Ohio State redshirt sophomore guard Rikki Harris (1) dribbles the ball while looking for a teammate during the Ohio State-Nebraska game Thursday. Ohio State won 80-70. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor
Redshirt sophomore guard Rikki Harris put on a show for No. 18 Ohio State, scoring a career-high 17 points and leading the Buckeyes past Illinois 86-67 Monday.
The Buckeyes’ (19-4, 11-3 Big Ten) victory over the Fighting Illini (6-15, 1-9 Big Ten), placed them in a four-way tie for first place in the Big Ten along with Maryland, Indiana and Michigan.
The Fighting Illini opened the game with a quick five points before the Buckeyes retaliated. Illinois sophomore guard Aaliyah Nye accounted for Illinois’s first 11 points of the matchup.
Harris was on fire in the first quarter, racking up 11 points including a perfect 3-for-3 start from behind the 3-point line. Harris ended the quarter for the Buckeyes on a last second 3-pointer.
Harris said she knew this game was going to be different in warmups due to her impeccable shooting.
“Shots were just falling. Last couple games that hadn’t really been hitting from the burner, so I knew one game had to come eventually,” Harris said. “I guess it was just tonight.”
The Buckeyes continued to dominate throughout the second quarter. Junior guard Jacy Sheldon led the Buckeyes going into the half with 12 points, five assists and two steals. Ohio State led at half, 42-30.
Ohio State came out of halftime in style, scoring the first 21 points of the third frame. It wasn’t until Illinois junior guard Jada Peebles who knocked down a three to clear the Fighting Illini out of their five-minute scoring drought. The Buckeyes led heading into the fourth 75-43.
The final quarter for the Buckeyes provided opportunities for sophomore forward Gabby Hutcherson and junior guard Hevynne Bristow to get some quality minutes of play against a conference team.
Nye scored a game-high 25 points over the Buckeyes, but that was not enough to place the Fighting Illini on top.
The Buckeyes ended the night totaling a season-high 19 steals.
Head coach Kevin McGuff said the Buckeyes’ performance against Illinois was a total team effort, leading to one of their finest wins this season.
“I thought in stretches we were as good as we’ve been in a while, especially the third quarter. And it was nice to see Rikki really step up quite well on the offensive end,” McGuff said. “And, Taylor and Jacy are garnering so much attention, it’s great to see other people step up because they’re capable. And when that happens, it just kind of gives us a little more space and just puts a lot more pressure on the defense to have to guard us in different ways.”
Monday’s dub chain — given to the player of the game — went to Harris for her 17 points, 15 of which were from range, four steals and three assists.
McGuff said he has enjoyed watching Harris emerge as a key player on the Buckeyes this season.
“She’s supreme, she does a lot of little things. She’s a really tough, scrappy defender. She dives on the floor to get loose balls and gets tough rebounds,” McGuff said. “And offensively, what I like about her is she very rarely ever forces anything, she kind of lets the game come to her on that end of the floor.”
Senior guard Taylor Mikesell was named to the Big Ten Weekly Honor Roll this week for the third time this season after recording 47 points in two games against Rutgers and Nebraska. Mikesell tailed 13 points and five assists against Illinois.
The Buckeyes’ blowout win in Champaign, Illinois, allowed them to sweep the season series over Illinois. The win marked Ohio State’s 10th consecutive win against the Fighting Illini.
Ohio State will continue its road stretch Thursday at 8 p.m. at No. 13 Maryland (19-6, 11-3 Big Ten) in their second matchup of the season; the Buckeyes defeated the Terrapins, 95-89 Jan. 20 to take the series lead, 1-0.
Coverage will be streamed on Big Ten Network.
