Ohio
Inside Lady Vols basketball’s upset of Ohio State in March Madness to return to Sweet 16
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Lady Vols basketball almost let the win slip away.
No. 5 seed Tennessee went on a 14-0 run to take a 17-point lead over No. 4 seed Ohio State in the third quarter. But the Buckeyes wouldn’t go out that easily, especially at home in the Schottenstein Center in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Ohio State stormed back, going on a 16-0 run to cut Tennessee’s lead to one point.
Coach Kim Caldwell wanted to see how the Lady Vols would respond after taking a punch. Tennessee (24-9) showed it could punch right back Sunday in an 82-67 win over Ohio State (26-7).
Tennessee fought back, battling on every possession. It played like its season was on the line, and it led to an upset to return to the Sweet 16. It’s the Lady Vols’ third trip to the Sweet 16 in the last four seasons.
Talaysia Cooper led the Lady Vols with 19 points, eight rebounds, seven steals, five assists and a block. Ruby Whitehorn added 14 points.
The Lady Vols will play the winner of No. 1 seed Texas and No. 8 seed Illinois in the Sweet 16 on Saturday in Birmingham, Alabama. The game will tip off at either 1 p.m. or 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
Lady Vols win battle of the full-court presses
Tennessee turned a four-point deficit after the first quarter into a five-point lead at halftime after outscoring Ohio State 23-14 in the second quarter.
The Lady Vols stepped up their defensive pressure in the second quarter and strung together stops to slow down the Buckeyes. They also started getting looks inside, scoring 12 points in the paint in the second compared to only six in the first.
Tennessee scored 14 points off of nine OSU turnovers in the first half. It only committed seven of its own, and those only led to seven points for the Buckeyes. The Lady Vols scored 35 points off 23 OSU turnovers, which was a season-high for the Buckeyes.
Zee Spearman comes up big for Tennessee
Zee Spearman turned the tide for the Lady Vols in the second quarter when she got more aggressive.
Four of her six points in the second gave Tennessee a lead it carried into halftime. Spearman had eight points on 4-for-4 shooting in the first half with four rebounds.
Spearman was aggressive again in the third, hunting her shot and getting in the paint. Ohio State couldn’t contain her off the dribble, and she added five more points. She finished with 17 points on 8-for-10 shooting and five rebounds.
Cora Hall covers University of Tennessee women’s athletics. Email her at cora.hall@knoxnews.com and follow her on X @corahalll. If you enjoy Cora’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that allows you to access all of it.
Ohio
NECIC to host community visioning session for Mansfield’s north end in partnership with Heritage Ohio
MANSFIELD — The North End Community Improvement Collaborative, Inc. (NECIC) will host a Community Visioning Session in partnership with Heritage Ohio, Inc. on Tuesday, July 28 at 6 p.m. at the United Steelworkers Hall, located at 376 West Longview Avenue in Mansfield.
The public is invited to attend and share input on the future of Mansfield’s North End, with a focus on strengthening neighborhood revitalization efforts and identifying opportunities for continued growth and investment.
The session is part of an upcoming visit from Heritage Ohio’s Downtown Assessment Resource Team, also known as D.A.R.T. The visit is designed to help communities explore next steps for revitalization and introduce the key building blocks of a successful long term revitalization effort: organization, promotion, design, and economic vitality.
NECIC reached out to Heritage Ohio as part of its ongoing work to support revitalization in the North End, especially near the corner of Springmill Street and Bowman Street, where NECIC has been focusing recent revitalization efforts.
Since joining the organization in early 2025, NECIC President & CEO Matthew Benko- Scruggs has placed a strong focus on revitalization near the corner of Springmill Street and Bowman Street.
This work has included the organization’s move back into the neighborhood, continued investment in the area, and community centered efforts such as the Springmill Spring Cleanup event.
During the Community Visioning Session, residents, business owners, stakeholders, and other community members will have the opportunity to learn more about Heritage Ohio, the revitalization process, and ways they can help shape the future of the North End.
“We want this process to be rooted in the voices of the people who live, work, and invest in the North End,” said Benko-Scruggs. “This session is an opportunity for the community to share ideas and help guide what revitalization can look like in our neighborhood.”
Heritage Ohio, Inc. is a statewide nonprofit organization that supports the development, redevelopment, and improvement of downtowns and neighborhood districts throughout Ohio through technical assistance, training, networking, and advocacy.
Community members are encouraged to attend and take part in the conversation.
For more information, contact Director of Community Organizing Emily Schwan at 419-
522-1611, ext. 109 or Emily@necic-ohio.org.
A grand jury in Franklin County, Ohio, indicted nine people suspected of being involved in a human trafficking ring, officials said.
Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson said in a news release on Monday that the nine people were indicted on a combined 42 felony charges in connection with the human trafficking investigation. Marcus Gant, Magon Smith, Raymond Valentine, Aimee Fabin, John W. Gibson II, Malik Jackson, Kayla Wheeler, Jeremy Lindsey, and Mackenzie Fitzpatrick face a variety of charges, including engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity. All nine are in custody.
The news release said they are accused of using narcotics to coerce women into commercial sex work at the Econo Lodge on North Wilson Road. The suspects then laundered money through Valentine Floral on Eakin Road, officials said. The alleged crimes took place between April 2025 and January 2026.
Some of those charged face trafficking in persons, compelling prostitution and promoting prostitution charges. Of the nine, Gant faces the most charges. The 37-year-old from Columbus faces 11 different counts related to the human trafficking investigation.
The Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force led that investigation, the news release added.
According to Monday’s news release, the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office has taken previous legal action against the Econo Lodge. Officials said a lawsuit was filed earlier this year against the owner of a hotel, who was accused of “neglecting to address repeated drug and violent activity on the property.” A settlement was reached.
People can report human trafficking in Ohio by calling 844-END-OHHT, texting “ENDOHHT” to 847411, downloading the END OHHT app or submitting information online.
Matt Hardigree
Read All My Posts »
-
New Mexico53 seconds agoIt’s a Boy! Giraffe born at Hillcrest Park Zoo in Clovis
-
North Dakota13 minutes agoFort Abercrombie program explores how Germans from Russia built the prairie
-
Ohio19 minutes agoNECIC to host community visioning session for Mansfield’s north end in partnership with Heritage Ohio
-
Oklahoma25 minutes agoDrones Highlight Boom in the Valley – Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
-
Oregon31 minutes agoOregon State Police seek witnesses to Hwy 20E crash involving black Chevy Silverado
-
Pennsylvania37 minutes agoPennsylvania man who brought gun to
-
Rhode Island43 minutes agoRhode Island State Police Task Force Arrests 2 On Gun Charges: Cops
-
South-Carolina49 minutes agoEarmarks, property tax relief continue to stall SC budget discussions
