Athletics Good Stuff – Ohio State Buckeyes
12/18/2012 12:00:00 AM | General
Dec. 18, 2012
Athlete of the Week
Senior wrestler Nikko Triggas earned the 43rd pin of his career against Kent State on Friday, lifting Ohio State to a quick 6-0 lead following his 1:59 pin over Steve Mitchell. Two days later at the Grapple at the Garden, Triggas posted back-to back wins against a pair of ranked wrestlers to help the Buckeyes improve to 6-0 on the season. Triggas improves to 13-5 on the season with six of his wins coming via pin and two via major decision, and is now tied for fourth in pins all-time in the Ohio State records book with 43 career falls.
No. 7 Men’s Basketball (8-1, 0-0 Big Ten)
Head Coach: Thad Matta
Ohio State defeated Savannah State, 85-45, Wed. (Dec. 12) atValue City Arena in the first meeting between the teams.
Four players scored in double figures for Ohio State: juniorforward Deshaun Thomas (22), sophomore forward LaQuinton Ross (13), sophomore guard Shannon Scott (12) and senior forward Evan Ravenel (11).
Ross tied a career-high with nine rebounds while also collecting acareer best three steals.
Scott scored a career-high 12 points and connected on two3-pointers, also a career best. He also notched a career high foursteals.
Ravenel tallied a career-high nine rebounds against theTigers.
The Buckeyes returned to action Sat. (Dec. 15) against UNCAsheville, defeating the Bulldogs by a score of 90-72.
Once again, four players scored in double figures for Ohio State:sophomore forward Sam Thompson (18), Thomas (17), Lenzelle Smith Jr. (16) andRavenel (12).
In 16 minutes of play, junior guard Aaron Craft and Scott combined for 17 assists and only oneturnover.
Thomas recorded his second double-double of the season and thefifth of his career with 17 points and 10 rebounds.
Thompson paced the Buckeyes in scoring with a career-high 18points, while Scott tallied a career-high six steals which ranksfourth all-time at Ohio State for steals earned in a game.
Craft recorded one steal against the Bulldogs and now has 185 forhis career, good for No. 3 all-time in Ohio State history.
The Buckeyes return to action against Winthrop at 7 p.m. Dec. 18 atValue City Arena, followed by a match-up with Kansas at 4 p.m. Dec.22 at Value City Arena.
Women’s Basketball (7-3, 0-0 Big Ten)
Head Coach: Jim Foster
Ohio State fell to Washington State, 62-55, Dec. 15 at BeasleyColiseum.
Senior guard Tayler Hill paced the Buckeyes with 14 points. She was followedby junior center Ashley Adams and redshirt senior guard Amber Stokes who chipped in 12 points apiece.
In addition to her 12 points, Adams also pulled down 11 rebounds tolead Ohio State.
The Buckeyes shot 35.7 percent (20-of-56) from the field and 60.9percent (14-of-23) from the line.
Ohio State returned to action Dec. 18, defeating Gonzaga 65-60, atthe McCarthey Athletic Center.
Hill scored a season-high 25 points, grabbed nine rebounds and went12 of 12 from the free throw line. She also added three assists anda key steal in the final minutes to help seal the win.
Stokes and Adams followed Hill in scoring, each chipping in 10points in the win. Stokes also added three steals, including acritical one in the final minutes while Adams added four assistsand three steals.
Behind Hill, redshirt junior center Aleksandra Dobranic pulled down five rebounds.
The Buckeyes play again at 7 p.m. Friday vs. Southern at Value CityArena.
Men’s Gymnastics
Head Coach: Rustam Sharipov
Ohio State competed in the second of three preseason meets atThe Cup Invitational at the Duke Energy Convention Center inCincinnati Dec. 15.
Sophomore Danny Steiner placed first on floor exercise (15.000), redshirtjunior Michael Newburger placed first on pommel horse (15.800),sophomore Drew Moling placed first on rings (14.400), junior Andrew Teal placed first on vault (14.700), and freshman JakeMartin placed first on parallel bars (14.200) and high bar(15.700).
Ohio State has a break in action before returning to competitionfor its last preseason meet at the Alumni Exhibition at 2 p.m. Jan.12 at the Steelwood Athletic Training Facility.
Men’s Hockey (7-6-5, 6-3-3-1 CCHA)
Head Coach: Mark Osiecki
Ohio State skated to a 1-1 overtime tie with No. 5-ranked MiamiFriday (Dec. 14) in Value City Arena.
Senior defenseman Devon Krogh scored his second goal of the season with anunassisted goal at 3:52 of the third period.
Senior goalie Brady Hjelle allowed just one goal for the sixth time thisseason and made 28 saves overall.
The Buckeyes returned to the ice the following night, falling toMiami in Value City Arena by a score of 3-1.
Sophomore forward Max McCormick scored the Buckeyes’ lone goal early in the thirdperiod to draw within one but Miami sealed the win with anempty-net goal at the 19:34 mark.
McCormick’s goal was assisted by junior forward Alex Szczechura and redshirt freshman forward Riley Simpson.
Hjelle is third in the NCAA with a 1.46 goals-against average andranks second nationally with a .951 save percentage. In CCHA playhe has a .79 goals-against average and .972 save percentage.
McCormick now shares the team lead with classmate Ryan Dzingel with six goals each. McCormick is third on theteam with 10 points.
Ohio State is sixth in the NCAA in team defense, holding opponentsto 1.94 goals a game.
Ohio State next takes to the ice against Miami in the opening roundof the Three Rivers Classic Dec. 28 in Pittsburgh. Game two of thetournament in CONSOL Energy Center, where they will be joined byRobert Morris and Penn State, is Dec. 29.
No. 4 Wrestling (6-0)
Head Coach: Tom Ryan
Ohio State defeated Kent State, 27-10, Friday night (Dec. 14)in St. John Arena.
Senior Nikko Triggas lifted Ohio State to a quick 6-0 lead followinghis 1:59 pin over Steve Mitchell. Triggas earned the 43rd pin ofhis career which ties him for fourth all-time in the Ohio Staterecords book.
Redshirt sophomore Logan Stieber, the Buckeyes’ No. 1 ranked wrestler at 133pounds, remained undefeated when he recorded an 18-1 technical fallover Kyle Bauer.
Sophomore Hunter Stieber, also undefeated, propelled the Scarlet and Grayto a 15-0 advantage following his 13-5 major decision vs. LukasKern.
The Buckeyes won back-to-back matches at 157 and 165 pounds,respectively. Redshirt sophomore Josh Demas edged Mallie Shuster, 3-2, at 157 pounds beforefreshman Mark Martin beat Caleb Marsh, 2-1.
Redshirt freshman Kenny Courts scored a 6-4 overtime victory vs. Casey Newburgand junior Peter Capone concluded the evening with a 2-0 victory overKeith Whitt.
The Buckeyes opened the inaugural Grapple at the Garden in New YorkCity’s Madison Square Garden with a 34-3 victory over No. 18Maryland Sunday afternoon and a 38-3 victory over Hofstra later inthe day.
Against Maryland, Triggas defeated No. 13 Shane Gentry, 8-1 beforealso defeating No. 19 Steve Bonanno of Hofstra, 1-0.
Logan Stieber defeated Maryland’s Paul O’Neill while alsodefeating Hofstra’s Jamie Franco, 16-0.
Hunter Stieber defeated Maryland’s Danny O’Malley by majordecision before defeating Hofstra’s No. 13 Luke Vaith.
The Buckeyes will not wrestle again until Jan. 4, 2013 when theyface Iowa in Iowa City in their Big Ten Conference season opener.The match will air live on BTN at 8 p.m. ET. Last season, OhioState downed the Hawkeyes, 21-9, in Columbus.
Ohio State Athletics Schedule
12.18.12 – 1.1.13
Tuesday, Dec. 18
Men’s Basketball vs. Winthrop, 7 p.m.
Columbus, Ohio, Value City Arena
Friday, Dec. 21
Women’s Basketball vs. Southern, 7 p.m.
Columbus, Ohio, Value City Arena
Saturday, Dec. 22
Men’s Basketball vs. Kansas, 4 p.m.
Columbus, Ohio, Value City Arena
Thursday, Dec. 27
Women’s Basketball vs. VCU, 7 p.m.
Columbus, Ohio, Value City Arena
Friday, Dec. 28
Men’s Ice Hockey vs. Miami (Ohio), 7:30 p.m.
Pittsburgh, Pa.
Saturday, Dec. 29
Men’s Basketball vs. Chicago State, 4:30 p.m.
Columbus, Ohio, Value City Arena
Men’s Ice Hockey vs. Consolation Game (Robert Morris or Penn State), 4:30 p.m.
Pittsburgh, Pa.
Men’s Ice Hockey vs. Championship (Robert Morris or Penn State), 7:30 p.m.
Pittsburgh, Pa.
Sunday, Dec. 30
Women’s Basketball vs. Howard, 2 p.m.
Columbus, Ohio, Value City Arena
