Buckeyes get a win, but aren’t satisfied
CINCINNATI — A key contributor’s ankle injury turned out to be a sprain, early foul trouble to Ohio State’s second-leading scorer didn’t make the difference in the end, and an aggressive Cincinnati team eventually showed a few weaknesses.
No. 13 Ohio State was fortunate in more ways than one Sunday in front of 1,072 at St. Ursula Academy, outlasting Cincinnati 87-76 to earn its fourth straight victory in what might be senior guard Kelsey Mitchell’s final collegiate game in her hometown.
“Even though we won, it was a game where we didn’t play like a top-25 team, a top, elite team,” said Mitchell, a Princeton High School
alumna, who led the Buckeyes with 31 points. “We didn’t play like that.”
In order for a team with a small rotation to run properly, it needs to avoid foul trouble, injuries and cold shooting spells. Ohio State faced all three in the first half but took a 38-37 lead into the break.
Redshirt senior forward Stephanie Mavunga picked up her second foul just 3:37 into the game and played a mere 10 minutes the first two quarters.
Less than three minutes later, redshirt junior forward Makayla Waterman gave the Buckeyes a 13-12 lead on a layup but landed awkwardly on a Cincinnati defender. Waterman required help from a pair of Ohio State staffers to get to the locker room and was diagnosed with a left ankle sprain. She did not return and sported a boot and crutches postgame.
“I think fine,” coach
Kevin McGuff said, when asked about Waterman. “I think we dodged a bullet. Knock on wood, but I’m pretty sure we dodged a bullet.”
With a smaller rotation, the Buckeyes lacked their usual rhythm and shot just 38.5 percent in the first half, never leading by more than six.
The early erratic play, McGuff said, stemmed from the Buckeyes (11-2) trying to make spectacular plays and getting away from their typical strengths.
“They wanted to get this big lead right away. Well, it doesn’t work like that,” McGuff said. “You’ve got to stay focused and disciplined and keep doing the things that make us good, and the rest will take care of itself.”
Sierra Calhoun and Mitchell hit back-toback threes to give the Buckeyes a 47-40 lead in the opening two minutes of the third quarter and force a Cincinnati
timeout, setting the tone in a quarter in which Ohio State created a 69-56 lead and a sliver of breathing room.
Calhoun scored 14 of her 20 points in the third quarter, Mitchell 12 of her 31. Linnae Harper finished the game with 14 points and 13 rebounds for the Buckeyes. Shanice Johnson had 17 to pace the Bearcats (7-5).
Before traveling to Nebraska Dec. 28 for its Big Ten opener, Ohio State has more than a week to dissect a performance that, for the most part, it would rather forget.
“The more games we have, the more situations we’ll see and more importantly, the more mature I’ll be and the more I can put my team in position to be as calm as possible and as poised as possible,” Mitchell said.
Tra Holder scored 25 points, and host Arizona State (10-0) overcame a sloppy start in which it trailed 13- 0 to beat Vanderbilt ( 3- 7). The Sun Devils used a 26-3 run spanning halftime to turn what started out as an embarrassing performance into a runaway. Former Ohio State player Mickey Mitchell gave the Sun Devils a spark off the bench, playing solid defense while grabbing 13 rebounds. Saben Lee had 24 points to lead Vanderbilt.
Lamar Stevens had 23 points and 12 rebounds for his fi rst career double-double, Mike Watkins added 14 points and 12 rebounds, and visiting Penn State (9-3) dominated George Mason (5-7). Justin Kier scored 17 points for George Mason .
Brooke McCarty returned from a hip injury to hit 10 of 13 shots and score a season-high 24 points, leading Texas (9-1) over visiting Florida State ( 10- 1). AJ Alix led the Seminoles with 21 points, including fi ve three-pointers, and had eight assists.
Sophomore guard Sabrina Ionescu tied an NCAA record with her seventh career triple- double, leading Oregon (9-2) over visiting Mississippi ( 9- 2). Ionescu had 21 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds for her third triple- double this season. Barbara Johnson led Ole Miss with 11 points.