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Cotie McMahon returns, leads No. 12 Ohio State women over No. 21 Illinois 83-74
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
Cotie McMahon returned to lead the Buckeyes to their first conference win of the season.
Forward Cotie McMahon returned from injury for No. 12 Ohio State women’s basketball to lead the Buckeyes with 25 points in an 83-74 win over the No. 21 Illinois Fighting Illini.
McMahon didn’t take long to get on the scorer’s sheet Sunday, hitting Ohio State’s second shot of the game, and first from beyond the arc. The junior forward didn’t show hesitation in her play, or an overexcitement to be back on the court. Instead, McMahon played her game, which meant taking hits.
With almost five minutes off the clock in the first quarter, McMahon went to the basket, hit a layup, and took contact, leading to a free throw. It didn’t look like McMahon was on any kind of minutes restriction either, playing 16 first-half minutes.
Ohio State needed McMahon too, with freshman guard Jaloni Cambridge picking up fouls early. In the first quarter, Cambridge had two but head coach Kevin McGuff opted to keep the first-year point guard in the game. So, when Cambridge picked up a third with 5:35 remaining in the half, graduate senior Madison Greene led the Buckeyes until halftime.
Entering Sunday, the paint was the story with Kendall Bostic normally having standout performances when facing Ohio State. In the first half, Bostic had her normal high rebounding clip, grabbing seven boards, but going 3-of-7 from the floor. A far cry from the 57.4 percent shooting percentage she had before Sunday.
The combination of forwards Ajae Petty and Elsa Lemmilä was the reason for the dip. Lemmilä had three blocks in the first half, and two were on Bostic, something the Illinois forward isn’t used to in her five NCAA seasons.
That defense also forced turnovers against the experienced Illini. At the start of the second quarter, the visitors scored seven of the first nine points, then the Scarlet and Gray hit their stride defensively and forced five turnovers in the quarter and creating eight points off those turnovers.
Ohio State scored 20 of the final 23 points of the quarter, nine of those points came from guard Chance Gray. The Buckeyes took a 40-26 lead into the halftime locker room.
In the third quarter, McMahon took over. It started 14 seconds into the period, when the forward went to the basket again, hit a layup and was fouled in the act. It sent McMahon into a moment of pure adrenaline and excitement. McMahon pound her fists and yelled in celebration. Something the Buckeyes missed over the last four games.
McMahon led all scorers with 11 points in the third, and Ohio State extended their lead to 18 points. Illinois looked dejected, unable to string together any substantial runs of offensive form, and allowing five and six-point runs from the Scarlet and Gray.
Even a large contingent of visiting Illini students, creating their own student section in the stands, were feeling the intensity when an usher had the visiting students do the O-H-I-O during “Hang On Sloopy.”
The lone negative for the Buckeyes was a fourth foul call against Cambridge. With 5:18 remaining in the quarter, Cambridge heard her fourth whistle when she jumped to get out of the way of an approaching Illinois player.
At the start of the fourth quarter, the Buckeyes showed their first cracks of the second quarter and Illinois took advantage. The Illini scored nine of the first 11 points of the final frame, and it cut Ohio State’s lead down to 11 points. It was due in part to missed shots, going 1-of-4 to start the quarter, and that meant the press couldn’t establish.
Petty stopped a six-point run with play in the paint, with the forward battling Bostic near the rim and scoring three points to get Ohio State back on the scoreboard. Then, immediately after, Cambridge picked up her fifth foul and it gave the freshman another first — the first time fouling out.
It wasn’t only Cambridge hearing whistles on Sunday, with both sides going into the bonus with over half the fourth quarter remaining. Ohio State had a season high 21 fouls.
Illinois kept up the pressure, bringing the deficit down to eight points, but late turnovers were too much to overcome. The Buckeyes went on a seven-point run to extend the lead back up to double-digits, holding on to pick up their first Big Ten win of the season.
Ohio State is back in non-conference mode on Tuesday when the Ball State Cardinals from the MAC land in Columbus. MAC voters predicted Ball State would win the conference this season and so far the Cardinals sit at 6-3, with losses against No. 16 North Carolina, Columbia, and South Dakota State, all respectable teams with realistic aspirations of making the NCAA Tournament.
The Buckeyes are 4-2 all-time against Ball State, with both losses coming in the 1970s. The last time the two teams played, none of the players on either roster were alive, back on Dec. 15, 1996.
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ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
Cotie McMahon returned to lead the Buckeyes to their first conference win of the season.
Forward Cotie McMahon returned from injury for No. 12 Ohio State women’s basketball to lead the Buckeyes with 25 points in an 83-74 win over the No. 21 Illinois Fighting Illini.
McMahon didn’t take long to get on the scorer’s sheet Sunday, hitting Ohio State’s second shot of the game, and first from beyond the arc. The junior forward didn’t show hesitation in her play, or an overexcitement to be back on the court. Instead, McMahon played her game, which meant taking hits.
With almost five minutes off the clock in the first quarter, McMahon went to the basket, hit a layup, and took contact, leading to a free throw. It didn’t look like McMahon was on any kind of minutes restriction either, playing 16 first-half minutes.
Ohio State needed McMahon too, with freshman guard Jaloni Cambridge picking up fouls early. In the first quarter, Cambridge had two but head coach Kevin McGuff opted to keep the first-year point guard in the game. So, when Cambridge picked up a third with 5:35 remaining in the half, graduate senior Madison Greene led the Buckeyes until halftime.
Entering Sunday, the paint was the story with Kendall Bostic normally having standout performances when facing Ohio State. In the first half, Bostic had her normal high rebounding clip, grabbing seven boards, but going 3-of-7 from the floor. A far cry from the 57.4 percent shooting percentage she had before Sunday.
The combination of forwards Ajae Petty and Elsa Lemmilä was the reason for the dip. Lemmilä had three blocks in the first half, and two were on Bostic, something the Illinois forward isn’t used to in her five NCAA seasons.
That defense also forced turnovers against the experienced Illini. At the start of the second quarter, the visitors scored seven of the first nine points, then the Scarlet and Gray hit their stride defensively and forced five turnovers in the quarter and creating eight points off those turnovers.
Ohio State scored 20 of the final 23 points of the quarter, nine of those points came from guard Chance Gray. The Buckeyes took a 40-26 lead into the halftime locker room.
In the third quarter, McMahon took over. It started 14 seconds into the period, when the forward went to the basket again, hit a layup and was fouled in the act. It sent McMahon into a moment of pure adrenaline and excitement. McMahon pound her fists and yelled in celebration. Something the Buckeyes missed over the last four games.
McMahon led all scorers with 11 points in the third, and Ohio State extended their lead to 18 points. Illinois looked dejected, unable to string together any substantial runs of offensive form, and allowing five and six-point runs from the Scarlet and Gray.
Even a large contingent of visiting Illini students, creating their own student section in the stands, were feeling the intensity when an usher had the visiting students do the O-H-I-O during “Hang On Sloopy.”
The lone negative for the Buckeyes was a fourth foul call against Cambridge. With 5:18 remaining in the quarter, Cambridge heard her fourth whistle when she jumped to get out of the way of an approaching Illinois player.
At the start of the fourth quarter, the Buckeyes showed their first cracks of the second quarter and Illinois took advantage. The Illini scored nine of the first 11 points of the final frame, and it cut Ohio State’s lead down to 11 points. It was due in part to missed shots, going 1-of-4 to start the quarter, and that meant the press couldn’t establish.
Petty stopped a six-point run with play in the paint, with the forward battling Bostic near the rim and scoring three points to get Ohio State back on the scoreboard. Then, immediately after, Cambridge picked up her fifth foul and it gave the freshman another first — the first time fouling out.
It wasn’t only Cambridge hearing whistles on Sunday, with both sides going into the bonus with over half the fourth quarter remaining. Ohio State had a season high 21 fouls.
Illinois kept up the pressure, bringing the deficit down to eight points, but late turnovers were too much to overcome. The Buckeyes went on a seven-point run to extend the lead back up to double-digits, holding on to pick up their first Big Ten win of the season.
What’s Next
Ohio State is back in non-conference mode on Tuesday when the Ball State Cardinals from the MAC land in Columbus. MAC voters predicted Ball State would win the conference this season and so far the Cardinals sit at 6-3, with losses against No. 16 North Carolina, Columbia, and South Dakota State, all respectable teams with realistic aspirations of making the NCAA Tournament.
The Buckeyes are 4-2 all-time against Ball State, with both losses coming in the 1970s. The last time the two teams played, none of the players on either roster were alive, back on Dec. 15, 1996.
Continue reading...