CLICK HERE For All of Hoops HD’s Continued and Extensive Preseason Content
We are still about 3 weeks away from the tip-off of a new college basketball season, which means that we have plenty of time to start preparing for the action ahead. We will do so via a series of season previews featuring the best players/coaches in the country. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel continues our coverage with Ohio State SR G/F Taylor Thierry, who talked about facing her twin sister this December and her expectations for this season.
You were born/raised in Ohio: what made you choose Ohio State? I chose Ohio State because I wanted to stay close to home, attend a large university, and be part of a large community. My teammates and coaches also played a major role in my decision to attend Ohio State.
In the 2023 NCAA Tournament you had 11 PTS/4 STL in a win over UConn: what was it like to face Geno Auriemma and the Huskies in the postseason, and how big a deal was it to help the Buckeyes make their first Elite 8 appearance in 30 years? It was super-cool to face legendary coach Geno Auriemma and his team. I have a lot of respect for him as a coach and was excited to have the opportunity to play against UConn. Therefore, it was an even better feeling beating them to move forward to the Elite 8. Any game is a great win for the Buckeyes, but being able to make an appearance in the Elite 8 after 30 years was an unforgettable accomplishment that I hope we will have the opportunity to do again this season.
Your first regular season game last year was a loss to USC and your final regular season game last year was a loss at Iowa: where does Caitlin Clark (35 PTS/9 AST/3 STL) rank among the greatest players that you have ever faced and how far behind her is JuJu Watkins (32 PTS/6 REB/5 AST)? Caitlin is a generational player who has changed the game of basketball, so I have a lot of respect for her as a player and what she has done for the sport. I would say she is top-2 as far as the greatest or hardest players that I have faced or had to guard. Georgia Amoore is #1…but JuJu is not far behind her. She may not be shooting from the logo during every game, but she is an exceptional all-around player who has a bright future ahead of her.
You have a career 61.1 FG%: what is the key to being a great shooter? It is important to take the right shots and be confident in your ability to make shots. I also focus on not forcing any shots and just being patient and trusting our offense and my teammates to allow me to take great shots.
You only made 1-5 3PM (20%) as a FR but have made a combined 25-60 3PM (41.7%) during the past 2 years: do you think you should be allowed to take more since you have proved that you can make more? I was never “not allowed” to shoot threes. I just struggled with my confidence to MAKE threes, which is why I consistently avoided shooting them my freshman year…but I have always been capable of making threes. Moving forward, I want to continue to increase my confidence offensively and take the right shots, whether that includes a layup, three-pointer, or mid-range jumper.
You were named a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar in 2023 and Academic All-Big Ten in each of the past 2 years: how do you balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom? It is not easy, but I have done well at staying organized and communicating with my coaches/professors to ensure that I am staying on top of my work, especially when I must miss classes for games. I also focus on avoiding procrastination, which has helped me succeed academically.
The Big Ten added several new schools last summer: any thoughts on conference realignment? I thought the Big Ten was already a tough conference so adding these teams is only going to increase the competitiveness of the league. I am also excited for the new competition and think that it will be a different-but-exciting season for us.
Your late father John was selected 11th overall in the 1994 NFL Draft, your mother Elin played volleyball at Oklahoma, and your twin sister Haley plays basketball at Youngstown State: who is the best athlete in the family? I have to say we are all the best athletes in our family in our own different and unique ways. Obviously, I give all the credit for my athleticism and success as an athlete to my parents because I would not be in the position that I am today if it were not for them!
You host the Penguins on December 14th: will facing your twin sister be a dream or a nightmare or something in between? I am looking forward to it…but more so just viewing it as another game to try and win as a team. It has been an interesting experience playing college basketball without having her on my team, so playing against her just seems kind of off or weird to me, but I am excited for the competition of course and just the opportunity to play another game.
What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? Two of my biggest goals for this season are to win the Big Ten Tournament and then win a national championship. I have a lot of expectations for this upcoming season because of the high level of talent on the team and am just excited to continue to grow and improve as team and see what we will accomplish.