SEATTLE — No. 1 seed Virginia Tech and No. 3 seed Ohio State meet in the Elite Eight on Monday night in Seattle. It's a 6 p.m. local tip (9 p.m. ET) on ESPN. The winner advances to the Final Four in Dallas.
The Buckeyes (28-7) defeated No. 2 seed UConn by 12, 73-61, in the Sweet 16 on Saturday before the Hokies (30-4) knocked off No. 4 seed Tennessee, 73-64.
Ahead of Tech's second-ever meeting with Ohio State, Tech Sideline spoke with Thomas Costello of Land-Grant Holy Land to get an opposing perspective.
Tech Sideline: Everyone wants to know about Ohio State's pressure. What makes it so effective, and has it worked consistently all season?
Thomas Costello: What makes the Buckeyes' press so effective is that it's organized, players know where to be and how to slow the opposition down, and Ohio State is a well-conditioned side. Any team will try to go full court when they're down, especially late or when down by large margins, but for the Buckeyes, it isn't going man-to-man with your guarding assignment like most teams.
The Buckeyes bring three players up into the fray, throwing two people sometimes on the person receiving the inbound pass. Against then-No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers, Ohio State sometimes didn't even let an inbound pass come in.
In terms of consistency, contrary to popular belief, the Buckeyes aren't always pressing their opponents. Ohio State is selective on when they use it. The place that it's seen the most is in case of a deficit.
Also, if shots aren't going down for the Buckeyes, the press doesn't start. Coach [Kevin] McGuff uses it off makes, because trying to throw it into a transition creates easy looks for opposing sides.
If Ohio State manages to have a strong start offensively, something it's struggled with this season, the press will be used sparingly. Even against UConn, the halfcourt defense did have to do some work, and for all intents and purposes, it did the job.
TSL: At 6-6, many teams struggle to match Elizabeth Kitley's size. Do you believe that'll be an issue for the Buckeyes? Is it something that they've faced this season, and if so, how did they handle it?
TC: The Buckeyes have faced some of the best bigs in the country this year. Ohio State went up against Indiana's MacKenzie Holmes three times, Iowa Hawkeyes' center Monika Czinano twice and Dulcy Fankam-Menjiadeu. To summarize how the Scarlet & Gray did against them: not fantastic.
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Since forwards Dorka Juhász and Aaliyah Patty transferred out of the program after the 2021 season, the paint is more open for Ohio State than probably anyone remaining in the tournament. Instead of having a traditional big like Kitley, the Buckeyes opt for athleticism. It showed on Saturday, with Cotie McMahon and Taylor Thierry each joining in post defense alongside center Eboni Walker.
Just about anyone will be able to jump into the paint if need be for Ohio State, but expect Kitley to have a strong game.
TSL: Freshman Cotie McMahon bullied UConn for 23 points in the Sweet 16. As you wrote, the Huskies underestimated her. What's helping her pay at such a high level, and what kind of matchup problems might she pose for the Hokies?
TC: Big Ten Freshman of the Year Cotie McMahon is a ball of fire. When the freshman has her eyes set on the basket, there's nothing she won't do to get there.
McMahon isn't afraid to get fouled, go to the floor and knock down free throws. She leads the Buckeyes with 179 free throw attempts on the season, in which she’s hit 67%.
All of that intensity is great, but early on this season, the freshman learned to slow down and work on her decision-making. McMahon averages 2.4 assists per game but has hit seven assists twice this season. Also, she’s hitting more three-point attempts, showing what she's been working on in practice.
TSL: Ohio State started the season 19-0 before losing five of its next seven games. It rebounded well, though, notching some big wins vs. Michigan and Indiana in the Big Ten tournament. The Buckeyes have won five of their last six; the one loss was against Iowa. What's helping them play well right now, and how did they handle those late season struggles?
TC: That early spell of losses came on the heels of a program-best start to the season. As much as the players said in the media and after games that the streak didn't get to them and they were focused on the next game, when they lost to Iowa, then Indiana and then unranked Purdue, it was clear that the 19-0 run might have creeped in a little bit.
On Feb. 5 against Maryland, Ohio State was demolished. The Buckeyes lost by 36 points to guard Diamond Miller and the Terps. That was the turning point of the season; the underdog mentality kicked back in and the results obviously followed.
What got them there is composure. The Buckeyes went down a lot this season, many times by more than 10 points a game. It was so much that I even ranked their top comebacks early in the season, and a few more can be added since publishing.
Ohio State doesn't panic anymore in those moments and it's evident on the court. McGuff shows emotion, but he's not yelling or screaming at his team to get it into shape. The Buckeyes trust each other and trust their ability to play the game they practice. That game was clear on Saturday.
The adversity of this season made the Buckeyes stronger. Compare them to the Hoosiers or Huskies for a moment. While both teams had their fair share of injuries and some defeats here and there, being down in games isn't something either side was used to and both fell in the tournament.
TSL: Who do you think will be Ohio State's x-factor against Virginia Tech on Monday night?
TC: This answer could go a few different ways, but I'm going with guard Taylor Mikesell. While she only scored nine points against UConn on Saturday, the shooter is going through an undisclosed injury, receiving treatment at timeouts and limiting effectiveness in scoring points.
However, she can't be left open. Mikesell, called "tough as nails" by teammate Jacy Sheldon, is playing in her last NCAA game each time she suits up. If anyone isn't going to let Ohio State lose, it's Mikesell.
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