Buckeyes get win, but lament lapses

Ohio State checked several boxes Thursday night at Value City Arena in a 70-61 win over Wisconsin.

The No. 16 Buckeyes (16-5, 6-1 Big Ten) led at the end of the first quarter for the first time in four games. They produced a 29-9 run in the third quarter, forcing the Badgers into nine turnovers without committing one.

They also got the Kelsey Mitchell they were used to seeing before she went 7 of 35 during a two-game road swing. The junior guard went 8-of-17 shooting for 24 points, dishing out four assists while committing just one turnover.

But for as good as the Buckeyes were in stretches — they led by 21 with 7:35 left in the fourth quarter — they were a “hot mess” in other situations, said Mitchell, quoting coach Kevin McGuff’s halftime talk.

Ohio State went without a field goal for the final 5:31. The Buckeyes’ win never appeared in danger — an Ashley Kelsick layup cut the

lead to 65-59 with 1:10 to play, and the Badgers drew no closer than six — but a blowout turned into a ballgame at the end of the second and fourth quarters.

“We were pests,” Wisconsin coach Jonathan Tsipis said. “We wouldn’t go away.”

Asked how the Buckeyes can prevent stretches of scoreboard watching, Mitchell turned to junior forward Stephanie Mavunga.

“Well, will it take some more losing?” she asked.

“I hope not,” said Mavunga, who finished with eight points and 10 rebounds. Mitchell agreed. “The losing won’t be that. But I guess it’s the grind.

“I guess it’s the process. I hope one day

“I hope one day we’ll get it together and realize that you can’t do things like (scoring droughts), especially not in Big Ten Conference play.”

Ohio State junior Kelsey Mitchell we’ll get it together and realize that you can’t do things like that, especially not in Big Ten Conference play,” Mitchell said. “It’s really important that you get the wins that you think you should.”

McGuff tinkered with his starting lineup, inserting freshman Kiara Lewis and junior Alexa Hart for Asia Doss and Shayla Cooper.

He said he’s not married to the new lineup, but saw an improved first few minutes from the starting five.

By the time he made his first substitutions with 6: 12 left in the first quarter, the Buckeyes had already built an 11- 2 lead over the Badgers ( 5- 14, 0- 6).

“We obviously had better starts than we had in the last three games, so I thought we kind of got that rectified,” he said. “Then overall, we didn’t have anything to sustain that, and that was the biggest issue tonight.”

Ohio State’s upcoming stretch of games presents several possibilities for lineup adjustments.

As of Thursday night, none of the Buckeyes’ next seven opponents had a winning record in Big Ten play.

The Buckeyes return to Value City Arena on Sunday to take on Illinois (8-11, 3-3).