Category: Buckeyes Wire

Ohio State uses quick start, defense, to lead Minnesota at halftime in Big Ten Tournament

Ohio State got off to a quick start and played some solid defense to head into the locker room up by double digits vs. Minnesota.

What we saw from the Ohio State basketball team is more of what we witnessed during the lengthy conference winning streak the team was on. The Buckeyes jumped all over Minnesota early, scoring the first eleven points of the game, then used played the Gophers even the rest of the way to lead 39-27 at halftime.

There’s been much more of an open flow to the game than what we saw during the four game losing streak. Guys are finding each other, getting out in the open court because of good defense, and finishing strong with good looks.

E.J. Liddell leads Ohio State with eight points on 3-of-8 shooting, but the rest of the scoring is spread out pretty evenly with Justice Sueing, Duane Washington, and Kyle Young all chipping in seven points apiece. All told, eight Buckeyes have scored a bucket in the first half.

For Minnesota, it’s been a struggle to knock shots down. A lot of that has to do with an active OSU defense, but it also looked like the Gophers came out a little flat after a hard battle just one night ago vs. Northwestern. They shot much better later in the second half, but were challenged early to score. Eight turnovers haven’t helped matters for Minnesota.

Ohio State might be up by twelve, but this game is far from over. The Gophers are playing for their postseason lives and will come out looking to make a run and tighten the game up early in the second half.

Ohio State basketball’s complete history in the Big Ten Tournament

Get ready for March Madness by registering in advance for USA TODAY Sports’ bracket sweepstakes. In the meantime, mobile users can play USA TODAY Sports’ Couchketball virtual hoops challenge – the interactive basketball game where your skills determine the outcome.

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Ohio State faces more recruiting competition for J.T. Tuimoloau… from an unlikely source.

How much will playing basketball at the next level play into J.T. Tuimoloau’s recruiting at Ohio State? Other schools have offered.

Ryan Day and the Ohio State football coaching staff have been working the 2022 recruiting trail hard in the past few months and currently have the No. 1 ranked class. However, there is still one big catch in the 2021 class who is yet to make his decision.

The Buckeyes seem to be leading the race to land highly sought-after defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau, the No. 3 rated player in the 2021 class according to 247Sports composite rankings. However, things just got a bit more interesting in the Tuimoloau sweepstakes.

OSU has been the mild favorite to land the Sammamish, WA product for quite some time now, but there have been roadblocks every step of the way thanks to COVID-19 and NCAA dead period restrictions. Tuimoloau and his family have made it clear that they are going to be patient and wait to visit schools and make the best decision for his future.

Now the Bucks have had another obstacle placed in their path. Not only is J.T. Tuimoloau a stud on the football field, but on the basketball court as well. Two of the schools still in on the chase for the Eastside Catholic star’s services have offered him a spot on their basketball teams to try and temp Tuimoloau to stay closer to home.

The Oregon Ducks have offered Tuimoloau a position with the basketball team, joining The Washington Huskies who offered a basketball spot last year.

As is the case with many five-star athletes, they accel in many different athletic endeavors and J.T.T. is no different. The question is, how much of a draw will playing college basketball be for the youngster?

6-foot, 5-inches, and 277-pounds might look good in some scarlet and gray basketball shorts.

Um… Chris Holtman. Line one, please. Ryan Day would be forever thankful.

 

Fab Four: Selecting Ohio State football’s Mount Rushmore of all-time recruits

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Ohio State vs. Minnesota Big Ten Tournament basketball preview, prediction, and odds

Ohio State will play Minnesota in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament. We’ve got your preview and score prediction to get you ready.

Records

Ohio State 18-8 (12-8), Minnesota 14-14 (6-14)

Broadcast, TV, Game Time

Date: Thursday, March 11
Game Time: 2 p.m. EST (approximately)
Venue: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN
Network: Big Ten Network

OK. Here we go. It’s March and it’s time for all the madness to begin. Before we get into the NCAA Tournament though, it’s time for some mayhem in the Big Ten Tournament for Ohio State.

The Buckeyes have lost four straight games, but that matters little now. It’s really like a brand new season, with each win a one-and-done scenario. Ohio State now nows its opponent, and it comes in the form of the No. 13 seed Minnesota Golden Gophers. They were playing some really good ball when they beat OSU by seventeen points early in the season, but since then have fallen on hard times because of scattered play and injury.

Somehow, someway, Minnesota found a way against Northwestern on Wednesday, and Ohio State will need to be at the top if its game to move on to face Purdue with a win in the quarterfinals.

The stage is set, now it’s time to put on the show.

Next … The Ohio State game plan

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Everything Chris Holtmann said in previewing the Big Ten Tournament

Here’s everything Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann said in previewing the Buckeyes’ upcoming appearance in the Big Ten Tournament.

We are just one day away from the Ohio State basketball team starting its postseason journey in this COVID-19 influenced March Madness. The fact that we had it all taken away from us last season makes it even more special, probably even more so for the players.

For the Buckeyes, it’s a chance to get a very sour end of the season washed out of the palate, after losing four in a row down the stretch. OSU went from a pretty solid lock as a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament, to a No. 2 seed in the Big Dance and the prospects of having to play an extra game, and four straight days to win the conference tournament.

But that’s OK. These opportunities are what you live for if you are playing basketball at the Division I level. The postseason can be full of drama, surprises, and the unexpected, and that’s why many love it so much.

Ohio State head coach met with the media in a Zoom session on Wednesday to discuss his team and what’s on the doorstep of this journey, and we’ve got all of his comments for you.

WATCH: Ohio State basketball drops epic March Madness trailer

The Ohio State basketball team is about to embark on some postseason basketball. On Tuesday, it dropped an epic March Madness trailer.

It’s March.

That means YOUR Ohio State basketball team is about to embark on the madness, mayhem, or whatever chaotic descriptor you’d like to throw out there that describes some sports’ fans favorite time of year, postseason tournament basketball.

It all starts for the Buckeyes on Thursday in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament, continues (hopefully) throughout this weekend before the Big Dance next week. It should be a hoot.

In honor of March basketball, the Ohio State basketball managers dropped an adrenaline-inducing trailer that takes you through a journey of some of the best moments in Buckeye basketball history. From the days of Jimmy Jackson to buzzer beaters by Ron Lewis and Aaron Craft, re-living these moments are sure to get you in the mood for all the hoops shenanigans we are about to witness.

Watch this spine-tingling hype video and clear out some space to let loose a couple of fist pumps.

March. Is. Here. Let’s get to it. Good luck to the basketball Bucks.

Ohio State basketball NCAA Tournament History

 

WATCH: Chase Young surprises his mom with a new car

Former Ohio State and current Washington Football Team DE Chase Young surprised his mom with a new car Monday. Watch her reaction.

Former Ohio State and current Washington Football Team defensive end Chase Young is a game wrecker coming off the edge on a football field. But if you’ve followed him, you also know he’s one heck of a human being off of it.

Now that he’s made good on a lifelong dream to make to the NFL (we think he’s going better than just making it by the way), there are other things he wants to accomplish. Apparently, one of those things is taking care of his mom, Carla.

On Monday, Young shared a video of him surprising his mom with a brand new car. Not just any car mind you, but a Mercedes by the looks of it. The 2021 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year knocked on his mom’s door and brought her out to see the surprise. Disbelief, laughter, and hugs then followed.

“My first dream was making it to the NFL. This was my second,” said Young’s video post on Instagram.

You can get a look at the video as well thanks to it being shared by the Ohio State Football Twitter account.

To be fair, it wouldn’t be the first, nor the last time a sports superstar takes care of his parent with an expensive gift. But for Young, it’s one of many actions he’s shown us that tell you exactly who he is as a person. He may be a super-talented and menacing defensive end in the NFL, but his heart is just as big as that motor that scares the daylights out of opposing quarterbacks.

Good on you Young.

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LOOK. Ohio State football is still trolling Dabo Swinney two months after the Sugar Bowl blowout

The Ohio State Football Twitter account found a way to dunk on Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney two months after the Sugar Bowl blowout.

Some punchlines never get old. Especially when it comes to putting someone in their place like the Ohio State football team did to Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney.

You remember it well. Swinney couldn’t keep quiet about the Buckeyes not being deserving of a spot in the College Football Playoff — and we’re paraphrasing — because a global pandemic kept them from playing enough games. In his holier than though attitude, he went on a media tour continuing to dig himself a hole and railing on the program and team that would be opposite his in the Sugar Bowl. He even ranked OSU as the No. 11 team in the country, the lowest of any coach that has a vote in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll.

We don’t have to tell you how it all ended. Clemson got run off the field in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. What better way to dunk on Dabo than to whip up on the his so-called “No. 2” team in the College Football Playoff rankings.

There haven’t been too many eating crow moments quite like that one in college football history, and if you’re an Ohio State fan, it was glorious. Some OSU fans may have even reveled in that win more than beating (dare we say) Michigan, at least for one year, a year in which the Buckeyes and Wolverines’ contest got canceled because of COVID-19.

And that was that. Well, maybe not. That’s because the Ohio State Football Twitter account is still trolling Dabo and Clemson. In case you missed it, FOX College Football tweeted out the Sugar Bowl logo on Tuesday asking the question; “what’s the first thing you think of when you see this logo?”

Somewhere, the person behind the Ohio State Football Twitter account had to be virtually thanking the folks at FOX for the softball question. It was a simple two-character reply that will be sure to rile up the Clemson fanbase.

“11.”

Yep. That’s all that needs to be said. We never really got the opportunity to hear Swinney say he was wrong for ranking the Buckeyes so low last season, and you can bet we never will. But we all know how this will live on forever.

Well played OSU. Keep it comin’.

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Ohio State football legend’s son commits to Buckeyes

Ohio State has a legacy recruit that has joined the football team as a preferred walk-on. Orlando Pace’s son, Jalen joins the class of 2021.

The Ohio State Buckeyes are still hoping for one last commitment to the 2021 recruiting class, but in the meantime, they snagged a recognizable name in Jalen Pace who has accepted an offer to be a preferred walk-on at outside linebacker.

The reason Pace is sounding familiar is due to his father being Ohio State legend and NFL Hall of Famer, Orlando Pace. The former number one overall selection is easily one of the greatest to ever wear the scarlet and gray, and his lengthy resume includes being named a unanimous All-American twice and taking home the Lombardi Award twice.

Obviously, with Jalen being a walk-on, expectations are set much lower, but the newest Buckeye was receiving a few offers from the FCS level including from Dayton, and despite currently standing at 6-foot, 3-inches, and only 193-pounds, the linebacker from St. Louis, Missouri has a large enough frame to become a solid contributor down the road.

It’s so easy to focus on the four and five-star recruits when it comes to Ohio State and the plethora of athletic freaks that enroll on a yearly basis. But one must remember that the Buckeyes have a history of churning out fantastic walk-ons like Kyle Andrews, Nate Ebner, and — most notably — Terry Glenn.

Ohio State football 2022 recruiting commitment tracker

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Two from Ohio State Men’s basketball team earn Big Ten All-Conference honors

After a better than expected season, Ohio State players are recognized for their play on the court by the coaches and media.

The Big Ten Conference announced its postseason award winners today. Making the list were a couple of playmakers from your Ohio State Buckeye basketball team.

On the coaches’ side of things, E.J. Liddell was named to the all-conference first team by Big Ten coaches. Liddell averaged 16 points per game on nearly 50% shooting this season, along with 6.5 rebounds per game. The 6-foot, 7-inch Liddell was the most consistent Buckeye on the hardwood and was rewarded for his play.

The media didn’t love Liddell quite as much, awarding him with a second team all-conference selection. Still high praise for the sophomore forward from Illinois.

Duane Washington Jr. had flashes of brilliance as well during this season and was named an all-conference third team selection. While Liddell was Mr. Consistency, it is Washington who is the emotional leader of this team. The OSU guard averaged 15.3 points per game and added nearly three rebounds and three assists per game.

In addition, senior Kyle Young was named as a Big Ten Sportsmanship Award Honoree. An honor definitely well deserved.

Luka Garza of Iowa took home Big Ten Player of the Year. Michigan’s Juwan Howard was named Coach of the year.

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Ohio State bracketology roundup 3.0: Where the Buckeyes stand just before the Big Ten Tournament

Our latest bracketology roundup looks at Ohio State basketball’s plight with major NCAA Tournament projections before the B1G Tournament.

After a remarkable run through most of the Big Ten schedule, the Ohio State basketball squad limped to the finish line, mercifully ending a campaign that had a lot more promise before the four-game losing streak to end things.

But all is not lost. OSU now heads to Lucas Oil Stadium as the No. 5 seed in the Big Ten Tournament, and this is where seasons can go from disappointing to memorable. The Buckeyes still have what it takes to a very dangerous out in postseason play, and that’s not just in the Big Ten, but in the NCAA Tournament a week later as well.

But there’s no denying that four straight losses have damaged the seed Ohio State is likely to get in all the March Madness. Instead of a potential No. 1 seed, the Buckeyes are understandably falling down all the popular NCAA Tournament bracket projections.

Speaking of which, we check in on those from time-to-time, and it makes perfect sense to see where things stand on the doorstep of the conference tournament, so that’s what we’re going to do.

Here is a look at some of the major NCAA Tournament Projections out there.

NEXT … ESPN’s Joe Lunardi

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