Brett Ludwiczak
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You’re Nuts: Which Ohio State women’s team’s NCAA Tournament run are you more excited for?
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
Now that the calendar has turned to March, we are just a few weeks away from the start of NCAA Tournament runs for a couple of Ohio State’s women’s teams. Not only will expectations be high for the Ohio State women’s basketball squad, but the women’s ice hockey team will be looking to win their second NCAA title in the last three years. Being able to watch the Buckeye women’s teams compete at a high level on the hardwood and the ice will take some of the sting away from the men’s basketball team likely missing the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season.
Today we want to know which women’s team you are looking forward to watching more during the NCAA Tournament. In reality, we hope that both teams get tons of eyes and support from Buckeye Nation since they are both among the best teams in the country at their respective sports. We know some people prefer basketball over hockey, or vice-versa, so we are curious to find out which team you are riding with more as they make their way through March in their quest to bring championships back to Columbus.
This is no slight to the women’s basketball team since I’ll be tuning in as they look to make their first Final Four since 1993, I’m just a hockey junkie. I have a quarter-season ticket package to the Columbus Blue Jackets and plan to be at Ohio Stadium next March when they host the Detroit Red Wings. It’s refreshing to watch the Ohio State women’s hockey team since I can actually watch a well-coached hockey team that handles their business when they take the ice. The same certainly can’t be said about the Blue Jackets.
In her eighth season as Ohio State head coach, Nadine Muzerall has built a dynasty in Columbus. So far Muzerall has led the Buckeyes to the only four Frozen Four appearances in school history. The Buckeyes look primed for their fourth straight Frozen Four appearance, as they are 31-3 so far this season and ranked first in the country ahead of this weekend’s WCHA Final Faceoff. After suffering just their third loss of the season in their final game of the regular season at Wisconsin, Ohio State took out some of their frustrations last weekend against Bemidji State in the WCHA Quarterfinals, beating the Beavers by a combined score of 18-1 over two games to sweep the best-of-three series.
Not only are the Buckeyes beating teams this year, they are grinding them into dust, outscoring opponents 179-44 through 34 games. What Ohio State has done a great job at this season is sharing the puck, with nine Buckeyes scoring at least 10 goals. While the defenses Ohio State will face will certainly tighten up in the NCAA Tournament, it helps to have a variety of players who have proven they can put the puck in the back of the net.
Another reason Ohio State is the favorite to win their second title in the last three years is the stellar goaltending they have gotten all year. Not only is Amanda Thiele back between the pipes for Ohio State, but Raygan Kirk has actually played even better than Thiele so far this year, posting seven shutouts in 19 games. It’ll be interesting to see who gets the bulk of the starts for the Buckeyes in the NCAA Tournament. Does Muzerall ride the hot hand in Kirk, or does she trust in Thiele, who has seen her fair share of high-pressure starts in the scarlet and gray? Finding out the answer to this question and a number of others is one of the reasons that I’ll be tuning in whenever Ohio State takes the ice in March!
The women’s hockey team is the No. 1 team in the country for a reason, and I am completely on board with hockey-head Brett’s excitement for their postseason run in search of a fourth-straight Frozen Four appearance and a second national title in three years. However, there is a reason that women’s basketball is one of the fastest-growing sports in America. The on-court quality has always been incredible (I am an OG fan of the Columbus Quest), but over the past few seasons, the television attention to women’s basketball at both the college and pro levels is finally catching up to the entertainment value the sports has always had.
If you have watched the OSU women’s basketball team at all this season, then you know that Kevin McGuff’s team is the epitome of on-court excitement. Their high-pressure defense puts them in the top 25 nationally in steals and their electric offense has them in the top 15 in field goal percentage and points per game.
The squad has also developed an incredible ability to erase any deficit, no matter the size. This is because it is made up of a slew of talented players who work well as a unit. That fact is exemplified by how many Buckeyes received All-Conference honors on Tuesday, including guard Jacy Sheldon and forward Cotie McMahon who were on the first-team. Celeste Taylor and Taylor Thierry made the second team, but Taylor won the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year, her second DPoY honor in as many years, despite playing for the Duke Blue Devils in the ACC last season.
Of course, it also helps that McGuff was named the B1G’s coach of the year.
With wins over Tennessee, Penn State, Indiana, and Iowa, there is no question that the Buckeyes can beat anyone they face off with, and a run to last year’s Elite Eight proves that they have the strength and stamina to make a deep run in the Big Dance.
So, I am pumped to watch Sheldon, McMahon, et al., work their way through the postseason and who knows, maybe have a rubber match with Caitlin Clark and Iowa for the national title.
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
Now that the calendar has turned to March, we are just a few weeks away from the start of NCAA Tournament runs for a couple of Ohio State’s women’s teams. Not only will expectations be high for the Ohio State women’s basketball squad, but the women’s ice hockey team will be looking to win their second NCAA title in the last three years. Being able to watch the Buckeye women’s teams compete at a high level on the hardwood and the ice will take some of the sting away from the men’s basketball team likely missing the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season.
Today we want to know which women’s team you are looking forward to watching more during the NCAA Tournament. In reality, we hope that both teams get tons of eyes and support from Buckeye Nation since they are both among the best teams in the country at their respective sports. We know some people prefer basketball over hockey, or vice-versa, so we are curious to find out which team you are riding with more as they make their way through March in their quest to bring championships back to Columbus.
Today’s question: Which Ohio State women’s team’s NCAA Tournament run are you more excited for?
We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.
Brett’s answer: Ohio State women’s ice hockey team
This is no slight to the women’s basketball team since I’ll be tuning in as they look to make their first Final Four since 1993, I’m just a hockey junkie. I have a quarter-season ticket package to the Columbus Blue Jackets and plan to be at Ohio Stadium next March when they host the Detroit Red Wings. It’s refreshing to watch the Ohio State women’s hockey team since I can actually watch a well-coached hockey team that handles their business when they take the ice. The same certainly can’t be said about the Blue Jackets.
In her eighth season as Ohio State head coach, Nadine Muzerall has built a dynasty in Columbus. So far Muzerall has led the Buckeyes to the only four Frozen Four appearances in school history. The Buckeyes look primed for their fourth straight Frozen Four appearance, as they are 31-3 so far this season and ranked first in the country ahead of this weekend’s WCHA Final Faceoff. After suffering just their third loss of the season in their final game of the regular season at Wisconsin, Ohio State took out some of their frustrations last weekend against Bemidji State in the WCHA Quarterfinals, beating the Beavers by a combined score of 18-1 over two games to sweep the best-of-three series.
Not only are the Buckeyes beating teams this year, they are grinding them into dust, outscoring opponents 179-44 through 34 games. What Ohio State has done a great job at this season is sharing the puck, with nine Buckeyes scoring at least 10 goals. While the defenses Ohio State will face will certainly tighten up in the NCAA Tournament, it helps to have a variety of players who have proven they can put the puck in the back of the net.
Another reason Ohio State is the favorite to win their second title in the last three years is the stellar goaltending they have gotten all year. Not only is Amanda Thiele back between the pipes for Ohio State, but Raygan Kirk has actually played even better than Thiele so far this year, posting seven shutouts in 19 games. It’ll be interesting to see who gets the bulk of the starts for the Buckeyes in the NCAA Tournament. Does Muzerall ride the hot hand in Kirk, or does she trust in Thiele, who has seen her fair share of high-pressure starts in the scarlet and gray? Finding out the answer to this question and a number of others is one of the reasons that I’ll be tuning in whenever Ohio State takes the ice in March!
Matt’s answer: Ohio State women’s basketball team
The women’s hockey team is the No. 1 team in the country for a reason, and I am completely on board with hockey-head Brett’s excitement for their postseason run in search of a fourth-straight Frozen Four appearance and a second national title in three years. However, there is a reason that women’s basketball is one of the fastest-growing sports in America. The on-court quality has always been incredible (I am an OG fan of the Columbus Quest), but over the past few seasons, the television attention to women’s basketball at both the college and pro levels is finally catching up to the entertainment value the sports has always had.
If you have watched the OSU women’s basketball team at all this season, then you know that Kevin McGuff’s team is the epitome of on-court excitement. Their high-pressure defense puts them in the top 25 nationally in steals and their electric offense has them in the top 15 in field goal percentage and points per game.
The squad has also developed an incredible ability to erase any deficit, no matter the size. This is because it is made up of a slew of talented players who work well as a unit. That fact is exemplified by how many Buckeyes received All-Conference honors on Tuesday, including guard Jacy Sheldon and forward Cotie McMahon who were on the first-team. Celeste Taylor and Taylor Thierry made the second team, but Taylor won the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year, her second DPoY honor in as many years, despite playing for the Duke Blue Devils in the ACC last season.
Of course, it also helps that McGuff was named the B1G’s coach of the year.
With wins over Tennessee, Penn State, Indiana, and Iowa, there is no question that the Buckeyes can beat anyone they face off with, and a run to last year’s Elite Eight proves that they have the strength and stamina to make a deep run in the Big Dance.
So, I am pumped to watch Sheldon, McMahon, et al., work their way through the postseason and who knows, maybe have a rubber match with Caitlin Clark and Iowa for the national title.
Continue reading...