The #12 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes finished the season undefeated at home with their 89-78 win over #23 Michigan State. The Buckeyes were 15-0 in Columbus this year and are now 24-4 (13-4) with only one game left before the postseason begins. They will wrap up the regular season on Sunday when they visit #19 Maryland.
Ohio State was powered past Michigan State by its star players. Cotie McMahon had 17 points, right around her 16.9 points per game average, and freshman Jaloni Cambridge had a team-high and career-best 33 points. While Cambridge and McMahon had their usual success, Senior Ajae Petty had another double-double. She had 23 points, 15 rebounds, and six assists. She was also a perfect 11-for-11 from the field. Petty’s ability to rebound will be huge for the Buckeyes as tournament time nears.
The Buckeyes dominated the Spartans. They shot better from the field, 54.8% to 42.6%. They also had more assists, 19 to 11. Ohio State played fantastically inside and around the rim. They outrebounded Michigan State 35 to 28, and they also had more points in the paint with 40 to MSU’s 28.
Ohio State is prolific in scoring this year. They’re 16th in the nation and 3rd in the Big Ten with 80 points per game. The Buckeyes also have the 5th best defense in the Big Ten, allowing 61.6 points per game. This puts their point differential at a positive 18.3 per game, good enough for 19th in the nation and 3rd in the Big Ten.
Where the Buckeyes struggle is in rebounding. They’re 13th in the Big Ten with 36 per game. So, Ajae Petty getting 14 and 15 rebounds in back-to-back games is a very good thing for Ohio State’s postseason hopes. Ohio State has the talent, production, and consistency to make a good tournament run. Maybe even more importantly, they’re getting hot at the right time of the season.