Ohio State women’s basketball traded in the uncertainty of the Central Ohio forecast for a week of sun in the Bahamas at the Baha Mar Pink Flamingo Championship. For the second time in three years, the Buckeyes entered the tournament and hoped to continue an undefeated trend in this Thanksgiving week showcase and a fourth quarter surge gave Ohio State the 68—56 win over the Belmont Bruins.
A matchup with Belmont would normally mean a way for Ohio State to continue nonconference adjustments before
Big Ten play, but the uncertainty of the Buckeyes’ roster made the Monday afternoon game an even game. It was made more even because Ohio State went down to 10 players due to Dasha Biriuk’s absence. Center Elsa Lemmilä, who missed the Wednesday victory over Kent State with a day-to-day leg injury, returned to the Buckeyes in a bench role.
In the first quarter, the Bruins and Buckeyes traded the lead five times before Belmont went on a seven-point run to end the first 10 minutes of play.
Early on it was a show from guard Jaloni Cambridge, who looked determined to take the team on her shoulders. For only the second time all season, Cambridge hit a shot from beyond the arc, and added a second in the second quarter. The sophomore, alongside senior guard Chance Gray, carried the bulk of the scoring. The two combined for 24 of Ohio State’s 30 points in the first half.
Gray came up especially clutch for the Buckeyes at the end of the first half. Down seven points, Gray hit two shots from beyond the arc in the final 2:11 of the quarter. That gave Ohio State a more manageable one-point deficit heading into the halftime locker room.
Defensively, the Buckeyes forced 13 turnovers, but could not keep ahold of possession themselves. Ohio State gave the ball away 12 times in the first 20 minutes, which gave Belmont 10 of their 31 first half points in transition.
Ohio State, known for coming out strong in the second half, did just that. The Buckeyes scored eight of the first nine points of the quarter, which stretched a run for the Scarlet and Gray to 14 points scored of the last 15. Defensively, Ohio State held the Bruins to no made field goals in 8:45 of game clock and head coach Kevin McGuff’s side built a six point lead.
Then the Buckeye offense began to slow. Ohio State missed nine-straight shots over 4:25 of the third quarter. Belmont responded with three made shots from beyond the arc in a row on offense. Jaloni Cambridge and freshman guard Bryn Martin helped the Buckeyes keep the pace. Cambridge started with a layup that included a defensive foul on guard Sanaa Tripp while Martin hit Ohio State’s lone three of the third quarter.
However, Belmont’s offense continued to stay hot through the end of the third quarter. The Bruins scored nine of the last 11 points of the period, which included a buzzer beater by center KK Brodie to end the quarter. From midrange, Brodie threw up a shot with the clock expiring and that made basket tied the game for the Bruins to set up a neck-and-neck fourth quarter.
Starting Ohio State forward Kylee Kitts continued her upward trajectory against Belmont and the Floridian started the fourth quarter for the Buckeyes. In Kitts’ first collegiate double-double, the forward had four points and two rebounds in the first 2:25 of the fourth quarter. Kitts ended the day with 12 points and a game high 15 rebounds, with five of those on offense.
That play from Kitts and baskets by Jaloni Cambridge and Martin forced a Belmont timeout and gave the Buckeyes an eight-point lead. Out of the timeout, Gray hit her fourth three of the game and Ohio State had an 11-point lead with under six minutes remaining.
The Buckeyes held on, thanks to two blocks by Kitts and stout half-court defense. Ohio State held Belmont to 17.6% shooting from the floor in the final 10 minutes.
Jaloni Cambridge led scoring on the day with 26 points and Gray ended with 17. Belmont sixth year guard Tuti Jones scored 19 in the defeat and went 4-of-6 from beyond the arc.
