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Game Preview: No. 2 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. Maryland
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images
With a share of a title on the line on Senior Day, the two teams with the best wining streaks in the conference face off.
Sunday afternoon, Ohio State women’s basketball celebrates Senior Day, the annual tradition where players in their final seasons are honored before the game.
This season, the Buckeyes are chock full of graduate seniors, with at least five players in their final seasons of NCAA eligibility. In total, seven players could receive recognition, with the final list not made public by the University.
After the pomp and circumstance, the Scarlet and Gray could lock up a share of its 17th Big Ten regular season championship. However, the Maryland Terrapins are showing the Big Ten that they aren’t a side that will go down easily.
It’s been a hectic few weeks in the Big Ten, but not for the Buckeyes. Ohio State’s on a 13-game winning streak, while the teams with it at the top of the conference have each dropped games in February.
The Buckeyes have played well — better than anyone in the Big Ten in 2024 — but the Terrapins are on a roll themselves. Following a close home defeat to the Iowa Hawkeyes on Feb. 3, with Maryland leading the visitors early in the fourth quarter, the Terrapins turned the strong performance into a four-game winning streak, currently the second-longest winning streak in the Big Ten.
Maryland’s doing it through fantastic play by guard Shyanne Sellers and forward Jakia Brown-Turner. On Jan. 17, when Ohio State took the away edition of the matchup, Sellers was limited by foul trouble. Playing only 27 minutes, Sellers still scored 12 points, had nine rebounds and seven assists. Since then, Sellers is coming into her own as the leader of the Terps, on the court.
In Maryland’s last three games of the winning streak, Sellers is at a new level. The Aurora, Ohio native averages a double-double and within four points of averaging a triple-double with 18.7 points, 10.0 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game.
Earlier this season, the Terrapins were still trying to learn how to gel without now-WNBA player Diamond Miller. Now, Maryland’s identity is clear and it can cause issues for the Buckeyes.
Head coach Brenda Frese’s side is finding space inside the paint offensively and on the boards. Maryland averages 40 rebounds a game in the current winning streak, an area in which the Buckeyes can struggle. Brown-Turner is the catalyst of Sellers’ increased passing efficiency and points inside the paint.
The former NC State forward is averaging 17.8 points and 7.8 rebounds since her game against the Buckeyes in College Park. While Brown-Turner was known for her three-point shooting down in the ACC, she’s become an interior outlet for Coach Frese.
Brown-Turner averages 11.6 attempts inside the arc in the past 10 games, compared to only 7.5 in the first 15 games. She’s been a turning point for Maryland’s season that saw it drop out of the AP top-25 for the first time since the 09/10 season.
A key for both teams will be connected to that interior play: Fouling.
In Maryland, Sellers wasn’t the only person with foul troubles. Ohio State guard Celeste Taylor also picked up two early fouls in the first quarter but head coach Kevin McGuff couldn’t afford to lose the guard’s defense, so she stayed in the game.
Maryland and Ohio State are first and third, respectively, in amount of free throws taken per game, two of three teams in the conference averaging more than 20 per game. For both teams, losing starters to foul trouble takes a bit a knock on Sunday.
For Maryland, they’re guaranteed to be without senior guard Lavender Briggs, who suffered a season-ending knee injury against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Wednesday. Briggs was a favorite for Coach Frese off the bench, averaging the third most minutes per game on the roster despite starting only 10 games.
Ohio State’s knock at depth isn’t for sure yet, with availability reports not required until three hours before the game tips off. Guard Rikki Harris rolled her left ankle on Thursday against Penn State, with preliminary reports from Coach McGuff saying it was an ankle sprain.
Harris has continued her Buckeye history of playing strongly and doing whatever’s necessary to win. This season, it’s been shooting. Harris is making similar number of three-point shots as last season, when she was a starter. Now, completely off the bench, Harris is hitting near one a game at a 34.5% clip. Also, her 86.0 defensive rating is the best in her four-year playing career.
Shooting was what hurt the Buckeyes the last time they played Maryland. The Scarlet and Gray went 4-for-26 from beyond the arc in College Park. Compare that to the current form and Ohio State is a different team. In six February games, the Buckeyes are averaging nine three-point shots per game. Against Penn State on Thursday, away from Columbus, it was 11 made from deep. Shooting better gets points on the scoreboard, but it also gives more room to rebound.
Against Penn State, the boards didn’t go in Ohio State’s favor, with the Nittany Lions clogging the paint, which may have helped the deep shooting because of a rough Penn State defensive performance. Maryland is less likely to have one of those days, but the Buckeyes did perform well in the rebounding department the last time out.
Both forwards Taylor Thierry and Cotie McMahon had nine rebounds (six on offense) for Ohio State in a game where the Buckeyes out rebounded the Terps 42-39. Thierry, McMahon and the Scarlet and Gray will need to find better positioning, or slow Maryland from getting into the post, if they want to replicate that performance.
G- Jacy Sheldon
G- Celeste Taylor
G- Taylor Thierry
F- Cotie McMahon
F- Rebeka Mikulášikova
G- Bri McDaniel
G- Shyanne Sellers
G- Brinae Alexander
F- Faith Masonious
F- Jakia Brown-Turner
Maryland will come out strong, taking advantage of an emotional pregame Senior Day celebration with at least five graduate seniors taking part in the ceremony. Ohio State is going to get past it, and look beyond potentially clinching a share of the title, and continue its form against the Terps.
McMahon will star for the Buckeyes in the game, hitting a double-double of at least 20 points, with Ohio State forcing turnovers in a game of speed versus speed. Maryland’s style of play fits well into what the Scarlet and Gray want to do, and it’ll result in the third game in a row where the Buckeyes force at least 20 turnovers.
Date: Sunday, February 25, 2024
Time: 2:00 p.m. ET
Where: Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio
Television: Big Ten Network
Stream: Fox Sports App
Saturday, the Buckeyes shared a Senior Day video, with Ohio State players each sharing their thoughts about time in scarlet and gray before Sunday’s celebration. Of the players who still have a year to return — Guards Harris and Madison Greene — only Harris was featured in the video.
Participation in Senior Day doesn’t mean a player is done, but it’s usually a strong sign of a decision. Guards Jacy Sheldon and Celeste Taylor and forwards Rebeka Mikulášiková, Taiyier Parks and Karla Vres are all locks for leaving since each has finished their five years of eligibility.
There’s still a question mark surrounding forward Eboni Walker, who has played in five seasons, but Ohio State’s been working on getting her a redshirt season for the 2021-22 campaign with the Syracuse Orange.
As of Wednesday, there’s no official word if those efforts have earned the forward another year of eligibility.
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
Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images
With a share of a title on the line on Senior Day, the two teams with the best wining streaks in the conference face off.
Sunday afternoon, Ohio State women’s basketball celebrates Senior Day, the annual tradition where players in their final seasons are honored before the game.
This season, the Buckeyes are chock full of graduate seniors, with at least five players in their final seasons of NCAA eligibility. In total, seven players could receive recognition, with the final list not made public by the University.
After the pomp and circumstance, the Scarlet and Gray could lock up a share of its 17th Big Ten regular season championship. However, the Maryland Terrapins are showing the Big Ten that they aren’t a side that will go down easily.
Preview
It’s been a hectic few weeks in the Big Ten, but not for the Buckeyes. Ohio State’s on a 13-game winning streak, while the teams with it at the top of the conference have each dropped games in February.
The Buckeyes have played well — better than anyone in the Big Ten in 2024 — but the Terrapins are on a roll themselves. Following a close home defeat to the Iowa Hawkeyes on Feb. 3, with Maryland leading the visitors early in the fourth quarter, the Terrapins turned the strong performance into a four-game winning streak, currently the second-longest winning streak in the Big Ten.
Maryland’s doing it through fantastic play by guard Shyanne Sellers and forward Jakia Brown-Turner. On Jan. 17, when Ohio State took the away edition of the matchup, Sellers was limited by foul trouble. Playing only 27 minutes, Sellers still scored 12 points, had nine rebounds and seven assists. Since then, Sellers is coming into her own as the leader of the Terps, on the court.
In Maryland’s last three games of the winning streak, Sellers is at a new level. The Aurora, Ohio native averages a double-double and within four points of averaging a triple-double with 18.7 points, 10.0 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game.
Earlier this season, the Terrapins were still trying to learn how to gel without now-WNBA player Diamond Miller. Now, Maryland’s identity is clear and it can cause issues for the Buckeyes.
Head coach Brenda Frese’s side is finding space inside the paint offensively and on the boards. Maryland averages 40 rebounds a game in the current winning streak, an area in which the Buckeyes can struggle. Brown-Turner is the catalyst of Sellers’ increased passing efficiency and points inside the paint.
The former NC State forward is averaging 17.8 points and 7.8 rebounds since her game against the Buckeyes in College Park. While Brown-Turner was known for her three-point shooting down in the ACC, she’s become an interior outlet for Coach Frese.
Brown-Turner averages 11.6 attempts inside the arc in the past 10 games, compared to only 7.5 in the first 15 games. She’s been a turning point for Maryland’s season that saw it drop out of the AP top-25 for the first time since the 09/10 season.
JBT is on the Big Ten POTW Honor Roll
Career-high 32 points
12-17 FG
7 rebs
3 steals @JustJakiaa x #BuiltForIt pic.twitter.com/R7aJ2cCV4Y
— Maryland Women’s Basketball (@TerpsWBB) February 19, 2024
A key for both teams will be connected to that interior play: Fouling.
In Maryland, Sellers wasn’t the only person with foul troubles. Ohio State guard Celeste Taylor also picked up two early fouls in the first quarter but head coach Kevin McGuff couldn’t afford to lose the guard’s defense, so she stayed in the game.
Maryland and Ohio State are first and third, respectively, in amount of free throws taken per game, two of three teams in the conference averaging more than 20 per game. For both teams, losing starters to foul trouble takes a bit a knock on Sunday.
For Maryland, they’re guaranteed to be without senior guard Lavender Briggs, who suffered a season-ending knee injury against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Wednesday. Briggs was a favorite for Coach Frese off the bench, averaging the third most minutes per game on the roster despite starting only 10 games.
Ohio State’s knock at depth isn’t for sure yet, with availability reports not required until three hours before the game tips off. Guard Rikki Harris rolled her left ankle on Thursday against Penn State, with preliminary reports from Coach McGuff saying it was an ankle sprain.
Harris has continued her Buckeye history of playing strongly and doing whatever’s necessary to win. This season, it’s been shooting. Harris is making similar number of three-point shots as last season, when she was a starter. Now, completely off the bench, Harris is hitting near one a game at a 34.5% clip. Also, her 86.0 defensive rating is the best in her four-year playing career.
Shooting was what hurt the Buckeyes the last time they played Maryland. The Scarlet and Gray went 4-for-26 from beyond the arc in College Park. Compare that to the current form and Ohio State is a different team. In six February games, the Buckeyes are averaging nine three-point shots per game. Against Penn State on Thursday, away from Columbus, it was 11 made from deep. Shooting better gets points on the scoreboard, but it also gives more room to rebound.
Against Penn State, the boards didn’t go in Ohio State’s favor, with the Nittany Lions clogging the paint, which may have helped the deep shooting because of a rough Penn State defensive performance. Maryland is less likely to have one of those days, but the Buckeyes did perform well in the rebounding department the last time out.
Both forwards Taylor Thierry and Cotie McMahon had nine rebounds (six on offense) for Ohio State in a game where the Buckeyes out rebounded the Terps 42-39. Thierry, McMahon and the Scarlet and Gray will need to find better positioning, or slow Maryland from getting into the post, if they want to replicate that performance.
Ohio State
G- Jacy Sheldon
G- Celeste Taylor
G- Taylor Thierry
F- Cotie McMahon
F- Rebeka Mikulášikova
Lineup Notes
- Guard Celeste Taylor scored her 1,500th career point on Thursday against Penn State, and she’s also creating more scoring chances with Ohio State, averaging a career high 3.3 assists per game.
- Guard Jacy Sheldon is 81 points away from scoring 2,000 career points, all in scarlet and gray.
- If Ohio State wins, it’ll be only the second time since Maryland joined the Big Ten in 2014-15 that the Buckeyes have beaten the Terrapins twice in the same season. Maryland holds a 14-7 all-time record against the Scarlet and Gray.
Maryland
G- Bri McDaniel
G- Shyanne Sellers
G- Brinae Alexander
F- Faith Masonious
F- Jakia Brown-Turner
Lineup Notes
- Guard Bri McDaniel 44.4% three-point shooting percentage is third in Maryland program history.
- The Terrapins feature four 1,000-point scorers in McDaniel, Shyanne Sellers, Lavender Briggs and Jakia Brown-Turner.
- Brown-Turner enters Sunday coming off a career high 32 points, seven rebounds and three steals against the Penn State Nittany Lions.
Prediction
Maryland will come out strong, taking advantage of an emotional pregame Senior Day celebration with at least five graduate seniors taking part in the ceremony. Ohio State is going to get past it, and look beyond potentially clinching a share of the title, and continue its form against the Terps.
McMahon will star for the Buckeyes in the game, hitting a double-double of at least 20 points, with Ohio State forcing turnovers in a game of speed versus speed. Maryland’s style of play fits well into what the Scarlet and Gray want to do, and it’ll result in the third game in a row where the Buckeyes force at least 20 turnovers.
How to Watch
Date: Sunday, February 25, 2024
Time: 2:00 p.m. ET
Where: Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio
Television: Big Ten Network
Stream: Fox Sports App
LGHL Prediction: 89-82 Ohio State Buckeyes
Who’s Returning?
Saturday, the Buckeyes shared a Senior Day video, with Ohio State players each sharing their thoughts about time in scarlet and gray before Sunday’s celebration. Of the players who still have a year to return — Guards Harris and Madison Greene — only Harris was featured in the video.
Participation in Senior Day doesn’t mean a player is done, but it’s usually a strong sign of a decision. Guards Jacy Sheldon and Celeste Taylor and forwards Rebeka Mikulášiková, Taiyier Parks and Karla Vres are all locks for leaving since each has finished their five years of eligibility.
There’s still a question mark surrounding forward Eboni Walker, who has played in five seasons, but Ohio State’s been working on getting her a redshirt season for the 2021-22 campaign with the Syracuse Orange.
As of Wednesday, there’s no official word if those efforts have earned the forward another year of eligibility.
Continue reading...