Eric Boggs
The Ohio State women’s basketball team secured its fourth consecutive first-round victory in the NCAA Tournament with a commanding 71-51 win over No. 13 seed Montana State on Friday at the Schottenstein Center. The fourth-seeded Buckeyes showcased their depth and resilience, turning a closely contested first half into a decisive triumph with a game-changing 24-0 run spanning the second and third quarters.
Taylor Thierry led the charge with 16 points, while Chance Gray electrified the court with five three-pointers, finishing with 15 points. Cotie McMahon also contributed 15 points, with Jaloni Cambridge and Ajae Petty adding 12 and 11 points, respectively. All five starters reached double figures, highlighting the team’s balanced offensive effort.
Ohio State now shifts its focus to a second-round showdown against No. 5 seed Tennessee, set for Sunday at 8 p.m. at the Schottenstein Center. The Volunteers advanced after an emphatic 101-66 victory over No. 12 seed South Florida. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN, as the Buckeyes look to extend their tournament run and make a statement against a storied program.
The opening minutes against Montana State posed an unexpected challenge, as the Buckeyes found themselves trailing 10-6 after three early turnovers. A pair of fast-break layups from Petty and Thierry quickly evened the score, and the first quarter concluded in a 17-17 deadlock after Ohio State’s 7-0 run was answered by five straight points from the Bobcats.
Early in the second quarter, Gray’s second three-pointer sparked a 6-0 run, but Montana State’s Natalie Picton responded with two deep shots of her own. A controversial foul call against Thierry led to a technical foul on head coach Kevin McGuff, allowing Picton to convert free throws and a layup that briefly gave Montana State a 27-23 lead midway through the period.
From that moment, Ohio State took complete control. After a four-minute scoring drought, Cambridge and McMahon combined for a series of pivotal plays, reclaiming the lead with crucial free throws and a three-point play. McMahon’s turnaround jumper and Cambridge’s transition layup provided the final points of the half, giving the Buckeyes a 32-27 advantage at the break.
The second half began with an Ohio State barrage from beyond the arc, as Gray drilled three consecutive three-pointers to push the lead to 14. Cambridge, McMahon, and Petty extended the run to 24-0 before Montana State finally ended its drought with a three-pointer from Esmerelda Morales. The Buckeyes responded with another 8-0 run, surging to a 25-point advantage. Despite a late 7-0 spurt from Montana State, Ohio State entered the final quarter with a comfortable 55-37 lead.
Any hopes of a Bobcats comeback were quickly dashed, as the Buckeyes opened the fourth quarter on a 7-1 run, restoring a 24-point cushion. Ohio State cruised through the final minutes, closing out the game with contributions from reserves Madison Greene, Kennedy Cambridge, Eboni Walker, and Ava Watson alongside Petty.
Coach McGuff praised his team’s second-half performance but emphasized the urgency of shifting focus to Tennessee.
“Enjoy this one, but it’s short-lived,” McGuff said. “We’ll watch the next game. We’ve got two really good teams with two distinctive styles of play. We need to lock in, make sure we get good eyes on that, and show up tomorrow to use our practice time effectively. We know we’re going to have a really tough game on Sunday.”
The Buckeyes are determined to avoid last year’s fate when they suffered a second-round exit against Duke. Thierry echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the team’s improved mindset.
“Definitely not trying to repeat that,” Thierry said. “We have a really special group. We’re capable of doing great things this year. We’re taking it one game at a time, and now we’re locked in on preparing for Tennessee.”
Ohio State continues to thrive under McGuff’s leadership, improving to 8-0 in first-round NCAA Tournament games during his tenure. The Buckeyes also welcomed back Ava Watson, who returned to action for the first time since sustaining an injury on Feb. 13 against Minnesota, though she did not score. Freshman center Elsa Lemmilä remained sidelined with a foot injury and was seen wearing a walking boot on the bench.
With momentum on their side and home-court advantage in their favor, Ohio State looks to take the next step in their tournament journey against Tennessee. Buckeye Nation will be ready to rally behind them in what promises to be an intense and thrilling second-round battle.
