The Ohio State women’s hoop team did what the men’s team couldn’t by advancing to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
Seeded 6 Buckeyes bounced back Monday night by losing seed 3 to LSU 79-64 at the Tigers home court to forge their ticket to their first Sweet 16 since 2017, where they will face seed 2 Texas on Friday.
Command | one | 2 | 3 | 4 | THE FINAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #6 Ohio State | 15 | 19 | 23 | 22 | 79 |
#3 LSU | 8 | eighteen | eleven | 27 | 64 |
As usual, it was the trio of Jaycee Sheldon, Taylor Mixell and Rebeka Mikulashikov that paved the way for the Buckeyes. All three were in double figures, with Sheldon leading with 23 points and eight assists, making it nearly a double-double.
But it wasn’t just a goal – Buckeye’s defense also disabled LSU. Ohio State set the tone early, forcing the Tiger to lose seven points in the first quarter alone and holding them down at just 36.8% of the game’s shooting.
OHIO STATE | STATISTICS | LSU |
|---|---|---|
79 | POINTS | 64 |
28-58 (48%) | FGM-FGA (PCT.) | 25-68 (37%) |
10-22 (45%) | 3PM-3PA (PKT.) | 2-8 (25%) |
13-16 (81%) | FTM-FTA (PCT.) | 12-22 (55%) |
twenty | TURNS | eleven |
43 | TOTAL REBILLS | 36 |
nine | ATTACKING REBOUNDS | fourteen |
34 | DEFENSIVE REBOUNDING | 22 |
13 | BENCH POINTS | five |
4 | BLOCKS | five |
five | STEALING | 13 |
16 | HELPS | 8 |
It was a terrible game in the first quarter as Ohio State opened the game with just 1 for 9 from the field. but LSU failed to take advantage of the slow start, going out just 3-of-15 with seven losses in the first quarter. The Buckeye offense eventually revived to close the quarter 11-0, taking a 15-8 lead after the first quarter.
Throughout the second quarter, Ohio led by single digits. LSU managed to cut the Buckeye lead to just three points in the middle of the quarter, but Ohio State controlled the game throughout the second, managing to extend the lead to nine points several times. At the end of the half, Ohio State led 34-26.
The Buckeyes took command of the game early in the third round, starting the quarter 13-2 and taking a 19-point lead early. Ohio State hit 64.3 percent from the field in the quarter to extend the lead to 24 points, the biggest deficit the Tigers faced all season.
LSU lost the lead in the fourth quarter and made a late run but never really threatened. The Tigers never managed to close the lead to less than 11 points, and the Bucks won 79–64.
With this win, Ohio State advances to its first Sweet 16 since the Buckeyes under Kelsey Mitchell made it past the second round in 2017. The Buckeyes have not made the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament since 1993, when Ohio State finished second after losing to Texas Tech 84-82 in the national title game.
The Buckeyes will travel to Spokane, Washington to face the second seed Texas on Friday.