Scarlet Sunrise: Ohio State women's basketball to play Virginia Tech in Elite Eight
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Ohio State women’s basketball to play Virginia Tech in Elite Eight
Ohio State women’s basketball is back in the Elite Eight for the first time in 30 years and the fourth time ever. The third-seeded Buckeyes advanced to the regional final with a 73-61 upset of second-seeded UConn Saturday, snapping the Huskies’ streak of 14 consecutive Final Fours in the process.
Ohio State’s defense was the catalyst. More specifically, the Buckeyes’ 2-2-1 press gave UConn serious fits, playing a significant role in the Huskies committing 18 first-half turnovers, off which Ohio State scored 19 points.
Led by a chunk of Big Ten Freshman of the Year Cotie McMahon‘s 23 points, the Buckeyes used a 17-0 run between the first and second quarters to take the lead. They never gave it up after that.
Ohio State will now play top-seeded Virginia Tech in the regional final. The Hokies just beat fourth-seeded Tennessee to reach their first-ever Elite Eight.
Virginia Tech has a veteran team that’s spearheaded by two-time ACC Player of the Year Elizabeth Kitley, a 6-foot-6 center who is averaging a double-double of 18.2 points and 10.8 rebounds this season. She’s been doing this for a while. In fact, Kitley’s put up north of 18 points and 9.5 rebounds each of the last three years.
Junior guard Georgia Amoore is a backcourt standout. She has 35 more made 3-pointers than anyone else on the team. She’s shooting 35.5% from downtown and posting 15.7 points per game.
Virginia Tech also gets help from two transfers in particular: senior guard Kayana Traylor (at Purdue from 2018-21) and graduate forward Taylor Soule (at Boston College from 2018-22). Both are averaging double figures this season.
Ohio State will tip-off against the Hokies at 9 p.m. E.T. in Seattle Monday night with a trip to the Final Four on the line.
Brice Sensabaugh declares for NBA Draft after breakout freshman season
Ohio State star freshman forward Brice Sensabaugh has declared for this year’s NBA Draft but is keeping the option to return to the Buckeyes on the table, preserving his college eligibility. For student-athletes with eligibility remaining, like Sensabaugh, going back to college after entering their name into the NBA Draft is in play until 10 days after the NBA Combine, which takes place from May 16 to May 18 this year.
Sensabaugh has a chance to be the Buckeyes’ second one-and-done in a row. Last year, guard Malaki Branham — now a rookie with the San Antonio Spurs — made the decision to go pro after rising up draft boards during his first year at Ohio State.
Sensabaugh is a projected first-round pick who led the Buckeyes with 16.3 points per game in 2022-23. He reached or eclipsed the 20-point mark 11 times and, at one point, was Ohio State’s top scorer in 13 straight games. Sensabaugh piled up the fourth-most points of any Buckeyes freshman all-time. It took him nine games to crack the starting five, and he was part of that lineup all but six games the rest of the way.
For more on Sensabaugh, head over here.
Two Buckeyes players shed black stripes after first scrimmage of spring ball
The second pairing of Ohio State players has lost its black stripes, this time after the first scrimmage of spring ball Saturday. Sophomore cornerback Davison Igbinosun became the first Buckeyes transfer this spring to accomplish the feat, and true freshman wide receiver Carnell Tate is the first early enrollee to do so.
Igbinosun has caught eyes with his length. At 6-foot-2, 187 pounds, he has a rare frame for a corner, and it’s a big reason why he got on the field early for Ole Miss last season. Igbinosun started 10 games as a true freshman. He doesn’t waste time. Now, after just five Ohio State practices, he’s shed his black stripe.
The same could be said for Tate, who impressed during Saturday’s scrimmage with a handful of receptions from quarterbacks Kyle McCord, Devin Brown and Tristan Gebbia. Tate is part of a four-man, 2023 wide receiver class that also includes Bryson Rodgers, Noah Rogers and Brandon Inniss. Tate, Rodgers and Rogers are already enrolled at Ohio State and participating in spring camp.
“Competitiveness,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said of Igbinosun and Tate Saturday. “Both of those guys have competed. They’ve shown up for practice right from the first point.”
To read more about Igbinosun and Tate, go here and here, respectively.
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