Lady Bucks Basketball Thread

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

3/23/06

OSU WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Buckeyes live and learn, look forward to next season

Thursday, March 23, 2006

Jim Massie
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH




The end arrived for the Ohio State women’s basketball team late Tuesday night in Mackey Arena with the cold, sudden shock of a fall through thin ice and into a pond.

The Buckeyes, who entered the NCAA Tournament as the No. 1 seed in the Albuquerque Regional, were dunked and dismissed in the second round by eighth-seeded Boston College in a 79-69 upset.

In losing, the Big Ten regular-season and tournament champions became the first top seed not to reach the Sweet 16 since Stanford and Texas Tech in 1998.

"We just got outworked," OSU junior center Jessica Davenport said. "We didn’t execute our offense. We didn’t execute our defense."

The defensive lapses allowed the Eagles (21-11) to build an early lead.

"In the first four minutes of the game, we weren’t getting stops on defense," sophomore guard Marscilla Packer said. "We made mistakes that we don’t usually make and they came back to haunt us."

Spotty offense prevented the Buckeyes (29-3) from making a run after they took a 48-46 lead with 10:47 left in the game. While OSU sputtered, Boston College’s Kindyll Dorsey started the decisive run with three quick three-point field goals.

"The turning point in the game came when we took the lead," OSU coach Jim Foster said. "We had an opportunity to come down and score. We threw the ball into a guard on the block.

"When you have been behind the whole game and you crawl back and get the lead, that’s something you need to value. You need to get a quality shot that time down the floor and we didn’t."

Late in the game, the Buckeyes lost junior guard Brandie Hoskins to an ankle injury. She was to undergo a magnetic resonance imaging to determine the extent of the damage.

The team returned to Columbus by bus from West Lafayette yesterday with Foster already planning for next season.

He knows what he is losing in senior forward Debbie Merrill and senior guards Kim Wilburn, Ashley Allen, Candace Dark and Tia Battle.

"Debbie Merrill came in and gave us a degree of toughness," Foster said.

"Kim and Ashley, while not natural point guards, did a yeoman’s job of managing the position.

"Tia and Candace were role players, but role players have great value to a basketball team, especially ones that understand it and know how to give the effort necessary . . . when they are called upon."

The recruiting class, which includes transfer guard Ashlee Trebilcock, will have an opportunity to play.

"I think there is going to be a lot of competition for Debbie’s position," said Foster, who has been named a finalist for the Naismith coach of the year award.

He listed juniors-to-be Alice Jamen and Tam Riley, sophomore-to-be Star Allen and incoming freshman Lesslee Mason-Cox from Cincinnati Princeton as possibilities.

Andrea Walker, a 6-5 freshman of West Allegheny, Pa., will provide size inside to complement Davenport, the two-time Big Ten player of the year.

Freshman point guard Maria Moeller of Marion Local in Maria Stein and guards Cherise Daniel of Eastmoor Academy and Shavelle Little of Huron in Ann Arbor, Mich., already are slotted into roles.

"Trebilcock is a very good player," Foster said. "She’ll be eligible as soon as the second quarter starts. Maria Moeller is going to have to come in here and be ready to play. More often than not, kids today are.

"Shavelle Little has got to bring the energy from the defensive perspective that Kim and Ashley gave us. Cherise is long like Tia Battle and a very good shooter. They’re going to have to earn their minutes. But I just think we’re going to be solid."

jmassie@dispatch.com

Thursday, March 23, 2006

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

3/29/06

College women’s basketball: Hoskins has surgery

Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Ohio State guard Brandie Hoskins, who ruptured her Achilles’ tendon in the NCAA tournament, has undergone successful surgery. The junior averaged 12.3 points per game and ranked second on the team with 96 assists this season for the Buckeyes.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

3/29/06

OSU WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Davenport gets two honors

Center on All-America, USA teams

Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Jim Massie
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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Good news washed up like waves against Jessica Davenport yesterday outside the Ohio State women’s basketball locker room.

The Buckeyes’ junior center and two-time Big Ten player of the year expected the first splash. The other served as a pleasant surprise.

Davenport had known for two months that she would be one of four college players joining the USA Basketball senior national team for its spring training trip to Australia in April.

She also learned that she had been selected a second-team All-American by the Associated Press. Davenport made first team a year ago, but shrugged off the drop with a smile.

"Any type of All-America is good," she said. "We had a great season this year. I think I’ve had a great season, and it’s just a reflection that."

The Buckeyes (29-3) won the Big Ten regular season and tournament championships and were a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament before losing to Boston College in the second round.

Davenport led the conference in scoring, rebounding, fieldgoal percentage and blocked shots. She feels that she ended the season as a better all-around player than she started.

"I think that anybody that is with this program, the players and coaches, know that I’ve expanded my game this year and I’ve gotten better," Davenport said.

She views the trip to Australia as an opportunity to improve. She will be joined by collegians Seimone Augustus and Sylvia Fowles of Louisiana State and Cappie Pondexter of Rutgers. The four hope to make the USA team for the FIBA World Championships in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in September.

Former OSU All-American Katie Smith, a member of the Detroit Shock of the WNBA, is among the veteran players on the team.

"Playing against the best players in the world I think will be a great opportunity for me to gain experience," Davenport said. "A lot of those people are WNBA players, something I aspire to be. And playing with Katie Smith, I’ve known her for a long time, I know while I’m down there she’ll help me out."

Ohio State coach Jim Foster is pleased Davenport will have the chance to play against nationalteam competition such as Australia, China and Taiwan.

"Any time you play against better players, it challenges you to get better," he said.

Although Foster believes that Davenport has improved, he has a goal for her next season to draw more fouls. He is aware that she probably led the Big Ten in contact without drawing a referee’s whistle.

"We’re going to have to make sure it happens," Foster said. "She just needs to be strong to the basket and toward the lane a little bit. I think that stuff makes a difference."
Surgery for Hoskins



Not all the news was good for the Buckeyes. Junior guard Brandie Hoskins underwent surgery Monday to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon. She suffered the injury in the final minutes of the Boston College game. Foster would not speculate on when Hoskins would be back.

"That stuff is all relative to the individual, how quickly they heal and how the rehab goes," Foster said. "She has got a mind-set that she wants to be back quickly."

jmassie@dispatch.com

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

DDN

3/31/06

Injury forces Hoskins to rest

By Doug Harris
Dayton Daily News

COLUMBUS | — Ohio State's Brandie Hoskins could always count on her legs to zip past defenders and navigate to the basket.

But in an NCAA tournament loss to Boston College last week, her body finally rebelled.

The junior guard from Dayton dropped to the court in a heap near the end of the 79-69 second-round loss and was shocked to discover that she hadn't first been fouled. "When I caught the ball, I felt something pop," Hoskins said. "I thought someone kicked me, but no one was around.

"I've never had so much pain in my life. When I couldn't get back up, that's when I knew I was really hurt."

The Chaminade-Julienne grad underwent surgery Monday to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon.

Once she sheds her crutches, she will begin an extensive rehab program.
OSU women's head trainer Chalisa Fonza said recovery times range from four months to two years.

"It depends on the person," Fonza said. "You really can't put a (precise) timetable on it."

But Hoskins has vowed to return within four months. "I'll be all right," she said. "My mom always tells me God doesn't put more on you than you can handle, and I can handle this. It hurts. I cry about it. But I'm strong, and I love basketball. And next year, I'll be a better player."

The injury was the culmination of a forgettable night for Hoskins and the top-seeded Buckeyes. The two-time all-Big Ten honoree scored 13 points on 6-of-15 shooting and had five turnovers, and the team had its 20-game winning streak snapped while finishing 29-3.

"It was tough (to lose), but it's over," Hoskins said. "They beat us. It wasn't our night. Every time we made a run, they knocked down shots."

Hoskins, known for being a tireless worker, hadn't taken a significant break from basketball since last season began, having played during the summer with a USA all-star team that won a gold medal overseas. She believes the physical stress of that experience may have caught up with her.

"I think this is just God's way of telling me I need to rest my body," Hoskins said. "It's an injury, but I'm glad it was at the end of the season and not my first game. It could be worse. I could be out the rest of my life.

"Next year, I plan on coming back and being one of the best point guards in the country, if not THE best. I'm using this as motivation."


Contact Doug Harris at (937) 225-2125.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

4/12/06

Davenport helps U . S . win



Ohio State junior center Jessica Davenport came off the bench to score 10 points and grab six rebounds to help the USA senior women’s basketball team beat Chinese Taipei 91-66 in the 2006 Opals World Challenge in Canberra, Australia.

Former OSU All-American Katie Smith had four points and three assists in the win.
The United States (4-0) and Australia (3-1) meet in the final today.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

4/22/06

DISPATCH COACH OF YEAR

Foster content to let players do talking, winning

Laid-back tack led to 29-3 season for OSU

Sunday, April 23, 2006

Mark Znidar
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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Because players come and go within a four- and five-year period, it has been said coaches are the enduring face of college basketball.
Those faces often are splashed across television screens as they rant, carry on like cheerleaders and wander so far onto the court it seems they want to guard someone.
Jim Foster of Ohio State isn’t one of the bunch.
When OSU defeated Penn State with a shot by Marscilla Packer with two seconds left, he stepped to the side and let the players celebrate.
When they won the regularseason and tournament Big Ten championships, Foster again watched with pride but from the perimeter.
"No. 1, when you’ve been doing things for a long time, I think you become more comfortable," he said of his demeanor. "No. 2, I think this should always be about the players. It’s a players’ game and it always has been a players’ game. With the growth of the women’s game and television, I think theater has become part of the game. I don’t have much time for that."
The quiet gentleman from Philadelphia was responsible for Ohio State making a lot of noise this past season. He was voted The Dispatch Women’s Ohio College Basketball Coach of the Year by his peers for leading the Buckeyes to a 29-3 record and No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The team won 20 straight games before losing to Boston College in the NCAA second round.
What you see is what you get, Buckeyes assistant Debbie Black said. She played for Foster when he was an up-and-coming coach at St. Joseph’s in the late ’80s.
"He might have been a little more animated then, but he’s not a whole lot different," Black said. "He can motivate you in different ways. He has a subtle approach and has a different way of getting his point across."
Black recalls one game that was out of character for Foster.
"He actually fell backward on the sideline," she said. "He was just lying there. It was doubleovertime and it was his reaction of having finally won the game."
Coaches have poked fun at Foster’s studious approach, earning him the nickname "The Professor."
"Coach has his game plan and knows what he wants us to do," center Jessica Davenport said. "There’s a certain level of play he wants from us. But coach doesn’t get animated and he doesn’t expect us to get animated. He just wants us to play the way we are capable of playing."
That doesn’t mean Foster is a robot.
"Coach has his days," Davenport said. "He can get upset. He’ll come out of that calm demeanor. It’s just that he isn’t into the hoopla of the game. He works hard and he demands results. We’ve learned that even after the game, you celebrate with your teammates inside the locker room as a group."
One of Foster’s pet peeves is the media devoting too much time to the so-called game within a game.
"I really dislike some of those clichés like, ‘He’s working the officials’ or ‘He’s into the game because he’s up (walking the sideline),’ " he said. "There’s so much emphasis placed on stuff that really doesn’t matter during a game. I’ve learned that after 28 years not a whole lot will catch you by surprise. You know what’s coming by the amount of tape you watch. Then it’s the players’ turn to perform."
mznidar@dispatch.com

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

LINK

7/14/06

UCLA transfer hopes to light it up for Buckeyes
Trebilcock saw her share of Hollywood glitz.

News photo by Mark Zibrik
Ashlee Trebilcock has been an integral part of UnderTheRim's 4-1 start in the Worthington Women's Summer Basketball League.
By MARK ZIBRIK
Having her name in lights high atop center court of Value City Arena may not have the same effect on Ashlee Trebilcock as it would any other fresh-faced member of the Ohio State University women's basketball team.
For most newcomers to the Buckeye hoops squad, that much attention could give the most level-headed person a case of the shivers.
However, this phenomenon will be nothing out of the ordinary for the 5-foot, 9-inch guard, who sat out last year after transferring from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Trebilcock has had plenty of experience with fame, considering her time away from the hardwood.
From the ages of 4 through 10, Trebilcock, going by the name of Ashlee Lauren, was more silver screen star than hardwood heroine, appearing in several commercials, television shows and movies.
"I'm just super excited to get back on the basketball court," said Trebilcock, who plays for UnderTheRim in the Worthington Women's Summer Basketball League. "I had a pretty good time doing all those things."
The Boise, Idaho, native, who moved to the Los Angeles area when she was 3 after being spotted by a talent agency, has shared the same stage with a diverse group of entertainers.
Among those luminaries are Robin Williams, Bill Cosby and Jennifer Lopez in the Francis Ford Coppola-directed vehicle Jack.
Trebilcock also appeared alongside George Clooney in the hit television series ER, as well as Jennifer Love Hewitt in McKenna.
She has also been on the other end of the spectrum, sharing screen time with the likes of Dustin Diamond in the television movie Saved by the Bell: Hawaiian Style.
Her last body of work was appearing as Marissa in an episode of a TV series featuring Corbin Bernsen called The Cape in 1996.
With her Hollywood career in the past, Trebilcock said she's thankful for being blessed with the opportunity.
"It definitely helped me growing up," she said. "I had to be around adults my whole childhood. It helped me deal with being under pressure and dealing with coaches."
As a prep star, Trebilcock was a Parade All-American. At Hart High School in Newhall, Calif., she established several school records, including points (2,383), rebounds (575), assists (469) and steals (361).
For her efforts, she was tabbed first-team all-state twice, as well as earning the LA Daily News player of the year honor three years (2003-05).
During her brief stint at UCLA, Trebilcock played in just four games for the Bruins, averaging three points as a freshman during the 2004-05 season
While her career as a Bruin never materialized, Trebilcock eagerly anticipates renewed life as a Buckeye.
"I committed super early, because it was close to home," Trebilcock said. "I realized the style of play, the team, the program just wasn't for me. I got up and left."
Looking for a fresh start, Trebilcock sought direction from various sources as to where she should continue her college career.
"After I decided to transfer, I talked to people who knew what was going on," said Trebilcock, who listed Oklahoma and Connecticut as other possible choices. "I asked what system I would play in with a good coach and program. Ohio State had the total package."
"She has a lot of skills," Buckeyes coach Jim Foster said. "She can score off the dribble and has good offensive instincts."
While Columbus doesn't possess the glitz and glam of LA, Trebilcock admitted to succumbing to homesickness during her initial move, before adapted to her new Midwest surroundings.
"When I moved here, it was January and it was freezing," she said. "I'm not used to winter, so it was hard to adjust to that.
"It was hard, because it was the middle of winter and I wouldn't see my family for months, but the girls quickly took me under their wing."
Among the other highlights luring her away from sun-drenched Southern California was the possibility of playing for an NCAA title.
"We're trying to do really big things with the Final Four in Cleveland," she said. "It's a good goal to shoot for to play in front of our fans."
Because of the time frame of her transfer and NCAA rules, Trebilcock won't be available for the Buckeyes until mid-December.
For now, she said, she's simply hoping to have fun and keep fit, all while registering some wins for UnderTheRim, which next will play at 8 p.m. Thursday against Zappitelli Financial.
"It's been really hard to sit and go through practices," Trebilcock said. "I'm a gamer and that's what you live for. I haven't played in a game in a while, so it's good to play out there and get in the flow of the game. Plus, I get to play with some teammates."
Other Thursday league games at Ohio Sports Plus include:
7 p.m. -- Pengwyn vs. Alan E. Moore, All State-Geyer vs. HER-Cooper, Shade on the Canal vs. 7UP.
8 p.m. -- Cliff Lanthorn vs. HER-The Henry Team, All State-Dinsmore vs. Global Distribution
9 p.m. -- The Title Co. vs. John Roesch Co.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Link

8/7/06

Hart alumna happy with move to Ohio
Trebilcock still loves UCLA
BY JUSTIN FRANK, Staff Writer

When Ashlee Trebilcock transferred from UCLA to Ohio State she expected culture shock.
In January when she arrived in Columbus, Ohio, she experienced anything but.
"I thought it was going to be so different out here," Trebilcock said. "Columbus is like a mini L.A., but the environment is less dramatic and more supportive."
Trebilcock, who committed to UCLA during her junior season at Hart, decided that the Bruins' program wasn't for her and chose Ohio State from about seven schools to transfer to.
"Don't get me wrong, I still love UCLA," Trebilcock said. "The other athletes were so cool and everything about it was great, it's just that the women's basketball program wasn't right for me."
Trebilcock still has great relationships with UCLA athletes. When she was sitting in her dorm room watching what turned out to be an unbelievable finish for the Bruins' men's basketball team, when UCLA pulled out a come-from-behind victory to knock off Gonzaga in the NCAA Tournament and move on to the Elite-8, the first thing Trebilcock did afterward was call her friend UCLA forward Alfred Aboya.
"I just called Alfred to tell him how crazy the game was and how happy I was that they won," Trebilcock said. "Then I mentioned that I was just a few hours away from Indianapolis and if he had any extra tickets to the Final Four, I'd love to go."
Sure enough Aboya did have some and Trebilcock and her mother attended both the Bruins' win over LSU in the semifinal and their championship loss to Florida. The experience was further enhanced because in the two seats next to them were UCLA legends Bill Walton and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
"When we first got there, there was two empty seats," Trebilcock said. "Next thing we knew (Walton and Adbul-Jabbar) were there. It was amazing." Trebilcock is also looking forward to watching the Buckeyes' football team, but she knows getting tickets to see the that was just named the top-ranked squad by the USA Today Coach's Poll is a tough task. I'll have to make some phone calls," Trebilcock said. "But, it is going to be great to see a stadium filled with about 100,000 people and about as much people outside cheering for the Buckeyes."

Trebilcock also says she really enjoys the atmosphere of Ohio State.
"It's really great here," Trebilcock said. "Everyone here is a big fan of the school and people recognize you. In L.A. they only recognize you if you are a movie star, but here athletes are the celebrities."
Even though Trebilcock cannot play on the team until December due to NCAA transfer rules, she is having no problem getting along with her new teammates.
"She fit in right away," Ohio State junior forward Alice Jamen said. "Ashlee has become great friends with everyone; I come over to her place almost every day."
Jamen also has noticed Trebilcock's leadership skills being used during off-season practices.
"She is definitely a leader," Jamen said. "She especially works well with our freshmen."
Jamen, who is from Cameroon, says that Trebilcock has helped her adapt to living in the U.S.
"She has really helped me learn the culture here," Jamen said. "She taught me about Idaho (Trebilcock's birthplace). Ashlee is a great person on and off the court." justin.frank@dailynews.com (818) 713-3607

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

cstv.com

8/23/06

Big Ten Announces 2006-07 League Schedule

Ohio State faces Purdue in national spotlight game on ESPN2, finishes conference slate with three of four at home


Aug. 22, 2006
COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Big Ten announced its 2006-07 women's basketball conference schedule Wednesday. Ohio State, the two-time defending league champion, will open Big Ten play at Iowa Dec. 31. The Buckeyes also travel to Purdue Jan. 29 for a national spotlight game on ESPN2. Ohio State will wrap up the regular season with three of its last four games at home.
Although the Big Ten schedule begins Dec. 28, the Buckeyes have a bye week before traveling to Iowa City. Ohio State swept the Hawkeyes last season in two high-scoring contests. Iowa, an NCAA tournament qualifier last season, makes the return trip to Columbus Feb. 4. Ohio State's league home opener is against Minnesota, also an NCAA tournament team, Jan. 4. The Buckeyes travel to Minneapolis Feb. 8.
Ohio State alternates away and home games for the next four contests, traveling to Penn State (Jan. 11), playing host to Northwestern (Jan. 14), trekking to Wisconsin (Jan. 18) and returning home vs. Illinois (Jan. 21). Northwestern visits Ohio State Feb. 1, while the Buckeyes face Illinois in Champaign, Ill., Feb. 11. Ohio State went a perfect 6-0 against those teams last season.
The Badgers and Nittany Lions are part of the Buckeyes' longest Big Ten home stretch in late February. Wisconsin (Feb. 15) and Penn State (Feb. 22) sandwich Ohio State's only scheduled tilt with Michigan State Feb. 18. OSU swept three games from the Spartans in 2006, including a victory on a last-second, game-winning layup by two-time reigning Big Ten player of the year Jessica Davenport in East Lansing, Mich. Ohio State and Purdue, which placed second to the Buckeyes in the Big Ten race last year, match up only once during the regular season Jan. 29 in West Lafayette, Ind. The game is scheduled to be broadcast by ESPN2. The contest against the Boilermakers follows Ohio State's only meeting with Indiana, a Jan. 25 home date. The Buckeyes play Michigan once as well, completing the regular season slate Feb. 25 in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Ohio State's non-conference schedule and start times for all games are incomplete and will be announced at a later date.

The Buckeyes captured the Big Ten regular-season crown for the second year in a row in 2006, compiling a 15-1 league mark. Ohio State enters 2007 conference play boasting a 17-game winning streak against Big Ten foes.
Season tickets for Ohio State women's basketball can be purchased online at www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com or by calling the athletics ticket office at 1-800-GoBucks.
2006-07 Ohio State Women's Basketball Big Ten Schedule
Date Opponent Site Television
Sunday, Dec. 31 at Iowa Iowa City, Iowa
Thursday, Jan. 4 MINNESOTA Columbus, Ohio
Thursday, Jan. 11 at Penn State State College, Pa.
Sunday, Jan. 14 NORTHWESTERN Columbus, Ohio
Thursday, Jan. 18 at Wisconsin Madison, Wis.
Sunday, Jan. 21 ILLINOIS Columbus, Ohio
Thursday, Jan. 25 INDIANA Columbus, Ohio
Monday, Jan. 29 at Purdue West Lafayette, Ind. ESPN2
Thursday, Feb. 1 at Northwestern Evanston, Ill.
Sunday, Feb. 4 IOWA Columbus, Ohio
Thursday, Feb. 8 at Minnesota Minneapolis, Minn.
Sunday, Feb. 11 at Illinois Champaign, Ill.
Thursday, Feb. 15 WISCONSIN Columbus, Ohio
Sunday, Feb. 18 MICHIGAN STATE Columbus, Ohio
Thursday, Feb. 22 PENN STATE Columbus, OhioSunday, Feb. 25 at Michigan Ann Arbor, Mich.

Dispatch

8/23/06

OSU WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Iowa to kick off Big Ten season
Wednesday, August 23, 2006



Ohio State will begin defense of its Big Ten women’s basketball championship on New Year’s Eve in Iowa City against the Iowa Hawkeyes.
The Buckeyes, who also won the conference tournament last season, follow with their Big Ten home opener Jan. 4 against Minnesota in Value City Arena.
The schedule is set up so that OSU has conference home and road games against Iowa, Minnesota, Penn State, Wisconsin, Northwestern and Illinois. OSU has single games with Purdue, Michigan State, Michigan and Indiana. The game at Purdue on Jan. 29 will be nationally televised by ESPN2.
"I never look at a (conference) schedule and have a predetermined thought," OSU coach Jim Foster said. "A computer does it. It is one of those things in life you have no control over, so why would I argue with a computer?"
The Buckeyes previously announced nonconference games at home against 2005-06 NCAA Tournament qualifiers Southern California (Nov. 19), Boston College (Nov. 21), Washington (Dec. 3) and Kentucky (TBA) with road tests at LSU (Dec. 10) and Oklahoma (Dec. 20).
Tip-off times will be determined at a later date.
jmassie@dispatch.com

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Link

8/25/06

Jackson commits to Ohio St.


By Alan Sutton
Tribune staff reporter
Published August 24, 2006, 10:29 PM CDT


Fenwick's Alison Jackson, considered one of the top girls basketball players in the state, gave an oral commitment to Ohio State on Thursday.

The 5-foot-11-inch senior helped the Friars reach the Class AA quarterfinals as a freshman and sophomore. Just 14 years old her freshman year, Jackson averaged 9.1 points per game and led the team in rebounding as Fenwick took third in the state. She averaged 14.8 points as a junior.

"I was looking to get a good education, to win a championship and just enjoy the college experience," said Jackson, who said the choice came down to the Buckeyes and Iowa. "I thought Ohio State had all three of those."

Jackson is ranked No. 21 in the nation in the Class of 2007 by the Blue Star Report.

Maine South guard Ashley Tomzik, who led the Hawks to a fourth-place finish in Class AA last season while averaging 14 points, has made an oral commitment to Illinois-Chicago.

asutton@tribune.com

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

OHIO STATE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Jump in season-ticket prices puts some fans in a foul mood
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Jim Massie
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
</IMG> NEAL C . LAURON DISPATCH The Ohio State women’s basketball team has drawn only one sellout at Value City Arena, which occurred Feb. 27, 2005, against Penn State.


Because beauty and bargains definitely lie in the eye of the beholder, the decision by Ohio State to increase the cost of women’s basketball tickets for the upcoming season has struck a sour note or two.
"I think it’s sad," longtime fan Sheri Turner said. "I arrange to buy tickets for 32 women. I’ve been doing it for years. Going into this season, I’ve lost a third of them. They can’t afford to do it. It breaks our hearts."
A year ago, a season-ticket package for an adult cost $85, an average of $5 for each of the 17 home games in Value City Arena and St. John Arena. This season, the price for the same number of tickets has jumped to $136, or $8 per game.
Brian Flenner, director of marketing and promotions, realized that the decision to raise prices would be unpopular. But a study of 2005-06 season-ticket packages at other Big Ten schools showed that the twotime defending conference champions were $7 fewer than the league average of $92.
Minnesota, Michigan State, Penn State and Purdue charged more than Ohio State. Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Indiana and Northwestern charged less.
"We were underpriced," Flenner said. "We know it’s a big increase. That’s why the senior rate wasn’t as steep."
Fans 62 and older can purchase a seasonticket package for $110.50, or $6.50 per game. Last season, no such discount existed, so seniors were paying $85.
Flenner is aware that seniors make up a large portion of the fan base.
"I can’t begin to tell you how long we talked about this before we pulled the trigger," he said. "That’s the reason we created the senior rate, to lessen the burden of the price increase on them."
The season-ticket price for students and children remains $42.50, or $2.50 per game. A flat rate for groups of 10 or more of $4 per ticket also stayed the same.
Flenner has also gotten angry feedback over a new preferred parking plan that costs $75 for the season. The 400 spaces are on the scarlet lot on the south and west sides of the Jack Nicklaus Museum, which is adjacent to the Schottenstein Center.
"There is some misperception about that," Flenner said. "There still is plenty of free parking available. The preferred parking is something we’re offering to season ticketholders. You don’t have to buy it."
Turner wishes the university would have given her group more warning.
"It seems like they could have taken it a little slower," she said. "I’ve got no objection to supporting the program, but they’ve only filled (the arena) once against Penn State (in February 2005)."
The Buckeyes averaged 5,261 fans for home games last season and had a season-ticket base of 2,027. Flenner said that 1,000 seasonticket packages have been sold this season, with the deadline Sept. 15.
jmassie@dispatch.com

Thursday, August 31, 2006

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Illinois wing player picks Buckeyes
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Jim Massie
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH



Alison Jackson, a 5-foot-11 senior wing at Fenwick High School in Oak Park, Ill., confirmed yesterday that she plans to sign a letter of intent in November to play basketball at Ohio State beginning in the 2007-08 season.
The Buckeyes made a late charge to land Jackson, who started as a freshman for the highly regarded Fenwick program that in recent years has produced Division I players Erin Lawless of Purdue, Brittany Johnson of Boston College and Sarah Kwasinski of Northwestern.
"Ohio State wasn’t one of my big schools," Jackson said. "I recently visited the campus, and Ohio State had everything I was looking for. I know I’ll get a good education, but with Ohio State, I also thought I’d have the best chance to win a championship."
Jackson chose the two-time defending Big Ten champion over Iowa. Fenwick coach Dave Power pulled out a Hall of Fame name to describe Jackson’s game.
"She reminds me of Oscar Robertson," Power said. "She has that kind of mid-range jumper, which is a lost art even in boys basketball. She has a beautiful pull-up, stop-ona-dime jumper. She also guards the other team’s best player. She just has a solid, allaround game."
Jackson joins Sarah Schulze, a 6-1 senior at Anna (Ohio) High School, as an early commitment for coach Jim Foster. NCAA rules do not allow him to comment about prospective recruits.
The Buckeyes are said to be recruiting center Jantel Lavender of Cleveland Central Catholic, center Amy Jaeschke of New Trier Township High School in Winnetka, Ill., guard Brittany Johnson of East Richland in Olney, Ill., and guard Lorin Dixon of Christ the King in New York.
jmassie@dispatch.com

[osugrad21]

Canton Rep

Ohio State loads up non-conference slate
Friday, September 8, 2006 COLUMBUS - The Ohio State women?s basketball team will play seven non-conference opponents this season that made the NCAA tournament last year.
The schedule released Thursday includes games against NCAA tournament teams Washington, Kentucky, Boston College and Southern Cal at Value City Arena, along with road games against Final Four teams LSU and Oklahoma.
The Buckeyes, who went 29-3 and won the Big Ten regular-season and tournament titles, were knocked out in the second round of the NCAA tournament by Boston College. They will get a rematch against the Eagles on Nov. 21 at home.
Army, also an NCAA qualifier, will face the Buckeyes in the season opener for both teams Nov. 12 in West Point. It will be Army?s first game since the death of Head Coach Maggie Dixon, who collapsed on campus and died April 6. Coroner reports indicated the first-year coach had an enlarged heart, which probably led to the arrhythmia that caused her death.
Ohio State begins Big Ten play on New Year?s Eve at Iowa.
The Buckeyes do not make road trips to Indiana or Michigan State, and do not play home games against Purdue and Michigan.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

OHIO STATE WOMEN?S BASKETBALL
Opener at Army among four games on national TV

Friday, September 08, 2006


FROM STAFF REPORTS




The Ohio State women?s basketball team will open its 2006-07 season Sunday, Nov. 12, at Army with a 3:30 p.m. nationally televised game (ESPNU) against the defending Patriot League champion Black Knights.
The Buckeyes play their home opener against Southern California at noon Sunday, Nov. 19, and its Big Ten opener at Iowa on Dec. 31.
OSU also has nationally televised games with Oklahoma (ESPN2), Kentucky (CBS) and Purdue (ESPN2) this season. The Buckeye Classic returns to St. John Arena on Nov. 25-26, with Cornell, Davidson and Montana in the field.

Friday, September 08, 2006

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

cstv.com

Buckeyes Rated in Top 10 by Athlon and Lindy's Preseason Publications

Ohio State finished 2006 season with No. 2 AP ranking


Sept. 27, 2006
COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Ohio State women's basketball team - the two-time defending Big Ten champions - is ranked in the Top 10 by Athlon and Lindy's preseason preview publications. The Buckeyes are slated No. 5 by Athlon and Lindy's has tabbed OSU its No. 10 team heading into the 2006-07 schedule.
The Buckeyes are one of four Big Ten squads rated in both polls. Purdue is ranked by Athlon and Lindy's, while Michigan State and Iowa are rated in the Lindy's rankings.
The Buckeyes return three starters in 2006-07, including back-to-back Big Ten player of the year selection Jessica Davenport. The senior center from Columbus will be accompanied in the starting lineup by all-league guards Brandie Hoskins and Marscilla Packer. Versatile Stephanie Blanton, who has started several postseason games for the Buckeyes, also enters her senior season and can swing from guard to forward.
2006-07 ATHLON SPORTS PRESEASON TOP 25 POLL
1. North Carolina
2. Maryland
3. Oklahoma
4. Stanford
5. Ohio State
6. Duke
7. Tennessee
8. Georgia
9. LSU
10. Baylor
11. Arizona State
12. Vanderbilt
13. Connecticut
14. Kentucky
15. UCLA
16. Purdue
17. BYU
18. Rutgers
19. California
20. Bowling Green
21. DePaul
22. NC State
23. Louisiana Tech
24. Texas A&M
25. Western Kentucky

2006-07 LINDY'S PRESEASON TOP 25 POLL
1. Maryland
2. North Carolina
3. Stanford
4. Connecticut
5. Tennessee
6. Oklahoma
7. Duke
8. Georgia
9. Rutgers
10. Ohio State
11. Purdue
12. LSU
13. Arizona State
14. Vanderbilt
15. Texas A&M
16. USC
17. New Mexico
18. Kentucky
19. BYU
20. Michigan State
21. Bowling Green
22. St. John's
23. Louisiana Tech
24. Iowa
25. Cal