In Conversation Podcast: Gus Johnson tells Ohio State not to panic
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Hampton by Hilton

FOX’s voice of college football also shares the origin behind OSU’s “World Famous” nickname.

On Land-Grant Holy Land In Conversation, we talk to people in and around Ohio State athletics, and the sporting world at large, to bring you a different insight and perspective to the teams, athletes, and university that you love.

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In a very special episode of LGHL In Conversation, Matt Tamanini talks to one of the most beloved voices in all of broadcasting, FOX’s Gus Johnson. The de facto voice of the Big Ten gives advice to Buckeye fans from his perspective following Ohio State’s loss in the regular season finale last week. He also talks about what OSU would need to do in order to get a different outcome should they face Michigan for a second time in the College Football Playoffs.

Johnson also shares the very personal story behind the “World Famous” nickname that he has given Ohio State this season. Also, since there is practically no one who travels as much as Gus, he also shares some pro tips for folks traveling this holiday season, including, if you’ve seen the commercials, his love of the waffles at Hampton Inns!


Make holiday reservations at Hampton:
http://www.hamptonbyhilton.com

Connect with Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt

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Buckeyes look to be in good position for a top 2024 offensive lineman
Caleb Houser 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

Thanks to a Crystal Ball submission, Ohio State is in a great spot for a top 2024 lineman

We are less than a week removed from the regular season finale that went nowhere near as expected, and moods probably still aren’t much better. However, time isn’t stopping and the news surrounding the Buckeyes recruiting continues to roll. Reports of Brian Hartline planning to interview for the Cincinnati job started to swirl on Wednesday, and from both a recruiting and development stance, that would be a major blow to Ohio State overall.

It comes with the territory when you have success that others want to poach your top employees, but this move wouldn’t be liked by anyone with Ohio State ties considering how well Hartline has done in every aspect of his position. Taking into consideration the players he’s bringing in this current 2023 cycle, you start to worry when you think of him potentially heading to another program, and what that could mean for the class this late in the game. Still, it’s just an interview — reportedly — and nothing is set in stone right now.

On the flip side, there’s still optimism to be discussed concerning Ohio State. Though The Game didn’t go as planned, the Buckeyes, with some help mind you, are still a possible playoff team. On the recruiting front, top targets are still very much in the mix for the Buckeyes. Not all is lost, and that’s what we all need to hear after the last week.

2024 lineman pegged to Ohio State


The trenches for Ohio State right now aren’t down by any means, but when you want to talk about beating your rival who takes pride in running the ball, your linemen on both sides better be stout and up to the challenge. On the offensive side of the ball, the Buckeyes under Justin Frye were improved in comparison to last year. Not perfect, they still paved the way for one of the better offenses in the country. Moving forward, the expectation is that not only does the development continue to improve, but the recruiting as well, with that being a theme since Frye got to Columbus.

Knowing each cycle is pivotal for reloading up front, Frye will be all over the country looking to bring in the top talent at his position group. With one commit already in the fold for the 2024 class thanks to Indiana native Ian Moore, the Buckeyes are off to a solid start, but are looking to continue that trend while bringing in more of their top targets. Moore being an interior lineman, Frye can continue looking at all the positions up front. Yesterday showed a glimpse into what could be good news for his haul down the road.

Thanks to a 247Sports Crystal Ball prediction in Ohio State’s favor, the Buckeyes are being linked to 2024 interior lineman, Jordan Seaton. The No. 42 player nationally, Seaton is the top ranked player at his position and the second best player from Washington D.C. for his class per the 247Sports Composite. One of the higher ranked players of any position in the class, this would be a massive addition for the Buckeyes, and a big step towards not rebuilding the offensive line, but reloading it with elite national talent.

Though the Crystal Ball isn’t a guarantee the individual making the prediction does matter. In this case, Director of Recruiting for 247Sports, Steve Wiltfong, making this submission isn’t worth looking past. With 30 offers to his name from the top programs in the country such as Alabama, Georgia, Clemson, and many more, the Buckeyes look to be in great position right now, and hopefully will be able to lock this one down in the near future.

Quick Hits

• Not everything on Saturday was doom and gloom. Though it wasn’t the outcome Ohio State wanted, recruits who had the opportunity to take in a game day atmosphere in Columbus came away impressed even with a loss.

Taking to his Twitter account, 2024 receiver Elijah Moore (Olney, Maryland/Good Counsel) shared that his positive vibes he had after being on campus this past weekend and what the Buckeyes did to impress him. The No. 54 receiver in the country per the 247Sports Composite, Moore does not currently hold an Ohio State offer, but does from the likes of Florida State, USC, Maryland, Kentucky, and more.


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No. 4 Ohio State women’s basketball comes back to beat No. 18 Louisville Cardinals 96-77
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Twitter | @OhioStateWBB

In their second ranked game of the season, the Buckeyes come back from 14 down to win their second ranked game of the season.

After a run of four games without much competition for the Ohio State women’s basketball team, the schedule took a sharp turn towards the highly competitive. The Buckeyes traveled south for a game against the No. 18 Louisville Cardinals, a team not meeting their own high expectations. In a game that looked like a Cardinals win for three quarters, Ohio State fought back from a 14-point deficit to win 96-77.

A boost for the visiting Buckeyes was the availability of guard Jacy Sheldon. Leading into the game, the guard missed two straight games with a lower leg injury, listed as day-to-day by head coach Kevin McGuff and the training staff. Sheldon started the game and right away picked up where she left off, grabbing a steal on the Cardinals' first possession.

Unfortunately for the Buckeyes, they had trouble capitalizing on that turnover and a second on the Cardinals' second possession. The intensity of the home fans created a tough environment for Ohio State, and the Cardinals ever-changing defensive schemes caused initial issues for the Scarlet & Gray.

Leading the Cardinals early was graduate guard Morgan Jones. The Florida State transfer was aggressive, grabbing two steals of her own and scoring seven points in the first four minutes.

The shooting for Ohio State wasn’t with normal, open looks they’ve been able to create this season. Instead, the pressure from Louisville, and the Buckeyes unable to break it, put Ohio State down 12-3 with under four minutes to play in the first quarter. That’s when Ohio State went on a quick run.

In just over two minutes, the Buckeyes had five points from guard Taylor Mikesell in a nine-point run to bring the game even. Part of that run included plays by forwards Rebeka Mikulášiková and Taylor Thierry.

Mikulášiková started things off with a steal and was on the end of the final pass of the run down the court, hitting the layup. On the next possession, Thierry had a block on edge of the paint, making what looked like a tough start of the game for Ohio State into a more competitive contest.

What did the Buckeyes in, giving the home side another lead, was rebounding. The Cardinals out-rebounded the Buckeyes 10-5 in the first quarter. On one play, the Ohio State defense successfully forced a tough, contested, shot from deep to beat the buzzer. The shot hit off the rim but no Buckeyes were there to fight for it, and two Louisville players had an easy rebound and follow-up layup.

Louisville entered the second quarter up 28-15, going on a 13-6 run to end the quarter. Part of the Cardinals' bump was outstanding junior guard Hailey Van Lith, scoring six in that run but mostly from the free throw line.

Fouls kept Ohio State from pressing as much, getting into trouble early, and putting the home team in the bonus. There were some odd calls in the first half, including one on guard Madison Greene, who came off the bench for the Buckeyes, when after her shot she collided with a Louisville player, puzzling Greene and coach McGuff.

In the second quarter, Ohio State got into potential trouble when Mikulášiková and forward Olivia Cochran collided on a Mikesell three. Going to the ground hard, Mikulášiková needed a minute to get up, and favored her left leg before the action continued. She stayed in the game, but after picking up her second foul of the half, went off the court and into the tunnel.

Mikulášiková returned before the half was done, but when she was off the court, McGuff went with a smaller lineup of Sheldon, Mikesell, Greene, guard Rikki Harris, and Thierry in as the forward for rebounding purposes.

With Thierry playing as the big, the Buckeyes settled down and kept up with rebounding, with both sides grabbing nine in the second quarter. Ohio State began getting open, with Sheldon and Greene each hitting open threes, trimming the Louisville lead to six at one point.

Ohio State ended up going into the halftime locker room down eight, in a 45-37 game.

The start to the third quarter was tough for the Buckeyes, looking like Louisville was going to begin turning the screw. The Cardinals hit a three and midrange jumper to go up 13 points, but Ohio State went running again.

In the visitors' 11-point run, Thierry contributed both offensively and defensively. Showing the same confidence she's built early this year, Thierry found space hitting a layup. To follow up the two points, Thierry ran up behind Louisville’s Jones for a steal, without Jones knowing it was coming.

What stood out in the run was the diversity of scoring. Every Buckeye on the court scored at least a point in Ohio State’s 15-2 run, putting Ohio State level with the Cardinals for only the second time in the game.

Then, it felt like the Buckeyes finally settled into their game. Like their first game of the season, the third quarter saw Ohio State earn their first lead of the game and they achieved it in an unexpected way — rebounding.

Ohio State out-rebounded the Cardinals 11 to 6, with Greene and Harris getting into the trenches with three apiece.

With 2:51 left in the third, Mikesell got to the line for three free throws, and the third would‘ve put Ohio State in the lead but she hit it off the iron. The Buckeyes not only grabbed the first rebound, going to Mikesell for a missed layup, but two on the offensive boards with Mikesell determined to put the Buckeyes ahead, hitting a floater in the paint to go up two points.

In the home of Louisville’s own Muhammad Ali, both teams went blow-for-blow to end the third, but Ohio State held onto their two-point lead at the end of the third, up 65-63.

The final quarter initially lacked a lot of momentum. Early fouls and timeouts by both teams turned the first two minutes into more of a slog, but trudging through it effectively was the Buckeyes.

Ohio State did it through inventive moves to the basket and different screen looks for the Louisville defense. The Buckeyes grew a two-point lead entering the fourth into a 14-point lead on a 14-point run.

Louisville was obviously frustrated, missing nine of their first 11 shots in the first 4:30 of the quarter.

Sheldon, on her return, had five of those 14 points, including a highlight reel move on First Team All-ACC guard Van Lith. From beyond the arc, Sheldon crossed the guard over, causing her to fall back a couple of steps. Sheldon hit the open three. Immediately after, Louisville guard Chrislyn Carr showed the home side’s frustration, knocking Harris over from deep, in a rough foul.

The final four minutes looked like the end of the third, with Louisville trying to find a lead again, but Ohio State held on to beat the No. 18 Cardinals 96-77.

Sheldon Strikes Back


The presence of the Buckeyes' starting point guard was missed over the last two games, even if the scores didn’t resemble it.

In Sheldon’s return, the press looked better and Ohio State forced 23 turnovers with the returning guard grabbing two herself. Points-wise, Sheldon had 22, even though it felt like a quieter performance considering how tough the Buckeyes looked in the first half.

Adding to the fun, with 1:25 left in the fourth, and the Buckeyes up 21 points, Sheldon even blocked a Van Lith three from the corner.

Rebounding Rebounding Rebounding


An Achilles heel of the Buckeyes from last season, into this year, was rebounding. Wednesday was a perfect example of how it hurts and helps coach McGuff’s side. As Ohio State began showing fight in the paint, their extra possession turned into extra points. Also, once the points drop, the pressure increases.

Every Buckeye grabbed a rebound in the game, with not only one or two players taking control of the glass. Leading the game was substitute Harris with 10.

Making Adjustments


A key to the Buckeyes' victory was McGuff’s adjustments in game. Going small in the second quarter allowed a group of four quick guards to get around a Louisville group of forwards who were pestering Ohio State all game.

Entering the second half, coach McGuff also kept Cotie McMahon, who got into foul trouble and played only two second-quarter minutes, on the bench. That was in favor of Greene who along with Sheldon gave Ohio State multiple facilitators on the court.

Greene’s hot hand was good for 14 points and five assists in the game. Rewarding the decision by the Buckeyes coach.

What’s Next


The Buckeyes now focus on Big Ten play. Sunday, Ohio State is back on the road, this time heading to New Jersey to face Rutgers University. After an early 11:00 a.m. ET Thursday game against the New Hampshire Wildcats, Big Ten play returns for the first home conference game of the season against the Michigan State Spartans on Sunday, Dec. 11.

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Buckeyes claw back but fall to Duke, 81-72 in final Big Ten-ACC Challenge
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

Ohio State kept it close throughout, but was never able to close the gap.

Following a 2-1 showing at the Maui Invitational last week, the No. 25 Ohio State Buckeyes (5-2) flew to Durham to take on the No. 17 Duke Blue Devils (7-2) at legendary Cameron Indoor Stadium. The game was part of the last ever Big Ten-ACC Challenge, which has been discontinued after 23 seasons.

Unlike the Buckeyes, Jon Scheyer’s Blue Devils were coming off a loss their last time out, getting thumped 75-56 by the Purdue Boilermakers in the final game of the PK Invitational in Portland, Oregon on Sunday evening.

The Duke student section filled up early and let the Buckeyes have it from warmups onward, letting the visitors know that walking out of Durham with a win would be no easy task.

The task of winning on the road inside a hot, raucous Cameron Indoor Stadum did in fact prove to be too tall a task for this Buckeye team, as they fought till the end, but ultimately fell short against Duke, 81-72. Duke’s run late in the second half where they turned a two-point deficit into a 10-point halftime lead was too steep for the 25th-ranked Buckeyes to overcome in the second half.

Chris Holtmann rolled out the same starting five he’s used all season long: Bruce Thornton, Sean McNeil, Isaac Likekele, Justice Sueing, and Zed Key — who was the difference in last season’s win against Duke at home. Jon Scheyer countered with Jeremy Roach, Tyrese Proctor, Mark Mitchell, Kyle Filpowski, and Dereck Lively Jr.

Ohio State started hot courtesy of five points from McNeil right away, going up 5-0 after two minutes of play. But the Blue Devils got a spark from former Fighting Illini guard Jacob Grandison, who chipped in a layup and a triple for five early points of his own. Ohio State led 10-9 at the first media timeout.

The two teams continued to go punch-for-punch for much of the first half, with the Blue Devils shooting it at a higher clip while at the same time turning it over more than they typically do. Ohio State led 22-20 at the under-eight media timeout at the 7:13 mark, despite the Blue Devils’ seven offensive rebounds over that time frame. The Buckeyes got buckets from six different players over the first 13 minutes.

Proctor’s three-pointer at the 5:42 mark made it 25-22 Duke, and after Likekele split a pair of free throws, Ryan Young scored below the basket to make it 27-23. Chris Holtmann called a timeout as the Cameron Crazies began to raise the noise a few decibels.


Duke took a 39-29 lead at halftime, outscoring Ohio State 18-7 over the final 8:38. Sueing’s two fouls hurt, as he played sparingly during the first half. The Buckeyes had nearly as many turnovers (10) and fouls (10) in the first half as they had made baskets (12), which typically is not a recipe for success. Filipowski led eight Duke scorers in the first half with nine points.

Duke pushed their lead out to 13 points early in the first half, but the Buckeyes were able to keep it within arm’s reach (generally) in the opening minutes of the first half. The two teams looked pretty evenly matched, but that stretch late in the first half where Duke pulled ahead was very costly for the Buckeyes, who now had to make up the deficit. Duke took a 52-46 lead into the under-12 media timeout with 11:57 remaining.

Ohio State continued to push it, cutting the deficit to five points repeatedly, but Duke still led 64-56 with 7:55 remaining in the game. Sueing and Key emerged in the second half to really push the Blue Devils, but the Buckeyes continued to shoot themselves in the foot with repeated turnovers — something they did not do at Maui last week.

The Buckeyes refused to die, answering nearly every Blue Devil basket with one of their own. But following a McNeil three that cut the lead to 72-67 with three minutes remaining, Filipowski snuck free and scored beneath the basket, while absorbing contact from Sueing. A foul was called, and Duke took a 74-67 lead with just 2:37 remaining.

Sueing and Key were both forceful in the second half, but turnovers and their inability to grab a defensive rebound bit them time and time again. Despite cutting the deficit to five points on more than one occasion, the Buckeyes suffered their second defeat of the season.

If you didn’t catch Ohio State’s loss to Duke at Cameron Indoor, here are a few key moments and played that mattered the most.

McNeil puts Buckeyes up early


After putting up 22, 5, and 13 points apiece at the Maui Invitational, McNeil got the Buckeyes going with five quick points over the first two minutes of this one. He canned a three-pointer over the head of Mitchell to open the scoring, and then dropped in a soft floater from just in front of the basket with 18:15 to go in the first half to make it 5-0 Buckeyes.

Sueing picks up two early fouls, sits


Fresh off a 33-point performance in Maui, Sueing picked up two fouls over the first 3:09 of the game and had to sit for the majority of the first half. He only played 11 first-half minutes, scoring three points on 1-4 shooting.

Grandison returns to haunt Buckeyes as a Blue Devil


Ohio State was already familiar with Jacob Grandison heading into this game, as the transfer guard played three seasons at Illinois and was a knockdown shooter throughout his tenure with the Illini. However, he was only averaging 5.5 points per game through Duke’s first eight games.

Tonight, Grandison knocked down three early shots to outdo his season average in the first six minutes of the game. He hit a three and two layups for seven early points.

Filipowski’s and-one ties it at 20


With Ohio State leading 20-17 with 8:50 to go in the first half, Roddy Gayle had his pocket picked at midcourt by Filipowski. Filipowski took it to the basket himself, as Gayle tried to stand firm to draw a charge, but Filipowski dropped the teardrop in the bucket and Gayle was called for a blocking foul. The big Duke freshman hit the free throw, tying the game at 20-20.

Likekele’s FT snaps a cold spell


The Buckeyes went scoreless for about three and a half minutes, with no points between Likekele's layup at the 8:38 mark and his free throw at 5:02. During that stretch, Duke turned a 22-20 deficit into a 25-22 lead.

Devils dominate the offensive glass


Duke was as good on the glass as advertised, out-rebounding Ohio State 19-17 in the first half while also grabbing nine offensive rebounds. The Blue Devils turned those nine offensive rebounds into nine first-half points, en route to a 39-29 halftime lead.

Roach T’d up, Buckeyes pull back within 10 for 21 seconds


Leading 45-33 in the second half, Duke’s Jeremy Roach was T’d up below the basket following a Lively dunk when he picked the ball up and tossed the ball in the direction of Isaac Likekele. McNeil hit both technical free throws to cut it back to a 10-point game, but Duke went the opposite way and got yet another dunk from the 7-foot-1 freshman center Lively at the 15:55 mark to make it 47-35 — a 12-point deficit yet again.

Key’s and-one gets Ohio State within six, but Duke hits the bonus with over 12 minutes remaining


As the saying goes, you have to beat Duke by 10 at Cameron Indoor to win by one. Whether the fouls on the Buckeyes during the second half were the product of home cooking, lack of discipline, or a little of both, Sensabaugh’s offensive foul with 12:20 remaining was Ohio State’s seventh, meaning Duke shot free throws on every Buckeye foul the rest of the way.

However, Key’s spinning and-one layup on the right side of the basket with 11:57 left in the game got the Buckeyes within six points, and the ensuing free throw made it 52-47.

The Zebras, they’re taking over!


It’s important to note that this game had absolutely no rhythm as both teams racked up foul after foul after foul, especially in the second half. Duke picked up their seventh team foul with 10 minutes remaining — two minutes after Ohio State. Through the first 30 minutes of tonight’s game, the two teams combined for a whopping 34 fouls, meaning every single tick-tack foul sent someone to the free-throw line.

Speaking of which, Sueing and Key both made layups — plus the foul — at the 10:00 mark (Sueing) and 9:25 mark (Key), which brought Ohio State back within five points, 59-54.

Filipowski’s and-one bucket gives Duke much-needed breathing room


Moments after McNeil snapped off a corner three-pointer that cut Duke’s lead to 72-67, the big freshman Filipowski scored below the basket and was fouled by Sueing as well — his fourth. The free throw was good, giving the Dukies a 75-67 lead in the waning moments of the game.

Up Next:


Ohio State (5-2) returns to Columbus and will take on the St. Francis Red Flash (2-5) at Noon this Saturday. The game will be broadcast on Big Ten Network. St. Francis is No. 324 in KemPom this season. Last year, they went 9-21 overall and 5-13 in Northeast Conference play.

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LGHL Asks: How are you feeling about Ohio State football following The Game?
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

You ask, we answer. Sometimes we ask, others answer. And then other times, we ask, we answer.

A lot has happened over the past week to shake the confidence of Ohio State football fans. So, as Buckeye fans approach a weekend that will undoubtedly be full of emotion, anticipation, and anxiety waiting to see where their favorite team will play its postseason football, we wanted to take the temperature of the fanbase to see how everyone is feeling after a second-straight loss to Michigan.

Question 1: If you could magically change one aspect of OSU’s on-field performance, what would it be?


If we’re being honest, there are undoubtedly more than one thing that most Buckeye fans would like to see improved on this year’s squad, but these four options were the ones that most sprung to mind.

There has been a lot of good that we have seen from this team over the past three months, from improved linebacker play to incredible wide receiver performances; some of the best throws in OSU history to the reemergence of the Buckeye pass rush. However, there were things that left a lot to be desired.

As always, I have my pick, but I will save my thoughts until y’all have a chance to respond.

Question 2: Do you still want Ohio State to make the College Football Playoff?


I am going to write something about this for later in the week, but I have a much different opinion on this topic than I did four years ago. Back then, I didn’t think that the Buckeyes stacked up well against the best teams in the country that year, but now, I think that they probably are the most talented team in college football, and with lessons learned from The Game beatdown, they would have a shot to win a couple games and bring home a title.


However, I do not fault anyone for being hesitant about seeing the Buckeyes facing off against Michigan again, or even Georgia. I think that is totally fair and I try to never tell anyone how to be a fan.

Question 3: How much more or less optimistic about the future of the Ohio State football program are you now than last week?


I mean, I don’t know how you could possibly be more optimistic than you were last week, unless you expected the Buckeyes to lose by 50, so the actual result was better than you had envisioned. However, I am interested in the degree to wich people’s feelings have changed. Was it a small move in the more dour dimension or was it a dramatic turn in your perception?

I personally don’t think it changes my opinion all that much, I still think that there are obvious issues that need addressing, but I didn’t need to see the Buckeyes get beaten that badly to tell me that. However, I do think that a little adjustment in the wrong direction is appropriate given what we saw last Saturday.


Have your voice heard and share your thoughts on the Buckeyes here:


Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NCAA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Ohio State fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate.

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Since 1899 Podcast: Ohio State guard Adrienne Johnson
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Assistant Athletic Director and coach Adrienne Johnson on the Louisville Cardinals bench (second from the right) | Taris Smith | Louisville Athletics

In the first episode of an Ohio State women’s basketball podcast, a WNBA original talks about her journey in the sport.

Since 1899 is an Ohio State Women’s Basketball podcast, covering the team that dates back all the way to the turn of the 19th century. Check back throughout the season for more interviews and coverage of the historic Big Ten women’s basketball program.


The Ohio State women’s basketball program has a storied history and in the first episode of Since 1899, a freshman from the 92/93 NCAA Championship runner-up run joins the show. Adrienne Johnson is a Louisville, Kentucky native who chose Columbus, Ohio as her college pick.

In the episode, Johnson talks about her 17 years with the Louisville Cardinals and returning to the court in as an assistant coach in 2022. She talks about how building trust is key with college players, especially in a world that’s pulling them in all different directions.

Then, coach Johnson discusses how she chose Ohio State, her initial thoughts about the new defunct ABL, and a strategic mindset of choosing which city to try out for the WNBA.

Johnson’s entire story falls back on hard work, but that’s not all a player can do in order to become successful. She shares what that extra piece of the puzzle is for aspiring pro women’s basketball players.

Finally, Johnson discusses how she’s still a Buckeye, even though she’s working for her hometown university. Coach shares her thoughts about Ohio State head coach Kevin McGuff, rooting for the Buckeyes unless they’re playing Louisville, and even some thoughts on the Ohio State game against TTUN.

There’s also a companion story about the Adrienne Johnson you can read now, by clicking this link.


Connect with Thomas:

Twitter: @1ThomasCostello

Theme music: HOLY MOLY by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

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Ohio State wrestling heads to the desert in pursuit of a prestigious tournament title
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ohio State athletics / ohiostatebuckeyes.com

The third-ranked Buckeyes have started out hot, and will be competing in a major tournament this weekend.

The Ohio State wrestling Buckeyes have grappled to a 3-0 start in dual competition(s) to begin their 2022-23 season, and will look to parlay the team’s hot head-to-head start into a solid result at the Cliff Keen Collegiate Wrestling Invitational (Dec. 2-3). With a strong combination of youth and experience, Tom Ryan’s squad is expecting to once again place well – both individually and as a team – in a tournament which has treated them very well over the last decade and change. Since 2009, the Buckeyes have finished first or second in this Las Vegas-hosted tournament eight times, with top-three finishes in nine of the last 10.

In order to understand why OSU is expected to perform so well (again) in Vegas this year, we should probably go back and do a bit of a retroactive season preview/early season recap. I say retroactive, because I am late to the game. I own it.

The wrestling Bucks began their season roughly a month ago, and it falls on me for not publishing a piece sooner. But here’s the deal: I was in a very committed relationship with this unnamed football team, and I expected things to go well for at least a few more weeks. Instead, our entire year together went south in the span of 30 minutes, thanks to some team up north. So now I am drinking orange juice straight from the container like Mikey in Swingers, leaning into my seasonal depression, and it’s just a whole giant thing... I will spare you the details because they are of little significance. Instead, let’s catch up with the team that will bring me out of my winter funk!

Ranked No. 3 in the NCWA Coaches Poll, this Ohio State wrestling program has been a monster for many years. Although they currently sit behind two other Big Ten teams (Penn State and Iowa), the Buckeyes are a perennial national contender. Last season was a down year for the team, as they finished 13th at the year-end NCAA Championships. But prior to that – and a “meh” 2020-21 Covid-impacted campaign – OSU had captured three conference championships and a national championship since 2014-15.

So it was no surprise when Ryan’s staff brought in a top-ranked recruiting class. Nor is it surprising to see this season’s squad back inside the top-5, with a chance to reclaim their status as one of the sport’s elites.

Ohio State currently has seven wrestlers ranked inside the InterMat top-13 at their respective weight classes, led by superstar 149-pounder Sammy Sasso (third). He is joined in the top-13 by holdovers and veterans Malik Heinselman (No. 11 at 125 lb.), Carson Kharchla (No. 6 at 165), Evan Smith (No. 7 at 174), Kaleb Romero (No. 4 at 184), and Tate Orndorff (No. 7 at heavyweight). And joining all of those vets, is true freshman Jesse Mendez (No. 13 at 133). Mendez is one of the top freshman grapplers in the country, but there is plenty of talented youth to be found throughout this roster.

Redshirt freshman Paddy Gallagher is one to keep an eye on at 157 pounds, while Nick Bouzakis (133) and Nick Feldman (HWT) were also members of this year’s historic recruiting class. Jordan Decatur (141) and Gavin Hoffman (197) join the rest of the “front-liners”, with Hoffman looking to build on an impressive 2021-22 postseason.

So yeah, this group is stacked.


As previously mentioned, the Buckeyes have begun their dual season 3-0, with two victories over ACC schools. The first such victory came at home against Virginia Tech, the No. 14-ranked team and a tough opening opponent. In what could have been an ominous development, Sasso dropped the first match of opening night — a sudden victory stunner by the Hokies’ Caleb Hanson. But he (Sasso) has since finished matches with four pins and a tech fall, so all is right in the world. The rest of the OSU squad picked up the slack against VT, notching wins in six of the remaining nine matches, and securing an 18-13 result.

Subsequent victories over Columbia and North Carolina have not been nearly as close, with Ohio State racking up 33 points in each dual. The Tar Heels in particular are no slouch of a team, as they were ranked No. 17 at the time of the match.

Now Ryan’s guys will head to the desert, looking for individual and team accolades in Sin City. In its 40th year, the Cliff Keen Invitational is one of, if not the most, prestigious tournaments in all of college wrestling. And as noted earlier, OSU typically performs very well in said tourney. Sasso and Kharchla are among the favorites to win their respective weight classes this time around, in addition to Romero and Smith — both of whom should also be considered as (very) legitimate title contenders.

A strong finish, or potentially even a win in this one, would give Ohio State great momentum as they prepare for Big Ten competition. Conference duals do not begin until after the first of the year, and as expected, collegiate wrestling will run through the Buckeyes’ geographic back yard. The Big Ten boasts four of the top five ranked teams in D1, leading to a tough road ahead. But Sasso, Kharchla, and Romero headline a loaded contender.

If you are still licking your wounds from an OSU football loss, I suggest you check out the Buckeye wrestlers... Or the men’s and women’s basketball teams, or the hockey teams, or any number of top-notch programs Ohio State athletics has to offer. There are athletes to root for and championships to be had, in what should be an exciting winter season. Find Keen Invitational coverage wherever you can this weekend, and across the board: Go Bucks!

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B1G Thoughts: The Big Ten runs through Ann Arbor
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After Michigan’s explosive afternoon in Columbus, the crown has been passed to the team up north.

Jim Harbaugh, The King of the North. While Nick Saban and Kirby Smart are fighting for the Iron Throne, the north has bent the knee to Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines. House Buckeye is no longer on the throne, as many in Columbus want Ryan Day to be sent to the wall.

Two years removed from almost losing his job and instead accepting a reduced salary with incentives, Harbaugh is 24-2 with back-to-back wins over Ohio State. It is safe to assume that Michigan will win the Big Ten again, with only Purdue standing in their way. Even if they lose — they won’t — they will most likely make the College Football Playoff for the second time in program history.

Coming into the season, there was a lot of speculation on what Michigan was going to be. Not that last year was a fluke, but this team lost Aidan Hutchinson, David Ojabo, and Dax Hill, among others, plus their offensive and defensive coordinators. Under normal circumstances, it would be hard to bounce back, but add in Jim Harbaugh aggressively pursuing the NFL and a botched quarterback competition, and it was fair to question if Harbaugh could lead Michigan back to the mountaintop, or if the Big Ten would revert to the norm and run through Columbus.

Harbaugh and the Wolverines silenced the doubters emphatically with a 12-0 season and an explosive beat down of Ohio State.

After this year’s version of ‘The Game,’ it is time to give Harbaugh his respect. Not only has he beaten Ohio State two years in a row, but he’s also done it two different ways. Last season was a beatdown where Michigan bullied Ohio State on both lines of scrimmage with a punishing run game and an elite defensive line. This season, Michigan tried to maintain that identity, but with star running back Blake Corum injured, they instead turned into a big-play offense, torching Ohio State for five touchdowns on plays over 40 yards — three of which were 75 yards or longer. Harbaugh showed an ability to adapt and outcoach Ryan Day en route to his second victory over his rival.

It is safe to say that former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer had Harbaugh’s number. Meyer was 7-0 against Michigan and 4-0 against Harbaugh. After the past two seasons, Harbaugh is 2-1 against Ryan Day, and I would say that he has Days’ number and is in his head. Ohio State never had questions about their toughness under Meyer, but with Day at the helm they have been bullied by multiple programs, and Harbaugh has built a machine that will out-tough Ohio State since it can’t out-talent them.

I don’t know about you, but I am not confident that Day and the Buckeyes will go into Ann Arbor next season and beat the Wolverines in the Big House. Michigan is officially the class of the Big Ten until proven otherwise. Ryan Day’s saving grace may just be that Harbaugh has been at Michigan for eight seasons — four more than any other stop in his career — and the NFL with undoubtedly come calling. Look no further than the Indianapolis Colts, another team in crisis where hiring a former player to save them may be attractive.

That is all hearsay, so unless Jim Harbaugh hangs up his collegiate whistle and heads to the NFL, the Wolverines own the Big Ten until further notice.

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Class: 2024 (high school)
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Class: 2024 (high school)
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Column: For once, Ohio State might be relying on the transfer portal
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New year, new Buckeyes.

The football season is not over yet, but as the regular season has wrapped up (with the exception of an Army vs. Navy game, which is not being played for the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy — Go Air Force!), we may as well start thinking broadly about what’s to come for Ohio State come next season.

Some things we know will remain consistent. As Matt Tamanini pointed out earlier this week, Ryan Day is here to stay. And because time heals all wounds, by next September, the bitterness of a rough loss to Michigan will have worn off and we’ll all be delighted to keep the winningest current head coach (in win percentage) in the FBS firmly in Columbus.

Some things we know will change, including players departing for the NFL or running out of eligibility (yes, even the super seniors). Perhaps the biggest reason to hit the panic button heading into the offseason is the quarterback position, because C.J. Stroud, who’s still a Heisman contender even after a two-pick performance against Michigan, is undoubtedly bidding Buckeye Nation farewell after this season.

Ohio State lost one elite quarterback recruit to the transfer portal last season (Quinn Ewers), which really didn’t hurt at the time considering Stroud was just lighting up. The only other quarterback on the roster with any experience is Kyle McCord who, we know, is not at Stroud’s level. Freshman Devin Brown, the No. 6 quarterback in his recruiting class, is the other option.

Which leads us to the transfer portal and why we’re talking about this now.

I’ve previously written about the transfer portal and why Ohio State simply has not needed to leverage it the way other programs have. The Buckeyes have recruited efficiently and grown the players the program needs, well, within the program. When you look at positions like wide receivers, defensive linemen and running backs (Trey Sermon notwithstanding), it’s clear why: Ohio State continues to grow talent and the next man up mentality wins out.

When we look around at the quarterback room now, that confidence begins to wane. But of course, because of the college football universe we live in, not having an experienced quarterback now doesn’t mean your team can’t have one by next season.

As news came this week in the Big Ten of Michigan’s Cade McNamara, Indiana’s Connor Bazelak and Iowa’s Alex Padilla entering the portal, the idea of picking up a veteran to lead Ohio State to a title next season becomes very tempting. It doesn’t hurt that many of the players entering the portal now are grad transfers with a reasonable amount of experience.

Ohio State benefited from a transfer quarterback before the portal was what it is today when Justin Fields came to Ohio State from Georgia in 2019.

Unfortunately, not every quarterback is Justin Fields. Ohio State brought in transfers in cornerback Tanner McCalister, running back Chip Trayanum and kicker Noah Ruggles who all played roles for the Buckeyes this season, but bringing in a quarterback to run the offense is a whole different matter.

It’s worked for some: Caleb Williams moving to USC was a boon for the Trojans (though it’s kind of cheating when he’s following the coach who recruited him). Bo Nix similarly filled a void at Oregon this season.

Bringing in Padilla or McNamara doesn’t have quite the same level of excitement that the Fields transfer did, which makes sense since Day truly loves his star quarterbacks. If someone like North Carolina’s Drake May, the only underclassman in the top-five in the FBS in both passing touchdowns and passing yards this season, were to come available, then the transfer portal all of a sudden gets more exciting. May also happened to get an offer from Ohio State during his recruitment, as did DJ Uiagalelei and Hudson Card, the latter of whom entered the transfer portal Tuesday. These players, who already have a relationship with Day, would probably have Ohio State close to the top of their target lists.

The quarterback position looks to be the biggest void to fill this coming offseason, and Day has proven adept at the offseason adjustment. Last season, after blatant challenges on the offensive line against Michigan (including pass protection and run blocking), Day brought in Justin Frye. The results were clear: The Buckeyes gave up just one sack to Michigan this season compared to four last year. And Ohio State had 143 yards on the ground in 2022 versus 64 last year.

Defensively — something we saw as a problem well before the Michigan game in 2021 — Day brought in Jim Knowles as defensive coordinator, which gave immediate life to the defense. While that defense was disappointing against Michigan, we saw a great improvement over the other 11 games.

And if Day has one area of expertise, it’s quarterbacks. It’s a near certain that if a big name quarterback comes on the market, they’ll be interested in a program that is quarterback centric, where they can fill up the stat sheet and position themselves well for the NFL. That program is Ohio State.

While things are unclear now, that’s an area we can trust will get fixed come September 2023.

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Game Preview: No. 4 Ohio State women’s basketball at No. 18 Louisville Cardinals
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Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

A matchup against a consistent ACC power is a vast difference from recent opponents for the Buckeyes

The Ohio State Buckeyes women’s basketball season has been a roller coaster that started halfway down a big hill. Head coach Kevin McGuff and the Buckeyes welcomed the Tennessee Volunteers to the Schottenstein Center to start the year off against the then No. 5 team in the country.

Since then it’s been five games where the carts almost sat still. Wednesday night, the excitement picks up again as the Buckeyes travel to Louisville, Kentucky to face No. 18 University of Louisville.

Ohio State faces a Louisville Cardinals side that’s not meeting their own expectations to start the season. For the Buckeyes, their success might hinge on the availability of one player. It’s a game full of variables, and here’s what to watch.

Preview


The Louisville Cardinals enter Wednesday in a position they’re not used to. Sitting at No. 18 in the polls, head coach Jeff Walz team sits in their lowest ranking since hitting No. 14 in the 2017 season. Also, they haven’t lost more than five games in five years, but already have two in the early 2022-23 season.

Entering this year, Walz lost five players, including three starters. Of that group was Emily Engstler, who ended last season in third place for ACC Player of the Year and part of the ACC’s First Team All-ACC, and Kianna Smith, who was second on the Cardinals averaging 12 points per game.

The learning curve’s been high for Louisville, and a team who prides itself on long tournament runs enters Wednesday with motivation to try and get back on track. Enter the Ohio State Buckeyes.

For the Scarlet & Gray, things are going good, but not great. The good is that they’re sitting at No. 4 in the AP Polls with all six of their wins with a double-digit margin. Also, beating three teams in a row, averaging 103 points per game. Not a bad start to the year.

What’s tipping it into the “not great” category is the absence of guard Jacy Sheldon. Now, guard Madison Greene is no slouch, and she’s led Ohio State over the past two games from the point guard position, but there’s been a dip with Sheldon’s absence.

Looking at the Buckeyes 29.8 turnovers per game, a logical argument is that the Buckeyes faced four schools outside of the Power Five, so the total is skewed. With Sheldon at the helm, the Buckeyes averaged 34 turnovers per game, due to her energetic movement and ability to disrupt opponents in the press.

Only one game with Sheldon starting did the Buckeyes not force at least 30 turnovers, and that was 29 against Tennessee. With Sheldon gone, Oho State’s averaging a paltry (sarcasm intended) 21 per game.

Against Louisville, Sheldon’s unknown status could mean one weapon’s off the court against a team that, even when struggling, is a force.

The Cardinals are led by guard Hailey Van Lith. A First Team All-ACC last season, Van Lith is picking up where she left off this year, averaging the second most points the ACC with 21.2. Even the gaps created by seniors leaving last year was filled by two talents in former Florida State guard Morgan Jones and former Syracuse Orange Chrislyn Carr.

Walz and the Louisville program employ a defense that will throw all different looks at the Buckeyes. For spells of a game, they’re playing in the half court. Without warning, they move to the full court press. Offensively, they’re a team that isn’t afraid to shoot, and shoot quickly, hitting midrange jumpers and threes with relative ease.

Wednesday is a game that’s looking like a fitting way to end the ACC/B1G Challenge.

Projected Starters

Lineup Notes

• Cotie McMahon’s reached a new career high in single game scoring with 20 points against North Alabama.
• Rebeka Mikulášiková earned her second Big Ten Honor Roll award out of three weeks after last week’s performances of 41 points in 39 minutes.
• Lately, Hevynne Bristow’s brought a pop of rebounding off the bench, with 21 in the three-game home stretch.

Lineup Notes

• Carr played against the Buckeyes last year with Syracuse, where she scored 23 points with four rebounds and two assists in the 97-91 Syracuse victory
• Williams, a 6-foot-5 transfer center from Utah Valley, starts for the Cardinals but only averages 9.6 minutes per game
• Jones joined the Cardinals after three seasons with the Florida State Seminoles

Prediction


Sheldon’s consistent “day-to-day” status from coach McGuff, and after games that didn’t really need the play of the outstanding guard, looks like an effort to allow Sheldon to rest a knock. If Sheldon doesn’t start against Louisville, that status is more than only day-to-day.

Wednesday is a game made for a full, healthy, set of starters. However, if Greene starts, it might mean less turnovers forced but there are still the skills there to take on this current edition of the Cardinals.

It’s going to be a close game, likely even with the Buckeyes down for spells against a team chalk full of winners. Ohio State has the leadership, team chemistry and buy-in to the game plan though to withstand for 40 minutes and find a victory.

If the Scarlet & Gray has a cold night of shooting though, it could be a difficult night if the defense isn’t on their game. Closing down shooters has been an issue lately, but against teams that haven’t exactly motivated the Buckeyes to their best.

The Cardinals will demand the Buckeyes best game. Louisville doesn’t take their time finding a shot, and have confident shooters like Van Lith who can rack up points quickly.

Quieting the home fans, like Ohio State did in the NCAA Tournament against LSU, is also key. The more shots fall, and the quicker they can apply their defensive press, the easier it’ll be for the Buckeyes.

How to Watch


Date: Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Where: KFC Yum! Center - Louisville, Kentucky
Television: ACC Network
Stream: ESPN+ with an ACC Network Subscription

LGHL Prediction: 82-75 Ohio State Buckeyes

McGuff’s Thoughts on ACC/B1G Challenge


During media availability, McGuff was asked about this week being the final edition of the ACC/B1G Challenge, a competition that pits the two Power Five conferences against each other. Specifically, how he felt about it ending.

McGuff isn’t sad to see the annual tournament go, mainly because of scheduling. The challenge takes the power out of the hands of coaches and programs to put their schedule the way they want to.

With the challenge ending, Ohio State can still play ACC teams, but now the Buckeyes have the fluidity to schedule a calendar that works best for them. It also allows Ohio State to not need four smaller non-conference games in a row like the Scarlet & Gray went through in the past two week.

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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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IT’S TIME FOR DUKE TO GET DUMPED

GET DUMPED THEN, DUKE. The Ohio State University men's basketball team plays Duke on Wednesday at 7:15 p.m. as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, which will unfortunately end this week after a 23-year run, according to Andy Katz.

The No. 25 Buckeyes, who appeared in the AP Top 25 poll for the first time this season after picking up two wins at the Maui Invitational, will battle the No. 17 Blue Devils in what will be one of Ohio State's most challenging regular-season matchups.
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Whenever Duke loses on the hardwood, it is a glorious occasion. I want to make that much very clear. But it was especially glorious when the Buckeyes beat the Blue Devils at the Schott last season.

Ohio State had already two losses to Xavier and Florida before the matchup, so nobody – and I mean nobody – expected the Basketbucks to defeat Coach K and company. However, that's exactly what the Buckeyes did 365 days ago.

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At 7:15 p.m., we will find out if it's Key, Sueing, Sensabaugh or another player who steps up for the Buckeyes as Ohio State attempts to claim its second straight win over Duke and third victory in their last four matchups dating back to 2011.

Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/skul...-had-no-divisions-the-conference-championship

Ohio State at Duke picks and predictions

The No. 25 Ohio State Buckeyes (5-1) and the No. 16 Duke Blue Devils (6-2) meet Wednesday at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, N.C. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. ET (ESPN).

Ohio State at Duke odds
Provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 6:09 a.m. ET.

• Against the spread (ATS): Ohio State +5.5 (-110) | Duke -5.5 (-110)
• Over/Under (O/U): 137.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)

Prediction
Duke 69, Ohio State 66

Entire article: https://sportsbookwire.usatoday.com/2022/11/30/ohio-state-at-duke-odds-picks-and-predictions/

Duke basketball vs. Ohio State: Scouting report, score prediction

Coming off a 75-56 loss to then No. 24 Purdue in the Phil Knight Legacy tournament championship game in Oregon, Duke basketball returns to Cameron Indoor on Wednesday to face another Big Ten opponent.

The No. 17 Blue Devils (6-2) will host No. 25 Ohio State (5-1) in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge at 7:15 p.m. on ESPN.

The non-conference matchup is a rematch from last year when the Buckeyes knocked off No. 1 Duke 71-66 in Columbus. Duke is currently 0-2 against top 25 teams.
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The end of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge
On Monday, the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Southeastern Conference (SEC) announced the formation of the ACC/SEC Challenge for men’s and women’s basketball beginning next season.

The creation of this event concludes the annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge that began in 1999.

Does that mean we could get a Duke-Kentucky game at Cameron Indoor? Time will tell.

Duke vs. Ohio State score prediction
Duke 68, Ohio State 61: The Blue Devils are 4-0 in Cameron Indoor but will face its toughest home test so far this season against the Buckeyes. Expect Duke to bounce back from a poor shooting performance against Purdue and create enough turnovers to take down Ohio State.

Entire article: https://www.fayobserver.com/story/s...scouting-report-score-prediction/69682253007/

Bucketheads Podcast: The hater’s guide to Duke with Tate Frazier
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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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

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Twitter: @lemons_connor

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Twitter: @justin_golba

Connect with Tate:
Twitter: @tatefrazier

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Ohio State makes in-home visit to four-star OL pledge
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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:

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


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

Theme music provided by www.bensound.com

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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
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


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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