Nebraska Takes Back-and-Forth Tussle on New Year’s Eve
12/31/2018 4:20:55 PM | Women's Basketball
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COLUMBUS, Ohio – In a game that featured 11 lead changes, Nebraska had the final run that made the difference as Ohio State fell 78-69 on Monday at Value City Arena.
All nine Buckeyes in uniform scored at least three points led by Makayla Waterman and Dorka Juhász with 14 points apiece. Both players also pulled down seven rebounds.
Point guard Carmen Grande scored seven points, grabbed five rebounds, dished-out three assists and swatted the first shot of the season. Freshman post Aaliyah Patty poured-in nine points and tied Waterman and Juhász with a game-high seven rebounds.
After averaging less than four three-pointers per game over the first seven games, the Buckeyes have found something from the perimeter as of late. They have made a least seven from long range in the each of the last four games including eight on Monday. The Buckeyes also shot a season-high 21-of-25 from the free throw line and won the battle on the boards 39-33.
But the difference in the game was turnovers. The Buckeyes committed 20 which led to 26 points. Nebraska turned it over just 12 times and limited OSU to just 11 points off its miscues.
The OSU defense held Nebraska to just one field goal for the entire first quarter until Hannah Whitish beat the buzzer with a running three. The Buckeyes still led 15-11 after the first. OSU then went on a 7-0 run midway through the second quarter to take a 28-21 lead. But Nebraska had a 7-0 run of its own late in the quarter and then canned another buzzer-beating three to lead 38-36 at the half.
The second half remained close throughout until a late 9-0 Cornhusker run, which featured a pair of threes, pushed the visitors ahead by 11 with just under two minutes to play.
Up next
Ohio State will open the New Year on the road when it heads to College Park, Md., for a matchup with No. 4 Maryland on Saturday, Jan. 5. The Buckeyes and Terrapins have finished 1-2 in the conference each of the last three seasons with the Buckeyes winning four of the five meetings over that span.
