Ohio State freshman guard Janai Crooms (3) listens to coach Kevin McGuff during a timeout in the game against Penn State on Feb 6. Ohio State won 78-73. Credit: Cori Wade | For The Lantern
The Ohio State women’s basketball team (14-14, 10-8 Big Ten) was defeated from beyond the 3-point arc Thursday, as Wisconsin (15-17, 4-14 Big Ten) came back from a 10-point deficit at halftime and made 11-of-17 from 3 to upset the Buckeyes 73-63.
In their second matchup of the season, the Badgers became a completely different team in the second half. After shooting 23 percent from the field in the first half, making only seven baskets, they came out firing on all cylinders, making 56 percent of their shots and were 7-of-9 from the 3-point line.
Senior guard Kelly Karlis and senior guard Marsh Howard were the major factors in the win for Wisconsin. Karlis scored 24 points and was a perfect 4-of-4 from the 3-point line while Howard had a double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds.
Much like their previous game against Wisconsin, plenty of players got in on the scoring action for the Buckeyes. Five players scored 10-or-more points to help Ohio State take an early lead.
Redshirt senior guard Carmen Grande led the way with 12 points, five rebounds and eight assists. Redshirt senior guard Carly Santoro added 11 points of her own with three rebounds.
Also contributing from the starting lineup were freshman guard Janai Crooms, who shot 4-of-9 for 10 points, along with three assists and three rebounds. Freshman forward Dorka Juhasz added a double-double with 10 points and 16 rebounds.
Redshirt senior guard Adreana Miller came off the bench to add 10 points in 16 minutes.
The main difference between the past two previous matchups against Wisconsin and the Buckeyes was that Ohio State had no answer to the Badgers in the second half.
Wisconsin outscored Ohio State 51-31 in the final two quarters, while the Buckeyes struggled to get anything going, shooting 29 percent from the field.
With an early exit from the Big Ten tournament, it is a waiting game to see if Ohio State will get a shot at the NCAA Tournament, but will come in as a team that now has a .500 record and likely could spell the end of the season for the Buckeyes.
