No. 8 Ohio State scores program record-tying 39 points in 3rd period in 87-49 rout of Wisconsin

Updated: Feb 1, 2024, 08:45 pm

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- — Jacy Sheldon scored 17 points, Cotie McMahon had 15 and Eboni Walker 11 as No. 8 Ohio State won its eighth straight game, 87-49 over Wisconsin on Thursday night.

The Buckeyes (18-3, 9-1 Big Ten) shot 50% (33 for 66) from the field, their best performance in nine games, and went 13 for 16 from the line.

Ohio State led by five points at the break and scored a program record-tying 39 points in the third quarter that extended its lead to a game-high 24 points late in the fourth.

“We had a spirited conversation at halftime just about our, really, it was our mental energy,” Ohio State coach Kevin McGuff said. “I thought our physical energy was fine, but it just, we weren’t really locked in mentally. They did a great job coming out of the locker room and kind of imposing our will on the second half.”

Serah Williams led Wisconsin (10-10, 3-7) with 16 points and 11 rebounds in her seventh straight game with a double-double.

Wisconsin led 16-15 after the first quarter despite shooting 38% and the Badgers grabbed six of their 16 offensive rebounds in the opening period while Ohio State had none.

“I think in that third quarter, really, they turned up the heat a little bit with their press,” Wisconsin coach Marisa Moseley said. “We had kind of back-to-back turnovers coming straight out of the halftime and I think that rattled our kids a bit, and really, it became a little bit of a snowball effect with the turnovers.”

The Buckeyes went on a 7-0 run and claimed the lead with about six minutes left in the second quarter. Ohio State shot 8 for 9 from the free throw line in the period and never trailed again.

“I think our main focus moving towards any game is just being the best that we can be and playing team basketball at the end of the day,” Walker said.

BIG PICTURE

Wisconsin: The Badgers had their two-game winning streak halted after shooting 32.7% (17 for 52) from the field, their worst performance in three games.

“I told them that we got punched in the gut and we didn’t respond,” Moseley said. “We have to learn the lesson from this. It’s like, there’s two halves and you’ve got to be able to finish and we got to be a lot more disciplined in what we’re doing and our approach at practice and understand the small things that we need to do to become a better basketball team.”

Ohio State: The Buckeyes’ season-best winning streak is nine games and they will try to match that when they face Indiana in a top-10 matchup on Sunday.

UP NEXT

Wisconsin: At Northwestern on Sunday.

Ohio State: Hosts No. 10 Indiana on Sunday.

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AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball