Why is this news?: USMNT advances, LaQuinton Ross's draft prospects, Buckeye women's basketball get 2015 signee

"[The message is] that we can still do better. We got through the group, but we have to do better in the Round of 16, and we will do better."

- Jurgen Klinsmann

At times it was tense but the USMNT advanced on to the knockout stage even though they lost to Germany 1-0 earlier today in waterlogged Recife. A 55th minute goal for the Germans by Thomas Muller was enough to give them the win and top Group G.

The result in combination with a 2-1 win by Portugal over Ghana in Brasilia sent the United States to the knockout stage for the second straight World Cup. The Ghanaians were without Sully Muntari (who was already banned due to yellow card accumulation in the first two matches) and Kevin-Prince Boateng who were sent home early from the World Cup. The USMNT now advance on to play the winner of Group H on Tuesday at 4 PM EST, which is currently topped by Belgium

"I think he really shot himself in the foot. There were already questions about his athletic ability and how it would translate to the next level, and then for him to test as poorly as he did and be in the type of shape he was in, it really hurt his stock."

- Scoonie Penn

Tonight is the NBA Draft, and Thad Matta is hoping that the streak of a Buckeye being drafted during the yearly event will reach eight consecutive years. The best hope for that might come with LaQuinton Ross, but he didn't do himself any favors leading up to the draft. Before the NBA Combine ESPN NBA Draft analyst Chad Ford had Ross ranked 35th on his list of top-100 players in the draft. Then the combine happened where Ross showed up at 239 pounds, which was 14 pounds more than just two months prior while at Ohio State, and was the highest among the 13 small forwards at the combine. Not only that but Ross was measured at 16.3% body fat, which was the highest among the 59 participants.

While his physique might have not been quite what NBA scouts were hoping to see at the combine, Ross did his best to make up for it with the shooting touch he displayed. Ross hit 68% of his threes while at the combine, and has apparently been shooting well in his personal workouts. Even with that it might not be enough to get Ross drafted though, as many are expecting that Ross, much like fellow Ohio State teammate Aaron Craft, won't hear their name called tonight.

"I think the toughest news for him in the whole thing was not that he had cancer, not that he was going to get chemotherapy, not that he was going to get a bone marrow transplant, it was that he wasn't able to be in school or be on the team next year."

- Ohio State baseball coach Greg Beals on Zach Farmer

Just two months after being diagnosed with myeloid leukemia, Zach Farmer has already learned that the leukemia is in remission, and is doing his best to try and get back to his love of athletics. Farmer recently participated in a four-mile charity run, and did some hitting and pitching at a instructional baseball camp in Piketon. Farmer was just happy to get out after having to spend most of his time in a hospital bed lately.

Currently Farmer is eating 5,000 calories a day to try and regain the weight that he lost over the past two months, which will be necessary to give him strength for a bone marrow transplant that is scheduled for August. The recovery process will be slow, as after the bone marrow transplant he is expected to be hospitalized for up to a month after. Farmer isn't expected to be able to play baseball for Ohio State in 2015, but will take a medical redshirt but should be able to return for the 2016. It is just good news to hear how well Farmer is progressing so far, and we only hoping for continued success in his recovery.

"It was my first time on campus. I like the way it's set up. It's really different. There is so much space. And there were a lot of people. I like the idea of being able to interact with so many different kinds of people."

- Theresa Ekhelar

Ohio State women's basketball coach Kevin McGuff got his first commit of the 2015 class in Theresa Ekhelar from Life Center Academy in Woodbridge, NJ. The 6-6 post player was in Columbus last weekend to attend a two-day Elite camp at Ohio State and she obviously liked what Ohio State had to offer. The camp not only allowed Ekhelar the opportunity to work with the Ohio State coaches, but also meet the five incoming freshman from the 2014 class, as well as the two incoming transfers.

Along with the Buckeyes, Ekhelar had interest from Mississippi, North Carolina State, and Georgia Tech. Ohio State had shown interest in Ekhelar for some time, as they started recruiting her at the end of her sophomore season. ESPN currently has Ekhelar ranked as the 11th best post player among their 2015 women's high school basketball prospects.

STICK TO SPORTS

• It's that time of year again, this Friday through Sunday ComFest is being held in Goodale Park.
• A member of the Blue Jackets was traded on Wednesday to Edmonton
• Hopefully this falcon that was found injured in downtown Columbus makes a quick recovery
• Doctors at the Wexner Medical Center and researchers at Battelle have helped a quadriplegic man move his hand for the first time via a brain chip
• You might have been sleeping while this happened last night, but a convoy of cash rolled through the streets of Brasilia last night destined for the Ghanaian national team. Luckily for the USMNT it didn't light a fire under Ghana and lead them to advancing to the knockout stage.