It was a battle, but the Ohio State women’s basketball team won a thriller, 71-69, against North Carolina in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to advance to the Sweet 16.
The Buckeyes led almost the entire game, by as much as 12 points at one point, but the Tar Heels kept making runs to stay within arm’s reach and were able to finally erase the deficit, and take its first lead of the game, 67-66, with just 2:08 remaining in the game.
The last two minutes would be heart-pumping and adrenaline-inducing. Jacy Sheldon would wrestle the lead back at 1:08 remaining, 68-67, with a clutch, driving layup. Sheldon then made a free throw to stretch the lead to two, but North Carolina’s leading scorer, Deja Kelly, made a jumper in the lane to tie the score at 69 all with just 11 seconds remaining. It came after Kelly left the game with an ankle injury and came back to show guts and resilience.
But Sheldon wouldn’t have it. Ohio State called timeout and the OSU star got the ball in her hands one more time, somehow wiggled her way into the lane, and hit a fall-away teardrop to put the Lady Bucks up 71-69 with just 1.9 seconds left.
Carolina’s desperation play from the sideline out-of-bounds play couldn’t connect, and with it, Ohio State advanced to the Sweet 16.
The Buckeyes were led by Taylor Mikesell’s 17 points, but Jacy Sheldon (16 points), Eboni Walker (15 points), and Cotie McMahon (14 points) also had impressive games to balance out the scoring. Sheldon put on her cape in the last couple of minutes of winning time.
What kept the game close, and what will need to be addressed, is Ohio State’s struggles in the turnover department. It’s unusual for OSU’s stifling press to not give the Buckeyes an advantage in turnovers, but the offense gave the ball away 21 times to UNC. That offset a better shooting percentage from the floor and an advantage on the free-throw line for OSU.
Ohio State will now turn the page and head to Seattle to take on the winner of No. 7 seed Baylor and No. 2 seed UConn. That matchup will take place on Saturday at a determined time.
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