Sophomore Emma Shummate (5) and the women’s basketball team throw up the “H” during Carmen Ohio. No. 12 Ohio State defeated the Ohio Bobcats 85-45 Tuesday at the Schottenstein Center. Credit: Aiden Ridgeway | Lantern Photographer
Led by a 22-point performance from redshirt sophomore Emma Shumate, No. 12 Ohio State defeated Ohio University 85-45 Tuesday at Value City Arena, adding to its six-game win streak.
Both the Buckeyes (7-1, 0-0 Big Ten) and the Bobcats (2-4, 0-0 MAC) got off to a slow start. Ohio State would be the first one to break out of the slump as it began to pull away with a mix of defense and efficient scoring.
“It’s fun to get out there and play with my teammates,” Shumate said. “I think we have a really good team this year and adding what we can and being helpful in the ways we can – it’s fun.”
Forwards Rebeka Mikulasikova and sophomore Cotie McMahon scored in double figures alongside junior guard Taylor Thierry.
Sophomore guard Jaya McClure was a bright spot for the Bobcats, leading the team with 9 points and making a few highlight-worthy plays. Freshman guard Bailey Tabeling added 6 points of her own and went a perfect 2-for-2 from the field.
The Buckeyes got on the scoreboard with a 3-pointer made by Mikulasikova but struggled to get into their press early on as they missed routine shots. The Bobcats were able to keep the game close early as they played physically and were ready for Ohio State’s dribble handoffs.
However, it would not take long for the Buckeyes to find their rhythm as they went on a 13-0 run and found themselves leading by 10 at the end of the first quarter. The second quarter was all Ohio State as it held the Bobcats to 7 points, forcing nine turnovers.
Shumate came off the bench and became an instant offensive threat, knocking down four straight 3-pointers to put the Buckeyes up 42-13 at halftime.
Head coach Kevin McGuff said he is used to seeing Shumate shoot the lights out.
“We’ve seen [Emma Shumate do this a lot in practice, and now she’s starting to have confidence in herself,” McGuff said. “I’m confident in her right now and I want her to have confidence in herself.”
In the third quarter, Ohio State continued pouring on as graduate guard Celeste Taylor capped off a 10-0 run with a 3-pointer in the opening minutes of the period. With one quarter remaining, the Buckeyes led 66-29.
The 30-point advantage allowed other Buckeyes to come off the bench and showcase their talents, including sophomore guard Kaia Henderson, who went a perfect 3-for-3 in the final quarter.
“Coming off the bench and watching our stars play and us all getting better during practice – it means a lot to me and the team to be more comfortable out there,” Henderson said.
Ohio State looks to extend its winning streak to eight Sunday afternoon when it faces No. 25 Penn State at Value City Arena to open conference play. Tipoff is set to begin at 1:00 p.m. on Big Ten+.
