Athletics Good Stuff – Ohio State Buckeyes
12/30/2003 12:00:00 AM | General
Dec. 30, 2003
The women’s ice hockey team looks to continue its eight-gameunbeaten streak as the Buckeyes play host to St. Cloud State at2:05 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in the OSU Ice Rink. Ohio State is8-5-1 overall and 5-5-0 in WCHA action. St. Cloud State is 3-12-1overall and 0-9-1 in the WCHA. For the first time in programhistory the Buckeyes have gone unbeaten in eight consecutive games.The squad’s tie with Northeastern Dec. 14 ended a seven gamewinning streak for the Buckeyes. The previous record of six gameswas in the 2000-01 season. Ohio State’s penalty-killing unit isstanding strong at fourth in the nation, its highest nationalranking, stopping 54-of-59 of their opponents’ power plays (91.5percent). The men’s gymnastics team will compete in the VarsityExhibition, its final preseason tune-up, at 2 p.m. Saturday in theSteelwood Athletic Training Facility. The event pays tribute to thehistory and alumni of Ohio State gymnastics. Ranked No. 1, theBuckeyes open their regular season with a trip to Chicago for theWindy City Invitational at 7 p.m. Jan. 10 in the UIC PhysicalEducation Building. OSU’s home opener against Minnesota is set for7 p.m. Jan. 17 in St. John Arena. The 23rd-ranked women’sgymnastics team will play host to the University of Kentucky at 4p.m. Sunday in St. John Arena as the Buckeyes begin the 2004season. The No. 17/18 women’s basketball team (8-1, 0-0 Big Ten)beat No. 21/23 UC Santa Barbara (5-4; 0-0 Big West), 73-59, Sunday,Dec. 28, in front of the largest crowd of the season at TheThunderdome in Santa Barbara, Calif. The Buckeye win was the team’sfirst game vs. a Top 25 program this season. Senior center LaToyaTurner (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington) notched her seconddouble-double of the season with 16 points and 11 boards and juniorshooting guard Caity Matter (Bluffton, Ohio/Bluffton) led allscorers with 19 points. Sophomore guard Candace Dark (FountainCentral, Ind./Fountain Central) scored a career-best 12 points in14 minutes and classmate point guard Kim Wilburn (Southfield,Mich./Detroit Country Day) added 10 points. Ohio State snappedUCSB’s 27 consecutive game winning streak at home, a mark thatranked second in the country behind Connecticut’s 63 wins at home.Additionally, the Buckeyes shot .529 for the game, including a .654stroke in the second half. Prior to the contest, UCSB had held thelast 111 opponents to less than .500 shooting dating back to thefinal game of the 1999-00 season. The men’s basketball team (7-4)ends the 2003 portion of its schedule at home vs.Maryland-Baltimore County at 8 p.m. Tuesday at Value City Arena.The Buckeyes then close out the non-conference schedule with a homegame against Texas Tech at 1 p.m. Jan. 4. TTU is coached by formerBuckeye Bob Knight. Ohio State has won five of its last six gamesheading into the game against UMBC. The wrestling team travels tothe 41st annual Midlands Tournament in Evanston, Ill. A quartet ofBuckeye seniors have earned seeds in their respective weight classas Tommy Rowlands carries an unblemished 17-0 mark into the eventseeking a fourth tournament crown in as many events this season asthe No. 1 seed at HWT. Also claiming a top seed is 165 John Clark,who placed third at the event last season. Two more Buckeyes earnedseeds as 184 Blake Kaplan rests in the No. 3 spot with a currentrecord of 17-1 and two tournament titles to his name this season,while Jeff Ratliff aims at his second tourney crown of the seasonas the No. 10 seed at 141 pounds. Ohio State assistant coaches KenRamsey and Mitch Clark, who both possess past Midlandschampionships, will compete in the event as members of the OhioInternational Wrestling Club. The No. 12 men’s hockey team tooksecond place in the Everblades College Classic over the weekend inEstero, Fla. The Buckeyes upset No. 3 Maine, 4-2, in the openinground before falling in overtime to then-No. 14/15 Cornell, 4-3, inthe championship game. The Buckeyes were led by senior forward PaulCaponigri and sophomore defenseman Nate Guenin, who were named tothe all-tournament team. After a week off, the Buckeyes return toaction with three games the week of Jan. 4. The squad will playhost to non-conference foe Quinnipiac at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday in ValueCity Arena before traveling to Ann Arbor, Mich., for a two-gameseries with the Wolverines Jan. 9-10. The men’s and women’sswimming and diving teams return to action Saturday when they playhost to Ohio at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Mike Peppe Aquatic Center.The Buckeyes are coming off a training trip in Florida and holidaybreak.
Friday, Jan. 2
Women’s Basketball vs. Wisconsin, 4 p.m.
Value City Arena
Football vs. Kansas State, 8 p.m.
Fiesta Bowl
Tempe, Ariz.
Saturday, Jan. 3
Wrestling Buckeye Duals, 11 a.m.
St. John Arena
Men’s Swimming vs. Ohio, 1 p.m.
Mike Peppe Aquatic Center
Women’s Swimming vs. Ohio, 1 p.m.
Mike Peppe Aquatic Center
Men’s Gymnastics Varsity Exhibition, 2 p.m.
Steelwood Athletic Facility
Women’ Ice Hockey vs. St. Cloud State, 2:05 p.m.
OSU Ice Rink
Sunday, Jan. 4
Men’s Basketball vs. Texas Tech, 1 p.m.
Value City Arena
Women’ Ice Hockey vs. St. Cloud State, 2:05 p.m.
OSU Ice Rink
Women’s Gymnastics vs. Kentucky, 4 p.m.
St. John Arena
Women’s Basketball at Rutgers, 5 p.m.
Piscataway, N.J.
