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Chance Gray helps Ohio State women’s basketball in multiple ways for 2024-25 season
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ohio State women’s basketball on Twitter | @OhioStateWBB
How the Cincinnati, Ohio native returning home helps the Buckeyes in more ways than one.
College basketball season is fast approaching and Land-Grant Holy Land is getting you ready with a series of player previews. Before the season starts this fall, check back regularly for more player previews, schedule news, features, and more heading into the 2024-25 Ohio State women’s basketball season.
When Ohio State women’s basketball steps onto the court this November for its first regular season game, the Buckeyes will be practically a brand new team. After losing three starters to the final seasons of NCAA eligibility, head coach Kevin McGuff retooled with a large freshman class and two transfers of ready-to-go starters.
Chance Gray is one of those starters.
The Ohio-raised former Oregon Duck joins the Buckeyes to help fill a spot left by another former Duck, and then some.
Name: Chance Gray
Position: Shooting Guard
Class: Junior
High School: Winton Woods High School (Cincinnati, Ohio)
2023-24 Stats: 13.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 3.0 apg, .347 FG%, .337 3FG%, .811 FT%
After five-straight seasons with the Ducks in the NCAA Tournament, the then-Pac-12 program slumped to the lowest its been in for 11 seasons. After making a four-game run in the WNIT for the 2022-23 season, Oregon’s top two playmakers left for greener pastures. Endyia Rogers headed to Texas A&M and Te-Hina Paopao eventually became a national champion with the South Carolina Gamecocks.
Staying put was a pair of Ohioans in Grace Vanslooten and Chance Gray. The two quickly became the focal point of the Ducks offense.
Gray, who started in all but one game for Oregon in her two NCAA seasons, averaged 36.3 minutes per game, the third most in the conference. Gray was second on the Ducks, averaging 13.9 points per game to help Oregon get off to a 9-4 start to the season.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25657455/usa_today_22447455.jpg "Syndication: The Register Guard")
Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK
However, it wouldn’t last once conference play began. Oregon ended the season going 2-17, missing postseason basketball and ending the season with the Ducks’ worst season since the 12-13 season.
Despite a tough conference stretch, Gray was a catalyst for positive momentum. When the guard was creating offense, the Ducks were usually winning. Oregon was 9-5 in games where Gray had at least four assists, losing to the likes of the Stanford Cardinals and UCLA Bruins.
Ask coach McGuff what plagued the Buckeyes last season and his answer is clear.
“If you looked at kinda what our shortcomings were at times last year, one of them was we could have some nights where we didn’t shoot the ball from the three-point line.” said McGuff. “Chance is a really good shooter and overall scorer so I think she’s going to be really impactful in that way from day one.”
Gray led Oregon with 1.9 three-point shots made per game, the same output as former Buckeye Jacy Sheldon last season, but that was on a stifled Ducks offense. The team surrounding Gray in Columbus will afford the guard more opportunities to make an impact.
Where Gray and Sheldon differ is that Gray isn’t as effective going to the basket, but still has it in her arsenal as an available weapon.
With her deep shooting threat, it draws extra attention. That’s when Gray finds open teammates and helps create plays. Gray used outlets like Vanslooten and 6-foot-8 center Phillipina Kyei to her advantage.
There’s no reason that Gray shouldn’t be in the starting lineup for the Buckeyes through the duration of the season. She’s the lone starting-caliber shooting guard on Ohio State’s roster, and the first offensive-minded shooting guard for McGuff since Taylor Mikesell left Oregon before the 21-22 season.
Now, Gray won’t make as many shots from deep as Mikesell but will have teammates to pass to like Jaloni Cambridge, Cotie McMahon, Taylor Thierry and fellow transfer Ajae Petty.
That means Gray won’t get the same kind of extra defensive pressure and can exploit one-on-one matchups. Once Ohio State’s fast paced offense hits its stride, Gray will get open looks and make things easier for those around her.
The offense and shooting is great, but Ohio State added five freshman in the offseason. Gray’s two years of playing far away from home, on a team that faced its challenges, transfers over to the new names on the roster.
Gray’s maturity as an upperclassmen will help No. 1 ranked freshman point guard Jaloni Cambridge. They’re the likeliest backcourt duo for McGuff and Gray will provide a stabilizing presence for the new college star on day one.
Having an experienced guard, someone McGuff trusted enough to recruit out of high school and continue to pursue once she decided that she wasn’t a good fit in green and yellow, sets the Buckeyes up for her final two seasons of eligibility and beyond. That’s because behind Gray is another shooting guard with a bright future in freshman Ava Watson. The freshman fits the characteristics of a guard who thrives in the McGuff system.
Unless Gray takes longer to understand the offense, which watching the Buckeyes early in their practice doesn’t show someone struggling to adjust, seeing her play 35 to 37 minutes per game wouldn’t be a surprise.
Plus, having the advantage of a non-conference schedule featuring mostly mid major sides bodes well for an even shorter adjustment period.
Here’s Gray showing her range of offense against Oklahoma State on Dec. 21, 2023.
Catch up on all the player previews you missed:
Madison Greene
Eboni Walker
Ava Watson
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
Ohio State women’s basketball on Twitter | @OhioStateWBB
How the Cincinnati, Ohio native returning home helps the Buckeyes in more ways than one.
College basketball season is fast approaching and Land-Grant Holy Land is getting you ready with a series of player previews. Before the season starts this fall, check back regularly for more player previews, schedule news, features, and more heading into the 2024-25 Ohio State women’s basketball season.
When Ohio State women’s basketball steps onto the court this November for its first regular season game, the Buckeyes will be practically a brand new team. After losing three starters to the final seasons of NCAA eligibility, head coach Kevin McGuff retooled with a large freshman class and two transfers of ready-to-go starters.
Chance Gray is one of those starters.
The Ohio-raised former Oregon Duck joins the Buckeyes to help fill a spot left by another former Duck, and then some.
Name: Chance Gray
Position: Shooting Guard
Class: Junior
High School: Winton Woods High School (Cincinnati, Ohio)
2023-24 Stats: 13.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 3.0 apg, .347 FG%, .337 3FG%, .811 FT%
Last Season
After five-straight seasons with the Ducks in the NCAA Tournament, the then-Pac-12 program slumped to the lowest its been in for 11 seasons. After making a four-game run in the WNIT for the 2022-23 season, Oregon’s top two playmakers left for greener pastures. Endyia Rogers headed to Texas A&M and Te-Hina Paopao eventually became a national champion with the South Carolina Gamecocks.
Staying put was a pair of Ohioans in Grace Vanslooten and Chance Gray. The two quickly became the focal point of the Ducks offense.
Gray, who started in all but one game for Oregon in her two NCAA seasons, averaged 36.3 minutes per game, the third most in the conference. Gray was second on the Ducks, averaging 13.9 points per game to help Oregon get off to a 9-4 start to the season.
However, it wouldn’t last once conference play began. Oregon ended the season going 2-17, missing postseason basketball and ending the season with the Ducks’ worst season since the 12-13 season.
Despite a tough conference stretch, Gray was a catalyst for positive momentum. When the guard was creating offense, the Ducks were usually winning. Oregon was 9-5 in games where Gray had at least four assists, losing to the likes of the Stanford Cardinals and UCLA Bruins.
What to Expect
Ask coach McGuff what plagued the Buckeyes last season and his answer is clear.
“If you looked at kinda what our shortcomings were at times last year, one of them was we could have some nights where we didn’t shoot the ball from the three-point line.” said McGuff. “Chance is a really good shooter and overall scorer so I think she’s going to be really impactful in that way from day one.”
Gray led Oregon with 1.9 three-point shots made per game, the same output as former Buckeye Jacy Sheldon last season, but that was on a stifled Ducks offense. The team surrounding Gray in Columbus will afford the guard more opportunities to make an impact.
Where Gray and Sheldon differ is that Gray isn’t as effective going to the basket, but still has it in her arsenal as an available weapon.
With her deep shooting threat, it draws extra attention. That’s when Gray finds open teammates and helps create plays. Gray used outlets like Vanslooten and 6-foot-8 center Phillipina Kyei to her advantage.
Prediction
There’s no reason that Gray shouldn’t be in the starting lineup for the Buckeyes through the duration of the season. She’s the lone starting-caliber shooting guard on Ohio State’s roster, and the first offensive-minded shooting guard for McGuff since Taylor Mikesell left Oregon before the 21-22 season.
Now, Gray won’t make as many shots from deep as Mikesell but will have teammates to pass to like Jaloni Cambridge, Cotie McMahon, Taylor Thierry and fellow transfer Ajae Petty.
That means Gray won’t get the same kind of extra defensive pressure and can exploit one-on-one matchups. Once Ohio State’s fast paced offense hits its stride, Gray will get open looks and make things easier for those around her.
The offense and shooting is great, but Ohio State added five freshman in the offseason. Gray’s two years of playing far away from home, on a team that faced its challenges, transfers over to the new names on the roster.
Gray’s maturity as an upperclassmen will help No. 1 ranked freshman point guard Jaloni Cambridge. They’re the likeliest backcourt duo for McGuff and Gray will provide a stabilizing presence for the new college star on day one.
Having an experienced guard, someone McGuff trusted enough to recruit out of high school and continue to pursue once she decided that she wasn’t a good fit in green and yellow, sets the Buckeyes up for her final two seasons of eligibility and beyond. That’s because behind Gray is another shooting guard with a bright future in freshman Ava Watson. The freshman fits the characteristics of a guard who thrives in the McGuff system.
Unless Gray takes longer to understand the offense, which watching the Buckeyes early in their practice doesn’t show someone struggling to adjust, seeing her play 35 to 37 minutes per game wouldn’t be a surprise.
Plus, having the advantage of a non-conference schedule featuring mostly mid major sides bodes well for an even shorter adjustment period.
Highlights
Here’s Gray showing her range of offense against Oklahoma State on Dec. 21, 2023.
Other Player Previews
Catch up on all the player previews you missed:
Madison Greene
Eboni Walker
Ava Watson
Continue reading...