Celeste Taylor, Ohio State’s women’s basketball guard, was a leader from an early age. Taylor’s parents told Land-Grant Holy Land in the offseason that she is responsible for her own personal and basketball development. So, when the former Texas Longhorn and Duke Blue Devil transferred to the Buckeyes in the winter, there wasn’t much work required.
Aside from learning the intricacies of head coach Kevin McGuff’s offensive and defensive schemes, Taylor was expected to start from the minute she transferred, establishing herself as a leader of the scarlet and gray as soon as she entered the locker room.
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Taylor previously played in a defensive press at Duke. Taylor fit so well into this defensive scheme that she was named a finalist for National Defensive Player of the Year. It appeared to be a forgone conclusion.
On the court, it paid off as the Buckeyes improved from allowing 68.4 points per game in 2022-23 (281st in the NCAA) to 63.1 (155th). That surge is even more significant given Ohio State’s strength of schedule against Division I opponents this season, which ranks ninth in the country. Nonetheless, McGuff regrets how he treated Taylor upon arriving.
“I’ve taken more time lately to watch film with Celeste (Taylor),” McGuff said on Wednesday. “And I should have done it earlier in the season just to make sure she understands what my expectations for her are and where I think she’s doing well and where I think she needs to do things a little differently.”
Taylor’s four-year NCAA career before Ohio State had three different head coaches. After a year in Texas, the program’s leadership shifted. Taylor then transferred to Duke, where he worked under a first-year coach.
With that in mind, it’s not surprising that Taylor might require less attention, given the broad range of scenarios that have helped her develop independence and flexibility. It’s exactly the contrary.
“She loves it, she loves to be coached,” McGuff added. “I probably should have coached her harder early on but I’m coaching her a little harder now and I think she’s really responding to that.”
Taylor’s added tutoring on offense paid off. During the first half of the season, the guard scored 7.3 points per game. Taylor made the occasional basket during games, but the majority of the scoring fell on guard Jacy Sheldon and forward Cotie McMahon to help the team win.
Taylor’s scoring numbers have increased since then, and she is now scoring in key situations. None more timely than against the Iowa Hawkeyes on January 21.
With 20 seconds remained, Taylor had the ball in his hands, standing past the three-point line. The graduate senior looks around, assesses the situation, and does not try to feed it to McMahon or Sheldon. Taylor went straight for the basket.
Due to time constraints, Taylor only scored two of his ten points in the Buckeyes’ win. Taylor has become synonymous with the phrase “limited minutes” during the last three weeks as a result of foul problems.
Taylor has picked up early fouls against some of Ohio State’s biggest opponents in the 2024 calendar year, leaving her out at crucial moments, and it has shown on the floor.
The showdown between Taylor and outstanding guard Caitlin Clark in that win over the Hawkeyes was entertaining, but spectators didn’t get to see it very frequently. Taylor played 5:55 of the opening 20 minutes of the game in the first half because he was fouled twice in 30 seconds.
Then, on Sunday, in a win over the Indiana Hoosiers, Taylor played one minute of a second quarter in which the visiting Hoosiers outscored the Buckeyes 26-14, putting Ohio State down five points at halftime after leading by six in the first.
“She’s just a really aggressive player,” explained McGuff. “She’ll rack up some fouls. She got one of the ones I don’t like, which was 80 feet from the basket and I can’t remember whose game it was in. Her second one came early. Those are the ones she must discard and refrain from carrying out.
