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Google If Buckeyes want to win it all, stay away from starting true freshmen - Norwalk Reflector
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If Buckeyes want to win it all, stay away from starting true freshmen - Norwalk Reflector
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".
If Buckeyes want to win it all, stay away from starting true freshmen
Norwalk Reflector
Freshman Shaun Wade is another five-star corner the Buckeyes told to be ready, but he's nearly 15 pounds lighter than Okudah and at first glance doesn't look as physically ready. Junior college transfer Kendall Sheffield will also arrive expecting to ...
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via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".
If Buckeyes want to win it all, stay away from starting true freshmen
Norwalk Reflector
Freshman Shaun Wade is another five-star corner the Buckeyes told to be ready, but he's nearly 15 pounds lighter than Okudah and at first glance doesn't look as physically ready. Junior college transfer Kendall Sheffield will also arrive expecting to ...
Continue reading...
LGHL Urban Meyer looks to revamp Ohio State’s passing game after 2016 struggles
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Urban Meyer looks to revamp Ohio State’s passing game after 2016 struggles
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The head coach also is looking for improved play from the offensive line, who allowed 25 sacks last year.
“The season was unfortunate to end like that because that’s not -- I believe we were a year ahead of schedule. I did not envision that at the beginning of the season.”
- Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer via Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
The last time Ohio State lost to Clemson it forced Urban Meyer to take a hard look at his team and make some changes. Those changes worked out pretty well as the Buckeyes went on to win the first-ever College Football Playoff the next season. Meyer is hoping that the embarrassing loss to the Tigers in the Fiesta Bowl might wind up having the same effect in 2017. Following the loss to Clemson in the 2014 Orange Bowl, Meyer shook up the defense. After this year’s loss, Meyer is looking to change how the offense operates.
Gone after Tim Beck and Ed Warinner and coming in are former Indiana head coach Kevin Wilson and NFL quarterbacks coach Ryan Day to try and get the Buckeye offense rolling again. Not like it is all bad on the offensive side of the football though, as Ohio State has ran for the most yards in the country over the past five years. Where the Buckeyes need to get better is in the passing game. Having quarterback J.T. Barrett returning for his senior season, along with a more experienced wide receiving corps, Ohio State certainly has the tools to rebound quickly.
“They said they wanted me to come in mentally ready to play as a freshman. And they’ll get me physically ready.”
- Ohio State defensive back Jeffrey Okudah via Doug Lesmerises, Northeast Ohio Media Group
It’s not all that often that a true freshman sees significant playing time in his first year at Ohio State, and it’s even more rare to see one start. While players like Ezekiel Elliott, Vonn Bell, and Raekwon McMillan did see a good amount of playing time in their first season in Columbus, they weren’t really called on to start during their freshman campaigns. Offensive lineman Michael Jordan was called on to start last year, but that was more of a necessity because of the depth issues on Ohio State’s offensive line. The 2017 season could see a true freshman start in the defensive backfield. Some of that is because of the exodus of talented defensive backs to the NFL over the past two years, but most of it is because he is extremely talented.
Jeffrey Okudah is Urban Meyer’s second-highest ranked recruit while he has been in Columbus, falling just behind defensive end Noah Spence. Okudah possesses the size that is similar to Marshon Lattimore and Gareon Conley, both of whom are headed to the NFL. While Okudah just recently arrived in Columbus for winter workouts, he is already in the mindset of being on the field for Ohio State when the Buckeyes open the season on August 31st against Indiana. Even though he knows that he still has work to do to catch up with some of his more seasoned teammates, Okudah believes he’ll be expected to shutdown the opponent’s top receiver. If he continues to progress and not only physically, but mentally, the cornerback from Texas will be making plays early and often in his freshman year.
“There’s a plan here that you just have to follow. I knew I could go to the league here, and [cornerbacks coach Kerry] Coombs is going to work my tail off and push me to be the best person I can before I get to the league.”
- Ohio State cornerback Shaun Wade via Austin Ward, ESPN
Jeffrey Okudah isn’t the only incoming freshman who has the talent to make some waves in the Ohio State defensive backfield this season. Cornerback Shaun Wade is coming to Columbus as a five-star recruit, and was ESPN’s top-ranked cornerback in this recruiting class. Wade committed to the Buckeyes two years ago after Ohio State took home the national title, and even though there was interest from all the big programs around the country, Wade never wavered on becoming a Buckeye.
Wade enrolled at Ohio State early, which will allow him to participate in spring practices. The competition for the cornerback spots is expected to be heated with not only Denzel Ward coming back, but also signees Kendall Sheffield, Amir Reip, and Marcus Williamson in the mix. The cornerback from Florida has dreams of moving on to the NFL, and with players like Eli Apple, Gareon Conley, and Marcus Lattimore either already in the league or on their way to the lead, there is no reason to think the same isn’t in the cards for Wade. Much like Okudah, expect to be hearing Wade’s name a lot for at least the next three years for the Buckeyes.
“I think when Trevor is engaged, I think he’s as good as anybody. There’s moments where he can get out of sync, and as long as we can get him back in and he lets us coach him and get him back into the fold of what we’re trying to do, he’s very effective.”
- Ohio State men’s basketball coach Thad Matta on Trevor Thompson via Nicholas McWilliams, The Lantern
So far this season there hasn’t been a lot about Ohio State’s men’s basketball team to get excited about. In a year that has been filled with injuries and inconsistent play, the lone bright spot has been the play of Trevor Thompson. The Virginia Tech transfer is averaging nearly a double-double in his second season in Columbus. After averaging 6.6 points per game last year for the Buckeyes, this year Thompson is averaging 10.6 points per game, and is also averaging a team-high 9.3 rebounds per game.
Last night against Rutgers, Thompson recorded his second straight double-double by scoring 15 points and pulling down 13 rebounds in the 70-64 win over the Scarlet Knights. The double-double was the ninth of the season for the junior. Thompson’s growth hasn’t gone unnoticed by opposing players and coaches either, with Minnesota head coach Richard Pitino going so far to say that Thompson is the most improved player in the Big Ten this year. While there are still occasional mistakes on the court from Thompson, there is no question that he has been Ohio State’s best player so far this season.
STICK TO SPORTS
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Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The head coach also is looking for improved play from the offensive line, who allowed 25 sacks last year.
“The season was unfortunate to end like that because that’s not -- I believe we were a year ahead of schedule. I did not envision that at the beginning of the season.”
- Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer via Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts
The last time Ohio State lost to Clemson it forced Urban Meyer to take a hard look at his team and make some changes. Those changes worked out pretty well as the Buckeyes went on to win the first-ever College Football Playoff the next season. Meyer is hoping that the embarrassing loss to the Tigers in the Fiesta Bowl might wind up having the same effect in 2017. Following the loss to Clemson in the 2014 Orange Bowl, Meyer shook up the defense. After this year’s loss, Meyer is looking to change how the offense operates.
Gone after Tim Beck and Ed Warinner and coming in are former Indiana head coach Kevin Wilson and NFL quarterbacks coach Ryan Day to try and get the Buckeye offense rolling again. Not like it is all bad on the offensive side of the football though, as Ohio State has ran for the most yards in the country over the past five years. Where the Buckeyes need to get better is in the passing game. Having quarterback J.T. Barrett returning for his senior season, along with a more experienced wide receiving corps, Ohio State certainly has the tools to rebound quickly.
“They said they wanted me to come in mentally ready to play as a freshman. And they’ll get me physically ready.”
- Ohio State defensive back Jeffrey Okudah via Doug Lesmerises, Northeast Ohio Media Group
It’s not all that often that a true freshman sees significant playing time in his first year at Ohio State, and it’s even more rare to see one start. While players like Ezekiel Elliott, Vonn Bell, and Raekwon McMillan did see a good amount of playing time in their first season in Columbus, they weren’t really called on to start during their freshman campaigns. Offensive lineman Michael Jordan was called on to start last year, but that was more of a necessity because of the depth issues on Ohio State’s offensive line. The 2017 season could see a true freshman start in the defensive backfield. Some of that is because of the exodus of talented defensive backs to the NFL over the past two years, but most of it is because he is extremely talented.
Jeffrey Okudah is Urban Meyer’s second-highest ranked recruit while he has been in Columbus, falling just behind defensive end Noah Spence. Okudah possesses the size that is similar to Marshon Lattimore and Gareon Conley, both of whom are headed to the NFL. While Okudah just recently arrived in Columbus for winter workouts, he is already in the mindset of being on the field for Ohio State when the Buckeyes open the season on August 31st against Indiana. Even though he knows that he still has work to do to catch up with some of his more seasoned teammates, Okudah believes he’ll be expected to shutdown the opponent’s top receiver. If he continues to progress and not only physically, but mentally, the cornerback from Texas will be making plays early and often in his freshman year.
“There’s a plan here that you just have to follow. I knew I could go to the league here, and [cornerbacks coach Kerry] Coombs is going to work my tail off and push me to be the best person I can before I get to the league.”
- Ohio State cornerback Shaun Wade via Austin Ward, ESPN
Jeffrey Okudah isn’t the only incoming freshman who has the talent to make some waves in the Ohio State defensive backfield this season. Cornerback Shaun Wade is coming to Columbus as a five-star recruit, and was ESPN’s top-ranked cornerback in this recruiting class. Wade committed to the Buckeyes two years ago after Ohio State took home the national title, and even though there was interest from all the big programs around the country, Wade never wavered on becoming a Buckeye.
Wade enrolled at Ohio State early, which will allow him to participate in spring practices. The competition for the cornerback spots is expected to be heated with not only Denzel Ward coming back, but also signees Kendall Sheffield, Amir Reip, and Marcus Williamson in the mix. The cornerback from Florida has dreams of moving on to the NFL, and with players like Eli Apple, Gareon Conley, and Marcus Lattimore either already in the league or on their way to the lead, there is no reason to think the same isn’t in the cards for Wade. Much like Okudah, expect to be hearing Wade’s name a lot for at least the next three years for the Buckeyes.
“I think when Trevor is engaged, I think he’s as good as anybody. There’s moments where he can get out of sync, and as long as we can get him back in and he lets us coach him and get him back into the fold of what we’re trying to do, he’s very effective.”
- Ohio State men’s basketball coach Thad Matta on Trevor Thompson via Nicholas McWilliams, The Lantern
So far this season there hasn’t been a lot about Ohio State’s men’s basketball team to get excited about. In a year that has been filled with injuries and inconsistent play, the lone bright spot has been the play of Trevor Thompson. The Virginia Tech transfer is averaging nearly a double-double in his second season in Columbus. After averaging 6.6 points per game last year for the Buckeyes, this year Thompson is averaging 10.6 points per game, and is also averaging a team-high 9.3 rebounds per game.
Last night against Rutgers, Thompson recorded his second straight double-double by scoring 15 points and pulling down 13 rebounds in the 70-64 win over the Scarlet Knights. The double-double was the ninth of the season for the junior. Thompson’s growth hasn’t gone unnoticed by opposing players and coaches either, with Minnesota head coach Richard Pitino going so far to say that Thompson is the most improved player in the Big Ten this year. While there are still occasional mistakes on the court from Thompson, there is no question that he has been Ohio State’s best player so far this season.
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- BrewDog opens on February 20th in Canal Winchester.
- Trying to decide on what to have for dinner? Today is National Pizza Day!
- Speaking of pizza, the Mikey’s Late Night Slice and Hot Chicken Takeover mashup is back on February 21st to benefit the Columbus Diaper Bank.
- Verizon is rolling out a new program if you live in select areas and enroll in their total mobile protection plan, you can have your broken phone screen fixed at home.
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Google Ohio State football releases time, ticket info for Buckeyes 2017 spring game - cleveland.com
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Ohio State football releases time, ticket info for Buckeyes 2017 spring game - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".
Ohio State football releases time, ticket info for Buckeyes 2017 spring game
cleveland.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State announced on Thursday the time, and ticket info for its 2017 spring game at Ohio Stadium. The Buckeyes will conclude spring practice with a scrimmage in Ohio Stadium on Saturday, April 15. The game will kickoff at 12:30 p.m ...
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via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".
Ohio State football releases time, ticket info for Buckeyes 2017 spring game
cleveland.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State announced on Thursday the time, and ticket info for its 2017 spring game at Ohio Stadium. The Buckeyes will conclude spring practice with a scrimmage in Ohio Stadium on Saturday, April 15. The game will kickoff at 12:30 p.m ...
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tBBC Rumour: Senators to Ask Phaneuf to Waive NMC
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Rumour: Senators to Ask Phaneuf to Waive NMC
T6S via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
OTTAWA, CANADA – JANUARY 26: Dion Phaneuf #2 of the Ottawa Senators skates with the puck against Sam Bennett #93 of the Calgary Flames during an NHL game at Canadian Tire Centre on January 26, 2017 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Francois Laplante/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images)
Normally I don’t read Don Brennan articles, but when I do, there’s usually a good reason for it.
Maybe it’s nothing or it could be something, but in buried in the depths of an article in yesterday’s Ottawa Sun, Brennan wrote, “it’s widely believed the Senators will protect Cody Ceci and Marc Methot along with Erik Karlsson, and ask Dion Phaneuf to waive his no-move with the thinking Las Vegas won’t touch the latter’s hefty contract.”
Ignoring the assertion that the Senators would shittily neglect to protect Chris Wideman – who they could obviously guard by exposing a more expensive veteran like Marc Methot or through trading an overvalued commodity like Cody Ceci – the idea that the Senators likely will ask Dion Phaneuf to waive his no-movement clause (NMC) makes a lot of sense (and really, it makes sense for tons of clubs around the NHL who are in a similar spot).
As unpalatable as Phaneuf’s contract is for Vegas, the Senators can use it to their advantage to protect a Ceci or a Methot, or an effective and inexpensive player like Wideman, who likely would fall victim to an expansion draft claim.
For the Senators, it should be a relatively easy sell.
For Pierre Dorion, it’d probably go something like this:
“Dion, we love your character and willingness to do whatever it takes to help us improve our club. The thing is Las Vegas probably isn’t going to want to touch your contract. Unlike us, they don’t value your character and leadership like we do. I mean, you can’t put a price tag on what you bring to our dressing room. Okay granted, they also don’t have a bunch of bad short-term contracts that they have to move out because their owner refused to buy them out because of principle or the optics involved. Not only do they not have to worry about getting out from under short-term mistakes, they didn’t spend the previous few years thumping their chests or bragging about how competitive their team is thanks to their smart spending. They have a blank canvas to work with. We don’t have that luxury and because of it, they don’t have to rely on consolidating their debt by moving short-term problems for a long-term one under the guise that it is a hockey decision that improves our hockey club.
“You’re getting older, Dion and I know that you want to play for a winner. Rather than lose an inexpensive and quality asset for nothing, we want you to be part of the solution and give us the flexibility to protect an asset that Las Vegas would consider taking. It will maintain our competitiveness and prevent us from having to enter the market and risk overpaying for an asset that may not be anywhere near as good or effective as the player we lost.
”But hey, even in the unlikely event that Las Vegas does select you, at least you’re back out west and your wife will be closer to work in Los Angeles. Everyone wins!”
For all the parties involved, waiving the NMC makes sense.
Whether or not that happens remains to be seen, but it can be mutually beneficial and I can’t think of any reason(s) as to why Phaneuf wouldn’t be amenable to the idea, unless waiving the NMC in this instance means that the Senators will no longer be bound by it moving forward. In other words, if Phaneuf waives his NMC, could the Senators trade him at a later date because he waived his NMC for the purpose of the expansion draft?
@6thSens they talked about this on Jeff Blair show this morning. Renee Lavoie said the NMC would be back on right after the expansion draft
— RAGNAR LODBROK (@Dacoast31) February 9, 2017
Maybe it doesn’t even matter. The the likelihood of a team wanting to absorb the remaining four seasons and $25.5-million in real dollars (carrying a $7.0-million cap hit) on Phaneuf’s contract is small.
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T6S via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
OTTAWA, CANADA – JANUARY 26: Dion Phaneuf #2 of the Ottawa Senators skates with the puck against Sam Bennett #93 of the Calgary Flames during an NHL game at Canadian Tire Centre on January 26, 2017 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Francois Laplante/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images)
Normally I don’t read Don Brennan articles, but when I do, there’s usually a good reason for it.
Maybe it’s nothing or it could be something, but in buried in the depths of an article in yesterday’s Ottawa Sun, Brennan wrote, “it’s widely believed the Senators will protect Cody Ceci and Marc Methot along with Erik Karlsson, and ask Dion Phaneuf to waive his no-move with the thinking Las Vegas won’t touch the latter’s hefty contract.”
Ignoring the assertion that the Senators would shittily neglect to protect Chris Wideman – who they could obviously guard by exposing a more expensive veteran like Marc Methot or through trading an overvalued commodity like Cody Ceci – the idea that the Senators likely will ask Dion Phaneuf to waive his no-movement clause (NMC) makes a lot of sense (and really, it makes sense for tons of clubs around the NHL who are in a similar spot).
As unpalatable as Phaneuf’s contract is for Vegas, the Senators can use it to their advantage to protect a Ceci or a Methot, or an effective and inexpensive player like Wideman, who likely would fall victim to an expansion draft claim.
For the Senators, it should be a relatively easy sell.
For Pierre Dorion, it’d probably go something like this:
“Dion, we love your character and willingness to do whatever it takes to help us improve our club. The thing is Las Vegas probably isn’t going to want to touch your contract. Unlike us, they don’t value your character and leadership like we do. I mean, you can’t put a price tag on what you bring to our dressing room. Okay granted, they also don’t have a bunch of bad short-term contracts that they have to move out because their owner refused to buy them out because of principle or the optics involved. Not only do they not have to worry about getting out from under short-term mistakes, they didn’t spend the previous few years thumping their chests or bragging about how competitive their team is thanks to their smart spending. They have a blank canvas to work with. We don’t have that luxury and because of it, they don’t have to rely on consolidating their debt by moving short-term problems for a long-term one under the guise that it is a hockey decision that improves our hockey club.
“You’re getting older, Dion and I know that you want to play for a winner. Rather than lose an inexpensive and quality asset for nothing, we want you to be part of the solution and give us the flexibility to protect an asset that Las Vegas would consider taking. It will maintain our competitiveness and prevent us from having to enter the market and risk overpaying for an asset that may not be anywhere near as good or effective as the player we lost.
”But hey, even in the unlikely event that Las Vegas does select you, at least you’re back out west and your wife will be closer to work in Los Angeles. Everyone wins!”
For all the parties involved, waiving the NMC makes sense.
Whether or not that happens remains to be seen, but it can be mutually beneficial and I can’t think of any reason(s) as to why Phaneuf wouldn’t be amenable to the idea, unless waiving the NMC in this instance means that the Senators will no longer be bound by it moving forward. In other words, if Phaneuf waives his NMC, could the Senators trade him at a later date because he waived his NMC for the purpose of the expansion draft?
@6thSens they talked about this on Jeff Blair show this morning. Renee Lavoie said the NMC would be back on right after the expansion draft
— RAGNAR LODBROK (@Dacoast31) February 9, 2017
Maybe it doesn’t even matter. The the likelihood of a team wanting to absorb the remaining four seasons and $25.5-million in real dollars (carrying a $7.0-million cap hit) on Phaneuf’s contract is small.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State basketball is improving, but even the NIT is far from a lock at this point
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Ohio State basketball is improving, but even the NIT is far from a lock at this point
Matt Brown via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
It’s good to win some games, but the Buckeyes better win some more if they want to make the postseason.
For the first time in nearly a month, Ohio State basketball is on a winning streak.
It wasn’t easy, but the Buckeyes held off Rutgers last night, 70-64, to extend a winning streak to a whopping two games, thanks to their earlier road win over the hated Michigan Wolverines. Ohio State hasn’t won three games in a row since they beat Marshall, back in November.
With the win, Ohio State has improved to 15-10 on the year, and gave themselves a little bit of space from the basement in the Big Ten. Given how mushy the middle of the conference is right now, with a strong finish, Ohio State could easily finish 7th, or close, in the conference.
Of course, if your aspirations are to finish in the middle of the conference, an NCAA Tournament bid is a longshot. Even with back-to-back wins, Ohio State’s profile would need major, extensive renovations if they hope to make the Big Dance. The Buckeyes would probably need to win five of their next six, plus make some noise in the Big Ten Tournament, just to get back in the conversation for an at-large bid. After an embarrassing 0-4 start to Big Ten play, that ship pretty much sailed a long time ago.
But that doesn’t mean Ohio State’s hopes for the postseason are shot. There is, after all, still the NIT.
Of course, even that isn’t a guarantee at this point. The Buckeyes made last year’s NIT as a #3 seed with 20 wins, and no major conference team grabbed an at-large spot with fewer than 18. The Buckeyes might only be favored in two remaining regular season games this season (at home against Nebraska, on the road at Penn State), and if their play this season has proven anything, absolutely nothing should be taken for granted. After all, Ohio State hasn’t won a game by double-digits since Youngstown State. That was in December.
So 18 is probably the magic number for Ohio State, and given that their best win of the season is probably against Michigan State, getting to 19 would probably be a good idea. Their chances of extending Thad Matta’s 20 game win streak don’t look very good at this point.
Does it even matter? NIT bid or not, Ohio State doesn’t look like a team that’s ready to make a deep run in March, no matter what tournament they’re playing in. The Buckeyes have already been shorthanded thanks to Keita Bates-Diop being lost for the season, and with JaQuan Lyle looking a little beat up, the Buckeyes may not have the horses to bring home any trophies this season.
But, even if it doesn’t end in another banner, and even if it doesn’t capture the imagination of Buckeye fans, extra basketball games are still better for the team. If an NIT bid gives players like Andre Wesson and Micah Potter a chance to appreciate what postseason basketball is like, and ideally a few more minutes of shine, it might help give momentum into what will be a critical offseason for the program. The next time Ohio State basketball is truly good, they’ll need the youngest players in the program now to really step up; so the extra time to shine may be good for them.
There’s not a ton of NIT Bracketology out right now, but NYC Buckets, one of the few sites that does the prognostications, had Ohio State as a #3 seed back on January 30th, facing Utah in a region that also included Memphis, Alabama and Rhode Island. But since conference regular season champions are guaranteed spots in the NIT, a run of upsets in one-bid conferences wreck havoc to other mock NIT brackets.
Ohio State probably isn’t going to be in the running for a top seed, so if you’re looking for the Buckeyes to get an invite, root for chalk in conference tournaments, and hope that the Buckeyes are able to find at least two, and ideally three, more wins down the stretch. Anything is possible, but even an early exit in the postseason is better than not getting a bid at all. And after an up-and-down season, Ohio State basketball could use any bit of positive momentum that they can get.
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Matt Brown via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
It’s good to win some games, but the Buckeyes better win some more if they want to make the postseason.
For the first time in nearly a month, Ohio State basketball is on a winning streak.
It wasn’t easy, but the Buckeyes held off Rutgers last night, 70-64, to extend a winning streak to a whopping two games, thanks to their earlier road win over the hated Michigan Wolverines. Ohio State hasn’t won three games in a row since they beat Marshall, back in November.
With the win, Ohio State has improved to 15-10 on the year, and gave themselves a little bit of space from the basement in the Big Ten. Given how mushy the middle of the conference is right now, with a strong finish, Ohio State could easily finish 7th, or close, in the conference.
Of course, if your aspirations are to finish in the middle of the conference, an NCAA Tournament bid is a longshot. Even with back-to-back wins, Ohio State’s profile would need major, extensive renovations if they hope to make the Big Dance. The Buckeyes would probably need to win five of their next six, plus make some noise in the Big Ten Tournament, just to get back in the conversation for an at-large bid. After an embarrassing 0-4 start to Big Ten play, that ship pretty much sailed a long time ago.
But that doesn’t mean Ohio State’s hopes for the postseason are shot. There is, after all, still the NIT.
Of course, even that isn’t a guarantee at this point. The Buckeyes made last year’s NIT as a #3 seed with 20 wins, and no major conference team grabbed an at-large spot with fewer than 18. The Buckeyes might only be favored in two remaining regular season games this season (at home against Nebraska, on the road at Penn State), and if their play this season has proven anything, absolutely nothing should be taken for granted. After all, Ohio State hasn’t won a game by double-digits since Youngstown State. That was in December.
So 18 is probably the magic number for Ohio State, and given that their best win of the season is probably against Michigan State, getting to 19 would probably be a good idea. Their chances of extending Thad Matta’s 20 game win streak don’t look very good at this point.
Does it even matter? NIT bid or not, Ohio State doesn’t look like a team that’s ready to make a deep run in March, no matter what tournament they’re playing in. The Buckeyes have already been shorthanded thanks to Keita Bates-Diop being lost for the season, and with JaQuan Lyle looking a little beat up, the Buckeyes may not have the horses to bring home any trophies this season.
But, even if it doesn’t end in another banner, and even if it doesn’t capture the imagination of Buckeye fans, extra basketball games are still better for the team. If an NIT bid gives players like Andre Wesson and Micah Potter a chance to appreciate what postseason basketball is like, and ideally a few more minutes of shine, it might help give momentum into what will be a critical offseason for the program. The next time Ohio State basketball is truly good, they’ll need the youngest players in the program now to really step up; so the extra time to shine may be good for them.
There’s not a ton of NIT Bracketology out right now, but NYC Buckets, one of the few sites that does the prognostications, had Ohio State as a #3 seed back on January 30th, facing Utah in a region that also included Memphis, Alabama and Rhode Island. But since conference regular season champions are guaranteed spots in the NIT, a run of upsets in one-bid conferences wreck havoc to other mock NIT brackets.
Ohio State probably isn’t going to be in the running for a top seed, so if you’re looking for the Buckeyes to get an invite, root for chalk in conference tournaments, and hope that the Buckeyes are able to find at least two, and ideally three, more wins down the stretch. Anything is possible, but even an early exit in the postseason is better than not getting a bid at all. And after an up-and-down season, Ohio State basketball could use any bit of positive momentum that they can get.
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LGHL Ohio State football spring game tickets go on sale on Friday
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Ohio State football spring game tickets go on sale on Friday
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
With major contributors heading to the NFL, the spring game will be provide a glimpse of OSU’s future.
On Thursday, The Ohio State University athletic department announced that tickets for the 2017 football spring game would go on sale at 10:00 a.m. EST on Friday, February 10th. The game is scheduled for Saturday, April 15th at 12:30 p.m. EST at Ohio Stadium. Parking for the game is free, and general admission tickets are just $5. Additionally, there are a limited number of $15 reserved club seats available as well. Children under six-years-old and current Ohio State students get in free.
Tickets can be purchased here or by calling 1-800-GOBUCKS and selecting option 3.
The 2016 spring game boasted an NCAA record 100,189 fans in attendance, an improvement from the previous national record of 99,722, which was set at OSU’s 2015 spring game.
Coming off of a second College Football Playoff appearance in three years, and a second straight NFL Draft likely to feature a whole host of Buckeyes, this year’s spring game will give Urban Meyer the chance to see which of his recent big-time recruits are ready to compete for playing time come fall.
Ohio State will kick off the 2017 season on August 31st in Bloomington, IN against the Indiana Hoosiers.
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Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
With major contributors heading to the NFL, the spring game will be provide a glimpse of OSU’s future.
On Thursday, The Ohio State University athletic department announced that tickets for the 2017 football spring game would go on sale at 10:00 a.m. EST on Friday, February 10th. The game is scheduled for Saturday, April 15th at 12:30 p.m. EST at Ohio Stadium. Parking for the game is free, and general admission tickets are just $5. Additionally, there are a limited number of $15 reserved club seats available as well. Children under six-years-old and current Ohio State students get in free.
Tickets can be purchased here or by calling 1-800-GOBUCKS and selecting option 3.
The 2016 spring game boasted an NCAA record 100,189 fans in attendance, an improvement from the previous national record of 99,722, which was set at OSU’s 2015 spring game.
Coming off of a second College Football Playoff appearance in three years, and a second straight NFL Draft likely to feature a whole host of Buckeyes, this year’s spring game will give Urban Meyer the chance to see which of his recent big-time recruits are ready to compete for playing time come fall.
Ohio State will kick off the 2017 season on August 31st in Bloomington, IN against the Indiana Hoosiers.
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Google Marcus Hooker ready for another look at Ohio State - 247Sports
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Marcus Hooker ready for another look at Ohio State - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".
Marcus Hooker ready for another look at Ohio State
247Sports
12, 2015. If that date sounds familiar to Buckeye fans, it should. Ohio State was just a few hours away from playing Oregon for the national championship when Wade pledged his allegiance to the Buckeyes. However, almost from the moment Wade committed, ...
Grading Ohio State's 2016 Season: The Defensive BacksScout
Ohio State football mock draft roundup 2.0cleveland.com
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via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".
Marcus Hooker ready for another look at Ohio State
247Sports
12, 2015. If that date sounds familiar to Buckeye fans, it should. Ohio State was just a few hours away from playing Oregon for the national championship when Wade pledged his allegiance to the Buckeyes. However, almost from the moment Wade committed, ...
Grading Ohio State's 2016 Season: The Defensive BacksScout
Ohio State football mock draft roundup 2.0cleveland.com
all 4 news articles »
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BTN BTN to air eight Big Ten Winter Championships and Hockey Tournament in 2017
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BTN to air eight Big Ten Winter Championships and Hockey Tournament in 2017
BTN Communications via Big Ten Network
BTN will televise eight winter Big Ten Championships in 2017, including the entire Big Ten Hockey Tournament, wrestling, men’s swimming & diving, women’s swimming & diving, men’s and women’s indoor track & field and men’s and women’s gymnastics. Television coverage begins with the Big Ten Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships from Purdue on Sunday, Feb. 19 at 10:30 a.m. ET and continues with Men’s Swimming & Diving Championships at 10:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, Feb. 26, from Ohio State. The opening night relays and preliminary rounds for both women (Feb. 15-18) and men (Feb. 22-25) can be viewed live on
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BTN Communications via Big Ten Network
BTN will televise eight winter Big Ten Championships in 2017, including the entire Big Ten Hockey Tournament, wrestling, men’s swimming & diving, women’s swimming & diving, men’s and women’s indoor track & field and men’s and women’s gymnastics. Television coverage begins with the Big Ten Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships from Purdue on Sunday, Feb. 19 at 10:30 a.m. ET and continues with Men’s Swimming & Diving Championships at 10:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, Feb. 26, from Ohio State. The opening night relays and preliminary rounds for both women (Feb. 15-18) and men (Feb. 22-25) can be viewed live on
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Google Grading Ohio State's 2016 Season: The Defensive Backs - Scout
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Grading Ohio State's 2016 Season: The Defensive Backs - Scout
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Grading Ohio State's 2016 Season: The Defensive Backs
Scout
Starting safety Malik Hooker and cornerbacks Gareon Conley and Marshon Lattimore were all stellar throughout the season, and each came up with huge plays to keep the Buckeyes in the hunt for a national title. Conley impressed with a game-clinching ...
Ohio State football mock draft roundup 2.0cleveland.com
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via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".
Grading Ohio State's 2016 Season: The Defensive Backs
Scout
Starting safety Malik Hooker and cornerbacks Gareon Conley and Marshon Lattimore were all stellar throughout the season, and each came up with huge plays to keep the Buckeyes in the hunt for a national title. Conley impressed with a game-clinching ...
Ohio State football mock draft roundup 2.0cleveland.com
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Google Ohio State podcast: What is Terrelle Pryor's Buckeyes legacy? - Landof10.com
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Ohio State podcast: What is Terrelle Pryor's Buckeyes legacy? - Landof10.com
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Ohio State podcast: What is Terrelle Pryor's Buckeyes legacy?
Landof10.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio — On this #ThrowbackThursday edition of the “Inside the Shoe” Ohio State podcast, Ben Axelrod and Jeremy Birmingham revisit Terrelle Pryor's time with the Buckeyes. You can listen to the entire show in the embedded SoundCloud player ...
In Star-Studded 2017 Class, Ohio State Safety Isaiah Pryor Seems To Be OverlookedEleven Warriors
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via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".
Ohio State podcast: What is Terrelle Pryor's Buckeyes legacy?
Landof10.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio — On this #ThrowbackThursday edition of the “Inside the Shoe” Ohio State podcast, Ben Axelrod and Jeremy Birmingham revisit Terrelle Pryor's time with the Buckeyes. You can listen to the entire show in the embedded SoundCloud player ...
In Star-Studded 2017 Class, Ohio State Safety Isaiah Pryor Seems To Be OverlookedEleven Warriors
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Google Ohio State basketball: Why the Buckeyes are now entering the most important stretch of the...
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Ohio State basketball: Why the Buckeyes are now entering the most important stretch of the season - cleveland.com
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Ohio State basketball: Why the Buckeyes are now entering the most important stretch of the season
cleveland.com
For the Buckeyes (15-10, 5-7 Big Ten) to get on the bubble, they need more big wins. Beating Maryland would be the kind of win that would help, so would one on Tuesday night at Michigan State. A win in either of those games, and Ohio State would be in ...
Off season for football Buckeyes? Not hardly247Sports
Buckeyes Survive Sloppy Affair, Beat Rutgers 70-64Scarlet and Game
Ohio State vs. Rutgers 2017 final score: Buckeyes hold off the ...Land-Grant Holy Land
Eleven Warriors -The News Center -Landof10.com
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via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".
Ohio State basketball: Why the Buckeyes are now entering the most important stretch of the season
cleveland.com
For the Buckeyes (15-10, 5-7 Big Ten) to get on the bubble, they need more big wins. Beating Maryland would be the kind of win that would help, so would one on Tuesday night at Michigan State. A win in either of those games, and Ohio State would be in ...
Off season for football Buckeyes? Not hardly247Sports
Buckeyes Survive Sloppy Affair, Beat Rutgers 70-64Scarlet and Game
Ohio State vs. Rutgers 2017 final score: Buckeyes hold off the ...Land-Grant Holy Land
Eleven Warriors -The News Center -Landof10.com
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LGHL 4-star DB Leon O'Neal Jr. pulls in Ohio State offer
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4-star DB Leon O'Neal Jr. pulls in Ohio State offer
Bret Favachio via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
O’Neal has a chance to be part of the Buckeyes’ 2018 class.
O'Neal gets OSU offer
Just days after adding 2018 safety Jaiden Woodbey (Upland, CA / St. John Bosco) to the fold, Ohio State went right back to the defensive secondary for their latest offer that came about on Wednesday. The newest recipient of that Buckeye offer is '18 S Leon O'Neal Jr. of Cy Springs (TX).
More Than Blessed To Receive An Offer From Ohio State University
️ #GoBucks #WAKEEMUP pic.twitter.com/FB86h0zn27
— LeonNumbaNine#9 (@WakeEmUp9) February 8, 2017
The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder had 18 offers under his belt prior to the Buckeyes joining the picture yesterday. While there is a long while until O'Neal Jr. has to make a final decision, Ohio State will have to beat out programs like Alabama, Clemson, Oklahoma, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M, UCLA and more if they want to pair him with Woodbey in the Scarlet and Gray.
O'Neal Jr., a four-star prospect, is currently penciled in as the 223rd best overall player in the class, according to 247sports. The Cypress native can also be found as the 18th highest graded safety and the 26th highest graded prospect in the state of Texas.
With Ohio State jumping into the mix for the blue-chip defensive back, we will see if the staff can now convince him to come to Columbus to check out the campus in the near future.
Cali to Columbus movement?
As mentioned above, Ohio State reeled in their third pledge for this year’s recruiting class when Woodbey of St. John Bosco (CA) announced his commitment to the Buckeyes. The four-star prospect is currently slotted as the fourth best player in the state and he believes he isn't going to be the last from California to head to Columbus and suit up for the Buckeyes.
For now, there's four Cali prospects other than Woodbey that have secured offers from Ohio State—and all but one plays on the offensive side of the ball. 2018 running back Maurice Washington, a four-star prospect, could ultimately become a candidate to partner up with '18 Florida RB Brian Snead, who has been committed to the Buckeyes since July 2016. The other two would be '18 wide receivers Jalen Hall of Hawkins (CA) and Amon-Ra St. Brown of Mater Dei (CA) — two of the nation’s best pass-catchers. The lone defender outside of Woodbey is '18 linebacker Solomon Tuliaupupu of Claremont (CA).
Obviously, the state is full of talented players and new offers could go out to more names in due time. It will be interesting to see if the commitment of Woodbey could turn California into the Texas of the 2017 recruiting class.
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Bret Favachio via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
O’Neal has a chance to be part of the Buckeyes’ 2018 class.
O'Neal gets OSU offer
Just days after adding 2018 safety Jaiden Woodbey (Upland, CA / St. John Bosco) to the fold, Ohio State went right back to the defensive secondary for their latest offer that came about on Wednesday. The newest recipient of that Buckeye offer is '18 S Leon O'Neal Jr. of Cy Springs (TX).
More Than Blessed To Receive An Offer From Ohio State University
️ #GoBucks #WAKEEMUP pic.twitter.com/FB86h0zn27— LeonNumbaNine#9 (@WakeEmUp9) February 8, 2017
The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder had 18 offers under his belt prior to the Buckeyes joining the picture yesterday. While there is a long while until O'Neal Jr. has to make a final decision, Ohio State will have to beat out programs like Alabama, Clemson, Oklahoma, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M, UCLA and more if they want to pair him with Woodbey in the Scarlet and Gray.
O'Neal Jr., a four-star prospect, is currently penciled in as the 223rd best overall player in the class, according to 247sports. The Cypress native can also be found as the 18th highest graded safety and the 26th highest graded prospect in the state of Texas.
With Ohio State jumping into the mix for the blue-chip defensive back, we will see if the staff can now convince him to come to Columbus to check out the campus in the near future.
Cali to Columbus movement?
As mentioned above, Ohio State reeled in their third pledge for this year’s recruiting class when Woodbey of St. John Bosco (CA) announced his commitment to the Buckeyes. The four-star prospect is currently slotted as the fourth best player in the state and he believes he isn't going to be the last from California to head to Columbus and suit up for the Buckeyes.
OH move is going to be real in 2018For now, there's four Cali prospects other than Woodbey that have secured offers from Ohio State—and all but one plays on the offensive side of the ball. 2018 running back Maurice Washington, a four-star prospect, could ultimately become a candidate to partner up with '18 Florida RB Brian Snead, who has been committed to the Buckeyes since July 2016. The other two would be '18 wide receivers Jalen Hall of Hawkins (CA) and Amon-Ra St. Brown of Mater Dei (CA) — two of the nation’s best pass-catchers. The lone defender outside of Woodbey is '18 linebacker Solomon Tuliaupupu of Claremont (CA).
Obviously, the state is full of talented players and new offers could go out to more names in due time. It will be interesting to see if the commitment of Woodbey could turn California into the Texas of the 2017 recruiting class.
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Google Buckeyes expected to make Top 5 for country's No. 3 DE - 247Sports
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Buckeyes expected to make Top 5 for country's No. 3 DE - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".
Buckeyes expected to make Top 5 for country's No. 3 DE
247Sports
Buckeyes expected to make Top 5 for country's No. 3 DE. The country's No. 3 strong-side defensive end will announce his Top 5 in a month and Bucknuts is told Ohio State will be on the list. Bill Kurelic - 6 hours ago; VIP; 13; Tools. Edit · Slot to ...
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via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".
Buckeyes expected to make Top 5 for country's No. 3 DE
247Sports
Buckeyes expected to make Top 5 for country's No. 3 DE. The country's No. 3 strong-side defensive end will announce his Top 5 in a month and Bucknuts is told Ohio State will be on the list. Bill Kurelic - 6 hours ago; VIP; 13; Tools. Edit · Slot to ...
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Google Changes are already happening at OSU; some obvious, some not so - 247Sports
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Changes are already happening at OSU; some obvious, some not so - 247Sports
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Changes are already happening at OSU; some obvious, some not so
247Sports
If the Buckeyes were a year ahead of schedule in the 31-0 lost to Clemson in the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl, that means it's time to get back on schedule. In Meyer's mind, 2017 was always the year for OSU to take the college football world by storm, but ...
Texas wide receiver talking with Ohio State, Buckeyes offer recent Penn State commitment and moreLandof10.com
Jaiden Woodbey to Ohio State: Buckeyes Land 4-Star Safety ProspectBleacher Report
Ohio State football: How will Wyatt Davis, Josh Myers shake up Buckeyes' offensive line?cleveland.com
Columbus Dispatch -Land-Grant Holy Land -AthlonSports.com
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via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".
Changes are already happening at OSU; some obvious, some not so
247Sports
If the Buckeyes were a year ahead of schedule in the 31-0 lost to Clemson in the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl, that means it's time to get back on schedule. In Meyer's mind, 2017 was always the year for OSU to take the college football world by storm, but ...
Texas wide receiver talking with Ohio State, Buckeyes offer recent Penn State commitment and moreLandof10.com
Jaiden Woodbey to Ohio State: Buckeyes Land 4-Star Safety ProspectBleacher Report
Ohio State football: How will Wyatt Davis, Josh Myers shake up Buckeyes' offensive line?cleveland.com
Columbus Dispatch -Land-Grant Holy Land -AthlonSports.com
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BTN Ohio State holds off Rutgers behind Williams’ career night
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Ohio State holds off Rutgers behind Williams’ career night
Alex Roux, BTN.com editor via Big Ten Network
Kam Williams scored 23 points to lead Ohio State past a resilient Rutgers squad, 70-64. The win boosted the Buckeyes to 15-10 and 5-7 in conference play.
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Alex Roux, BTN.com editor via Big Ten Network
Kam Williams scored 23 points to lead Ohio State past a resilient Rutgers squad, 70-64. The win boosted the Buckeyes to 15-10 and 5-7 in conference play.
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Google Buckeyes Survive Sloppy Affair, Beat Rutgers 70-64 - Scarlet and Game
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Buckeyes Survive Sloppy Affair, Beat Rutgers 70-64 - Scarlet and Game
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Buckeyes Survive Sloppy Affair, Beat Rutgers 70-64
Scarlet and Game
Rarely has anything been easy for the Ohio State Buckeyes basketball team this season. Fittingly, neither was tonight's 70-64 win over a poor Rutgers team. Despite having not trailed since the 15-minute mark of the first half, the Buckeyes could never ...
Off season for football Buckeyes? Not hardly247Sports
Ohio State vs. Rutgers 2017 final score: Buckeyes hold off the Scarlet Knights, 70-64Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State basketball avoids collapse, holds on for 70-64 win over Rutgerscleveland.com
Landof10.com -Eleven Warriors -Scout
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via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".
Buckeyes Survive Sloppy Affair, Beat Rutgers 70-64
Scarlet and Game
Rarely has anything been easy for the Ohio State Buckeyes basketball team this season. Fittingly, neither was tonight's 70-64 win over a poor Rutgers team. Despite having not trailed since the 15-minute mark of the first half, the Buckeyes could never ...
Off season for football Buckeyes? Not hardly247Sports
Ohio State vs. Rutgers 2017 final score: Buckeyes hold off the Scarlet Knights, 70-64Land-Grant Holy Land
Ohio State basketball avoids collapse, holds on for 70-64 win over Rutgerscleveland.com
Landof10.com -Eleven Warriors -Scout
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LGHL Ohio State vs. Rutgers 2017 final score: Buckeyes hold off the Scarlet Knights, 70-64
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Ohio State vs. Rutgers 2017 final score: Buckeyes hold off the Scarlet Knights, 70-64
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kam Williams goes for a career-high in a sloppy victory.
On Wednesday night, the Ohio State Buckeyes (15-10, 5-7) won their second consecutive game for only the second time during the Big Ten season, outlasting the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (13-12, 2-10), 70-64. It wasn’t exactly a work of art, but Kam Williams led the Buckeyes to a much-needed, gutsy win.
The game was a sloppy malaise of out of control play and missed opportunities throughout. The teams combined for 26 turnovers (OSU- 15, Rutgers 11) and 41 fouls (OSU- 19, Rutgers 22). Despite controlling the first half, the Buckeyes were never able to put enough distance between them and Rutgers to feel comfortable, and it nearly came back to bite them in the final minutes.
A pair of back-to-back threes, from Marc Loving and Williams, five minutes into the game gave Ohio State its first lead at 10-8.
With 12 minutes remaining in the first half, Loving was at the bottom of a pile under the basket and received a shoe to the left eyebrow, and had to go to the locker room to receive stitches. He did not return to the game until after the under-four minute timeout.
Despite being one of the team’s best three players during the Big Ten season, OSU was able to extend its lead with Loving off of the floor. With seven minutes remaining in the half, they led 25-16, on the strength of Jae-Sean Tate and Trevor Thompson’s efforts.
Tate had gone 3-3 from the field and the free-throw line for nine points, and Thompson had picked up six points on 3-4 shooting, in addition to four rebounds.
C.J. Jackson was back in the starting lineup for the Buckeyes, spelling JaQuan Lyle who is still dealing with a nagging ankle injury. However, with five minutes left in the first half, after scoring two points, Jackson picked up his third and went to the bench. Lyle was scoreless in 12 minutes of first half action.
At the break, OSU led 33-27, as they went nearly three minutes without a field goal to close out the half. The Buckeyes held a 20-12 rebounding advantage, as both teams shot 46% from the field. Rutgers came into the game leading the Big Ten in total rebounding. Their 1,012 boards ranked eighth nationally, Ohio State’s 914 were 77th.
The teams combined for 16 turnovers (OSU- 9, Rutgers 7) and 15 fouls (OSU- 8, Rutgers 7) in the first half.
After 20 minutes, Rutgers was led by sophomore guard Corey Sanders, who had six points. However, seven other Scarlet Knights had scored. Tate led all scorers with 11, Thompson had eight, and Williams chipped in with seven.
Just a few minutes into the second half, OSU took its biggest lead of the game on a Jackson three-pointed that pushed the score to 40-29. However, from that point, Rutgers continued to chip away, getting their deficit down to just four, 45-41, with just under 13:00 minutes remaining in the half.
Up 49-43 with 11:29 left in regulation Rutgers freshman Issa Thiam picked off a Buckeye pass, and as he raced, uncontested, towards the basket, Thompson immediately grabbed him, and was whistled for an intentional foul. Thiam hit both free-throws, but the Scarlet Knights were unable to convert on the ensuing possession.
However, a minute and a half later, Sanders drove to the basket in transition and was fouled by Jackson. Sanders hit the layup and completed the old-fashioned three-point play, making the score 49-48 in favor of the Buckeyes. Rutgers’ Mike Williams hit a jumper with 9:30 remaining to tie the score at 50.
After fouling Kam Williams in the act of shooting a three (Williams hit all three FTs) and committing a player control foul on the subsequent possession, Sanders fouled out with 4:49 remaining. He finished with 17 points in 27 minutes of action. Williams finished with a career-high 23 points.
The teams continued to go back and forth in the remaining minutes. With 1:18 remaining, Thiam got a put back to tie the score at 62, but on the following possession, Williams put the Buckeyes back in the lead as he was fouled while shooting a three. He completed the four-point play to put the Buckeyes up 66-62. While it was dicey until the end, OSU would not give up that lead.
The Buckeyes will return to the hardwood on Saturday in College Park, Maryland at 4:00 p.m. EST. The game will be broadcast on the ESPN family of networks.
3 things we learned
1) Kam Williams came to play. While Jae’Sean Tate and Trevor Thompson have received the majority of the limited love directed at the team this year, since the calendar turned to 2017, Kam Williams has made himself into a vital cog in the sometimes puttering machine that is the Ohio State basketball team.
Seeing occasional sparks from the likes of Williams, JaQuan Lyle, and Marc Loving is somewhat bittersweet, as it makes you wonder what could have been if they had all figured out how to play their best at the same time.
2) Trevor Thompson’s improved free-throw shooting is a valuable weapon. In Thad Matta’s tenure as the head coach in Columbus, one of the most consistent complaints about the on-court play has been their inability to make the most of their opportunities at the free-throw line.
Coming into the game against Rutgers on Wednesday, the 2016-2017 Buckeyes were shooting 67.9% from the line, 236th in the country. However, the Buckeye big man, Trevor Thompson has been one of the team’s most reliable forces at the stripe.
Coming into the game, he was shooting 71.9%, but against Rutgers, he was 5-6, the most makes for any Buckeye on the game.
3) The season is not completely lost. Yes, I admit, barring an inconceivable Big Ten Tournament run, OSU has nearly zero chance of making the NCAA Tournament, a substantial disappointment for a team that got used to being in the Big Dance annually.
However, with their 15th win of the season, some of the team’s other goals are still within reach. With six regular season games remaining, in addition to the B1G Tournament, and a potential NIT (or CBI) berth, the Buckeyes have at least eight games remaining, with more possible based on post-season wins. If Ohio State can pick up five more W’s, that would insure the 17th 20-win season is head coach Thad Matta’s 17-year coaching career.
While that doesn’t come anywhere close to comparing to a Big Ten Title, or a Final Four run, at least it’s something substantive to give the Buckeyes to play towards in an otherwise lost season.
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Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kam Williams goes for a career-high in a sloppy victory.
On Wednesday night, the Ohio State Buckeyes (15-10, 5-7) won their second consecutive game for only the second time during the Big Ten season, outlasting the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (13-12, 2-10), 70-64. It wasn’t exactly a work of art, but Kam Williams led the Buckeyes to a much-needed, gutsy win.
The game was a sloppy malaise of out of control play and missed opportunities throughout. The teams combined for 26 turnovers (OSU- 15, Rutgers 11) and 41 fouls (OSU- 19, Rutgers 22). Despite controlling the first half, the Buckeyes were never able to put enough distance between them and Rutgers to feel comfortable, and it nearly came back to bite them in the final minutes.
A pair of back-to-back threes, from Marc Loving and Williams, five minutes into the game gave Ohio State its first lead at 10-8.
With 12 minutes remaining in the first half, Loving was at the bottom of a pile under the basket and received a shoe to the left eyebrow, and had to go to the locker room to receive stitches. He did not return to the game until after the under-four minute timeout.
Despite being one of the team’s best three players during the Big Ten season, OSU was able to extend its lead with Loving off of the floor. With seven minutes remaining in the half, they led 25-16, on the strength of Jae-Sean Tate and Trevor Thompson’s efforts.
Tate had gone 3-3 from the field and the free-throw line for nine points, and Thompson had picked up six points on 3-4 shooting, in addition to four rebounds.
C.J. Jackson was back in the starting lineup for the Buckeyes, spelling JaQuan Lyle who is still dealing with a nagging ankle injury. However, with five minutes left in the first half, after scoring two points, Jackson picked up his third and went to the bench. Lyle was scoreless in 12 minutes of first half action.
At the break, OSU led 33-27, as they went nearly three minutes without a field goal to close out the half. The Buckeyes held a 20-12 rebounding advantage, as both teams shot 46% from the field. Rutgers came into the game leading the Big Ten in total rebounding. Their 1,012 boards ranked eighth nationally, Ohio State’s 914 were 77th.
The teams combined for 16 turnovers (OSU- 9, Rutgers 7) and 15 fouls (OSU- 8, Rutgers 7) in the first half.
After 20 minutes, Rutgers was led by sophomore guard Corey Sanders, who had six points. However, seven other Scarlet Knights had scored. Tate led all scorers with 11, Thompson had eight, and Williams chipped in with seven.
Just a few minutes into the second half, OSU took its biggest lead of the game on a Jackson three-pointed that pushed the score to 40-29. However, from that point, Rutgers continued to chip away, getting their deficit down to just four, 45-41, with just under 13:00 minutes remaining in the half.
Up 49-43 with 11:29 left in regulation Rutgers freshman Issa Thiam picked off a Buckeye pass, and as he raced, uncontested, towards the basket, Thompson immediately grabbed him, and was whistled for an intentional foul. Thiam hit both free-throws, but the Scarlet Knights were unable to convert on the ensuing possession.
However, a minute and a half later, Sanders drove to the basket in transition and was fouled by Jackson. Sanders hit the layup and completed the old-fashioned three-point play, making the score 49-48 in favor of the Buckeyes. Rutgers’ Mike Williams hit a jumper with 9:30 remaining to tie the score at 50.
After fouling Kam Williams in the act of shooting a three (Williams hit all three FTs) and committing a player control foul on the subsequent possession, Sanders fouled out with 4:49 remaining. He finished with 17 points in 27 minutes of action. Williams finished with a career-high 23 points.
The teams continued to go back and forth in the remaining minutes. With 1:18 remaining, Thiam got a put back to tie the score at 62, but on the following possession, Williams put the Buckeyes back in the lead as he was fouled while shooting a three. He completed the four-point play to put the Buckeyes up 66-62. While it was dicey until the end, OSU would not give up that lead.
The Buckeyes will return to the hardwood on Saturday in College Park, Maryland at 4:00 p.m. EST. The game will be broadcast on the ESPN family of networks.
3 things we learned
1) Kam Williams came to play. While Jae’Sean Tate and Trevor Thompson have received the majority of the limited love directed at the team this year, since the calendar turned to 2017, Kam Williams has made himself into a vital cog in the sometimes puttering machine that is the Ohio State basketball team.
Seeing occasional sparks from the likes of Williams, JaQuan Lyle, and Marc Loving is somewhat bittersweet, as it makes you wonder what could have been if they had all figured out how to play their best at the same time.
2) Trevor Thompson’s improved free-throw shooting is a valuable weapon. In Thad Matta’s tenure as the head coach in Columbus, one of the most consistent complaints about the on-court play has been their inability to make the most of their opportunities at the free-throw line.
Coming into the game against Rutgers on Wednesday, the 2016-2017 Buckeyes were shooting 67.9% from the line, 236th in the country. However, the Buckeye big man, Trevor Thompson has been one of the team’s most reliable forces at the stripe.
Coming into the game, he was shooting 71.9%, but against Rutgers, he was 5-6, the most makes for any Buckeye on the game.
3) The season is not completely lost. Yes, I admit, barring an inconceivable Big Ten Tournament run, OSU has nearly zero chance of making the NCAA Tournament, a substantial disappointment for a team that got used to being in the Big Dance annually.
However, with their 15th win of the season, some of the team’s other goals are still within reach. With six regular season games remaining, in addition to the B1G Tournament, and a potential NIT (or CBI) berth, the Buckeyes have at least eight games remaining, with more possible based on post-season wins. If Ohio State can pick up five more W’s, that would insure the 17th 20-win season is head coach Thad Matta’s 17-year coaching career.
While that doesn’t come anywhere close to comparing to a Big Ten Title, or a Final Four run, at least it’s something substantive to give the Buckeyes to play towards in an otherwise lost season.
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Google Ohio State vs. Rutgers 2017 final score: Buckeyes hold off the Scarlet Knights, 70-64 -...
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Ohio State vs. Rutgers 2017 final score: Buckeyes hold off the Scarlet Knights, 70-64 - Land-Grant Holy Land
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".
Ohio State vs. Rutgers 2017 final score: Buckeyes hold off the Scarlet Knights, 70-64
Land-Grant Holy Land
On Wednesday night, the Ohio State Buckeyes (15-10, 5-7) won their second consecutive game for only the second time during the Big Ten season, outlasting the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (13-12, 2-10), 70-64. It wasn't exactly a work of art, but Kam ...
Simple Keys vs Rutgers and How Ohio State Can Make The DanceScarlet and Game
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via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".
Ohio State vs. Rutgers 2017 final score: Buckeyes hold off the Scarlet Knights, 70-64
Land-Grant Holy Land
On Wednesday night, the Ohio State Buckeyes (15-10, 5-7) won their second consecutive game for only the second time during the Big Ten season, outlasting the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (13-12, 2-10), 70-64. It wasn't exactly a work of art, but Kam ...
Simple Keys vs Rutgers and How Ohio State Can Make The DanceScarlet and Game
all 3 news articles »
Continue reading...
Google What To Watch: After road win, Buckeyes set to host Rutgers - 247Sports
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What To Watch: After road win, Buckeyes set to host Rutgers - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".
What To Watch: After road win, Buckeyes set to host Rutgers
247Sports
Loving is the 12th player in the Matta era and 53rd in school history to reach 1,000 career points as a Buckeye. His point total of 1,230 is 33rd on the all-time Ohio State scoring list. Next in his sights are Ron Stokes (32nd, 1,240 points) and Jared ...
Texas wide receiver talking with Ohio State, Buckeyes offer recent Penn State commitment and moreLandof10.com
Jaiden Woodbey to Ohio State: Buckeyes Land 4-Star Safety ProspectBleacher Report
Ohio State basketball: Buckeyes offer scholarship to five-star sophomoreColumbus Dispatch
cleveland.com -AthlonSports.com -Land-Grant Holy Land
all 113 news articles »
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via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".
What To Watch: After road win, Buckeyes set to host Rutgers
247Sports
Loving is the 12th player in the Matta era and 53rd in school history to reach 1,000 career points as a Buckeye. His point total of 1,230 is 33rd on the all-time Ohio State scoring list. Next in his sights are Ron Stokes (32nd, 1,240 points) and Jared ...
Texas wide receiver talking with Ohio State, Buckeyes offer recent Penn State commitment and moreLandof10.com
Jaiden Woodbey to Ohio State: Buckeyes Land 4-Star Safety ProspectBleacher Report
Ohio State basketball: Buckeyes offer scholarship to five-star sophomoreColumbus Dispatch
cleveland.com -AthlonSports.com -Land-Grant Holy Land
all 113 news articles »
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LGHL Ezekiel Elliott receives guidance from Marshall Faulk to help navigate his NFL career
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Ezekiel Elliott receives guidance from Marshall Faulk to help navigate his NFL career
Harry Lyles Jr. via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The Hall of Famer is a great friend to Zeke.
“As a 21-year-old star with the Indianapolis Colts, Marshall Faulk would've loved to have had the kind of relationship with someone that he has with Ezekiel Elliott.”
- Jean-Jacques Taylor, ESPN
Ezekiel Elliott had one of the best rookie seasons by a running back in NFL history this past season. He hasn’t done it entirely alone, as he’s had some guidance from Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk. Faulk has been friends with Elliott since Elliott was in high school in St. Louis. That continued while Elliott was at Ohio State, and of course, into his pro career with the Cowboys. But Faulk doesn’t like looking at himself as a mentor. "I hate to use the word mentor," Faulk said. "We have a friendship. There are things he trusts me with and that he'll ask about -- and even if he doesn't ask, I'll drop it by him.”
Faulk does it in part because he wishes somebody had done it for him. "For me, it's more or less, it's what I wish I had when I entered the league as a rookie." Elliott’s dad Stacy is extremely appreciative of what Faulk has provided for his son. "To even have Marshall, a student of the game, be a mentor to Ezekiel and have him mirroring Marshall is really a beautiful thing." We all want to see Elliott succeed in the NFL. He was great to watch at Ohio State, and is a fun personality. You may not root for the Cowboys on Sundays, but it never hurts to see Zeke out there eating.
“It's been nearly a decade since Ohio State has signed a pair of offensive linemen like Wyatt Davis and Josh Myers.”
- Bill Landis, Northeast Ohio Media Group
Davis and Myers are the best offensive lineman Urban Meyer has signed since he’s been at Ohio State. Considering some of the great linemen that have come through Columbus, that’s a pretty amazing feat. There’s also a chance that they can compete for starting spots immediately. "They're both from excellent programs," Meyer said on National Signing Day, via Landis. "They're both very disciplined, mature people. Man, they're blessed. They're big. They're not -- usually guys that big are fat-big, but these guys aren't fat-big, they're big-big."
Meyer praised both players individually as well. "Josh Myers is absolutely killing it in the weight room right now. He's going to be in the mix," Meyer said. He was high on Davis’ promise as well. "Wyatt Davis, I went out watching him practice," Meyer said. "Wonderful high school program, one of the best programs in America. I don't want to say he's ready-made because that's not fair for him, but that's how much respect we have for the Bosco football program." Offensive line play gets past the average fan, but the additions of Myers and Davis could be huge for Ohio State moving forward if they live up to expectations. It’ll pay off even more when J.T. Barrett’s successor takes over after next season.
Akron’s Warren Ball Receives 6th Year of Eligibilityhttps://t.co/vxVGsqRx8E pic.twitter.com/Vn5tx1YhQo
— Akron Zips Football (@ZipsFB) February 8, 2017
Former Ohio State running back Warren Ball graduate transferred to Akron in February of 2016. Ball rushed for 189 yards on 41 carries in his three seasons in Columbus. With players like Carlos Hyde and Ezekiel Elliott in front of him along with injuries, it was tough for Ball to get into the mix. For Akron, he started the first two games of the 2016 season. He totaled 181 yards and a touchdown on just 25 attempts.
Wednesday, he was granted a 6th year of eligibility by the NCAA, because of a season-ending injury last fall. Zips head coach Terry Bowden was happy about the news. "We are extremely happy that Warren will continue as a member of our team," Bowden said. "His leadership on and off the field has been a tremendous asset so far, and we look for his continued contributions to our success." Hopefully Ball is able to capitalize off of the extra year, and stay healthy.
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Continue reading...
Harry Lyles Jr. via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The Hall of Famer is a great friend to Zeke.
“As a 21-year-old star with the Indianapolis Colts, Marshall Faulk would've loved to have had the kind of relationship with someone that he has with Ezekiel Elliott.”
- Jean-Jacques Taylor, ESPN
Ezekiel Elliott had one of the best rookie seasons by a running back in NFL history this past season. He hasn’t done it entirely alone, as he’s had some guidance from Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk. Faulk has been friends with Elliott since Elliott was in high school in St. Louis. That continued while Elliott was at Ohio State, and of course, into his pro career with the Cowboys. But Faulk doesn’t like looking at himself as a mentor. "I hate to use the word mentor," Faulk said. "We have a friendship. There are things he trusts me with and that he'll ask about -- and even if he doesn't ask, I'll drop it by him.”
Faulk does it in part because he wishes somebody had done it for him. "For me, it's more or less, it's what I wish I had when I entered the league as a rookie." Elliott’s dad Stacy is extremely appreciative of what Faulk has provided for his son. "To even have Marshall, a student of the game, be a mentor to Ezekiel and have him mirroring Marshall is really a beautiful thing." We all want to see Elliott succeed in the NFL. He was great to watch at Ohio State, and is a fun personality. You may not root for the Cowboys on Sundays, but it never hurts to see Zeke out there eating.
“It's been nearly a decade since Ohio State has signed a pair of offensive linemen like Wyatt Davis and Josh Myers.”
- Bill Landis, Northeast Ohio Media Group
Davis and Myers are the best offensive lineman Urban Meyer has signed since he’s been at Ohio State. Considering some of the great linemen that have come through Columbus, that’s a pretty amazing feat. There’s also a chance that they can compete for starting spots immediately. "They're both from excellent programs," Meyer said on National Signing Day, via Landis. "They're both very disciplined, mature people. Man, they're blessed. They're big. They're not -- usually guys that big are fat-big, but these guys aren't fat-big, they're big-big."
Meyer praised both players individually as well. "Josh Myers is absolutely killing it in the weight room right now. He's going to be in the mix," Meyer said. He was high on Davis’ promise as well. "Wyatt Davis, I went out watching him practice," Meyer said. "Wonderful high school program, one of the best programs in America. I don't want to say he's ready-made because that's not fair for him, but that's how much respect we have for the Bosco football program." Offensive line play gets past the average fan, but the additions of Myers and Davis could be huge for Ohio State moving forward if they live up to expectations. It’ll pay off even more when J.T. Barrett’s successor takes over after next season.
Akron’s Warren Ball Receives 6th Year of Eligibilityhttps://t.co/vxVGsqRx8E pic.twitter.com/Vn5tx1YhQo
— Akron Zips Football (@ZipsFB) February 8, 2017
Former Ohio State running back Warren Ball graduate transferred to Akron in February of 2016. Ball rushed for 189 yards on 41 carries in his three seasons in Columbus. With players like Carlos Hyde and Ezekiel Elliott in front of him along with injuries, it was tough for Ball to get into the mix. For Akron, he started the first two games of the 2016 season. He totaled 181 yards and a touchdown on just 25 attempts.
Wednesday, he was granted a 6th year of eligibility by the NCAA, because of a season-ending injury last fall. Zips head coach Terry Bowden was happy about the news. "We are extremely happy that Warren will continue as a member of our team," Bowden said. "His leadership on and off the field has been a tremendous asset so far, and we look for his continued contributions to our success." Hopefully Ball is able to capitalize off of the extra year, and stay healthy.
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