COLUMBUS, Ohio — In a thrilling matchup on Thursday night, freshman guard Jaloni Cambridge led the way for the No. 12 Ohio State Buckeyes with an impressive performance, scoring 20 points and grabbing eight rebounds, as they overcame a significant 15-point gap to secure a 74-66 win against the eighth-ranked Maryland Terrapins.
Supporting Cambridge, Cotie McMahon contributed 14 points alongside five rebounds, while Taylor Thierry added 13 points and also secured five rebounds. Kennedy Cambridge made a notable impact as well, finishing with a season-high of 12 points and contributing four steals to the defense.
Maryland initially held a commanding lead, up 29-14 with eight minutes remaining in the first half. However, Ohio State strategically cut down the deficit to seven points by the intermission and then exploded in the second half, delivering a remarkable 24-4 run that spanned an eight-minute period.
For the Terrapins, Kaylene Smikle was a standout performer, contributing 17 points, five rebounds, and four assists. Saylor Poffenbarger added 13 points to the total, while Allie Kubek and Sarah Te-Biasu chipped in with 12 points and 11 points respectively. Christina Dalce was a force on the boards, finishing the game with an impressive 18 rebounds along with her 10 points.
Key observations from the game highlight that Maryland was still recovering from a tough defeat just three days earlier against No. 7 Texas, where they lost 89-51. The Terrapins were also challenged by the absence of two key players: guards Shyanne Sellers, who suffered a knee sprain, and Bri McDaniel, sidelined with a torn ACL.
Ohio State had previously maintained a strong winning streak, having won their first 17 games this season until they fell to Penn State with a narrow 62-59 loss on Sunday.
A game-changing moment came when Ohio State, after facing challenges on the boards for much of the match, stepped up their defensive efforts. Late in the third quarter, they orchestrated a 15-0 scoring run, taking a 55-50 advantage. During that pivotal stretch, Kennedy Cambridge contributed five points and a steal, Thierry added four points and two steals, and McMahon chipped in with another four points and a steal.
Interestingly, Ohio State’s shooting performance fluctuated significantly. They struggled in the first half, hitting only 23% of their shots, but turned things around dramatically in the second half with an impressive 59% accuracy, outscoring Maryland 47-32 during that period.
Looking ahead, Maryland is set to host No. 1 UCLA on Sunday, while Ohio State will travel to Nebraska for their next game on the same day.
