Mackenzie Holmes or Monika Czinano, but it should be. The former Michigan State underclassman transferred to Illinois last season. Bostic’s debut season ended with the 6-foot-2 forward leading the Big Ten in rebounding, grabbing 11.4 boards per game.

What put her out of the conversation was scoring. Last year, Bostic averaged 7.4 points, starting all 27 games for the Illini. In two games against the Buckeyes during 2021-22, Bostic had 16 rebounds per game, for 32 alone against the Scarlet & Gray, hitting a double-double in each.

This season, Bostic has four double-doubles, with two in a row heading into Sunday. Illinois gets her the ball as her teammates attack the basket. Once the extra defender joins in to stop the layup attempt, Bostic’s teammates know that the forward is waiting in the paint and get her the ball. Not only is her scoring increasing, defensively she’s thriving.

After getting 19 blocks all of last season, Bostic has 29 this year. Creating issues for players trying to get into the paint.

The other returning Illini is Adalia McKenzie. While her teammate, guard Genesis Bryant, is garnering a lot of deserved attention lately, McKenzie’s performances stand out too.

Thursday, against the Northwestern Wildcats, McKenzie scored 14 points, but went strong towards the basket, something Ohio State struggled with at times against the Golden Gophers, and found open teammates.

That’s another thing about the Illini, they move the ball quickly and find open teammates fast. That gives Illinois a lot of chances from beyond the arc, and they hit them better than anyone in the country.

Currently, Illinois leads NCAA Division I women’s basketball hitting 41.9% of their three-point attempts. Scoring those baskets are guards Bryant, Jada Peebles and Dayton transfer Makira Cook.


For more on Bryant, the back-to-back B1G Co-Player of the Week since starting for the Illini in December was highlighted in the latest Land-Grant Holy Land B1G women’s basketball update. Ohio State won’t have any time to rest when the NC State transfer is on the court.

Peebles leads the conference shooting 51.6% from deep, and Bryant and Cook aren’t far behind. The work of those three guards grabs attention, but that attention means Bostic gets open more often than teams would like.

If Ohio State wants to neutralize their shooting once they get into their half court defense, the speed and athleticism of forward Cotie McMahon and guard/forward hybrid Taylor Thierry will be crucial. The two, plus forward Rebeka Mikulášiková, have their hands full, but the Buckeyes’ half court defense has looked better in the last two weeks, especially in their 66-57 win over the Michigan Wolverines.

Should Illinois handle the Buckeyes press well, Ohio State won’t have much time to get back on defense. Illinois moves quickly in transition too, not giving the Buckeyes much rest, although Ohio State is likely the best conditioned team in the conference based on how they defend in the full court.

For all the warranted accolades of the Illini’s offense, their defense can be broken. Although they allow less points than the Buckeyes per game, Thursday against the Wildcats, at home, an 18-point third quarter lead dwindled down to two with 5:18 left in the game. Northwestern did that by attacking the basket. Throwing layup after layup at the Illini, something that wasn’t clicking for them in the first half, even though the Wildcats had their chances.

Projected Starters

Lineup Notes

• Mikulášiková returned to double-digit scoring, putting up 15 points against the Gophers Thursday — all on three-point shots.
• Guard Rikki Harris has 21 assists in four games since becoming the starting point guard. She had 26 in her first 12 games.
• Thierry passed her rebound total from last year (103), reaching 104 rebounds this season after grabbing 12 against the Gophers.

Lineup Notes

• Guard Makira Cook and forward Brynn Shoup-Hill both came to Illinois with Green from the Dayton Flyers.
• Bryant’s 14.6 points per game is the best of her NCAA career after two seasons playing a substitute role with the NC State Wolfpack.
• All five starters hit double-digit points for the Illini in their 85-79 win over Northwestern.

Preview


This game, like the Michigan game, seems evenly matched and anything could happen. Ohio State’s strength is their experience, and it’ll show again on Sunday. Even if the Buckeyes go down, the expectation is that they fight back and claw their way into the game again.

With a veteran Buckeyes team, with only one new player in their starting lineup compared to last season, they’ll have the advantage in chemistry over the Illini.

Thierry will get her first double-double of her NCAA career, and have a strong offensive performance.

However, it’s going to be tight. Ohio State hasn’t shown they can stop Bostic after the Buckeyes’ two wins last season. The Scarlet & Gray’s shots will fall and allow the press to force turnovers.

It also wouldn’t be a surprise at all if that clawing back falls short and Ohio State loses their first game of the season.

How to Watch


Date: Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023
Time: 1 p.m. ET
Where: Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio
Stream: B1G+

LGHL Prediction: 88-84 Ohio State Buckeyes

Still No Sheldon


Most questions surrounding the Buckeyes women’s basketball team are about point guard Jacy Sheldon. The team’s defensive press leader, grabbing 30 steals in just five games to star the year, hasn’t played since Nov. 30 against the Louisville Cardinals.

Don’t expect her back for Sunday’s game. Sheldon was still in a boot in Minneapolis this week, but one less crutch — so maybe that’s progress? Even so, head coach Kevin McGuff’s made it clear that there’s no timetable on her return, outside of saying she’ll return this season.

Ohio State is playing the long game with this injury. Also, being undefeated and the No. 3 in the country doesn’t take up a lot of real estate in the coach’s brain. With that said, he’s not going to rush Sheldon back and make her lower leg injury worse.

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No. 24 Ohio State men’s basketball vs. Maryland: Game preview and prediction
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

The Buckeyes and Terps are both looking to bounce back from Big Ten losses last week.

The grind of conference play has officially begun and the No. 24 Ohio State Buckeyes men’s basketball team (10-4, 2-1) is looking to bounce back from a loss to the top-ranked team in the nation when they face the Maryland Terrapins (10-5, 1-3) this afternoon in College Park.

The Buckeyes fell to 2-1 in Big Ten play after their heartbreaking loss to No. 1 Purdue in Columbus Thursday night. The Boilermakers emerged with a 71-69 victory while Ohio State had to stomach its second home loss of the season.

Ohio State led 36-33 at the break, but the two teams kept things at a razor-thin margin throughout the second half. And unfortunately for the Buckeyes, their elite, clean performance against possibly their toughest opponent of the season came up short after a costly Justice Sueing turnover late in the game that gave Purdue the ball, a shot and a three-point play to stay ahead for good.

Freshman forward Brice Sensabaugh continued his phenomenal run with a team-high 21 points and five rebounds on the evening. The only other player in double-figures was the senior forward Sueing, who had 15 points on the night. It didn’t help that junior forward Zed Key left the game with zero points in four minutes after suffering a shoulder sprain. In a two-point game, his scoring volume was definitely missed.

Freshman center Felix Okpara filled in effectively from a defensive perspective (guarding Purdue’s 7-foot-4 center and the conference’s best scorer Zach Edey, no less). It was an impressive performance in 31 minutes from a player who’d been averaging under 14 this season. In all, Ohio State had eight steals and four blocks against Purdue.

Ohio State shot 50% from the field, including 43% from three-point range. Unfortunately, the Boilermakers dominated the Buckeyes on the glass, out-rebounding Ohio State 37-27. Purdue also won the offensive rebounding battle, 16-9.

That last turnover was a painful way to end play, especially since the Buckeyes — who had been struggling with turnovers at various points this season — had just seven against Purdue compared to 14 for the Boilermakers.

It was an early look at two of the favorites for the Big Ten crown and, while Purdue came out on top in round one, the Buckeyes surely have February 19 circled on their calendars for their re-match in West Lafayette.

However, the Buckeyes can’t be looking for revenge too soon, because they have to take care of business this afternoon against a Maryland squad that’s struggled to gain traction with the start of conference play.

Preview

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

The Terps can be a dangerous team, but the squad which started off 8-0 with wins over Miami (FL) and Illinois has now lost five of its last seven games. And Maryland is still seeking its first win of 2023, having lost to Michigan (81-46) and Rutgers (64-50) on the road. Overall, Maryland is 10-5, including 1-3 in conference play.

Maryland fits the vein of the defense-minded teams Ohio State has faced in Big Ten play so far this season. The Terps are particularly adept at defending the long ball, allowing just 29% of opponent three-point attempts. Offensively, Ohio State is making 38% of its attempts.

Maryland is fifth in the conference in scoring defense, allowing 63.3 points per game. Ohio State’s other conference opponents so far this season, Rutgers, Northwestern and Purdue, are first, second and fourth, respectively, in the category, so the Buckeyes at least have experience having faced similar defensive squads.

On the flip side, offensively, Maryland is averaging just over 71 points per game. In a troubling turn for the team, the Terps have scored just 96 points in their last two outings. And the Terps are 13th in the conference in three-point offense, connecting on just 31% of their shots from range.

Senior guard Jahmir Young, who came to Maryland after three seasons with Charlotte, leads the Terps in scoring with 13.9 points per game. Seniors Donta Scott and Hakim Hart are also averaging in double-figures for Maryland so far this season. Scott was particularly hot in the early season stretch but has cooled with the start of Big Ten play.

In Maryland’s most recent outing against Rutgers, the Terps shot just 41% from the field as Young led the team with 13 points. Senior guard Don Carey, a transfer from Georgetown, was the only other Maryland player in double figures with a dozen points on the night. While Maryland and Rutgers were neck-and-neck on rebounds and steals, the Terps had 20 turnovers to Rutgers’ 13.

The second-straight double-digit loss was a blow for the squad which has a tough stretch ahead (after Ohio State, the Terps go on the road at Iowa, return home to face Michigan again, then have to head to Purdue).

Leading Maryland from the bench is Kevin Willard, who is in his first season in College Park after spending 12 seasons at Seton Hall. Willard, who played his college ball at Western Kentucky and Pitt, has experience with turnarounds, having previously righted the ship during his time at both Iona and Seton Hall and winning conference coach of the year honors at both.

Prediction

Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Yet again this season, the Buckeyes find themselves facing a solid defensive opponent in the conference. On two occasions already, Ohio State has emerged on top in two very different game flows (a narrow buzzer-beater versus Rutgers and a totally dominant win against Northwestern).

Maryland owns the overall series against the Buckeyes 10-9. Last year, Ohio State split its two games with Maryland with each team taking its home matchup. Donta Scott led the Terps in the first matchup, a loss in Columbus, with 25 points and six rebounds.

Despite coming off a loss against Purdue, Ohio State seems to be playing better and better basketball as a team. Leading the way is Sensabaugh, who has won Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors for three-straight weeks and is establishing himself as one of the top players in the conference. The newcomer is seventh in the conference in scoring, averaging more than 16 points per game, and has led Ohio State in scoring in six of the last seven games.

The Buckeyes have risen all the way to No. 11 nationally and No. 2 in offensive efficiency according to Kenpom. Importantly, the Buckeyes finally seemed to be back to full strength heading into 2023 with the return of Gene Brown and Isaac Likekele to the lineup, but it didn’t help to be without one of their leading scorers for most of the game Thursday. It was announced Saturday afternoon during the Michigan vs. Michigan State game on FOX that Key, who averages 12.4 points and 7.8 rebounds per game, will not play today against the Terrapins.

Maryland, meanwhile, is sitting at a still-respectable No. 41 per Kenpom. However, Maryland’s recent slump might be a right-sizing of sorts. With a first-year head coach and without its top scorer from last season, the Terps were picked to finish 10th in the conference in the preseason. They rose as high as No. 13 in the nation after their impressive early season run, but offensive struggles that have emerged in recent weeks have exposed some of the gaps that will only become more salient as conference play continues.

Recent trajectories would seem to favor Ohio State (yes, even with the loss to the Boilermakers) but, as we’ve seen, road games in the Big Ten are no joke. We also can’t ignore the fact that both of Maryland’s recent double-digit losses came in tough road environments.

And Ohio State cannot underestimate facing a reeling squad that’s desperate to get back to winning ways before things spiral out of control.

ESPN BPI: Ohio State 55.4%

Time: 1 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

LGHL score prediction: Ohio State 74, Maryland 67

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Game Notes: No. 3 Ohio State avoids upset in Minnesota
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ohio State University Athletic Department

The Buckeyes 12-point win doesn’t reflect a tough night against the Golden Gophers.

The Ohio State women’s basketball team continues their record-breaking season on Thursday. Against the Minnesota Golden Gophers, the Buckeyes won 83-71 thanks to key performances from multiple members of the Scarlet & Gray. However, it was anything but comfortable for head coach Kevin McGuff’s side.

Here are some takeaways from the Buckeyes’ 16th win in 16 games.

Ohio State Outperformed


Ultimately, all the matters is the final outcome. Ohio State won and stays atop of the early Big Ten conference standings, and has 13 games remaining in their regular season schedule.

The Buckeyes’ win was like other victories this season. Ohio State goes down, they go down some more and then make a second half push, leaving their opponents in the dust. Entering Thursday, the Scarlet & Gray was the clear favorite against a Minnesota Golden Gophers team starting four freshman and a sophomore.

Appearances aren't always what they seem.

“I thought they played harder, competed better than we did, certainly in the first half,” said coach McGuff.

Ohio State led by five points at the end of the first quarter, but went into halftime down 43-39. Minnesota took the lead through forcing turnovers and getting the ball into the paint. Those turnovers allowed the Gophers to shoot nine more shots than the Buckeyes, and Ohio State couldn't get their press going because of misses and losing the ball.

In the paint, Minnesota out-scored coach McGuff’s side 28-16. It got so bad in the second quarter that the Buckeyes’ coach called a timeout to regroup and bring in forward Eboni Walker to start slowing down the Gophers.

It worked, to an extent, but the home team didn’t relent. Playing the No. 3 team in the country didn’t phase the Gophers. If anything, it energized them.

Guard Rikki Harris and the Buckeyes did better defensively, even if the offensive side of the ball still struggled. The Scarlet & Gray held Minnesota to one three, and their lowest point total of the game for a quarter, up until that point. There’s one area that the Ohio State point guard identified that particularly helped.

“We have to trust each other on the defensive end,” said Harris. “Once we started trusting each other, we played better defensively and then defensive turned into offense.

The final quarter saw that offense shine through. With Minnesota tired from running 30 minutes, the Buckeyes scored the first 14 points of the final quarter, five of which came from the free throw line.

“We finally got the competitive character part right in the second half,” said McGuff. “We buckled down, got a little better defensively, we got some rebounds and I think we were way better running in transition and moving the ball side-to-side to generate quality shots going down the stretch.”

Harris Putting in Work


All the starters for Ohio State were important in the game in different ways. For Harris, she continued her consistent play on the court since jumping into the role with the season-ending injury to Madison Greene on Dec. 20. Harris raised her game though scoring on Thursday.

Harris scored a career-high 19 points. How she scored the points was also on a different level. Harris shot 53.8% from the field, her best in the current stretch of four starts. She also improved at the free throw line, hitting all four of her shots at the charity stripe.

What doesn’t jump out on her stats — but was key in a close game — was turnovers. Harris only gave the ball away once, showing the experience of an upperclassman. Her night won not only the game, but the dub chain.

Taylor Mikesell’s Growing Role


Leading Ohio State in scoring is no surprise, with Taylor Mikesell scoring 22 points. It’s what the guard is known for, but this season continues to show her strengths elsewhere on the court.

For the third time since the Buckeyes went down two starting point guards, Mikesell registered at least a five in three different categories on the scoresheet. Thursday it was seven rebounds and seven assists on top of those 22 points.

It joins a 25-point, five-rebound and six-assist night against the Oregon Ducks, and 16 points, nine rebounds and seven steals against the Northwestern Wildcats.

Mikesell was doing it all Thursday, and she made her teammates better with fellow splash sister Jacy Sheldon still out with a lower leg injury.


After the game, Mikesell was asked about one area that’s down for her this season — shooting. Especially against the Michigan Wolverines, where Mikesell shot 25% from the floor. Mikesell’s field goal, three-point and free throw percentages are all down this season, slightly. The question was about what she needed to improve, and her answer was classic Mikesell.

“Nothing, just keep shooting,” said Mikesell. “At the end of the day its going to go in, so you just gotta keep shooting.”

Thierry and McMahon the Foundation


For all the great guard play over the 40 minutes of the game, it was the play of forward/guard Taylor Thierry and forward Cotie McMahon that calmed the ship for Ohio State.

The Buckeyes entered the game down in rebounding margin to their opponents, which is no shock, but against the Gophers their 19 combined rebounds put the Buckeyes up 45-40 in the rebounding department.

It didn’t come up more than in the second half. Thierry had eight in the second half alone, split half-and-half defensively and offensively, even though her seven points scored was below her season average.

McMahon had a tough first half, giving up bad turnovers where it seemed like her timing was off from her teammates. The last 20 minutes of the game, McMahon made those early transgressions in the game disappear. McMahon scored seven points and grabbed five rebounds in the last two quarters, and led the Buckeyes in +/- on the day.

Forward Rebeka Mikulášiková also came up big, hitting five threes for 15 points on the night. To read more about the Slovakian’s performance, check out the game recap.

Record Broken


This year has been Ohio State adding new lines to the program record book. Sheldon’s 11 steals in a game were an individual mark, and up until Thursday the team tied for their best start of the season since they became an official NCAA program in 1965.

Against the Golden Gophers, the win is the Buckeyes’ 16th in a row to start the year, now all alone in the University’s women’s basketball history. After the game, McGuff was asked if it broke the record.

“I don’t know,” said McGuff. “I’m not good at that stuff.”

An Almost Loss


People say that losing creates valuable lessons, but Ohio State doesn’t have any of them to look upon and learn. Thursday was really only the second time Ohio State was in a position to lose a game late. The other coming against the USF Bulls in the San Diego Invitational.

While neither turned into a loss, the USF game, which needed overtime and a swing in the final minute of that overtime to pull out a victory, was a catalyst for improved play on the other side of the result.

There’s a lot to take from Thursday’s game, like finding better shots, playing better defense in the paint and trusting each other defensively. If there’s a time to take a step in those departments, its now with the 14-2 Illinois Fighting Illini and an away trip to the Nebraska Cornhuskers on the horizon.

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Play Like a Girl Podcast: Breaking down the Buckeyes’ breakdown
JamiJurich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The not-so-peachy Peach Bowl. But hey, at least TTUN didn’t win either!

On LGHL’s “Play Like a Girl” podcast, Megan Husslein and Jami Jurich welcome in friends from around the LGHL, Ohio State, and sporting worlds to talk about everything from Ohio State sports to advocacy for women in sports and all the happenings in between.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio


The Buckeyes’ football season concluded on New Year’s Eve with a 42-41 loss to Georgia in the Peach Bowl. How did the Buckeyes go from underdog to first-half confidence to second-half collapse? On this episode, Megan and Jami take a look at what went wrong in this matchup, along with TCU’s brilliant underdog win against TTUN (they know, they know — they doubted the Horned Frogs too. And they were glad to be proven wrong).

The duo also look at Damar Hamlin’s tragic medical emergency in Monday Night’s NFL game, along with the NFL’s response, what to expect for Monday’s National Championship and whether TCU is a good case study for how to use the transfer portal to your advantage.


Contact Megan Husslein
Twitter: @meganhusslein

Contact Jami Jurich
Twitter: @JamiJurich

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Can't lose this game

LGHL Uncut Podcast: Chris Holtmann, Matt Painter, players on Purdue’s win over 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


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Ohio State thought they had this one locked down...until they didn’t.

Throughout the season, Land-Grant Holy Land will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio


No. 24 Ohio State (10-4, 2-1) had a lead with under 30 seconds to go for the seconds time in the past three weeks, but came up short, falling to No. 1 Purdue 71-69 in front of a packed crowd at the Schottenstein Center. A crucial turnover followed by a dagger three-pointer from Purdue did them in and dealt Ohio State their first conference loss of the season.

Following the nail-biter, we first spoke to Matt Painter, who seemed relieved more than anything. He said Ohio State losing Zed Key four minutes into the game “simply was not fair” and gave a ton of praise to the duo of Felix Okpara and Gene Brown for their defensive efforts slowing down 7-foot-4 Zach Edey.

We then heard from Justice Sueing and Sensabaugh, who were short on words for the most part. Sensabaugh did his best to deflect questions that were about his personal stats and development. Sueing took ownership for the costly turnover that ultimately cost his team the win.

Finally, Chris Holtmann spoke and said that he needs to continue to work with Justice on ballhandling and breaking the press. He also said that his team’s strategy to stop Edey worked to a point, but they don’t practice post-trapping a ton.


Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor

Theme music provided by www.bensound.com

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You’re Nuts: Is Brice Sensabaugh a surefire one-and-done?
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

He’s been an offensive juggernaut all season long, but will that translate to being a first-round NBA draftee?

Over the summer and into the pre-season, Chris Holtmann repeatedly told everyone how gifted a scorer Brice Sensabaugh was, how much of a mismatch he was, and much more. He went so far as to say he was the most gifted freshman he’s coached in terms of pure scoring ability — which includes Malaki Branham and E.J. Liddell, too.

Now, that praise has materialized and Sensabaugh is popping up on nearly every NBA mock draft. Is he as good as gone? We’ll discuss in a moment, but first, a recap.


Last week, we debated which of Ohio State’s nine January games was the most important. Justin said it was Ohio State’s matchup with No. 1 Purdue, which coincidentally they lost last night, 71-69. Connor said it was the rematch at Rutgers on Jan. 15, after the controversial ending to Ohio State’s win over Rutgers on Dec. 8.

With 58% of the vote, Justin won. 27% of the people who read agreed with Connor, and the other 15% said it was one of the other seven games this month.

After 82 weeks:

Justin- 36
Connor- 33
Other- 9

(There have been four ties)


As stated at the top, we’re talking about big Brice Sensabaugh this week. He’s showing up in every mock draft, is leading Ohio State in scoring, and is priority No. 1 for opposing defenses as they prepare for the Buckeyes. We knew he’ll enter the NBA Draft at least, but is he a gone already.... in January?

This week’s question: Is Brice Sensabaugh a surefire one-and-done?

Connor: Yes, he’s good as gone

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Enjoy him while you can, Buckeye fans, because Brice Sensabaugh will only be donning the scarlet and gray for about two more months.

Sensabaugh has shown some serious chops on the offensive end. He’s a three level scorer — shooting 52.8% overall and 46.6% from three-point land. He’s perfected the patented E.J. Liddell “green bean” jumper, where he pulls up from about 10 feet away and knocks down an off-balance fadeaway. He’s shown the ability to crash the offensive glass and score on putbacks as well, and is a ferocious dunker to boot. That right there is what NBA scouts care about.

About this time last year, Malaki Branham was averaging six points per game right before busting out in Big Ten play. He wound up being drafted in the first round of the 2022 NBA Draft. As it stands, Sensabaugh is even more advanced than Branham was offensively at this stage of his freshman year.

Neither Sensabaugh nor Branham were especially developed on the defensive end by the end of their freshman season, but that didn’t stop the Spurs from taking Branham with the 20th overall pick last season. For the most part, teams want young, talented scorers who they think can step into the league and score right now. Defense, body weight, muscle mass, that can all be taught and improved on with time. But if buckets can be provided right now, that’s what matters the most.

Sensabaugh scored a ton against lower level competition, but has also played very well against some of the best teams in the country — Purdue and North Carolina, for example. If his production tapers off throughout league play, he may slip a little bit and his draft status could be murky. But right now he’s a projected first rounder, and I don’t think he’s going to fall off to the point where that changes between now and the end of March.

Justin: No, there’s a chance he could come back

Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images

So you’re saying there’s a chance?

I am writing this right after the Purdue game, and even I am questioning my own viewpoint on this, so give me a second to compose myself. Okay I am ready.

So here is the thing about my take on this. I am approaching this from the viewpoint of “please let him come back because him and Scotty Middleton could win a national title.”

I am only kind of kidding. I do think the fact the Buckeyes have another elite recruiting class incoming could help Sensabaugh decide to return, as they could be a legitimate top five team in the country next year if everyone that can return does in fact return.

I don’t think the question is about whether or not he is ready. He very clearly is on offense, and while his defense has a ways to go, so did Malaki Branham’s, and that didn’t really affect his draft stock.

I think it could come down to whether or not he thinks coming back for an extra year could 1) Let him compete with a better and more experienced team that could (I said could) have national title hopes, and 2) He thinks that one more year can be the difference between going late first round and being a lottery pick, which it very well could.

Also, Branham benefited from being on a team that wasn’t that deep from an offensive perspective. On this current team, while Sensabaugh is the Buckeyes go to guy, there will be games where Justice Sueing, Sean McNeil, Zed Key, Tanner Holden, and others have the hot hand and take some shots away from him.

In conclusion, he is likely gone, but it is only early January, and anything can happen. So I will say there is a chance. A slight chance, as it may be. Forever the optimist I am, apparently.

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BigWoof31 said:

I'm 41, the huddle used to be the designated "catch your breath" spot.
Now, they get out of the huddle as fast as possible and have people recover in formation.

Click to expand...

It was also the get your act together place, question answered place, and I am in charge place.

Three desired 2023 resolutions for Ohio State football
CMinnich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

The New Year offers opportunities for necessary changes.

My sincere best wishes to all of you for a Happy New Year in 2023. Although the Ohio State football season ended in a painful manner, I could not be happier with the effort the Ohio State coaching staff and players gave on Dec. 31 in the Peach Bowl versus the favored Georgia Bulldogs. On our latest Silver Bullets Podcast, Michael Citro and I reviewed the game, and there were opportunities to win by Ohio State that just were not seized.

It is against this backdrop that I am going to offer up Three Desired 2023 Resolutions For Ohio State Football. Festivus has come and gone until next December, so this will not be under the guise of The Airing Of Grievances — more like healthy resolutions that could be of benefit for the Ohio State program as the work for the 2023 season earnestly begins.

1. Find a healthy medium for the Ohio State defense

Ohio State was able to survive on the road at Maryland on Nov. 19, but everything came crashing down against “That Team Up North” on Nov. 26 with five big scoring plays being the primary culprit in the decisive 45-23 loss. Against Georgia, with Ohio State holding a 38-27 lead in the 4th quarter, the Buckeyes gave up a one-play, 76-yard touchdown pass that swung the momentum towards the Bulldogs in only 10 seconds.

What I am suggesting for the “healthy medium” is that Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles prefers an aggressive, attacking defense that is susceptible to big plays. Perhaps the “healthy medium” is to reduce the number of times the secondary has no safety help, like what happened in the Michigan and Georgia games. Perhaps the “healthy medium” can be to play with two safeties back, and force the opposition to go the length of the field.

Yes, points may still be scored, but it should take minutes off the clock, not seconds. And that leads me to my second resolution...

2. Ryan Day as more of the CEO

“Ryan Day mentioned in our production meetings he’s going to stop calling plays next year because he needs to become more of a manager as a head coach...” ~ Kirk Herbstreit on ESPN, 01/01/2023

This is a concept that many Ohio State fans have been clamoring for, but here is where I am going to tie this back into my first resolution. Yes, Ryan Day giving up play calling duties is a huge step for the offense, but how I would hope this could work would allow for Day to become more involved on the defensive side of the ball.

Please understand that what I am advocating for is Ryan Day to be able to spend more time in the defensive meetings and game plan sessions, and have the headset on during a game to approve or veto the defensive calls in a game. Here is where Ryan Day could say to Jim Knowles, “Let’s make sure we have our two safeties back” before the team takes the field for a defensive series.

Ryan Day will, and should, always have his hands involved in the offensive game plan. To not have Day involved would be detrimental to Ohio State offensively, as he has gained a well-deserved reputation for quarterback development. A point of reference is Alabama’s Nick Saban. Saban has a defensive coordinator, is heavily involved in coaching the Alabama secondary, and involved in the defensive game plan formation — as defense is Saban’s strong suit — but is not calling the defensive plays for the Crimson Tide.

My belief is that Ohio State is going to promote internally, with Justin Frye and Brian Hartline likely to take on more of the offensive game plan formation responsibilities during game week, and Day having that headset interaction with whomever is in the coaches’ box about what he would like to do or see when the offense is on the field. And that leads me to my third resolution...

3. More player substitution in 2023

Kyle McCord and Devin Brown will be competing for the starting quarterback position in 2023, and neither of them have played a great deal. As a matter of fact, McCord actually threw more passes in 2021 as a true freshman (38) than as a sophomore (20). Yes, that is because McCord started versus Akron in 2021 when C.J. Stroud needed to rest his ailing shoulder, but the reality is McCord is largely untested. Devin Brown’s 2022 statistics show him with zero passes attempted, but four handoffs.

Here is where Ryan Day is doing himself, and the offensive players, no favors. Going into the 2021 season, Day lamented how none of the quarterbacks had thrown a pass, and how it was going to be challenging. Yet when given ample opportunities to have McCord and/or Brown in-game opportunities in 2022 when Ohio State was decisively leading in games (Arkansas State, Toledo, Wisconsin, Rutgers, at Michigan State, Iowa, Indiana), Day squandered them, limiting them to handoffs.

This resolution is not limited to only the quarterback position. In today’s college football reality, where players can leave and enter the transfer portal with no notice, it is incumbent upon coaching staffs to try to get players as much deserved playing time as possible, if only to try to maintain some semblance of roster management.

Think of it is this way. After next season, McCord will be eligible for the 2024 NFL Draft. Other players, such as wide receivers Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, and Julian Fleming, will also be eligible for the 2024 NFL Draft. Wouldn’t it make sense for Ohio State to play backup wide receivers such as Kaleb Brown (one reception as a freshman in 2022), Kyion Grayes (one reception as a freshman in 2022), or Kojo Antwi more in 2023 with the backup quarterbacks, considering they will be the likely starters in 2024?

The same for the backups at offensive line, defensive line, linebacker, secondary, etc. The transfer portal has made it essential that backups get involved more than ever, especially when the coaches who recruited them out of high school are promising them ample playing time and abundant NIL funds. Here’s to seeing more players on the field for Ohio State than we have over the last couple of seasons.

Those are just three desired resolutions I have for Ohio State as we get ready for the 2023 season. As always, let me know what you think, and Go Bucks!

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Ryan Day’s big-game record took a hit on New Year’s Eve, but bad luck is at least partially to blame
Josh Dooley 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

The Ohio State head coach does not deserve a total pass for his team’s past performances — especially in CFP and rivalry games. But can a fella get a break once in a while!?

Ryan Day is now 45-6 as head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes. His .882 winning percentage puts him ahead of Nick Saban, Kirby Smart, and Dabo Swinney — just to name a few. And he is highly respected for not only his offensive prowess and ability to develop quarterbacks, but also his general leadership and work as a mental health advocate.

But in the minds of many (eh, let’s call it a vocal few), his accomplishments and sterling reputation don’t mean a thing without the ring.


I concur, but to a lesser degree. Yes, at some point, Day must win a national championship if he wants to go down as one of the all-time Ohio State coaching legends. That is the expectation, and it is the standard to which he will always be held. Jim Tressel and Urban Meyer did Day no favors by winning it all so early in their respective tenures, but the current HC knew what he was signing up for. With great power comes great responsibility.

However, it is impossible to view Day’s accomplishments as anything less than impressive. The man is 45 and freaking six! His teams have played in three of the last four College Football Playoffs. He has been able to avoid upsets like his corners avoid finding the football (sorry, but not really). And the culture in Columbus seems to be quite strong, despite what some of his detractors would have you believe.

But why has Day not been able to get OSU over the hump? And should he shoulder all of the blame?

Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Working in reverse, the answer to my second question is a definitive “no”. Day should receive much of the ire from disgruntled Buckeye fans, but football is a team game, with many players and coaches involved. There is plenty of blame to go around. On top of that, winning a national championship is hard! So in most instances, blame should be removed from the equation entirely. The better team usually wins, and to say that Ohio State is or always has been the better team, is just plain ignorant.

We as fans wish it were the case, but the 2020 season is a perfect example. I do not consider Day to be remotely at fault for his team’s loss to Alabama. He was not responsible for OSU’s worst defense since the turn of century, and Bama had the far more talented roster. Getting your butt handed to you by a superior team does not equal inferior coaching – at least not all of the time. In this particular instance, it was David versus Goliath, and the little guy was wearing scarlet and gray.

All of that being said, Day has repeatedly shot himself in the foot with a conservative approach in big games, resulting in multiple losses to TTUN and a 1-3 CFP record. So failing to get the Buckeyes (all the way) over the hump – when put in a very realistic situation to do so – is something that he should absolutely take ownership of. And I believe that he does/has. Because Day is not much of an excuse-maker, in my opinion... even if the temptation to do so must be real.

How could it not be (real)? Day and at least a few of his teams have been the victim(s) of horrendous luck in multiple big games, including last Saturday’s Peach Bowl. I know that if it were me giving press conferences and interviews, the media would not yet have heard the end of my tirade aimed at officials and their interpretation of targeting. But Ohio State has refused to play much of a blame game, despite losing arguably their most important player for the entirety of the fourth quarter.

Up 11 and driving, the Buckeyes faced a pivotal third down in their effort to put the defending champs (Georgia) away. C.J. Stroud lobbed a pass toward Marvin Harrison Jr. in the endzone, which the receiver did get his hands on, but he was separated from the ball – and nearly his helmet – by a hard hit from UGA’s Javon Bullard. Helmet-to-helmet contact was debatable, but the defender leaving his feet to launch and Harrison’s status as a defenseless player were not.

Somehow the original targeting call was reversed, forcing Ohio State to settle for a field goal and a 14-point lead. The rest, as they say, is history.


Unfortunately, losing college football’s best wide receiver (for a second time in 2022) was hardly Day’s first brush with bad luck in a CFP setting. Trailing 21-16 in the 2019 Fiesta bowl, OSU’s Jeff Okudah forced a fumble, which was then picked up and taken to the house by fellow Buckeye Jordan Fuller. But upon replay review and a large sum of money apparently changing hands, that call was also reversed, protecting Clemson’s lead.

Ohio State did eventually take a lead in the fourth quarter, but after trading scores with the Tigers, Justin Fields and Chris Olave could not get on the same page, leading to a game and season-ending interception for Day’s squad. The zebras, man. Twice in four years...

Re-hashing these painful events might give you the impression that I am a Ryan Day apologist. And maybe I am, which I’ve acknowledged on LGHL’s Hangout in the Holy Land. But we cannot simply ignore the obvious. OSU has been royally screwed by (at least) two blown calls in two different CFP semifinals. If that statement makes me a homer, fine. I would argue that it makes me a reasonable football fan with two functioning eyeballs.

I am not here to defend Ryan Day or label him a victim of exclusively bad luck. The man makes an exorbitant amount of money, and criticism comes with the territory. But I think it is worth pointing out or arguing that two plays – two tiny, little plays – have significantly impacted his early coaching legacy. And the vast history of Ohio State football! Think about that: Just two plays could have potentially cost Day and the Buckeyes two national championships.

If those painful memories are too much to bear, at least think about how incredibly close the Buckeyes have been – year in and year out under Day’s guidance – before grabbing your pitchforks. The luck will turn eventually, because we can’t lose ‘em all... Can we?

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Buck Off Podcast: Final thoughts on the Georgia game, biggest questions, and key positions heading into the offseason
Chris Renne 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

Ohio State’s season is over. We discuss what’s next for the Buckeyes in 2023.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio


On today’s episode of “Buck Off with Christopher Renne,” I’m joined by Jordan Williams to get into the next steps for Ohio State as they head into the offseason, as well as our lasting thoughts coming away from the Georgia game.

We start the show with our final thoughts coming out of the Peach Bowl down in Atlanta. The conversation starts where we stand with the Buckeyes and our level of excitement moving forward. We move on to the biggest questions remaining after the game, and where Ohio State stands in college football.

Then we get into a discussion about Ryan Day the play-caller, and why the Kirk Herbstreit comments about him passing the torch should hold a lot of weight. This leads to us talking about what a world without Day calling plays looks like, and why you should not expect too much change offensively.

After that, our conversation turns to the key positions moving forward into the offseason and the most important questions surrounding the four groups we discuss. We get into the corners, the safeties, the running backs, and the offensive line.

Next, we get into our final thoughts on the season and what Ohio State needs to do next if the Buckeyes are going to take the next steps.

Then, to close out the show, we give our score predictions for the National Championship game.


Connect with the Show:
Twitter: @BuckOffPod

Connect with Chris Renne:
Twitter: @ChrisRenneCFB

Connect with Jordan Williams
Twitter: @JordanW330

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Buckeyes make the cut for a top 2024 LB, have the attention of a Florida WR
Caleb Houser via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Kristopher Jones | 247Sports

Ohio State makes the top schools list for one of the top linebackers in the country in the 2024 class.

Ohio State’s season is unfortunately over, but the staff is far from finished when it comes to the work being done off the field. In today’s college football landscape, there’s not really an “off day” and the Buckeyes know that just as well as anyone. There is plenty of work to be done with both high school prospects and transfer portal targets on the recruiting front.

Hoping to land more experienced depth to bridge the gaps for this offseason, things look to be in the works at multiple positions already. With still lots of time for things to sort themselves out, there will be surprises here and there too. Ryan Day and crew have kept Ohio State in good shape when it comes to recruiting, and while it’s not all sunshine and rainbows right now, there’s still a lot to look forward to as one of the nation’s top recruiting staffs.

Ohio State included in top schools list for Jones


Being a position of need in the 2024 class, the linebacker spot is going to garner some serious attention over the next several months. Virginia native linebacker Kristopher Jones was a preview topic of discussion when he made it known he intends to take an official visit to Ohio State later this year, closer to the summer months. Having already been on campus last spring, Jones knows what the Buckeyes have to offer, and a return visit is proof the staff is doing what it takes.

On Thursday, Jones was once again in the news for the Buckeyes, as he took to Twitter to share the latest update in his recruitment by releasing a list of 12 schools he would be focusing on as he tries to narrow down his decision. Including the Buckeyes, Jones also kept Penn State, LSU, Michigan, Maryland, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, and Oklahoma in the running. While this isn’t a short list, with nearly 30 offers to his name, cutting that pool down in less than half certainly shows he’s working through the process.

The No. 85 player nationally, Jones is also the ninth-best linebacker and the top player from Virginia per the 247Sports Composite. Jim Knowles knows what he wants in his linebacker targets, and Jones is fitting the mold to this point, keeping him a player to keep an eye on until he commits to the program of his choice. Still work to be done for the Buckeyes if they want to lock up Jones, at least they’re already one of the five schools that for now will be receiving an official visit. That points toward the notion that Ohio State is not only in his top 12, but even near the top of the schools he’s still considering.

Quick Hits

• Social media posts aren’t everything, but do tend to show where prospective recruits are focusing at least some of their attention. Many times it’s to flaunt the various schools they have offers from, but either way, seeing Ohio State in the minds of top talent is never a bad thing.

Thursday, Florida native receiver Malachi Toney used his Twitter account to share an image of him in a Buckeye hat asking Ohio State fans their thoughts on how he looked. A class of 2026 athlete, Toney is a product of American Heritage. The program has been great to the Buckeyes over the years, and especially recently with the addition of Brandon Inniss from the prep school.

Already holding double digit offers to his name, Toney might be just a high school freshman, but that hasn’t stopped schools such as Alabama, Georgia, Auburn, Penn State, Florida State, and others in addition to Ohio State from throwing their name into the mix for his services. Buckeye fans love to see another Florida star receiver in the making touting the Scarlet and Gray, and seeing Brian Hartline sharing this tweet tells you all you need to know about how he and Ohio State feel about Toney as a major target in the 2026 class.


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No. 3 Ohio State women’s basketball overcomes 10-point deficit to beat Minnesota, 83-71
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Twitter | @OhioStateWBB

It was a tough night in Minneapolis for the Buckeyes, but a dominant performance in the 4th quarter helped Ohio State remain unbeaten.

After No. 3 Ohio State women’s basketball (15-0) beat the No. 14 Michigan Wolverines on New Year’s Eve, it’s been a quiet week for the top-ranked team in the conference. On Thursday night the heat was back on, traveling north to face the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Ohio State continued their streak of wins this season, and their now 11-game winning streak against the Gophers, beating Minnesota 83-71.

The Buckeyes started the game as well as they could. Their first two shots from the team’s leading scorers in guard Taylor Mikesell and Rebeka Mikulášiková put the Buckeyes up five points quickly. The Scarlet & Gray pushed the lead to seven, but went cold offensively and defensively.

Passing and timing was off early. Ohio State forced but also committed four turnovers, giving the Gophers five points off the giveaways. With the ball, shooting faltered and the Buckeyes went 2-for-7 after their early hot start.

On the other side, Minnesota went 4-for-5, with three of those makes coming off layups. The Buckeyes’ defense in the paint struggled, forcing a timeout from head coach Kevin McGuff, who charged onto the court with words to say to his team.

McGuff was more fired up than usual in the game. Maybe it was just more noticeable with Minnesota’s sidelines being below the court level and nobody to sit or stand next to the coach. Even so, the defense wasn’t up to stopping the Gophers up to that stoppage in play.

Off the timeout though, forward Eboni Walker entered the game, and Ohio State’s presence improved.

It let the Scarlet & Gray get their lead back up to 10, but Minnesota kept fighting back. Before the end-of-period buzzer, Gophers guard Katie Borowicz threw up a three before the shot clock expired and hit the shot. Ohio State still held the lead, 24-19, going into the second quarter, but it wouldn’t last.

Returning back to the game in the second quarter was forward Rebeka Mikulášiková, who Walker relieved at the pivotal first quarter timeout. Mikulášiková had a difficult start to the quarter. The forward struggled to keep up with the quick attacks of the Golden Gophers. Then, after two bad passes in a row, McGuff brought Walker back into the game.

Minnesota’s shooting improved, with the Gophers initial deflated play at the start of the game gaining more confidence as they continued to make things difficult for the Buckeyes. The home team shot 52.4% in the second quarter, compared to only 38.5% for the Scarlet & Gray.

Included in Minnesota’s strong second half was a 12-point run that put the Buckeyes down for the first time in the game. The Golden Gophers went up four before Ohio State swung the lead back in their favor, but it too wouldn’t last. Forwards Mallory Heyer and Alanna Micheaux scored six of the last eight Gophers points, compared to just two from the Buckeyes.

Ohio State entered halftime down four, 43-39.

Usually when Ohio State comes out of the locker room at the half, there’s a noticeable difference. On Thursday, it looked like much of the same. The Buckeyes struggled with poor shooting, and halfway through the quarter the Gophers extended their lead, but only by a point.

Guard Taylor Thierry was pushing Ohio State, grabbing offensive rebounds and giving the Buckeyes chances, but they started the third quarter shooting 2-for-11. There were rushed attempts, 1-for-4 shooting from deep and a team that didn’t look like they had it.

Minnesota’s youth almost gave them a mentality of being inexperienced enough to not care about a team with a No. 3 ranking. The Gophers increased their lead to 10, but Ohio State wasn’t backing down quite yet.

The Buckeyes went on an 8-0 run with Walker starting it on a midrange jumper. Then, it was Thierry doing things now in the scoring column, hitting a layup plus a bonus free throw from the line. Then, Mikulášiková hit a three to pull Ohio State within two.

It looked like another game where Ohio State pulls things back their way, but missed their final four shots of the quarter. Minnesota freshman forward Heyer hit a three late, and put the home team back up six with 10 minutes remaining.

Then, in the fourth quarter, the Buckeyes gained some life. After hitting layups on two consecutive fastbreaks, fouls made the game a chippy. After one against forward Cotie McMahon, Minnesota guard Mi’cole Cayton received a technical for talking to a ref after the call.

Soon after, it was Mikesell getting fouled and hitting both free throws, which put Ohio State in the lead for the first time since 2:58 remaining in the second quarter.

Within the first four minutes of the final quarter, the Scarlet & Gray hit five free throws. Then, Mikulášiková hit her fifth three-point shot of the night. Suddenly Ohio State was in the driver’s seat with a 69-61 lead, forcing a Gophers timeout.

In the second half of the fourth quarter, Minnesota threw all they could to get back into the lead, but started shooting like Ohio State did for most of the game. The Gophers had their worst shooting quarter of the game, hitting 20% from the field in the 83-71 Buckeyes win.

Mikulášiková Rebounds


The Slovakian forward had a difficult first half defensively, but was clutch for Ohio State on offense when they needed it.

Mikulášiková scored 15 points, making five threes on the night. It’s only the second game of double-digit scoring in the last eight for the forward who hit that mark in each of her first eight games.

Most of Mikulášiková’s points came in the second half, coming when Ohio State needed them the most.

Losing at Their Own Game


What hurt Ohio State the most in the first half was poor defending and giving the ball away. While the Buckeyes are known for their press and causing fits for opponents, a team with four freshmen and a sophomore starting forced more turnovers than Ohio State.

Minnesota forced 12, compared to only seven for the visitors. The home team scored 12 additional points off those turnovers, with the Buckeyes never really looking like their best selves over the first 20 minutes.

While the turnovers improved in the third quarter, Ohio State gave up the ball only once, but didn’t capitalize with 25% shooting.

Minnesota showed that playing the Buckeyes with pressure and physicality causes problems for Ohio State.

What’s Next


Ohio State’s next game is three days away back in Columbus, Ohio. Their opponent is a surprising team in the Big Ten this season — the Illinois Fighting Illini.

Illinois is surpassing all of their own expectations with first year head coach Shauna Greene leading the Illini to their first season with 11 wins before the end of the calendar year. After beating the Iowa Hawkeyes on New Year’s Day, the attention on Illinois has grown.

Sunday’s game tips off at 1:00 p.m. ET.

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Costly turnover burns Buckeyes as Purdue knocks off Ohio State, 71-69
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

The Buckeyes and Boilermakers treated us with an all-time classic in Columbus Thursday night, with the visitors coming out on top.

For the first time in two years, No. 24 Ohio State (10-3, 2-0) welcomed top-ranked Purdue (13-1, 2-1) to Columbus on Thursday evening for a classic Big Ten fist fight. Purdue entered the night as the No. 1 team in the nation, although a one-point loss to Rutgers on Monday night somewhat dulled the shine of a battle with the top-ranked team in the country.

Regardless, it was a key matchup between teams who are currently considered two of the favorites to win the Big Ten conference. The last time Purdue visited the Schottenstein Center was Jan. 19, 2021 — when Jaden Ivey’s buzzer-beating three over Seth Towns propelled the Boilermakers to a 67-65 win.

However, it was not to be, as the Boilermakers were able to edge out a tight contest in the final seconds, 71-69. Ohio State did a fine job on Edey, but the supporting cast around him stepped up and made shots — which was their only option the way the Buckeyes were swarming Edey.

Chris Holtmann went with the now-customary lineup of Bruce Thornton, Sean McNeil, Justice Sueing, Brice Sensabaugh, and Zed Key. Matt Painter rolled out Fletcher Loyer, Braden Smith, Ethan Morton, Caleb Furst, and the big Canadian Zach Edey.

Despite Purdue dominating the offensive glass early, the Buckeyes ran out to a 18-7 lead by the under-12 media timeout. Sensabaugh had nine of those 18, but the Buckeyes were also taking care of the basketball and forcing the Boilermakers to move the ball around the perimeter to look for shots. Felix Okpara did a phenomenal job on Edey early in the game after Key left with a reported shoulder sprain, holding the Canadian to just two points over the first eight minutes without committing a foul.


Ohio State continued to put the pressure on Edey, Furst, and Trey Kaufman-Renn in the post, sending two and sometimes three defenders down to stop easy baskets. The Boilermakers were forced to kick it out and swing the ball looking for a three, and more often than not they got one. The problem, however, was that Purdue only hit one of their first nine three-pointers. By the under-eight timeout, the Buckeyes still held a 22-14 lead, and were shooting 58.8% as a team.

However, over time Purdue did, in fact, make other players beat Ohio State. After missing open shots repeatedly while Edey fought off three defenders, the Boilermakers knocked down five three-pointers over the final 6:05 of the first half to close the opening stanza on a hot streak. Purdue finished the first half on a 9-3 run to go into the break down just three points, 36-33. Sensabaugh led Ohio State with 13 points in the first half on 6-of-8 shooting. Smith had 12 points for Purdue on 5-of-7 shooting.


The two teams came out throwing haymakers in the second half, with Purdue hitting five of their first seven shots and Ohio State knocking down four of their first nine. The Boilermakers cut the Buckeye lead to just one point, 46-45, thanks mostly to six quick points from Edey over the first 4:43 of the second half.

The Boilermakers took a brief six-point lead for 56 seconds, but a long baseline jumper from Roddy Gayle followed by an emphatic slam from Sensabaugh pulled Ohio State back within two, 52-50. After the dunk from Sensabaugh, Matt Painter called timeout, and Holtmann pleaded with the crowd with his hands for more noise — to which they obliged. Purdue held a two point lead with just under 11 minutes remaining.

The Buckeyes tied things up 58-58 by the under-eight media timeout courtesy of an Okpara floater from about nine feet out off the feed from Sensabaugh. His previous career-high was 19 minutes against Charleston Southern on November 10, but his number was called tonight when Key was ruled out with the shoulder injury.

Ohio State took a brief lead on Sueing’s turnaround fader with just under seven minutes remaining, but the little Loyer’s three-pointer with 4:36 left put the Boilermakers back up one point, 64-63.


After Felix Okpara was fouled by Edey going up for a dunk with 1:53 remaining, he hit one of two free throws to tie things back up at 66 points. One minute later, with 40 seconds left on the clock, Sean McNeil had his biggest moment in the scarlet and gray, sinking a long three-pointer to give the Buckeyes a 69-66 lead.

However, after Edey hit a pair of free throws to make it 69-68, the Buckeyes turned it over on the inbounds and Loyer hit a three to put Purdue ahead for good, 71-69.

If you weren’t around tonight to watch the Buckeyes’ nail-biting loss to the top-ranked Boilermakers, here are a few of the key moments and runs that helped Purdue squeak one out in front of a huge crowd in Columbus.

Sensabaugh pushes the pace early


As has been the case the last few games, Sensabaugh took three of Ohio State’s first five shots, making two of them, for a quick four points. The first came on a dunk off a feed from Sueing, and the second was a fastbreak layup where he simply outran Morton to the other end.

Key exits with a shoulder injury


3:48 into the game with Ohio State leading 6-5, Edey corralled a rebound off a missed free throw from Furst. He immediately pivoted to slam home a dunk, and in the process Key twisted his shoulder in an unnatural way. He limped off the floor with his left arm dangling to the side, and was immediately escorted back to the locker room. Edey’s dunk made it 7-6 Purdue.

Boilers owning the offensive glass


To give Purdue credit, they crashed the glass on both ends. The Boilermakers had five offensive rebounds during their first six possessions, leading to eight second-chance points. But they weren’t defending at the other end, as the Buckeyes outscored Purdue’s offensive outputs on far fewer opportunities.

12-0 run for the Buckeyes


Starting at the 15:19 mark of the first half, Ohio State went on a 12-0 run that turned a 7-6 deficit into a 18-7 lead over the next 3:27. It went something like this:

• Bruce Thornton three
• Sueing baseline fader
• Sensabaugh two-point jumper
• Sueing baseline fader
• Sensabaugh fastbreak layup good, and the foul (hit the free throw as well)

Who would like to guard this tall Canadian?


After Key was ruled out with what Ohio State called a “shoulder sprain” three minutes into the game, the Buckeyes were forced to defend the 7-foot-4 Edey by throwing everything and the kitchen sink at him. Okpara spent 13 minutes on him, but Isaac Likekele and Gene Brown both switched on to the big man as well.

To their credit, Edey only scored four points on 2-of-6 shooting in the first half, but he also grabbed eight rebounds.

Boilers get hot from beyond the arc to end the half


After hitting just one of their first nine three-pointers to start the game — most of the wide-open variety, Purdue closed the first half by hitting five of their final six from beyond the arc. A 30.5% three-point team on the season, Ohio State was banking on the Boilers missing a good chunk of those looks. For the first 15 minutes or so, it worked like a charm. Over the final five minutes, it did not.

Who you calling slow?


The two teams opened the second half with a frenzy of scoring, as Purdue outscored the Buckeyes 12-10 over the first 4:43 and going 5-of-7 from the floor. Both teams were moving quickly and trying to catch the other off guard in transition to begin the half. Ironically enough, Purdue and Ohio State are two of the slower teams in the Big Ten, with both ranking outside the top-200 in adjusted tempo.

Okpara denies Edey and Sensabaugh brings the house down


On a possession where it felt like Purdue grabbed 18 offensive rebounds, the penultimate shot for the Boilermakers turned out to be a dunk attempt by Edey. However, Okpara went straight up and met him at the highest point, swatting his shot back towards the Purdue bench.

Thornton corralled the rebound and found Sensabaugh streaking down the court for an aggressive dunk, pulling the Buckeyes back within two, 52-50 with just under 11 minutes remaining in the game. Matt Painter called timeout as the crowd turned up the volume a few decibels.

Sueing, McNeil retake the lead for the Buckeyes


With the game tied 58-58 and 6:55 remaining in the game, Sueing backed down Morton on the left block, took two dribbles, and then hit a turnaround jumper to put Ohio State up two. On the next possession, Sean McNeil hit a long two to extend Ohio State’s lead to four points — their largest lead in over 10 minutes.

Loyer’s triple puts Purdue back in front


Purdue trailed for 2:21 following that Sueing bucket over Morton, but Loyer — whose older brother Foster tormented the Buckeyes four years ago at Michigan State — knocked down his second three-pointer of the game to give Purdue a 64-63 lead with 4:36 remaining in the game.

McNeil has his moment


With the game tied at 66 and 40 seconds remaining, the Buckeyes had nothing going as the shot clock slowly ticked down. McNeil had the ball with seven seconds on the shot clock, and yanked a straight-away three over the head of Mason Gillis to give the Buckeyes a nice 69-66 lead.

Ohio State turns over the inbound, Loyer makes them pay....again


Up one point with 24 seconds remaining, Sueing’s errant pass was stolen by Morton, and following a Purdue timeout, Loyer knocked down another three to give the Boilermakers a 71-69 lead with 10 seconds remaining.

Up Next:


Ohio State (10-4, 3-1) won’t get much of a break before their next challenge, which comes on the road at Maryland (10-4, 1-2) Sunday afternoon. Kevin Willard’s first Maryland team rose into the AP Top 25 early in the season, but quickly fell out after a few embarrassing losses. The Buckeyes lost to Maryland 75-60 on February 27 last season in College Park.

The Buckeyes’ game against Maryland will tip off at 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday afternoon, and will be broadcast on ESPN.

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