Ohio State men’s basketball vs Duke: Game preview and prediction
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Can the Buckeyes repeat their Duke magic of last season?

It is officially that time of the year folks. Ohio State against the big bad wolf. The now-ranked No. 25 Ohio State men’s basketball team takes their 5-1 record to Cameron Indoor Stadium to take on the No. 17 Duke Blue Devils, who enter the contest 6-2.


Duke has been an interesting case this season, as their two losses are both against very solid teams in Purdue and Kansas, but they also do not have a convincing win. They beat Xavier but struggled in that one as well and only wound up beating the Musketeers by seven.

For Ohio State, they are coming off a successful trip to the Maui Invitational. After falling to No. 24 San Diego State to open the tournament, the Buckeyes rattled off two nice victories over Cincinnati and then-No. 23 Texas Tech Red Raiders. This performance allowed the Buckeyes to be ranked for the first time this season, sneaking into the back end of the poll on Monday afternoon.

Last season, Ohio State famously pulled off the upset of the year at the time, knocking off then-No. 1 Duke 71-66 at Value City Arena. Zed Key led the Buckeyes with 20 points and E.J. Liddell added 14 points, 14 rebounds, six assists, and three blocks. Liddell also hit a huge bucket to give the Buckeyes a three-point lead with 16 seconds left. Duke freshman and future No. 1 draft pick Paolo Banchero missed a three-point field goal with five seconds left to end the game.

For Duke, Wendell Moore Jr. finished with 17 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and two steals. Paolo Banchero finished with 14 points and five rebounds but was just 4-for-14 from the field.

Here is a great clip on how the Buckeyes and head coach Chris Holtmann pulled off the upset.


Duke has five impactful freshmen in their rotation, as well as two transfers coming off the bench whom Ohio State fans should be very familiar with. Ryan Young previously played at Northwestern, while Jacob Grandison spent three seasons at Illinois prior to his transfer to Duke.

Also, just a fun (kind of) stat, Ohio State is 2-0 against Duke following a Buckeye loss to Michigan in football. Read the article below for more history and information on that funky trend.

Preview

Photo by Lance King/Getty Images

Ohio State is coming into this one with the momentum, as they defeated Texas Tech in their last game 80-73, while Duke was hammered by Purdue in their last game, falling to the Boilermakers 75-56. They had no answers for Purdue’s defense, nor could they do much against big Zach Edey below the basket.

Duke is led by freshman big man Kyle Filipowski, who is averaging 15.4 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. Duke junior guard Jeremy Roach is the only player these Buckeyes are familiar with from last season, and he is averaging 12.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. Freshman forward Mark Mitchell is averaging 9.6 points and 3.4 rebounds per game, while Ryan Young is averaging 7.8 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.

Dariq Whitehead and Dereck Lively have yet to make much of an impact for the Blue Devils as the top two recruits in the 2022 class, but they have both been dealing with injuries and are not fully healthy yet. They’ve combined to average 7.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game thus far.

For the Buckeyes, talented freshman Brice Sensabaugh is averaging 15.8 points and 4.0 rebounds per game while Justice Sueing is averaging 14.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. Sueing is coming off a career game against Texas Tech, recording 33 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and two steals in 31 minutes.

Zed Key is averaging 12.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game and West Virginia transfer Sean McNeil has been a great spark off the bench for the Buckeyes, averaging nearly ten points per game over 27.5 minutes per contest.

Prediction

Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images

Duke has been a tough case to crack this season thus far. They have the size and the talent on paper, but they are young, and they really struggle to shoot the ball.

It is imperative that Zed Key stays out of foul trouble. We all know how Duke gets officiated at Cameron, and Key will have to be aware of that as well. He had a career game last season against Duke, scoring 20 points on 8-for-15 shooting, but most importantly, he only recorded two fouls in the entirety of the game while dealing with talented Duke big man Mark Williams.

If Key gets into foul trouble, it will come down Felix Okpara down low to help rim protect. Okpara has provided solid minutes this season, but he has only played 14 minutes per game and would be thrust into an extremely difficult situation if Key is in fact stuck on the bench. Key, obviously playing last year, is not in an unfamiliar game.

Bruce Thornton, Justice Sueing, and Isaac Likekele will be key in this one as well. They are three starters that are big-bodied and will need to be able to work against Duke’s size and their ability to crash the glass on defense and offense.

Likekele has struggled offensively this season thus far but has been huge on defense and will have to guard multiple positions in this contest as he has been tasked with doing all season thus far. Two more interesting players are Sensabaugh and Roddy Gayle Jr., who can use their length and athleticism to their advantage by making it difficult for some of Duke’s larger wings to chase them around.

All in all, I think Ohio State wins this one on the defensive end, getting some crucial stops late on the Blue Devils.


ESPN BPI: Duke 58.4%
Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN

LGHL score prediction: Ohio State 76, Duke 70

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Bucketheads Podcast: The hater’s guide to Duke with Tate Frazier
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports

We brought on our resident Duke hater to discuss Ohio State’s showdown with the Blue Devils.

‘Bucketheads’ is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. Every episode they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in the college hoops world.

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


On this week’s episode, Connor and Justin are joined by Fox Sports college basketball personality Tate Frazier to preview the Big Ten-ACC Challenge battle between No. 25 Ohio State and No. 17 Duke. Tate, who co-hosts the Titus and Tate Podcast and is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, brings a unique perspective to Duke basketball.

Should Tate be hitting the panic button on his North Carolina Tar Heels, or should Duke fans be reaching for that same button? We discussed both with Tate, as well as what Chris Holtmann’s strategy should be walking into Cameron Indoor against the No. 1 offensive rebounding team in the country.

Tate also tells everyone his thoughts on Coach K./ Mr. K’s absence from the Duke men’s basketball program, and his decision to keep his sixth-floor office rather than handing it off to the new coach, Jon Scheyer.


Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGHL

Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor

Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba

Connect with Tate:
Twitter: @tatefrazier

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Ohio State makes in-home visit to four-star OL pledge
Bret Favachio via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Like Montgomery | 247Sports

Buckeye coaches Ryan Day and Justin Frye made a stop to check in on a top offensive line pledge on Tuesday.

While the sky had seemingly fallen on Saturday, Ohio State looks as if they are making a big move for a blue-chip edge defender after his weekend visit. Plus, a longtime Buckeye pass catching pledge looks to have reaffirmed his commitment to the program.

Buckeye trending for former LSU pledge


After defensive line coach Larry Johnson spent months on months in pursuit of the big three in Keon Keeley, Matayo Uiagalelei, and Damon Wilson, it seems as if the Buckeyes could be on the verge of adding a different edge defender to join the 2023 recruiting class.

247Sports’ Justin Thind, a Michigan State insider, joined both Bill Kurelic and Steve Wiltfong in forecasting 2023 four-star defensive end Joshua Mickens of Lawrence Central (IN) to land in Columbus with Ohio State.

Mickens, a former LSU pledge, is back on the market after taking his official visit to the Buckeyes campus this weekend. Ohio State had recently ramped up their efforts for Mickens with uncertainty on where things stand with the aforementioned big three.

Despite Mickens not being one of the original three that the Buckeyes locked in on, he is no slouch. The Indianapolis native currently grades in as the No. 1 player from his respective state. Mickens also falls just outside of the Top 100 prospects in the country and is among the dozen top defensive ends overall.

While things definitely look to be trending in favor of Ohio State for the 6-foot-5, 225-pounder, there is no timetable for a decision at this time.

Rogers “locked in” with Ohio State


After committing to the Buckeyes back in June, things have been relatively quiet on the recruiting front for 2023 four-star wide receiver Noah Rogers of Rolesville (NC). The Under Armour All-American pledge originally chose Ohio State over Clemson, Florida State, NC State, and North Carolina.

It’s most notably been the Wolfpack that have remain in constant contact with Rogers and outsiders seemed to be concerned with the idea of Rogers instead staying home for the next level instead of being a Buckeye. However, the Top 50 prospect made a stop in Columbus this weekend and it seems as if any concerns can be put to rest.

According to Bucknuts, Rodgers is “locked in” with Ohio State after the trip to the Buckeyes campus. The update certainly comes as a welcome sight for the fanbase and most notably, wide receivers coach Brian Hartline.

Rogers will join the Buckeyes in the coming months and he will bring an impressive profile with him. The 6-foot-2, 195-pounder currently slots in as the 48th best prospect in the class. Rogers also ranks as the seventh highest graded pass catcher in the class and is the second best prospect from North Carolina.

Quick Hits

• Ohio State head coach Ryan Day and offensive line coach Justin Frye made an in-home visit to 2023 four-star offensive tackle Luke Montgomery of Findlay (OH) on Tuesday. The 6-foot-5, 280-pounder is an early enrollee and will come to Columbus as both a Top 100 prospect nationally and the top player from the state of Ohio.

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Ohio State falls to No. 5 in the College Football Playoff rankings
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The loss to Michigan has the Buckeyes on the outside looking in, but they could still make the CFP.

Ohio State’s season took a drastic turn for the worse on Saturday, dropping its rivalry game against Michigan for its first loss of the year. The Buckeyes now no longer control their own destiny for the College Football Playoff, as they will need other teams ahead of them to lose in order to make the final field of four. As far as Ryan Day’s team is concerned, with the way they looked this past weekend, they are lucky to even still have a shot at a meaningful postseason run.

As a result, the new top four teams in the country look as follows:

1. Georgia
2. Michigan
3. TCU
4. USC

Ohio State checks in as the No. 5 team in the country, sitting at 11-1 and slotted just ahead of 10-2 Alabama. While the way they lost the game to Michigan was embarrassing, the Buckeyes still have a decent resume, which has kept them in contention. OSU still boasts wins over No. 8 Penn State and No. 21 Notre Dame, with their only loss coming to the now second-ranked Wolverines. Ohio State struggled against some of the better opponents on the schedule this season, but still managed to win all of their games by double-digits, besides of course the crushing loss to Michigan.

In order for the Buckeyes to make the College Football Playoff, they will need either TCU or USC to falter in their respective conference title games. This isn’t exactly a far-fetched scenario, as neither the Horned Frogs (-2.5) or the Trojans (-3) are favored by more than a field goal on Saturday.

TCU is undefeated on the year, and despite some of the criticism they’ve received for playing close games, 12-0 is still 12-0. Max Duggan has put together a terrific year at QB, and Quentin Johnson is one of the best receivers in college football. However, if they were to lose to Kansas State in the Big 12 title game — a team they already beat in the regular season — they would likely lose their CFP spot to Ohio State. Their early-season ranked wins over Oklahoma, Kansas and Oklahoma State (three teams with a combined 17 losses) no longer look as good, which leaves them with 8-4 Texas as one of their best wins. Their other big win is over Kansas State, and if they were to lose to the Wildcats on Saturday, that becomes a moot point.

Ohio State fans should really be rooting for Utah, because while OSU would probably get the nod over TCU with a loss, the Buckeyes would definitely make it with a USC loss. Caleb Williams has been fantastic and is now the Heisman frontrunner, but that Alex Grinch-led defense is dreadful. The Trojans already have a loss on their resume, which came against the very same Utes they will play in the Pac-12 title game. Their only notable wins are over an 8-3 UCLA team that recently lost to Arizona, and a Notre Dame team that Ohio State defeated by the same margin. If Utah upsets USC on Saturday, the Buckeyes are in.

Whether or not Ohio State deserves a chance to compete for a national title this season after their performance in The Game is certainly up for debate, but there remains a clear path for the Buckeyes to get a chance at redemption with some chaos in front of them. Georgia and Michigan have likely done enough to secure a playoff berth whether they win or not, but those other two spots are still up for grabs.

As of Tuesday afternoon, here were the betting odds for the College Football Playoff, courtesy of the DraftKings Sportsbook:

To win the National Title

• Georgia -155
• Michigan +290
• Ohio State +1000
• USC +1200
• TCU +1200

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

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LGHL Uncut Podcast: Holtmann, Buckeyes preview Big Ten-ACC Challenge vs. Duke
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

We spoke with Bruce Thornton, Sean McNeil, and head coach Chris Holtmann ahead of No. 25 Ohio State’s showdown with the Blue Devils.

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

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

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The now-ranked No. 25 Ohio State Buckeyes are flying to Durham on Wednesday to face the No. 17 Duke Blue Devils in a rematch of last season's Big Ten-ACC Challenge that was played in Columbus. Exactly one year ago to the day, the top-ranked Blue Devils held a 13-point lead at halftime but faltered in the second half, losing to E.J. Liddell, Zed Key, and the gang, 71-66. The students rushed the court in a frenzy as Coach K went out a loser in his final B1G-ACC challenge game.

The rosters are drastically different and Duke has a new coach in Jon Scheyer, but the two teams are facing off again tomorrow night, except this time the showdown is in Durham. On Tuesday afternoon, freshman guard Bruce Thornton, senior guard Sean McNeil, and head coach Chris Holtmann met with the media to preview the matchup.

Thornton and McNeil spent a considerable amount of time discussing Duke’s size and elite rebounding, but both players expressed confidence in their chances of winning this tough road game. Holtmann also gave Scheyer and the Blue Devils copious amounts of credit for their performance to this point, and said that Duke’s rebounding is a huge concern for his team.


Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor

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Big Ten stat leaders at the end of the regular season
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The regular season has come to an end, and these are the guys who finished atop the conference.

Ohio State’s Big Ten title hopes came crashing down on Saturday in its 45-23 loss to Michigan. The Buckeyes were 11-0 heading into The Game, but suspect play-calling, poor execution and general sloppiness across the board led to a second-straight loss for Ryan Day against his team’s biggest rival. Ohio State’s season isn’t completely over yet, as they are still alive for a spot in the CFP or at minimum a Rose Bowl appearance, but it was definitely not the ending to the year that we were all looking for.

Let’s take a look at the statistical leaders in the B1G after the final week of the regular season.

Passing Yards

1. C.J. Stroud, Ohio State - 3,340
2. Aidan O’Connell, Purdue - 3,124
3. Taulia Tagovailoa, Maryland - 2,787

Passing Touchdowns

1. C.J. Stroud, Ohio State - 37
2. Aidan O’Connell, Purdue - 22
3. Sean Clifford, Penn State - 22

Passing Efficiency

1. C.J. Stroud, Ohio State - 176.2
2. J.J. McCarthy, Michigan - 153.2
3. Casey Thompson, Nebraska - 150.1

Rushing Yards

1. Chase Brown, Illinois - 1,643
2. Mohamed Ibrahim, Minnesota - 1,594
3. Blake Corum, Michigan - 1,463

(Ohio State’s leader: Miyan Williams - 817 — 11th)

Rushing Touchdowns

1. Mohamed Ibrahim, Minnesota - 19
2. Blake Corum, Michigan - 18
3. Miyan Williams, Ohio State - 13

Yards Per Carry (min. 100 attempts)

1. Miyan Williams, Ohio State - 6.5
2. Nicholas Singleton, Penn State - 6.3
3. Blake Corum, Michigan - 5.9

Receiving Yards

1. Charlie Jones, Purdue - 1,199
2. Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State - 1,157
3. Trey Palmer, Nebraska - 1,043

Receiving Touchdowns

1. Charlie Jones, Purdue / Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State - 12
2. Trey Palmer, Nebraska / Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State - 9
3. Payne Durham, Purdue - 8

Receptions

1. Charlie Jones, Purdue - 97
2. Isaiah Williams, Illinois - 69 / Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State - 72
3. Trey Palmer, Nebraska - 71

Total Tackles

1. Cal Haladay, Michigan State - 120
2. Jack Campbell, Iowa - 117
3. Tommy Eichenberg, Ohio State - 112

Tackles for Loss

1. Nick Herbig, Wisconsin - 15.5
2. Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois / Keith Randolph Jr., Illinois - 13.0
3. Tommy Eichenberg, Ohio State - 12.0

Sacks

1. Nick Herbig, Wisconsin - 11.0
2. Mike Morris, Michigan - 7.5
3. Abdul Carter, Penn State / Deontae Craig, Iowa - 6.5

(Ohio State’s leader: Mike Hall Jr./Jack Sawyer - 4.5 — T-12th)

Interceptions

1. Sydney Brown, Illinois - 6
2. John Torchio, Wisconsin - 5
3. Three players tied with 4

(Ohio State’s leader: Tanner McCalister - 3 — T-6th)

Team Stats - Scoring Offense

1. Ohio State - 44.5 PPG
2. Michigan - 39.8 PPG
3. Penn State - 35.8 PPG

Team Stats - Scoring Defense

1. Illinois - 12.3 PPG allowed
2. Michigan - 12.7 PPG allowed
3. Minnesota - 13.3 PPG allowed

(Ohio State - 19.3 PPG allowed — 6th)

Team Stats - Total Offense

1. Ohio State - 492.7 YPG
2. Michigan - 459.1 YPG
3. Penn State - 432.4 YPG

Team Stats - Total Defense

1. Michigan - 262.2 YPG allowed
2. Illinois - 263.8 YPG allowed
3. Iowa - 277.9 YPG allowed

(Ohio State - 303.9 YPG allowed — 5th)

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Adrienne Johnson’s journey from Louisville to Columbus to the WNBA and back again
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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Taris Smith | Louisville Athletics

The former Ohio State guard on how she choose the Buckeyes, making Scarlet & Gray history in the WNBA and helping the current generation of players with Louisville

Kentucky is a state that’s basketball crazed. It’s up there with Indiana as a spot where even football is known to take a backseat. On Wednesday, the No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes women’s basketball team makes the three-hour trip to the basketball country of the south to take on No. 18 Louisville Cardinals.

On the bench for the ACC side, entering the season fresh off a 2022 Final Four run, is a familiar name to the Buckeyes program. They aren’t a transfer player or Central Ohio high school phenom who moved out of state. It’s Assistant Athletic Director and coach Adrienne Johnson.

Ohio State’s women’s basketball program is known for a handful of future WNBA players, but making an impact before any of them was Johnson. The first Buckeye to score a point in the WNBA took a different road, one that led outside of Kentucky, before going back home and making an impact on future generations.

Choosing Ohio State


Johnson is from Louisville, Kentucky and is Louisville, Kentucky. Born in the city on the Ohio River, Adrienne attended high school in Louisville, four miles down the road from the University of Louisville, and has worked for the University for 17 years. When it came time for the standout basketball player to choose a school, there was one decision absolutely clear.

“I was a Louisville fan, I’d be damned if I go to Kentucky, right,” said Johnson, laughing. “I just could not see myself in blue. There, I said it!”

With one easy choice out of the way, there was Western Kentucky, the home for most of the talented in-state players, the University of Louisville or a box full of letters from other schools wanting Johnson on their team.

At the time, in the early 1990s, the University of Louisville Cardinals women's basketball team weren’t the side they are today. The Cardinals were part of the Metro Conference, before joining Conference USA in 1996, still 18 years away from their standard today as a perennial NCAA Tournament team from the ACC.

Instead of staying in-state, Johnson joined another campus that despised the color blue when she joined coach Nancy Darsch and the 1992-93 Ohio State Buckeyes. For the 5-foot-10 guard, choosing Ohio State was clear, and it wasn’t strictly based on competitive reasons.

“I didn’t know much about Ohio State,” said Johnson. “It just felt good. I loved the way the players treated me, I felt like I was part of something.”

It was also a safety. In a short period of time, in a blue chip college combine, Johnson made a bond with future Buckeye teammates and paid dividends immediately.


Adrienne Johnson (31) in her first season with the Scarlet & Gray. Johnson is seated in the first row, second from the right.

Johnson joined the same season as legendary Scarlet & Gray guard Smith, playing part in the Buckeyes run to the NCAA Championship. Even though Ohio State started the year unranked, they became a top-five, ending the year ranked No. 3.

Coach Darsch and the Buckeyes made a run all the way to the NCAA Championship game. Unfortunately for the Scarlet & Gray, the only thing that could stop Ohio State was future 1996 gold medal Olympian Sheryl Swoopes. Then a member of Texas Tech, Swoopess scored 47 points in the title game, defeating the Buckeyes 84-82.

Following that season, Ohio State lost key senior leadership and Johnson and the Buckeyes struggled for a season before working their way back up to an NCAA Tournament team. The Scarlet & Gray were semifinalists and runners up in the first two Big Ten tournaments in 95 and 96, along with a second round NCAA run in Johnson’s final collegiate season.

A four-year letter-winner, scholar athlete, and All-B1G Third Team in 96, Johnson had a decision to make after her senior season. Following the success of the 96 Gold Medal team, the American Basketball League (ABL) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) were founded, giving women the chance to continue playing.

Weighing Professional Options


Johnson came out of college at the onset of the ABL, with the WNBA still a year away from tipping off. Her first impressions of the ABL was not great.

“The ABL rolled around, and they had tryouts and they were just ridiculous,” said Johnson. “It was just like a free-for-all. Women were coming out of the woodwork.”

That meant players who were past their prime, and anyone else wanting to get a chance to play the game professionally, showed up hoping to join the league beginning in the fall following the 96 Summer Olympics. Johnson tried out, making it to a final cut before an eventually not making the league.

For some folks, losing a direct chance at their dream would deter them, but not Johnson. The exercise physiology major stayed on campus for her graduate season and worked out using a performance plan she personally built.

A silver lining of the ABL league was that it took some of the biggest names in the sport, like Johnson’s Ohio State teammate Smith. That meant when the WNBA came around, with Olympians like Swoopes, Lisa Leslie and Rebecca Lobo leading the charge, there were spots open for others to fill.

Unlike the ABL’s mass tryout, the WNBA featured individual tryouts specific to the teams and their coaches. To earn a spot, Johnson had to be strategic with where she tried out.

“Nancy Darsch and Melissa McFarren, who were my college coaches, were the New York coaches,” said Johnson. “People said ‘well why wouldn’t you go to New York?’ Well sometimes coaches can know too much about you, right?”

Utah was out of the question, for geographic reasons, but the Cleveland Rockers fit the bill as a spot where there was familiarity and a stronger chance at making the cut. Leading the Rockers was head coach Linda Hill-MacDonald, who coached against Johnson and the Buckeyes with the Minnesota Golden Gophers and chose Johnson for a Big Ten All-Star team.

Johnson joined a group of 200 players trying out for four positions. Those four positions would become development spots, where players would practice with the first team but not expect to get many minutes on the court or travel.

After tryouts, Johnson received the call that she was one of the four selected. Better yet, as the first training camp came to a close, two spots were cut and Johnson went from a development player trying out to a rostered member of the Rockers.

It took into her second game, but Johnson made Buckeyes history as the first Ohio State player to score a WNBA point. A move which set the stage for future league stars like Smith (once the ABL folded) and current players like Jantel Lavender and Kelsey Mitchell.

Continuing the Fight


Through the first three years of her professional career, Johnson played in 73 games, but never started. In the second of those three years, Johnson was drafted by the Orlando Miracle in the expansion draft, a move that pushed herself further down the roster after being a seventh or eighth player for the Rockers.


Adrienne Johnson with the Orlando Miracle

Between 1999 and 2000, Johnson rekindled the motivation that found her in the league in the first place, and it started with a visit to a team trainer at their career outside of supporting the WNBA side.

Sports Performance Systems was a spot where professional tennis pros and other high end athletes came to get to competition level. Johnson was impressed on her first visit, but the $1,000 per month to train at the facility was too much for her to handle.

“I saw the facility and said ‘Wow, it would be really neat if I could work out at a place like this,’” said Johnson.

Under guidance from her team trainer, Johnson spoke with the president of the training company. When asked what Johnson could pay, with WNBA players not making close to what NBA players were/are making, she offered $300-$400 and they picked Johnson up as a client.

“He said ‘show up tomorrow at nine o’clock,’” said Johnson. “And it changed my life.”

Johnson went from averaging 7.7 minutes per game, scoring two points per game, in 1999 to a career season in 2000. Her minutes shot up to 34.4 per game, starting 31 of her 32 appearances on the season. Johnson’s 13.6 points per game put her name on the All-Star ballot too.

Also that season, Johnson won the inaugural WNBA Hometown Hero award, for work she continued to do in her hometown of Louisville in the offseason. An achilles injury kept Johnson out of the 2001 season, and recurring injury problems surfaced throughout her final two seasons in the league before ending her professional career.

After her eight years in the WNBA were said and done, Johnson returned home.

Forming Bonds and Returning to the Court in Louisville


Johnson’s been with Louisville since the end of the Cardinal’s Conference USA days, and through their years in the Big East and AAC before joining the ACC in 2014. That’s years of seeing the landscape of NCAA women’s basketball change.

When it comes to how Johnson got on the Cardinal’s bench as an assistant coach in 2022, the former Buckeyes guard gives credit to the Louisville program itself.

“I think I’ve been really blessed just to have administrators, ADs, our senior women’s administrator and our head coach kind of tailor a position for me and for a skillset,” said Johnson.

That skillset includes being a former student athlete herself. With that unique experience, she knows what players are going through. It’s an experience that today is heightened even more by the transfer portal, a growing professional league of the WNBA and pressure from social media.

“For a student-athlete, it’s just really complex,” said Johnson. “A lot of us look just at the on the court stuff, but student-athletes are human beings, they have dreams and goals and they’re trying to get a college degree. There’s expectations and people in their ear, you know?”

Johnson sees that reality everyday and over the years has become a trusted advisor to players in a program that has high expectations. That means when a player needs a friend after a tough practice or game, Johnson is there to be that friend. When a student-athlete needs to hear a hard truth, Johnson’s also there to give those talks too.

In the past 17 years, Johnson’s done the work at Louisville to earn that trust from coaches and players. She’s done everything from radio commentary to leading fundraising efforts and being the bridge that gaps education and athletics for players.

That track record is another example of the strong foundation of hard work that’s gotten Johnson into college, into the WNBA and hitting competitive milestones in her life. Even so, Johnson’s makes it clear that hard work isn’t the only one part of the formula for a successful athlete.

“Basketball’s what we do, it’s not who we are,” said Johnson. “Our identity is so tied to what we do and when things don’t work out the depression sets in and when someone’s not cheering for you and when you get hurt and you’re trying to crack back into the lineup. And you wonder “‘Will I ever play again? What if I don’t play again? What am I going to do? Who am I?’”

Taris Smith | Louisville Athletics

It’s those conversations that stretch far beyond the basketball court that’s inherently connected when a player joins a program. It’s the words between the lines of a contract of good basketball programs to set players up for not only what’s on the court but for the decades of life after the basketball bounces for the last time.

Johnson’s message to her team is that even with hard work, nothing is guaranteed. That’s why relationships are vital to her work at the University of Louisville. Relationships that track back all the way to choosing Ohio State and picking a team based on trust and not necessarily what’s on the court.

Still a Buckeye


Although Johnson lives and breathes Louisville Cardinals basketball, there’s still a Buckeye inside the former Scarlet & Gray guard. Johnson watches the women’s team, and also laments the recent result from the football team.

She also has high praise for head coach Kevin McGuff. Johnson calls the beginning of this season and last season the best years of McGuff’s coaching career. How Ohio State’s grown an identity of high intensity and shooting from deep. Both things she and the Louisville coaching staff needs to plan around.

Even though Johnson is supporting head coach Jeff Walz and the Cardinals basketball team, it’s hard to disconnect the college years from Johnson’s love of home and local university.

“It’s Louisville and Ohio State in my heart,” said Johnson. “When we’re playing each other, obviously we’ll be trying to beat the Buckeyes but it does do me proud to see them and go ‘Oh, when was the last time that we were ranked four in the country? That’s a big deal.’”

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You’re Nuts: What was most puzzling about Ohio State’s loss to Michigan?
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images

Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.

At least it was a beautiful day to be outside in late November in Columbus on Saturday! Other than that, if you’re an Ohio State fan there isn’t really anything positive to say about what happened inside Ohio Stadium between the Wolverines and Buckeyes. With the 45-23 loss to Michigan, Ohio State has not only now lost back-to-back games to the Wolverines for the first time since 1999 and 2000. The Michigan victory was their first in Columbus since 2000, and now Ohio State hasn’t beaten the Wolverines since 2019.

There was so many puzzling things that happened in Saturday’s game that Ohio State fans will be questioning for years. With a spot in the College Football Playoff hanging in the balance, the Buckeyes didn’t show up for the second half in their own building. While there is still a chance Ohio State could make the CFP if a few results fall their way this coming weekend, there’s no question that Ryan Day and everyone else involved with the Buckeye program has to take a long, hard look at what happened on Saturday, and how to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Since the wounds from the loss to Michigan are still fresh, we figure it is a good time to find out what was most infuriating about what we saw on Saturday. What was the most surprising thing Ohio State did, or didn’t do, in the 45-23 loss?

Today’s question: What did you find most puzzling in Ohio State’s loss to Michigan on Saturday?

We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.

Brett’s answer: Dallan Hayden only getting two carries


Not that I was expecting Hayden to be Beanie Wells and carry the football 39 times on Saturday, but Hayden only carried the football two times in the game. Does Ryan Day know that Hayden had two straight games where he ran for more than 100 yards, and was the best healthy running back on the Ohio State roster?

What makes Hayden only getting two carries in the game even more stupefying is Chip Trayanum got 14 carries in the game. The same Chip Trayanum that transferred to Ohio State to become a linebacker, and only had one carrying this season prior to Saturday’s game. I get that Trayanum had a couple of years of experience as a running back prior to coming to Ohio State. What I don’t get is why Ryan Day went away from a running back that was finding confidence after two really good games.

If Hayden was given the workload that Trayanum saw in Saturday’s game, is the result different? We’ll never know. I just figure that Hayden could have given the Buckeyes a better change of pace than Trayanum did. If Day didn’t want to give Hayden so many carries because he was a true freshman and he wasn’t confident that Hayden was ready for the moment, then what was all the work Hayden did the two weeks before Saturday’s game for?

Were there more egregious things from Saturday’s game that should be addressed? Definitely. This is just what stuck out the most for me since Hayden had been playing so well lately.

Meredith’s answer: Ohio State not capitalizing on early possessions


For me, the most disappointing thing of this disappointing game (besides Michigan planting their flag at the 50-yard line, blergh) was how Ohio State had a chance to put Michigan away early — but didn’t.

The Buckeyes started the game with a methodical, 12-play touchdown drive. The defense then held the Wolverines to a field goal. Ohio State added a field goal after the Buckeyes’ second drive stalled out at the Michigan 14-yard line.

What happened next is the challenge. The Ohio State defense forced three-and-outs on the next two Michigan drives. And Ohio State’s offense, which had been humming:

• Turned the ball over on downs after an eight-play, 36-yard drive
• Punted after a four-play, 21-yard drive

I’m not saying Ohio State had to score on every possession, but the idea of being up 24-3 in the second quarter would have shifted the mentality, especially since it felt like Ohio State was so in control on both sides of the ball even if those two drives didn’t lead to scores. Michigan was quick-strike Saturday, but the Buckeyes had the formula figured out early and let the Wolverines out-strategy and out-adjust them. Plus, even with a quick-strike attack, it’s hard to come back from a three-score deficit.

The Buckeyes scored another touchdown in the first half after two quick strikes from Michigan to maintain the halftime lead, but the offense seemed dead in the water by then. Remember how Ohio State’s second possession out of the break (the first resulting in a punt) ended up with a 1st-and-35 after two penalties?

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B1G WBB Week 3: An injured Hoosier, poor tournament conditions, and Iowa vs. UConn
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

It was an action-packed holiday week of basketball in the Big Ten.

It was a tough but exciting week for Big Ten women’s basketball outside of Columbus in week three. Before the final ACC/B1G challenge tips off in week four, a Big Ten side broke a program record (against an ACC team, no less), drama filled an Indiana Hoosiers trip to Las Vegas and the Iowa Hawkeyes couldn’t hold on against a top-three team in the country.

Here are storylines across the Big Ten after three weeks of NCAA play.

What Happens in Vegas is Told Everywhere


The Indiana Hoosiers visited Nevada for a two-day tournament starting on Black Friday, but the only deal on the day was the tournament organizers fleecing NCAA teams.

Although the Hoosiers won the tournament, defeating SEC’s Auburn University and AAC’s Memphis Tigers — each by over 30 points — the storyline was a black eye that Destination Basketball put on the women’s game.

Indiana and three other schools showed up at the tournament to a ballroom at The Mirage with a row or two of seats around the court and a small scoreboard just over the ground. To make matters worse, there were no EMTs readily available, so when Auburn player Kharyssa Richardson suffered an injury against Colorado State, it took 40 minutes for medical help to arrive.

Overall, it was a tournament where Indiana felt lied to, and Hoosiers head coach Teri Moren didn’t mince words.

“It would’ve been a great opportunity,” said Moren. “This was a major miss, in my opinion, in terms of helping to grow this game.”


It also potentially impacts the Ohio State Buckeyes women’s basketball team, who plays in another event held by the same organizers. On Dec. 20 and 21, the Buckeyes are in another four-team in-season tournament, the San Diego Invitational. Hopefully there’s at least medical staff on hand at Pechanga Arena in San Diego.

Adding insult to injury is an actual injury to guard Grace Berger. Although not related to the court conditions, the All-B1G First Team star suffered an injury at the tournament, missing the second game against Memphis. As of Tuesday night, there’s no word on her status.

Iowa Can’t Hold On


Playing in a better planned event were the Iowa Hawkeyes at the Phil Knight Legacy Tournament. They had a tall task, going up against No. 3 ranked UConn Huskies, led by sophomore guard Azzi Fudd.

The Hawkeyes led by 11 points with over six minutes left in the third quarter, but their shooting went south. Guard Caitlin Clark went 2-for-11 from the floor in the second half with eight points, and the Hawkeyes altogether shot only 26.3% in the third quarter, allowing the Huskies to get back into the game.

On the other side, Fudd went off in the second half, scoring 22 of her 24 points. UConn ended up extending their lead to 10 in the final minutes of the game, but Iowa fought back to bring it within six.

Iowa’s loss isn’t necessarily a bad one, in the grand scheme of things. UConn’s beaten three top-10 teams so far this season, even without guard Paige Bueckers, who’s out all season with a knee injury sustained in the offseason. A tough defeat for Iowa this early in the season will only motivate the Hawkeyes with Big Ten basketball looming.

Penn State Makes History


Over the last few years, the Penn State Nittany Lions haven’t made too big of a roar in women’s basketball. This season though, they’re one of only four teams who are still undefeated across the Big Ten. On Nov. 21, they put together a win for the ages when they welcomed the Syracuse Orange to Happy Valley.

The eight-time regular season conference champions were down 21 points at halftime against a Syracuse side Ohio State fell to last season. Penn State trimmed the lead down to 10 by the start of the fourth quarter, and that’s when guards Makenna Marisa and freshman Shay Ciezki took over.


Each scored a quarter-high 13 points, swinging the scales back in Penn State’s favor and creating a 34-point swing from halftime in the 82-69 victory. It wasn’t only the best comeback in program history, but the second largest comeback in conference history.

The win also put the Lions into their best start of the season in five years, but it got better when they went down to Daytona Beach. Marisa and the Nittany Lions beat the Toledo Rockets and Fresno State to win the in-season tournament, but face stiff competition in this week’s ACC/B1G Challenge against the Virginia Cavaliers.

AP Poll


All five teams from last week’s AP Poll remain entering week four, with some shake-ups in spots. The poll also saw the Tennessee Volunteers, who started No. 5, drop out of the top-25 and the Louisville Cardinals go down eight spots to No. 18.

4 - Ohio State (NC)
5 - Indiana Hoosiers (+1)
10 - Iowa Hawkeyes (-1)
17 - Michigan Wolverines (+5)
20 - Maryland Terrapins (-6)

Games to Watch (non-OSU)

Wednesday, Nov. 30

• Virginia Cavaliers at Penn State - 7:00 p.m. ET

Thursday, Dec. 1

• No. 6 North Carolina Tarheels at No. 5 Indiana Hoosiers - 6:00 p.m. ET
• No. 20 Maryland Terrapins at No. 7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish - 6:30 p.m. ET
• No. 12 NC State Wolfpack at No. 10 Iowa Hawkeyes - 8:30 p.m. ET

Saturday, Dec. 3 - Big Ten Conference Play Begins

• Penn State Nittany Lions at Minnesota Golden Gophers - 8:30 p.m. ET

Sunday, Dec. 4

• Nebraska Cornhuskers at No. 20 Maryland Terrapins - 1:00 p.m. ET

TV Birthed and Killed the ACC/B1G Challenge


Since 2007, the Big Ten and ACC played each other in a two-day event pitting the two conferences against each other. On Monday, ESPN’s Andy Katz announced that this week’s edition is the final time the two conferences will play an organized tournament in this format.

With the Big Ten cementing a large television contract, ESPN — who has SEC and ACC rights — put the tournament to bed. While teams will still face each other in the non-conference and NCAA Tournament schedules, games like Wednesday’s Ohio State game at Louisville will become less frequent.

There’s no word on if this means a Big Ten/Big 12 tournament is on the horizon, but right now it’s time to mourn.

If the Buckeyes win on Wednesday, it’ll be their first win in the tournament since 2019, when they beat none other than the Louisville Cardinals.

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Ohio State sports to check out with football on hiatus for the next month
meganhusslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

While the football team lost on Saturday, there are still plenty of other Buckeye sports to be excited about!

I decided to make a total 180 from my previous column and be optimistic. I want to try and find the good during this very rough time period in Ohio State sports. Therefore, instead of focusing on the football team’s loss, I am going to look forward to some other sports, and the big games they have coming up.

Women’s Basketball

Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

ICYMI, the women’s basketball team has been absolutely killing it this season. They are undefeated, with six wins thus far, and are currently ranked No. 4 in the nation in the AP Poll. They are right up there with UConn and South Carolina — the Buckeyes are legit.

They are a well-rounded team. The women average at least 10 steals per game, they’ve scored 100 points twice this season and the duo of Taylor Mikesell and Rebeka Mikulášiková have both scored in double figures in each of the Buckeyes’ first six games of the season.

Wednesday is the Buckeyes’ next marquee matchup, as they go on the road to face No. 10 Louisville in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. This will be their first big test since their season opener against Tennessee, so it is bound to be a good one. Flip back and forth between the women and the men on Wednesday night.

Men’s Basketball

Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

This team has been intriguing to watch since their very first game. It is a very new and young team, with just four returning players from last season. However, they have been finding a way to make it work — for the most part. Their first few games were a nice way to ease into the season and figure out how to play with each other.

Then, Maui happened. The Buckeyes lost their first game of the tournament to San Diego State, who at the time was ranked No. 17 in the country. However, I believe that Ohio State could have won that game, they just could not make enough stops on defense. Every single shot was going in for San Diego State, and the Buckeyes let it happen.

However, they bounced back to win their next two games against Cincinnati and a very good Texas Tech team, who was ranked No. 21. This win was definitely a confidence booster as they head to Durham to play No. 17 Duke on Wednesday night having now cracked the AP Top 25 at the No. 25 spot.

Women’s Volleyball

Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

It is officially time to dance for the volleyball Bucks! The NCAA Tournament starts this week, and Ohio State, who was chosen to be a No. 3 seed, is slated to play Friday against Tennessee State at 7:30 p.m. The winner will advance to the second round match Saturday. Since the Buckeyes are a No. 3 seed, they get to host for the first two rounds, so it’s nice they have home-court advantage.

They had a very solid regular season, going 19-9 overall and a 15-5 Big Ten record to tie for third in the conference. The women had a very tough schedule, including 15 matches against ranked opponents, 10 of which were against top-10 opponents. Ohio State faced every team from the 2021 Elite Eight, and notched eight ranked wins on the season.

These are just a few sports and games to look forward to from Ohio State now that football is off for the next month. Try and enjoy the holidays without stressing whether or not the Buckeyes will make the College Football Playoff. I know it won’t be easy.

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College Football Playoff rankings: How to watch Tuesday night’s Championship Week announcement
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Ohio State no longer controls its own destiny, but its national title hopes are still very much alive.

Well this weekend certainly didn’t go as planned for the Ohio State Buckeyes, but you already know that. With an embarrassing loss to the Michigan Wolverines, Ryan Day’s squad will now miss out on the first two of their self-stated goals of beating their rivals and winning the Big Tne Championship.

However, they are still alive for the third and (arguably) most important goal on their annual to-do list, winning the College Football Playoff. While OSU no longer controls its own destiny in terms of the national title, they are still very much alive and their scenarios to making the CFP are pretty simple.

When the College Football Playoff Committee reveals its penultimate 2022 rankings tonight at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, if Ohio State is No. 5 in the rankings, they probably just need a loss from one of the two teams immediately ahead of them. If the Buckeyes are somehow at No. 6 inexplicably behind Alabama, then things will be more difficult, requiring both teams to lose. However, that scenario seems unlikely.

So, if the USC Trojans lose to Utah in the Pac-12 Championship Game, the Buckeyes are almost certainly in. If the TCU Horned Frogs lose to the Kansas State Wildcats in the Big 12 Title Game, OSU is probably in.

Not only does DraftKings Sportsbook still give the Buckeyes the third best odds to win the national title, ESPN’s Playoff Predictor still has Ohio State at an 88% chance to make the CFP.


At this point, both Georgia and Michigan are essentially guaranteed spots in the final four, so, based on how things shake out tonight, there is still plenty to play for for the Scarlet and Gray, whether all of their fans are looking forward to that possibility or not.

When will the CFP rankings be revealed and how can I watch?


Game Date/Time: Tuesday, Nov. 29 at 7 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN

DraftKings Sportsbook national title odds:


Georgia: -155
Michigan: +290
Ohio State: +1000
TCU: +1200
USC: +1200
Alabama: +3000

Matt’s Rankings Prediction:


No. 1: Georgia
No. 2: Michigan
No. 3: USC
No. 4: TCU

—-

No. 5 Ohio State
No. 6 Alabama

Join the conversation


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

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

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Silver Bullets Podcast: Michigan Rewind and a Whole Lot of Venting
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The bile must be spewed after Ohio State’s perfect storm of implosions on Saturday.


Well, that was awful. Ohio State’s repeated self-inflicted breakdowns on Saturday were so horrifying and egregious that it’s a true testament to us as podcasting “professionals” that this entire episode doesn’t just consist of a single, four-letter word repeated ad nauseum.

We had a job to do, so instead of cursing, we’re breaking down Ohio State’s unacceptable and maddening 45-23 home loss to Michigan. A lot of things went wrong in one game that has been going wrong periodically all season. Unfortunately, it was the biggest game of the year, on the biggest stage, and it is likely going to keep the Buckeyes out of the College Football Playoff. The penalties, the coverage busts, the inexplicable coaching decisions, and even more ineffective wide receiver screens were on the menu on Saturday and we all collectively choked on that meal in the exact same manner as Ryan Day choked in The Game (again). Does that sound harsh? Because I can make it harsher if you want.

We didn’t much bother with our score predictions or picks to click because [/gestures broadly at Saturday’s result].

After the game discussion, we talked about what might be next for the Buckeyes, and one of those things is actually still a good thing. The luster of the “regular” bowl games is long gone now, and the teams that take the field for them often do so without multiple star players in the age of the opt-out, but that’s just how it goes.

Beyond that, there were some other games around the Big Ten this past weekend, even if we cared far less about them. We walked through the rest of the results in the conference to see how everyone else made out. The music finally stopped in the B1G West’s season-long game of musical chairs and we’re not sure if Purdue won or lost, as seemingly every team with the inside track on the division melted down when in the driver’s seat. Someone had to win it this weekend and Iowa politely declined.

We also discussed the resignation of Ohio State’s now-former president, Kristina M. Johnson, and did some far-too-early pontificating about some potential candidates to replace her. We also opined on the new coaching hires at Nebraska and Wisconsin, with both schools seemingly finding exactly the right fit. Of course, that’s what Scott Frost and Jim Leonhard were supposed to be, so you never really can tell.

And finally, we answered listener mail (OK, it was a tweet in this case).

We’ll be back next week to talk about whatever’s next for Ohio State, as well as any additional news that may drop, such as bowl game opt-outs, coaching changes, or key players entering the transfer portal from around the B1G.

In the meantime, feel free to reach out with your feedback and questions below in the comments section or send us an email. Be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share.

Thanks for listening!

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Ohio State working to flip four-star DE
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


2023 four-star defensive end Joshua Mickens via Dan Harker/247Sports, 247Sports

The Buckeyes hosted the defensive end and former LSU commit twice in the last three weeks, and on Monday he de-committed from the Tigers.

Ohio State football is in a dark spot following the second loss in a row to Michigan. While many around Buckeye Nation express their opinions on the current and future state of the football program, Ryan Day and the Buckeyes’ coaching staff are working to continue to improve on this current season. Additionally, they are also working towards building on the future.

Despite the results, Saturday was still a huge recruiting day for Ohio State. The Buckeyes played host to many priority targets that the team is still hoping to add to the program, and the atmosphere in ‘The Shoe was still like none other. While many of the Ohio State headlines will focus on what Saturday’s loss means for this program moving forward, the Buckeyes will continue to make the recruiting headlines — which should be more positive than any of the others.

Mickens visits Ohio State, de-commits from LSU


As mentioned above, Ohio State lost in the box score Saturday, but there were still plenty of recruiting wins this weekend. One of the many recruits to visit the Buckeyes this past weekend was 2023 four-star defensive end Joshua Mickens. Saturday’s visit was of the official capacity, and was Mickens’ second visit to Columbus in three weeks. This seemed to spell good news for Ohio State, but there was one big obstacle in the way of getting him to play college football in Columbus — he was committed to LSU.

It appears despite the end results Saturday for the Buckeyes, Mickens’ visit went as well as possible, as the blue-chip prospect announced his de-commitment from LSU after committing to the Tigers this summer.


The announcement of Micken’s re-opening his recruitment, following the Ohio State visit, is far from coincidental. One day following his visit, Ohio State became the favorites to land the four-star DE. Both Steve Wiltfong and Bill Kurelic submitted Crystal Ball predictions for him to flip to Ohio State on Sunday.

Ohio State certainly now appears to be the front-runners in his recruitment, but he has not yet announced a commitment to the Buckeyes. This could soon come to fruition, but there is no speculation on when a commitment announcement will happen. He did take an official visit to North Carolina prior to his commitment to LSU, and he may want to make a return visit with the program before making any kind of decision, but Ohio State has to like where they sit.

With all the talk surrounding Ryan Day, his ability to recruit has never been in question, and stealing Mickens from LSU would be another testament to this.

Mickens is the No. 18 DE in the country and is the No. 138 overall prospect. He is also the No. 2 recruit out of Indiana.

Quick Hits

• More Ohio State recruits that were able to make the trek to Columbus Saturday took to Twitter to show off how their visits went.

2024 four-star LB Kristopher Jones (Stafford, VA / Mountain View)


2026 WR Malachi Toney (Fort Lauderdale, FL / American Heritage)


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calibuck said:

Have no doubt that teams have used Raiola coming in as a deterrent to him, and Brock knowing he wouldn't 'stand up' to the competition. Heck, being a QB requires a large ego and self confidence, but you gotta have a dose of reality thrown in as well. AND, they all wanna play, and sooner than later, because every elite team is going to recruit the 'next great thing' at qb, knowing that not everyone pans out. Having said that, don't know what he's facing at Free Shoes University in the way of competition. So, maybe NIL was the tie-breaker. That's 'crooting, no?

Click to expand...

Birm said on his podcast that Ohio State was looking to add a second QB and Glenn decided FSU was a better fit. I wouldn't read anything into it beyond that.

Hangout in the Holy Land Podcast: Pain
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

The Buckeyes lost The Game for the second year in a row, the first time that has happened since 1999-2000.

The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast ‘Hangout in the Holy Land’ is here! Join LGHL’s co-managing editor Gene Ross alongside his co-host Josh Dooley as they cover everything from football to basketball to recruiting and more!

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

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


Welp. It has happened again. Ohio State was dominated at home against their biggest rival, the first time OSU has lost The Game at home since 2000, as Ryan Day now falls to 1-2 against the Buckeyes’ biggest rival. There are really no excuses for this one. Michigan came in with a better game plan and simply out-classed Ohio State on its home field. There are lots of reasons why this happened, and Gene and Josh are back to pick up the pieces as well as talk about what’s next for the program.

“Hangout in the Holy Land” will be posting two episodes per week during the regular season, with an episode before and after each Ohio State game to give you all the preview and recap content you may need. Be sure to download and listen in wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a review on Apple to let us know your thoughts and how we can make things even better!

You can also follow us on Twitter @HolyLandPod, where we will want to hear from you guys even more! If there’s anything you’d like us to talk about on the show, @ us and let us know!

As always, Go Bucks.


Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @HolyLandPod

Connect with Gene:
Twitter: @Gene_Ross23

Connect with Josh
Twitter: @jdooleybuckeye

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You’re Nuts: Ohio State may still get a spot in the CFP, but does it deserve it?
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images

Did the Buckeyes really earn a shot to compete for a national title?

Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.

In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.

This week’s topic: Does Ohio State deserve a spot in the College Football Playoff?

Gene’s Take


Probably going to keep this one short this week because I’ve already talked about this team enough and would like to just put this season to bed, but mathematically the Buckeyes are still very much alive for a spot in the College Football Playoff. When the rankings come out on Tuesday, you will almost certainly see a top four of Georgia, Michigan, TCU and USC in that order. Ohio State will slot in at No. 5, just behind the Trojans and just ahead of a two-loss Alabama team as we all anxiously await to see how the conference championship games play out next weekend.

Ohio State needs just one of TCU or USC to falter in their title games on Saturday, and they would likely be guaranteed a spot in the top four when the final rankings come out. How realistic is that? Well, both teams are only around a three-point favorite in their respective contests. The Horned Frogs will take on a No. 12 Kansas State team that features wins over Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. USC battles a No. 14 Utah squad that has struggled at times this year, but seems to always get up for this exact sort of game. Neither of these matchups are easy wins for the favorite by any means, and its for that reason the ESPN Playoff Predictor still gives OSU an 87% chance to make it.

That being said, can they make it and should they make it are two totally different questions. I think the vast majority of fans would want their team to make a four-team playoff regardless of the stipulations that went into it. People are quick to point out the Ohio State sort of backed their way into a CFP spot when they won the national championship back in 2014. However, obviously these circumstances are much different, as that iteration of the Buckeyes defeated Michigan and won the Big Ten title in resounding fashion — two things Ohio State did not and will not do this season.

Sure, I want the Bucks to make the CFP. You can only win a championship if you are given the chance too, and this Ohio State team still has the talent to win it all if things break the right way. But to me, I don’t think they’ve earned that right.

When broken down, the Buckeyes’ resume really isn’t all that great. They won a pair of games against teams currently ranked in the top-20 in the AP Poll — Penn State (No. 8) and Notre Dame (No. 19) — but they didn’t look all that good doing it. Ohio State scored only 21 points against a four-loss Irish team, and if not for a Herculean effort by J.T. Tuimoloau against Penn State, OSU could have lost that game. Mix that in with struggles against Maryland and a blowout loss at home to your biggest rival, and it isn’t exactly a pretty season. Ohio State would still make it with a TCU or USC loss because there is literally nobody else to put in, but most years a resume like that wouldn’t be good enough to get the job done.

It also just feels wrong to lose the only game of the year that you had to win and be rewarded for it. Ryan Day, fresh off an embarrassing loss to the Wolverines on his own field, was trying to sell his team as “dangerous” if they were to sneak into the CFP. To me, that just shows that he doesn’t really get it. There is a time and a place for everything, and to be talking about a playoff spot after getting your ass kicked doesn’t sit right with me. I don’t trust Day to coach in any big games at this point until he gives up play-calling duties, and so I’m not really sure I’m ready for Ohio State to back into that No. 4 spot just to be blown out by Georgia in the first round because their head coach is terrified of teams with a pulse.

Josh’s Take


Gene, I am all in... On Ohio State making and deserving a spot in the CFP. And sure, that means I am being a homer and glossing over the fact that TTUN just opened a second straight can of Stone Cold Steve Austin’s Whoop Ass on our beloved Buckeyes, but so be it. A dismal half (we could argue 3-4 quarters all day) of football against the No. 3 team in the country does not change my opinion of what this OSU team could be. And what they could be, is the best team in college football.

Ohio State was poorly coached on Saturday, and on top of that, players simply did not execute. The game plan was rooted in stubbornness, guys were making mental mistakes left and right, and Tuf Borland on DeVonta Smith is no longer the worst matchup I have seen for a Buckeye defender. It was all bad, bad, bad. Except... it really wasn’t.

I think too many people are turning a blind eye to the fact that OSU put up 300+ yards of total offense in the first half, held TTUN to 10 rushing yards on 11 carries, and was likely a 4th down incompletion and a textbook tackle away from something like a 27-10 lead in this one. The good guys completely dominated the first half, with the exception of literally two plays. Then doubt or anxiety or who knows what apparently crept it, and that’s where they lost me. And The Game.

Now, we should not ignore the second half meltdown. It was very real, it still hurts, and Ryan Day and his coaching staff should be held accountable. But further removed, I still do not feel like this game was some epic blowout. Down 24-20 in the beginning of the third quarter, Ohio State seemingly dialed up a fake punt, which could have changed the course of the game. Something was lost in translation, and the play instead turned into a rushed (real) punt from Jesse Mirco. On the Buckeyes’ next possession, Chip Trayanum took a screen pass down to the opponent’s 23-yard line, only for a double penalty to back them up into a 1st-and-35 situation. I could go on and on, but the fact of the matter is, OSU was in this game until damn-near the end of it. So they weren’t blown out by an inferior team home, in my opinion. They imploded once all season, and it came back to bite them in the ass.

But are we really going to act like this Ohio State is not arguably the most talented team in college football? And I know talent does not guarantee you a spot at the table, but if there is any sort of debate, does ability to (potentially) win it all not become the default tiebreaker? Truthfully, only two teams deserve anything this year, and everything else is up for debate. So let’s take a quick look at what I assume are the two team standing directly in the Buckeyes’ way.

TCU completed an undefeated regular season. Congrats. If they win the Big 12 title game, they should absolutely be in. But if they don’t, then let’s be real about their season: They can score against other Big 12 defenses, but they are just “meh” at stopping them. They consistently trailed in games and pulled off a few borderline miracles, and the schedule they did so against? Not great. Kansas fell back to earth, Oklahoma State fell off the face of it, and Boomer Sooner Oklahoma was never good to begin with. If people were constantly trying to keep Lincoln Riley-led OU teams out of the CFP, are we now saying this iteration of the Horned Frogs is better than any of those squads? Nothing against TCU at all, but if they lose their conference championship game, then the Frogs are simply a one-loss team with some nice things you can point to. Just like Ohio State, but with (sorry, just being honest) lesser talent.

As for USC, well, I will keep it brief. A two-loss, non-conference champion does not deserve a spot in the CFP. While I respect the hell out of the Pac-12 this year, if the Trojans were to lose two games to Utah, they just don’t get a shot at Georgia or TTUN. Besides, if it doesn't work out this year, they can always go buy another roster and try again in 2023.

That’s where I am at, Gene. Bitter and belittling good teams because I am petty and vindictive as a fan. But truthfully speaking, I absolutely believe that the Buckeyes deserve a shot if TCU or USC were to lose. One nightmarish loss be damned, OSU is a great team. They have talent coming out the ears, Notre Dame and Penn State wins look pretty good right now, they were ranked No. 2 (!) on Thanksgiving Day, and if either of the teams directly above them lose, I really don’t even think it is a debate. Maybe I am looking at this through scarlet and gray-colored glasses, but let me grieve in my own way!

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Grumpy Old Buckeye: Ohio State vs. Michigan
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

A bit more venting is in order, because keeping it in is unhealthy.

Look, Saturday was awful, so let’s just skip the preamble and get to The Things that made The Veins in my forehead pop out during The Game.

Again with the Pre-Snap Issues


Ohio State seems to shoot itself in the foot when trying to change tempo. That happened on the first drive as Paris Johnson Jr. was flagged for a false start when the Buckeyes went fast. It wasn’t the last time, but it was a trend that was never cleaned up all season long and is easily avoidable by not changing tempo. When it hurts your team more than the opponent, it’s a bad idea. This will be a theme of this column.

Dawand Jones had a false start later in the game after Ohio State had put together several successful plays. Derailing your own drives is maddening.

Secondary Failures


Denzel Burke had a great season in 2021, but his 2022 struggles continued on Saturday. At the beginning of the season, he looked like a completely broken version of the player we saw last year. In the middle of the year, he seemed to be better, but those issues resurfaced Saturday. Burke allowed a receiver behind him to let Michigan to make a huge third-down conversion early in the game after Ohio State opened the scoring, and it led to a field goal. It wasn’t Burke’s only mistake of the game, nor was he the only player in the secondary to fail spectacularly.

Ronnie Hickman and Lathan Ransom took unnecessary pass interference penalties, but the biggest mistake was when Cam Martinez was tasked with covering Johnson — and whatever he did on that play wasn’t coverage. It wasn’t even close to pass coverage, just like Martinez wasn’t even close to Johnson.

But wait, there’s more! A lack of covering the tight end down the field on the first Michigan drive of the second half allowed the Wolverines to take the lead, and they never gave it up. Ransom was trailing on the play, but whether that was his man, or he was trying to recover for someone else, in the end it doesn’t matter. If receivers are running free behind the entire defense, everyone is at fault — the players, the defensive coordinator, and the secondary coach(es).

The secondary failures were particularly frustrating because Michigan couldn’t throw on anyone all season. But you still have to cover the eligible receivers. Ohio State went the other direction and tried not covering them instead, and that doesn’t work as well.

More Unsuccessful Wide Receiver Screens


I have railed against wide receiver screens much of this season — not because I think they are unsound plays or that they are being called in the wrong situations. I hate them because the Buckeyes are not good at executing them. They haven’t been able to properly block for them on the outside, they’ve dropped several of them, and the receivers have often run right into the backs of their blockers rather than being patient and making a simple cut off of them to get whatever yards are there.

The second OSU drive was derailed by an unsuccessful wide receiver screen play for Xavier Johnson. That was the first — but not the last — time the offense got behind the chains due to calling plays that the team hasn’t executed well all year long. That’s poor coaching. If you can’t develop those plays so that they’re successful, but insist on calling them anyway, it’s a wasted down. Again, if it hurts your team more than the opponent, it’s a bad idea.

Catch the Darn Ball


Much has been made about Marvin Harrison Jr. not having dropped a pass all season, so obviously he dropped what would have been a nice gain against the Wolverines on the fourth OSU drive. That was tough to see, but matters got worse when Johnson dropped a pass on an out route two plays later that would have netted the Buckeyes a first down. Instead, they punted. That empty possession helped Michigan stay in the game.

The Cover 0 Fiasco Changed the Game


JJ McCarthy had done next to nothing in the game and Ohio State held almost all the momentum. The Wolverines faced a third-and-11 and looked a bit frustrated offensively, when Jim Knowles dialed up a Cover 0 (no safeties back) full pressure blitz. McCarthy got the pass away and Cam Brown missed his tackle, turning a bad play into a very bad play. Cornelius Johnson took a routine pass a long way and scored, which flipped the entire momentum of the game.

If Brown had made the tackle, things might have been different, but there was no need to risk putting him on an island when the front seven players were getting decent pressure and McCarthy was struggling to hit passes early.

Aww Gee, Scott


Ohio State was very much in the game — and driving — when a holding penalty on Donovan Jackson brought back a nice pass play to Chip Trayanum, who played a much bigger role in this game than anyone expected. But rather than just losing 10 yards for the hold, Gee Scott Jr. set the team back an additional 15 yards by head-butting a Michigan player 10 yards out of bounds.

Honestly, that’s a super dumb thing to do no matter where you do it, but Scott went out of his way off the field to do it. That lack of discipline set the Buckeyes all the way back to 1st-and-35. The Buckeyes overcame the holding penalty yards, but not the personal foul yards. I don’t normally say things like, “he should sit out the rest of the game,” because I believe in giving guys a chance to make up for their mistakes, but this is one instance when I absolutely would have sat the player for the rest of the game.

The Cowardice


It’s no secret to Ohio State fans that Ryan Day coaches the team differently in big games. He falls in love with stuff in the game plan even if it doesn’t work, ignores seemingly obvious adjustments for far too long (like switching from outside zone runs to inside, more downhill type plays in recent games), and makes strange decisions. He did that in this game with some of his play calling. And sometimes he turtles.

Trailing in the second half and on the plus side of the 50-yard line, Day ignored C.J. Stroud’s emphatic desire to go for the first down, and instead punted. The Wolverines, who went for a fourth down deep in their own territory to start the half, outscored the Buckeyes 21-3 from that point on. Scared money don’t make money.

Don’t Interfere


I mentioned this briefly above, but the Buckeyes were McCarthy’s biggest helpers on Saturday. When they weren’t leaving guys wide open behind them, they were in position to make plays and decided to bump and grab receivers to extend Michigan drives.

Ronnie Hickman’s interference in the end zone came on a third-and-long situation, and a pressured McCarthy threw a desperation heave deep to the back of the end zone that would have required the catch of Ronnie Bell’s life. The referees decided that requiring the catch of one’s life didn’t quite make the pass uncatchable and flagged Hickman, albeit for a fairly soft bump that looked worse live than on replay. Refs don’t look at replays for pass interference in college.

That penalty was a four-point difference in Michigan’s scoring total. At the time, it was big, although later failures made it less significant.

Ransom later got grabby on a long pass that also would have required a highlight-reel catch when the coverage on the receiver was decent. Helping the other team with chunk penalty yardage is a recipe for… well, whatever it was we saw on Saturday.

The Long Run(s)


Still in the game? Not so fast, said the OSU defense. Ohio State apparently had 11 men at the line of scrimmage or on the right side as Donovan Edwards broke two long touchdown runs to ice the game on a day when the Buckeyes had limited the Michigan ground game to 10 yards in the first half. Edwards finished with 216 yards, but 160 of them came on two carries (80 yards per carry) after being held to 56 on his first 20 attempts (2.8 ypc). And those first 20 attempts came on plays where the Buckeyes suspected the Wolverines were likely to run, while those two long ones came on plays when Ohio State could be absolutely certain Michigan would call runs.

Whatever scheme Knowles was using and wherever the safeties were, it failed spectacularly, and cost the offense a chance to go win the game. As a team, Michigan ran for a total of 252 yards on the day, and was held under 100 until late in the game, which is when Ohio State most needed those stops.


Next up… well, who cares, really? Unless something really weird happens during the conference championship weekend, Ohio State will most likely go to a regular bowl game and some of the players headed to the NFL will opt out, so we have probably seen the 2022 team as we have come to know it for the last time. We’ll watch it, but it will be as unsatisfying as everything Day said after the game on Saturday.

And if somehow the bizarre happens and Ohio State backs into the College Football Playoff? Well then, in that case we’ll be a little more interested, but why should we expect things to be any different than they were on Saturday? These Buckeyes have told us repeatedly who they are, and we should believe them.

Saturday’s home loss may have combined all of the things that the team has done poorly (or wrong) in games throughout 2022 in one perfect storm of misery, but any of those individual issues on their own — especially the defensive ones — could derail a playoff run against the country’s best teams just as easily. Still, it would be nice to get a second shot at Michigan.

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Will the “Michigan-loss-to-win-over-Duke” pipeline continue in 2022?
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Realistically, probably not. But this team has the right stuff to make things very interesting at Cameron Indoor.

While the sting and anguish of yet another blowout loss on the football field to the Michigan Wolverines is still agonizingly fresh for everyone, the No. 25 Ohio State men’s basketball team faces their biggest test of the season thus far when they travel to Durham on Wednesday to take on the No. 17 Duke Blue Devils.

Like a stern but loving mother telling her son to “keep his chin up” after the first real heartbreak of his life, I’m here to tell you that while this loss to Michigan will sting for however many years, history tells us that the men’s basketball Buckeyes could have an upset brewing thanks in part to that loss.

On Nov. 26, 2011, Luke Fickell’s 6-5 Ohio State Buckeyes marched up to Ann Arbor for the season finale and lost a back-and-forth battle with Brady Hoke’s Wolverines, 40-34. Denard Robinson had 337 total yards and scored five touchdowns, while Braxton Miller had 335 total yards of offense and three scores. Following that season, Urban Meyer was named the next head coach at Ohio State.


Three days later on Nov. 29, 2011, the No. 3 Duke Blue Devils traveled to Columbus to face No. 2 Ohio State in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge in front of a sold-out crowd at the Schottenstein Center. Thad Matta’s Buckeyes ran Mike Krzyzewski’s Blue Devils off the floor, 85-63. Aaron Craft, William Buford, Deshaun Thomas, and Jared Sullinger all chipped in 17 or more points in the rout.


Fast forward one decade.

On Nov. 27, 2021, Ohio State once again marched up to Ann Arbor to face the Michigan Wolverines. In a dominant 42-27 victory, Michigan snapped Ohio State’s winning streak in the rivalry at eight years, and — unbeknownst to OSU fans at the time — began their own winning streak. Hasan Haskins tallied 169 yards on the ground and five touchdowns as the Buckeye defense could not match Michigan’s physicality.


Three days later on Nov. 30, 2021, the top-ranked Duke Blue Devils traveled to Columbus once again to battle the unranked Buckeyes in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge. Despite being huge underdogs and trailing by 13 at halftime, Zed Key and E.J. Liddell powered Ohio State to victory with 34 combined points. The Buckeyes sent Coach K out with a loss in his final Big Ten-ACC Challenge appearance.


Fast forward one year.

On Nov. 26, 2022 — you know the rest. Michigan beats Ohio State... again.

And this Wednesday, Ohio State travels to Durham to battle a ranked but very inexperienced Blue Devils team on the heels of an absolute shellacking at the hands of the now- No. 5 Purdue Boilermakers. Since 2011, Ohio State men’s basketball is 2-0 in their games immediately following football losses to Michigan. By happenstance, both of those wins were over the Duke Blue Devils.

Is this an oddity that will be broken this week, or will it go down as one of the oddest trends in Ohio State history after they knock off Duke Wednesday night at Cameron Indoor? For the sake of everyone’s mental health right now, let’s hope it is the latter.

Here’s why it can happen


We’ll have a more in-depth preview on Wednesday morning, but here’s the meat and potatoes of why Ohio State can beat Duke.

• Jon Scheyer is still figuring things out. It’s his first time as a head coach, and he’s in charge of arguably the most iconic brand in all of college basketball, with more resources at his disposal than anyone else in the nation. Ohio State might be getting them at the right time.
• This is one of the worst shooting teams in Duke history. The Blue Devils counter poor shooting with size that could give Ohio State trouble, but as a team they’re still shooting just 29.1% from beyond the arc. This is their worst mark since at least 1985, according to ESPN and Sports Reference. In their two losses this season, Duke is a combined 5-of-40 from three-point range (12.5%).
• They’re even younger than Ohio State. Aside from their coach being much younger than Ohio State’s coach, the players themselves are figuring out college basketball, too. Duke is starting four freshmen and one senior this season, and that senior — Jeremy Roach — left Duke’s loss to Purdue on Sunday with a foot injury. His status for Wednesday is unknown. 6-foot-11 freshman forward Kyle Filipowski is averaging 15.4 PPG and 9 rebounds per game for the Blue Devils, but Duke’s other three freshmen starters (Tyrese Proctor, Derek Lively Jr., and Mark Mitchell) are averaging 19.1 points per game — combined.

Certainly, history won’t repeat itself on Wednesday night... right? Ohio State will be the underdog in betting terms, but neither Duke nor Ohio State fans forget what happened last season — and many still remember 2011. Plus, Duke is coming off of an ugly loss that exposed a few areas of concern.

After facing each other in back-to-back seasons and the Big Ten-ACC Challenge soon going the way of the dinosaurs, it’s highly unlikely Ohio State and Duke will play on each other’s home courts again for a very, very long time. Another win over the Blue Devils could give the Buckeyes and their fans bragging rights for decades, until these two teams face off again some day down the road.

And if the history tells us anything, it’s looking pretty darn possible.

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Game Notes: No. 4 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. North Alabama
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ohio State University athletic department

A program first, big play by bigs and an understated player for Ohio State.

For the second game in a row, the Ohio State Buckeyes women’s basketball team eclipsed 100 points, this time in a 105-67 victory over the University of North Alabama. It’s a program record to score over 100 in two-straight contests.

While it was also the second game in a row with specifically 105 points scored, it was a game vastly different than its predecessor against the Wright State Raiders.

Here are some things that stood out.

Mikulášiková is Not a Fluke


Last season, forward Rebeka Mikulášiková had a good game here and there, but ultimately played an up and down season. Now six games into the 2022-23 season, Mikulášiková’s consistently performed at a high level, and is causing issues for opponents.

It continued Sunday. Mikulášiková’s 23 points topped all Buckeyes, and tied North Alabama guard Skyler Gill for the game’s top scorer. Those points put Mikulášiková at the top of Ohio State’s scoring, with 17.7 points per game.

Mikulášiková is scoring points inside and outside. Against the Lions, she went 10-for-14 from the floor, and hit 50% of her four attempted threes. Mikulášiková also grabbed a steal, had three assists (including a beautiful no-look to Cotie McMahon in the video below) and the Lions couldn’t find an answer for her.


The Slovakian forward did it all in only 20 minutes, too.

McMahon’s Learning Quickly


Although she’s only a freshman, Dayton, Ohio forward Cotie McMahon’s started all six games for the Buckeyes. After a 10-point NCAA debut, the forward’s struggled to score from the floor, but continued making an impact through her play off the ball and on defense. Sunday, she had another game where the shots fell.

Against Wright State on Wednesday, it was a slow start. Sunday, against North Alabama, the forward scored when the Buckeyes faced their stiffest challenge in the first quarter. McMahon hit her first two three attempts early in the opening minutes of the game. The forward added 14 more before was all said and done, and its not all on the court that’s making it come together.

“She played really really hard, which she usually does,” said head coach Kevin McGuff. “I thought today, mentally, she was a little more locked in.”


Coach McGuff continued to applaud the forward for her ability to make adjustments he gives her in timeouts, and make them quickly. Also, despite her energetic play on the court, McMahon had only one turnover all game on offense.

McMahon is a player full of confidence, and a game like Sunday where shots hit, she becomes even more dangerous.

Rikki Harris’ Quiet Contributions


Although it was a tough night statistically for guard Rikki Harris, the team leader’s defense is disrupting opponents. It’s probably not easy going from a starter in a conference championship run to coming in off the bench, but Harris is McGuff’s first choice to enter a game.

Harris had only three points, but grabbed two steals and had eight rebounds. Off the stat sheet, Harris broke up plays, creating steals for teammates. When the press is going strong, Harris is part of it. The redshirt junior is a player to watch for Ohio State, especially if the injury to guard Jacy Sheldon goes longer than expected.

Injury Updates


At the end of media availability, Land-Grant Holy Land asked McGuff for an update on Sheldon and substitute guard Emma Shumate. Neither Buckeye has played in the past two games, and Sheldon’s absence is especially a tough blow with a stronger schedule of games in upcoming weeks.

McGuff said that the injury is day-to-day for both players. There’s not likely to be another update on Sheldon before Wednesday’s game, and giving the No. 10 Louisville Cardinals insight into who’s going to start for the Buckeyes isn’t something McGuff’s likely to want.

If she doesn't play though, it’s hard to argue with the play of guard Madison Greene.

Madison Greene’s Play is Expected


For the second game in a row, Greene put in the work. Following Wednesday’s 17 points and eight assists, Greene had 15 points and seven assists against the Lions. If not for coming out of the game due to Ohio State’s large lead, the guard looked destined for a double-double performance.

Greene’s play looks so calm and easy. She has the full trust of her teammates, and although she doesn’t bring the same intensity as Sheldon in the Buckeyes press, her all-around game boosts the Buckeyes.

Sunday, Greene only missed one shot, and made some circus-level moves inside the paint to break defenders. Greene also added a couple buzzer beaters to boot.

Skyler Gill is Too Good


A note that likely won’t come back up again in a Buckeyes article is the play of North Alabama forward/guard Skyler Gill.

Entering the game, Gill’s resume was impressive. Sunday, she showed why in-person. Gill had 23 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and three blocks. From the start of the game, Gill made her presence known and the Buckeyes had to adjust for solely her play.

“Honestly, props to her,” said McMahon following the game. “She’s a bucket. She’s a go-getter.”

Ohio State adjusted, sending more players in the post to keep Gill from being able to roam around the mid-range shooting area, where she built up for her blocks, which all came in the first half. After the adjustment, the Scarlet & Gray were a more effective team.

Watching Gill in person makes a basketball fan wonder why she’s playing at a mid-major school. The 2021-22 ASUN Freshman and Defender of the Year was the Lions on Sunday.

If Gill stays with North Alabama, she could have a similar career to former ASUN star, Ohio State transfer and now-WNBA player, Kierstan Bell who personified the adage of “a big fish in a small pond.”

It’s Over


Last quick note. The last four Ohio State Buckeyes games were only tough to watch because they felt decided before they began. After demolishing four smaller conference schools with an average margin of victory of 44.2 points, some competition is a welcome sight.

It starts Wednesday in Louisville against the Cardinals. Then, a trip to Rutgers on Sunday to start Big Ten play.

Will these past four games be a moment when the team gelled and prepared them for the season ahead, or will they be a speed bump after a season that started on a high?

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Ohio State men’s basketball makes their AP Poll debut at No. 25 this week
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Wins over Cincinnati and Texas Tech at the Maui Invitational vaulted the Buckeyes into the rankings for the first time this season.

While blowout wins over Eastern Illinois, Charleston Southern, and Robert Morris did absolutely nothing for AP Voters, neutral site victories over Cincinnati and Texas Tech did — as the Buckeyes (5-1) jumped into the top-25 this week at No. 25.

During a busy three-day tournament on Maui, Ohio State lost a very physical game against No. 24 San Diego State before blowing the doors off of Cincinnati and beating a (formerly) ranked Texas Tech team while leading for over 37 minutes. The Buckeyes now head to Durham to take on No. 17 Duke (6-2) in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge. Ohio State upset No. 1 Duke last season at home, 71-66.


Had Ohio State won the entire Maui Invitational, they may have skyrocketed from unranked to top-15 in the nation, like No. 20 Michigan State (5-2) did when they beat Kentucky and Villanova in a matter of days. However, a 2-1 record with one of those being a resume-boosting win over Texas Tech is nothing to scoff at.

After a crazy week where several top-10 teams lost, the top team in this week’s poll is Houston, followed by Texas, Virginia, Arizona, and Purdue.

Five other Big Ten teams were ranked this week. They are: No. 5 Purdue, No. 10 Indiana, No. 16 Illinois, No. 20 Michigan State, and No. 22 Maryland.

Iowa received votes but was left outside the top-five after a 2-1 week at the Emerald Coast Classic.

You can check out the full poll here.

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Column: Ohio State focused on toughness for 365 days, now they’re in the same place they started
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images

Ryan Day wanted to prove something this season, and now he has to look in the mirror to figure out what went wrong in his chase for toughness.

Obsession is a dangerous tool that, when wielded well, can create the determination and drive to overcome past failures. Ryan Day was obsessed with Michigan, and he was focused on turning this Ohio State team into a tough team due to the result of The Game last season. This obsession started last season when Josh Gattis — the former Michigan offensive coordinator — spoke after Michigan beat Ohio State in Ann Arbor last season.

“They’re a good team. They’re a finesse team, they’re not a tough team,” Gattis’ comments set Ohio State on a course of 365 days of lying to itself.

Ohio State was not a tough team last season, but they were never built to be a tough team in the same vein as Michigan. But the identity of the Buckeyes over the years hasn’t been traditional toughness, it has been competitive toughness. A team that overcomes adversity and takes on the challenge in front of them with no fear. Not this old school toughness that so many people still chase.

Ohio State was a tough team when they won 62-39 in Columbus in 2018, and the Buckeyes gave up 39 points then. Justin Fields was tough when he re-injured his knee and delivered a touchdown a few plays later in Ann Arbor. They won football games in their own way and on their own terms. That is the true epitome of toughness on a football field — being comfortable in your identity, your team’s strengths, and winning a football game with those in mind.

For Ryan Day, he lost site of that, and needed to fix a problem that only existed because of a final score. For him, the first step in fixing this toughness problem was getting a new defensive coordinator in Jim Knowles from Oklahoma State, and bringing in three other new coaches at positions that struggled last season. As a group, the new coaches said all the right things. They wanted to coach tough, fundamentally sound football players.

I ask these questions because these new coaches were brought into fix a lot, but was physical toughness the issue when Ohio State’s safety Cam Martinez got spun around in coverage giving up a 75-yard touchdown pass? Was physical toughness the reason Ohio State failed in one-on-one matchups throughout the season, and in a big moment against Michigan when Cam Brown missed a tackle in space?

No, the obsession with toughness failed the players, and this mindset lost focus on what mattered most: fundamentals and sound assignment football.

On this journey to become tough, the Buckeyes lost site of what made them special. This started in the spring, and for the new coaches and the fans, the spring game was the first opportunity to see what this new look Ohio State team would be. From the outside looking in, the defense played more organized football. The offensive line did not look sloppy, and the secondary made a few plays that stood out. But the real story was that Day chose to have live tackling in the spring game to prove that they were going to be a tough team.

“We’ve got to play physical. We’ve got to be tough. If we want to reach our goals this year, we’re going to have to be that way, we’re going to have to play that way, so we’ll do that on Saturday.”

Day chose to do this because they were playing Notre Dame in Week 1. At the time no one questioned the motive. From a mindset standpoint, the avalanche began on this quest of toughness for the Buckeyes. In the past, this Notre Dame team is one Day would have done everything he could to have humiliated. Not because he had to be tough, because he wanted to kick the shit out of them. Rather then being tough in the way that has gotten him here – a fearless desire to embarrass an opponent’s defense – Day decided this was the year of the pissing contest.

The killer instinct that made Day such an appealing head coach in the first place was his commitment to a high flying, balanced offense and burying opponents when the time came. The reason Day’s team wasn’t tough this season was not because of some missing machismo. They were not tough because whenever they faced an ounce of adversity, they folded. Tackling in the spring game was not going to fix the mental aspect that comes with being a tough football team.

On Saturday, the game against Michigan showed the dichotomy of toughness. Michigan wasn’t tough because they could run the ball effectively or tackle better. They were tough because when their back was against the wall and they were down early, they found a way to make plays. When Michigan punched back, Ohio State got buried in fear. The Buckeyes had one more successful big play that mattered in Marvin Harrison Jr.’s long touchdown, but the toughness battle was lost when Michigan scored the second long touchdown in the first half. Ohio State’s defense was not the same after that.

Going back to the summer, the toughness guru Mickey Marotti was the man responsible for creating a program that made the Buckeyes into a “tough team.” In my best Nathan Fielder impression, the plan was simple: change absolutely nothing, and make players lift big weight. Marotti was asked over the summer what the actual goal was.

“Everybody in this building from players, coaches, athletic trainers, nutritionists, equipment managers, everything and just kind of go back and look at what happened, why. And then turn over every stone and try to come up with a plan”

Going back to the drawing board might have sounded like a good idea, but the person drawing did not change. Once again, Ohio State forced this mindset of toughness. There are ways to be tough before getting to the physical aspect. Ohio State’s players have the physical capabilities to beat anyone, but looking at Marrotti’s plan, just remember the amount of soft-tissues injuries the Buckeyes dealt with. Look at how many injuries popped up during the week that shocked everybody Saturday morning on the availability reports.

Obsession and toughness are two things that need to be controlled. This obsession put Ohio State behind from the start, chasing a ghost of toughness that was never going to be caught because toughness is more than tackling and setting the edge.

After the offseason came the first game against Notre Dame – a team built on physical principles – against first time head coach Marcus Freeman looking to make a statement in Columbus. Ryan Day and the offense had three drives on the day that could be seen as redeeming. The Buckeyes offense was not imaginative, and the run game was stagnant until late in the matchup. After the Week 1 win, Ryan Day could only think about one thing.

“We just beat the No. 5 team in the country by 11 points, and I couldn’t be any prouder of our team, and the way that our team played, especially in the fourth quarter,” Day continued on saying, “A lot of people questioned our toughness in the offseason.”

Ohio State beat an overmatched Notre Dame team in the fourth quarter. What many took as a huge win was turned on its head only a week later. Notre Dame went on to lose their next two games against bad teams. But the Buckeyes won a toughness contest, at home. An issue arose that day. Day ignored the issues of the game like Ohio State’s offense being forced to punt on four out of five drives, not including halftime, with the fifth being a field goal attempt.

Ignoring the real issues that plagued this team was a problem that many are now talking about. Ohio State didn’t struggle this year because the team was soft. They struggled because of tentative play-calling and lack of execution in crucial moments. The inability to sustain drives was a problem that would plague the Buckeyes for the rest of the season, but hey, they won a toughness battle!

This toughness narrative was one the media sunk their teeth into, and was an honest disservice to the fanbase that ignored some more overarching problems this season.

We knew Ohio State was going to try to impose its will on Michigan through a traditionally tough sense. Stop the run and run the ball. Day was out to prove himself. His teams weren’t finesse and could win these physical battles. That mindset disregards the special talent on this team. Two of the biggest plays against Michigan were well-protected pass plays to five-star receivers for huge gains. Throughout the year, Day forgot about what made his team truly special at times. Against Indiana, Ryan Day ran the ball every single short yardage opportunity he got.

“I was ready to bang my head against the wall,” Day said after the game. “We need to get better movement, we need to run harder, we need to get the first down.”

Rather then change the process of the decision making in those situations, Day doubled down. We need to run harder. He’s not entirely wrong, but the mindset is. Everybody in the country knows Ohio State likes to run wide zone to the boundary in short yardage situations. Toughness doesn’t matter if the opponent knows what’s coming. But once again the message was clear: Day was obsessed with not being soft.

This all culminated in the lead up to the final game of the regular season, the team that started this new approach to being tough for Ohio State. All the questions being asked were about toughness. Day responded with a sentiment that they did everything they could to prepare for this matchup.

Every Ohio State coach says you prepare 365 days for the game against Michigan. Every practice, every workout, and every day has dedication to the rivalry. This maniacal nature is needed, and beating Michigan is a full time job for the head coach at Ohio State. Focusing on one single aspect is a recipe for failure. Just as maniacal as thinking about Michigan, Day was thinking about proving Ohio State was tough.

Every fan, player, and coach knows how important this game is. Fans can debate toughness, but I can tell you one thing — nobody would care about toughness if Ohio State won The Game. That’s because toughness is undefinable. It is subjective, and at the end of the day the team that wins is tougher.

“Emotionally, we came into this thing swinging. But we came up short. So I just gotta get my mind wrapped around why that happened today. And how in the end, we didn’t finish this thing the right way,” Day said after the game.

The word ‘finish’ stands out. The Buckeyes did not finish the right way. Why? Because the obsession with toughness made the Ohio State team mentally soft. The Buckeyes tried to show how tough they were all season. The defense was much improved, but they still lacked that determination that comes from a tough group. When it came down to it, Michigan was able to break the Buckeyes’ spirit again.

The Buckeyes did not get punched in the mouth on the ground in a fist fight in the trenches. Michigan found their first success and made big plays through the air. Ohio State was lost from then on, and this is where toughness comes into play. After Michigan fought back, the fans tensed up, as did the sidelines. The Buckeyes’ toughness was finally truly challenged, and this is where they began to falter.

Ohio State did not lose to Michigan because they weren’t physically tough, they lost to Michigan because they were mentally weak. When the counter punch landed, Ohio State staggered and that’s when Michigan knew they had them. The obsession with toughness was a detriment to this team. Day coached scared and the rest of the team followed. When Jim Knowles’ gamble failed, the defense did not know where to go. The players failed to respond to adversity, and they failed to play with competitive toughness once their back was against the wall. That was not tough.

You know what was tough though — Parris Campbell taking a mesh route down the sideline for a touchdown, J.K. Dobbins willing his way into the endzone on multiple occasions, and the defenses in those games making the necessary amounts of plays to win the game. 2018, Ohio State had the worst defense in school history. Calling that unit tough would have been a crime in the court of public opinion. These plays weren’t seen as tough, but the toughness was in the fearlessness that those players played with.

The plays not being “tough” plays didn’t matter, the Buckeyes knew who they were then, and now the Buckeyes will once again be looking for themselves.

Obsession is dangerous and consuming, especially when that obsession makes you something you are not. Michigan has an identity. Ohio State tried to beat them their way and look what happened, Michigan was the team that hit the big explosive plays, not Ohio State. If you think they were worried about how they were perceived because they could not run the ball in the first half, they absolutely were not.

Now Ohio State will be on another year long journey of planning how to restore their place in the college football hierarchy because they failed to beat the hated rival once again. If toughness is the sole focus once again, nothing will change. The Buckeyes need to remember who they are, and that is a team that competes with toughness. Not one that needs to win a toughness contest every time they step up on the field.

Ryan Day failed his team in his season long chase to create a tough team, losing himself and what makes Ohio State great in the process. Now he starts from scratch again, with a seat that’s hot, and a team with a roster full of players that have never beaten their rival.

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The Stover critic is over the top and reeks of you being a giant tool.
The 2 "drops" you sight were more a result of great plays by well coached lowly rated DB's.
Not sure Travis Kelsey makes those catches.
The first "drop" wasn't a "nearly perfect pass". It was high and a bullet. I believe Stover only got one hand on it.
He didn't block well yet again.
Why our million dollar offensive savants continually ask him to stalk block out in space is on them. He isn't good at it.
Stover has selfishly moved all over the place for the good of the team.
He may have issues as a TE a position he has played less then a year, but softness isn't one of them.

You should edit your post lest you be deemed a weird moron.