No. 4 Ohio State women roll past North Alabama 105-67

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Rebeka Mikulasikova scored 23 factors and Cotie McMahon added 20 to guide No. 4 Ohio State previous North Alabama 105-67 on Sunday.

The Buckeyes (6-0) shot 58.6% from the sector as all 5 starters reached double figures in scoring.

North Alabama (3-3) trailed by eight factors with lower than eight minutes to go within the second quarter, however Ohio State prolonged its lead on an 11-0 run keyed by 5 factors from Madison Greene.

The Buckeyes held a 59-37 lead at halftime and stretched it to as giant as 39 with lower than three minutes remaining.

“I feel our stress began to take slightly little bit of an impact,” Ohio State coach Kevin McGuff mentioned. “I believed we type of sped them up and type of took them out of what they had been making an attempt to do, and we had been capable of take a few of the turnovers and missed photographs and switch them into factors on the opposite finish.”

Greene completed with 15 factors, Taylor Mikesell had 14 and Taylor Thierry had 13, plus 5 steals.

Ohio State shot above 60% in every of the primary three quarters. Hevynne Bristow tied her profession excessive with eight rebounds, serving to the Buckeyes to a 37-28 benefit on the glass.

Skyler Gill led the Lions with 23 factors and 12 rebounds. North Alabama shot 45.8% and turned the ball over 20 occasions.

“I used to be happy with our composure,” North Alabama coach Missy Tiber mentioned. “You don’t need to lose by 40, however I feel except for a pair little spurts that they had, I believed we had been aggressive.”

MCMAHON MAKING AN IMPRESSION

Amongst three true freshmen on Ohio State’s roster, McMahon has began all six video games this season.

A local of Centerville, Ohio, McMahon has averaged greater than 9 factors per recreation to date. She shot 8-of-13 from the sector and her 20 factors marked a brand new profession excessive.

“She was slightly extra locked in, so I believed it was an enormous step for her,” McGuff mentioned. “Popping out of timeouts and stuff, simply telling her little issues, making use of that to the sport was an enormous step for her.”

PICKING THEIR POCKET

Ohio State compelled 20 turnovers, which is its second-most takeaways made by way of the season’s first six video games, and 13 steals.

Three Buckeyes swiped a minimum of two steals whereas the group capitalized on 28 factors following the turnovers.

“One factor we actually talked about and scouted was how briskly they get the ball out after a shot,” McMahon mentioned. “That’s one thing that we needed to alter to coming into the sport, after which first seeing it straight away after which clearly popping out at halftime and really actually buckling down and having to regulate to it.”

BIG PICTURE

North Alabama: The Lions shot beneath 35.1% from 3-point vary for the third recreation in a row. They went 2 of 11 from past the arc within the third quarter and 5 of 19 within the second half.

Ohio State: All-conference guard and Buckeyes third-leading scorer Jacy Sheldon missed her second straight recreation. Sheldon, who leads Ohio State with 27 steals, wore a boot on her proper foot whereas sitting on the bench as her group collected 13 steals.

“Nonetheless day after day,” McGuff mentioned. “Cautiously optimistic, however we’ll need to see how the week goes.”

UP NEXT

North Alabama: Hosts Fisk subsequent Sunday.

Ohio State: Travels to No. 10 Louisville on Wednesday.

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