The Buckeyes women’s basketball team huddles before the Ohio State-Bucknell game Nov. 10. 2021. Ohio State won 71-48. Credit: Gabe Haferman | Assistant Photo Editor
The Ohio State women’s basketball team ended its historic season after falling to No. 2 Texas 66-63 in the Spokane region of the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA Tournament.
Although the sixth-seeded Buckeyes (25-7, 14-4 Big Ten) could not complete the comeback against the Longhorns (29-6, 13-5 Big 12), junior guard Jacy Sheldon said this season was one to remember.
“It was a really fun season,” Sheldon said. “I think every single person on this team contributed to what we were able to do. I think despite everything we’ve been through, we proved we’re one of the best teams in the country.”
Ohio State started the game off in Spokane Arena with its momentum from Monday night’s victory over No. 3 LSU. Texas was the first on the board to take an early lead, but the Buckeyes answered with an 11-0 run toward the end of the first quarter before the Longhorns hit a last-second mid-range shot.
The Buckeyes’ elite defense continued as they accounted for five of Texas’ turnovers. Freshman guard Rori Harmon found herself in foul trouble for the Longhorns with two fouls in the first quarter, heading to the bench for the remainder of the first half.
Texas went on a 7-0 run to start off the second quarter, jumping ahead 23-20. Both teams faced a second quarter slump with the Longhorns enduring a near four-minute scoring drought accompanied by an almost five-minute scoring drought for the Buckeyes to end the half.
The Longhorns took the lead going into halftime with an and-one for senior guard Joanne Allen-Taylor, 32-30.
Coming out of halftime both teams amped up their physicality and intensity of play. Three Buckeyes ended the third quarter in double digits including senior guard Taylor Mikesell, senior guard Braxtin Miller and Sheldon, but it wasn’t enough as Texas led 50-45 heading into the final frame.
Texas ballooned its lead to as much as 10 points in the fourth quarter, but the Buckeyes responded right away with key baskets from Sheldon, going on a 6-0 run by herself. Sheldon said those buckets played a major role in the Buckeyes’ ability to stay in the game.
“That was a big momentum shift for us,” Sheldon said. “I think we were playing as hard as we could that whole game and we got a few plays that went our way.”
The Buckeyes continued to claw their way back in the fourth quarter to make it a one-point game with a pull-up jumper from graduate forward Tanaya Beacham. However, Ohio State was unable to capitalize, allowing the Longhorns to advance to the Elite Eight.
Although the Buckeyes didn’t get the outcome they wanted, head coach Kevin McGuff said he is proud of how far his team has come this season and is excited for the future of the program.
“I really am incredibly proud of our kids and our fight and really, probably the biggest thing, where we were in November to where we ended now,” McGuff said. ”We were a significantly different team and that’s a credit to their competitive character, their commitment to getting better and the leader championship we have with our upperclassmen.”
Sheldon and Mikesell were named region finalists for the WBCA Coaches’ All-America Team. Mikesell and Sheldon accounted for over 48 percent of the Ohio State scoring offense this season.
Mikesell is one of five finalists for the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award — which is given to the best shooting guard in college basketball — and is notorious for her 3-point efficiency. Mikesell ended the year second in the nation for her 3-point efficiency of an astonishing 47 percent from beyond the arc.
Mikesell, the Massillon, Ohio, native returned to her home state to play for the Buckeyes after spending her three previous seasons with Maryland and Oregon. Even though the Buckeyes came up short, Mikesell said transferring home was the best decision she made and is still unsure of what the future holds for her.
“I would say this is probably the best decision I made, coming here,” Mikesell said. “If we would have played them in November we might have lost by 20. That’s just the honest truth of it. But I think just how we grew and just how close I grew with my teammates, obviously going to take the next couple of weeks to decide but you know, this is the best decision I made to come here.”
