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LGHL Three takeaways from Ohio State’s painful loss on the road to Nebraska
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Three takeaways from Ohio State’s painful loss on the road to Nebraska
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images
The Buckeyes losing streak is extended to five.
The Ohio State Buckeyes (10-8, 2-5) lost to the Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-9, 3-5) 63-60 at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska, extending the Buckeyes losing streak to five games.
The Buckeyes were slow to start, scoring just nine points through the first 12 minutes and trailing 12-9 heading into the under-8 media timeout in the first half.
However, despite all of the offensive struggles, the Buckeyes took a 22-21 lead into the halftime period. The Buckeyes have led at the half in two of their last three games, but have been unable to secure wins.
The Buckeyes were led by freshman Brice Sensabaugh, who recorded seven points and six rebounds, but he was just 2-for-11 from the field and the freshman uncharacteristically missed some open mid-range looks.
In the second half, the Buckeyes went on an almost six-minute scoring drought that allowed Nebraska to take a 55-48 lead. After some back-and-forth basketball, the Buckeyes cut the lead to 61-58 after a Brice Sensabaugh three-pointer with 38 seconds remaining, but Nebraska was able to get a couple of defensive stops and hit their free throws late and win the game and won 63-60.
Sam Griesel led the Cornhuskers with 14 points and Brice Sensabaugh led the way for the Buckeyes with 18.
Here are three things we took away from Wednesday night’s contest in Lincoln.
Offense is fun and guys like Brice Sensabaugh, Zed Key, and Sean McNeil can provide it in a hurry. However, when their offense is struggling, it can take a toll on their defensive effort and it led to breakdowns on both ends.
Junior Eugene Brown and freshman Roddy Gayle are not as great of options on the offensive side, but they have shown top-tier defense at times and most importantly during a losing streak, bringing a fresh set of energy and a spark off the bench.
Also, Gayle was a 27-point-per-game scorer his sophomore year in high school (his junior and senior seasons he dealt with injuries) and is a more-than-capable scorer, he is just young and still finding his footing. And Eugene Brown is a solid shooter who showed flashes of his three-and-D game his freshman season.
These guys can help provide a spark off the team while also working on their own individual offensive games which will be helpful in February and March as every team’s depth gets tested.
We put a lot of weight into starting lineups and who we see on the floor at the opening tip. However, at this rate, the Buckeyes might be best off bringing their star freshman scorer off the bench.
To be clear, in every game this would involve him coming off the bench and onto the floor at the under-16 media timeout. This is not him sitting out for more than the first four-five minutes of the game.
Sensabaugh is a part of the Buckeyes' best lineup so far, in terms of plus/minus, according to the Columbus Dispatch’s Adam Jardy.
To be clear, in every game this would involve him coming off the bench and onto the floor at the under-16 media timeout. This is not him sitting out for more than the first four-five minutes of the game.
What this does is it brings your best scorer off the bench after the starters have played a hard four to five minutes to open the game when the adrenaline is pumping and are tired. Now, Sensabaugh can attack immediately and take advantage of some tired bodies and force some coaches to go to their bench earlier than they might want to, especially teams with less depth than others.
The Buckeyes’ four-game losing streak makes it feel like the sky is falling and in this conference, it can be. Every game is a battle and when you go two weeks without a win, it makes it hard to bounce back. The Buckeyes have gone from a solid 5 or 6 seed in the tournament to being on the bubble.
Ohio State’s next four games are at home against Iowa, at Illinois, at Indiana, and at home against Wisconsin. This is a difficult stretch that involves playing at two of the toughest venues in the conference.
It is still just January and there are a lot of games to be played. If Ohio State wants to get back on track, they have to take each individual game at a time and attempt to stack up some wins. This is a good enough team to win games, they just cannot look forward and have to try to take each game in a vacuum.
Continue reading...
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images
The Buckeyes losing streak is extended to five.
The Ohio State Buckeyes (10-8, 2-5) lost to the Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-9, 3-5) 63-60 at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska, extending the Buckeyes losing streak to five games.
The Buckeyes were slow to start, scoring just nine points through the first 12 minutes and trailing 12-9 heading into the under-8 media timeout in the first half.
However, despite all of the offensive struggles, the Buckeyes took a 22-21 lead into the halftime period. The Buckeyes have led at the half in two of their last three games, but have been unable to secure wins.
The Buckeyes were led by freshman Brice Sensabaugh, who recorded seven points and six rebounds, but he was just 2-for-11 from the field and the freshman uncharacteristically missed some open mid-range looks.
In the second half, the Buckeyes went on an almost six-minute scoring drought that allowed Nebraska to take a 55-48 lead. After some back-and-forth basketball, the Buckeyes cut the lead to 61-58 after a Brice Sensabaugh three-pointer with 38 seconds remaining, but Nebraska was able to get a couple of defensive stops and hit their free throws late and win the game and won 63-60.
Sam Griesel led the Cornhuskers with 14 points and Brice Sensabaugh led the way for the Buckeyes with 18.
Here are three things we took away from Wednesday night’s contest in Lincoln.
More Roddy Gayle and Eugene Brown
Offense is fun and guys like Brice Sensabaugh, Zed Key, and Sean McNeil can provide it in a hurry. However, when their offense is struggling, it can take a toll on their defensive effort and it led to breakdowns on both ends.
Junior Eugene Brown and freshman Roddy Gayle are not as great of options on the offensive side, but they have shown top-tier defense at times and most importantly during a losing streak, bringing a fresh set of energy and a spark off the bench.
Also, Gayle was a 27-point-per-game scorer his sophomore year in high school (his junior and senior seasons he dealt with injuries) and is a more-than-capable scorer, he is just young and still finding his footing. And Eugene Brown is a solid shooter who showed flashes of his three-and-D game his freshman season.
These guys can help provide a spark off the team while also working on their own individual offensive games which will be helpful in February and March as every team’s depth gets tested.
Brice Sensabaugh should come off the bench
We put a lot of weight into starting lineups and who we see on the floor at the opening tip. However, at this rate, the Buckeyes might be best off bringing their star freshman scorer off the bench.
To be clear, in every game this would involve him coming off the bench and onto the floor at the under-16 media timeout. This is not him sitting out for more than the first four-five minutes of the game.
Sensabaugh is a part of the Buckeyes' best lineup so far, in terms of plus/minus, according to the Columbus Dispatch’s Adam Jardy.
To be clear, in every game this would involve him coming off the bench and onto the floor at the under-16 media timeout. This is not him sitting out for more than the first four-five minutes of the game.
What this does is it brings your best scorer off the bench after the starters have played a hard four to five minutes to open the game when the adrenaline is pumping and are tired. Now, Sensabaugh can attack immediately and take advantage of some tired bodies and force some coaches to go to their bench earlier than they might want to, especially teams with less depth than others.
One game at a time
The Buckeyes’ four-game losing streak makes it feel like the sky is falling and in this conference, it can be. Every game is a battle and when you go two weeks without a win, it makes it hard to bounce back. The Buckeyes have gone from a solid 5 or 6 seed in the tournament to being on the bubble.
Ohio State’s next four games are at home against Iowa, at Illinois, at Indiana, and at home against Wisconsin. This is a difficult stretch that involves playing at two of the toughest venues in the conference.
It is still just January and there are a lot of games to be played. If Ohio State wants to get back on track, they have to take each individual game at a time and attempt to stack up some wins. This is a good enough team to win games, they just cannot look forward and have to try to take each game in a vacuum.
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LGHL You’re Nuts: Who will replace C.J. Stroud as Ohio State’s quarterback?
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You’re Nuts: Who will replace C.J. Stroud as Ohio State’s quarterback?
Matt Tamanini 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
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
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.
When C.J. Stroud declared for the 2023 NFL Draft on Monday, the Buckeyes’ first battle for next season became choosing QB1.
Stroud’s shoes won’t be easy to fill. A team leader who threw for 8,123 yards and 85 touchdowns in his time as a Buckeye, Stroud set 16 Ohio State records for passing or offense, three Big Ten records, and he was the first quarterback in conference history to have back-to-back seasons with 30+ touchdown passes. These stats led him to be named a two-time Big Ten Conference offensive player of the year and quarterback of the year, along with being the only two-time Heisman finalist in Ohio State history (Finalists weren’t named prior to 1982).
For Kyle McCord, the wait to compete for the starting job has been particularly grueling. Now, his time has come to show Buckeye Nation what he is truly capable of.
McCord came into the program a five-star recruit with the 2021 class with a stronger recruiting profile than Stroud. But stats aren’t everything, as Stroud won the starting spot over McCord when it came time to choose Justin Fields’ replacement.
But McCord isn’t completely without experience at the collegiate level – he is currently the most experienced quarterback on the Buckeyes’ roster. And experience can be a game-changer when it comes to high-stakes games.
McCord, by his own admission, is still working on his leadership skills, so that’s not to say his experience will be enough to win him the starting job, but it should certainly be a factor, especially considering he is the only quarterback to have started in place of Stroud during Stroud’s time as QB1.
McCord made his debut as a true freshman (one of only four in program history to do so) in 2021 with a 59-7 victory over Akron when Stroud was battling a shoulder injury. While he was a little shaky to start, he did eventually settle in, throwing for 319 yards and two touchdowns.
Now listen, I’m not delusional enough to state with certainty that one starting win against Akron of all teams qualifies someone to follow Stroud as the starter. McCord wasn’t perfect in that game by any means, even ending his night with an interception. He has a tendency to throw off his back foot, which could interfere with his accuracy. And though McCord has taken snaps in other games, we haven’t really seen the breadth of what he can do when captaining the ship against ranked opponents like Michigan.
There is a plus side to that win though – his messy moments were fixable, and the coaches were able to start working on them back in 2021.
So this gives McCord the advantage of far more reps than his competition Devin Brown. In fact, it makes McCord more experienced than Stroud was when he was named the starter.
McCord’s experience with Buckeye playmakers actually extends beyond his collegiate career. He and Marvin Harrison Jr. played together in high school, giving him the added benefit of established chemistry with one of the Buckeyes’ star receivers.
When you consider the elements that create a star turn for quarterbacks, it goes beyond the Xs and Os. An accurate arm is just part of what it takes to excel with an elite program (which is to say nothing of excelling in the pros), and McCord has proven his patience and work ethic over the last two seasons, in addition to having the technical skills.
For example, McCord could bring some added rushing ability to the quarterback position, a nice change of pace after Stroud’s two years of being mostly a pocket player. McCord has shown that he is capable of throwing accurately on the run or rushing to pick up a few extra yards, both elements the Buckeyes have been lacking in the last two years.
After keeping his head down and biding his time, McCord’s patience and experience should pay off come this fall.
If I’m being honest, I recognize that McCord is the most likely candidate to take over behind center for the Buckeyes in the fall. He has more time in the program, he was a five-star prospect, he has the longstanding relationship with Marvin Harrison Jr. and everything else that Jami talked about above.
But here’s the thing that has me hung up, despite starting a game in 2021 while Stroud was dealing with a shoulder injury, he only threw a total of 20 passes in 2022. Now, I know that Ryan Day is frustratingly hesitant to let his offensive backups cook late in games for fear of embarrassing his opponents. I also know that he essentially did the same thing to C.J. when he was the heir apparent behind Justin Fields, but that was in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, and Day said he regretted how he handled that situation.
Of course, that very well could just be coach speak, because Day basically didn’t change a damn thing in what he had to assume would be Stroud’s final season in Columbus (despite the fact that he waited to declare until nearly the last possible second). So either Day didn’t follow his own advice in handling his backup QB this season, lied about regretting it in the first place, or he wasn’t comfortable with running McCord out there.
Kyle’s numbers were good — 16 for 20 (80%), 9.5 yards per attempt, 1 touchdown — but he was mostly doing check downs and almost never got a chance to run anything even resembling the actual Ohio State offense, and that makes me curious. It could just be Day’s fear of rubbing it in, or it could be that he doesn’t think McCord is ready.
So, if Kyle wasn’t ready in Year 2, is it better to run him out there in Year 3, or give the younger player the chance to start in his sophomore season? Brown was also a top-50 prospect, but he seemingly has something that McCord doesn’t, but Buckeye fans have been dying to see more of... elite running ability. While he doesn’t have Terrelle Pryor or Justin Fields athleticism, reports from Buckeye practices this season have made it sound like Brown might have an extra gear that could come in handy for a first-time starter playing behind a rebuilt offensive line.
We know that under Day, Buckeye quarterbacks have been hesitant to run the ball, but this fall could be the perfect opportunity to change that narrative with a willing runner who might be scrambling for his life more than other recent OSU QBs.
I imagine that Ryan Day will play this out as long as possible in an effort to maintain his roster and not give either quarterback reason to leave before the season (for the record, if McCord is the starter, I don’t expect Brown to transfer), but given the fact that Day actively avoided getting McCord any actual experience this past season and the athletic advantages that Brown can bring to the offense, I would not be shocked if he ended up being the guy when the Buckeyes opened the season in Bloomington, Ind.
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini 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
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
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.
Today’s Question: Who will replace C.J. Stroud as Ohio State’s quarterback?
Jami’s Take: Kyle McCord
When C.J. Stroud declared for the 2023 NFL Draft on Monday, the Buckeyes’ first battle for next season became choosing QB1.
Stroud’s shoes won’t be easy to fill. A team leader who threw for 8,123 yards and 85 touchdowns in his time as a Buckeye, Stroud set 16 Ohio State records for passing or offense, three Big Ten records, and he was the first quarterback in conference history to have back-to-back seasons with 30+ touchdown passes. These stats led him to be named a two-time Big Ten Conference offensive player of the year and quarterback of the year, along with being the only two-time Heisman finalist in Ohio State history (Finalists weren’t named prior to 1982).
For Kyle McCord, the wait to compete for the starting job has been particularly grueling. Now, his time has come to show Buckeye Nation what he is truly capable of.
McCord came into the program a five-star recruit with the 2021 class with a stronger recruiting profile than Stroud. But stats aren’t everything, as Stroud won the starting spot over McCord when it came time to choose Justin Fields’ replacement.
But McCord isn’t completely without experience at the collegiate level – he is currently the most experienced quarterback on the Buckeyes’ roster. And experience can be a game-changer when it comes to high-stakes games.
McCord, by his own admission, is still working on his leadership skills, so that’s not to say his experience will be enough to win him the starting job, but it should certainly be a factor, especially considering he is the only quarterback to have started in place of Stroud during Stroud’s time as QB1.
McCord made his debut as a true freshman (one of only four in program history to do so) in 2021 with a 59-7 victory over Akron when Stroud was battling a shoulder injury. While he was a little shaky to start, he did eventually settle in, throwing for 319 yards and two touchdowns.
Now listen, I’m not delusional enough to state with certainty that one starting win against Akron of all teams qualifies someone to follow Stroud as the starter. McCord wasn’t perfect in that game by any means, even ending his night with an interception. He has a tendency to throw off his back foot, which could interfere with his accuracy. And though McCord has taken snaps in other games, we haven’t really seen the breadth of what he can do when captaining the ship against ranked opponents like Michigan.
There is a plus side to that win though – his messy moments were fixable, and the coaches were able to start working on them back in 2021.
So this gives McCord the advantage of far more reps than his competition Devin Brown. In fact, it makes McCord more experienced than Stroud was when he was named the starter.
McCord’s experience with Buckeye playmakers actually extends beyond his collegiate career. He and Marvin Harrison Jr. played together in high school, giving him the added benefit of established chemistry with one of the Buckeyes’ star receivers.
When you consider the elements that create a star turn for quarterbacks, it goes beyond the Xs and Os. An accurate arm is just part of what it takes to excel with an elite program (which is to say nothing of excelling in the pros), and McCord has proven his patience and work ethic over the last two seasons, in addition to having the technical skills.
For example, McCord could bring some added rushing ability to the quarterback position, a nice change of pace after Stroud’s two years of being mostly a pocket player. McCord has shown that he is capable of throwing accurately on the run or rushing to pick up a few extra yards, both elements the Buckeyes have been lacking in the last two years.
After keeping his head down and biding his time, McCord’s patience and experience should pay off come this fall.
Matt’s Take: Devin Brown
If I’m being honest, I recognize that McCord is the most likely candidate to take over behind center for the Buckeyes in the fall. He has more time in the program, he was a five-star prospect, he has the longstanding relationship with Marvin Harrison Jr. and everything else that Jami talked about above.
But here’s the thing that has me hung up, despite starting a game in 2021 while Stroud was dealing with a shoulder injury, he only threw a total of 20 passes in 2022. Now, I know that Ryan Day is frustratingly hesitant to let his offensive backups cook late in games for fear of embarrassing his opponents. I also know that he essentially did the same thing to C.J. when he was the heir apparent behind Justin Fields, but that was in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, and Day said he regretted how he handled that situation.
Of course, that very well could just be coach speak, because Day basically didn’t change a damn thing in what he had to assume would be Stroud’s final season in Columbus (despite the fact that he waited to declare until nearly the last possible second). So either Day didn’t follow his own advice in handling his backup QB this season, lied about regretting it in the first place, or he wasn’t comfortable with running McCord out there.
Kyle’s numbers were good — 16 for 20 (80%), 9.5 yards per attempt, 1 touchdown — but he was mostly doing check downs and almost never got a chance to run anything even resembling the actual Ohio State offense, and that makes me curious. It could just be Day’s fear of rubbing it in, or it could be that he doesn’t think McCord is ready.
So, if Kyle wasn’t ready in Year 2, is it better to run him out there in Year 3, or give the younger player the chance to start in his sophomore season? Brown was also a top-50 prospect, but he seemingly has something that McCord doesn’t, but Buckeye fans have been dying to see more of... elite running ability. While he doesn’t have Terrelle Pryor or Justin Fields athleticism, reports from Buckeye practices this season have made it sound like Brown might have an extra gear that could come in handy for a first-time starter playing behind a rebuilt offensive line.
We know that under Day, Buckeye quarterbacks have been hesitant to run the ball, but this fall could be the perfect opportunity to change that narrative with a willing runner who might be scrambling for his life more than other recent OSU QBs.
I imagine that Ryan Day will play this out as long as possible in an effort to maintain his roster and not give either quarterback reason to leave before the season (for the record, if McCord is the starter, I don’t expect Brown to transfer), but given the fact that Day actively avoided getting McCord any actual experience this past season and the athletic advantages that Brown can bring to the offense, I would not be shocked if he ended up being the guy when the Buckeyes opened the season in Bloomington, Ind.
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LGHL B1G WBB Week 10: Indiana and Maryland battle, Ohio State shines in award predictions
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B1G WBB Week 10: Indiana and Maryland battle, Ohio State shines in award predictions
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jeremy Hogan/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
The non-Buckeyes news you need from across Big Ten women’s basketball
It’s easy to get into an Ohio State bubble but there’s a lot going on around the Big Ten, especially this season in women’s basketball. The conference has the most teams in the AP Top-25 poll and features a wide array of talented seniors who are destined for the professional level.
Last week, two teams with those types of players were on display. Also, with the end of the season approaching, it’s time to predict some awards.
Thursday, Jan. 12, it was a top-10 showdown between the No. 6 Indiana Hoosiers and No. 9 Maryland Terrapins. It was Indiana’s dynamic duo of center Mackenzie Holmes and guard Grace Berger versus soon-to-be WNBA lottery pick in Maryland’s star guard Diamond Miller.
Played at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana, the Hoosiers’ fans witnessed a physical game. In Maryland’s starting five, four players picked up at least three fouls with three starters grabbing four apiece.
The Terrapins picked up 20 overall. Miraculously, nobody fouled out and Maryland kept it a close game for three of four quarters.
Indiana’s halfcourt defense held Maryland to 61 points, but the quarter that hurt the Terrapins the most was the second. The Hoosiers held Miller and her side to 27.3% from the field, compared to the best shooting quarter of the game for either team by Indiana, shooting 63.6%.
Leading Indiana in that category was Indiana native and Oregon Ducks transfer Sydney Parrish. The guard notched a team-high 18 points for Indiana. That performance plus freshman Yarden Garzon going 3-for-5 from deep was the difference in the 68-61 victory.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24368444/1246195457.jpg "Indiana Hoosiers guard Sydney Parrish (33) plays against...")
Photo by Jeremy Hogan/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Maryland guard Diamond Miller (left) guarding Sydney Parrish (right) in a physical game on Thursday, Jan. 12.
On Maryland’s side, Miller still played an impressive game, scoring 19 points and six rebounds. Unfortunately for the Terrapins, only one of her teammates, substitute guard Brinae Alexander, contributed more than 10 points and they couldn’t match an even scoring day for the Hoosiers in the 68-61 Indiana victory.
Unfortunately for fans of the conference, the two sides don’t meet again in the regular season. Hopefully, there’s a Big Ten tournament rematch between the two sides with even more on the line.
Land-Grant Holy Land doesn’t have a media vote in any of the postseason awards, so consider this a draft of what we could potentially send to the Big Ten come season’s end. There’s still time for players to make an impact but with 10 weeks of the season down, it’s a good time to take a guess at the individual awards.
Duh. Iowa guard Caitlin Clark is having the best scoring season of her career, which is saying a lot. It’s not in the total points per game, that’s slightly down, but the Naismith Player of the Year contender is shooting 1.5% higher than last season, shooting 46.7%. With South Carolina Gamecocks center Aaliyah Boston getting more attention on defense and playing under her normal game-shattering impact, Clark is a good pick to win not only B1G Player of the Year but the Naismith award too.
This one is a close between McMahon, Minnesota Guard Mara Braun, Indiana’s Garzon, and Rutgers guard Kaylene Smikle but McMahon edges them out. The freshman forward might not have the same scoring numbers as Braun, but in-game impact McMahon’s becoming a key piece of the No. 2 team in the country, which says a lot.
Now that Northwestern Wildcat forward Veronica Burton is out of college, it’s someone else’s turn to win Defensive Player of the Year. Miller’s ability to cover the best player on the court, steal, block, and rebound are unmatched. With Clark the surefire pick for Player of the Year, it seems fair that Miller wins the Defensive Player of the Year Award for her incredible play.
Sixth player is normally the player who consistently comes off the bench first for a team and impacts the game. Now, Harris has started due to injuries, but the guard’s ability to play four out of five positions on the court, and even the move to starting point guard, shows versatility. The Indiana native’s part of the reason the Buckeyes are undefeated. If guard Jacy Sheldon returns, Harris moves back to that traditional sixth player but starting shouldn’t punish the redshirt junior for her accolades in the Big Ten.
We know, we know. Buckeyes’ head coach Kevin McGuff is leading a surprise Ohio State side to their best season ever. That’s great, and in any other year he’s a lock for Coach of the Year, but what Green’s done is incomparable in the Big Ten.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24368435/1243889618.jpg "2022 Big Ten Basketball Media Days")
Illinois Fighting Illini coach Shauna Green at Big Ten media day on Oct. 11, 2022.
The former Dayton Flyers coach came to a seven-win Illinois team who returned only five players. Through a combination of former Dayton players, other transfers, and impact players within those five returners, the Illini are playing their best season in program history. Illinois already doubled their wins from last season and are back in the top-25 AP poll for the first time since 2000.
If you have your own picks, share them on the Land-Grant Holy Land Twitter page or in the comments below.
The same six teams represent the Big Ten in the most recent AP poll, but the Hawkeyes jump the Terrapins for a spot in the top 10.
2 - Ohio State (+1)
6 - Indiana (NC)
10 - Iowa (+2)
11 - Maryland (-2)
14 - Michigan (+3)
21 - Illinois (+3)
Here’s what the rest of the conference schedule looks like in week 11, plus the first day of Week 12 because, just look at it.
Thursday, Jan. 19
Monday, Jan. 24
There are 39 days until the Big Ten regular season ends. Week 11, and the spillover into Week 12, shows how the schedule was put together with a purpose. The top teams are starting to play.
While this week won’t decide who wins the conference, Indiana’s two ranked opponents and Iowa’s trip to Columbus on Monday will start to separate teams or bring the pack even closer together.
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1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jeremy Hogan/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
The non-Buckeyes news you need from across Big Ten women’s basketball
It’s easy to get into an Ohio State bubble but there’s a lot going on around the Big Ten, especially this season in women’s basketball. The conference has the most teams in the AP Top-25 poll and features a wide array of talented seniors who are destined for the professional level.
Last week, two teams with those types of players were on display. Also, with the end of the season approaching, it’s time to predict some awards.
Indiana and Maryland Battle
Thursday, Jan. 12, it was a top-10 showdown between the No. 6 Indiana Hoosiers and No. 9 Maryland Terrapins. It was Indiana’s dynamic duo of center Mackenzie Holmes and guard Grace Berger versus soon-to-be WNBA lottery pick in Maryland’s star guard Diamond Miller.
Played at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana, the Hoosiers’ fans witnessed a physical game. In Maryland’s starting five, four players picked up at least three fouls with three starters grabbing four apiece.
The Terrapins picked up 20 overall. Miraculously, nobody fouled out and Maryland kept it a close game for three of four quarters.
Indiana’s halfcourt defense held Maryland to 61 points, but the quarter that hurt the Terrapins the most was the second. The Hoosiers held Miller and her side to 27.3% from the field, compared to the best shooting quarter of the game for either team by Indiana, shooting 63.6%.
Leading Indiana in that category was Indiana native and Oregon Ducks transfer Sydney Parrish. The guard notched a team-high 18 points for Indiana. That performance plus freshman Yarden Garzon going 3-for-5 from deep was the difference in the 68-61 victory.
Maryland guard Diamond Miller (left) guarding Sydney Parrish (right) in a physical game on Thursday, Jan. 12.
On Maryland’s side, Miller still played an impressive game, scoring 19 points and six rebounds. Unfortunately for the Terrapins, only one of her teammates, substitute guard Brinae Alexander, contributed more than 10 points and they couldn’t match an even scoring day for the Hoosiers in the 68-61 Indiana victory.
Unfortunately for fans of the conference, the two sides don’t meet again in the regular season. Hopefully, there’s a Big Ten tournament rematch between the two sides with even more on the line.
Predicting Conference Awards
Land-Grant Holy Land doesn’t have a media vote in any of the postseason awards, so consider this a draft of what we could potentially send to the Big Ten come season’s end. There’s still time for players to make an impact but with 10 weeks of the season down, it’s a good time to take a guess at the individual awards.
Player of the Year: Caitlin Clark, Iowa Hawkeyes
Duh. Iowa guard Caitlin Clark is having the best scoring season of her career, which is saying a lot. It’s not in the total points per game, that’s slightly down, but the Naismith Player of the Year contender is shooting 1.5% higher than last season, shooting 46.7%. With South Carolina Gamecocks center Aaliyah Boston getting more attention on defense and playing under her normal game-shattering impact, Clark is a good pick to win not only B1G Player of the Year but the Naismith award too.
Freshman of the Year: Cotie McMahon, Ohio State Buckeyes
This one is a close between McMahon, Minnesota Guard Mara Braun, Indiana’s Garzon, and Rutgers guard Kaylene Smikle but McMahon edges them out. The freshman forward might not have the same scoring numbers as Braun, but in-game impact McMahon’s becoming a key piece of the No. 2 team in the country, which says a lot.
Defensive Player of the Year: Diamond Miller, Maryland Terrapins
Now that Northwestern Wildcat forward Veronica Burton is out of college, it’s someone else’s turn to win Defensive Player of the Year. Miller’s ability to cover the best player on the court, steal, block, and rebound are unmatched. With Clark the surefire pick for Player of the Year, it seems fair that Miller wins the Defensive Player of the Year Award for her incredible play.
Sixth Player of the Year: Rikki Harris, Ohio State Buckeyes
Sixth player is normally the player who consistently comes off the bench first for a team and impacts the game. Now, Harris has started due to injuries, but the guard’s ability to play four out of five positions on the court, and even the move to starting point guard, shows versatility. The Indiana native’s part of the reason the Buckeyes are undefeated. If guard Jacy Sheldon returns, Harris moves back to that traditional sixth player but starting shouldn’t punish the redshirt junior for her accolades in the Big Ten.
Coach of the Year: Shauna Green, Illinois Fighting Illini
We know, we know. Buckeyes’ head coach Kevin McGuff is leading a surprise Ohio State side to their best season ever. That’s great, and in any other year he’s a lock for Coach of the Year, but what Green’s done is incomparable in the Big Ten.
Illinois Fighting Illini coach Shauna Green at Big Ten media day on Oct. 11, 2022.
The former Dayton Flyers coach came to a seven-win Illinois team who returned only five players. Through a combination of former Dayton players, other transfers, and impact players within those five returners, the Illini are playing their best season in program history. Illinois already doubled their wins from last season and are back in the top-25 AP poll for the first time since 2000.
If you have your own picks, share them on the Land-Grant Holy Land Twitter page or in the comments below.
Elsewhere Around the B1G
- The Michigan Wolverines had a week showing they’re not out of the running yet, beating the Purdue Boilermakers convincingly and a 15-point win over in-state rivals, the Michigan State Spartans. Maize & Blue is still a team to watch in the Big Ten.
- Clark and the Hawkeyes showed no mercy against the Penn State Nittany Lions. Iowa beat the visitors 108-67, with Clark playing well into the fourth quarter.
- Still no conference wins for the Northwestern Wildcats, losing to Purdue and Iowa.
- Wisconsin’s comeback from a tough start to the season to win two conference games in a row, with an overtime win over the Spartans, led by forward Serah Williams who had 31 points and 13 rebounds.
Conference Standings
AP Poll
The same six teams represent the Big Ten in the most recent AP poll, but the Hawkeyes jump the Terrapins for a spot in the top 10.
2 - Ohio State (+1)
6 - Indiana (NC)
10 - Iowa (+2)
11 - Maryland (-2)
14 - Michigan (+3)
21 - Illinois (+3)
Conference Schedule
Here’s what the rest of the conference schedule looks like in week 11, plus the first day of Week 12 because, just look at it.
Wednesday, Jan. 18
- No. 10 Iowa Hawkeyes at Michigan State Spartans - 7:00 p.m. ET
- Nebraska Cornhuskers at Purdue Boilermakers - 7:00 p.m. ET
- Minnesota Golden Gophers at Penn State Nittany Lions - 7:00 p.m. ET
- No. 6 Indiana Hoosiers at No. 21 Illinois Fighting Illini - 8:00 p.m ET
Thursday, Jan. 19
- Northwestern Wildcats at No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes - 6:30 p.m. ET
- No. 11 Maryland Terrapins at Wisconsin Badgers - 7:30 p.m. ET
- No. 14 Michigan Wolverines at Rutgers Scarlet Knights - 8:30 p.m. ET
Saturday, Jan 22
- Minnesota Golden Gophers at Purdue Boilermakers - 2:00 p.m. ET
Sunday, Jan. 23
- No. 11 Maryland Terrapins at Nebraska Cornhuskers - 2:00 p.m. ET
- No. 21 Illinois Fighting Illini at Northwestern Wildcats - 3:00 p.m. ET
- Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Michigan State Spartans - 3:00 p.m. ET
- Wisconsin Badgers at Penn State Nittany Lions - 5:00 p.m. ET
Monday, Jan. 24
- No. 10 Iowa Hawkeyes at No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes - 7:00 p.m. ET
- No. 6 Indiana Hoosiers at No. 14 Michigan Wolverines - 8:00 p.m. ET
Home Stretch
There are 39 days until the Big Ten regular season ends. Week 11, and the spillover into Week 12, shows how the schedule was put together with a purpose. The top teams are starting to play.
While this week won’t decide who wins the conference, Indiana’s two ranked opponents and Iowa’s trip to Columbus on Monday will start to separate teams or bring the pack even closer together.
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