The Buckeyes went to Iowa looking for a win to halt a two-game losing skid. Instead, the Hawkeyes handed Ohio State its third-straight loss, besting the Buckeyes 103-89.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #12 Ohio State | 21 | 23 | 25 | 20 | 89 |
| Iowa | 26 | 27 | 24 | 26 | 103 |
The loss marks the first time Ohio State has lost three-consecutive games since head coach Kevin McGuff's first season in Columbus when the Buckeyes lost five-straight games in February of 2014.
Ohio State has a prolific offense, but that only goes so far when it starts slow and allows its opponent to score at will. That was the case on Thursday night.
The Buckeyes shot just 29 percent from the field in the first quarter, allowing Iowa to open up a 14 points lead.
Ohio State clawed back throughout the game as the offense came alive, cutting the lead to three points multiple times, but that's as close as it ever got because the Buckeye defense simply had no answer for Iowa.
| OHIO STATE | STAT | IOWA |
|---|---|---|
| 89 | POINTS | 103 |
| 35-86 (41%) | FGM-FGA (PCT.) | 37-68 (54%) |
| 5-23 (22%) | 3PM-3PA (PCT.) | 9-17 (53%) |
| 14-17 (82%) | FTM-FTA (PCT.) | 20-24 (83%) |
| 10 | TURNOVERS | 14 |
| 47 | TOTAL REBOUNDS | 40 |
| 20 | OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS | 7 |
| 27 | DEFENSIVE REBOUNDS | 33 |
| 7 | BENCH POINTS | 16 |
| 3 | BLOCKS | 5 |
| 10 | STEALS | 3 |
| 5 | ASSISTS | 26 |
The Hawkeyes seemed to do whatever they wanted offensively from start to finish. Iowa shot a red-hot 61 percent from the field in the first half, then hit five of its first seven from three-point range in the second.
Ohio State couldn't stop the Hawkeyes, couldn't match their scoring and couldn't keep its post players out of foul trouble. Both Stephanie Mavunga and Makayla Waterman fouled out midway through the fourth quarter and Alexa Hart finished the game with four fouls.
Meanwhile, Ohio State shot an uncharacteristically low 22 percent from three-point range, making a comeback even more difficult. Despite the cold perimeter shooting though, the Buckeyes still managed 89 points – well above their season average.
Kelsey Mitchell scored 27 points – also above her season average – despite shooting just 3-for-11 from three-point range and Linnae Harper, Asia Doss and Mavunga were each in double figures.
But as Ohio State has now experienced many times, offense alone isn't enough to win against quality opponents, especially when the opponent scores 103 points.
With the loss, the Buckeyes have now lost three-straight games for the first time since the 2013-14 season. Ohio State falls to 16-5 and 5-3 in the Big Ten and will look to bounce back on Saturday with a home game against Michigan State.
