Thursday night, the Buckeyes had a chance to avenge their only conference loss, and they made the most of it, downing Northwestern 76-73.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio State | 13 | 17 | 20 | 26 | 76 |
| Northwestern | 18 | 16 | 20 | 19 | 73 |
Ohio State was ice-cold in the first half, shooting just 32 percent from the field and managing just 30 points.
When things go awry, the nation's second leading scorer Kelsey Mitchell is usually a cornerstone for the team to fall back on. That was not the case Thursday.
Mitchell simply couldn't get it going in the first half, not hitting a single field goal and scoring just 1 point. She was as cold as she's been all season, senior guard Cait Craft's advice to the Buckeye star was simple: keep shooting.
"I truly believe that whoever we play or wherever we're at, Kelsey Mitchell is the best player on the court," said Craft. "She may miss a few shots, but she's not going to be off the whole game."
Craft was right.
In the second half, Mitchell looked like a completely different player. Midway through the third, the sophomore drew a foul while hitting fade-away three-pointer then hit a free throw to complete a four point play. After that, she was on fire. Mitchell put up a whopping 26 points after the intermission, leading the Buckeyes
"You can't stop shooting," said Mitchell on her second half performance. "Then you'll never get in a rhythm."
Throughout Mitchell's Jekyll-and-Hyde game, Craft provided the Buckeyes with some much needed consistency. The senior had a huge night, shooting a perfect 5-of-5 from the field including a trio of three-pointers. This performance is a source of some optimism for Craft who's been "a little off" for a few games.
"It was time," said Craft, noting she's spent a little extra time in the gym with her teammates working on her shot.
"This is another game I don't think we would have won in November," said Ohio State head coach Kevin McGuff.
The Buckeyes host Wisconsin next Thursday for another Big Ten showdown.
