It didn't take Ohio State long to rebound from Monday's 92-80 loss to South Carolina. Just two days later, the Buckeyes thrashed Cleveland State 96-78.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio State | 28 | 23 | 28 | 17 | 96 |
| Cleveland State | 17 | 17 | 18 | 24 | 78 |
Ohio State was in control from the start, and in a role-reversal from Monday, used its size to dominate the game. The Buckeyes finished with a 51-32 advantage on the boards and outscored Cleveland State by a staggering 36 points in the paint.
"They're not very big, so a point of emphasis was to get the ball around the basket," said head coach Kevin McGuff after the game.
A big difference down low was Stephanie Mavunga. The transfer forward from North Carolina finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds in just 14 minutes for her second double-double of the season.
| OSu | STAT | Csu |
|---|---|---|
| 96 | POINTS | 78 |
| 41-79 (52%) | FGM-FGA (PCT.) | 28-71 (39%) |
| 8-27 (30%) | 3PM-3PA (PCT.) | 14-35 (40%) |
| 8-10 (80%) | FTM-FTA (PCT.) | 8-27 (67%) |
| 13 | TURNOVERS | 13 |
| 51 | TOTAL REBOUNDS | 32 |
| 17 | OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS | 10 |
| 34 | DEFENSIVE REBOUNDS | 22 |
| 30 | BENCH POINTS | 11 |
| 2 | BLOCKS | 2 |
| 9 | STEALS | 7 |
| 22 | ASSISTS | 18 |
As usual, Kelsey Mitchell led the way for the Buckeyes offensively. The scoring phenom finished with 31 points, which is her best of this young season.
"It's always good to see the ball go in," Mitchell said after the game. "These nights are really important for us as far as getting back on our feet with what happened Monday. It's always good to see everyone's shot go in."
True freshman Kiara Lewis also shined for the Buckeyes. In just the third game of her Ohio State career, Lewis finished with 12 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
“Kiki's got a chance to be a great player here,” McGuff said. “She really showed up ready and you can see that in how she plays.”
Two other Buckeyes reached double figures as Shayla Cooper and true freshman Tori McCoy each scored 12 points.
Despite the lopsided win, the defense still wasn't where the team wants it to be.
"We still let them shoot a lot," Mitchell said. "Our defense still was not good."
According to Mitchell, the defensive woes are not a lack of ability, personnel or scheme but a lack of effort.
"You can't make somebody play defense," Mitchell said. "It's a lack of effort. It's the whole team, myself on down. It's a team thing. It's going to take your own individual self to buckle down and do it."
Ohio State returns to action Saturday at noon as the Buckeyes play host to LIU Brooklyn.
