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Game Preview: No. 11 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. Youngstown State
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 via Imagn Images
A family showdown as the non-conference schedule winds down.
Only three games remain for No. 11 Ohio State women’s basketball before the remaining 17 games of the Big Ten schedule. The countdown continues Saturday morning when the Buckeyes welcome their second in-state Horizon League side when the Youngstown State Penguins travel from the corner of Northeast Ohio down to Columbus.
It’s an early, pre-lunch, start time with Ohio State men’s hockey playing later Saturday evening against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, but its head coach Kevin McGuff’s side looking to put the Penguins on ice. It’s a game that heavily favors the Buckeyes but includes a sister vs. sister matchup, one almost four years in the making.
The major storyline Saturday is Ohio State forward Taylor Thierry facing off against her sister, guard Haley Thierry, with the fraternal twins never playing against each other in an organized game until this weekend.
Taylor Thierry is an integral part of the Buckeyes’ offense, averaging 12.3 per game as a starter, and grabbing six rebounds per game in her career as a starter. On the other side, Haley Thierry came off the bench her first two seasons, but moved into a starting role last year and the defense-minded guard led the team in steals (37) and the third-best defensive rating (92.5).
However, this season the 5-foot-9 Youngstown guard’s seen her role diminish drastically under new Penguins head coach Melissa Jackson. Under Jackson, Haley Thierry’s minutes were slashed from 23.1 minutes per game last season to eight.
For folks looking to see the two play at the same time, Haley plays most of her minutes in games that are out of hand for the Penguins, which is likely the case on Saturday despite the Buckeyes having their own sibling concerns within their roster.
Before Tuesday’s 80-48 win over the Ball State Cardinals, head coach Kevin McGuff listed guard Kennedy Cambridge out and she wore a boot on the bench. Then, in the game, starting point guard Jaloni Cambridge took a hard fall, landing hard on her shoulder. After leaving the game, the freshman star returned but only to the bench after playing 17 minutes.
Is it a similar situation to Ohio State’s second game of the season where Cambridge took a hit, left the game, and then sat because the score was firmly in the Buckeyes' favor or did this contact turn into something more serious? That won’t come out until Saturday morning before the game.
With a new coach at Youngstown State comes a mostly new roster. The 14-player program includes 10 new players. Of those four returners, only one is in the starting lineup.
Leading the team with 14.1 points per game is Jewel Watkins, who transferred to Youngstown State after two years at Coppin State and one with the Charlotte 49ers. Watkins is from Whitehall, having graduated from Whitehall-Yearling High School.
The Penguins enter Saturday after having a week off for finals. Before the extended time away, YSU won their first two games of the Horizon League calendar, including a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback against the Northern Kentucky Norse.
Youngstown State entered the fourth quarter down seven points but scored the first 13 of the last period. Forward Faith Burch had a career day with 16 points and 12 rebounds, scoring eight of those 13 points to help the Penguins pull away.
Should both Jaloni and Kennedy not be available, the depth of Ohio State still shouldn’t have too much of a concern with Madison Greene starting and freshman Ava Watson getting more minutes for coach McGuff.
G- Jaloni Cambridge
G- Chance Gray
G- Taylor Thierry
F- Cotie McMahon
F- Ajae Petty
G - Erica King
G - Xoe Rosalez
G - Abby Liber
F - Jewel Watkins
F - Faith Burch
Saturday shouldn’t be a tough matchup for the Buckeyes. Ohio State will take an early lead and not give it up, surpassing the Penguins in size and speed. Forwards Ajae Petty and Taylor Thierry will excel in the paint against Youngstown State, with Thierry leading the scoring.
Jaloni Cambridge will return, but the lead in the game will allow the freshman and starters to rest. With Haley Thierry not likely starting for Jackson, there will be only a brief couple of minutes in the second half where both Taylor and Haley are on the court against each other.
Date: Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024
Time: 11 a.m. ET
Where: Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio
Stream: B1G+
Follow Ohio State for any period of time and a name that comes up often in the lists of fans is LeBron James. This week, the Buckeye fan who skipped college to start his soon-to-be Hall of Fame NBA career gifted the Scarlet and Gray with new trainers.
This isn’t the first time James gifted the women’s basketball team, giving them shoes and headphones in previous seasons.
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 via Imagn Images
A family showdown as the non-conference schedule winds down.
Only three games remain for No. 11 Ohio State women’s basketball before the remaining 17 games of the Big Ten schedule. The countdown continues Saturday morning when the Buckeyes welcome their second in-state Horizon League side when the Youngstown State Penguins travel from the corner of Northeast Ohio down to Columbus.
It’s an early, pre-lunch, start time with Ohio State men’s hockey playing later Saturday evening against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, but its head coach Kevin McGuff’s side looking to put the Penguins on ice. It’s a game that heavily favors the Buckeyes but includes a sister vs. sister matchup, one almost four years in the making.
Preview
The major storyline Saturday is Ohio State forward Taylor Thierry facing off against her sister, guard Haley Thierry, with the fraternal twins never playing against each other in an organized game until this weekend.
Taylor Thierry is an integral part of the Buckeyes’ offense, averaging 12.3 per game as a starter, and grabbing six rebounds per game in her career as a starter. On the other side, Haley Thierry came off the bench her first two seasons, but moved into a starting role last year and the defense-minded guard led the team in steals (37) and the third-best defensive rating (92.5).
However, this season the 5-foot-9 Youngstown guard’s seen her role diminish drastically under new Penguins head coach Melissa Jackson. Under Jackson, Haley Thierry’s minutes were slashed from 23.1 minutes per game last season to eight.
For folks looking to see the two play at the same time, Haley plays most of her minutes in games that are out of hand for the Penguins, which is likely the case on Saturday despite the Buckeyes having their own sibling concerns within their roster.
Before Tuesday’s 80-48 win over the Ball State Cardinals, head coach Kevin McGuff listed guard Kennedy Cambridge out and she wore a boot on the bench. Then, in the game, starting point guard Jaloni Cambridge took a hard fall, landing hard on her shoulder. After leaving the game, the freshman star returned but only to the bench after playing 17 minutes.
Is it a similar situation to Ohio State’s second game of the season where Cambridge took a hit, left the game, and then sat because the score was firmly in the Buckeyes' favor or did this contact turn into something more serious? That won’t come out until Saturday morning before the game.
With a new coach at Youngstown State comes a mostly new roster. The 14-player program includes 10 new players. Of those four returners, only one is in the starting lineup.
Leading the team with 14.1 points per game is Jewel Watkins, who transferred to Youngstown State after two years at Coppin State and one with the Charlotte 49ers. Watkins is from Whitehall, having graduated from Whitehall-Yearling High School.
The Penguins enter Saturday after having a week off for finals. Before the extended time away, YSU won their first two games of the Horizon League calendar, including a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback against the Northern Kentucky Norse.
Youngstown State entered the fourth quarter down seven points but scored the first 13 of the last period. Forward Faith Burch had a career day with 16 points and 12 rebounds, scoring eight of those 13 points to help the Penguins pull away.
Should both Jaloni and Kennedy not be available, the depth of Ohio State still shouldn’t have too much of a concern with Madison Greene starting and freshman Ava Watson getting more minutes for coach McGuff.
Projected Starters
Ohio State
G- Jaloni Cambridge
G- Chance Gray
G- Taylor Thierry
F- Cotie McMahon
F- Ajae Petty
Lineup Notes
- After ending last season in last place in rebounds per game, the Buckeyes sit eighth in the 18-team conference, averaging 41.8 rebounds per game.
- Ava Watson’s 16 steals on the season is the most for any bench player on the Buckeyes.
- Chance Gray is 63 points away from scoring her 1,000th NCAA point.
- Youngstown State
G - Erica King
G - Xoe Rosalez
G - Abby Liber
F - Jewel Watkins
F - Faith Burch
Lineup Notes
- Freshman guard Sarah Baker’s won Freshman of the Week honors three times in the first five weeks of the season but missed the Penguins’ win over Northern Kentucky with a lower-body injury.
- Abby Liber is the only projected starter for Youngstown State was on the team last season.
- Head coach Melissa Jackson coached five seasons with the Akron Zips before taking on the role of YSU head coach this season.
Prediction
Saturday shouldn’t be a tough matchup for the Buckeyes. Ohio State will take an early lead and not give it up, surpassing the Penguins in size and speed. Forwards Ajae Petty and Taylor Thierry will excel in the paint against Youngstown State, with Thierry leading the scoring.
Jaloni Cambridge will return, but the lead in the game will allow the freshman and starters to rest. With Haley Thierry not likely starting for Jackson, there will be only a brief couple of minutes in the second half where both Taylor and Haley are on the court against each other.
How to Watch
Date: Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024
Time: 11 a.m. ET
Where: Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio
Stream: B1G+
LGHL Score Prediction: Ohio State 92, Ball State 58
The King’s Court
Follow Ohio State for any period of time and a name that comes up often in the lists of fans is LeBron James. This week, the Buckeye fan who skipped college to start his soon-to-be Hall of Fame NBA career gifted the Scarlet and Gray with new trainers.
This isn’t the first time James gifted the women’s basketball team, giving them shoes and headphones in previous seasons.
Continue reading...