Ohio State senior guard Asia Doss has a walking boot on and will not play in the Big Ten championship game against Maryland on March 4, 2018. Credit: Colin Hass-Hill | Sports Editor
INDIANAPOLIS — The Ohio State women’s basketball team advanced to the Big Ten tournament championship game without senior guard Asia Doss, and now it will be forced to take on Maryland in the title game without her.
Doss, who suffered a sprained ankle in the last game of the regular season, will miss her third game in a row Sunday night. She had never previously missed a game, having played 134 in a row.
After win against Rutgers in the quarterfinals, Doss said she felt 95 percent healthy, but was being held out for precautionary reasons. McGuff said the team held her out to ensure she is ready for the NCAA tournament.
In Doss’ place, senior forward Alexa Hart picked up her first two starts of the season in wins against Rutgers and Minnesota. She had 10 points and six rebounds in the quarterfinals against the Scarlet Knights and picked up eight points and six rebounds in the semifinals win versus the Golden Gophers.
McGuff said he felt the loss of Doss hurt the Buckeyes’ transition defense in the win against Minnesota. The Golden Gophers racked up 19 fast-break points.
Doss averages eight points and 2.7 rebounds per game. She shoots 33.6 percent from the field and has hit just 26.3 percent of her 3-point attempts.
