COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State guard Linnae Harper has played plenty of basketball games, but this past Fridays contest still produced some butterflies.I woke up super early and I couldnt even eat, thats how excited I was, she said after making her first appearance as a Buckeye since transferring from Kentucky. I was very anxious and nervous to hear my name called. My hands were shaking.There was nothing for the Buckeyes to be nervous about overall, though, as they waltzed over Alabama State 118-61. In a nonconference season thats had some tough tests for No. 12 Ohio State -- including losses to South Carolina, Baylor and Miami -- this was the opposite: an automatic win against an overmatched opponent. A chance to build confidence and chemistry, two things the Buckeyes have been working on a lot.But next they go back to the complete other end of the spectrum in competition: facing No. 1 UConn in Hartford, Connecticut, on Monday night.The 9-3 Buckeyes now have their whole team together. Harper is eligible to play, and fellow transfer Stephanie Mavunga came back Friday for the first time since Nov. 27 after missing four games with a sore knee. She had 23 points to lead seven Buckeyes in double figures; Harper and All-American Kelsey Mitchell each had 15.Weve known from the start that Ohio State is different this year, incorporating new players and trying to be, as coach Kevin McGuff puts it, more flexible in its style of play.Of course, things still revolve around Mitchell. But in the point guard role now, she has more decisions to make because the Buckeyes at their best will have more options.Were going to have to hang our hat on execution, McGuff said, whereas the last couple of years, our style was based on speed, quickness, spacing.We want to keep Kelsey playing to her strengths but also evolve where we can play different ways. Where she can still be incredibly impactful but still get these new players involved.But the Huskies are better than any other team at disrupting an opponents ability to execute. By the same token, they demolish teams that are not disciplined enough to keep trying hard to run their sets.UConns 84-game winning streak is a testament to -- among other things -- the Huskies ability to prevent opponents from ever feeling they have a sense of control in the game.It happened to Ohio State early last season, when UConn visited Columbus in November and clobbered the Buckeyes 100-56. Mitchell was held to eight points on 2-of-14 shooting, with five turnovers.Personnel-wise, this is a very different UConn team minus Breanna Stewart, Morgan Tuck and Moriah Jefferson, who combined to score 60 points and shoot 54.7 percent from the field last year at Ohio State (while helping to hold the Buckeyes to 33.3 percent).Yet as weve all seen thus far, the departure of last years big three for UConn hasnt made the Huskies any more vulnerable. Theyre still No. 1 and unbeaten (9-0).Mitchell knows what Ohio State is up against, but she also thinks she learned something from last years loss to UConn, crushing as it was. Plus, her team is notably different this season in terms of personnel.I got into foul trouble early against them last year, and you cant do that against a team thats really talented like that, Mitchell said. Its really important that I stay on my ps and qs defensively.And offensively, stay with the course. Were a team that likes to push the ball, so its going to be about being smart, knowing what you can do and cant do. Last year, everything was a little rushed.Mitchell, who averaged 26.1 points last season, is at 22.7 this year. Ask how she is handling the point guard role with this squad and she says with a smile, I dont think Im doing as bad as I thought I would, but Ive still got a lot of growing to do in that area. Playing a team like UConn will help me.I feel like Im in a whole different place on the court and off the court [this season]. Seeing things before they happen and being able to slow myself down.Shes also focusing on being more comfortable vocally and as a leader, being a little less shy in situations. Harper has worked on her leadership, too, in her time away from being able to play.McGuff clearly knew what challenges would be in store after bringing in transfers like Harper, Mavunga and Sierra Calhoun (Duke). This is an Ohio State team with more size and potential combinations.It can be hard, but its a good problem to have, he said. I like the kids we have. Theyre the right kids, and were kind of evolving in how were going to play and use them.Discount Adidas Nmd Ireland . Here are his mid-season NBA awards. MVP: (KEVIN DURANT-Thunder) - Has been sensational this season and more importantly, the most consistent player in the league. Considering that his team has been without star guard Russell Westbrook and with the free agent departure of sharpshooter Kevin Martin, hes had to carry the majority of the load to not only keep his team afloat but more importantly, at an elite level. Adidas Nmd Womens Ireland .com) - Richie Incognito has reportedly been admitted to a psychiatric care unit in Arizona. http://www.cheapnmdsneakersireland.com/ .J. Ellis hit two-run homers and the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres 4-0 Saturday night. 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The speculation went into meltdown mode, of the golden nugget variety.Australias best high school basketballers are out to impress 23 college coaches from the United States in Canberra this week.Basketball Australia has flown out the college coaches for the three-day camp, which will include a number of drills, tests and three tournament-style matches for the 32 most talented high school players in the country.Australian basketballers have become a very intriguing prospect to colleges, Centre of Excellence coach Adam Caporn said.The current Boomers have done so many great things for our sport through college, Europe, internationally, and in the NBL and NBA.Some of the boom on Aussie talent comes off the back of Ben Simmons and Thon Maker going as top 10 NBA draft picks on June 23 and the camp is the first of its kind to be held in Australia.Among the coaches will be those from the highly regarded Texas Christian University, Oregon State, Southern Methodist University and St Marys College of California where Patty Mills and Matthew Dellaveedova both attended.ddddddddddddThere will also be a number of national Australian coaches in attendance at the camp, as well as representatives of NBL teams.We had a number of elite athletes doing their own work and sometimes misinformed about what was going on overseas through the college system and even locally, Caporn said.We wanted to have a really good basketball tournament and also give them an education on all those pathways and a chance to be evaluated by all those coaches.Most will be looking to follow in the path of youngster Jack White, who has already secured his college future with the highly regarded Duke for next year.Jack has a lot of the qualities that you would think would give him a chance to find out how good he can be, Caporn said.Hes got the work ethic, great teammate, good person, and a very talented basketball player. 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