Mikesell and Harris’ Career Nights Lead OSU Past Illinois
1/6/2022 10:09:43 PM | Women's Basketball
Box Score | Season Stats | Photo Gallery
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. RV/RV Ohio State women’s basketball team (10-3, 2-2 Big Ten) began the new year with a 90-69 win against Illinois (5-8, 0-2 Big Ten) on Thursday evening inside Value City Arena at the Schottenstein Center.
Taylor Mikesell and Rikki Harris both tallied career-highs as Mikesell scored 32 and Harris 15. Mikesell tied her career-high eight triples – the ninth time in program history a Buckeye has made at least eight long-range shots. Harris made a career-high four long-range shots as the team combined to tie for a season-high 13 triples. Tanaya Beacham finished with a season-high 15 points, while Mikesell and Jacy Sheldon continued their double-figure scoring streaks in every game this season. Mikesell became the first Buckeye since Kelsey Mitchell in 2018 (March 3-4) to score at least 25 points in back-to-back games after scoring 25 at Michigan on New Year’s Eve.
How it Happened
Illinois scored the first two baskets before a Taylor Mikesell triple got Ohio State onto the board. Mikesell hit another triple less than a minute later to give the Buckeyes their first lead of the day. The Fighting Illini put together a 6-0 run before a Rikki Harris three-pointer saw OSU trailing 10-9 at the media timeout. The teams were tied at 16 with just under a minute remaining. Illinois held a narrow 18-17 lead after 10 minutes.
Harris’ second triple of the evening kicked off the second quarter to give Ohio State the lead back. Illinois tied the game at 20 and 22 before the Buckeyes scored seven-unanswered points to take a 29-22 lead and force a Fighting Illini timeout with just under six minutes to play in the half. The teams traded points before a 7-0 OSU run gave the Buckeyes their first double-digit lead of the game, 42-31 with 1:41 to play. Ohio State led 44-33 at halftime.
Jacy Sheldon opened the second half with a fast-break layup on a pass from Mikesell. Another layup from Sheldon forced an Illinois timeout just a minute into the quarter. Ohio State led by as many as 18 points on two occasions and held the 56-40 advantage midway through the quarter. The Buckeyes strung together nine-straight points to extend the lead to 70-42 with 1:42 to play in the third quarter and led 75-48 after 30 minutes.
Mikesell had the first pair of Buckeye baskets to begin the fourth quarter. Ohio State held the 79-61 advantage at the media timeout despite an 11-0 Fighting Illini run. Illinois continued its run out of the timeout before a Mikesell three-pointer ended the OSU scoring drought. Scoring capped at 90-69 following a pair of layups by Taylor Thierry.
Highlights
Q1: Taylor Mikesell three-pointers
Q1: Tanaya Beacham three-pointer
Q2: Braxtin Miller pull-up jumper
Q2: Kateri Poole to Tanaya Beacham
Q4: Taylor Mikesell three-pointer
Game Notes
- The Buckeyes had four in double figures – Taylor Mikesell (32), Rikki Harris (15), Tanaya Beacham (15), Jacy Sheldon (11).
- Mikesell became the first Buckeye since Kelsey Mitchell in 2018 (March 3-4) to score at least 25 points in back-to-back games after scoring 25 at Michigan on New Year’s Eve.
- Harris tied her career high three-made three-pointers, going 3-of-3 in the first half, and tied her career-high 12 points in the first half. She went on to surpass her career-high in points (15) and three-pointers (4).
- Mikesell scored in double figures in every game this season as she tallied her fourth 20-point game and had a career-high 32 points. Mikesell tied her career-high eight triples – the ninth time in program history a Buckeye has made at least eight long-range shots.
- Beacham scored a season-high 15 points.
- Sheldon has reached double figures in every game this season.
- Q1: Three Buckeyes combined for five three-pointers (5-of-8) in the quarter, while Illinois shot 0-of-7 from behind the arc.
- Q2: Illinois made its first three-pointer midway through the quarter after starting the game 0-of-10 from behind the arc.
- Q2: Ohio State shot 10-of-16 (.625) from the floor during the quarter.
- Q3: The Buckeyes also shot 60 percent from the floor in the third quarter and allowed no three-pointers on defense.
What They Said
Head Coach Kevin McGuff
On Ohio State’s play:
“We had stretches where we were very good – we played hard, we played fast, we moved the ball and had great shots – like in the third quarter. Then in the start of the fourth quarter we did not. We’re not going to be the team we’re capable of being – I know we’re not going to play like that every quarter – but get closer to 40 minutes of that focus, concentration and effort.”
Senior guard Taylor Mikesell
On Ohio State’s press:
“I think our focus right now is trying to be more consistent with it. There are times when we’re really good at it and times when we let up so our thing right now is just to keep up the constant effort.”
On Rikki Harris:
“She’s ready when her number is called. She was ready at the beginning of the season and now she’s getting comfortable. We need that. She does all the little things that a team needs to win and you love to see that she’s knocking down shots too. It gives everyone else energy as well.”
Up Next
Ohio State heads to Evanston, Ill. to face Northwestern on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast live on B1G+ and AM 1460.
Tickets for the 2021-22 season in Value City Arena in the Schottenstein Center are now available. Fans can purchase mini plans, single-game tickets and group tickets. All group tickets must be bought in advance by calling 1-800-GO-BUCKS and then selecting option two. Fans with ticketing questions should call the Ohio State Ticket Office at 1-800-GO-BUCKS or email athletic.tix@osu.edu.
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