Ohio
Ohio State women’s basketball vs Howard prediction: Our pick for 2026 NCAA bracket first round
Ohio State women’s basketball will begin its 2026 NCAA Tournament campaign at the Schottenstein Center against Howard on March 21, marking the fourth consecutive year the Buckeyes earned hosting rights for the opening two rounds.
Despite taking a dip to end the regular season, losing three of their final five games, the Buckeyes’ solid outing at the Big Ten Tournament secured them the No. 3 seed in the Fort Worth 1 region. Ohio State defeated Indiana and Minnesota before falling to the No. 2 team in the nation, UCLA, 72-62 in the semifinals.
The Buckeyes are entering the NCAA Tournament with their focus set on getting out of Columbus for the first time since 2023, as they’ve been eliminated in the second round the past two years.
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But the first step to the Sweet 16 for Ohio State is its matchup against the No. 14 seed Bison, who punched their ticket to the tournament by winning the Mid-Eastern Conference championship.
Here are four predictions for this first-round matchup between Ohio State and Howard:
Ohio State will thrive capitalizing on turnovers
Ohio State finished top-20 nationally in opponent turnovers, forcing 21.4 per game, and recorded an average of 24.4 points off those turnovers. Howard recorded 15 turnovers per game throughout the season, which is a higher average than seven of the opponents the Buckeyes faced this conference play season.
If the Buckeyes can find defensive momentum and force turnovers via their press, the offense should be able to find easy baskets to build an advantage over the Bison.
Jaloni Cambridge needs to bounce back from outing vs UCLA
Ohio State point guard Jaloni Cambridge, who led the Big Ten in scoring with 23.4 points per game, had her worst shooting performance of the season in the semifinals against UCLA.
Going 4 for 14 from the field (28.6%), Cambridge finished with 12 points and missed five shots during the Buckeyes’ attempt to come back in the fourth quarter.
The Buckeyes will need Cambridge to get closer to her average of 49% shooting against Howard, especially with the Bison holding opponents to just 59.9 points per game.
Ohio State, Howard enter matchup evenly matched on the boards
While the Buckeyes’ game on the boards has struggled throughout the season, grabbing just 36.8 per game, Howard is just a slightly better rebounding team on paper, averaging 37.9.
However, Ohio State has seen an uptick in its rebounding game due to the performance of Elsa Lemmila. The 6-foot-6 center averaged 10 rebounds per game in the Big Ten Tournament, and helped the Buckeyes match UCLA on the boards, 34-34.
Lemmila should be able to put together another solid outing while going up against Howard’s 6-foot-2 forward Zennia Thomas, who leads the Bison in rebounds with eight per game.
Ohio State vs Howard prediction: March Madness first round
The Buckeyes are going into the NCAA Tournament with momentum, even with the loss to UCLA, as their 10-point loss margin was the smallest of any team that faced the Bruins in the conference tournament.
While Howard has just seven losses this season, one of those is to Purdue, 92-62. The Buckeyes easily handled Purdue 83-56 behind a combined 30 points from Cambridge and guard Chance Gray.
If Cambridge and Gray have their usual offensive performances, and Ohio State plays Howard closely on the boards, the Buckeyes should be able to advance to the second round for a fifth-straight year.
bmackay@dispatch.com
Ohio
Edward Peter Salus, Youngstown, Ohio
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (MyValleyTributes) – It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Father, who left us on Friday, March 27, 2026 at home.
He was born on May 22, 1946 in Youngstown, Ohio to John and Annette Salus.
Edward was a Self-employed professional auto mechanic for over 50 years.
He enjoyed fishing, golfing, travel, classic cars and camping.
He was a husband to Lana M Yambar-Salus (Deceased 2010) for 40 years. was a beloved father to James R Yambar (deceased1985) Robert E Yambar, Edward (Anne) Salus and John (Mandy) Salus. Brother to John Salus, Phillip Salus, Elizebeth Enterline and David Salus. Grandfather to over 20 grandchildren and a great grandfather. He will also be missed by many nieces, nephews and cousins, touching the lives of many with his warmth, kindness, and love of classic cars and auto mechanics. He was a graduate of Girard high school, served during Vietnam, and a member of St. Patrick’s Church in Hubbard, Ohio.
Edward was preceded in death by his mother, father, wife, son and brothers and sisters.
Edward’s life was celebrated at a Calvary cemetery, followed by a private burial on April 2, 2026. Services were private at our father’s request but all who knew him are encouraged to visit his grave at the family plot at Calvary cemetery and celebrate his life in private.
Augustine funeral home in Youngstown, Ohio handled all arrangements.
May Edward’s soul rest in eternal peace.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Edward Peter Salus, please visit our floral store.
Ohio
Darice Draa-Hall, Kinsman, Ohio
KINSMAN, Ohio (MyValleyTributes) – The Lord has recently called home one of earth’s most precious angels, to join him in eternal rest. Darice Draa-Hall, 51 of Kinsman, Ohio, passed away peacefully on Sunday, March 29, 2026, at her home, the very one she grew up in as a child, after a long and courageous ten year battle with cancer.
Darice was born on March 6, 1975, in Greenville, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Roy Draa and Sharon Harvey.
She grew up in Kinsman, Ohio, where she attended Joseph Badger High School and graduated high school in 1994. She later went on to attend college for a short period at Kent State University.
She most recently worked as an operations technician at Luxium Solutions in Hiram, Ohio, where she grew special crystals that were used in the manufacturing of MRI machines and other tools used in gas and oil exploration.
Darice dedicated her entire life to her family, pouring boundless love, kindness, patience, hope, wisdom, and so much more into raising her three boys. She was a masterful gardener, with hands blessed by thumbs greener than grass. She loved canning the treasures from her own backyard. She was an amazing cook; the flavor and love she added to every home-cooked meal was second to none, seasoned with many tips and tricks obtained from generations past that she loved to teach to those around. With a strong passion for sewing, she could create or fix anything you could dream of. She also enjoyed scrolling Facebook, staying connected to the world she knew and loved. But above all, she cherished spending time with her beloved friends and family, continuously planting the seeds of moments and memories for her loved ones to remember forever.
She leaves behind a legacy of love in the hearts of her husband, Dale Hall; her loving children, Joenus Hall, Michael (Marissa) Miller, Jr. and Zachary Williams; her fur-babies, Max and Koda; her sister, Denise (Ken) Moore; her niece, Ally Moore and nephew, Brian Moore and her brother, Jimmy Engle and many more loving friends and family who will carry her spirit forward. She was preceded on her journey by her father, Roy Draa; her mother, Sharon Harvey and her brother, Brock Engle; along with many other cherished loved ones who won’t be forgotten.
Per her wishes, there will be no funeral services or calling hours. A celebration of her remarkable life will be held during the summer months ahead, when the sun is high and the world is in full bloom. Though she has stepped into eternal rest, the seeds of love and wisdom she planted in her sons and family will continue to grow for generations to come. We carry her spirit in our hearts every day, comforted by the boundless love she gave us and the hope that we will one day walk beside her again.
Arrangements are entrusted to the Staton-Borowski Funeral Home, 962 North Road NE, Warren, Ohio 44483, 330- 394-6200. Dedicated To Serving Your Loved Ones.
Condolences may be sent to www.statonborowskifuneralhome.com.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Darice , please visit our floral store.
A television tribute will air Tuesday, April 7 at the following approximate times: 5:17 a.m. on WKBN, 8:39 a.m. on FOX, 5:19 p.m. on WYTV and 6:37 p.m. on MyYTV. Video will be posted here the day of airing.
Ohio
Ohio’s first Buc-ee’s to open Monday
Related video: Electric atmosphere fills Mississippi’s first Buc-ee’s on opening day
HUBER HEIGHTS, Ohio (WTVG) – Buc-ee’s will open its first Ohio location Monday.
The 24/7 travel center chain will open to the public in Huber Heights, just outside of Dayton.
Buc-ee’s is based in Texas and has been expanding across the South and now in the Midwest. The chain is known for its large number of gas pumps and clean bathrooms, and its food options like Beaver Nuggets and brisket.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine plans to attend the grand opening Monday.
Plans are in the works to build the second Ohio location in Mansfield.
Related story: Buc-ee’s sues Milan, Ohio company over trademark infringement
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