Ohio State returned to Columbus, riding high off a four-game winning streak. Their opponent on the night was no easy task though, in the Maryland Terrapins. After losing big against their last two ranked Big Ten opponents, Ohio State looked like a different team against No. 12 Maryland. The Buckeyes got the lead in the first quarter and never let it go, beating Maryland 95 to 89.
The Buckeyes started the game with energy. Major energy. Guard Taylor Mikesell started the game off with her first of three from beyond the arc, in the first quarter. Mikesell, the former Maryland Terrapin, added a layup on a fast break, scoring 11 in the first quarter.
Ohio State spent the quarter frustrating the No. 12 ranked team in the country. The Buckeyes always had a hand in the face of Maryland shooters, and held Maryland to just 25% from three. In comparison, Ohio State shot 100% from three and 75% overall for the quarter. Extra passes and finding open teammates paid dividends.
In the second quarter, the Buckeyes slowed down, but only a little bit. They were able to get chances in the paint, but struggled to finish under pressure from the Maryland defense. Fortunately for Ohio State, they held onto their lead going into halftime. Maryland didn’t make it easy though. The Terrapins had a nine-to-zero run that got them within striking distance.
Maryland got to within three, but Ohio State reapplied the pressure. Coming up big in the second quarter was guard Jacy Sheldon. The local Buckeye, from just a few miles off campus, seemed to break through Maryland pressure when the Buckeyes needed it most. Sheldon attacked the basket and came away with six second quarter points. Ohio State ended the half on a 6-2 run, up 45-37.
Halfway into the third quarter, the Buckeyes still held the lead, but not without holding off pressure from Maryland. The Buckeyes usually hit a three to get back into the game, but started the second half cold. Ohio State missed their first two attempts before Sheldon broke the spell, like she’d done all night. Mikesell followed it up with a three of her own, and extended a shrinking Buckeyes lead back to 10 points.
That’s how the Buckeyes game seemed to go. No matter what Maryland threw their way, Ohio State kept their composure. They almost went into the final quarter with a 10-point lead, but Maryland made a highlight reel lay-up. With .4 seconds left on the clock, Maryland sent in a lobbing pass from their bench. Angel Reese caught the ball midair and hit the lay-up. Columbus had an eight-point lead, but would need to hold on for 10 more minutes.
In the fourth quarter, Maryland came out confident, but Ohio State kept them at arm’s reach. Halfway through the fourth quarter though, a tired Buckeyes team was slowing down. Maryland brought the Buckeyes lead to only five. Then Ohio State found another gear. Within 30 seconds, Sheldon and Mikesell got the lead back to 10 after a three and two lay-ups.
Maryland found a hot hand in senior forward Chloe Bibby. Bibby hit three straight contested threes, and got within four with a minute left. The old adage of “too little, too late” applies in this case too. Ohio State got the ball into the hand of their hot shooters and Maryland fouled the Buckeyes till the buzzer. Buckeyes ended the night with a season-defining victory over Maryland.
Jacy Sheldon Hits a Milestone
Adding another layer to this game, on top of a marquee victory and Mikesell giving her former team a cold welcome, was Sheldon. The junior guard scored her 1,000th point in Scarlet & Gray. It came with less than 20 seconds remaining, to ice the Buckeyes victory. A fitting moment on a memorable evening. Sheldon also ended the evening with a double-double of 24 points and 10 assists. For Sheldon, the moment was secondary.
“That was a huge win for us so it was really cool,” said Sheldon. “To be honest, I was worried about winning the game at that point. I’m glad we could pull out the dub.”
Taylor Mikesell Homecoming
A storyline repeated throughout the night was Mikesell taking on her former team. The Northeast Ohio-Native left the Buckeye State for Maryland after high school. After a season with Oregon, Mikesell played her first game against her first team. It might’ve had something to do with her performance.
‘I’d be lying if I said it didn’t,” joked Mikesell. “At the end of the day, it’s a home game and we’re trying to show out. Everyone was locked in from the start and it trickled down to everybody.”
It felt like the guard was feeling the love, leading the Buckeyes in scoring with 33 points. Mikesell added five rebounds to her night.
Defensive Effort
A couple names that won’t jump off the stat sheet Thursday are Braxtin Miller and Taylor Thierry. The two combined for only 11 points, but defensively they shined. In only seven minutes the freshmen Thierry played like an upperclassmen.
Earlier in the season, Thierry wouldn’t see minutes until the Buckeyes were already up, or down, by larger margins. Head Coach Kevin McGuff’s confidence in Thierry is growing because of her ability to step up defensively on opponents. Rarely does an opponent break through Thierry’s coverage.
For Miller, she was everywhere on defense. Ohio State’s defensive scheme calls for endurance and Miller kept going for four quarters. Miller led everyone on the court with a +/- of 11.
What’s Next
Ohio State follows up their victory Sunday, traveling to Rutgers University. Rutgers has seven wins and 12 losses. The Buckeyes then return home for a rematch against No. 8 Michigan. Their last time out, Ohio State lost 90-71 in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Follow Beyond Women’s Sports for more from Ohio State Basketball. You can follow Thomas Costello on Twitter too @1ThomasCostello.
