Ohio State Women’s Basketball Big Ten Preview

Ohio State Women’s Basketball Big Ten Preview
Ohio State is looking like one of the favorites entering Big Ten Play and Head Coach Kevin McGuff likes his team so far this season. “I like the chemistry on our team,” McGuff said. “We have played very hard so far and we have gotten better over the season and played very well in the in Las Vegas tournament”. In the Play4Kay tournament on Thanksgiving weekend, Ohio State got a big win against women’s college basketball powerhouse Stanford in overtime.

Ohio State has some top returners coming back including senior guard Kelsey Mitchell and senior forward Stephanie Mavunga. “Kelsey had an excellent season and off season last year so it’s awesome to see her grow as a player,” McGuff said.  “Stephanie had an amazing off season as well and got herself into amazing shape and has a chance to be one of the best post players in women’s college basketball.”. Linnae Harper will also return for the Buckeyes this season and will be able to play a full season for Ohio State after she transferred from Kentucky last season. Another player returning for the Buckeyes is senior guard Asia Doss who went to Detroit Country Day High School in Michigan. “She is very quick up the court and fits our style of play,” McGuff remarked. “The thing I like most about Asia is she is incredibly unselfish.” Also returning for the Buckeyes this year is forward Alexa Hart who will provide senior leadership to the Buckeyes this season.

Kevin McGuff also likes the quarter system instead of the halves. “I like it,” McGuff commented. “It creates more situations at the end of the quarter. With the halves, there was just the end of half and end of game situations. Now there are end of quarter situations and I think it just brings excitement to women’s college basketball.”  McGuff also thinks that this might be a good season for the Big Ten in women’s basketball. “This is going to be one of the most competitive seasons in a long time,” McGuff said. “We have a lot of people playing very well and a lot of teams playing well. We have a lot of parity between the 14 teams and it is going to be an interesting Big Ten season in women’s basketball.” Kevin McGuff is in his third season at Ohio State and he is adjusting well to the Big Ten Conference after replacing longtime Ohio State women’s basketball coach Jim Foster. “I followed a great coach in Foster,” said McGuff.  “Every program at Ohio State has high expectations but when you follow a great coach the expectations are higher. I was very fortunate to get this opportunity to put my stamp on the program here at Ohio State.”

Ohio State opens Big Ten play on December 28th when they travel to Nebraska to take on the Cornhuskers.