Wednesday night in Champaign, Illinois, No. 19 Ohio State women’s basketball took on the Illinois Fighting Illini in what was billed as a close matchup between two young and talented Big Ten sides. Buckeye
point guard Jaloni Cambridge, playing in front of WNBA star A’ja Wilson, who was in attendance, put on her own MVP-like performance with 41 points in the 78-69 Ohio State victory. It was Ohio State’s 14th win in a row over the Illini.
First quarter
The first 10 minutes of the game lived up to the billing of two young teams full of energy. Ohio State and Illinois traded the lead nine times in the opening quarter. The Fighting Illini scored 16 of their 22 first-quarter points inside the paint. Despite Ohio State’s height advantage, Illinois sped past forward Kylee Kitts and center Elsa Lemmilä with relative ease.
With all running of Illinois inside the paint, there was potential for foul issues from the Buckeyes, and Lemmilä had two in the first quarter and which prompted a short trip to the bench.
Leading the Illini in scoring was freshman forward Cearah Parchment. The forward scored nine of the Illini’s points on 4-of-5 shooting. Fellow freshman, guard Destiny Jackson, was representative of the Illinois team’s hustle with four rebounds. That was the total number of rebounds from all Ohio State players as the home side out-rebounded the Buckeyes 10-4 in the opening period.
Second quarter
For all of the offensive firepower of the first quarter, the second quarter was filled with a lot less rhythm for both teams. Illinois made it a two-possession lead early in the frame, but a seven-point run swung the game into the hands of Ohio State, at least momentarily.
Just under the six-minute mark, the Buckeyes went on a 2:30 run without making a basket and went 0-for-5. Fortunately for head coach Kevin McGuff’s side, fouls slowed down the Illini to not taking advantage of the cold spell. The officials called three moving screens on Illinois in the first half, and one on Lemmilä. It looked like a source of conversation before the game because the crew was on it more than usual.
Ohio State had possession with less than 10 seconds left and a chance to go ahead by two points entering halftime. Point guard Jaloni Cambridge, who led the Buckeyes with 12 first-half points, got possession and made a run down the court, but at the last second passed to forward Ella Hobbs, who almost looked surprised to receive the ball. Hobbs took a close inside shot that went off the ri,m and the two teams went into the locker room just like they came out of it two quarters before — a tie game.
Third quarter
Illinois’ Jackson and Ohio State’s Jaloni Cambridge got scoring off to a quick start in the second half, but the Buckeyes, who average 25 points in the third quarter of games this season, went 1-for-4 to start the quarter. Ohio State had numerous shots that looked like they were headed into the basket but rolled or bounced out of the rim.
Even so, the Buckeyes began to hit their stride after the slow start to the quarter. In six minutes and seven seconds of the half, Ohio State forced three turnovers, which turned into four fastbreak points. McGuff’s side went on a six-point run and built their biggest lead of the game to that point at four.
That woke up the home sid,e and once again the two evenly matched sides traded baskets, but Ohio State held onto the lead and made it a six-point game at the end of the quarter.
Jaloni Cambridge scored 12 of the Buckeyes’ 16 points in the period and began to play like someone prepared to carry the team over the finish line all by herself.
Fourth quarter
The Ohio State point guard did not cool off between quarters. The Buckeyes hit four consecutive shots to start the quarter, and three of those came from the hands of Jaloni Cambridge. Ohio State’s nine-point run pushed the lead to 13 points for the visitors and Illinois looked down, but not out.
Illinois cut the deficit down to six in less than a minute and a half of game clock, including two turnovers that led to fast break baskets for the home side. Forward Berry Wallace, who graduated from Pickerington Central High School outside of Columbus, hit her first three of the game after five missed attempts. Illinois cut Ohio State’s lead to five but the Buckeyes stopped the momentum.
A layup and free throw by Kylee Kitts and the 33rd point of the night for Jaloni Cambridge continued the seesaw quarter that was the fourth period. Wallace responded with her second three of the night, and second one in a row, but Jaloni Cambridge hit a career high 36th point with a three to answer the Central Ohio native and followed it up with a fast break layup to silence the crowd in Champaign.
Jaloni Cambridge hit the 40-point mark for the first time in her college career on free throws. Ironically for a player who’s known for speed and attacking the basket.
Number of the game: 41
That is the new career high for Ohio State women’s basketball point guard Jaloni Cambridge. In a game that features talent on both sides, Jaloni Cambridge took the game completely into her hands in the third quarter and did not look back.
Key performers
Ohio State
- Jaloni Cambridge: 41 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists
- Chance Gray: 16 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists
Illinois
- Cearah Parchment: 20 points, 8 rebounds
- Berry Wallace: 18 points, 4 rebounds
Up Next
The Buckeyes stay on the road this week when they head to College Park, Maryland on Sunday. That is when Ohio State faces No. 8 Maryland. It is the first of two regular-season matchups between the sides. Last year, the two sides split the series with each home side picking up the victory.
Maryland does not have much of the same team as last season due to injury, but still familiar to Buckeye fans. Former Indiana guard Yarden Garzon and Duke Blue Devil Oluchi Okananwa, who Ohio State played against two years ago in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament, lead the Terrapins this season to a 3-1 conference record.
