Ohio
No. 3 Ohio State pulls off wild comeback to beat South Florida 88-86 in overtime
Taylor Mikesell hadn’t made a 3 all sport.
The senior guard, sometimes one of the vital constant perimeter shooters within the nation, had simply 5 factors for No. 3 Ohio State because it trailed by three factors within the waning seconds of extra time in opposition to South Florida. Mikesell was 1-of-12 from the ground and 0-of-6 from past the arc when she lined up what turned out to be her remaining shot of the sport.
And for the primary time all night time, Mikesell’s shot swished by means of the web, tying the sport. Eboni Walker blocked a shot on the different finish of the ground, and the ball got here to Cotie McMahon on the quick break with Taylor Thierry. McMahon fed Thierry for the game-winning layup, which capped off an 88-86 comeback win for the Buckeyes on the San Diego Invitational — in a sport they trailed by as many as 18 factors.
Ohio State (12-0) led for simply 54 seconds, and 6 of these had been the ultimate seconds of the sport after Thierry’s layup. McMahon led the workforce with a career-high 30 factors and Thierry added 23. Mikesell completed with a season-low eight factors, however her 3-pointer with 15 seconds left was essential for the victory.
“Very pleased with her for additionally having plenty of religion in herself,” McMahon mentioned. “That is what she does. I am glad she shot that shot, and he or she was very assured with it.”
As has develop into a theme this season, the Buckeyes received off to a sluggish begin within the first half and the Bulls (10-4) took full benefit. They led 21-11 after the primary quarter and grew the result in 18 early within the second quarter. Ohio State improved barely from there, however it may solely get inside 9 factors by halftime.
It took till the fourth quarter for the Buckeyes to tie issues up, first at 64 factors apiece after which once more at 67. However lower than 20 seconds after Ohio State tied the sport at 67 with 3:43 left within the fourth quarter, guard Madison Greene suffered an harm to her left leg.
Greene needed to be helped off the court docket whereas not placing any weight on her left leg, and the emotion of the harm was evident for each Greene and her teammates. Greene missed your complete 2021-22 season with a knee harm, and that harm was prime of thoughts for the Buckeyes once they noticed Greene go down as soon as once more.
Coach Kevin McGuff did not have an instantaneous replace on Greene’s standing after the sport, however any time she misses shall be a blow to a workforce already taking part in with out Jacy Sheldon, who’s week-to-week with a decrease leg harm. The harm may have been a demise blow to the Buckeyes’ comeback hopes in Tuesday’s sport, however her tearful teammates used the second as a rallying level.
“We had no selection however to complete the sport for her,” McMahon mentioned. “That is what we got here on the market and did. It doesn’t matter what it took, we had been all going to do it.”
McMahon made two free throws with 39 seconds left to tie the sport as soon as once more, and South Florida missed a possible game-winning 3-pointer which despatched the sport to extra time.
In extra time, the Bulls stretched out to a six-point lead with 1:12 left to play. However after a timeout by McGuff, the Buckeyes discovered a technique to rating eight factors in these remaining 72 seconds and full the comeback.
“(Mikesell) has the inexperienced gentle for us,” McGuff mentioned. “She’s received plenty of confidence in herself. She did not shoot it all through the sport in addition to she usually does, however she definitely made an enormous one on the finish.”
Tuesday was the second comparatively chilly sport for Mikesell in a row, after a 5-of-13 efficiency Friday in opposition to Albany. However with Tuesday’s win, Ohio State will face No. 16 Oregon — Mikesell’s former college — on Wednesday in a matchup that Mikesell’s teammates have been hoping for since they first knew it was a chance.
McMahon’s ear-to-ear grin mentioned all of it when she was requested about going through the Geese.
“I am so excited,” McMahon mentioned. “We actually needed to play Oregon for T-Mike as a result of she actually needs to play Oregon, and you understand the historical past with that. We will play Oregon tomorrow.”
bjohnson@dispatch.com