Ohio State women’s basketball ended 2022 on a high note with a victory over Michigan on Saturday.
In front of a capacity crowd at the 3,700-seat Covelli Center, the No. 3 Buckeyes beat the No. 14 Wolverines, 66-57, to improve to 15-0 this season – a record that ties the best start in history program, tying the record set by the 2011-12 team led by former head coach Jim Foster.
|
Team |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
FINAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #3 OHIO STATE | 9 | 21 | 20 | 16 | 66 |
|
#14 MICHIGAN |
ten |
17 |
14 |
16 |
57 |
Taylor Mikesell led Ohio State with 16 points on 4-of-16 shooting, while Rikki Harris and Cotie McMahon added 14 and 12, respectively. Harris also paced the Buckeyes with three assists, and Taylor Thierry had a team-high 10 rebounds. Michigan was led by Cameron Williams, who had 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Wolverines.
As a team, Ohio State made just 21 of 60 shot attempts for a 35 percent mark against the Wolverines. The Buckeyes were also cold from behind the 3-point line and converted just 5 of 23 attempts from deep. Despite those numbers, head coach Kevin McGuff’s team held firm defensively and held Michigan to 19-of-51 (37%) shooting with a 2-of-17 mark from behind the arc (12%) to beat his rivals.
How did it happen
Ohio State started slow against rivals Ann Arbor, as the Wolverines quickly took an 8-0 lead. However, the Buckeyes responded with a run of their own and beat Michigan 9-2 in the closing minutes of the quarter to trail by one point, 10-9, as the buzzer sounded at the end of the frame.
In the second quarter, Ohio State’s offense, which ranked No. 1. 1 in the Big Ten entering the game against Michigan, came to life as the Buckeyes scored 21 points against 17 for the Wolverines. Additionally, the quarter ended with a play that changed Ohio State’s momentum. As time ticked away, Mikesell made a pass to Emma Shumate from outside the arc, where she connected on a 3-point attempt to send the Buckeyes into the half with a 10-minute lead. 30-27.
After the break, Ohio State took control of the contest and led by a whopping 16 points late in the third quarter. However, Michigan recovered and found a rhythm offensively. In the final two minutes and the change, the Wolverines made a 9-2 run and cut the Buckeyes’ lead to 50-41 entering the fourth.
|
OHIO STATE |
STAT |
MICHIGAN |
|---|---|---|
|
66 |
POINTS |
57 |
|
21-60 (35.0%) |
FGM-FGA (PCT.) |
19-51 (37.3%) |
|
5-23 (21.7%) |
3PM-3PA (pct.) |
2-17 (11.8%) |
|
19-25 (76.0%) |
FTM-ALE (PCT.) |
17-28 (60.7%) |
|
16 |
SALES FIGURES |
27 |
|
33 |
TOTAL BOUNDS |
45 |
|
13 |
OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS |
16 |
|
20 |
DEFENSIVE REBOUNDS |
29 |
|
13 |
BENCH POINTS |
2 |
|
4 |
BLOCKS |
0 |
|
13 |
FLY |
7 |
|
8 |
ASSISTANCE |
15 |
Ohio State’s advantage continued to dwindle as time ticked away in the final frame, as Michigan opened the quarter on another 9-2 run – or an 18-4 run overall. when combined with the run late in the third – to cut the Buckeyes lead to 52-50 with just under seven minutes left in the game.
From that point, Harris became Ohio State’s X Factor and scored five of the next nine points, with each of those points coming to the charity strip. Rebeka Mikulasikova also scored a crucial 3-pointer, which was also her first field goal of the contest, with 3:01 remaining to extend the Buckeyes’ lead to 64-52.
After that, the Wolverines had a few final punches that didn’t phase Ohio State, and the Buckeyes held their ground, using solid defense and smart clock management to get away. run away with a 66-57 win at Columbus.
Game Notes
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Jacy Sheldon missed his 10th game of the season with a foot injury. The star guard hasn’t played for Ohio State since the Buckeyes beat Louisville in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge on Nov. 1. 30 and has no timetable for a return to the team.
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In the Buckeyes’ 88-86 overtime win over South Florida on Dec. 21. On the 20th, Madison Greene fell to the ground on her way to the basket. After this point, she could no longer put any weight on her left leg. The program later confirmed that Greene’s season was over with a knee injury.
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Ohio State’s game at the Covelli Center is expected to be a unique event this season, according to a program spokesperson. The Buckeyes will return to Schottenstein Center for their final home games in 2022-23.
Following
Ohio State won’t return to hardwood until Thursday, when the Buckeyes travel to Minneapolis to face the Minnesota Golden Gophers at The Barn. Tipping for this contest is set at 8 p.m. ET.
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