Mikulasikova, Sheldon lead Buckeyes to 5th win

Rebeka Mikulasikova scored 19 points and Jacy Sheldon added 17 as the Ohio State women’s basketball team defeated Cincinnati 86-50 at the Covelli Center on Saturday.

Taylor Mikesell added 15 points and Kateri Poole added 12 for the Buckeyes (5-0).

Ohio State jumped out to a 33-12 lead in the first quarter and weren’t threatened the rest of the way by the Bearcats (3-3).

Sheldon and Mikesell have scored in double figures in every game this season. Mikulasikova tied her careerhigh of 19 points for the third time this season.

“I think we’ve gotten better since we started but we still have a long way to go,” said Ohio State coach Kevin Mcguff. “I think we’re a little further ahead on offense than we are on defense. We’ve got to make sure our defense continues to get better and our rebounding.”

Poole recorded her third double-figure game in a row.

“She’s making great strides and great progress and I think you saw that tonight,” Mcguff said. “Last game she scored it really well. Today, I thought she made sure we moved the ball really well. She’s really important to us, especially with Madison [Greene] going down, we really need [Kateri] to have a great year and she’s really been working at it.”

OHIO STATE 86, CINCINNATI 50

CINCINNATI — Niang 1-2 0-0 2, Jadyn Scott 2-3 0-0 4, Hayes 6-13 4-6 16, Levy 3-11 4-6 11, Wilson 0-3 0-0 0, Jada Scott 0-1 0-0 0, Craig 2-2 0-0 4, Elfatairy 0-4 0-0 0, Jenks 1-2 0-0 2, Mashaire 0-3 0-0 0, Milton 3-6 2-4 9, Williams 1-4 0-0 2. Totals 19-54 10-16 50. OHIO STATE — Mikulasikova 7-8 3-5 19, Mikesell 6-9 0-0 15, Miller 3-6 2-2 9, Poole 3-5 5-9 12, Sheldon 5-11 6-7 17, Beacham 2-3 0-0 4, Harris 1-3 1-2 3, Hutcherson 2-4 0-0 5, Thierry 0-1 2-4 2. Totals 29-50 19-29 86.

Cincinnati 12 15 12 11 - 50

Ohio State 33 14 22 17 - 86

3-point goals: Cincinnati 2-15 (Levy 1-4, Wilson 0-3, Elfatairy 0-3, Mashaire 0-2, Milton 1-2, Williams 0-1), Ohio St. 9-18 (Mikulasikova 2-2, Mikesell 3-5, Miller 1-2, Poole 1-3, Sheldon 1-2, Harris 0-2, Hutcherson 1-2). Rebounds: Cincinnati 31 (Williams 3-3), Ohio St. 32 (team 2-7). Assists: Cincinnati 8 (Levy 2), Ohio St. 18 (Poole 6). Total fouls: Cincinnati 25, Ohio St. 18. Technical foul: Mikulasikova. A: 2,315.

ALIE SKOWRONSKI/COLUMBUS DISPATCH Ohio State guard Kateri Poole drives past Cincinnati forward Jadyn Scott.