Ohio State freshman guard Rikki Harris (1) and graduate forward Tanaya Beacham (35) help each other up to enter the game during the Ohio State-Purdue game on Feb. 18. Ohio State won 100-85. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor
In a top-25 showdown, the Buckeyes came up short on the road against their rival.
Junior forward Naz Hilmon and the Wolverines proved too much for the Buckeyes as No. 15 Ohio State (13-4, 9-4) fell to No. 11 Michigan (13-2, 8-2) 75-66 at the Crisler Center Sunday, behind a stout defensive effort by the Wolverines.
Hilmon, who dropped a program-record 50 points in the Jan. 21 meeting with Ohio State, gave Ohio State’s defense fits once again — dropping 27 points and snagging eight rebounds.
In a season where the Buckeyes cannot advance to the postseason due to self-imposed sanctions, sophomore guard Jacy Sheldon said that her team will need to reset and refocus after the loss to their rival.
“It’s unfortunate. Every time we play that team up north it’s a big game and a game you want to win,” Sheldon said. “I think for us we’re just going to focus on what we can get better at and focus on the next game. We have a good Penn State team coming up.”
Michigan contained the usually explosive Ohio State offense, limiting them to 23-of-57 shooting from the field.
The Buckeyes were outscored in the paint 26 to 44.
The Wolverines had success against the Ohio State offense, stifling scoring opportunities with a smothering two-three zone scheme.
The strategy forced the Buckeyes to shoot from outside the arc, going 9-of-26 on three point attempts.
Ohio State head coach Kevin McGuff gave the Wolverine’s credit for their scheme.
“They were very good defensively,” McGuff said. “Basically what they did is they were tough on the ball and they were really, really heavy in the gaps. That took away some of our driving lanes that we normally execute well enough to get.”
Junior forward Dorka Juhasz had a quiet game, only scoring a single point. Juhasz averages 15.9 points per game.
Freshman guard Kateri Poole started her second straight game as usual starting point guard, sophomore Madison Greene, was unavailable for today’s game.
Poole shot 5-of-13 from the field, scoring 14 points to go along with five rebounds and six assists.
McGuff said that the back-to-back starts are a chance for Poole to grow as a player.
“I thought Kateri the last two games is really taking advantage of the opportunity to play more minutes,” McGuff said. “You can see her talent. She’s got a tremendous amount of talent and she will only get better as she continues to embrace these opportunities. ”
It is still uncertain if Greene will be available to play in the mid-week matchup with Penn State.
McGuff said that Greene is a crucial piece to the operation of the team and her absence is felt.
“It’s difficult because we just execute significantly better with her on the floor,” McGuff said. “I would say as much as anything that’s what we really miss.”
The Buckeyes take on the Penn State Nittany Lions at Bryce Jordan Center in University Park, Pennsylvania, Wednesday at 5 p.m.
