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COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 12/12 and third-seeded Ohio State Buckeyes (27-7, 12-6 B1G) beat No. 20/19 and sixth-seeded North Carolina (22-11, 11-7 ACC) on Monday by a 71-69 margin in the second round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament inside Value City Arena in the Schottenstein Center to advance to OSU’s second-straight Sweet 16. Jacy Sheldon sealed the win with a jumper with 1.8 seconds to play.
Ohio State got off to a quick 11-2 start, but North Carolina responded as the Buckeyes’ lead was 16-14 after 10 minutes. The Buckeyes started the second quarter hot and led by as many as eight points before holding a 33-28 lead at halftime. UNC cut its deficit down to one in the third quarter, but OSU led by a 51-46 margin after 30 minutes. The Tarheels took their first (and only) lead of the game with two minutes to play but Sheldon’s jumper sealed the Buckeye victory.
Taylor Mikesell was the first Buckeye to double figures, using four triples to get to a team-high 17 points. Cotie McMahon also reached double figures, finishing with 14 points and was one rebound shy of a double-double. Jacy Sheldon (16) and Eboni Walker (15) also scored in double figures with Walker’s total a career-high for her.
How it Happened
Ohio State struck first with a Mikesell three-pointer after a Sheldon steal and scored the first eight points, holding UNC scoreless for the first four minutes. The Buckeyes led 11-2 at the media timeout. North Carolina used an 8-0 run to get within one at 13-12 with just under two minutes remaining in the quarter. Ohio State held the 16-14 advantage after 10 minutes.
The Buckeyes scored the first six points of the second quarter to extend their lead to 22-14 with 7:37 to play before halftime. The teams traded baskets out of a timeout and OSU led by a 27-19 margin midway through the quarter. North Carolina trimmed the Ohio State lead to 33-28 at halftime with free throws.
Ohio State used a 6-0 run early in the third quarter to build the lead to double digits, 41-31, with 7:14 to play in the quarter. The Buckeyes got to the line and led by a 44-36 margin midway through the quarter. UNC used an extended 9-2 run to get within one at 46-45 with under a minute remaining in the quarter. The Buckeyes held the 51-46 lead after a Mikesell three-point play ended the quarter.
The Buckeyes scored four points in the first 36 seconds of the fourth to force a UNC timeout. Ohio State stretched its lead back to double digits with a Mikesell triple, leading 62-50 with seven minutes to play. UNC scored the next seven points to force an OSU timeout with 5:41 to play and a 62-57 lead. North Carolina took its first lead of the game at 67-66 with two minutes to play, forcing an Ohio State timeout. The Buckeyes regained the lead but the Tarheels tied the game at 69 with 9.8 seconds on the clock. Sheldon hit a jumper with 1.8 seconds to play to seal the Buckeyes’ win.
Highlights
Q1: Jacy Sheldon steal, Taylor Mikesell triple
Q1: Cotie McMahon step back jumper
Q2: Taylor Mikesell three-pointer
Game Notes
What They Said
Up Next
Ohio State will play the winner of second-seeded UConn and seventh-seeded Baylor on Saturday, March 25 in Seattle, Wash. The game time and TV network will later be determined. Fans can request tickets here. The deadline to request is at noon Wednesday, March 22.
Ohio State women’s basketball season tickets for the 2023-24 season are now on sale and can be purchased HERE. 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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