Scarlet Sunrise: Buckeyes women's hoops NCAA Tournament ends in Sweet 16

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Buckeyes women’s hoops NCAA Tournament ends in Sweet 16

The Ohio State women’s basketball team pulled off an upset win in the second round and made the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2017.

But that’s where the run in the NCAA Tournament ended. The Buckeyes lost to Texas in Spokane, Washington, on Friday night, ending the tournament run in the Regional Semifinal. After beating Missouri State and upsetting LSU in Baton Rouge to reach the Sweet 16, Ohio State had chances to get by Texas.

The Buckeyes battled back from down as many as 10 points to have a shot at taking the lead with under 30 seconds to play. But that’s as close as they could get in their 66-63 loss to the Longhorns.

And the NCAA Tournament run officially ended after Kevin McGuff’s team made it to the Sweet 16.

Buckeyes star forward E.J. Liddell declares for NBA draft

E.J. Liddell made his intentions that his junior year at Ohio State would be his last clear all season.

On Friday, he made the move official. Liddell declared for the NBA draft, ending any speculation that the end of the season provided a window for him to return for his senior season.

Liddell talked about his final game in the Schottenstein Center early in March when he was honored on Senior Day. He was candid about this being his final year with Ohio State for the last few months. It isn’t a surprise. But it will certainly be difficult to replace his 19.4 points per game and 7.9 rebounds per game, which made him a third-team All-American and first-team all-Big Ten performer.

He meant everything to the Buckeyes for the last three years.

Now Liddell can work for his ultimate goal, one well beyond college basketball and Ohio State. He is confirming what he said all season, opting to head to the NBA draft. And he is expected to be a first-round pick when the draft happens.

READ: Buckeyes star forward E.J. Liddell declares for NBA draft

Top safety targets will visit Buckeyes

Ohio State has plenty of needs in the 2023 recruiting class. Safety might be at the top of the priority list.

And the Buckeyes are wasting no time bringing in some of the top safeties from around the country this spring to visit the program.

Lettermen Row’s Jeremy Birmingham has more:

It feels like it’s been a while since Joenel Aguero was in Columbus but that ends this weekend. The country’s No. 3-ranked safety according to the On3.com Consensus Rankings, Aguero has been to Florida, Georgia and LSU — twice — in the last month. The Buckeyes have recruited him a long, long time and have stayed in the battle but this weekend is huge for the developing relationship between new safeties coach Perry Eliano and Aguero.

The St. John’s Prep (Danvers, Mass.) four-star won’t be the only top safety on campus though as Ohio State welcomes Jayden Bonsu to town as well. The St. Peter’s Prep (Hillside, N.J.) four-star is the country’s No. 19-ranked safety but a player that the Buckeyes like.

READ: Ohio State set for key recruiting weekend with top safety targets

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