Ohio State women's basketball entered the top five of the AP Poll on Monday.
The Buckeyes, previously ranked No. 8 in the poll, rose four spots to No. 4 after a road win over Ohio on Thursday and a home victory against McNeese State on Sunday. Ohio State sits behind defending national champion South Carolina and two of last year's Final Four teams, Stanford and Connecticut, in this week's AP Top 25.
The 4th ranked Ohio State University Womens Basketball team.#APPoll #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/zLVtlaLxZA
— Ohio State WBB (@OhioStateWBB) November 21, 2022
Head coach Kevin McGuff's squad is a perfect 4-0 in 2022-23, including a win over then-No. 5 Tennessee – who currently ranks No. 23 in the poll – in the season opener. The team's other victories were against Boston College and the previously mentioned wins against the Bobcats and the Cowgirls.
The Buckeyes are led this year by veteran guards Jacy Sheldon and Taylor Mikesell and forward Rebeka Mikulasikova. Sheldon averages 16.3 points, four assists, 3.5 rebounds and 5.5 steals per game for Ohio State. At the same time, Mikesell contributes 17 points, two assists and 1.8 rebounds per contest, while Mikulasikova adds 14.5 points and seven rebounds.
Ohio State's strength this season has been its defense, which includes a suffocating full-court press run deep into the second half of its games. The Buckeyes have forced an average of 34 turnovers through the first four contests, with 29, 23, 33 and 38 takeaways in those respective matchups.
Sheldon, Mikesell, Mikulasikova and the Buckeyes will look to continue their hot start when it faces Wright State on Wednesday at 3 p.m. in Columbus at Value City Arena.
