Ohio State junior forward Cotie McMahon is introduced before the first round matchup against Montana State Friday. The No. 4 Buckeyes defeated the No. 13 Bobcats 71-51 to advance in the NCAA Tournament. Credit: Sandra Fu | Photo Editor
With 5:07 remaining in the second quarter, Montana State looked poised for an upset.
The Buckeyes were down four off uncharacteristic turnovers, a technical foul from head coach Kevin McGuff as boos reigned down from a restless Schottenstein Center crowd.
Ohio State’s season was in jeopardy.
That was until the momentum shifted.
The Buckeyes exploded for a 32-3 run, gaining firm control of Friday’s matchup as No. 4-seeded Ohio State scored 31 points off 26 forced turnovers on its way to a 71-51 victory over 13th-seeded Montana State.
Entering the matchup, Montana State ranked fifth in the nation in turnovers forced, just ahead of Ohio State. But it was the Buckeyes’ defense who reigned supreme, forcing 10 more turnovers than the Bobcats.
Montana State jumped out to a 10-6 lead, led by two 3-pointers from the Big Sky’s MVP, guard Esmeralda Morales.
After Ohio State built a 17-12 lead late in the period, Montana State scored five straight points to end the frame tied.
To start the second quarter, the Buckeyes tallied six straight points, but once again the Bobcats fought back.
A 10-0 run from Montana State saw Ohio State completely out of sorts. The Bobcat run caused a frustrated McGuff to receive a technical foul as the home crowd booed.
The Buckeyes, who had endured a four-minute scoring drought, were desperate for something to go their way.
As they struggled to find their footing on offense, Ohio State’s energy shifted. The Buckeyes held Montana State scoreless for the final five minutes of the half while reeling off nine straight points to go into the half with a five-point lead.
In the locker room, McGuff stressed the importance of moving the ball around to create better scoring chances.
“What we mostly talked about was making the extra pass,” McGuff said. “I thought we were getting great opportunities but taking tougher shots than we needed to.”
Out of halftime, guard Chance Gray looked to put away any chance of a Bobcats’ upset — she knocked down three straight 3-pointers, increasing Ohio State’s advantage to 41-27.
Gray said she was ready to take advantage of scoring opportunities as they presented themselves.
“I was just ready to shoot whenever my teammates got the ball,” Gray said. “We were moving the ball really well, and that’s something we’ve been emphasizing the last couple weeks.”
Gray’s 3-pointers, multiple transition layups and Ohio State’s stifling defense overwhelmed Montana State. Over a 12 minute span, the Buckeyes completed a 32-3 run.
The Bobcats, who once looked poised for an upset, fell behind 55-37 after three quarters. And Ohio State kept its foot on the gas in the fourth as it finished with a 71-51 win.
Ohio State (26-6, 13-5 Big Ten) will next host the winner of No. 5 Tennessee and No. 12 South Florida Sunday at the Schottenstein Center. A time is still TBD.
