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Google Bill Kurelic: My take on Ohio State Buckeyes landing Georgia duo ... - 247Sports

Bill Kurelic: My take on Ohio State Buckeyes landing Georgia duo ... - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Bill Kurelic: My take on Ohio State Buckeyes landing Georgia duo ...
247Sports
Can the Buckeyes land Jadon Haselwood and Brenton Cox? WIll one of the current OSU commits look elsewhere? Which commit will impact other recruits?
5 Ohio State spring practice position battles to keep an eye onLandof10.com

all 34 news articles »


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BTN Watch Ohio State football players put on dunk show

Watch Ohio State football players put on dunk show
Brent Yarina, BTN.com Senior Editor via Big Ten Network

It’s no secret that football players are as athletic as they come. And it’s no secret that Ohio State players are as athletic as they come. The video in the tweet below is your proof. Advice: Watch the full video, because the last two dunks, courtesy of Rashod Berry and Malik Harrison, the eventual champion, are must-see stuff. Hey @ESPN @ESPNAssignDesk you just let us know when you need us to send you this video for #SCTop10 #BallIsLife #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/P1LwSKgHuf — Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) March 1, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: Gone Viral
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MotS&G Buckeye Wrestlers Bring the Heat at B1G Championships

Buckeye Wrestlers Bring the Heat at B1G Championships
Garth
via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here




The 2017 Big Ten Wrestling Tournament gets under way at Assembly Hall in Bloomington in less than an hour.

Although Ohio State could have a number of champions and finalists, Penn State is the prohibitive favorite. Oddly enough, the Buckeyes will have a much better chance catching the Lions at the NCAA finals in 2 weeks in St. Louis.

Ohio State number 1 seeds include Nathan Tomasello at 133 (Nathan was a 125 pound National Champion in 2015), Bo Jordan at 174 (Bo has finished 3rd in the NCAA tournament each of the last 2 years, and Olympic gold medalist Kyle Snyder at 285.

Other Buckeyes with a reasonable shot at making the finals are 3rd seed Micah Jordan at 149, 4th seed and last year’s NCAA champion (at 174) Myles Martin at 184 and 2nd seeded freshman Kollin Moore at 197.

One of the eagerly awaited matches is a rematch of overpowering Bo Nickal of Penn State and Martin at 184. While Nickal pulled away from Martin in their only meeting this year, he lost to Martin in an explosively exciting match in last year’s NCAA title match at Madison Square Garden.

Look for us on twitter for instant updates!


_VgPKWYC7bE


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LGHL No. 13 Ohio State hockey loses to Michigan State, 5-4

No. 13 Ohio State hockey loses to Michigan State, 5-4
Matt Torino
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


479985153.0.jpg

OSU allowed four goals in the first period, causing a furious comeback to fall just short.

Ohio State came into this weekend needing to likely sweep Michigan State to have any decently sized margin of error at Wisconsin and in the Big Ten Tournament to receive an at large bid to the NCAA Tournament. Whoops!

The Buckeyes at large bid hopes are now on thin ice (heh) as they fell to Michigan State, who improved to 7-21-3. Yes, that is their record and they went up 4-0 in the first period on a team with national aspirations. I’d, uh, forget about those for now.

OSU falls to 17-10-6, and more disturbingly, just 8-8-1-1 in the Big Ten, not exactly one of the titans of the nation. Penn State and Minnesota look like tournament teams, but Michigan and Michigan State have both frankly been horrible this year and should have provided enough wins for OSU to have a better record than that. Whoops again!

This one started out horribly and the Buckeyes would never tie it again after Michigan State went up. Between 6:44 and 17:29 of the first, Logan Lambdin, Thomas Ebbing, Cody Milan and Sam Saliba all scored for the Spartans and chased Christian Frey, who stopped just 11 of 15 shots on net. Matt Tomkins would come in and only allow one goal on 18 shots, but that one would prove to be the game winner.

Michigan State outshot Ohio State 15-9 in the first, showing who came out attacking and ready to use their talent to its offensive potential. As has been a problem all year for Ohio State, they played too conservatively and it caused them to get blitzkrieged right out of this one.

Stopping a few shots would’ve helped as well, of course, but Ohio State didn’t exactly help themselves out to start in front of Frey. Nick Schilkey scored his 25th, on the powerplay, just 2:15 into the second, but Lambdin scored again to make it 5-1 just 5:10 later to fire back. Kevin Miller and Mason Jobst then added two more Ohio State goals at 10:02 and 13:19, and suddenly OSU had life.

They still did not generate more shots than Michigan State in the second, with both teams at 11 each, and then, even in desperation, only outshot MSU 10-7 in the third down two goals. Remarkably, despite being down four goals not even a period into the game, the No. 13 team in the country (for now, at least) was outshot for the entire game by a team that came in 6-21. That’s unacceptable and just not a modern way of playing hockey.

Any statistic you look at shows you your goal differential increases as you generate more shots and attack, and focus on offense. Ohio State has not exactly embraced that despite being the exact kind of team that should. They have shaky goaltending and defense, but fantastic forwards and scoring in general. They should be playing to that strength, but they don’t. Who knows why, but they don’t.

David Gust would score to make it a one goal game in the third, at 15:43, on the powerplay, but that’d be all OSU would get.

Nick Schilkey has 25 goals and Mason Jobst is the first Buckeye with 30 assists since 2005, but it’ll all be for naught if they don’t pick up the slack and beat a team on Saturday that they should have already beaten once this weekend. If they lose tomorrow, on Senior Night, to Michigan State again, you can kiss any hope of an at large NCAA bid good bye if you aren’t already.

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Google Watch: Buckeyes close out spring with Harley Davison workout - CBS sports.com (blog)

Watch: Buckeyes close out spring with Harley Davison workout - CBS sports.com (blog)
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Watch: Buckeyes close out spring with Harley Davison workout
CBS sports.com (blog)
While no player looks forward to these workouts or enjoys them at the time, the Buckeyes consistently pay homage to the conditioning they do throughout the winter in tight games such as last year's overtime wins over Wisconsin or Michigan. Ohio State ...


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LGHL How to watch Ohio State vs. Indiana 2017: Preview, game time, live streaming online

How to watch Ohio State vs. Indiana 2017: Preview, game time, live streaming online
Ben Martens
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


usa_today_9907707.0.jpg

The Buckeyes host the Hoosiers in the Big Ten regular season finale looking for their third straight win.

It’s been a long, hard slog this season for the Ohio State men’s basketball team, and mercifully for many fans of the scarlet and gray, the regular season will come to an end on Saturday afternoon when the Buckeyes host Indiana.

Ohio State currently sits at 7-10 in Big Ten play, which during the Thad Matta era is a mark that rings with disappointment. Still, as we here at Land-Grant Holy Land have been beating the drum about for a few weeks now, the Buckeyes are not without incentives to finish out the season strong.

For one thing, a win over the Hoosiers would guarantee the team a first round bye in next week’s conference tournament in Washington D.C. For another, Ohio State has an opportunity to put together a winning streak longer than two games for the first time since starting the season 6-0. And finally, since nothing short of a Big Ten tournament championship is getting them into the NCAA tournament, there is NIT seeding, where NYCBuckets currently has the Buckeyes a No. 2 seed.

There is also the small matter of giving Marc Loving a senior day send-off as he concludes one of the strangest, most meandering career arcs in program history this side of Amir Williams.


Senior Day this Saturday for @lovingthegame32 - here are some of his thoughts on being a Buckeye #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/a2Xi6V5mjU

— OSU BASKETBALL (@OhioStateHoops) March 2, 2017

In all fairness to Loving, he has been a gamer in Columbus, and Saturday’s appearance will move him into the program’s top ten in games played. The Toledo St. John product is also one of 27 players to notch 1,000 career points and 500 career rebounds, and in the Penn State game last time out passed Jamar Butler and Aaron Craft on the school’s scoring list.

Loving has also scored in double figures in each of the past five games, and has seen his scoring average jump to 13.2 per game in conference play, along with an increase to 41.5 percent shooting from the three-point line.

In a classy move by Ohio State, Loving, along with senior team managers Beau Beechler, Cameron Harris, and Brian Lamb, will be recognized before tip-off.

Befitting this year’s Buckeye squad, this final regular season game will be rife with storylines. Loving and his teammates still have much to play for, and heading into the Big Ten tourney with a little momentum could be just the boost they need to erase some of the drama that has unfolded since November.

Numbers to know

13.8


Ohio State boasts four players who average double figure scoring, with the high man being Jae’Sean Tate and his 13.8 per night. In only three games this season has Tate failed to score at least 10, and he’s currently riding a streak of double-doubles in two of his last three games.

His game-winning streaking layup as time wound down on Tuesday night against Penn State was just another example of the Pickerington native’s national treasure-ness. The Buckeyes’ chances for beating the Hoosiers on Saturday will be greatly improved if Tate can continue his strong play.

460


Much has been made, and rightfully so, about Ohio State’s ball security issues this season. The Buckeyes rank 194th in the country (out of 347) with 399 miscues. But that figure pales in comparison to what Indiana has done. Head coach Tom Crean has seen his crew turn it over an astounding 460 times, which is 322nd in Division I, and could help explain how they have dropped six of their last seven games.

17 & 4


Sophomore JaQuan Lyle has seen a reduction in minutes of late due to some injury issues, trouble with turnovers, and the improved play of C.J. Jackson, but in the past two games he has been a critical part of Ohio State’s wins. In both the upset victory over Wisconsin and the escape against Penn State, Lyle gave the Buckeyes 17 points and four assists, and committed a total of three miscues. He’s also an Indiana native, so seeing his in-state school should provide a little extra incentive to keep the good play going.

Cast of characters

Ohio State


Marc Loving

This preview has had a lot about Ohio State’s lone senior, so let’s keep it going. Loving has been playing possibly the best basketball of his career down the stretch for the Buckeyes this season, scoring in double figures in eight of his last 10 games heading into Saturday. The improvement has been beneficial, as he is sixth in the Big Ten in minutes played, and he’s finally making those minutes count. This is his last regular season chance to make a positive impression in scarlet and gray, and Ohio State needs the same high-level he’s shown the past month to pull off the win.

Trevor Thompson

Thompson has been in a little bit of a slump numbers-wise the past handful of games, yet still ranks second in the Big Ten in rebounding and nearly averages a double-double. After a string of seven games in which he notched five double-doubles and narrowly missed a sixth, the redshirt junior has scored in double figures only twice in the last four times out, and hasn’t grabbed more than eight rebounds. For the Buckeyes to win the day, Thompson must control the paint.

Indiana


James Blackmon, Jr.

After soaring as high as No. 3 in the national polls early in the season, Indiana’s 16-14 record and 6-11 mark in conference play are especially disappointing. Those struggles cannot be pinned on Blackmon, however, who has come back from knee surgery a season ago to lead the Hoosiers and rank sixth in the Big Ten with 16.8 points per game. The Marion, Indiana native also leads the conference in three-point field goals made, so closing out on him at the arc will be a priority.

Thomas Bryant

Bryant tested the NBA draft waters a year ago after averaging 11 points and nine rebounds a game as a freshman, but hasn’t seen a terribly dramatic uptick in his numbers as a sophomore. The 6-foot-10 Bryant gives Crean 12.8 points and seven boards a night, but after a 31-point outburst against the Nittany Lions to begin February, hasn’t hit that scoring average in six of his seven games.

How to watch


Game time: 12:00 p.m. ET

Radio: 97.1 FM

TV: ESPN (Dave Flemming and Dan Dakich)

Streaming: WatchESPN

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Google Buckeyes roll in B1G semifinals in 99-68 win over Northwestern - 247Sports

Buckeyes roll in B1G semifinals in 99-68 win over Northwestern - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes roll in B1G semifinals in 99-68 win over Northwestern
247Sports
Ohio State entered the Big Ten Tournament on Friday as the conference's No. 1 seed, looking for the program's first tournament since 2011. Northwestern couldn't slow down the freight train that is this Buckeyes team, as OSU won its 12th consecutive ...
Ohio State women's basketball | Kelsey Mitchell leads Buckeyes to win over NorthwesternColumbus Dispatch
Indiana Hoosiers at Ohio State Buckeyes: game preview, tv time, odds, stats, and moreThe Crimson Quarry
On Basketball Court, Buckeyes Embrace New Role Of Postseason FavoriteWOSU
OSU - The Lantern -Eleven Warriors -ABC6OnYourSide.com
all 79 news articles »


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Google Buckeyes are rude guests - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Buckeyes are rude guests - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes are rude guests
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
20 Ohio State crashed the house-warming festivities. Playing its first game in the new seasonal dome at Valley Fields, Marquette (1-2) went scoreless for over 31 minutes and fell to the Buckeyes, 12-6. Tre Leclaire scored three goals for the Buckeyes ...


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Google Ohio State Recruiting Notebook: The latest in Buckeyes recruiting ... - Landof10.com

Ohio State Recruiting Notebook: The latest in Buckeyes recruiting ... - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State Recruiting Notebook: The latest in Buckeyes recruiting ...
Landof10.com
Ohio State is set to receive a key visit from a 5-star 2019 prospect, St. Louis quarterback adds Buckeyes offer and more recruiting news.
Babb staying in constant contact with Buckeyes - Bucknuts - 247Sports247Sports

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Google Buckeyes remaining focused on Indiana - BuckeyeGrove.com (subscription)

Buckeyes remaining focused on Indiana - BuckeyeGrove.com (subscription)
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes remaining focused on Indiana
BuckeyeGrove.com (subscription)
And by Saturday night, the regular-season portion of it will be over. At that point, the Schottenstein Center will have emptied out, and the outcome of Ohio State's game against Indiana, its regular-season finale, will be known. If the Buckeyes (17-13 ...
Ohio State women's basketball | Kelsey Mitchell leads Buckeyes to win over NorthwesternColumbus Dispatch
Indiana Hoosiers at Ohio State Buckeyes: game preview, tv time, odds, stats, and moreThe Crimson Quarry
On Basketball Court, Buckeyes Embrace New Role Of Postseason FavoriteWOSU
OSU - The Lantern -247Sports -Eleven Warriors
all 296 news articles »


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Google Women's lacrosse: Eleven Buckeyes score, Rizzo shuts out Dukes in second half for 17-5 win...

Women's lacrosse: Eleven Buckeyes score, Rizzo shuts out Dukes in second half for 17-5 win - OSU - The Lantern
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Women's lacrosse: Eleven Buckeyes score, Rizzo shuts out Dukes in second half for 17-5 win
OSU - The Lantern
Duquesne would cut into the Buckeye lead with two more goals right before the end of the first half, the latest of which came with just 15 seconds remaining. However, that would be the final time that the Dukes beat freshman goalie Jill Rizzo as OSU ...

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Google 2017 NFL Combine: Former Ohio State Buckeyes WR Noah Brown: 'I'm a ballplayer that belongs...

2017 NFL Combine: Former Ohio State Buckeyes WR Noah Brown: 'I'm a ballplayer that belongs here' - Landof10.com
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2017 NFL Combine: Former Ohio State Buckeyes WR Noah Brown: 'I'm a ballplayer that belongs here'
Landof10.com
The 6-foot-2 wideout surprised Buckeyes fans by declaring for the NFL draft after a redshirt sophomore season that saw him catch 32 passes for 402 yards. The decision also rubbed Kiper Jr. the wrong way, and the longtime ESPN draft analyst openly ...
OSU's Samuel working at receiver at CombineDayton Daily News
Bucky Brooks has two Buckeyes in top five of mock draft247Sports
What's the impact of changes in Buckeyes' kicking game? Ohio State spring football burning questionscleveland.com
MyDaytonDailyNews -CBS Cleveland -Land-Grant Holy Land
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LGHL Ohio State-Campbell 2017 final score: Buckeye baseball falls 7-2 to the Camels

Ohio State-Campbell 2017 final score: Buckeye baseball falls 7-2 to the Camels
Ben Martens
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


bucks.0.jpg

The Buckeyes were held to just two hits as they fell to 3-6 on the season.

The rough start to the season for Ohio State baseball continued on Friday night in Buies Creek, North Carolina, as the squad lost to Campbell by a score of 7-2. The defeat drops the Buckeyes to 3-6 on the season and marked the sixth time the club scored two runs or fewer.

The Camels pounded out 11 hits, including six that went for extra bases.

In what’s become a bit of an early season theme, Ohio State’s offense was sluggish. The Buckeyes managed just two hits in the game, though they did work 10 walks, and went just 1-for-14 with runners on base.

The one bright spot was a two-run home run by Tyler Cowles in the fifth, his first as a member of the scarlet and gray.

Starter Adam Niemeyer had his issues, lasting just four innings for the second consecutive outing. The redshirt junior right-hander yielded four runs on eight hits, striking out one and hitting a pair of batters. Five of the Camels’ hits off Neimeyer went for extra bases.

Niemeyer got knocked around a bit in the first, but managed to limit the damage to a single run. Drew Butler led off with a double to left-center, but was picked off at second base. Adam Wyse and Cole Hallum followed with a single and a double, respectively, to put two runners in scoring position with one out. Niemeyer got fly outs to center by both Jimmy Monaghan and Jeff Hahs, but the first brought Wyse home with the game’s first run.

Wyse and Hallum went to work again in the bottom of the third, as Campbell pushed its advantage out to 3-0. Wyse was hit by a pitch to lead things off and Hallum smashed his second double in as many at-bats. Two batters later Hahs singled back up the middle to plate both.

Meanwhile, Winans was keeping the Buckeye bats in check, but ran into trouble in the fourth. After walking Jalen Washington and hitting Noah McGowan with a pitch, he sat at 59 pitches and head coach Justin Haire made a change. Winans is coming back from an injury that cost him 2016, so it was likely just some early-season caution.

Tyson Messer relieved, and on his first pitch, Ohio State attempted a double steal. Washington got into third, but McGowan was thrown out at second. Messer then struck out Zach Ratcliff and Bo Coolen to escape the jam.

The Camels added another run in the fourth, taking a 4-0 lead. Christian Jones sent a fly ball deep to center field with one down, and Tre’Gantt got turned around, allowing the ball to sail over his glove. Jones kept running until he was standing on third, and came home on a Bryce Myers groundout.

The Buckeyes finally got on the board in the top of the fifth. Brady Cherry worked a walk against Messer and Cowles hit a 1-0 pitch over the wall in left field to cut the deficit to 4-2.

Messer would eventually walk the bases loaded in the frame, but with two outs, Ratcliff went down swinging to end the threat.

Reece Calvert relieved Niemeyer in the fifth, and the big righty was fighting his command from the very beginning. He allowed a hit and four walks in an inning plus, and departed with two on and nobody out in the bottom of the sixth. Redshirt junior Kyle Michalik came on at that point, and after a bunt single, the bases were loaded.

Michalik got a popup on the infield from Trenton Davis, but then hit Callum with a pitch to force home Campbell’s fifth run of the night, and Monaghan sent a sacrifice fly to center for the sixth. It appeared that would be the extent of it when Hahs sent a chopper to third, but Cherry fumbled the ball and Butler came home to make it a 7-2 ballgame. After an infield single loaded the bases again, Michalik’s day was done.

Sophomore lefty Connor Curlis was the third pitcher of the inning, and on his first pitch he got a flyout to center to end the inning.

In the seventh, Messer walked Shea Murray and Gantt to put two on with nobody out, the eighth and ninth free passes of the night for Ohio State, and the Camels went to Wyatt Tyson out of the bullpen. The freshman right-hander got pop outs from Washington and McGowan to get out of the inning. There were no other problems from there for Campbell.

Curlis was just what head coach Greg Beals and pitching coach Mike Stafford needed in this one, tossing 2.1 scoreless innings and saving the rest of the bullpen. The Findlay, Ohio native didn’t allow a hit, striking out three and walking one.

Game two of the three-game weekend series is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. ET on Saturday. The game will be streaming live on the Big South Network, and Jake Post will take the mound for the Buckeyes.

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Google OSU's Samuel working at receiver at Combine - Dayton Daily News

OSU's Samuel working at receiver at Combine - Dayton Daily News
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


OSU's Samuel working at receiver at Combine
Dayton Daily News
GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 31: Running back Curtis Samuel #4 of the Ohio State Buckeyes rushes the football against the Clemson Tigers during the Playstation Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium on December 31, 2016 in Glendale, Arizona.
Bucky Brooks has two Buckeyes in top five of mock draft247Sports
Samuel talks NFL decision and big goals for combineBuckeyeGrove.com (subscription)
Curtis Samuel sees Braxton Miller path, among best WRs on the bench: 5 things from the NFL Combinecleveland.com

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Google More ups than downs in the career of senior Marc Loving - 247Sports

More ups than downs in the career of senior Marc Loving - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


More ups than downs in the career of senior Marc Loving
247Sports
Loving's four-year Buckeye career was filled with ups and downs. As a four-star recruit from Toledo and the No. 2 player from Ohio, Loving came into a senior-laden team as a freshman in 2013-14 and was able to contribute with 10.9 minutes and 4.4 ...

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Google Buckeyes favored over Indiana in regular-season finale - 247Sports

Buckeyes favored over Indiana in regular-season finale - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes favored over Indiana in regular-season finale
247Sports
The Ohio State men's basketball team is a 2.5-point favorite over visiting Indiana on Saturday, per Sportsline. The Buckeyes (17-13, 7-10 Big Ten) and Hoosiers (16-14, 6-11) have been two of the biggest disappointments in the Big Ten this season ...
Ohio State women's basketball | Kelsey Mitchell leads Buckeyes to win over NorthwesternColumbus Dispatch
Indiana Hoosiers at Ohio State Buckeyes: game preview, tv time, odds, stats, and moreThe Crimson Quarry
On Basketball Court, Buckeyes Embrace New Role Of Postseason FavoriteWOSU
OSU - The Lantern -Eleven Warriors -cleveland.com
all 71 news articles »


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Google 2017 NFL Combine: Two Buckeyes, one Nittany Lion among top wide receivers in bench press -...

2017 NFL Combine: Two Buckeyes, one Nittany Lion among top wide receivers in bench press - Landof10.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


2017 NFL Combine: Two Buckeyes, one Nittany Lion among top wide receivers in bench press
Landof10.com
It's no surprise that maybe the most physical conference in the country features some of the strongest wideouts. Of the top seven wide receivers on the bench press Friday at the 2017 NFL Combine, three played in the Big Ten: Ohio State's Noah Brown and ...

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LGHL Ohio State’s postseason fortunes are looking better every day

Ohio State’s postseason fortunes are looking better every day
Matt Brown
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


usa_today_9908923.0.jpg

Just keep winning.

“2 seed: Ohio State”

-NYC Buckets


Ohio State basketball has won two games in a row, and with a win this Saturday, they’ll avoid the first day of the Big Ten Tournament next week. That’s not enough to move them beyond the very fringe of the fringe bubble teams for the NCAA Tournament, but it is helping them gain some traction elsewhere. NYC Buckets, perhaps the premier NIT Bracket Projection site at the moment, now has the Buckeyes as a two seed, where they would face New Mexico State out of the WAC.

Indiana sits in this region as a four seed. If the Buckeyes can beat the Hoosiers, and maybe another game in the Big Ten tournament, they could do a lot towards putting themselves in a position to make a deep NIT run. And if enough crazy things keep happening to the bubble, who knows? Illinois looked like the longest of long shots just a few weeks ago. Now they’re probably in.

“5th pick-Malik Hooker, Ohio State”

-SB Nation


Mock Draft boards will continue to change as the NFL Combine continues, but the latest from SB Nation still has some Buckeyes occupying some primo real estate. Here, Hooker is a top five selection of the Tennessee Titans (via the Rams), as Tennessee looks to get more athletic and dynamic in their defensive backfield. Marshon Lattimore is slated to go to the Browns (!!!) at the 12th pick as well. Depending on how things go over the next few days, it’s possible a third Buckeye could find himself in the first round as well.

“Honestly, I really feel like he helped the backs out a lot with his performance and got drafted high”


Former Texas RB D’Onta Foreman on Ezekiel Elliott, via SB Nation

You don’t need to be a huge NFL Draft junkie to know that the value of running backs has decreased over the last few years. From the pass-happy style of the modern NFL, the injury risk, and the fact that you can still find good value later in the draft, it’s clear that drafting a running back, even a very productive NFL running back, very high in the draft is a bit risky.

But the Cowboys bucked recent convention, grabbing former Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott, and all he did was dunk all over the NFL. Now, prospects in this year’s recruiting class recognize that Elliott may have helped change the perception of the position, and that means bigger bucks going to backs like Foreman.

Somebody owes Zeke a nice steak dinner. After all, if you want to succeed, you should Feed Zeke.

STICK TO SPORTS

The new Zelda game is apparently totally dope

They built a dang Taco Bell out of a shipping container!

You know the internet was all borked a few days ago? A freakin’ typo. I know that feeling.

MEAT MOUNTAIN JUST GOT BIGGER

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Google Ohio State women's basketball | Kelsey Mitchell leads Buckeyes to win over Northwestern -...

Ohio State women's basketball | Kelsey Mitchell leads Buckeyes to win over Northwestern - Columbus Dispatch
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Ohio State women's basketball | Kelsey Mitchell leads Buckeyes to win over Northwestern
Columbus Dispatch
Center Tori McCoy, a freshman, provided two examples of the Buckeyes' not letting up no matter the score. First, she drew a charging foul with 5:15 left in the second quarter despite her team leading 44-17. Then she aggressively ran to the block to bat ...
Indiana Hoosiers at Ohio State Buckeyes: game preview, tv time, odds, stats, and moreThe Crimson Quarry
Wrestling: Led by three top-ranked wrestlers, Buckeyes look to take Big Ten titleOSU - The Lantern
Ohio State women begin Big Ten Tournament play vs. Northwestern247Sports
cleveland.com -Eleven Warriors -ABC6OnYourSide.com
all 69 news articles »


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Google Indiana Hoosiers at Ohio State Buckeyes: game preview, tv time, odds, stats, and more - The...

Indiana Hoosiers at Ohio State Buckeyes: game preview, tv time, odds, stats, and more - The Crimson Quarry
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Indiana Hoosiers at Ohio State Buckeyes: game preview, tv time, odds, stats, and more
The Crimson Quarry
Ohio State comes into Saturdays game riding a 2-game win streak, which includes the Buckeyes' signature victory, an 83-73 win over Wisconsin on February 23rd. Meanwhile, Indiana is coming off an 11-point loss at the hands of rival Purdue. That loss ...
Wrestling: Led by three top-ranked wrestlers, Buckeyes look to take Big Ten titleOSU - The Lantern
Ohio State women's basketball blows out Northwestern in Big Ten Tournament opener, 99-68cleveland.com
In Big Ten Play, Games Usually Come Down to the Wire For Ohio StateEleven Warriors
247Sports -ABC6OnYourSide.com -Scout
all 108 news articles »


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LGHL Curtis Samuel wants to show off NFL caliber route-running at the combine

Curtis Samuel wants to show off NFL caliber route-running at the combine
Alexis Chassen
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


usa_today_9780636.0.jpg

The Buckeye is working with the wide receiver group in Indy.

Ohio State’s reliable offensive weapon Curtis Samuel will now get his chance to show off in front of scouts, and prove that he can excel at one — among many — position. The Buckeye halfback will compete with the wide receivers at the NFL Combine, including position drills.

He finished his college career with three years of play under his belt. After spending his first two seasons in the shadow of Ezekiel Elliott, Samuel’s 2016 season included 771 rushing yards, 865 receiving yards and 15 total touchdowns. He became the Swiss army knife of the Buckeye offense, and was able to reliably get yardage on most targets.


Brooklyn, meet Indy.

Good luck at the #NFLCombine @CurtisSamuel4__ ⚡#C4 #DevelopedHere pic.twitter.com/NaFBONr3Gb

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) February 23, 2017

He might not have carried the offensive load like last season, but he did play in every game during the team’s 2014 national championship run and saw an increase in snaps in 2015. Samuel also has some experience on special teams, returning kicks his first two seasons and punts in 2016. This should help get him some playing time his rookie year -- as so many before him have earned snaps on offense through their special teams effort.

His diverse production makes his future a bit unclear, but his athleticism makes him an intriguing prospect.

Measurements


Height: 5’11

Weight: 196 lbs

Hands: 9 1/2”

Arms: 31 1/4”

Media Interviews


Samuel wasn’t just touting his own game to the media, he also spoke about position-mate Noah Brown making the decision to go pro after one season. He explained that most people don’t get to see Brown’s work ethic, and coupled with his size, should be ready for take things to the next level. He wouldn’t go as far as to say that Brown made a good decision by declaring early, only that it was his decision to make.

The Brooklyn, NY native also spoke about what it’s like to represent a community not often thought of in term so of football success. Samuel knows that kids are looking up to him and he embraces that responsibility. He said he hopes kids see what he was able to do with hard work and perseverance and use it as a motivating tool.

Samuel was asked about what he learned about the position from former teammate (now with the Saints) Michael Thomas, “route-running specifically and identify where the balls at and catch the ball”. He went on to note the importance of eliminating wasted movements when timing is crucial and getting his head around on the ball.

The running back/wide receiver said he’s open to playing either position in the NFL; he just wants to be able to contribute no matter which team ends up claiming him. Samuel touched on being in a similar situation to Braxton Miller last year, with both players participating in somewhat unfamiliar position groups.

Workout Results


Samuel will go through workout and position drills Saturday, March 4.

This is a developing story that will be updated.

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tBBC @StefanWolejszo Guest Post: Growth of Data & Analytics in Business

@StefanWolejszo Guest Post: Growth of Data & Analytics in Business
T6S
via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ed. note: the following post was written by the wonderful and passionate Sens fan known as Stefan Wolejszo (@StefanWolejszo) who attended last night’s panel discussion on the ‘Growth of Data & Analytics in Business’ that the Senators hosted at the Canadian Tire Centre prior to the start of last night’s game versus the Colorado Avalanche.

With the emergence, accessibility and growth of analytics within the hockey industry, I thought it’d be a great idea if Stefan would share his experience from last night’s panel with a bigger audience who didn’t have a chance to be present for last night’s event.

Thankfully, he accepted my request and he has graciously penned an article detailing what transpired while offering his own thoughts and opinions on the topics that were discussed.

If you’re not already, give him a follow on Twitter. Do. It. Now.

—————————————————————————————————————————————-

Not all hockey fans are into analytics, but those who enjoy looking at and working with numbers are often frustrated by the lack of information coming from their favourite team. There is a black box where NHL teams do not typically share a lot of information about the factors they measure, and analysts hired by teams are under Non-Disclosure Agreements that prevent them from talking in any detail about what they do.

The panel discussion ‘Growth of Data & Analytics in Business’ that took place at the Canadian Tire Center prior to the Senators-Avalanche game on March 2nd was unique, enlightening, and a huge breath of fresh air.

Whoever came up with the idea of doing this, and allowing Tim Pattyson (Ottawa Senators Hockey Operations, Analytics, and Research) to speak and answer questions about what the Senators’ analytics department does, should be given a raise.

This is the exact type of thing that a portion of the fan base has been waiting for, and it was exceptionally well done.

Although Pattyson was obviously limited in what he could share with the public, he was articulate and appeared to be incredibly honest in his answers. Together these qualities made for an outstanding presentation that had more than a few gems for fans of hockey analytics to enjoy.

While there were also great comments from Tom Gillis and Anatoly Tulchinsky on analytics and marketing, for the purpose of this piece, I am going to limit myself to exclusively referencing Tim Pattyson’s material and discussing his comments that stemmed from the question and answer portion of the panel.

To my knowledge, there is no audio recording of the panel discussion, but hopefully the organization will release one. Any material that I reference is based exclusively from my memory and the notes that I took during the session.

For the purpose of this piece, I will introduce each topic and borrow @6thSens’ ‘thoughts in bold‘ format to include my own thoughts.

On the early days of analytics with the Senators:

Pattyson has been with the Ottawa Senators for a long while, and he notes that Ottawa was an early player in terms of collecting numbers to help understand what was happening on the ice. He recalled collecting stats for Jacques Martin. They were not called analytics at the time, and mainly focused on bits of information that Martin thought were important such as faceoffs (including which side the draw was on). This data collection was done by people in the pressbox who tracked the events using their eyes and recording with a piece of paper and a pencil.

Much of the early innovations in data collection and tracking have been lost or forgotten because much of it was proprietary information. While contemporary hockey analytics that you see in blogs and social media can be traced back to a particular point in time hockey teams have, to varying degrees, been using different types of tracking and analysis for some time.

On the relative size of the Ottawa Senators Analytics Department

The Senators employ three analysts: Tim Pattyson heads the hockey ops analytics department and is helped by a consultant while Tom Gillis heads the marketing side that is responsible for ticket sales. Pattyson pointed out that some teams have much larger departments, and in other sports you may see a team with as many as 10 analysts on board.

There is no hiding the fact that the Senators have a small analytics department. Given that the Senators have to work within a budget and has fairly limited means to hide mistakes through buyouts it is important to be able to identify quality young prospects on ELCs and make good decisions on player contracts in general. Given how much bang for the buck a team can get by bringing in a good analyst to help with drafting, for example, it boggles my mind that the team does not invest more in this area.

On what types of things the Senators analytics department tracks

Although he was clearly limited in terms of what he could say, Pattyson did list off a few things that the Senators track:

1) Scoring chances for and against: These are coded out by the video analyst with scoring chances flagged, and then someone else double-checks this and removes events if he disagrees about it being a scoring chance. Pattyson noted that most teams track scoring chances.

2) Zone entries and exits: Pattyson noted that the analytics community is often too rigidly focused on zone entries and exists with possession. Sometimes if the skaters are bagged and really need a line change the best play is to get to center and get the puck deep in the other end.

3) Puck battles: In a comment was made quickly and without elaboration, Pattyson pointed out that there are two somewhat distinct elements to puck battles: how many a given player engages in, and how often a player wins those battles. While they are somewhat related these measure two distinct aspects of player performance.

4) Shot attempts: In a nod to the hockey analytics community Pattyson included shot attempts on his list, but he pointed out a key limitation: when using shot attempt it is important to know whether the player was driving the play or simply on the ice when it happened. He made reference to player impact on such events being coded but did not flesh it out. Although Pattyson clearly viewed shot attempt data as being limited he did single out ‘With Or Without You’ (WOWY) metrics as being very useful.

Although it was great to hear it come from the proverbial horse’s mouth I don’t think anyone will be surprised by this list. Scoring chances were one of the first things teams tracked and are likely to be the go-to stat for a good number of NHL clubs. The inclusion of zone entries and exits really illustrates that teams can actually incorporate good ideas that come out of analytics if the case is convincing enough. Puck battles and WOWY are types of information that coaches could put to good use, which brings us to…..

On who picks what variables are being measured

Pattyson made it very clear that the coaching staff is the main driver in terms of selecting which variables to track. He pointed out that Boucher is all about developing bonds with his players, and he uses analytics information to help talk to players and form relationships with them. Pattyson noted that to Boucher analytics provides key pieces of helpful information and is very supportive of it in general, and he does look at how well given matchups worked the last time the Senators played a given team. However, a key limitation in the coach’s mind is that analytics are all about the past. If a player does not “have it” on a given night then you have to modify what you do to work around it regardless of what data on past performance tells you.

I absolutely love hearing about what Boucher and his coaching staff really think of analytics, and specifically their thoughts on how it should be used. From a coach’s perspective a lot of it is about communicating key messages to players and making the best decisions possible using all of the information at your disposal. While some coaches could use the numbers as a bludgeon it is clear that Boucher uses his powers for good instead of evil.

On whether the coaches ask analysts for information, or analysts contact coaches to give them information, during the course of a game

Kudos to the very sharp audience member who thought to ask this question. Pattyson’s response was a hard no. No questions are asked by coaches during games, and analysts absolutely will not contact coaches to pass along what they feel is important information during a game. All of the communication and passing along of information happens between games.

At first glance this seems problematic to me. While it makes sense to have a filter that decides whether information is important enough to pass along to the coaches, say an assistant coach or AGM in the press box, it seem logical to pass along things that seem important regardless of when you come across that information. I think the big factor here is the coaching staff may not want to have this type of “distraction” during games, and if that is their thing then it is the end of the story. But to me it seems that this part of the process could be improved.

On how much time and effort is spent evaluating the stats they use

This was also a question from an audience member. Pattyson’s response in this area was not as polished, likely because he had to be very careful about what he was revealing. He responded that players are graded along a series of criteria and if, for example, Karlsson comes shows up as their 5th best defenseman then it means the weighting of criteria is off. He also took the opportunity to talk about how the interpretation of a given stat is the most important part, and referring to a player simply being on the ice during an event versus driving that event.

Man, the audience for this panel discussion was very smart. I felt kind of bad for him with this question because if he could speak freely about what is being measured I’m sure he could talk about it in great length using perfect examples. The basic gist is the team collects a lot of different information that is weighted to come up with a bigger picture evaluation. This type of process is probably most familiar to those with a background in the social sciences.

On player assessments, analytics, and scouting

Pattyson noted that scouts are typically focused on watching events and coming up with systematic assessments of players. In a lighter moment he said “remember than moment in the movie Money Ball where the scouts are sitting around a table giving their opinions? Well scouts aren’t dumb like the ones in that movie.” Pattyson noted that the team has evaluations of every player in the NHL and AHL, although he added that the ones for his own team are far more detailed and scouts may only see a given player a limited number of times. Ideally the team should be trying to marry the analytics and eye test. He pointed out that scouting information and analytics all feed into a larger decision making process where information is presented to Pierre Dorion, but the GM or coach is the one weighing all of the factors and making the final decisions. Pattyson also noted that when the team assesses players they take other things into account such as whether a player is streaky or a slow starter. There are also things that are not visible from the outside, like whether the player is dedicated to working out and eating properly.

It should not be a shock that teams use behind-the-scenes information on players that are not publically available. In any event, one of the most challenging things to assess is the impact of an analytics hire on a given team simply because we don’t know how much weight information presented by that analyst is given when decisions are made. We do know from interview from people who have worked with teams that building relationships, particularly with the coaches and scouting staff, is a key part to being successful. At the end of the day it is always really important to remember that the big decisions are being made at a much higher pay grade.

Conclusion

I am going to be very candid and state for the record that I was not expecting much from the event. As I was driving there I was thinking that it is probably a waste of time because the analyst is not going to share anything good. I was wrong. It was a great event and Pattyson was remarkably open and willing to engage with questions. It is not an exaggeration to say there have been few, if any, moments when I have been prouder to be a Senators fan. If other teams are not doing events like this one they should re-think things and try to copy this model. A sizable portion of the fan base will thank you for it.

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LGHL Ohio State-Northwestern 2017 Big Ten Tournament final score: Women’s hoops rolls to 99-68 win

Ohio State-Northwestern 2017 Big Ten Tournament final score: Women’s hoops rolls to 99-68 win
Ben Martens
via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


C6AnVj4WAAAX_oT.0.jpg

The Buckeyes had it going from long-range in blowing out the Wildcats.

The Ohio State women’s basketball team steamrolled its way over Northwestern on Friday afternoon at the Big Ten tournament in Indianapolis, scoring a 99-68 win over the Wildcats. The victory moves the Buckeyes ahead to Saturday’s semifinals, where they will face the winner of today’s matchup between Indiana and Purdue.

Ohio State hit on 13 three-point field goals in the game, a team conference tournament record, and had five players score in double figures. Junior guard Kelsey Mitchell, fresh off being named conference player of the year on Tuesday, led the way with 27 points on 9-for-15 shooting that included 6-for-9 from deep.

Senior Shayla Cooper continued her monster play of late, contributing 11 points and nine rebounds, Linnae Harper, Alexa Hart, and Kiara Lewis each had 11, and Tori McCoy narrowly missed a double-double with eight points and 11 boards.

Nia Coffey led Northwestern with 21 points and eight rebounds, while Ashley Deary added 13 points, 6 boards, and 2 steals in the losing effort.

In a good sign for Ohio State, Mitchell drilled her first shot of the game, a three-pointer from the top of the key, and the pace was fast and frenzied early. Maybe too fast, as the teams combined to shoot 1-for-10 and turn the ball over five times in the first three minutes.

The Buckeyes went nearly four minutes without a field goal, but a triple from the left elbow by Harper ended the drought and gave Ohio State an 8-3 lead at the midway point in the quarter. Northwestern had a field goal drought of more than two minutes of its own, and after a Makayla Waterman jumper made it a 10-3 game, the Wildcats were forced to call a timeout.

Out of the timeout, Northwestern abruptly turned the ball over, and Mitchell splashed her second three of the game from the top of the key for a ten-point lead. After the eighth Wildcat turnover of the frame, Asia Doss slashed to the bucket for a layup to cap a 10-0 run.

Coffey helped spark a string of three straight field goal makes, but a 4-for-15 line for Northwestern in the first ten minutes and five straight points by Cooper sent the Buckeyes to the second period with a 23-11 lead.

Ohio State turned it over three times in the first two and a half minutes of the second quarter, but Mitchell’s third triple of the game followed by the second from Cooper pushed the advantage to 29-13 quickly.

Mitchell splashed another, this time from some five feet behind the arc on the right elbow, Sierra Calhoun made the team’s fourth three-pointer of the frame, and a rout seemed imminent as the Buckeyes pressed ahead 37-15.

Foul trouble and fatigue from playing a day ago started to hamstring the Wildcats, with Deary and Coffey each picking up her third. An and-one by Cooper made it a 42-17 game at the media timeout halfway through the period.

Northwestern suffered another scoring drought of more than three minutes, but came back with a pair of buckets from Abi Scheid and Lauren Douglas. But turnovers continued to haunt the Wildcats, as they committed another eight miscues in the quarter, and they walked to the locker room trailing 51-24 after a buzzer-beating corner three by Lewis to end the half.

Ohio State, which made nine from deep in the half, was led by Mitchell’s 16 points. Cooper added 11 points and seven rebounds, and every Buckeye who saw the floor scored. Northwestern was outscored 17-2 off turnovers in the first twenty minutes, and was led by six points from Christen Inman and five from Coffey.

The theme of the first half carried over to start the second when Deary committed a turnover six seconds into the third quarter. Mitchell went to the other end, hit a layup while getting fouled, and sunk the free throw to complete the more traditional three-point play. Mitchell then knocked down her fifth and sixth threes of the game the next two times down the floor, giving Ohio State a 60-24 lead.

Lewis hit another three to push the advantage to 68-32, and things started getting chippy. Lewis was hit with a technical foul after connecting with an elbow above Coffey’s shoulders and throwing her to the ground after a scrum for the ball. Douglas made the pair of free throws that resulted and Coffey got a layup after the inbounds for a quick four point spurt.

Coffey picked up her fourth foul on the next possession, though, and Calhoun made a corner three, giving the Buckeyes a 71-38 lead at the midway point.

A tense moment a few minutes later for Ohio State fans came when Mitchell was slow getting up after diving on the floor for a loose ball. She left the court under her own power, and the Buckeyes continued to roll, prompting the question of why she was still in the game when it was all but over. At the end of the third quarter, the Ohio State lead was 84-47.

The fourth period began with four of the Buckeyes’ five starters on the bench, and the Wildcats took advantage with a 9-3 run to start the frame. Mitchell’s twin sister Chelsea put an end to the run with a layup on a nice dime from Waterman, but Northwestern won the quarter 21-15 to make the score a little less lopsided.

Ohio State will now wait to find out if its opponent for Saturday’s semifinal game will be Indiana or Purdue. Tomorrow’s matchup is scheduled to tip-off at 4:00 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network and BTN2Go.

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