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SPOKANE, Wash. – The sixth-seeded Ohio State women’s basketball team (25-7, 14-4 Big Ten) was edged out by second-seeded Texas (29-6, 13-5 Big 12) on Friday night in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament by a 66-63 margin.
Taylor Mikesell led all scorers with 19 points, including making 3-of-4 from behind the arc. Jacy Sheldon scored 17 points and added a game-high four assists. Braxtin Miller was the third Buckeye in double figures, scoring 12 points.
How it Happened
Texas scored on the opening possession and jumped to an early 4-0 lead before Jacy Sheldon got Ohio State on the board with a driving layup. Rebeka Mikulášiková completed a three-point play as the Buckeyes trailed 6-5 with 7:42 to play in the opening quarter. Texas had the 12-9 lead at the media timeout. A three-point play from Sheldon with 2:26 remaining gave Ohio State its first lead of the game at 14-12. The Buckeyes extended their run to 11-0 to lead 18-12 with 1:27 remaining and led 20-16 after 10 minutes of play.
The Longhorns scored the first seven points of the second quarter to take a 23-20 lead. Back-to-back baskets from Braxtin Miller and Taylor Mikesell gave the lead back to Ohio State. Texas responded with a jumper for the 25-24 lead with just under seven minutes remaining before the Buckeyes could string together six-unanswered points to lead 30-25 at the media timeout. The Longhorns scored the final seven points of the half to take a 32-30 lead into the locker room.
Rikki Harris tied the game with a pair from the line to open the second half and Braxtin Miller gave Ohio State the lead back with 8:31 remaining. The teams traded points and the lead before Texas went on a 6-0 run to force an OSU timeout as the Buckeyes trailed 41-36 with 5:40 to play in the quarter. Miller ended the Longhorns’ 9-0 run with a jumper through contact. Another jumper by Miller and a triple from Mikesell trimmed the Texas lead to 44-43 with just under four minutes remaining. Texas took a 50-45 lead into the final quarter.
The Longhorns opened scoring in the final quarter, but Mikesell scored the first five points of the frame for the Buckeyes as OSU trailed 54-50 with 8:30 to play. Back-to-back Texas baskets forced an Ohio State timeout with 6:34 remaining and behind 58-50. The Longhorns grabbed their first double-digit lead at 60-50. A three-point play and triple from Sheldon within 20 seconds forced a Texas timeout as the Buckeyes trimmed the deficit to 60-56 with 4:20 remaining. Miller got Ohio State within two points, 60-58, with 3:28 to play. Mikesell put the Buckeyes within one, 62-61, with less than two minutes to play with another triple. Ohio State called timeout with 1:07 to play after a made Texas basket put the Longhorns up 64-61. A jumper from Tanaya Beacham got the Buckeyes within one again with 28 seconds remaining and Ohio State called timeout after a defensive stop. OSU could not capitalize on an offensive rebound and sent Texas to the charity stripe. The Longhorns made both as the score was capped at 66-63.
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