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

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The top-seeded Buckeyes saw their season come to an end on Friday as they were upset by No. 13 seed Marshall, 1-0, in the semifinals of the NCAA College Cup in Cary, North Carolina.

Ohio State outshot the Thundering Herd 20-8 but was never able to find the back of the net as it was shut out for just the second time all season.

Marshall took the lead less than seven minutes into the match when Tarik Pannholzer broke free for a goal. After a shot from Ohio State’s David Ajagbe hit the top of the goal, Ohio State defender Siggi Magnusson collided with goaltender Max Trejo, leaving the net wide open for Pannholzer to put a point on the board.

Wasting no time #MCollegeCup x ESPNU / @HerdMSoccer pic.twitter.com/D1kgE9AP0O

— NCAA Soccer (@NCAASoccer) December 14, 2024

The Buckeyes spent the rest of the game on the attack had plenty of chances to tie the game over the next 83 minutes, but were never able to convert as Marshall goalie Aleksa Janjic stopped all five of Ohio State’s shots on goal to preserve a clean sheet.

The loss was a tough end to a difficult week for Ohio State, who made the trip to Cary without senior defender Nathan Demian, who had to watch the game from the hospital after he was injured in an off-campus shooting followed Ohio State’s NCAA quarterfinal over Wake Forest last weekend. The Buckeyes honored Demian, who shared an inspirational message with the team before the game, by wearing “Do It For Dolla” shirts (“Dolla” is Demian’s nickname) during warmups and badges with his No. 3 on their jerseys during the game.

#GoBucks #Doitfordolla pic.twitter.com/FxZdTFraop

— Ohio State Mens Soccer (@OhioStateMSOC) December 14, 2024

Despite the semifinal defeat, Ohio State’s 2024 season will go down as one of the best in program history. The Buckeyes went 16-2-4, won the Big Ten Tournament and a share of the regular-season Big Ten championship and earned the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, where they advanced to the College Cup for the second time in program history.

The mission remains the same for Ohio’s OC Federal Credit Union, while embracing a shorter name for digital platforms.

CLEVELAND, Dec. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Ohio Catholic Federal Credit Union changed its name to OC Federal Credit Union on December 9, 2024. The Ohio-based credit union began its 70-year history in 1954 as St. Monica Garfield Heights Federal Credit Union. With a vision to serve members, it has grown to be the largest faith-based credit union in Ohio ($267 million in assets, 13,000 members), as the charter was expanded in 2013 to include all Catholic dioceses in Ohio.

Under the leadership of Todd Turner, Chief Executive Officer, and the dedicated Board of Directors, Ohio Catholic expanded financial services to include Ohio CU Mortgage (a full-service mortgage company), commercial lending, and a robust digital consumer lending program. In 2025, Ohio CU Financial Services will be added to address members’ insurance needs.

“With the reality of a digital presence being so important to reach and serve members, shortening our name at this time just made sense,” explains Todd Turner. “OC represents Ohio Catholic. We kept our heritage and membership at the forefront of our name and gave it a fresh, modern update.”

The rollout had minimal impact on members as current systems switched to the new branding. The website, while having a new URL, redirects from the former website address to give members time to learn the changes. Branches and marketing display the new logo and designs, but the brand colors are consistent as the name change is a “refresh,” not a change in direction for the credit union.

“Our mission and purpose remain the same: to impact the Catholic community by focusing on faith, financial solutions, and education,” Turner stated. The education focus is prominent with their Bank In School program, which brings their Genesis Savings account for students into schools. The program awards scholarships and encourages students to learn to save and manage money wisely.

“It is an exciting year for us as we celebrate our 70th anniversary as Ohio Catholic and launch OC Federal for the future,” said Turner. “Any decision we make is about serving our members and providing them every financial tool we can. Building financially strong communities impacts the future for Ohio.”

About OC Federal Credit Union

OC Federal has been proudly serving members since 1954, providing financial solutions designed to meet the needs of communities in Ohio and help them thrive. OC Federal is the largest faith-based credit union in Ohio with $267 million in assets and over 13,000 members. As a member-owned, not-for-profit financial institution, OC Federal offers competitive rates, personalized service, and innovative tools to help members achieve their financial goals. With five branches across the state of Ohio, the Ohio CU Mortgage full-service mortgage division, commercial banking, private wealth management, Ohio CU Financial Services coming in 2025, and a commitment to community engagement, OC Federal is dedicated to making an impact in the financial lives of members. For more information, visit www.ocfederal.com.

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