The Buckeyes closed out nonconference play with a bang, dominating Winthrop 88-48 in a bounce-back game after they fell to No. 1 Connecticut Monday night.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio State | 27 | 21 | 23 | 17 | 88 |
| Winthrop | 11 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 48 |
Ohio State played especially aggressive defense, particularly at the start, forcing 11 Winthrop turnovers in the first quarter alone. The Buckeyes forced a total of 24 turnovers on the game which led to 30 points the other direction.
Unsurprisingly, Kelsey Mitchell led the way for the Buckeyes offensively. The volume scorer led all players with 19 points on a 7-for-12 shooting performance.
In her third game at Ohio State, Linnae Harper showed off her rebounding ability. The Kentucky transfer led the Wildcats in rebounding during the 2014-15 season despite only being 5-8. Against Winthrop, the junior guard pulled down a team-high 10 boards and added nine points, falling just a point shy of her first double-double as a Buckeye.
| OHIO STATE | STAT | Winthrop |
|---|---|---|
| 88 | POINTS | 48 |
| 34-78 (44%) | FGM-FGA (PCT.) | 16-56 (29%) |
| 9-24 (38%) | 3PM-3PA (PCT.) | 3-15 (20%) |
| 11-20 (55%) | FTM-FTA (PCT.) | 13-16 (81%) |
| 9 | TURNOVERS | 24 |
| 52 | TOTAL REBOUNDS | 41 |
| 22 | OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS | 13 |
| 30 | DEFENSIVE REBOUNDS | 28 |
| 38 | BENCH POINTS | 8 |
| 7 | BLOCKS | 0 |
| 10 | STEALS | 3 |
| 22 | ASSISTS | 8 |
Ohio State ran away with the game from the beginning. The Buckeyes forced 11 first-quarter turnovers and closed out the quarter on a 17-4 run, holding the Eagles without a point for nearly five minutes of game time. Mitchell led all scorers with eight points and Ohio State enjoyed a 27-11 lead.
The second quarter was closer, but not by much. The Buckeyes outscored Winthrop 21-14 to stretch their lead to 48-25 at the half. Ohio State shot 49 percent from the field and 40 percent from three-point range in the first half while forcing 15 Eagle turnovers.
The second half went as most have gone against overmatched teams. The Buckeyes emptied their bench, playing 12 different players, and coasted to a relatively easy victory. # players finished in double figures and all but one scored points.
With the win, Ohio State moves to 10-4 on the season with all four of its losses coming at the hands of top-16 opponents.
The Buckeyes return to action Wednesday when they open Big Ten Conference play against Minnesota in Value City Arena at 7 p.m.
