Ohio State Tops Minnesota, 90-88, to Advance to Sunday's Big Ten Tournament Championship Game

Ohio State is one step closer to a Big Ten Tournament title as the the Buckeyes topped Minnesota 90-88 in a thrilling game to advance to Sunday night's championship game.

Trailing 85-79 late in the fourth quarter, the Buckeyes went on a 10-0 run to retake the lead and sealed the win thanks to offensive rebounding, clutch transition defense from Kelsey Mitchell, and lockdown defense on the game's final possessions.

Perhaps the game-clinching moment came when Mitchell, following a missed shot, chased down Minnesota's Kenisha Bell and blocked a transition layup to preserve the lead with just 36 seconds remaining. From that point, the Buckeyes never trailed in the game.

"I was just trying to do what was needed," Mitchell said. "I think I had just missed a shot, so you take a shot, you've got to get back on defense, you've got to be the first one to get back."

Mitchell led all scorers offensively, but Stephanie Mavunga was undoubtedly the team's MVP. Mavunga scored 26 points and pulled down 21 rebounds – the first 20-20 game in Big Ten Tournament history – and flirted with a triple-double with seven blocks.

"She was just relentless. She was absolutely unbelievable tonight," head coach Kevin McGuff said. "The numbers, 26, 21and then seven blocks, her effort was amazing."

Two of Mavunga's blocks came during crunch time when was trying to climb back into the game. She was able to hinder the shot without fouling – an emphasis in the huddle."

"I just remember everyone stressed to me, don't foul, don't foul, especially a jump shooter, and we were switching," Mavunga said. "So I really just wanted to sit down and not let my teammates down because I don't generally switch."

Ohio State opened the first quarter hot – Mitchell hit a three-pointer less than 10 seconds into the game and had six points in the game's first 2:30 to give the Buckeyes a quick seven-point lead.

Then things swung the other way.

The Golden Gophers dominated the remainder of the quarter, led by Carlie Wagner's 19 points. Towards the end of the quarter, frustrations began to mount for the Buckeyes, leading to sloppy play and a technical foul on McGuff. The Gophers took advantage, closing the first on a 12-2 run to take a 32-22 lead.

"We weren't good in transition defense, and they
were really driving the ball," McGuff said. "We weren't guarding the ball very well off the dribble.

The Buckeyes countered immediately, beginning the second with a 13-2 run to retake the lead. The defense improved, as Ohio State held Minnesota to just 18 points in the quarter and Wagner to just five, and the offense did its part, exploding for 29 second-quarter points to take a 51-50 lead into halftime.

The second half was a back-and-forth scoring exhibition from both teams. The squads just traded points and neither team led by more than six points until the Buckeyes' final run to close the game.

Minnesota held an 85-79 lead with just under four minutes left to play, but Ohio State punched back, scoring seven-straight points to take an 86-85 lead. The Buckeyes clung to that lead with two offensive rebounds and a clutch transition defensive stop from Mitchell.

It then came down to free throw shooting, and though the Buckeyes were unable to connect on four of their six free-throws down the stretch, they hung on for a gutty 90-88 victory.

With the win, Ohio State punches its ticket to the Big Ten Tournament Championship where it will face the winner of Saturday night's matchup between No. 2 seed Maryland and No. 3 seed Nebraska at 7 p.m. on ESPN 2.

With one more win, the Buckeyes will be both the Big Ten regular season and tournament champions.

"It's March," Mavunga said. "The madness has begun."