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Ohio State ready for ‘Final Four’-caliber North Carolina at Madison Square Garden

Published

2 years ago

December 17, 2022

Ohio State ready for ‘Final Four’-caliber North Carolina at Madison Square Garden

In three-plus years of Division I basketball, Sean McNeil has been blessed to see among the nation’s most storied venues. Kansas’ Phog Allen Fieldhouse, Duke’s Cameron Indoor Stadium and the Lahaina Civic Middle are all bucket-list locations for basketball devotees, and the Ohio State graduate switch guard has performed inside every of them.

None of them fairly prime the expertise McNeil mentioned the No. 23 Buckeyes may have Saturday afternoon after they play North Carolina at Madison Sq. Backyard as a part of the CBS Sports activities Traditional (3 p.m., CBS).

“I’ve performed in some fairly cool arenas, however this may be No. 1,” McNeil mentioned. “Simply the atmosphere, you understand while you’re in Madison Sq. Backyard, The World’s Most Well-known Enviornment, it’s actually cool. I’m trying ahead to taking part in.”

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McNeil was in his first season at West Virginia when the Mountaineers performed St. John’s on the area, a recreation the Purple Storm received, 70-68, on Dec. 7, 2019. In any other case, there isn’t lots of expertise on the area for the 2022-23 Buckeyes. However whether or not it was sixth-year ahead Justice Sueing with 106 school video games below his belt, or freshman guard Bruce Thornton, in line for his tenth profession look, the chance to play the Tar Heels at an historic venue is one thing Ohio State is trying ahead to experiencing.

However as Thornton mentioned, it’s not simply in regards to the venue but in addition in regards to the alternative to face final 12 months’s nationwide runners-up.

“It’s a really massive deal,” he mentioned of taking part in on the Backyard. “That’s a staple for basketball. As a basketball participant, that’s one of many locations you’ve acquired to get off the bucket listing, to play at. I’m very excited, particularly taking part in North Carolina.”

With a roster boasting the 14th highest roster continuity from a season in the past in accordance with KenPom.com, the Tar Heels opened the 12 months as preseason No. 1 within the Related Press ballot after shedding to Kansas within the nationwide championship recreation. Beneath second-year coach Hubert Davis, a first-round choose by the Knicks in 1992 who would spend 4 years with the crew, North Carolina grew to become the quickest crew to open the season No. 1 after which fall out of the rankings totally. A four-game shedding streak towards high-major competitors dropped the Tar Heels from the highest 25, however they enter Saturday having received consecutive video games towards Georgia Tech and The Citadel.

Monday, Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann mentioned the Buckeyes are getting ready for a crew that “can get to a Last 4, there’s no query” despite their 7-4 begin.

“You recognize with this Carolina crew, it’ll even out,” he mentioned. “They’ll get on a run. They’re actually gifted. They’re well-coached. They’ll be effective. They’re definitely as gifted as any crew we’ve performed. Like lots of groups they’ve had a pair stumbles early. It’s November and December.”

North Carolina is led by fourth-year middle Armando Bacot, a 6-11, 235-pound drive who’s averaging 16.4 factors and a team-high 11.3 rebounds per recreation however has missed one recreation with a proper shoulder harm. He has scored in double figures in all 10 video games he’s performed this season and pulled down a career-high 23 rebounds in a win towards James Madison on Nov. 20.

He’s achieved it regardless of taking considerably fewer pictures per recreation (10.2) than major guards Caleb Love (15.5) and RJ Davis (12.5). The Tar Heels have taken roughly one third (33.7) of their pictures from 3-point vary and made solely 31.5% of them, good for No. 255 nationally.

Ohio State is restricted opponents to 27.9% 3-point taking pictures, the Twenty seventh-best mark within the nation.

“Bacot’s an amazing participant (together with his) dimension and physicality,” Holtmann mentioned. “That’s the most important factor. Can rating within the low publish. He’s a tremendously gifted participant.”

Ohio State Buckeyes: Six key numbers for Ohio State basketball to work on as North Carolina recreation looms

Zed Key, Ohio State’s third-year middle who hails from Lengthy Island and can make his Backyard debut in entrance of a big private cheering part, figures to attract major obligations to battle Bacot.

“UNC isn’t a nasty crew,” he mentioned. “They’re getting lots of hate proper now as a result of they misplaced a pair video games. Bacot is a very good participant.”

Traditionally, it’s a matchup North Carolina has dominated. The Tar Heels are 12-3 all-time towards the Buckeyes and have received each conferences between the faculties on this occasion. It’s solely the sixth time Ohio State enters the sport ranked larger than North Carolina; the Buckeyes are 2-3 in these video games together with a 74-49 win at North Carolina on Dec. 4, 2019.

A win Saturday would mark the primary consecutive Ohio State wins towards the Tar Heels.

ajardy@dispatch.com

@AdamJardy

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No matter who wins between Notre Dame, Ohio State, this bettor’s positioned to profit

Published

2 hours ago

January 16, 2025

Press Room

No matter who wins between Notre Dame, Ohio State, this bettor’s positioned to profit

LAS VEGAS — Notre Dame and Ohio State winning their semifinal playoff games meant the wisdom of Tom Petty, once again, rang true.

“Even the losers / Get lucky sometimes.”

Sometimes, fortune smiles upon minnow bettors whose stacks of losing tickets provide so many bookmarks, coasters and, yes, even novel wrapping paper.

On Dec. 12, I studied the new 12-team College Football Playoff with a keen eye to newly released title-game exacta odds.

My college-pigskin rudder is points-per-play, ratios available at TeamRankings.com. The tale of teams is contained in those fractions.

On offense and defense, and overall margins, Notre Dame had sparkled since early October. “Past three games” reveals how teams are currently running.

I applied those figures to project each playoff game, best squad moving on. I played out the tournament, producing the finale exacta. I aimed to go into the championship game with a sweet ticket on both teams, guaranteeing profit.

That exercise compelled me to obtain South Point tickets on Notre Dame over Ohio State, 30-to-1 odds, and Ohio State over Notre Dame, at 25-1. Alas, the Buckeyes and Irish play for the national title Monday night.

“That’s awesome!!!” Long Island handicapper Tom Barton wrote in a text message.

“Looks like you played it 100% correct,” Southern California professional bettor Tommy Lorenzo told me. “Bull’s-eye, well done. TeamRankings is a great tool. I use a lot of its info for my power rankings.

“You’re sitting pretty, my friend.”

The two best teams

Barton entered the week 3-0 in this new playoff, and he sounded as if he’d be fine taking a pass on the championship game.

Unless the point spread ekes up to 10 somewhere. It mostly opened around 9 to 9.5 points in favor of Ohio State. Last Sunday night, it got shaved to 8. Monday afternoon, it hit 7.5 before pumping back to 8.5 by Wednesday.

“I haven’t finished my homework on the championship game,” Barton said. “I tend to lean with the points. The over looks interesting, too, but I’m not sure if I’ll play anything.”

Monday, DraftKings posted a 45.5 total. Wednesday, it hit 46.5, -108 over (or risk $108 to win $100), -112 under. Odds subject to change.

Lorenzo said he felt fortunate to be holding a title ticket on Notre Dame, at 11-1, plus Ohio State at +340.

They represented the two top teams in his power ratings, “so I pulled the trigger.” He added, “I do kick myself, however, for not attacking the championship exacta on those two, given my conviction on those two being the best teams overall.”

More maneuvering

I have more work to do, since I’ve been on Notre Dame since the summer. I’m bullish on Irish coach Marcus Freeman, so I bought a 22-1 Irish title ticket Aug. 31.

It lost early to Northern Illinois but has won 13 in a row, and I nabbed a 30-1 ducat on the Irish on Nov. 21 at the Westgate -SuperBook. So I reap more profit with a Notre Dame victory.

To even that out, I’ll stake positions with Ohio State, likely via in-game maneuvering.

Should the Irish tally an early touchdown, say, the Bucks’ moneyline will shrink closer to even (from around -380), providing an optimal situation to bet on Ohio State and ensure my dividends will be nearly equal, no matter who wins.

I did scramble for a +560 Penn State ticket on New Year’s Eve, just in case, among other moves. I had already bought into the Nittany Lions, at 24-1, on Aug. 31 at William Hill.

There are other debits, and credits. For the semifinals, I played a moneyline parlay of Ohio State to Notre Dame, turning two units into five. In sum, I’ll likely net around 55 units of playoff profit.

Howard’s Will

A lifelong Notre Dame supporter, Lorenzo said he ultimately believes Ohio State will get the victory; the figures back up that outcome.

Ohio State boasts a 0.617 points-per-play ratio over its last three games; Notre Dame’s offense, at 0.374, has been faltering.

Turnovers might be an equalizer, though, as the Irish’s ball-hawking defenders snatched an NCAA-best 32 combined fumbles and interceptions this season. Senior free safety Xavier Watts yanked down six of those picks.

All of which funnels into this column’s final words from Paul Stone, arguably the country’s finest purveyor of college-pigskin prognostications.

He noted the game opening Ohio State -10.5 at Circa Sports, which drew early action on underdog Notre Dame. Wednesday, Vegas had the Buckeyes as consensus 8-point favorites.

From East Texas, Stone said he respected those early waves of cash on the Irish, but he views Ohio State as the “more-complete team” and will back the Buckeyes on the point spread.

“They have found another gear in the playoffs and have too much firepower for Notre Dame, in my opinion,” he said. “Ohio State defeated a talented trifecta of teams — Tennessee, Oregon and Texas — all by 14 points or more.

“The Buckeyes have averaged 7.5 yards per play in those victories, while allowing only 4.2 yards per play.”

The key is Ohio State quarterback Will Howard, the 6-4, 237-pound senior who left Kansas State for Columbus.

“If [he] takes care of the ball and the Irish don’t post a defensive or special-teams touchdown,” Stone said, “I think the Buckeyes win by double digits.”

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Notre Dame vs. Ohio State: Championship history and stats

Published

10 hours ago

January 15, 2025

Press Room

Notre Dame vs. Ohio State: Championship history and stats

Jan 15, 2025, 05:27 PM ET

Notre Dame and Ohio State will be facing off in the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship game. How did each team get here? Notre Dame — coming off playoff wins against Indiana, Georgia and Penn State — is riding a 13-game winning streak. But the Irish are a heavy underdog in the title game matchup. Ohio State — which went through Tennessee, Oregon and Texas in the playoffs — brings its top-ranked defense in a quest to capture its ninth national championship. This will be the first time Notre Dame reaches the title game in the CFP era after falling in the semifinal in the 2018-19 and 2020-21 seasons. The Buckeyes will be playing in their third CFP title game since winning the inaugural game in 2014.

Here’s a tale of the tape between the two squads ahead of Monday’s CFP National Championship game.

Established: 1890

Conference: Big Ten

Stadium: Ohio Stadium (102,780 capacity)

Head coach: Ryan Day (2019-present)

2024 season record: 13-2

2024 season leaders:

2024 AP Top 25 final ranking: No. 6

Total championships: Eight (2014, 2002, 1970, 1968, 1961, 1957, 1954, 1942)

All-time record: 977-335-53 (.744)

Bowl record: 26-23 (.531)

Heisman winners:

Head-to-head vs. Notre Dame: 6-2, 25.6 points scored per game

Established: 1887

Conference: Independent

Stadium: Notre Dame Stadium (80,795 capacity)

Head coach: Marcus Freeman (2021-present)

2024 season record: 14-1

2024 season leaders:

2024 AP Top 25 final ranking: No. 3

Total championships: 13 (1988, 1977, 1973, 1966, 1964, 1949, 1947, 1946, 1943, 1930, 1929, 1924, 1919)

All-time record: 962-338-42 (.740)

Bowl record: 23-18 (.561)

Heisman winners:

Tim Brown, 1987
John Huarte, 1964
Paul Hornung, 1956
John Lattner, 1953
Leon Hart, 1949
John Lujack, 1947
Angelo Bertelli, 1943

Head-to-head vs. Ohio State: 2-6, 17.4 points scored per game

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Ohio’s first Zaxby’s is coming to Greater Cincinnati

Published

18 hours ago

January 15, 2025

Press Room

Ohio’s first Zaxby’s is coming to Greater Cincinnati

Zaxby’s, a popular fried chicken chain, is getting its first Ohio location in Liberty Township.

A 56-seat Zaxby’s restaurant and drive-thru is planned to open at Freedom Pointe, next to Costco. The development, which was initially planned to be a hotel, will also house three other eateries: E+O Kitchen, which has locations at The Banks, Hyde Park and Loveland; Bismarck Donut and Coffee Shop and El Rancho Grande, said Christy Gloyd, Liberty Township’s marketing and events manager.

Costco opened near Interstate 75 on Cox Road in 2022. Construction on the new restaurants starts this summer, Gloyd said.

“We’re just really excited to be growing over there at Freedom Pointe,” she told The Enquirer. “Having Costco as the anchor is huge. Just to have another family-friendly restaurant and have the variety – to have the Zaxby’s and E+O and El Rancho Grande – I think it’s really going to be a nice offering for our residents.”

Atlanta-headquartered Zaxby’s has over 900 locations in 17 states, mostly in the South and Midwest. The chain is known for its chicken fingers and wings, sandwiches and salads. The closest Zaxby’s locations currently open are over an hour away, in Shelbyville, Indiana and Louisville, Kentucky.

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