Ohio State Buckeyes - Today's U (blog)
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State Buckeyes
Today's U (blog)
Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer knows a thing or two about recruiting. He just closed in on the No. 4 recruiting... 01 January 2016: Ohio State Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer coaching his team during an NCAA ...


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OSUWBB: Buckeyes Earn a 3 Seed in NCAA Tournament
Charles via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


A day after the Ohio State men’s basketball team received the bad news that they would not be in the NCAA tournament, the OSU women’s team waited anxiously to hear their tournament fate. While they knew that they would be dancing, a rough end of the season that saw them lose three of their last four games raised a lot of questions about where they would be seeded. It took until the third region was announced for the Buckeyes to find out that they would the number 3 seed in the Sioux Falls region (above image courtesy of OSU athletics).

Unlike the men’s tournament, the women’s tournament doesn’t use predetermined sites for the first two rounds; instead, the top four seeds in each region host. Thus, as a number three seed Ohio State will host the first weekend of games in St. John Arena. The Buckeyes will begin their tournament at 2:30 pm on Friday against 14th seed Buffalo. The other Friday game in Columbus will see 6 seed West Virginia against 11 seed Princeton in a game set to tip at noon. The winners of the two games will face off on Sunday.

The number two seed in the Sioux Fall region is Arizona State who present a tough potential Sweet 16 matchup. Perhaps the best news of the night for Ohio State though was that they ended up with South Carolina as the number 1 seed in their region as opposed to Connecticut. The Buckeyes lost to the Gamecocks in the season opener but only by eight points in a game played in Columbia, South Carolina. While the road to the Final Four will be hard, it isn’t impossible and if OSU can regain their midseason form, they have chance to surprise a lot of people who wrote them off after how the season ended.

We’ll have a more complete preview of Ohio State in the NCAA women’s basketball tournament later in the week.

The post OSUWBB: Buckeyes Earn a 3 Seed in NCAA Tournament appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Buckeyes Make NIT - The Fan
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes Make NIT
The Fan
The Ohio State men's basketball team will host Akron in the National Invitational Tournament on Tuesday. The Buckeyes, by virtue of their 20-13 record, earned a three seed. The 26-8 Zips are a six seed. OSU won the NIT in 1986 and 2008, and they are 18 ...


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Back to Ohio: UB women to play Buckeyes in Columbus in NCAA Tourney - wivb.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Back to Ohio: UB women to play Buckeyes in Columbus in NCAA Tourney
wivb.com
UB was selected as a 14 seed in the NCAA Women's Tournament Monday night. The women will play the third-seeded Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus on Friday at 2:30 PM. It's UB's first appearance in the NCAA Tournament in program history, coming off ...
Men's basketball | MAC tournament: Buffalo ousts Ohio in semifinalsColumbus Dispatch
Ohio State women's basketball secures a No. 3 seed in NCAA tournament, set to face Buffalo in 1st roundOSU - The Lantern
Ohio State Earns a No. 3 Seed in the NCAA TournamentEleven Warriors

all 370 news articles »

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Five Big Ten teams land in NCAA women’s tournament
BTN.com staff via Big Ten Network

Five Big Ten women’s basketball teams made the 2016 NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship: Indiana, Maryland, Michigan State, Ohio State and Purdue. The full bracket is on NCAA.com. Maryland, winners of the Big Ten regular season and tournament championships, enters the NCAA Tournament as a No. 2 seed in College Park, MD., and will take on No. 15 Iona at 1:30 p.m. ET on Saturday on ESPN2. The Terrapins are hosting as part of the Lexington Region and a win will allow them to face either No. 7 Washington or No. 10 Pennsylvania in second-round play. Maryland enters its 24th tournament appearance

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Script Ohio: Ohio State Pro Day Recap with Land Grant Holy Land’s Alexis Chassen
Joe Dexter via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Joe Dexter and Clair Crawford are joined by Land Grant Holy Land’s Alexis Chassen, who was at Ohio State’s Pro Day last weekend. She discussed Cardale Jones throwing for the first time, Nick Vannett, Jalin Marshall, and the non-combine athletes that impressed in front of the 130+ NFL Personnel.



The post Script Ohio: Ohio State Pro Day Recap with Land Grant Holy Land’s Alexis Chassen appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Women's NCAA tournament 2016: Full bracket and schedule released
Ben Martens via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ohio State's late-season slide left the Buckeyes as a 3-seed in March Madness.

The Ohio State women's basketball team is going where its counterpart on the men's side is not: the NCAA tournament. The Buckeyes will go dancing as the 3-seed in the Sioux Falls region, and will host Buffalo in Columbus on Friday, March 18th, at 2:20 p.m. ET on ESPN2. Due to the state high school basketball tournament being played at the team's usual home of Value City Arena, the game will be played at St. John's Arena.

After spending much of 2016 among the top five in the country, and as frontrunner in the Big Ten, Ohio State lost three of its final four games, including an 82-63 walloping in the conference tournament semifinals by Michigan State.

The Buckeyes are currently ranked No. 9 in the polls, but questions are swirling about the health of second-leading scorer Ameryst Alston, who injured the wrist on her shooting hand during the team's 73-58 win over Rutgers in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals. Without Alston, leading scorer Kelsey Mitchell was on an island in the loss to the Spartans.

The top seed in this year's tournament is (surprise!) Connecticut. The Huskies, who have won three consecutive national championships, are an undefeated 32-0 and feature likely National Player of the Year Breanna Stewart.

In Ohio State's region, the top seed is South Carolina. The Buckeyes and Gamecocks played in the season opener in Columbia, an 88-80 loss for the scarlet and gray.

Notre Dame and Baylor locked up the other two No. 1 seeds.

Full bracket and schedule to come.

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Ohio State's 2016 offense is not a cause for concern
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Plus, Cardale Jones exceeds expectations at Ohio State's pro day, and men's volleyball knocks off a top-ranked opponent.

"We’re a young team, a talented team that has a lot of growth and room to get better. I love the energy, love the hunger and the attitude. It’s fun to be around them."

-Ohio State offensive coordinator Ed Warinner, via Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch


Despite losing well over half of last year’s starters on offense, including many who played on Ohio State’s 2014 national championship team, offensive coordinator Ed Warinner is not overly concerned about the offensive side of the ball in the upcoming season. With stars like running back Ezekiel Elliott leaving Ohio State early for the NFL, along with three starting offensive lineman and a standout receiver--several of whom are projected first-round picks--there are numerous gaps to fill on the offensive side of the ball.

However, the Buckeyes return quarterback J.T. Barrett for his junior season, with Barrett able to fully participate in spring practice after being in a boot with a broken ankle last year. Barrett went 11-1 as a starter in his redshirt freshman season following Braxton Miller’s season-ending shoulder injury in 2014. Barrett took over the starting role full-time after spending last season splitting time with Cardale Jones.

Also returning on offense are left guard Billy Price and right guard Pat Elflein, the latter of whom will be moving to center for his senior season with the Buckeyes. The two have started every game together since 2014, when, like this year, there were a majority of new starters on the line for the Buckeyes. In the backfield, head coach Urban Meyer has indicated that the starting running back position is senior Bri’onte Dunn’s to lose.

It is likely that tight end Marcus Baugh will get the starting job this season with the graduation of Nick Vannett. However, uncertainty remains at the receiver spot, with both Noah Brown and Corey Smith sustaining broken legs over the course of last season and remaining sidelined for spring practice.

The offense was able to pick up last year toward the end of the season, with Warinner calling plays from the press box, where he will return this year. While who the playmakers will be remains uncertain, the Buckeyes will aim to move back to the up-tempo offense that won them a national title.

"You don’t need a lot of film to see the skillset he has. And one of the first things that really comes through is his love for the game. What you have to find out is if he’s willing to learn what he doesn’t know."

-AFC assistant coach, via Austin Ward, ESPN


It would seem that former Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones’s stock has gone up significantly since the weekend’s pro day in Columbus. Widely considered one of the "mystery men" of this year’s draft, questions had remained for Jones following the NFL Combine last month after he pulled out with an injured hamstring. While few doubted the throwing abilities that quickly earned Jones the byname "12 Gauge," there was doubt as to Jones’s work ethic and ability to fine-tune his rocket arm. Combined with the drastic difference in performance between the 2014 postseason and the start of the 2015 regular season, it was difficult to determine how Jones’s ability would translate to the NFL.

Jones opted to return to Ohio State for his junior season and a certain three-way battle for the starting quarterback spot last year in a move that took many by surprise. The downside was that, after returning, Jones’s draft stock plummeted from a potential first-round pick down to No. 140 after being benched in favor of Barrett midway through the season.

Jones’s confidence has never been a cause for concern, and he continued to demonstrate his leadership ability on the field during his pro day. Jones earned his first start in the 2014 Big Ten Championship Game against Wisconsin with a week’s notice following J.T. Barrett’s broken ankle against Michigan and managed to lead the Buckeyes to a 59-0 victory. He was similarly cool throwing during the combine, doing all that could be reasonably expected of an NFL-level quarterback.

While Jones was certainly not the premiere player at the pro day, in a draft class with first-round talent like Elliott and Joey Bosa, his mystery was draw enough to bring scouts to watch, and he may have done enough to impress them into a draft pick.



In a shocking upset, the No. 5 Ohio State Buckeyes men’s volleyball team defeated the top-ranked Long Beach State 49ers on the west coast in a tightly-contested five-set match. With the win, the Buckeyes improve to 17-3 on the season, and have extended their win-streak to nine, including six wins over ranked teams. It was a quick turnaround for the Buckeyes, who began the season 1-3 before going on a seven-match win streak that lasted through early February. During the current, nine-win streak, Ohio State has won 27-of-32 sets played. The win is the first over a No. 1-ranked team for the Buckeyes since a 1998 victory over Pepperdine.

After losing the first set 24-26, the Buckeyes rallied to win the next set by a score of 25-21 before going down again in the third set 15-21. Ohio State won the fourth set 25-21 to tie up the match again before a last-set victory of 15-13.

The Buckeyes had previously defeated No. 14 UC-Irvine in four sets in their first matchup in California. With the two wins, three Buckeyes were named to the Asics Invitational all-tournament team, including the MVP, outside hitter Nicolas Szerszen, who was dominant on offense against both Long Beach State and UC-Irvine.

Ohio State will head to State College to take on No. 6 Penn State this weekend as a continuation of its month-long road trip, and is scheduled for several away matches in Indiana before returning to Columbus in April. The Buckeyes are currently on top of their league’s standings, and are the top attacking squad statistically in the NCAA.

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Ohio State fails to reach NCAA tournament; Buckeyes are No. 3 seed in the NIT - Columbus Dispatch
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State fails to reach NCAA tournament; Buckeyes are No. 3 seed in the NIT
Columbus Dispatch
As he looked ahead to what it would mean to suit up for the Buckeyes, the Dayton Dunbar product knew it meant more than just representing his state. It also meant the opportunity to play in the NCAA tournament. But now, in a freshman season in which ...
Ohio State basketball will open NIT play vs. Akron, Buckeyes get No ...cleveland.com
How The Ohio State Buckeyes Made The 2016 NIT and Where They Can GoBT Powerhouse (blog)
Buckeyes earn No. 3 seed in NIT, will host No. 6 Akron TuesdayWaiting For Next Year
NBC4i.com -Ironton Tribune -247Sports
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Prove you're a bracket god by joining and winning the Land-Grant Holy Land NCAA bracket pool
Matt Brown via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


You think you're smarter than us? Prove it, by joining our bracket challenge.

We watch a lot of college basketball here at Land-Grant Holy Land. But in case you didn't know already, This Is March, and watching the games and doing the research is no guarantee that you'll have any idea what's going to happen in the tournament. If you want to prove to the world that you're smarter than Luke, Matt, and the rest of the Land-Grant crew, now is your chance. Come join our NCAA Bracket Pool, and dunk on us in front of the entire internet.

The winner of this year's bracket challenge will take home the following fabulous prizes:

• Internet bragging rights for the entire year.
• A Tweet and Facebook status from the LGHL accounts bragging to the entire world about how smart you are.

So yeah, this is just for fun. But bragging rights are a powerful thing, and so help me, if I somehow find a way to win this thing, I am going to be INSUFFERABLE in our office for at least a week. So for the good for LGHL and SB Nation, join our bracket group, and do a better job at picking these games than me, or the rest of the jokers that write here.

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Buckeyes offer country's No. 1 defensive tackle - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Buckeyes offer country's No. 1 defensive tackle
247Sports
What's next for the Buckeyes? Make sure you stay in the loop – take a few seconds to sign up for our FREE OSU newsletter now!) They have now reached out to and offered a scholarship to the country's No. 1 defensive tackle prospect, Marvin Wilson from ...


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Can Ohio State win the NIT again? It has to get through Monmouth and Florida first
Matt Brown via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Let's take a closer look at who Ohio State needs to beat to win their NIT quadrants.

By now, you've probably heard that Ohio State will host Akron in the first round of the NIT Tuesday. This could be a difficult game on a number of levels, but Ohio State has superior talent, length and athleticism, and if they come into this game really wanting to win, they have a pretty good shot. KenPom, for what it's worth, gives Ohio State a 69% chance of beating the Zips, with a predicted score of 72-68.

But Akron isn't the only team in these quadrants, and if Ohio State is going to play in the NIT, they're going to want more than just a victory over the Zips. Can Ohio State win this quadrant, or even the whole dang NIT? Let's take a closer look at Ohio State's obstacles to getting to New York City.

No. 1 seed, Monmouth (27-7, No. 67 KenPom)


You've probably heard of the Monmouth basketball team this season, if for nothing else than the antics of their bench players, who have the audacity to make college basketball fun. The Hawks also leapt into the public consciousness after playing a murderous early season schedule, which included wins over UCLA, Notre Dame, USC, Georgetown ... and also Rutgers. This team should be in the NCAA Tournament, but a few sub 200 RPI losses doomed them in the eyes of the committee. That's dumb, because it isn't Monmouth's fault they play in the MAAC, or can't get decent teams to play them at home. But we digress.

The Hawks are a top 50 KenPom defensive efficiency team, and play at the 8th fastest pace on offense in the country. They'll get up and down the court, defend the three point line exceptionally well, and they hit their free throws. Ohio State's length could probably give them significant problems, but they're a one seed for a reason. They're a good basketball team.

No. 2 seed, Florida (19-14, No. 44 KenPom)


The Gators are Ohio State's most likely second round opponent, although thanks to renovations at Florida's arena, this game would be in Columbus instead of Gainesville. In many ways, Florida is similar to Ohio State. They're a strong defensive team (No. 20 in defensive efficiency), but bad at shooting threes (31.2% from downtown, ranked 301st in the country) and free throws (64.4%, one of the very worst in the country). The stats like the Gators for a reason, and they would also be a challenging opponent for Ohio State, but not an unbeatable one.

No. 4 George Washington (23-10, No. 77 KenPom)


Thought to be a tournament team earlier in the season thanks to big wins against Virginia, Tennessee, and Seton Hall, the Colonials weren't able to sustain that momentum in conference play, dropping most of their matchups against the class of the A-10. GWU is a top 50 offensive efficiency KenPom squad, paced by 6-9 Tyler Cavanaugh, who could be a matchup problem for Ohio State, although the Buckeyes should also be able to score should these two teams match up.

No. 5 Hofstra (24-9, No. 81 KenPom)


The Pride have a few nice victories on the season (they beat Florida State and St. Bonaventure), and had won eight games in a row heading into their CAA Tournament tilt against UNC-Wilmington, but couldn't get the W. The Pride play reasonably efficient offense and take care of the basketball, but they don't block shots especially well, and they have little depth (their bench plays some of the fewest minutes in the country). KenPom doesn't love their chances to beat GW, and the Pride advancing far enough to play Ohio State feels unlikely.

No. 6 Akron (26-8, No. 85 KenPom)


You better believe the Zips will be fired up to face Ohio State, and if the Buckeyes aren't careful, they could absolutely get upset. Akron is one of the best teams in the country at both shooting the three (38.9% from downtown, good for 16th nationally) and defending it (teams only shoot 30.3% on them, good for 10th nationally). The Zips also take care of the basketball, and have a big man, Isaiah Johnson, who could give Ohio State problems. If the Buckeyes can stay out of foul trouble in the frontcourt, they can use their length to harass Akron's backcourt and get a W, but this is probably going to be a close game.

No. 7 North Florida (22-11, No. 189 KenPom)


The gap between the six and seven seeds in these quadrants, at least according to KenPom, is pretty vast. The Ospreys did open the season with a win over Illinois, but got smashed by most of the other power teams on their schedule, and got destroyed by Florida Gulf Coast in the Atlantic Sun Tournament. Per KenPom, North Florida has some of the least efficient defense in the country, and struggles to rebound and create turnovers. They've had a nice season, but if the Gators show up, they should roll against North Florida.

No. 8 Bucknell (17-13, No. 170 KenPom)


The advanced stats like the Bison a little more than the North Florida Ospreys, but they'll have an even tougher road in the NIT first round. Bucknell didn't do much before Patriot League play, losing seven games in a row to some relatively average competition, but recovered to do well against most other Patriot League squads. Bucknell doesn't block shots, create steals or play exceptional defense, but they're decently efficient on offense. KenPom only gives them a 14% of beating Monmouth, and it would be an exceptional surprise to see them face Ohio State later in the NIT.

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Ohio State has a Heroes of the Dorm team called 'Third String' which is perfect
Luke Zimmermann via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Cardale for honorary team captain, please.

If you're unfamiliar with Heroes of the Storm, the game is one of those ever popular Massive Online Battle Arena computer games. Games like DOTA 2 and League of Legends have helped turned esports into a massive, multimillion dollar operation.

Heroes of the Storm follows in those more popular games' foot steps, but brings a simplified tactical approach and leveling up system while mixing in characters from Blizzard's other popular computer games, including Starcraft, Warcraft, and Diablo.

Last year, the game and ESPN made waves when suddenly in the middle of a busy time of the sports calendar, ESPN2 ran the finals of a college championship appropriately named "Heroes of the Dorm". Cal and Arizona State battled in an all-Pac 12 affair, and college football Twitter had a lot of surprising fun watching and making fun spirited jokes about something the majority of them little understood.

Naturally some of the stodgier, less adaptable sports talking heads weren't onboard with the fun, but with esports' rapidly ascending popularity, they better get on the bandwagon or get out of the way.

"Heroes of the Dorm" is back again for 2016 -- and it's bigger and better than ever.

Every single round of the championship bracket is going to be broadcast on at least WatchESPN with the "Heroic Four" and championship matches alike airing on ESPN2 on Saturday, April 9 at 8 p.m. ET and Sunday, April 10 at 8 p.m. ET. The final four will even take place in the home of the Seattle Seahawks, Century Link Field, with admission free to the public.

And the Buckeyes you can be sure will be well represented.

Ohio State has two teams in the field of 64, the first an eight-seeded team simply named "Bucks" who take on a group from UCLA called "Kyles Kimchi".

While "Bucks" probably have the best shot to bring newly minted full ride scholarships, which the winners get for their troubles, back to Columbus, OSU's other entrants are nearer and dearer to our hearts.

That's right, checking in as a sleeper 13-seed, Ohio State's other team is perfectly coined "Third String". Though the basketball Bucks weren't able to draw LSU in the NIT after the Tigers removed themselves from consideration, "Third String" will get the chance when they take on the LSU-centric "GeauxCore".

Here's hoping "Third String" can follow in Cardale Jones' footsteps, get some 2008 BCS Championship Game payback for OSU and the Big Ten alike, and help lead another Ohio State team to an unexpected national championship.

Here's the complete 2016 "Heroes of the Dorm" championship bracket:

















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Ten Questions With D’Angelo Russell
jcollingsworth via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


I am excited to share with all of you out there in Buckeye Nation a brief session I conducted with D’Angelo Russell. The phenomenal Guard that ruled the courts in his one season with The Ohio State Buckeyes in the 2014-15 season is now a member of the Los Angeles Lakers where he continues his magic.

tBBC: Being from Louisville, having played in Florida – how did you come to choose The Ohio State University over the likes of Louisville, North Carolina, even Florida?


Russell: Ohio State’s coaching staff – I had a better connection with them. Being close to home, I just figured it out better with those guys. I could connect with them better.

tBBC: In 2014 you were named a McDonald’s All-American and helped Montverde win back-to-back High School National Tournament Championships – you had to expect great things were coming – but did you ever imagine such a ride?


Russell: No. That was really my coming out party. Once I got selected, I had a chip on my shoulder. So, I just wanted to take advantage of it.

tBBC: On February 8, 2015 against Rutgers you had a rare triple-double, 23 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists – this was a first for an Ohio State Freshmen … you were completely on fire – can you share with us how you felt before the game, during the game, and afterwards?


Russell: I always tend to play better in the New York/New Jersey area for some reason. That was kind of proof in the pudding right there. It was my night, I guess. I was hot. So, it was cool.

tBBC: While a Buckeye you won the 2015 Oscar Robertson Trophy, Wayman Tisdale Award, and the Jerry West Award. You were named all Big-Ten, Big Ten Freshmen of the Year and were a Consensus All-American. Can you say what honor you are most proud of?


Russell: I would say the Jerry West Award. He’s the logo man, so to be affiliated with anything to do with him is great. I had a great year, but that was like the icing on the cake for individual success.

tBBC: I feel every student at The Ohio State University has that special spot where they yearn for either quiet time, or even positive interaction. Did you have such a spot – and if so where was it?


Russell: I had a girlfriend, so I’d go to her house to relax a little bit.

tBBC: As a Laker on January 7th of this year you hit for 27 points against the Sacramento Kings – was that night comparable to the night at OSU versus Rutgers and your triple-double?


Russell: Yeah, I mean it was just the feeling that you have on those similar nights, when everything is going in and it’s just your night. Your teammates are making shots, and just everything is going “really” good for you – similar nights for me!

tBBC: Who is your favorite Ohio State athlete of all-time – it can be anyone from any era?


Russell: I would say Evan Turner because I used to watch him all the time. He was a big guard, and I considered myself a big guard growing up. It decided what college I was going to go to, and I always saw him at Ohio State, so I had fun watching him.

tBBC: Is there any particular player on the college level today that you enjoy watching and could you explain why?


Russell: I like Buddy Heild. He can really score with the ball. It makes it exciting to watch. You never know what he is going to do. He is going to score 40 or he is going to score 10, but he makes it exciting.

tBBC: Who would you say was the most positive person in your life who saw your potential and encouraged you to excel?


Russell: My Dad, by far. He was my biggest critic, and he was my biggest successor at the same time. He put me down when I needed it, and he lifted me up when I needed it. Definitely my Dad!

tBBC: Please tell your fellow Buckeyes what you love about The Ohio State University and what it means to you to be a Buckeye?


Russell: I would say making it to the tournament. The tournament was great. Traveling from game to game on away games was fun, too. That was what I enjoyed the most.

I want to thank D’Angelo in the time he granted me to answer my Ten Questions. The time he allowed was amazingly unselfish – lest we forget an NBA season is still in swing. In the midst of my request D’Angelo would be shinning on the national stage – scoring 39 points against Brooklyn on 03/01, while continuing against Denver on 03/02 with 24 points, 03/06 against Golden State with 21 points, 03/08 against Orlando with 27 points, and 03/10 against Cleveland with 24 points. I fully comprehend the generosity extended here by D’Angelo especially during such a busy time. I am convinced though that once a Buckeye – ALWAYS a Buckeye. D’Angelo just proved that to us all in this small yet monumental gesture to stay in touch. We all wish you well D’Angelo in your swift ascension into the NBA upper echelon of stardom.

The post Ten Questions With D’Angelo Russell appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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tBBC NIT Opener: A Glance at OSU vs. Akron
jcollingsworth via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The OSU MBB team will be heading for the NIT instead of the NCAA. The entire process of this reality perhaps became noticeable back on Feb. 23rd when the Buckeyes lost to *ichigan State. That was a crucial three-game span where the need for two of the three wins would have solidified their hopes in landing into the NCAA Tournament. But, it never happened. The Buckeyes would lose two of the three – both to the Spartans before being dealt a trifecta against the same annoying team in the Big Ten Tournament.

So, here we are ….

The Buckeyes open NIT play against the Akron Zips of the MAC on Tuesday in Columbus scheduled for 7 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN.

The Buckeyes are walking into the NIT with a 20-13 record and have been seeded #3 in the tournament. The Zips are the # 6 team with a 26-8 record.

Not a lot has changed for the Buckeyes – statistically speaking: Marc Loving continues to lead all scorers with an average of 13.5. Rebounding belongs to Jae’Sean Tate with a 6.4 average, but we are all aware of the misfortunate news reference Jae’Sean and his shoulder; Kieta Bates-Diop, too, has a 6.4 average off the boards. JaQuan Lyle is the assist leader with 4.3.

The Zips have shown some spunk this season. They are a feisty team that won the MAC regular season play. They were not to take the Tournament crown, though. Buffalo would hand them a loss in a thriller 64-61.

Akron leaders are Isaiah Johnson scoring with a 13.1 average. Isaiah also leads the team in rebounding with a 7.3 average. Antino Jackson a 5-11 Guard rolls behind Isaiah with an average of 11.8 in scoring. He also leads the team in assists with 3.5 per game. The player in my opinion to watch is Kwan Cheatham, Jr. The 6-10 forward only averages 7.7 points per game, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.6 assists – but he seemingly drops those numbers in the thick of play as the clock is winding down. He is a hard hustler who will let you know he is on the court.

The Buckeyes are now on their second journey into the NIT under Thad Matta. They were the # 1 seed in the NIT – winning it all in 2008.

There isn’t any real analysis that would be worthy in discussing this game – by no means is that an attempt on my part to not break this game down. My point is that the NCAA Tournament for this year is the most losing field of all-time. Never before in the 77-year history of this event has every team in the tournament had at least four losses. And that really only speaks of two teams in the tournament – Kansas and Arkansas-Little Rock – both having four losses. Everyone else in the tourney has more. With that said – we are now talking of the NIT. Essentially what it all equates to is that everyone is beatable in both the NCAA and the NIT.

I find it difficult to see the Buckeyes ending their season on Tuesday against the Zips of Akron. Worse things have happened though. This is a crazy year for College Basketball. But it is a fantastic year for excitement and unpredictability’s. Even with that said – and truly a reality – I just do not see the Buckeyes season ending on Tuesday.

The post tBBC NIT Opener: A Glance at OSU vs. Akron appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Already boasting 2017's top class, Ohio State turns recruiting focus to secondary
Charles Doss via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The Buckeyes will soon host two highly sought after recruits, one of whom could be a standout corner in the No Fly Zone.

When you're ranked among the top teams in college football year-in and year-out, recruits take notice. Nearly a year away from National Signing Day, and already with the top rated 2017 recruiting class under their belt, many other soon-to-be senior prospects are still contemplating taking their talents to Columbus to suit up for Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes.

On Sunday during The Opening's regional held in Dallas, Texas, five-star safety Jeffrey Okudah told SB Nation that the Buckeyes are still currently the team to beat for his pledge. Okudah, a Grand Prairie, Texas native, holds scholarship offers from not just Ohio State, but schools across the country. Alabama, Texas, UCLA, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, Michigan, and Stanford are among the programs trying to add the 247Sports Composite Rankings' top-rated safety to their roster.

Backing up his off-the-field accolades on it, Okudah stood out among the long list of stellar recruits on hand Sunday afternoon. Showing off his talents during the regional camp, the 6'1, 195-pound standout was one of eight total prospects to get selected to participate at The Opening, held in Oregon this summer. Joining him on the list of invites are OSU linebacker targets Baron Browning and Anthony Hines.



The aforementioned prospects join a solid list of Ohio State commits and top targets previously chosen to attend The Opening. Future Buckeyes Marcus Williamson, Isaiah Pryor, Haskell Garrett, and OSU targets such as wide receiver Trevon Grimes will also be on hand at the camp.

Williams plans OSU visit


Okudah and others might have received their Opening invite over the weekend, but another Ohio State target will have to wait to earn his chance to attend the annual event.

Originally planning on participating at the regional camp in Atlanta, four-star cornerback Jamyest Williams announced via Twitter on Saturday that he will now strut his stuff for The Opening's scouts in Columbus on May 7. Killing two birds with one stone, the Peach State standout will also use his time in the capital city to check out what the Ohio State football program has to offer.


This will be the first trip to Columbus for Williams, who earned his scholarship offer from the Buckeyes in May of 2015. Clemson, Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, and Michigan State join Ohio State on the long list of suitors for the 5'9, 170-pound former Archer High teammate of current OSU commit Shaun Wade.

Buckeyes to host 2017 WR


Williams isn't the only top prospect planning to visit the Ohio State campus in the near future. From March 24-26, Urban Meyer and the OSU coaching staff will have the chance to show Tyjon Lindsey around their facilities.


A teammate of future Buckeye defensive tackle Haskell Garrett and highly rated quarterback prospect Tate Martell at Bishop Gorman (NV) last season, Lindsey, a four-star wide receiver, is now at Centennial High School in Corona, California. Living on the west coast, the four-star prospect has yet to make it to Columbus, and will now get to see for himself in person exactly what Urban Meyer, Zach Smith, and the staff have been telling him about the Ohio State University since dishing his scholarship offer out.

Not the biggest receiver at only 5'9 and 180 pounds, Lindsey uses his crisp route running and impressive speed to his advantage. As a junior last season at Bishop Gorman, the shifty standout finished the year with over 1,100 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns for the national powerhouse Gaels.

The fifth wide receiver and 21st overall prospect in the 2017 class, according to the 247Sports Composite, Lindsey has his fair share of scholarship offers. Ohio State, Oregon, Texas A&M, and USC are just a few of the schools to give him a chance to attend their university,

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Seven-run sixth sends Rebels to baseball win over Buckeyes - Las Vegas Review-Journal
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Seven-run sixth sends Rebels to baseball win over Buckeyes
Las Vegas Review-Journal
Jones, Cody Howard and Kyle Isbel had two hits apiece for UNLV (7-7), which won two of three from the Buckeyes (7-6-1) and has won four of its past five games. Rebels starter Kenny Oakley (2-2) gave up four runs — none earned — on five hits and two ...
Ohio State baseball falls to UNLV, 8-7 - Land-Grant Holy LandLand-Grant Holy Land
College baseball | Ohio State scores 20 in rout of UNLV | Buckeye ...Columbus Dispatch

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ESPN's NIT selection special mocked CBS's bracket leak, the length of their show
Luke Zimmermann via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Brackets are big business.

During an awfully long and drawn out two-hour CBS NCAA Tournament selection special Sunday evening, less than halfway through the proceedings, a heretofore mostly anonymous Twitter account posted the bracket as a whole on the social media network.

Though the vast majority of viewers watching were none the wiser, the NCAA was none too pleased, announcing they took the breach seriously and would be investigating it further.

Plenty of folks on social media and the sports blogosphere alike were dismayed that a show that's usually peaked in 20-30 minutes was stretched out almost twice as long. Non-college basketball experts like TNT's NBA studio personality Charles Barkley filled the gaps giving picks about teams he seem to know nothing about while struggling to use CBS's touch screen technology in some of the most painful television you'll see anywhere.

During ESPNU's 2016 NIT bracket selection special an hour and a half later, the network's Matt Schick couldn't help but crack on both the security breach as well as the gaudy length of the affair:


And most sports fans say ESPN talking heads don't have any personality.

Regardless of whether CBS heeds the negative feedback and course corrects for next year's special or not, it's good to know if nothing else, college basketball's consolation prize's studio hosts will have the casual fans' backs.

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Men’s Basketball: Ohio State to Face Akron in Opening Round of NIT Tournament
Joe Dexter via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ohio State has found itself in the NIT for the first time since 2008 and they won’t need to look to far down the road to find their opening round opponent.

Thad Matta’s squad locked up a three seed in the “Monmouth and Florida Quadrant.” They will host the sixth seeded Akron Zips (26-8) at Value City Arena on Tuesday Night. Tip-off is set for 7 PM ET.

With a win, they’ll advance to the semifinals of the quadrant to face the winner of North Florida and Florida.

Monmouth the number one seed in the quadrant, finished the season at 27-7. Early in the year they had major upsets over Notre Dame, UCLA, and Georgetown. Looking to lock their way into the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2006, the Hawks were upset by Iona in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament Final.

The Zips were upset by the Buffalo Bulls in the MAC Conference Tournament final on Saturday 64-61 on a late three from Blake Hamilton. Akron won the regular season conference championship and are led by head coach Keith Dambrot. Ken Kohl will have an in-depth preview of the Zips tomorrow right here at The Buckeye Buckeye Battle Cry. As you can see though from Dambrot’s words after the MAC Tournament finale, his team comes into Tuesday battle-tested.


With seven B1G teams selected for the big dance, Ohio State is the only team in the conference that is competing for that elusive National Invitational Tournament championship. The last time the Buckeyes competed in the second-best tournament of the postseason was in 2008. Thad Matta’s only other season that didn’t end up in a NCAA bid. That squad ran the table as a one-seed and brought home a title with a 92-85 win over Massachusetts at Madison Square Garden.

Tickets for Tuesday’s NIT opener go on sale to the public at 1 P.M. ET Monday at the Athletic Ticket Office, ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are either $20 or $10 for reserved seating and just $5 for Ohio State students.

The post Men’s Basketball: Ohio State to Face Akron in Opening Round of NIT Tournament appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Ohio State basketball will open NIT play vs. Akron, Buckeyes get No. 3 seed - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State basketball will open NIT play vs. Akron, Buckeyes get No. 3 seed
cleveland.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio State basketball team will open NIT play against Akron on Tuesday in Columbus. The Buckeyes (20-13) earned a No. 3 seed in the tournament, which announced its seeds on Sunday night after the NCAA Tournament selection ...
Ohio State men's basketball | Buckeyes likely to settle for NIT bidColumbus Dispatch
Buckeyes tapped to play MAC champion Akron in NIT247Sports
Live scoring, stats: Michigan State Spartans vs. Ohio State Buckeyes (chat)MLive.com
Waiting For Next Year -Bleacher Report -Youngstown Vindicator -SB Nation
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Ohio State Basketball: Buckeyes To Face Akron In NIT - Scout
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State Basketball: Buckeyes To Face Akron In NIT
Scout
That wasn't in doubt heading into the tournament's selection show Sunday, but the Buckeyes did not hear their name called among the 68 teams selected for college basketball's top postseason tournament for the first time since the 2007-08 season ...

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Ohio State to host Akron in the NIT
Luke Zimmermann via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


It's on.

We've known Ohio State was all but certain to be going to the 2016 NIT. After Akron was upset by Buffalo on a buzzer beater in the finals of the MAC Tournament, as the regular season champions of the MAC, they were certain to be joining them. Now we know, despite their best scheduling efforts, Thad Matta's Ohio State Buckeyes will once again have to face a team from Ohio in the postseason.

The Buckeyes were announced Sunday night as a three-seed in the Monmouth-Florida quadrant and will play host to the Zips this coming week in the first round of the National Invitational Tournament.

When Ohio State last ran into a team from Ohio, Dayton, things didn't exactly end well for the basketball Buckeyes. Previous years' matchups against Cincinnati and Xavier fared better. OSU will have to hope that the 2016 incarnation follows in the latter's footsteps.

Akron checks in in the latest KenPom rankings as No. 85 overall. The Bucks are presently seventieth. Guard Antino Jackson and big man Isaiah Johnson pace the Zips whose signature win came against Iona way back in December, around the same time Ohio State shocked Kentucky.

The Buckeyes are 4-0 all time against Akron. The last time the two teams faced was at a similar point in their seasons: OSU and Akron squared off in the first round of the 1989 NIT. If Ohio State wins, it's not impossible they host a game against the Florida Gators. UF's O'Dome is presently being renovated. The two teams could also elect to play at a neutral site.

The Bucks and Zips tip off at 7 p.m. Tuesday on ESPN.

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NIT Tournament 2016: Full bracket and schedule released
Luke Zimmermann via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


As expected, Ohio State is joining a fairly deep 2016 NIT field.

In a surprise to few, Ohio State be participating in this year's postseason NIT. Though the NCAA tourney it's pretty far from, the Bucks will avoided spending an offseason at home just quite yet and get some minutes and experience for one of the younger teams in the Big Ten in the process. OSU will face Akron in the first round of the Florida quadrant with Monmouth as the No. 1 seed.

Though this had felt like the most probable outcome for a number of months now, it's still disappointing for a team that without a Jae'Sean Tate injury could've had a shot at sneaking in as one of the final team's in the Big Dance.

Ohio State will now look to try and recreate the magic that culminated in a 2009 NIT title in Madison Square Garden in New York, NY as well as set the stage for a much improved 2016-2017 season. The Buckeyes begin their attempt to win another post season tournament against in-state Akron, the regular season champions of the MAC.

St. Bonaventure (22-8), South Carolina (24-8), and Valparaiso (26-6) are the other of the four NIT one seeds.

Here's the full bracket and schedule:






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Ohio State baseball falls to UNLV, 8-7
Ben Martens via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Despite Ronnie Dawson's power surge, one bad inning did in the Buckeyes on Sunday.

One nightmare inning proved to be Ohio State's undoing against UNLV on Sunday in Las Vegas. The Rebels used a seven-run sixth inning to take an 8-7 win and a two games to one lead in the four-game series against the Buckeyes.

Ohio State has struggled with defensive ball security thus far in 2016, and today was no different. Five errors and four unearned runs proved to be the undoing of the scarlet and gray on this day.

The loss overshadowed an impressive display of power by the Buckeyes' Ronnie Dawson, who blasted two home runs in the game, including a grand slam, and drove in five runs. Dawson went 3-for-5 and now has four homers and 13 runs batted in on the season.

For the first time in the series, UNLV scored first. Kyle Isbel led off the bottom of the first with a single and found himself on third with two outs. A grounder off the bat of Cory Pool ate up shortstop Nick Sergakis, bringing Isbel home for an early 1-0 lead against Ohio State lefty John Havird.

It was all Havird would allow for the next four innings.

Meanwhile, Rebel starter Kenny Oakley cruised through the first four innings with very little disturbance. After the UNLV bullpen was taxed in Saturday's offensive explosion, it needed Oakley to chew up some innings. The righty struck out nine while allowing four runs in his six innings of work.

In the top of the fourth, though, the Buckeyes finally broke through. L. Grant Davis collected an infield hit, his second single of the day, and Troy Montgomery drew a walk. After Brady Cherry collected an infield hit of his own, Dawson stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. After working the count full, Dawson took a slider low and in out over the wall in right field for a grand slam and a 4-1 lead.

The Rebels got two off of Havird in the bottom of the sixth to pull to within one run and things snowballed from there. Payton Squier led off with a two-strike single and was followed by a ground rule double from Pool. With two runners in scoring position, Justin Jones ripped a single into left-center to score two runs and end Havird's day. The lefty went 5+ innings, allowing four runs, three earned, on eight hits with four strikeouts in a no-decision.

Austin Woodby relieved and the defensive shakiness that has plagued Ohio State in the early season reared its head again. Woodby walked his first batter, then threw the ball away on a bunt attempt to allow Jones around to tie the game. Another bunt on the next play resulted in an error for Cherry at third and brought Cody Howard to the plate with runners on the corners. Howard singled back up the middle to bring home the go-ahead run and end Woodby's brief appearance.

Michael Horejsei came into the game with the bases loaded and nobody out and gave up an RBI single to Austin Anderson and an RBI ground out to Squier to make it a 7-4 lead for the home team. After a wild pitch, it was suddenly 8-4.

The Buckeyes got right back in it in the top of the seventh thanks to a pair of longballs. With one out, Cherry hit his third home run of the season, and Dawson followed with his second of the game. The junior left fielder obliterated another 3-2 pitch for his fourth homer of the year to cut the deficit to 8-6.

Down to its final three outs, Ohio State made things interesting, but just couldn't get it done. Dawson doubled down the right field line with one out and scored when Sergakis followed him with a double of his own. Jalen Washington moved Sergakis to third with a sacrifice fly, but UNLV closer Ben Wright got Tre Gantt to bounce back to the mound to end the game.

The Buckeyes will look for a series split on Tuesday, when the two squads hook up at 9:05 p.m. ET. The game will be streamed live here.

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