Ohio State junior forward Dorka Juhasz (14) communicates with her teammates during the Ohio State-Kent State on Dec. 2. Ohio State won 103-47. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor
Ohio State was unable to find a groove on the offensive end and picked up its first loss Saturday.
The No. 15 Buckeyes (7-1) were unable to stay undefeated due to a stout Nebraska (7-4) defensive attack and fell to the Cornhuskers 63-55. Head coach Kevin McGuff said the team lacked focus and energy en route to their first loss of the season.
“They played harder. They were more prepared. They played a better game and they played more to win,” McGuff said Saturday. “Just a disappointing performance on our part.”
Ohio State was plagued by a slow start on the offensive end of the floor, shooting just 24 percent from the field in the first half, while missing its first eight three point attempts.
Ohio State finished an abysmal 5-of-27 from beyond the arc, while shooting just 27 percent from the field on the day.
“We just have to get back in the gym and get some shots up,” McGuff said. “But, yeah we didn’t shoot the ball well.”
The Buckeyes previous lowest total on the season 78 as Ohio State never found a rhythm on the offensive end.
The Buckeyes did not make their first three-pointer until mid-way through the second quarter, as sophomore guard Jacy Sheldon splashed her second attempt.
Sheldon put up 11 points on 5-of-16 from the field.
Junior forward Dorka Juhasz picked up a double-double in her return to the court following a three-game absence due to COVID-19.
“It was good to have her back,” McGuff said. “She was a little bit out of rhythm, I think from being out for so long.”
The Hungarian star finished with 13 points on 5-of-17 from the field and 12 rebounds.
Junior forward Aaliyah Patty added 13 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists.
However, Juhasz and Patty struggled to contain Nebraska senior center Kate Cain — who stands at 6-foot-5.
Cain finished with 22 points on 10-of-14 from the field, while collecting 12 rebounds.
Cain was also dominant in a rim-protecting role, turning away 9 shot attempts from the Buckeyes.
McGuff said the Buckeyes failed to put a necessary plan together to stop the Nebraska big.
“We had no answer today,” McGuff said. “We didn’t prepare very well, we didn’t have a good plan as coaches and, certainly, we didn’t have anybody that could come close to guarding her today.”
Cain and the Cornhuskers were supported by the play of their bench, who outscored the Ohio State bench 14-3.
The Nebraska reserves were led by freshman guard Whitney Brown, who produced a career-high 14 points on 5-of-9 from the field.
The Buckeyes also had trouble moving the ball around in their offense, finishing with a season-low six assists.
Despite the offensive struggles, the Buckeyes forced 19 Nebraska turnovers which they scored 18 points off of. The Buckeyes attempted 23 more shots than the Cornhuskers.
McGuff said the team will need to come out with more focus going forward in order to keep pace in the Big Ten.
“We gotta show up with focus, this is a very difficult conference,” McGuff said. “We didn’t have very good focus today, we didn’t have very good mental energy.”
Ohio State looks to bounce back against Michigan Thursday at 3 p.m.
This story was updated Jan. 16 at 7:26 p.m. with quotes from Kevin McGuff.
