ThomasCostello
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Defensive adjustment, rebounding shorten Ohio State women’s basketball’s season
ThomasCostello 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
After a strong start, Sunday’s final score shows a tale of diminishing returns for the Buckeyes.
Things couldn’t have started any better for Ohio State women’s basketball on Sunday. The Duke Blue Devils were stifled offensively, frustrated defensively and the Buckeyes continued to exploit the young visiting side. Then it all went wrong. Here’s how lack of adjustment and a continued thorn in the Buckeyes’ side has Ohio State looking to next season.
Entering the final NCAA Tournament game of the weekend in Columbus, a storyline was the experienced Buckeyes facing a young Blue Devils team. Looking at the five players who played the most for each side this year, Ohio State’s roster averaged 41 more college appearances than Duke.
It showed in the first 15 minutes of the game.
Ohio State jumped out to a 12-4 lead, stretching it to 10 points by the end of the first quarter. Look in the details of the quarter and it reeked of Buckeyes dominance. Of Duke’s 10 points scored, six of them came from the free throw line, and after forward Reigan Richardson hit a midrange jumper with 8:05 left in the quarter, the Blue Devils couldn’t muster another made shot from the field until 6:53 left in the second quarter.
Head coach Kevin McGuff’s group benefited from an opponent playing man coverage. Players found space in behind the defense, and the Buckeyes owned a 26-to-6 points in the paint first half advantage.
Even with all the post success, the Buckeyes were outrebounded 10-to-7 in the first 10 minutes, but considering the five forced turnovers for the home side, it didn’t really impact the game. After all, the height and size advantage of Duke was likely going to end in a negative rebounding margin for Ohio State. Then things began to unravel.
It began offensively with Richardson propelling the Blue Devils. After hitting two three-point shots, the lead was trimmed to 11 points and the Buckeyes went cold, taking just two shots in the final two minutes of the first half.
A nine-point Duke run gave Ohio State a four-point lead heading into halftime, and the rest of the game was an attempt to hang on.
For Ohio State, forward Cotie McMahon did everything she could to propel the team. In the third quarter, the sophomore scored nine of the Buckeyes’ 14 points. The Buckeyes kept going into the paint.
“As the game wore on, we really got out of sync on offense,” said head coach Kevin McGuff. “And Duke was playing really good defense, so they had a hand in that.”
The Blue Devils knew that the Buckeyes wanted to go into the paint, and Ohio State gave the ACC side exactly what they expected. Layup attempts by McMahon and Taylor Thierry stopped falling, and whistles weren’t blowing on the inside shots.
All-in-all, the Buckeye offense became one dimensional. It was a move by design for the Blue Devils.
“I think they were obviously keying on the three-point line, so our counter to that is to kind of spread ‘em out and attack,” said McGuff. “I think that was working for awhile. Then when we did get some opportunities at the three-point line, we weren’t connecting.”
By the end of the third quarter, Ohio State had only eight three-point attempts in total — none of which came in the second quarter. It wasn’t until 14 seconds remaining in the game that guard Jacy Sheldon hit a three, the lone make from deep all game. No makes came for Rebeka Mikulášiková, Celeste Taylor, Rikki Harris or Thierry. Bench shooter Emma Shumate never saw a minute on the court.
Rebounding also got worse.
Each quarter, Duke out-rebounded Ohio State by five. The Buckeyes ended the day with 20 rebounds, compared to 38 for the opposition. The continued offensive moves to the basket drew attention from the Blue Devils. Plus, with Ohio State attacking the basket, missed shots had three Duke players and sometimes only one Buckeye available to battle, with the rest outside the arc waiting to get back on defense.
While experience benefited the Buckeyes, and propelled its quick start, it was complacency against a young team committed to its strategy that ended the Scarlet and Gray’s season.
“They made mistakes, but they kept playing hard, and they’re very athletic and they made enough plays to win the game,” said McGuff.
Richardson, one of the lone starting upperclassmen for head coach Kara Lawson, seemingly willed the Blue Devils to victory. The guard had 10 points, four rebounds and no turnovers in the final 10 minutes. A 24-point quarter against 13 for Ohio State, with each quarter of scoring less than the last. Richardson’s 28 points and seven rebounds move Duke to the Sweet Sixteen.
Now, what’s left for Ohio State are questions that won’t be answered until at least November.
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
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
After a strong start, Sunday’s final score shows a tale of diminishing returns for the Buckeyes.
Things couldn’t have started any better for Ohio State women’s basketball on Sunday. The Duke Blue Devils were stifled offensively, frustrated defensively and the Buckeyes continued to exploit the young visiting side. Then it all went wrong. Here’s how lack of adjustment and a continued thorn in the Buckeyes’ side has Ohio State looking to next season.
Entering the final NCAA Tournament game of the weekend in Columbus, a storyline was the experienced Buckeyes facing a young Blue Devils team. Looking at the five players who played the most for each side this year, Ohio State’s roster averaged 41 more college appearances than Duke.
It showed in the first 15 minutes of the game.
Ohio State jumped out to a 12-4 lead, stretching it to 10 points by the end of the first quarter. Look in the details of the quarter and it reeked of Buckeyes dominance. Of Duke’s 10 points scored, six of them came from the free throw line, and after forward Reigan Richardson hit a midrange jumper with 8:05 left in the quarter, the Blue Devils couldn’t muster another made shot from the field until 6:53 left in the second quarter.
Head coach Kevin McGuff’s group benefited from an opponent playing man coverage. Players found space in behind the defense, and the Buckeyes owned a 26-to-6 points in the paint first half advantage.
Even with all the post success, the Buckeyes were outrebounded 10-to-7 in the first 10 minutes, but considering the five forced turnovers for the home side, it didn’t really impact the game. After all, the height and size advantage of Duke was likely going to end in a negative rebounding margin for Ohio State. Then things began to unravel.
It began offensively with Richardson propelling the Blue Devils. After hitting two three-point shots, the lead was trimmed to 11 points and the Buckeyes went cold, taking just two shots in the final two minutes of the first half.
A nine-point Duke run gave Ohio State a four-point lead heading into halftime, and the rest of the game was an attempt to hang on.
For Ohio State, forward Cotie McMahon did everything she could to propel the team. In the third quarter, the sophomore scored nine of the Buckeyes’ 14 points. The Buckeyes kept going into the paint.
“As the game wore on, we really got out of sync on offense,” said head coach Kevin McGuff. “And Duke was playing really good defense, so they had a hand in that.”
The Blue Devils knew that the Buckeyes wanted to go into the paint, and Ohio State gave the ACC side exactly what they expected. Layup attempts by McMahon and Taylor Thierry stopped falling, and whistles weren’t blowing on the inside shots.
All-in-all, the Buckeye offense became one dimensional. It was a move by design for the Blue Devils.
“I think they were obviously keying on the three-point line, so our counter to that is to kind of spread ‘em out and attack,” said McGuff. “I think that was working for awhile. Then when we did get some opportunities at the three-point line, we weren’t connecting.”
By the end of the third quarter, Ohio State had only eight three-point attempts in total — none of which came in the second quarter. It wasn’t until 14 seconds remaining in the game that guard Jacy Sheldon hit a three, the lone make from deep all game. No makes came for Rebeka Mikulášiková, Celeste Taylor, Rikki Harris or Thierry. Bench shooter Emma Shumate never saw a minute on the court.
Rebounding also got worse.
Each quarter, Duke out-rebounded Ohio State by five. The Buckeyes ended the day with 20 rebounds, compared to 38 for the opposition. The continued offensive moves to the basket drew attention from the Blue Devils. Plus, with Ohio State attacking the basket, missed shots had three Duke players and sometimes only one Buckeye available to battle, with the rest outside the arc waiting to get back on defense.
While experience benefited the Buckeyes, and propelled its quick start, it was complacency against a young team committed to its strategy that ended the Scarlet and Gray’s season.
“They made mistakes, but they kept playing hard, and they’re very athletic and they made enough plays to win the game,” said McGuff.
Richardson, one of the lone starting upperclassmen for head coach Kara Lawson, seemingly willed the Blue Devils to victory. The guard had 10 points, four rebounds and no turnovers in the final 10 minutes. A 24-point quarter against 13 for Ohio State, with each quarter of scoring less than the last. Richardson’s 28 points and seven rebounds move Duke to the Sweet Sixteen.
Now, what’s left for Ohio State are questions that won’t be answered until at least November.
Continue reading...