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LGHL LGHL Uncut Podcast: McGuff, Mikesell and McMahon discuss Buckeyes’ second loss in a row

LGHL Uncut Podcast: McGuff, Mikesell and McMahon discuss Buckeyes’ second loss in a row
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

cotie.0.png

Ohio State University athletic department

A second-straight loss against a top team in the Big Ten leads to more questions for Ohio State.

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


For the second game in a row, the Ohio State women’s basketball team came up short. Monday it was the No. 10 Iowa Hawkeyes, and Thursday it was the No. 6 Indiana Hoosiers.

Following the first Indiana home win against the Buckeyes since 2010, head coach Kevin McGuff, guard Taylor Mikesell and forward Cotie McMahon address the media. Answering questions together, the three touch on an array of topics.

Coach McGuff talks about what happened in the third quarter when the Buckeyes were outscored 27-6, the growth of Big Ten women’s basketball with a record crowd on hand at Bloomington’s Assembly Hall and talks about Mikesell’s personal accomplishment of hitting 2,000 career NCAA points.

McGuff also gives credit to the performance of Indiana, especially guard Yarden Garzon who scored 20 points with 10 rebounds. Plus, looking at how many Big Ten teams could make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

Mikesell and McMahon talk about what went wrong for the Scarlet & Gray in that third quarter. Specifically, the inconsistent play that allowed the Hoosiers to run away with the game. Mikesell discusses the bittersweet individual milestone, and McMahon discusses another physical game and how she was doing after walking into the press conference wearing a boot.


Connect with Thomas:

Twitter: @1ThomasCostello

Theme music provided by www.bensound.com

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LGHL Chris Holtmann and his veterans must lead the way if Ohio State hopes to dance in March

Chris Holtmann and his veterans must lead the way if Ohio State hopes to dance in March
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

1246536705.0.jpg

Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images

Growing pains were to be expected, but OSU mens basketball needs better coaching and stronger leadership to turn this season around.

Ohio State mens basketball is down bad right now... real bad.

After a 10-4 start, during which Chris Holtmann’s team defeated a ranked (at the time) Texas Tech squad, hung with San Diego State and North Carolina, and nearly knocked off No. 1 Purdue on Jan. 5, the Buckeyes have since dropped five of six and plummeted toward the bottom of the Big Ten standings.

Ardent fans and those within the program could, if they were so inclined, point to injuries, youth, and/or plain old bad luck as the reason(s) for OSU’s recent struggles, but doing so would only come across as lame excuse-making. The simple truth is that Holtmann and his players have collectively failed to prepare and perform since the calendar flipped.


As a long-time Holtmann defender, it is painful to see his 2022-23 squad struggle so immensely. I think the salmon-suited one is a hell of a coach, but blame for the Buckeyes’ inability to break a press or get in and out of offensive/defensive sets ultimately falls at his feet. Not being able to settle on a lineup shows a lack of coaching conviction and, in my mind, a lack of preparedness. And guys playing without juice? Well that is just inexcusable.

The Holt-Mann should be getting more out of this talented group than he currently is. I emphasize “currently” because despite my frustration(s), I still believe that some sort of turnaround could be on the horizon. But it needs to happen quickly.

Of course, putting all of Ohio State’s struggles on the shoulders of Holtmann would be an egregious mistake — for a number of reasons.

First and foremost among them is the inarguable fact that the Big Ten is hard! It is arguably the most competitive conference in all of college basketball. Losses are/were bound to happen. Look no further than 2018-19, when the Buckeyes went 8-12 in conference play, yet still won 20 games and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. So a handful of losses in either January or February is not indicative of a bad team, at least not in the Big Ten.

Also not helping matters for OSU is the poor performance of certain players. Key players, in fact. Important, important guys have just flat-out stunk for long stretches in January, and coaching can only do so much to offset that. Just like the schedule can only provide so many “freebies”. But the Buckeyes didn’t even take advantage of those!

Losses to Minnesota and Nebraska were embarrassing, but that’s what happens when Brice Sensabaugh is taking on entire teams like Jon Snow during the Battle of the Bastards. Sensabaugh does not get a free pass here either, but his recent play (AKA scoring) has at least kept Ohio State competitive in some of these January games.

Vox.com
Pictured: Brice Sensabaugh when the OSU offense becomes stagnant

Any hope for a turnaround begins with the vets. Older, more experienced players need to play much better than they have recently.

At the top of that list is Justice Sueing. Since OSU’s loss at Maryland, during which he played very well, the sixth-year senior has been... not good. I’m pulling punches with my criticism because I like Sueing. But over the Buckeyes’ last five games, he is averaging nine points on 35 percent shooting. He also has more turnovers than assists during that time. Maybe this is always who the former Cal Bear was destined to be, but I think Holtmann and the Ohio State staff expected Sueing to be in the conversation for their best player.

Unfortunately, individual struggles have been not exclusive to the Hawaii native. Since returning from a shoulder injury, Zed Key has been roughly average — if looking at the totality of his career. But the Buckeyes need December’s version of Key, who was experiencing a real breakout. In seven games played between November 22 and December 21 (2022), the Bay Shore big man averaged 15.3 points per game and had three different outputs of 19 or more. He has scored more than 11 only once since then. Ohio State fans are hoping Key returns to his earlier form as that shoulder (and knee) continues to heal.

Let’s add Tanner Holden, Isaac Likekele, and Sean McNeil to this list while we’re at it. No veteran is beyond reproach as OSU limps through their Big Ten schedule. Expectations can be debated, but there is no arguing that Holden and Likekele in particular are putting up poor numbers. McNeil packs a heck of a scoring punch, but he will also disappear for stretches and/or play a one-dimensional game.

The struggles are all-inclusive for this team, but in order to achieve any sort of success moving forward, the older players must lead by example. Sage wisdom and strong encouragement don’t have the same impact if those giving it are putting up bricks and turning the ball over.

"We just need more from them."#Buckeyes coach Chris Holtmann was succinct in his appraisal of captains Zed Key and Justice Sueing after Tuesday's loss at Illinois.

Here's why: https://t.co/BUM3Eg4Ij6

— Adam Jardy (@AdamJardy) January 26, 2023
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It has been a rough stretch for Ohio State, but there are still 11 games left in this ‘22-23 regular season. There is more than enough time to right the ship — if all parties perform much, much better. But it will take more than a few in-game adjustments and a few made jumpers. It will also require coaches and players leading from the front, and taking collective ownership of recent failures. It never comes down to one thing or one player, so hopefully the Buckeyes band together and figure this thing out before the music stops.

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LGHL You’re Nuts: Which Big Ten men’s basketball team has been the biggest surprise to this point?

You’re Nuts: Which Big Ten men’s basketball team has been the biggest surprise to this point?
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Well, there’s two ways to look at this question....

As we move into the final month of the college basketball season, it is time to start evaluating teams and looking at what we thought they would be in the preseason compared to right now. Who has overachieved? Underachieved? Been exactly who we though they were?

So this week for You’re Nuts, the Bucketheads Connor Lemons and Justin Golba are debating who we think has been the biggest surprise in the conference thus far.

Last week, Justin and Connor debated what lineup change they thought the Buckeyes should make in the midst of their losing streak.


After 220 votes, Justin took 59 percent of the vote with ‘just play Tanner Holden more’ over Connor’s 37 percent of the vote.



Here are the updated standings:

After 85 weeks:​

Justin- 38
Connor- 34
Other- 9​

(There have been four ties)​


And here is this week’s prompt. Let’s ride.

Of course, check out the Bucketheads podcast, available on the Land-Grant Holy Land feed on all podcast platforms.

Today’s question: Which Big Ten men’s basketball team has been the most surprising this season?​

Connor: Ohio State Buckeyes​

Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch
Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

If you’re a longtime Twitter user, this is where I would like to insert the “Our expectations were low, but holy f*ck!” meme. However, that apparently just crosses the line of what I’m allowed to say, so I won’t.

But still! This Ohio State team was picked to finish sixth in the Big Ten Media poll before the season, and fourth in the Basketball Almanac's preseason predictions. Plus, those predictions were made without knowing that Brice Sensabaugh was going to pop off the way he has, leading Ohio State with 17,4 PPG on 50.6% shooting. Bruce Thornton, despite his struggles the last few weeks, has also over-delivered compared to what everyone expected. Justice Sueing has been healthy the entire season, too.

And yet, the Buckeyes are in 12th-place in the Big Ten.

At 11-9 overall and 3-6 in conference play, Ohio State is teetering on the edge of irrelevance. What is even more disappointing about this is that they’re doing it with fairly good health and with the freshmen largely exceeding expectations — two things that we did not expect three months ago. Despite that, this team has been one of the most disappointing squads in the nation in comparison to what was expected of them.

Ohio State’s defense has more or less gone down the tubes every seasons since 2020, and this year is no different. The Buckeyes sit at No. 75 in defensive efficiency, which is a bit better than last season. Aside from their win against Iowa recently, the offense has gone stagnant and even Sensabaugh’s unbelievable ability on that end can’t cover it up.

Well, what’s the big deal here? Coaching could be the issue — fans sure seem to think so. The most experienced players on the team underperforming is a big part of it — Isaac Likekele transferred to Ohio State as a 1,000-point scorer and has averaged 4.1 PPG to this point in the season. Justice Sueing has put up respectable numbers overall this season, but has been brutal at nearly every aspect of the game during Ohio State’s 1-6 stretch — so much so that he’s been relegated to the bench.

Need I really say more? *fart sound*

Justin: Purdue Boilermakers​

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: JAN 16 Purdue at Michigan State
Photo by Adam Ruff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Coming into this season, there were a lot of teams in the Big Ten that were surrounded with question marks. One of the teams with the most was Purdue.

How do you replace Jaden Ivey? The shooting of Sasha Stefanovic? The playmaking of Trevion Williams? Would Ethan Morton, Caleb Furst and Mason Gillis step up? Who is their point guard? What are realistic expectations for Zach Edey?

All of those questions were posed to head coach Matt Painter and his staff, and through the first eight games they played, those questions were answered.

Purdue finished 29-8 overall and 14-6 in the Big Ten last season. They finished 10th in the country, but at one point in the season, held the No. 1 overall ranking. Now, after beating Michigan on Thursday night, the Boilermakers are 20-1 overall and 9-1 in conference play with their sole blemish being a road loss to Rutgers.

But they lost four starters off that team, and for the most part struck out in the transfer portal on all of the point guards they went after following the departure of Eric Hunter Jr. to Butler. Enter: Fletcher Loyer and Braden Smith.

Loyer and Smith were both highly regarded recruits, but no one expected them to be as impactful as they have been this fast. Loyer and Smith are the Boilermakers second and third leading scorers with 12.8 and 9.9 points per game, respectively. Smith also leads the team in assists (4.3 per game) and is third in rebounds (4.9 per game).

Then of course, there is Zach Edey. Edey is averaging 21.5 points and 13.4 rebounds per game. Edey is 11th the country in scoring and second in the country in rebounds, only behind Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe, who is averaging 13.9 per game. In the Big Ten, he leads the league in both.

He is easily the Big Ten Player of the Year thus far, and is leading the National Player of the Year race, mainly because of his stats and his importance to Purdue and their success.

No one thought Purdue would be bad because they have Edey and Painter running the show, but to start as the preseason 24th team in the country and then make it to No. 1 after just one month is incredibly impressive. And they are just one Cam Spencer three-pointer away from being 21-0.

Shoutout to the boys in Black and Gold.


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LGHL Thoughts on three 2023 NFL Draft early entrants from Ohio State

Thoughts on three 2023 NFL Draft early entrants from Ohio State
CMinnich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Rose Bowl Game presented by Capital One Venture X - Ohio State v Utah

Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

Ohio State minimized early draft declarations for the 2023 season.

The deadline date for declaring for the 2023 NFL Draft has come and gone, and Ohio State was able to welcome back many players for the upcoming college football season, including projected starters Matthew Jones, Tommy Eichenberg, and Miyan Williams, among others.

For Ohio State to reclaim its perch atop The Big Ten and remain a contender for a spot in he College Football Playoff, the Buckeyes need to maintain a roster that ranks among the best across the country.

Ever since the NFL allowed underclassmen to declare early for the NFL Draft back in 1990, Ohio State has had more than its fair share of talent leave for perceived better opportunities at the professional level. Below are three players who declared for the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft, and some thoughts on the impact it may have for the Buckeyes in 2023...

  1. WR - Jaxon Smith-Njigba

A classic case of, “what might have been,” Smith-Njigba suffered an injury in the 2022 season opener versus Notre Dame, and never was able to contribute in the manner or fashion envisioned for him by the coaching staff and fans. Smith-Njigba’s statistics for 2022 would result in five total receptions for 43 yards, and Ohio State was forced to move onto the other talented receivers on the roster to fill his role.

“Nobody wanted to play more than Jaxon. I know that. But, yeah — it was tough this year, not having him.” ~ Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, discussing the loss of Jaxon Smith-Njigba, prior to The College Football Playoff.

With the preparations for the 2023 NFL Draft in full swing, the whispers about Smith-Njigba have already begun circulating that he may not be worth a first round draft selection. It will be imperative for the talented wideout to compete at the upcoming NFL Draft Combine, as well as Ohio State’s Pro Day, with concerns that Smith-Njigba lacks the speed worthy of a high draft selection.

As for Ohio State, the Buckeyes demonstrated that they could adapt to Smith-Njigba’s absence. Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, and Julian Fleming all performed well during the 2022 season, and all three return in 2023.

2. QB - C.J. Stroud

Stroud waited until the last day to officially announce that he was declaring for the 2023 NFL Draft, prompting some fans to hold out hope that perhaps he was returning to Ohio State for another season. While I have no doubt that the coaching staff would have been thrilled if Stroud had returned, the reality is that the program had been in full anticipation of Stroud leaving for the NFL, and had begun making plans accordingly for the 2023 season without him.

Stroud should be among the very first players selected in the 2023 NFL Draft, and it is not implausible that he could be the top selection overall.

For the first time since the 2018 season, there is a true battle for the starting quarterback position at Ohio State. Kyle McCord and Devin Brown will be given ample opportunities to win the job, and it is highly unlikely that Ryan Day and the coaching staff will announce a starter until August — probably a couple weeks prior to the season opener at Indiana.

If anything, the intrigue around the quarterback position will be the leading topic of discussion for the upcoming Ohio State Spring Game.

3. C - Luke Wypler

If Smith-Njigba and Stroud leaving for the 2023 NFL Draft were expected departures, it is possible that starting center Luke Wypler was not.

Wypler had started at center for the Buckeyes in both 2021 and 2022, and was expected to provide stability to a unit that was going to be without Dawand Jones at right tackle and Paris Johnson Jr. at left tackle. Johnson Jr. is another early NFL Draft entrant, but also graduated in December. Similar to Smith-Njigba and Stroud, Johnson was expected to leave for the NFL after the 2022 season.

Perhaps Luke Wypler liked the recent track record of his Ohio State predecessors at the center position, as Corey Linsley, Pat Elflein, Billy Price, and Josh Myers have all had or are putting together NFL careers, and Wypler wanted to join that esteemed list.

The departure of Wypler seems to have been handled by the coaching staff, well before spring football practices begin. The aforementioned Matthew Jones could be an option at center, but is likely to stay at his right guard position. Ohio State recently landed a transfer from Louisiana Monroe in Victor Cutler, and it seems likely that Cutler will be given an opportunity to win the center job.

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LGHL Game Notes: No. 2 Ohio State women lose to No. 6 Indiana

Game Notes: No. 2 Ohio State women lose to No. 6 Indiana
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 v Indiana

Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images

Looking at three good quarters and one awful quarter of basketball

An already tough week for the Ohio State women’s basketball team got worse on Thursday. In a trip to the No. 6 Indiana Hoosiers, the Buckeyes fell 78-65. On the surface, it looks like another double-digit loss, but beneath the surface, it was a game showing the strength of the Big Ten and that the Scarlet and Gray are a different team than last season.

Here’s more from the Ohio State loss on the campus of Indiana University.

The Third Quarter​


If the third quarter wasn’t part of Thursday’s game, head coach Kevin McGuff’s side would have won the game by eight points. Unfortunately, the game takes place over four quarters.

The Buckeyes fought the Hoosiers in a close first half, taking a four-point lead into halftime. It was full of forward Cotie McMahon attacking the paint, Indiana not having an answer for the freshman, and the Ohio State defense neutralizing threats around Hoosiers’ fantastic forward Mackenzie Holmes.

Then, in the third quarter, the wheels fell off.

“We got some good shots early in the third quarter that didn’t go in,” said McGuff. “But we didn’t get back in transition and they turned us over, getting pick-sixes for easy baskets and it really kind of snowballed.”

It snowballed because Indiana played to its potential at the same time the Buckeyes failed to reach their own. The Hoosiers adjusted to the constant post pressure from McMahon and Ohio State, throwing double and triple team sets into the paint when players approached. Indiana also turned their defense into offense.

Indiana had a 17-point and seven-point run while Ohio State scored their second-lowest point total in a quarter all year with six points. In those Hoosier runs was freshman guard Yarden Garzon.

The 6-foot-3 Israeli led Indiana in the quarter with 3-for-6 shooting from deep and two steals. Even though guard Taylor Mikesell stopped Garzon on one of her two steals from getting a free fastbreak layup, the guard still scored 11 points, leading the Crimson in the third quarter.

That was five more points than Ohio State scored all quarter. Indiana scored 13 points off turnovers compared to zero for the visitors; a stark contrast to the other three quarters of the game where the Buckeyes arguably were the better team.

“We’re capable of doing so much,” said McMahon. “We have to just stay the course and do what we do and stay consistent throughout the entire game.”

McMahon vs. Holmes​


Ohio State’s McMahon and Indiana’s Holmes are unfortunately two years apart in NCAA eligibility because the two of them on the same court against each other is pure entertainment.

McMahon had a team-high 21 points against Indiana. Those points came from making moves in the paint and getting to the free-throw line eight times, and 18 of the 21 points came in the first half.

Q2 | @TMikesell23 with the pass to @cotiemcmahon23 ‼️#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/NceP79KcKP

— Ohio State WBB (@OhioStateWBB) January 27, 2023
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The forward was ready for the moment and seemed to feed off the raucous home crowd. Defensively, McMahon made attempts in the paint difficult for the Hoosiers. McMahon had three blocks and outside of fouling out played a much-needed good game for the Buckeyes.

Holmes was alongside McMahon the entire way. Indiana’s forward outscored McMahon with 26 points on 11-for-13 shooting from the floor. The first half saw Holmes score 18 too but went quiet in the second half, and the Buckeyes helped her in a big way sending her to the line three times.

Mack beats the pressure for the score. @kenzieholmes_ | #IUWBB pic.twitter.com/SFfnQFiXrk

— Indiana Women’s Basketball (@IndianaWBB) January 27, 2023
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There’s one more game between the two teams in the regular season, Monday, Feb. 13.

Taylor Thierry’s Quietly Big Night​


All season, forward/guard Taylor Thierry has been a quiet but consistent foundation of the team. Thursday, that happened again and the loss made it even quieter than usual.

For the first time in her NCAA career, Thierry had a double-double. It was coming for a while, with the forward usually a rebound or two away game in and game out. Thursday, Thierry scored 13 points and grabbed 12 rebounds.

After Monday's loss, coach McGuff emphasized the vast 20-rebound deficit to the Iowa Hawkeyes and Thierry listened with Thursday’s performance. Those 12 rebounds were part of a night where Ohio State matched Indiana with 41 rebounds apiece, unfortunately for the Buckeyes other issues surfaced.

Making it more impressive was Thierry doing it playing fewer minutes than average, in four fewer minutes on the court. That’s because Thierry went to the bench due to foul issues.

Thursday’s the first of likely many double-doubles for the guard/forward as she continues her NCAA development.

Taylor Mikesell Hits 2,000​


If it’s tough to find the positive in a 13-point loss, like Thierry’s night, it’s even more difficult for a player to celebrate a personal accomplishment. That’s Mikesell’s night.

After two seasons with the Maryland Terrapins and a tough single season with the Oregon Ducks before coming back to her home state, Mikesell hit 2,000 NCAA points. They came in the first quarter, on the first points of the game.

Mikesell needed 14 against Iowa but fell one basket short. Those first two points against Indiana didn’t come with any fanfare, playing away from the Schottenstein Center. Even with the loss though, McGuff found the words to describe the graduate senior guard’s accomplishment.

“It’s really an incredible accomplishment from Taylor,” said McGuff. “She’s such a great player and has been such an incredible addition to our program. She’s a great kid and a great leader, especially in year two.”

Coach also added it’s no surprise considering the work she puts in behind the scenes. Before Thursday’s game, Mikesell was the first person out of the locker room taking shots over an hour before the game tipped. During practice, she’s the first one out working with the team managers.

Mikesell also puts in that work for the team, because the win is what counts.

“It’s pretty cool but at the end of the day you want to come out with the win,” said Mikesell. “Doesn’t really mean anything if you don’t win the game.”

The Indiana Crowd Deserves Praise​


After Indiana reached a program record for attendance last week, they broke the mark again. Thursday’s game featured 10,455 fans filling Assembly Hall. The area is all general admission seating, and fans were lined up outside of the building over two hours before the game began.

The NEW regular season attendance record ‼️

Seven out of the ten most attended games in #IUWBB history have been under @TeriMoren. pic.twitter.com/HYrOA6wPQj

— Indiana Women’s Basketball (@IndianaWBB) January 27, 2023
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Before it officially began, the atmosphere was already at a level the Buckeyes haven’t seen this year. First, they honored head coach Teri Moren for becoming the winningest coach in program history. Then, the national anthem was done by a mariachi band.

When it came to songs, chants, and traditions, all 10,000 people seemed to know what to do, like they rehearsed it but they don’t have to because basketball is in Indiana residents’ blood.

In the game, every made shot by Indiana elicited a collective roar. In the third quarter, when Indiana forced two straight turnovers that turned into fastbreak layups, the sound was so loud it sounded like one sharp high pitched tone, probably not safe for the ears.

It’s a crowd that Ohio State fans wish they could recreate.

“Each time we’ve come over the last couple of years it’s gotten bigger and bigger,” said McGuff. “Which is awesome for them and our league.”

Coaches and players talk about fans and what they bring to the game, but there’s no crowd the Buckeyes have seen or played against this year that can touch what the Hoosier fans brought Thursday.

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