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Ohio State women’s basketball 2023-24 player preview: Celeste Taylor
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
William Howard-USA TODAY Sports
The reigning ACC Defensive Player of the Year joins the Buckeyes for one last ride in NCAA basketball
From the start of the 21-22 season, the Ohio State women’s basketball team relied on the play of an outstanding transfer guard. This season that trend continues, but it isn’t former Buckeye and now pro basketball player Taylor Mikesell. It’s a guard who joined the scarlet and gray following an impressive four-year career, culminating in the attention deserving of one of the best defensive players in the nation.
It’s Celeste Taylor, a guard that won’t shoot as prolifically as Mikesell, but has a similarly high level of ability on the defensive side of the ball.
Name: Celeste Taylor
Position: Guard
Class: Graduate Senior
High School: Long Island Lutheran (Long Island, New York)
2022-23 Stats: 11.4 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.5 apg, .440 FG%, .321 3FG%, .675 FT%
Taylor joins the Buckeyes following an outstanding season with the Duke Blue Devils. Playing in a defensive highlighted by fullcourt one-on-one pressure, Taylor let her presence known.
The former Texas Longhorn and Buckeye recruit led Duke to its best success in over five seasons. Under second-year head coach Kara Lawson, Taylor and the Blue Devils ended the season 26-7 but with an early exit in the NCAA Tournament. At home, Duke fell to the Colorado Buffaloes.
That game against Colorado was indicative of the type of basketball that describes Taylor, despite the defeat. Taylor ended the game with eight points but what was most impressive was the work off the ball. The guard grabbed a whopping 10 steals and 10 rebounds. She was two points and two assists away from a quadruple double.
Taylor ended the game with a defensive rating of 49, meaning when she was on the court, Colorado scored an average of 49 points over 100 possessions. An incomprehensible statistic that followed Taylor throughout the entire season. Starting every game for the Blue Devils, Taylor’s defensive rating on the season was 72.1 points — the highest in the ACC and eighth highest in the country, earning her one of three spots as a finalist for Naismith Defensive Player of the Year.
Following the season, Taylor transferred to the Buckeyes, causing some controversy in the Duke basketball world. After sharing that she would return for her graduate season, Taylor put her name in the transfer portal. Taylor spoke about the move with Land-Grant Holy Land this summer, referencing the move of an assistant coach vital to her experience with the Blue Devils. Following his move to the South Carolina Gamecocks staff, Taylor made the decision to join the Buckeyes.
Yes, defense is what to expect but that’s not all. Taylor joins from a Duke team who’s goal was to slow the game down with full court pressure and methodical offensive work. The Blue Devils under Lawson averaged 63.6 points per game, good for 12th in the 15-team ACC.
With that understanding, Taylor’s 11.4 points per game led Duke. Taylor brings a complete game to Columbus and the Buckeyes. The guard joins Ohio State, who were on a different offensive sphere than the Blue Devils, averaging 80.1 points, and leading the country in scoring during its 19-0 start to the 23-24 season.
Taylor will be more free to attack the basket, which the guard can and will do. Now, one thing not to expect is Taylor to fill Mikesell’s spot as a three-point assassin. A question that will surround Ohio State through the start of the season is how does Mikesell’s 17.2 points per game and over 100 threes made in each of the last two seasons. In Taylor’s four seasons of NCAA basketball, last year’s 44 threes was her career high for a campaign.
However, the court awareness and engine Taylor brings to the Buckeyes defense will push its full court press to another level. It’s a different style than Duke plays where players are shadowing the opposition. With Ohio State, Taylor will run, intercept more passes and force mistakes from opponents.
From that work, Taylor will get opportunities to find open teammates on assists and her own fast break scoring opportunities. Basically, if teams were intimidated by Ohio State’s defense before, it’s getting much scarier with Taylor.
Bringing that pressure from Duke to the half court will also do wonders to the Buckeyes. Partnered with guard Jacy Sheldon, the two could become the best defensive duo in the country.
Taylor is starting every game for the Buckeyes. The guard is a lock for the shooting guard role, alongside Sheldon at point guard and forwards Taylor Thierry and Cotie McMahon. The only way that changes is if guard Madison Greene returns from injury to the point where head coach Kevin McGuff wants her to start at point guard.
If that happens, it’ll be a tough decision on who to sit but Ohio State could play a five-player lineup that includes Greene, Sheldon at shooting guard and Taylor sliding over to the third guard role, one that fits her skillset better.
Regardless of how the team lines up, expect Taylor to play close to 40 minutes a game and make the most of her final season in NCAA basketball.
Do you want to see a LeBron James-esque chase down block? Taylor has that in her arsenal too. After that, check out highlights from that 8/10/8/10 game in the NCAA Tournament.
Miss a player preview? Here’s who you can read about so far:
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
William Howard-USA TODAY Sports
The reigning ACC Defensive Player of the Year joins the Buckeyes for one last ride in NCAA basketball
From the start of the 21-22 season, the Ohio State women’s basketball team relied on the play of an outstanding transfer guard. This season that trend continues, but it isn’t former Buckeye and now pro basketball player Taylor Mikesell. It’s a guard who joined the scarlet and gray following an impressive four-year career, culminating in the attention deserving of one of the best defensive players in the nation.
It’s Celeste Taylor, a guard that won’t shoot as prolifically as Mikesell, but has a similarly high level of ability on the defensive side of the ball.
Name: Celeste Taylor
Position: Guard
Class: Graduate Senior
High School: Long Island Lutheran (Long Island, New York)
2022-23 Stats: 11.4 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.5 apg, .440 FG%, .321 3FG%, .675 FT%
Last Season
Taylor joins the Buckeyes following an outstanding season with the Duke Blue Devils. Playing in a defensive highlighted by fullcourt one-on-one pressure, Taylor let her presence known.
The former Texas Longhorn and Buckeye recruit led Duke to its best success in over five seasons. Under second-year head coach Kara Lawson, Taylor and the Blue Devils ended the season 26-7 but with an early exit in the NCAA Tournament. At home, Duke fell to the Colorado Buffaloes.
That game against Colorado was indicative of the type of basketball that describes Taylor, despite the defeat. Taylor ended the game with eight points but what was most impressive was the work off the ball. The guard grabbed a whopping 10 steals and 10 rebounds. She was two points and two assists away from a quadruple double.
Taylor ended the game with a defensive rating of 49, meaning when she was on the court, Colorado scored an average of 49 points over 100 possessions. An incomprehensible statistic that followed Taylor throughout the entire season. Starting every game for the Blue Devils, Taylor’s defensive rating on the season was 72.1 points — the highest in the ACC and eighth highest in the country, earning her one of three spots as a finalist for Naismith Defensive Player of the Year.
Following the season, Taylor transferred to the Buckeyes, causing some controversy in the Duke basketball world. After sharing that she would return for her graduate season, Taylor put her name in the transfer portal. Taylor spoke about the move with Land-Grant Holy Land this summer, referencing the move of an assistant coach vital to her experience with the Blue Devils. Following his move to the South Carolina Gamecocks staff, Taylor made the decision to join the Buckeyes.
What to Expect
Yes, defense is what to expect but that’s not all. Taylor joins from a Duke team who’s goal was to slow the game down with full court pressure and methodical offensive work. The Blue Devils under Lawson averaged 63.6 points per game, good for 12th in the 15-team ACC.
With that understanding, Taylor’s 11.4 points per game led Duke. Taylor brings a complete game to Columbus and the Buckeyes. The guard joins Ohio State, who were on a different offensive sphere than the Blue Devils, averaging 80.1 points, and leading the country in scoring during its 19-0 start to the 23-24 season.
Taylor will be more free to attack the basket, which the guard can and will do. Now, one thing not to expect is Taylor to fill Mikesell’s spot as a three-point assassin. A question that will surround Ohio State through the start of the season is how does Mikesell’s 17.2 points per game and over 100 threes made in each of the last two seasons. In Taylor’s four seasons of NCAA basketball, last year’s 44 threes was her career high for a campaign.
However, the court awareness and engine Taylor brings to the Buckeyes defense will push its full court press to another level. It’s a different style than Duke plays where players are shadowing the opposition. With Ohio State, Taylor will run, intercept more passes and force mistakes from opponents.
From that work, Taylor will get opportunities to find open teammates on assists and her own fast break scoring opportunities. Basically, if teams were intimidated by Ohio State’s defense before, it’s getting much scarier with Taylor.
Bringing that pressure from Duke to the half court will also do wonders to the Buckeyes. Partnered with guard Jacy Sheldon, the two could become the best defensive duo in the country.
Prediction
Taylor is starting every game for the Buckeyes. The guard is a lock for the shooting guard role, alongside Sheldon at point guard and forwards Taylor Thierry and Cotie McMahon. The only way that changes is if guard Madison Greene returns from injury to the point where head coach Kevin McGuff wants her to start at point guard.
If that happens, it’ll be a tough decision on who to sit but Ohio State could play a five-player lineup that includes Greene, Sheldon at shooting guard and Taylor sliding over to the third guard role, one that fits her skillset better.
Regardless of how the team lines up, expect Taylor to play close to 40 minutes a game and make the most of her final season in NCAA basketball.
Highlights
Do you want to see a LeBron James-esque chase down block? Taylor has that in her arsenal too. After that, check out highlights from that 8/10/8/10 game in the NCAA Tournament.
Miss a player preview? Here’s who you can read about so far:
- Jacy Sheldon
- Rebeka Mikulášiková
- Diana Collins
- Taiyier Parks
- Rikki Harris
- Taylor Thierry
- Faith Carson
- Madison Greene
Continue reading...