PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Cotie McMahon and Ajae Petty were instrumental in leading No. 10 Ohio State to a 77-63 victory over Rutgers on Sunday, each finishing the game with 16 points.
The Buckeyes effectively employed a full-court pressure defense that resulted in 22 turnovers for their opponents, yielding 29 points from these opportunities. Ohio State (13-0, 2-0 Big Ten) established a commanding double-digit lead early in the second quarter and maintained that distance, allowing Rutgers only to narrow the gap to single digits with just over two minutes left in the contest.
Destiny Adams managed to reduce the Scarlet Knights’ deficit to 71-62 with a layup, but Rutgers (8-5, 0-2) could not close in any further. Adams put forth an impressive effort, leading her team with 31 points and 17 rebounds, despite the loss.
Ohio State’s scoring showed depth, with multiple players capable of contributing, as five Buckeyes are averaging double figures. Notably, Jaloni Cambridge, who typically scores around 13.9 points per game, had an off day, finishing with only two points and struggling with her shooting, making just one of her 13 attempts.
On the other hand, Kiyomi McMiller, the top-scoring freshman nationwide, found herself in foul trouble throughout the game and was held to 14 points on 5 of 19 shooting from the field.
A pivotal moment in the match occurred during the second quarter, where Ohio State outscored Rutgers 23-9. Taylor Thierry’s performance was crucial during this stretch, scoring eight points and helping the Buckeyes secure a 46-25 lead by halftime. The Scarlet Knights did manage to regroup, narrowing the score to 47-36 in the third quarter.
A glaring key statistic was Rutgers’ struggle from the free-throw line, converting only 14 of their 26 attempts. Adams had a challenging outing at the charity stripe as well, hitting just half of her 18 free-throw attempts.
Looking ahead, Ohio State will prepare to host Northwestern next Sunday, while Rutgers will face a tough matchup against No. 8 Maryland on Thursday, followed by a home game against No. 4 Southern California and star player JuJu Watkins the following Sunday.