Tayler Hill scored a career-high 34 points and Ohio State battled back from a 13-point second-half deficit, but it wasn’t enough as the Buckeyes fell to the Hawkeyes, 77-71 in overtime tonight at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in the Big Ten opener for both teams.
The loss drops Ohio State to 10-4 and 0-1 in the Big Ten while Iowa improves to 12-3 and 1-0.
Ohio State had a chance to win the game at the end of regulation, but missed three jumpers in the final eight seconds, sending the game to overtime.
Trailing by eight points, 60-52, with 3:55 left, Ohio State went on an 11-0 run with seven points from Hill and four by Darryce Moore. But as soon as Hill put the Buckeyes up by two with 23 seconds left, Morgan Johnson was fouled by Moore on a fastbreak at the other end and calmly sank two free throws to tie the game at 63-all going into the extra period.
The overtime belonged to Iowa as Theairra Taylor scored UI’s first six points to give the Hawkeyes a 69-65 lead. The Buckeyes would hang around, but never got closer than three points in the final 3:37. OSU was 3 of 8 from the field in overtime while Iowa was 4 of 5 and hit all six from the line to ice the win.
Taylor led a balanced attacked by Iowa with 19 points and was one of four Hawkeyes in double-figures. Morgan Johnson had a double-double with16 points and 12 rebounds and Samantha Logic 17 points and eight assists.
Hill was excellent for the Buckeyes all game, hitting four 3-pointers – including a 35-footer with the shot clock winding down in the first half – and all eight free throw attempts. Hill has now made 40 of her last 41 from the line. She also added five rebounds, five steals and two blocked shots.
Ameryst Alston scored nine as did Raven Ferguson and Moore off the bench. Moore also added six rebounds and three assists.
The first half was a game of runs with four ties and six lead changes. Iowa opened the game leading 13-7, but a 10-0 run by Ohio State gave the Buckeyes a 17-13 lead with 10:42 left in the half. But eight straight points by the Hawkeyes gave Iowa a 21-17 lead right back. That’s when Hill heated up, scoring a total of 19 in the first half on the strength of three 3-pointers.
The Buckeyes will look to bounce back during its Big Ten opener at 2 p.m. Sunday vs. Illinois.
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