Cotie McMahon was sidelined for four games with a right lower-leg injury, forcing her into a role where she could only evaluate and relay the improvements the Ohio State women’s basketball team needed to make.

Returning during the week of practices the Buckeyes had after their Thanksgiving tournament games in Daytona Beach, McMahon had one goal in mind – working the defense before the Illinois matchup.

“I’m going to shout out Cotie because she is the glue to our team,” Ohio State freshman Ava Watson said. “Every single day in practice, she’s getting on us, saying we need to push each other to work. We need to work on our grit. … We know that offense will come to us, but defense, she’s always encouraging us to get better and go harder.”

The Illinois game nine days after the Dayton Beach Classic marked Ohio State’s first ranked and first Big Ten opponent of the season.

Against the Fighting Illini, McMahon took control by scoring 25 points but credited the Buckeyes’ 83-74 victory to the defense.

“I think defense was kind of like our main thing,” McMahon said. “I feel like we really stepped up this game a lot. And honestly, I couldn’t say we were lacking in really any area in 22 (Ohio State’s press), I thought we did really well, much better from when we started, and I was really proud of that.”

The Buckeyes continued to play strong defense against Ball State two days after the Illinois matchup. In its ninth victory of the season, Ohio State held Ball State to 48 points despite the Cardinals averaging 69.2 this season.

Similar to Watson, graduate transfer Ajae Petty expressed that it was McMahon and the junior’s understanding of how to utilize her time on the bench that has impacted the Buckeyes’ recent play.

“It allows her to see the game from a different perspective,” Petty said. “You always see the game from a different perspective when you’re not playing. When you’re sitting on the bench, you get to watch everybody actually play. So, I think she’s definitely been kind of a coach in a way.”

How is Taylor Thierry connected to Ohio State’s next opponent, Youngstown State?

For Ohio State’s game against Youngstown State on Saturday, the Cambridge sisters’ availability is uncertain. Kennedy Cambridge is day-to-day with a lower-leg injury and Jaloni Cambridge suffering a shoulder injury against Ball State.

Though the Cambridges might be unavailable, there is another pair of sisters expected to be on the court.

Ohio State senior Taylor Thierry will be facing off against her twin, Haley Thierry, for the first time in her college career.

“I don’t know what to really think,” Taylor Thierry said. “I think she’s more excited that I am, but I think it’s going to be fun experience, just playing against her. We have a lot of family coming in for the game, so I’m just trying to rack up as many tickets as I can.”

Tipoff against Youngstown State is scheduled for 11 a.m. at Value City Arena.

bmackay@dispatch.com

@brimackay15