Land-Grant Podcast Network: An Ohio State University podcast

“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. In every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in college hoops. Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio On episode 193 of the Bucketheads Podcast, Connor and Justin are joined by Jason Carmello of Big Underdog Bracketology to talk about the bracket because we are officially in March and the bracket is all that matters. Carmello is an Ohio State grad so open the episode by discussing the loss against Iowa and the win over Purdue to put Ohio State on the right side of the bubble. What went right against Purdue that went wrong against Iowa? We also preview Penn State and Indiana. After that, we talk about every possible scenario that can happen for the Buckeyes this week and where that puts them in the bracketology conversation. Can they afford a loss? And what happens if they win both? We end the episode with some national talk and teams we hate and love heading into March. Remember to like and subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen, leave a comment, and review! We have episodes every Thursday morning. Connect with the Podcast:Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN Connect with Connor:Twitter: @lemons_connor Connect with Justin:Twitter: @justin_golba Connect with Jason:Twitter: @bigunderdogblog Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before every Ohio State men’s basketball game, Connor Lemons gets you ready for that day’s action with key stats, players to know, and prevalent storylines for that day’s game on the “Good Hoops Morning” podcast. Listen to the episode and subscribe: Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Ohio State Buckeyes (-7.5) at Penn State Nittany Lions (Total Points 153.5)| KenPom predicts: Ohio State by 8 Game Date/Time: Wednesday, Mar. 4, at 7:30 p.m. ETLocation: State College, PA TV: PeacockRadio: 97.1 FM/ 971thefan.com The Ohio State men’s basketball team (18-11, 10-8) heads to State College, PA after scoring a massive upset win over Purdue Sunday afternoon that vaulted them back onto the right side of the NCAA Tournament bubble. The Buckeyes have two regular season games remaining, the first of which is a road test at last-place Penn State (12-17, 3-15). As of Tuesday night, Ohio State was listed as the second-highest 11-seed on Bracket Matrix. If they win their last two games, the Buckeyes should feel pretty good about their spot. KenPom currently gives Ohio State as 51% chance to win out, which would put them at 20-11 overall and 12-8 in the Big Ten. Penn State started the season 0-10 in the Big Ten but has won 3 of its last 8, including a 71-69 win over Iowa on Saturday. The Nittany Lions are fifth in the Big Ten in team field goal percentage at 47.1%, but are dead last in opponent field goal percentage at 79.1%. Bruce Thornton is 30 points away from passing Dennis Hopson to become the all-time leading scorer in Ohio State history. Connor’s prediction: Ohio State 80, Penn State 75 Connect with Connor: Twitter: @lemons_connor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State still has questions to answer this spring, but not everywhere. At the NFL Combine, the Buckeyes didn’t just show up. They took over. On the hardwood, the basketball team absorbed a damaging loss and then delivered one of its biggest wins of the season. And as March looms, Ohio State finds itself exactly where drama lives best, on the bubble. Episode 27 of Off-Script Ohio felt less like a recap show and more like a temperature check on the entire athletic department. The headline performance belonged to Sonny Styles. At 6-foot-5 and 244 pounds, Styles did not simply test well for a linebacker. He tested historically. His 43.5 inch vertical was the best at this year’s combine and the best ever recorded for a linebacker. His 11-foot-2 broad jump landed in the 99th percentile for the position. Then came the 4.46 40-yard dash, good for the 98th percentile, and a 1.58 10-yard split that graded in the 94th percentile. Put it all together and the Relative Athletic Score model had Styles as the fourth most athletic linebacker tested since 1987. Fourth out of 3,216. That is not just impressive. That is rare air. And he was not alone. Lorenzo Styles Jr. blazed a 4.27 in the 40, adding even more buzz to the family name. Arvell Reese also ran a 4.46 at 6-foot-4, 241 pounds, further reinforcing what Ohio State fans already knew, the athletic profile in that room is different. Carnell Tate’s workout drew a more measured reaction, but even that sparked real draft debate. The fun part of combine week is projecting chaos. Joey went bold with Arvell Reese at No. 3 overall to Arizona, Sonny Styles at No. 6 to Cleveland, Caleb Downs at No. 10 to Cincinnati and Carnell Tate at No. 13 to the Rams. Cole countered with even more heat. Arvell at No. 2 to the Jets. Sonny at No. 4 to Tennessee. Carnell at No. 5 to the Giants. Caleb Downs at No. 10 to the Bengals. And Kayden McDonald sneaking into the first round as well. Whether those exact landing spots happen is almost beside the point. The larger takeaway is this, Ohio State once again looks like it will flood the early rounds with premium athletes. And after the combine, it is hard to argue against that momentum. If the combine was all fireworks, the hardwood was emotional whiplash.Ohio State’s 57-74 loss to Iowa was as damaging as any result on the resume this season. It was the kind of defeat bubble teams simply cannot afford. And then came Purdue. An 82-74 win that may ultimately define the season. Bruce Thornton poured in 20 points. Juni Mobley added 21. Devin Royal delivered 12 points and nine rebounds. Jake Diebler improved to 3-0 against Purdue in his career. That was not just a win. That was a response. The Buckeyes now sit at 18-11 overall and 10-8 in Big Ten play. The NET ranking sits at 34. The resume is uneven but workable: 2-10 in Quad 1 with wins over Purdue and Northwestern6-1 in Quad 2 with a loss to Pittsburgh4-0 in Quad 36-0 in Quad 4 BracketMatrix currently shows Ohio State in 91 of 105 projected brackets, slotted as an 11 seed. Most bracketologists have the Buckeyes among the Last Four In. In other words, they are breathing, but barely. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast is here! Join hosts Justin Golba and Alex Frank as they discuss ⁠Ohio State⁠ football, basketball, recruiting, and much more! Come for the hot takes. Stay for the warm ones. Subscribe: ⁠RSS⁠ | ⁠Apple⁠ | ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Google Podcasts⁠ | ⁠iHeart Radio On episode 60 of Hangout in the Holy Land, Alex is away for a couple weeks, so for the second straight week Justin is joined by Land-Grant Holy Land’s women’s basketball beat writer Thomas Costello to talk about the Ohio State women’s team. To begin the episode, Justin goes over the top performers for the Buckeyes at the scouting combine and how the Styles brothers lit up the internet with their performances. Also, some news and notes from the program. After that, Justin and Thomas discuss an interesting past week for the Ohio State women’s basketball team, which included an overtime loss to No. 8 Michigan and a blowout win over No. 15 Michigan State. To close the episode, we preview the conference tournament and the Buckeyes path to a conference title in Indianapolis. We will be back with another episode next week and once a week in the offseason every Wednesday morning. Remember to like and subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen, leave a comment, and review! Connect with the podcast:Twitter: ⁠@HolyLandPod⁠ Connect with Justin Golba:Twitter: ⁠@justin_golba⁠ Connect with Alex Frank:Twitter: ⁠@frankie_nnati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before every Ohio State men’s basketball game, Connor Lemons gets you ready for that day’s action with key stats, players to know, and prevalent storylines for that day’s game on the “Good Hoops Morning” podcast. Listen to the episode and subscribe: Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Purdue Boilermakers (-6.5) at Ohio State Buckeyes| KenPom predicts: Purdue by 4 Game Date/Time: Sunday, Mar. 1, at 1:30 p.m. ETLocation: Columbus, OHTV: CBSRadio: 97.1 FM/ 971thefan.com The Ohio State men’s basketball team (17-11, 9-8) has one last chance to make a power move and thrust themselves into the NCAA Tournament field against the No. 8 Purdue Boilermakers (22-6, 12-5) Sunday afternoon. As of Saturday night, Ohio State was projected as the third team out of the NCAA Tournament according to Bracket Matrix. Purdue is a projected 3-seed, and is also No. 7 in the NET, making this Ohio State’s final Quad-1 game of the regular season. Purdue has lost two of its last three games, having just lost to No. 13 Michigan State Thursday night at Mackey Arena. Ohio State’s loss to Iowa on Wednesday night represented their first losing streak of the season — a loss to Purdue would become the program’s first three-game losing streak since losing to Michigan, Northwestern, and UCLA in February 2025. Ohio State’s Bruce Thornton is 50 points away from becoming the all-time leading scorer in program history. Purdue’s Braden Smith is 73 assists away from becoming the all-time assists leader in college basketball history. Connor’s prediction: No. 8 Purdue 82, Ohio State 70 Connect with Connor: Twitter: @lemons_connor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. In every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in college hoops. Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio On episode 192 of the Bucketheads Podcast, Connor and Justin are back to discuss the Buckeyes loss to Michigan State on Sunday and preview a huge showdown in Iowa City tonight. Despite a valiant shorthanded effort with two of its three best scorers out and a herculean performance from Bruce Thornton, Ohio State fell to Michigan State 66-60. Does it matter who was out for the Buckeyes? Or is a loss a loss this late in the season? After that, we preview the huge showdown looming at Iowa, where the Buckeyes have a great chance to get their first quad one win. What advantages and disadvantages do the Buckeyes have against the Hawkeyes? And how do you slow down Bennett Stirtz. Remember to like and subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen, leave a comment, and review! We have episodes every Thursday morning. Connect with the Podcast:Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN Connect with Connor:Twitter: @lemons_connor Connect with Justin:Twitter: @justin_golba Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before every Ohio State men’s basketball game, Connor Lemons gets you ready for that day’s action with key stats, players to know, and prevalent storylines for that day’s game on the “Good Hoops Morning” podcast. Listen to the episode and subscribe: Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Ohio State Buckeyes at Iowa Hawkeyes (-6.5)| KenPom predicts: Iowa by 4 Game Date/Time: Wednesday, Feb. 25, at 9:00 p.m. ETLocation: Iowa City, IowaTV: Big Ten NetworkRadio: 97.1 FM/ 971thefan.com The Ohio State men’s basketball team (17-10, 9-7) is sitting just on the outside of the NCAA Tournament field according to the Bracket Matrix, but after several fellow bubble-dwellers took losses on Tuesday evening, Ohio State has an opportunity to get some clarity and get back on the right side of things with a win in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes (19-8, 9-7) rattled off six straight wins starting in mid-January but have since lost three of their last four games, including a seven-point loss at Maryland. Ben McCollum’s team isn’t in danger of missing out on the NCAA Tournament just yet — they probably need to win one of their final four games to stamp a ticket. Iowa is elite at forcing turnover, but Bruce Thornton played all 40 minutes against Michigan State on Sunday without committing a single turnover. The senior guard is now 60 points away from becoming Ohio State’s all-time scoring leader. Thornton and Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz are the Big Ten’s leaders in minutes per game, with Stirtz at the top averaging 36.9 and Thornton just behind at 36.3. Connor’s prediction: Ohio State 75, Iowa 73 Connect with Connor: Twitter: @lemons_connor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast is here! Join hosts Justin Golba and Alex Frank as they discuss ⁠Ohio State⁠ football, basketball, recruiting, and much more! Come for the hot takes. Stay for the warm ones. Subscribe: ⁠RSS⁠ | ⁠Apple⁠ | ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Google Podcasts⁠ | ⁠iHeart Radio On episode 59 of Hangout in the Holy Land, Alex is away for a couple weeks so Justin is joined by Land-Grant Holy Land’s women’s basketball beat writer Thomas Costello for an update and discussion on the women’s hoops team. We preview the upcoming showdown with Michigan and discuss what the Buckeyes have to do to secure a top ten road win. Also, how good has Jaloni Cambridge and does she get the national attention she deserves? After that, we discuss the Buckeyes ceiling this season and what they can do in March. And what do they have to do to host an NCAA tournament game? We will be back with another episode next week and once a week in the offseason every Wednesday morning. Remember to like and subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen, leave a comment, and review! Connect with the podcast:Twitter: ⁠@HolyLandPod⁠ Connect with Justin Golba:Twitter: ⁠@justin_golba⁠ Connect with Alex Frank:Twitter: ⁠@frankie_nnati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re back with our February offseason episode, which starts with a lengthy letter from a listener. We’re always happy to hear from our listeners, and in this case, the email prompted quite a bit of discussion about Ryan Day, Julian Sayin, and other aspects of Ohio State football. We love a good conversation starter! We also covered a whole lot of offseason topics, with one of the primary ones being the hiring of Arthur Smith as the team’s new offensive coordinator. We discussed how it may affect the passing game and help Bo Jackson and the running game in 2026. We still expect the deep ball to Jeremiah Smith to be part of the offense, but you may experience some new flavors this year. There are more than 300 players heading to the NFL Combine and 11 of them are Buckeyes. We talk about who is going and the entire pre-draft process. Our discussion of Ohio State’s 2026 schedule includes the complete slate of games, and this fall looks to be a true gauntlet for the men of the scarlet & gray. The Buckeyes will have their hands full, with a lot of difficult road tests in hostile environments, and a lot of top-quality teams. If Day can navigate those turbulent waters to another College Football Playoff appearance, his team will be battle tested. There are a lot of new arrivals in the transfer portal, and we give a rundown of who’s new. There are exciting new arrivals on offense, defense, and special teams, and it seems Day has prioritized that third phase of the game in this offseason. NOTE: We are in our offseason schedule, so we will be back at least monthly, with the understanding that we may convene if we line up a guest, get some unexpectely big news, or just get a whole lot of noteworthy things to talk about. If not, we’ll see you next month. We would love to hear from you, so please reach out with your feedback and questions below in the comments section or send us an email at silverbulletspod@gmail.com. Any questions directed toward us will be answered on our next show. Be sure to subscribe, rate, review, share, and follow the show over on Twitter at @SilvrBulletsPod. As always, thanks for listening! 0:20 - We open with a letter from a listener and our lengthy discussion about it. 22:32 - Arthur Smith will run the Ohio State offense. What will that be like? 33:28 - The Buckeyes at the NFL Combine, the 2026 OSU schedule is a difficult one, and we discuss the transfer portal arrivals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before every Ohio State men’s basketball game, Connor Lemons gets you ready for that day’s action with key stats, players to know, and prevalent storylines for that day’s game on the “Good Hoops Morning” podcast. Listen to the episode and subscribe: Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Ohio State Buckeyes at No. 15 Michigan State Spartans| KenPom predicts: Michigan State by 9 Game Date/Time: Sunday, Feb. 22, at 1:00 p.m. ETLocation: East Lansing, MichiganTV: CBSRadio: 97.1 FM/ 971thefan.com The Ohio State men’s basketball team (17-9, 9-6) travels north on Sunday afternoon to take on Tom Izzo’s 15th-ranked Michigan State Spartans (21-5, 11-4). Both teams have gone 2-2 over their previous four games. Michigan State is looking to cement itself in the top-four of the Big Ten and earn the new, coveted “triple bye” in the Big Ten Tournament. Ohio State is on the hunt for its first Quad-1 win of the season — which for now is the biggest mark against the NCAA Tournament resume. As of Saturday, Ohio State was listed as the first team out of the NCAA Tournament according to Bracket Matrix. A win over the Spartans would assuredly leapfrog them over several teams, but the Buckeyes have also only won in East Lansing once in the last decade. Ironically, that was two years ago, with Dale Bonner’s prayer at the buzzer stunning the green and white faithful on February 25, 2024. Second-leading scorer John Mobley Jr. has not been ruled out yet for Sunday’s game. The sophomore is averaging 15.1 points per game, but has missed Ohio State’s last two games as he recovers from hand surgery from an injury suffered during Ohio State’s win over USC 10 days ago. Connor’s prediction: No. 15 Michigan State 74, Ohio State 70 Connect with Connor: Twitter: @lemons_connor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. In every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in college hoops. Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio On episode 191 of the Bucketheads Podcast, Connor and Justin are back to discuss the Buckeyes going 1-1 last week, but are coming off their best win of the season after beating Wisconsin 86-69 on Tuesday night. After a disappointing loss to No. 15 Virginia in Nashville, Ohio State bounced back and beat No. 24 Wisconsin handily at home. What was the difference between the two games and how did the Buckeyes put the Badgers away? After that, we preview a huge matchup Sunday at Michigan State and have a bubble discussion. We also make our predictions for where the Buckeyes will finish and a PSA for Bruce Thornton day. Remember to like and subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen, leave a comment, and review! We have episodes every Thursday morning. Connect with the Podcast:Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN Connect with Connor:Twitter: @lemons_connor Connect with Justin:Twitter: @justin_golba Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast is here! Join hosts Justin Golba and Alex Frank as they discuss ⁠Ohio State⁠ football, basketball, recruiting, and much more! Come for the hot takes. Stay for the warm ones. Subscribe: ⁠RSS⁠ | ⁠Apple⁠ | ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Google Podcasts⁠ | ⁠iHeart Radio On episode 58 of Hangout in the Holy Land, Justin and Alex are back to talk about the 2026 schedule and the recent NIL comments made by Gus Johnson and men’s basketball head coach Jake Diebler. A big talking point in 2025 was the ease of the Buckeyes schedule and in turn, they were not as battle tested as other teams were when December and January came around. Will they be more prepared in 2026 for the postseason with a schedule that seems much more difficult? Or will it end up being easier than we think? Then after a quick break, we discuss the comments about Ohio State’s NIL made by Gus Johnson during the Ohio State and Virginia men’s basketball game. Do we agree with his comments? And how can coach Diebler and the staff maximize the NIL they are allotted? We will be back with another episode next week and once a week in the offseason every Wednesday morning. Remember to like and subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen, leave a comment, and review! Connect with the podcast:Twitter: ⁠@HolyLandPod⁠ Connect with Justin Golba:Twitter: ⁠@justin_golba⁠ Connect with Alex Frank:Twitter: ⁠@frankie_nnati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before every Ohio State men’s basketball game, Connor Lemons gets you ready for that day’s action with key stats, players to know, and prevalent storylines for that day’s game on the “Good Hoops Morning” podcast. Listen to the episode and subscribe: Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Wisconsin Badgers (-1.5) at Ohio State Buckeyes| over/under 157.5 Game Date/Time: Tuesday, Feb. 17, at 8:30 p.m. ETLocation: Columbus, OHTV: FS1Radio: 97.1 FM/ 971thefan.com It’s officially danger zone time for Ohio State (16-9, 8-6). After spending the majority of the season on the right side of the NCAA Tournament bubble, losing three of their last five games has them on the outside looking in as the No. 24 Badgers (18-7, 10-4) visit. Ohio State has not beaten a ranked team all season, but the Buckeyes also have not lost back-to-back games all year, so one of those odd trends will be broken on Tuesday night. Wisconsin comes into this game scalding hot, having upset two top-10 teams in a span of four days. The Badgers have finally broken into the AP Top-25 poll, and are very much in play for a double (triple?) bye in the Big Ten Tournament. Wisconsin’s guard duo of John Blackwell and Nick Boyd combined to score 43 points the first time these teams met. Bruce Thornton is 13 points away from passing Jerry Lucas and William Buford for 3rd all-time in scoring in program history. He is 34 points away from passing Herb Williams to move into 2nd all-time. Connor’s prediction: No. 24 Wisconsin 82, Ohio State 76 Connect with Connor: Twitter: @lemons_connor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State did not take the field this week, and won’t for awhile, but that never really stops the conversation in Columbus. On the newest episode of Off-Script Ohio, we leaned into the kind of offseason debate Buckeye fans do best. Who you loved watching most, which recent stars you would drop onto the 2026 roster, and what to make of a basketball team that looks brilliant one night and fragile the next. Five favorite Buckeyes of the Ryan Day era We started with our five favorite Buckeyes from 2019 to present, and it became clear fast that this era has produced a very specific kind of star. Quarterbacks who can carry a season, receivers who feel inevitable, and defensive talents who change the geometry of a game. Joey’s list featured Justin Fields, Will Howard, Caleb Downs, Chase Young, and Jeremiah Smith. Cole’s opened the same way with Fields, then went C. J. Stroud, Jaxon Smith Njigba, Chase Young, and then the toughest call, Jeremiah Smith with a real argument for Jeff Okudah depending on what you value more. What stood out is how much of the Ryan Day era identity still comes back to skill talent and decision makers. That is the defining through line. Quarterback play that raises the floor, receiver play that raises the ceiling, and just enough defensive game breakers to flip the biggest moments. Then we made it practical. If you could take one Buckeye from 2025 and one from 2024, on offense and defense, and add them to the 2026 team, who are you grabbing? Joey’s picks were clean and logical. On offense from 2025, Max Klare. On defense from 2025, Caleb Downs. From 2024, Treyveon Henderson on offense and Tyleik Williams on defense. It is the kind of list that prioritizes reliability and proven snap to snap value, which is usually how championship rosters are built. Cole went a little more fit based. From 2025, Carnell Tate on offense and Arvelle Reese on defense. From 2024, Josh Simmons on offense and J. T. Tuimoloau on defense. The logic is simple, if you are building a 2026 team, you are trying to stack answers. You want another difference making target, another defensive piece that can live in the chaos, and more stability at premium positions. On the hardwood, the week summed up Ohio State basketball in two games. The Buckeyes beat USC Trojans men's basketball 89 to 82, an offensive performance that reminded you why people keep believing this group can make noise. They played with pace, confidence, and just enough shot making to control the game without feeling like they needed a miracle stretch. Then they lost 70 to 66 to Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball, and you could feel the familiar frustration. The possessions that get tight, the stretches where scoring becomes work, and the defensive moments that are fine until they are not. This team keeps living in that uncomfortable space between “good enough” and “not quite stable.” The ceiling flashes, and then the floor shows up right after. Now the schedule turns into a pressure test. Tuesday night at home against Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball, then Sunday afternoon on the road at Michigan State Spartans men's basketball. Two games that can either steady the narrative or sharpen the questions. And that is the theme of the episode, honestly. Whether it is ranking your favorite stars, building the best possible 2026 roster in your head, or trying to make sense of hoops week to week, Ohio State stays in the same cycle. The talent is obvious, the outcomes are not. The next step is always there, the challenge is making it consistent. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before every Ohio State men’s basketball game, Connor Lemons gets you ready for that day’s action with key stats, players to know, and prevalent storylines for that day’s game on the “Good Hoops Morning” podcast. Listen to the episode and subscribe: Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Virginia Cavaliers (-4.5) vs. Ohio State Buckeyes| over/under 148.5 Game Date/Time: Saturday, Feb. 14, at 8:00 p.m. ETLocation: Nashville, TNTV: FOXRadio: 97.1 FM/ 971thefan.com The Ohio State men’s basketball team (16-8, 8-6) faces off with the 15th-ranked Virginia Cavaliers (21-3, 10-2) Saturday night in a Valentine’s Day, Big Ten-ACC showdown in the Music City. It’s the first time Ohio State has played a non-conference game this late into the season since the 1986-1987 season. Jake Diebler said in the fall that he wanted to schedule an NCAA Tournament-caliber team in February “to simulate the NCAA Tournament,” for his team. Now, Ohio State has an opportunity to earn its second Quad-1 win of the season, but also forfeited a five-day break they could’ve had in between Big Ten games if they had not scheduled this game. Virginia enters this game as winners of 10 of its last 11 games. The Cavaliers are holding teams to 67.5 points per game, 29.4% from three-point range, and 45.2% on two-point shots this season. They’re also one of the best shot blocking teams in the ACC, averaging 5.8 blocks per game with two of the ACC’s top-three shot blockers on the team in Johann Grunloh and Ugonna Onyenso. Connor’s prediction: Ohio State 78, No. 15 Virginia 74 Connect with Connor: Twitter: @lemons_connor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast is here! Join hosts Justin Golba and Alex Frank as they discuss ⁠Ohio State⁠ football, basketball, recruiting, and much more! Come for the hot takes. Stay for the warm ones. Subscribe: ⁠RSS⁠ | ⁠Apple⁠ | ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Google Podcasts⁠ | ⁠iHeart Radio On episode 57 of Hangout in the Holy Land, Justin is playing his flu game as he and Alex are back to talk about another coaching hire and the transfer portal additions and departures. We start by discussing the Buckeyes hiring of assistant tight ends coach Thomas Morton, a rising star in the coaching world. That makes three offensive hires this offseason, and what do we think of the hiring cycle in general? After a quick break, we discuss our three favorite transfer portal additions and three least favorite departures. Who do we think will have the biggest impact next season? With the season now over, we will be back with another episode next week and once a week in the offseason every Wednesday morning. Remember to like and subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen, leave a comment, and review! Connect with the podcast:Twitter: ⁠@HolyLandPod⁠ Connect with Justin Golba:Twitter: ⁠@justin_golba⁠ Connect with Alex Frank:Twitter: ⁠@frankie_nnati Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohio State didn’t play a snap this week, but Buckeye headlines still found the spotlight. At the NFL level, the program’s influence was impossible to ignore. Jaxon Smith-Njigba captured Offensive Player of the Year honors, a landmark achievement that reinforces Ohio State’s wide receiver pipeline at the highest level. Mike Vrabel added Coach of the Year to his resume, another reminder of the Buckeye imprint across the league. And when the Seahawks lifted the Lombardi Trophy, Smith-Njigba stood as the lone former Buckeye on the roster, but a very visible one. The NFL validation matters in Columbus. It fuels recruiting, reinforces development narratives, and strengthens the program’s long-standing pitch. Come here, and Sundays follow. On the hardwood, the mood remains more complicated. Ohio State basketball continues to live in the gray area between “dangerous” and “disappointing.” The flashes are there. But consistency, particularly defensively, remains elusive. Every week feels like a referendum on tournament viability, and every result carries weight. The margins are thin, and the schedule is unforgiving. The Buckeyes are good enough to beat most teams they face. They just haven’t proven they can do it often enough in high-leverage spots. That tension defines the stretch ahead. An early look at the defensive depth chart provides clarity about where Ohio State stands entering the offseason grind. On the edge, Kenyatta Jackson anchors one side, with Qua Russaw and Zion Grady battling for the opposite starting role. The depth behind them, Beau Atkinson, Epi Sitanlei, Khary Wilder, suggests long-term upside, but the top-end reps will matter most early. Inside at defensive tackle, James Smith and Eddrick Houston headline a room built on physicality and rotation. Jason Moore, John Walker, and Will Smith provide depth, and the staff clearly believes the interior will be a strength again. It’s not flashy. It’s foundational. Linebacker may be the most intriguing group. The top tier, Payton Pierce, Riley Pettijohn, and Christian Alliegro gives Ohio State versatility and range. Behind them sits a second wave of Tarvos Alford, Cincere Johnson, and Garrett Stover, names that could climb quickly with a strong spring. It’s a room with athletic upside and schematic flexibility. At corner, Jermaine Matthews and Devin Sanchez project as perimeter staples, with Earl Little likely factoring heavily into the nickel role. Behind them, Dominick Kelly, Jay Timmons, and Cam Calhoun represent a blend of youth and transfer talent that feels promising, if still somewhat projection-based. Safety closes the back end with Jaylen McClain and Terry Moore penciled in as starters, supported by a deeper rotation of LeRoy Roker, Blaine Bradford, Simeon Caldwell, and Deshawn Stewart. The unit lacks the single headline name of a Caleb Downs, but it compensates with experience and balance. When grading the rooms collectively, the defensive line feels sturdy. Linebacker feels athletic and ascending. The secondary feels talented, if still dependent on internal development taking another step. Across football and basketball, the pattern remains consistent. The ceilings are visible. The questions are too. The difference between a good year and a defining one won’t hinge on splash. It will hinge on growth, steady, structural, and sustained. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. In every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in college hoops. Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio On episode 190 of the Bucketheads Podcast, Connor and Justin are back to recap a disappointing loss to Michigan and preview two possibly must win games over USC and Virginia. To open the episode, the Buckeyes went 1-1 last week, with a win over a struggling Maryland team and a blowout loss to No. 2 Michigan. What went wrong in the second half against the Wolverines and what should the takeaway be? This week, the Buckeyes have USC and Virginia on the schedule. What do they have to do to bounce back? And how must win are these two games? We close the episode with that discussion. Remember to like and subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen, leave a comment, and review! We have episodes every Thursday morning. Connect with the Podcast:Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN Connect with Connor:Twitter: @lemons_connor Connect with Justin:Twitter: @justin_golba Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before every Ohio State men’s basketball game, Connor Lemons gets you ready for that day’s action with key stats, players to know, and prevalent storylines for that day’s game on the “Good Hoops Morning” podcast. Listen to the episode and subscribe: Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Ohio State Buckeyes (-7.5) vs. USC Trojans| over/under 151.5 Game Date/Time: Wednesday, February 11, at 6:30 p.m. ETLocation: Columbus, OhioTV: Big Ten NetworkRadio: 97.1 FM/ 971thefan.com For the first time all season, we’ll see how Ohio State (15-8, 7-6) bounces back from getting their rear ends handed to them. After a 21-point shellacking at the hands of No. 2 Michigan Sunday afternoon, the Buckeyes have no choice but to pick themselves up and lock back in with another NCAA Tournament team — USC — heading to town. The Trojans (18-6, 7-6) have mostly won the games they’ve needed to win to position themselves to make the NCAA Tournament. Currently a projected 10-seed, a few more wins would make the Trojans feel a bit more secure about their spot in the bracket. USC is already out their leading scorer, Rodney Rice, and may also be without their second leading scorer, Chad Baker-Mazara, who is day-to-day with an MCL sprain in his knee. Connor’s prediction: Ohio State 80, USC 77 Connect with Connor: Twitter: @lemons_connor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before every Ohio State men’s basketball game, Connor Lemons gets you ready for that day’s action with key stats, players to know, and prevalent storylines for that day’s game on the “Good Hoops Morning” podcast. Listen to the episode and subscribe: Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Michigan Wolverines (-9.5) vs. Ohio State Buckeyes| over/under 159.5 Game Date/Time: Sunday, February 8, at 1:00 p.m. ETLocation: Columbus, OhioTV: CBSRadio: 97.1 FM/ 971thefan.com Ohio State (15-7, 7-5) gets another shot against No. 2 Michigan (21-1, 11-1) Sunday afternoon in Columbus. The Wolverines won the first matchup last month, 74-62, as the Buckeyes briefly held a second-half lead in Ann Arbor but fizzled out over the final seven or so minutes. Michigan is enjoying its best start in program history, is No. 1 in the NET rankings and No. 2 in both the AP Poll and KenPom. The Wolverines lead the Big Ten in points per game and field goals made per game, and scored 110 in their most recent victory over Penn State on Thursday night. Dusty May would improve to 3-0 against Jake Diebler with a win, and former Buckeye Roddy Gayle would improve to 3-0 against his former teammate and close friend Bruce Thornton. Thornton is 22 points away from passing Kelvin Ransey to become 5th all-time in scoring in program history. Connor’s prediction: No. 2 Michigan 80, Ohio State 75 Connect with Connor: Twitter: @lemons_connor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices