Ohio State fell on the road Thursday night at Minnesota, 83-74, dropping the Buckeyes to 0-3 in the Big Ten for the first time since the 2000-01 season.
Turnovers and rebounding would cost the Buckeyes on this night, committing 12 miscues in the first half and getting outrebounded, 44-29 for the game, including 22-8 on the offensive end. Ohio State shot 50 percent or better in each half, but hit only 2 of 16 from 3-point range.
The Minnesota lead swelled to as much as 25 with 16 minutes left as the Gophers opened the second half on a 7-2 run. The Buckeyes, playing without the services of senior co-captain Amber Stokes, never quit, however, cutting the lead to eight in the final minutes. However, that would be as close as the Buckeyes would get.
Tayler Hill had a good look at a 3-pointer with 47 seconds left that would have cut the lead to five, but it rimmed out and Minnesota sealed the game at the free throw line.
Hill, who was battling strep throat the last couple days, played all 40 minutes in front of her hometown family and friends and scored a game-high 24 points, which was matched by Minnesota’s Rachel Banham. Ameryst Alston would go on to score a season-high 15 points while Darryce Moore and Raven Ferguson each added 12.
Micaelle Riche scored 20 for Minnesota and Kionna Kellogg 13 to round out the scoring leaders for Minnesota.
Ohio State is back on the road for the third time in four games when it visits No. 14 Purdue at 7:30 p.m. Monday. Game will be televised on BTN.
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