ThomasCostello
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After Maryland defeat, Ohio State women’s practices pushed physical, mental, emotional limits
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
The Terrapins win over the Buckeyes turned team practices up multiple levels
The Big Ten Tournament was two games shy of Ohio State women’s basketball’s goal of winning the annual event. Head coach Kevin McGuff’s side fell hard to the Maryland Terrapins, outrebounded 55-31 in a lopsided 82-61 defeat. In the week that followed, the team looked inward to identify the problem, but it wasn’t exactly a polite roundtable discussion.
“Yeah, we had a great week of practice,” said guard Jacy Sheldon. “Probably one of the most competitive weeks we’ve had this year. Sitting next to Sheldon was teammate Rikki Harris, adding “Last week was very tough.”
Ohio State’s response was tough because the performance in Minneapolis was one the Buckeyes would probably like to forget. After starting the game strong in the first quarter, it was three-quarters of Maryland's dominance. The Scarlet and Gray were a shadow of the side that won 15 games and the outright Big Ten regular season title.
Also, Ohio State entered the competition with the No. 1 conference seed. In 11 years coaching the Buckeyes, McGuff’s side never had a quarterfinal defeat when entering the tournament with a top-four seed.
A difficult-to-take result called for difficult practices.
“It was physically tough, mentally tough, emotionally tough,” said Harris. “I don’t want to say it was us against the coaches, but, I mean, the coaches [were] pushing us hard, so we had each other to lean on.”
For McGuff, there was no hiding the fact that the extra notch of intensity was required.
“We were so dreadful versus Maryland that I just wanted to remind them that this is kind of who we are and what makes us good,” said McGuff. “And just the intensity, the focus, the passion that we play with.
Now, with a game coming Friday at 12 noon ET, the first for the Buckeyes in the NCAA Tournament, the Buckeyes are on the other side of that work. The first step is avoiding a letdown in the first half against the Maine Black Bears.
The University of Maine is a winning program. Head coach Amy Vachon’s side has five conference regular season titles in the past six years, and in three of those years also added an America East Conference Tournament title.
It's reminiscent of last year’s First Round tournament game for the Buckeyes when it welcomed the James Madison University Dukes to Columbus. In that game, Ohio State went down 12 points at the end of the first quarter. A shocking start for a heavily favored Scarlet and Gray team.
However, Ohio State did come back, winning handedly, 80-66 at the final buzzer. That win was the first in a run to the Elite Eight, where the Buckeyes fell to the Virginia Tech Hokies.
With that said, another slow start is a concern against Maine. The Black Bears feature a star guard Anne Simon, who won AEC’s Player and Defensive Player of the Year awards this season and in the 21/22 season. Plus, a strong rebounding forward Adrianna Smith finds holes in the paint and averages 10.9 rebounds and 4.7 assists a game.
Fortunately for Ohio State, the same core leadership group of last year’s Elite Eight side remembers the JMU game.
“That’s kind of the benefit of having everybody back. They know,” said McGuff. “They know that, for Maine, they’re a well-coached team that is used to winning, like I said. And they’re going to come in, and they’re going to lay it all out on the line. I can tell you that right now. They’re going to play a great game.”
So, that added pressure brought upon by underperforming against the Terrapins could be what the Buckeyes need, and at the right time. Like last year’s lopsided defeat to the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Tournament final, Ohio State bounced back a better team. The kind of improvement the Scarlet and Gray saw in the week following a tough Maryland loss.
Despite the intensity brought by the coaching staff, the players themselves were in good spirits Thursday. Even talking about the added intensity of post-Maryland practices made the group laugh. Showing that the team found the other side of the added pressure. Now, it’s eyes on Maine.
“That last week set the tone for what’s to come,” said Harris.
Continue reading...
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
The Terrapins win over the Buckeyes turned team practices up multiple levels
The Big Ten Tournament was two games shy of Ohio State women’s basketball’s goal of winning the annual event. Head coach Kevin McGuff’s side fell hard to the Maryland Terrapins, outrebounded 55-31 in a lopsided 82-61 defeat. In the week that followed, the team looked inward to identify the problem, but it wasn’t exactly a polite roundtable discussion.
“Yeah, we had a great week of practice,” said guard Jacy Sheldon. “Probably one of the most competitive weeks we’ve had this year. Sitting next to Sheldon was teammate Rikki Harris, adding “Last week was very tough.”
Ohio State’s response was tough because the performance in Minneapolis was one the Buckeyes would probably like to forget. After starting the game strong in the first quarter, it was three-quarters of Maryland's dominance. The Scarlet and Gray were a shadow of the side that won 15 games and the outright Big Ten regular season title.
Also, Ohio State entered the competition with the No. 1 conference seed. In 11 years coaching the Buckeyes, McGuff’s side never had a quarterfinal defeat when entering the tournament with a top-four seed.
A difficult-to-take result called for difficult practices.
“It was physically tough, mentally tough, emotionally tough,” said Harris. “I don’t want to say it was us against the coaches, but, I mean, the coaches [were] pushing us hard, so we had each other to lean on.”
For McGuff, there was no hiding the fact that the extra notch of intensity was required.
“We were so dreadful versus Maryland that I just wanted to remind them that this is kind of who we are and what makes us good,” said McGuff. “And just the intensity, the focus, the passion that we play with.
Now, with a game coming Friday at 12 noon ET, the first for the Buckeyes in the NCAA Tournament, the Buckeyes are on the other side of that work. The first step is avoiding a letdown in the first half against the Maine Black Bears.
The University of Maine is a winning program. Head coach Amy Vachon’s side has five conference regular season titles in the past six years, and in three of those years also added an America East Conference Tournament title.
It's reminiscent of last year’s First Round tournament game for the Buckeyes when it welcomed the James Madison University Dukes to Columbus. In that game, Ohio State went down 12 points at the end of the first quarter. A shocking start for a heavily favored Scarlet and Gray team.
However, Ohio State did come back, winning handedly, 80-66 at the final buzzer. That win was the first in a run to the Elite Eight, where the Buckeyes fell to the Virginia Tech Hokies.
With that said, another slow start is a concern against Maine. The Black Bears feature a star guard Anne Simon, who won AEC’s Player and Defensive Player of the Year awards this season and in the 21/22 season. Plus, a strong rebounding forward Adrianna Smith finds holes in the paint and averages 10.9 rebounds and 4.7 assists a game.
Fortunately for Ohio State, the same core leadership group of last year’s Elite Eight side remembers the JMU game.
“That’s kind of the benefit of having everybody back. They know,” said McGuff. “They know that, for Maine, they’re a well-coached team that is used to winning, like I said. And they’re going to come in, and they’re going to lay it all out on the line. I can tell you that right now. They’re going to play a great game.”
So, that added pressure brought upon by underperforming against the Terrapins could be what the Buckeyes need, and at the right time. Like last year’s lopsided defeat to the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Tournament final, Ohio State bounced back a better team. The kind of improvement the Scarlet and Gray saw in the week following a tough Maryland loss.
Despite the intensity brought by the coaching staff, the players themselves were in good spirits Thursday. Even talking about the added intensity of post-Maryland practices made the group laugh. Showing that the team found the other side of the added pressure. Now, it’s eyes on Maine.
“That last week set the tone for what’s to come,” said Harris.
Continue reading...