ATHENS, Ohio | November 20th, 2024
Written by Brianna MacKay | Columbus Dispatch
Three days removed from Ohio State escaping Belmont with a 67-63 victory, No. 12 Buckeyes went back on the road to face Ohio University. But unlike Sunday's game against the Bruins, OSU pulled off a decisive win, beating the Bobcats 106-42.
The 64-point victory marked the first time Ohio State beat an opponent by a 60-plus point margin since 2009, when the Buckeyes defeated Western Illinois 99-38.
Ohio State was without junior forward Cotie McMahon on Wednesday. She led the team against Belmont with 21 points, but in the short span since then, suffered a lower-leg injury in practice and is considered day to day. She spent the game on the bench wearing a boot on her right leg.
McMahon's absence allowed transfer sophomore Kennedy Cambridge to make her first start with the Buckeyes. She redshirted last season after spending her freshman year at Kentucky. Cambridge finished with 6 points and 6 rebounds before fouling out in the fourth quarter.
Alongside Cambridge in the starting 5 was her younger sister Jaloni Cambridge, who recorded 19 points and four steals.
Of the nine players who entered the game for Ohio State, six scored in double-digits, and Taylor Thierry and Elsa Lemmila each recorded double-doubles.
Lemmila, a 6-foot-6 freshman from Finland who is returning from a torn ACL, led Ohio State in scoring and rebounding with 21 points and 14 boards.
"This kind of game is probably exactly what I needed," Lemmila said. "Past four games have been my first games in like, a year and a half since my injury. So, this is exactly the kind of game I need to build up my confidence again, especially on offense."
Opening the game with a 17-0 run, Ohio State's defense forced five turnovers while holding the Bobcats scoreless for over 5 minutes. It could have been an even more explosive start, but Ohio also recorded three fouls and missed seven straight baskets during the run.
The Bobcats eventually got on the board at the 4:52 mark with a 3-pointer from sophomore Bailey Tabeling.
Jaloni Cambridge had 10 points in the first quarter and paced the Buckeyes to a 27-12 advantage after 15 minutes.
Ohio State saw its lead expand to a 40-point advantage as the Buckeyes went into the locker room ahead 59-19 with every player scoring at least one basket.
"I think we played hard," Thierry said. "Our effort was there (against Belmont), but just our execution offensively and defensively wasn't there. So, just going in with our mindset that we need to fix those areas, and I think that played a role today."
Jaloni Cambridge finished the first half matching the entire Bobcats' lineup with her 19 points.
The Bobcats' inability to make any dents Ohio State's lead continued in the second half.
Ohio State finished the game with 59 rebounds, 27 more than Ohio, and forced 32 turnovers – 26 in the first half.
Ohio State Buckeyes guard Madison Greene (0) and center Elsa Lemmil (12) help guard Kennedy Cambridge (3) to her feet during the first half of the NCAA women's basketball game against the Charlotte 49ers at Value City Arena on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. Ohio State won 94-53.
Free throw shooting was the one category in which Ohio got the better of Ohio State, going 13-for-20 from the line compared to the Buckeyes' 9-for-15 performance. Ohio State was whistled for 17 fouls.
On Sunday, the Buckeyes return to Value City Arena to face Bowling Green with a 1 p.m. tipoff.
bmackay@dispatch.com
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