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NCAA Tournament Preview: No. 2 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. No. 15 Maine
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Maine Black Bears women’s basketball on Twitter | @BlackBearsWBB
The Buckeyes start March Madness at home against the AEC Champions.
If basketball games were played on paper, Ohio State women’s basketball would move into the round of 32. However, that’s not how basketball works — especially in March. The No. 2 seeded Buckeyes start March Madness on Friday, against the No. 15 Maine Black Bears.
The game pits the champions of the Big Ten regular season against the regular season and tournament champions of the America East Conference. Here’s what you need to know about each side before the game tips off at noon ET.
The Buckeyes enter Friday on a two-game losing streak. It’s the longest drought of the season for the conference champions, and one that can’t go to three without ending the careers of multiple members of the Scarlet and Gray.
Maine isn’t a normal mid-major No. 15 seed. The Black Bears didn’t get to the tournament as a cinderella story in the AEC. After starting the season 7-7, Maine won 17 of its last 19 games to secure not only the sweep of conference team hardware, but and individual accolades for a pair of players who could cause problems for the Buckeyes.
In the paint is Adrianna Smith. The 5-foot-10 forward out of Virginia is the top rebounder on the team and in the conference. She doesn’t do it through menacing size but a smart grasp of spacing, finding room around players to put herself in good positions to grab rebounds.
Rebounds are normally an Achilles heel for the Buckeyes, but the pain’s increased in the last two games of the Ohio State schedule. On the final day of the regular season, the Iowa Hawkeyes led on the boards 38 to 31, which isn’t bad considering what happened in the Big Ten Tournament. That's when the Buckeyes were out rebounded 55 to 31.
Ohio State rebounds well when it plays with the intensity, making space in the paint and battling for missed shots. That’s the department Friday for forwards Cotie McMahon and Taylor Thierry. The two lead Ohio State in rebounding and are the most athletic in the post.
However, guards Jacy Sheldon and Celeste Taylor’s contribution on the boards is undervalued. The Black Bears traditionally play man coverage on defense, meaning the experience and ability of the graduate senior guards could mean finding ways around the defense and getting rebounds themselves.
That’ll be difficult around Smith, but the more Ohio State commits, the higher the chance the Buckeyes aren’t struggling to earn extra possessions.
“She’s very active,” said head coach Kevin McGuff. “She’s not particularly getting rebounds because of her height, but her energy, her activity. So you better hit her, you better be physical, you better pursue the ball.”
Speaking of extra possessions, Maine works efficiently with less possessions than most teams. The Black Bears average less than 60 field goals a game, meaning it spends more time in the half court, setting up shots, and taking its time finding opportunities to shoot.
When it does, the team shoots 40.2% from the floor, especially from deep. Of Maine’s 59.5 shot attempts per game, 40.6% come from beyond the arc. No one makes them more than guard Anne Smith.
Maine runs through the graduate senior from Luxembourg. In five seasons, Simon’s won AEC Player of the Year twice. This year and the 21/22 season, Simon ended as both Player and Defensive Player of the Year. In 22/23, Simon didn’t win due to injury, and it went to her teammate, Adrianna Smith.
Simon will challenge the Buckeyes backcourt, and take shots if not adequately covered. It means Taylor and Sheldon need to be aware of the guard. Simon is like the Caitlin Clark of the AEC. The graduate senior leads the conference in points per game (18.9), second in rebounds (7.3) and fourth in assists (3.2).
If Maine tries using Simon behind the two pressing Ohio State guards, it could turn into problems for Ohio State. Although, head coach Amy Vachon will need the veteran presence of Simon to work around the press of the Buckeyes. The chaos-inducing work of Coach McGuff’s defense isn’t easily replicated in practice.
“We have played a lot of different teams and a lot of different styles. You know, it’s what we try and do in non-conference, try and prepare us if we are fortunate to get in the situation,” said Vachon. “But that’s one thing we haven’t really faced and even if we had faced a press, I don’t think it’s comparable to Ohio State’s press.”
The Buckeyes defense has the ability to overcome any slow game offensively. Against Maryland, Ohio State shot 35.9% from the floor, with Sheldon and McMahon, the team’s two highest scorers, combining for only 22 points. If the press starts working for Ohio State, it might not matter with high percentage shots on the back end of turnovers, but with the ability of the Black Bears, it’s not a game the Buckeyes can take lightly, even if they’re heavily favored.
This season, Maine welcomed Maine native Mackenzie Holmes and the Indiana Hoosiers to Orono. The Black Bears lost 67-59 in a game that most wouldn’t see as being anything close to competitive, considering the Hoosiers were ranked No. 17 in the country.
Possibly chalk it up to nerves for Holmes, playing in front of friends and family, but Maine took an eight-point lead into halftime. Indiana turned things on in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Black Bears 22 to 11 to salvage the win.
If things don’t go Ohio State’s way, and it looks more like the team that faced Maryland, the Black Bears have the ability to capitalize.
G- Jacy Sheldon
G- Celeste Taylor
G- Taylor Thierry
F- Cotie McMahon
F- Rebeka Mikulášikova
G- Anne Simon
G- Olivia Rockwood
G- Sarah Talon
F- Caroline Bornemann
F- Adrianna Smith
Despite Maine starting the game off strong, the Buckeyes overcome it and run away with the victory. Offensively, Ohio State will look better on its home court after the tough display in Minneapolis.
McMahon will do well against the Black Bear’s defense, getting to the basket with frequency. That will open up her teammates, with Sheldon leading Ohio State in scoring in the victory.
Date: Friday, March 22, 2024
Time: 12:00 p.m. ET
Where: Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio
Television: ESPN
Stream: ESPN App
During Thursday’s media availability, guard Madison Greene confirmed with the Columbus Dispatch that she’s returning for her final season of eligibility. Greene had another year, despite starting at the same time as graduate senior Sheldon, but had a redshirt year and COVID year to use.
The other news is around guard Rikki Harris, who didn't confirm she’s coming back. However, she said that she’s “working” on returning. Harris, like Greene, has an extra year to play because of a redshirt season her freshman season, plus the COVID year given to students impacted by the start of the global pandemic.
Using Senior Day as a metric, Greene didn’t participate like Harris, leading to the idea that Harris was finished with her NCAA career. The different tone on Thursday means the speculation about Harris is anything but over.
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
Maine Black Bears women’s basketball on Twitter | @BlackBearsWBB
The Buckeyes start March Madness at home against the AEC Champions.
If basketball games were played on paper, Ohio State women’s basketball would move into the round of 32. However, that’s not how basketball works — especially in March. The No. 2 seeded Buckeyes start March Madness on Friday, against the No. 15 Maine Black Bears.
The game pits the champions of the Big Ten regular season against the regular season and tournament champions of the America East Conference. Here’s what you need to know about each side before the game tips off at noon ET.
Preview
The Buckeyes enter Friday on a two-game losing streak. It’s the longest drought of the season for the conference champions, and one that can’t go to three without ending the careers of multiple members of the Scarlet and Gray.
Maine isn’t a normal mid-major No. 15 seed. The Black Bears didn’t get to the tournament as a cinderella story in the AEC. After starting the season 7-7, Maine won 17 of its last 19 games to secure not only the sweep of conference team hardware, but and individual accolades for a pair of players who could cause problems for the Buckeyes.
In the paint is Adrianna Smith. The 5-foot-10 forward out of Virginia is the top rebounder on the team and in the conference. She doesn’t do it through menacing size but a smart grasp of spacing, finding room around players to put herself in good positions to grab rebounds.
Rebounds are normally an Achilles heel for the Buckeyes, but the pain’s increased in the last two games of the Ohio State schedule. On the final day of the regular season, the Iowa Hawkeyes led on the boards 38 to 31, which isn’t bad considering what happened in the Big Ten Tournament. That's when the Buckeyes were out rebounded 55 to 31.
Ohio State rebounds well when it plays with the intensity, making space in the paint and battling for missed shots. That’s the department Friday for forwards Cotie McMahon and Taylor Thierry. The two lead Ohio State in rebounding and are the most athletic in the post.
However, guards Jacy Sheldon and Celeste Taylor’s contribution on the boards is undervalued. The Black Bears traditionally play man coverage on defense, meaning the experience and ability of the graduate senior guards could mean finding ways around the defense and getting rebounds themselves.
That’ll be difficult around Smith, but the more Ohio State commits, the higher the chance the Buckeyes aren’t struggling to earn extra possessions.
“She’s very active,” said head coach Kevin McGuff. “She’s not particularly getting rebounds because of her height, but her energy, her activity. So you better hit her, you better be physical, you better pursue the ball.”
Speaking of extra possessions, Maine works efficiently with less possessions than most teams. The Black Bears average less than 60 field goals a game, meaning it spends more time in the half court, setting up shots, and taking its time finding opportunities to shoot.
When it does, the team shoots 40.2% from the floor, especially from deep. Of Maine’s 59.5 shot attempts per game, 40.6% come from beyond the arc. No one makes them more than guard Anne Smith.
Maine runs through the graduate senior from Luxembourg. In five seasons, Simon’s won AEC Player of the Year twice. This year and the 21/22 season, Simon ended as both Player and Defensive Player of the Year. In 22/23, Simon didn’t win due to injury, and it went to her teammate, Adrianna Smith.
Simon will challenge the Buckeyes backcourt, and take shots if not adequately covered. It means Taylor and Sheldon need to be aware of the guard. Simon is like the Caitlin Clark of the AEC. The graduate senior leads the conference in points per game (18.9), second in rebounds (7.3) and fourth in assists (3.2).
If Maine tries using Simon behind the two pressing Ohio State guards, it could turn into problems for Ohio State. Although, head coach Amy Vachon will need the veteran presence of Simon to work around the press of the Buckeyes. The chaos-inducing work of Coach McGuff’s defense isn’t easily replicated in practice.
“We have played a lot of different teams and a lot of different styles. You know, it’s what we try and do in non-conference, try and prepare us if we are fortunate to get in the situation,” said Vachon. “But that’s one thing we haven’t really faced and even if we had faced a press, I don’t think it’s comparable to Ohio State’s press.”
The Buckeyes defense has the ability to overcome any slow game offensively. Against Maryland, Ohio State shot 35.9% from the floor, with Sheldon and McMahon, the team’s two highest scorers, combining for only 22 points. If the press starts working for Ohio State, it might not matter with high percentage shots on the back end of turnovers, but with the ability of the Black Bears, it’s not a game the Buckeyes can take lightly, even if they’re heavily favored.
This season, Maine welcomed Maine native Mackenzie Holmes and the Indiana Hoosiers to Orono. The Black Bears lost 67-59 in a game that most wouldn’t see as being anything close to competitive, considering the Hoosiers were ranked No. 17 in the country.
Possibly chalk it up to nerves for Holmes, playing in front of friends and family, but Maine took an eight-point lead into halftime. Indiana turned things on in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Black Bears 22 to 11 to salvage the win.
If things don’t go Ohio State’s way, and it looks more like the team that faced Maryland, the Black Bears have the ability to capitalize.
Ohio State
G- Jacy Sheldon
G- Celeste Taylor
G- Taylor Thierry
F- Cotie McMahon
F- Rebeka Mikulášikova
Lineup Notes
- Guard Jacy Sheldon is eight points away from her 2,000th career point.
- Eboni Walker returns to the Ohio State lineup after being out the last three games for undisclosed reasons.
- Jacy Sheldon and Cotie McMahon enter Friday off their AP Second-Team and Honorable Mention awards, respectively.
Maine
G- Anne Simon
G- Olivia Rockwood
G- Sarah Talon
F- Caroline Bornemann
F- Adrianna Smith
Lineup Notes
- Guard Anne Simon averages 35.5 minutes per game, showing the guard’s importance to the Black Bears.
- Guard Olivia Rockwood enters Friday shooting 52.4% in the three games of Maine’s AEC Conference run, up from 36.1% in the regular season.
- Forward Adrianna Smith led the AEC in rebounds two seasons in a row.
Prediction
Despite Maine starting the game off strong, the Buckeyes overcome it and run away with the victory. Offensively, Ohio State will look better on its home court after the tough display in Minneapolis.
McMahon will do well against the Black Bear’s defense, getting to the basket with frequency. That will open up her teammates, with Sheldon leading Ohio State in scoring in the victory.
How to Watch
Date: Friday, March 22, 2024
Time: 12:00 p.m. ET
Where: Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio
Television: ESPN
Stream: ESPN App
LGHL Prediction: 88-60 Ohio State Buckeyes
Returning Buckeye News
During Thursday’s media availability, guard Madison Greene confirmed with the Columbus Dispatch that she’s returning for her final season of eligibility. Greene had another year, despite starting at the same time as graduate senior Sheldon, but had a redshirt year and COVID year to use.
The other news is around guard Rikki Harris, who didn't confirm she’s coming back. However, she said that she’s “working” on returning. Harris, like Greene, has an extra year to play because of a redshirt season her freshman season, plus the COVID year given to students impacted by the start of the global pandemic.
Using Senior Day as a metric, Greene didn’t participate like Harris, leading to the idea that Harris was finished with her NCAA career. The different tone on Thursday means the speculation about Harris is anything but over.
Continue reading...