No. 13 Ohio State women advance to Big Ten semifinals
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Jacy Sheldon scored 19 points, Taylor Mikesell added 18 points with four 3-pointers and No. 13 Ohio State closed on a 10-0 run to beat Michigan State 74-58 on Friday in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Conference tournament.
Top-seeded Ohio State (23-5) advances to semifinals for the seventh time in nine seasons under coach Kevin McGuff. The Buckeyes will face No. 5 seed Indiana on Saturday, looking to avenge an 86-66 loss to the Hoosiers on Dec. 12.
Michigan State freshman DeeDee Hagemann converted a behind-the-back layup in transition to cut the deficit to 64-58 with 4:10 left. But the Spartans didn’t score again.
Rikki Harris sank a corner 3-ponter with 2:04 remaining in the fourth for her first basket of the second half after scoring eight points in opening five minutes of the game. After a Michigan State miss, Mikesell made a 3-pointer from the same spot as Harris for a 72-58 lead and Sheldon capped the game-closing run with a runner in the lane.
Tanaya Beacham had 15 points and eight rebounds for Ohio State, which swept the season series by winning 89-83 on Jan. 12 and 61-55 in the regular-season finale. Harris added 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
Ohio State led by 17 points in the third quarter until Michigan State went on a 10-2 run for the first of three times getting within nine points in the frame.
Matilda Ekh led Michigan State (15-15) with 21 points and seven rebounds. Ekh was 5 of 11 from 3-point range. Nia Clouden struggled from the field, making 3-of-11 shots for seven points to go with six rebounds and eight assists.
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