Tag: ohio state basketball

Ohio State game owns real and symbolic meaning for Badgers

Ohio State-Wisconsin basketball

The immediate source of meaning and importance for Sunday’s game against the Ohio State Buckeyes is obvious for the Wisconsin Badgers: Avoid a two-game losing streak. Avoid losing a fourth game in five outings. Avoid undoing the good work done against Michigan State. Avoid a downward slide which — if continued — could risk the team’s likely NCAA Tournament bid.

The Badgers have been good about bouncing back from rough moments and stinging disappointments all season long. This team plays well when challenged. It responds when thrown into a crisis. Wisconsin’s problem has not been its response to adversity; the Badgers haven’t responded well to prosperity. They let down their guard after a win and have struggled to stack together consecutive quality performances this season. Remember: All but one of Wisconsin’s Big Ten losses this season have come after a win. The exception was the Iowa loss, and that was a game in which UW played far better than in its previous game against Purdue.

One aspect of this Ohio State game is different from the other games Wisconsin has played so far this season. This detail makes Sunday’s game unique, and imbues it with meaning which is symbolic, not just bubble-related. That detail: Wisconsin can sweep a Big Ten opponent in a two-game series for the first time in 2020.

Wisconsin has previously played one Big Ten opponent twice: Michigan State. However, because UW lost the first of the two meetings with the Spartans, it never had a chance to sweep MSU. This game against Ohio State on Sunday is UW’s first sweep opportunity of the season.

The game against the Buckeyes therefore begs the question: Can Wisconsin play two good games against the same opponent? We haven’t yet seen evidence UW can do precisely that. However, this game is at home. Wisconsin already attained the harder part of a two-game sweep by winning in Columbus on Jan. 3. If Wisconsin can sweep an Ohio State team which — in December — was talked about as a possible No. 1 seed, the Badgers will take a notable step forward in their evolution.

The value of this game is real… and also symbolic… for Wisconsin.

Kaleb Wesson one of ten finalists for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award

Ohio State big man Kaleb Wesson has been named one of ten finalists for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, given to the best center annually.

Ohio State big man Kaleb Wesson has had an up and down season, and a roller coaster of a career in Columbus if we’re being honest with ourselves. He’s had games where he looks like one of the best players in the country, and he’s had other times where he’s struggled to stay on the court because of foul trouble and conditioning. Or others where he has had trouble dealing with double-teams and length in the frontcourt.

However, Tuesday was the former. In one of Wesson’s best games of his career, he put the Buckeyes on his back, scoring 23 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in a whopping 36 minutes of play. Without him, Ohio State had no way of winning a hard-fought contest on the road against Michigan.

Now, Wesson has been recognized for a prestigious award. As of Friday, he has been named as one of ten finalists for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award given to college basketball’s best big-man annually.

The other nine candidates include Vernon Carey Jr. (Duke), Omer Yurtseven (Georgetown), Filip Petrusev (Gonzaga), Luka Garza (Iowa), Udoka Azubuike (Kansas), Daniel Oturu (Minnesota), Onyeka Okongwu (USC), Isaiah Stewart (Washington) and Nathan Knight (William and Mary).

Now a junior, the 6-9 Wesson has worked on remaking his body and game since he arrived in Columbus. His conditioning and footwork have gotten much better, and he is now a significant threat from beyond the arc. He has clearly taken the feedback he received from the NBA types to heart when he tested the waters after last season.

This year, Wesson leads the team in points (14.3) and rebounds (9.8) per game. He is shooting almost 50 percent from the field, and that includes a ridiculous 41.9 percent from three-point range.

It’ll still be a little while before we know who wins this honor. The Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award won’t be handed out until April 10 at the College Basketball Awards in Los Angeles.

Where is Ohio State in Joe Lunardi’s latest Bracketology

Ohio State has won three in a row, so you have to think it is moving up the NCAA Tournament bracket projections. Yes, says Joe Lunardi.

It’s that time of year when interest begins to peak for the various NCAA Tournament projections out there. One of the most followed and best of the pack belongs to master “Bracketologist” Joe Lunardi of ESPN.

He’s been doing his things for years, and generally comes out as accurate as anyone. Of note though, he doesn’t project what’s going to happen, but rather, constructs the landscape as it would be today. He’s already released several versions of his latest projections this year, and now he is out with a brand new one.

So where is Ohio State after a big road win up in Ann Arbor? The good news is that the Buckeyes have won three in a row and have climbed. The not so great news is that they haven’t climbed that far according to Lunardi. OSU is now up to a No. 7 seed which is up two seed lines from last week. That means progress of course, but far from a safe spot should the Buckeyes hit some choppy waters again.

But it makes sense. There are a lot of quad one wins there against quality competition early, but there are also a lack of big-time wins included with an under .500 conference record.

You can get the rest of his projection that was dropped Friday by clicking on the below tweet. But, for spoilers, he has Ohio State in the West Region as the No. 7 seed, going up to Cleveland to play against No. 10 seed Rhode Island.

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This will all change as quickly as they are put together, so continue to stay with us as we track where Ohio State is trending with each week.

Re-live Ohio State basketball’s win over Michigan

The Ohio State creative team shared a video highlight recap of Ohio State basketball’s big win over Michigan in Ann Arbor.

If you’ve been missing some of the Ohio State creative team’s work it does during the football season, we’re here to let you know they are still at it with the basketball team.

By now you know the Buckeyes went up to Ann Arbor and made Michigan fans sad again — this time in another sport — by beating the Wolverines 61-58 in their own gym. It contest was tighter than spandex on a sumo wrestler, but Ohio State made just enough plays, and got a big break to win it down the stretch.

Hopefully you got all the action on DVR, but if you didn’t the fine folks at Ohio State have you covered with a much shorter highlights version of the all-important victory. You can watch the recap via a video it shared to the Ohio State basketball Twitter feed.

Click on the below and watch from the warmups and pregame all the way through the ending and celebration.

You can bet Michigan will be looking for revenge when it makes a return trip to Columbus on March 1.

 

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D’Angelo Russell traded to Minnesota Timberwolves

According to reports, former Ohio State star D’Angelo Russell has been traded from the Golden State Warriors to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Former Ohio State star D’Angelo Russell has been traded from the Golden State Warriors to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The news was first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Russell had a break-out year last season with the Brooklyn Nets where he averaged 21.1 points and made his first All-Star team. He was acquired by Golden State after the year in a sign and trade deal, but rumors had circulated recently about him being shopped around.

Now, it has become reality. Russell will join former Ohio State national player of the year Evan Turner in Minnesota who was just recently acquired in a four-team trade earlier this week.

In return for Russell, Golden State will receive Andrew Wiggins, a 2021 protected first-round pick, and a 2022 second-round pick. The Timberwolves will also receive Jacob Evans and Omari Spellman from the Warriors.

Russell had been building upon a fantastic season last year by averaging 23.6 points per game and almost seven assists, but now he’ll have to deal with a fresh start up in Minnesota.

Ryan Day gives Ohio State basketball a shoutout following victory over Michigan

The Ohio State Buckeyes downed the Michigan Wolverines in basketball, and head football coach Ryan Day was loving it.

The Ohio State Buckeyes downed the Michigan Wolverines in basketball, and head football coach Ryan Day was loving it. The Buckeyes have now beaten Michigan twice in the last three months.

11-2 at home and 15-7 overall, the Buckeyes have struggled a bit in conference play, making an away victory over the Wolverines that much more rewarding.

The Buckeyes won 61-58. On the back of Kaleb Wesson and Duane Washington Jr., two players that combined for 40 of the team’s 61, Ohio State was able to record their third straight victory.

It was really the defense that solidified the victory, forcing Michigan to shoot just 33% from the field. It was a victory that moves Ohio State more solidly in the NCAA field — for now.

Let’s just say Ryan Day knows a bit about beating TTUN. After Ohio State’s impressive victory, he gave the team and head coach Chris Holtmann some love on Twitter.

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It’s great seeing the different programs support each other. Knowing something about winning, Day’s recognition and support of the program only bodes well for the team’s future.

The Buckeyes will be back in action Sunday on the road at Wisconsin.

WATCH: Bizarre flagrant foul against Michigan that aided Ohio State’s win

Michigan guard Zavier Simpson was assessed a flagrant foul that was truly bizarre against Ohio State’s Kyle Young. Watch here.

It sure feels good to go on the road and beat Michigan no matter the sport if you’re allegiances lie with Ohio State. Tuesday night was a good night then for all of Buckeye Nation, as OSU took care of business up in Ann Arbor, winning 61-58 in a physical battle.

But with any game that’s a nip and tuck affair like this one was throughout, a break here, a bounce of the ball there, or a referee’s call often has an impact on the outcome. So it was tonight.

Ohio State was nursing a one-point lead with under a minute left when Michigan guard Zavier Simpson drove to his left and took the ball straight at Kyle Young at the rim. A foul was called on Young, sending Simpson to the line. But that wasn’t all. Young — who actually never fouled the Wolverine guard in the first place — came away from the action with a ripped jersey.

That led to a review of the play by the officials who then proceeded to call a flagrant one foul on Simpson for grabbing the OSU forward’s jersey and pulling on it as he went to the ground. So, not only did Michigan get two free throws for the foul on Young, but then Ohio State received two of its own and the ball out of bounds.

Enter more controversy and weirdness into an Ohio State – Michigan matchup. And of course, it had a ton to do with the outcome of the game.

You can get a look at this truly strange and bizarre turn of events in the below Twitter video posted by the Big Ten Network.

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We can honestly say we’ve never seen this before. No matter which team you are a fan of, it’s definitely one of the strangest endings to a basketball game you’ll ever see.

 

Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion.

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WATCH what Chris Holtmann said after Ohio State’s win over Michigan postgame

Chris Holtmann was pleased after the big victory over Michigan Tuesday. Watch and listen to what he said in his postgame press conference.

Ohio State got a key Big Ten road win, the kind of victory that can turn a season back around in a positive direction. But it wasn’t just a win, but how the team went about getting it done. It fought through some adversity and a hostile crowd to get a road victory in a conference that allows those very often.

Head coach Chris Holtmann was understandably pleased after the game. He met with the media in Ann Arbor to field questions and had a lot to say. If you didn’t get a chance to catch everything, you can get all of his comments thanks to Adam Jardy of the Columbus Dispatch.

Click on the below video and listen to Holtmann discuss his team’s toughness, Kaleb Wesson’s performance, the physical nature of the game, and more.

Ohio State is next in action Sunday on the road against Wisconsin. It just doesn’t get any easier in the deep and talented Big Ten.

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Ohio State basketball beats Michigan: Three things we learned

Ohio State went on the road and got a big win against Michigan. Here are three things we learned after the victory.

Boy has it been a yo-yo season for the Ohio State basketball team. It started out white-hot, winning its first nine games, and eleven of the first twelve. Then the proverbial wheels fell off when the calendar flipped to 2020. The Buckeyes went on to lose six of seven, falling out of the top 25 rankings and sitting at the bottom of the league.

Now, OSU seems to have found its early in the season form, winning three straight — two of them on the road to turn the ship back out into open water. The last of those a really good victory in Ann Arbor against arch-rival Michigan.

And that’s where we pick things up. Here are three things we learned from Ohio State’s 61-58 victory over That Team Up North.

Next … A trend worth noting

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Ohio State battles though adversity, beats Michigan in Ann Arbor

Ohio State battled through a rough and tumble game against Michigan on the road for a key Big Ten win.

The Ohio State basketball team just got a huge win on the road, and it was against a familiar foe — Michigan. It’s been hard enough to win away from home this year in the Big Ten, but Ohio State has now done it the last two times out. First against Northwestern, and now against That School Up North.

The game was tight all the way throughout, but the Buckeyes did just enough down the stretch to pull out a hard-fought 61-58 victory. To do it though, they had to fight through a lot of adversity.

For starters, Ohio State couldn’t keep Michigan off the glass on offense. The Wolverines grabbed fourteen offensive rebounds, giving them extra possessions to make up for a poor shooting night. OSU also lost the ball-handling skills of Luther Muhammad midway through the second half that cut into the bench and changed the rotations.

But it didn’t matter much.

That’s because there were some extremely positive things going too. Ohio State only turned the ball over eight times for the entire game, and made seven three-pointers to equalize the effort on the glass by Michigan.

It was an evenly played game throughout, but it was a controversial call at the end that gave Ohio State the opportunity to win the game. Michigan guard Zavier Simpson drove to the rim down one with under a minute left and drew a shooting foul. However, he also pulled on Kyle Young’s jersey, ripping it on the way to the ground. After a lengthy review, Simpson was assessed a flagrant one giving Ohio State two shots and the ball.

Simpson hit his two free throws for the common foul, then Young was clutch and buried his two to give the Buckeyes the one-point lead. On the ensuing possession, C.J. Walker also got fouled and nailed two free throws. Michigan had one last chance but was unable to nail the game-tying three.

Game over.

With the win, Ohio State improves to 15-7 overall and pulls within one game of .500 (5-6) in the Big Ten. More importantly, it’s a quad 1 win on the road that gets the Buckeyes further away from bubble territory.

 

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