Sophomore guard Jaloni Cambridge (22) rises over a Hoosier defender and knocks down a mid-range jumper at the buzzer against Indiana. Credit: Liam Ahern | Sports Photo Editor
On the edge of hosting the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament, Ohio State needed a win against one of the hottest teams in the conference.
It got one with ease.
The No. 5-seeded Ohio State Buckeyes earned an 83-59 win over the No. 13-seeded Indiana Hoosiers Thursday, advancing to the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis.
“I think offensively our execution is as good as it’s been, and we’re really making the extra pass and sharing the ball,” head coach Kevin McGuff said. “Defensively, I was happy to see more of our half-court execution today.”
The start of the first quarter had an eerily similar feeling to the Buckeyes’ last meeting with the Hoosiers, when they fell behind by 10 at halftime.
Ohio State missed its first seven shots until Chance Gray laid the ball in with 6:54 remaining in the quarter, snapping the shutout.
Despite the slow start, a Kylee Kitts 2-pointer evened the score at 12-12 heading into the second quarter, backed by a defense that did not allow a point over the final three minutes of the period.
“We needed to let the game come to us,” Jaloni Cambridge said. “They all were good shots, but just making sure we’re taking our time and making sure we’re making those shots.”
The Hoosiers, who defeated Nebraska 72-69 Wednesday, entered the game on a four-game win streak and already had a tournament game under their belt.
That momentum quickly stalled.
Tied early in the second quarter, Cambridge fired a pass from one corner to the other, finding Gray for a 3-pointer that put the Buckeyes ahead 17-14. The basket sparked a 12-0 run and gave Ohio State a lead it would not relinquish.
Gray’s 11 points and three assists helped push the Buckeyes to a commanding 36-24 lead at halftime.
The senior guard continued to score in the second half, finishing with 18 points and six assists while shooting 6-for-16 from the field, including four 3-pointers.
“We did a good job of staying poised and moving the ball,” Gray said. “I think we’re better when we’re scoring on all cylinders, so it was a good team win.”
Ohio State’s defense proved just as dominant as its offense.
Entering the game, Indiana ranked fourth nationally in 3-point percentage at 37.9%, but the Buckeyes’ perimeter defense held the Hoosiers to just 5-for-21 shooting from beyond the arc.
Indiana’s leading scorer, Shay Ciezki — second only to Cambridge in Big Ten scoring — was limited to 12 points on 6-for-20 shooting.
“It was way better than the last time we played them, just making sure we were getting out to their shooters and not letting them get those open shots,” Cambridge said.
Ohio State extended its lead in the third quarter, outscoring Indiana 25-16 behind consistent scoring from all seven players who had seen the floor for the Buckeyes to that point. The surge pushed Ohio State ahead 61-40 entering the fourth quarter.
“We have confidence in everybody,” Gray said. “We just make sure they believe in themselves every game and have confidence in what they do.”
With the game well in hand in the final quarter, freshmen reserves Seini Henry and Dasha Biriuk logged minutes as the starters rested, helping Ohio State coast to the victory.
The Buckeyes will now look to seek revenge against the No. 4-seeded Minnesota Gophers Friday with a trip to the Big Ten Tournament semifinals on the line.
“Our perimeter defense was good today, and that will have to be good tomorrow because Minnesota has great perimeter players,” McGuff said. “We have to match that with interior defense as well if we want to be successful.”
