Jaloni Cambridge had one of the most prolific scoring games in Ohio State women’s basketball history on Wednesday night.
The sophomore guard scored 41 points in the Buckeyes’ 78-69 win at Illinois, becoming just the fourth player in Ohio State women’s basketball history to top 40 points in a game.
Cambridge made 15 shots on 25 attempts, including two 3-pointers on five attempts, and went nine of 12 from the free-throw line to reach her career-high scoring total. She also had six rebounds, six assists and two steals for the Buckeyes.
She’s the first Buckeye to score more than 40 points in a game since Kelsey Mitchell did it four times during the 2015-16 season. The only other Buckeyes to reach 40 points in a game are Samantha Prahalis and current assistant coach Katie Smith, who each did it once. Cambridge’s 41-point outing ranks the sixth-highest-scoring individual game in Ohio State history.
| Player | Points | Date | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|
| KELSEY MITCHELL | 48 | Feb. 27, 2016 | MICHIGAN STATE |
| KELSEY MITCHELL | 45 | March 20, 2016 | WEST VIRGINIA |
| KELSEY MITCHELL | 43 | March 4, 2016 | RUTGERS |
| KELSEY MITCHELL | 42 | Nov. 28, 2015 | TEXAS A&M |
| SAMANTHA PRAHALIS | 42 | Feb. 23, 2012 | MINNESOTA |
| JALONI CAMBRIDGE | 41 | Jan. 7, 2026 | ILLINOIS |
| KATIE SMITH | 40 | Dec. 11, 1994 | IDAHO STATE |
Cambridge’s 41 points were the most in a game by a Big Ten player since Caitlin Clark scored 41 points vs. LSU in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
Jaloni Cambridge had a career-high 41 PTS in the win over Illinois, the first 40-point game by a Buckeye since Kelsey Mitchell in 2016
— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) January 8, 2026
It is also the most points by a Big Ten player since Caitlin Clark in 2024 pic.twitter.com/ZocGlkcMeY
Cambridge’s big night led Ohio State to its third straight win as the Buckeyes improved to 14-2 on the season and 4-1 in Big Ten play. The game was tied at halftime, 36-36, but Cambridge’s scoring efforts allowed the Buckeyes to pull ahead and win the game as she scored 29 of her 41 points in the final two quarters.
All 78 of Ohio State’s points at Illinois came from its starting lineup as Chance Gray scored 18, Kylee Kitts contributed 10, Elsa Lemmilä scored five and Kennedy Cambridge (Jaloni’s older sister) scored four.
With her historic performance on Wednesday, Cambridge is now averaging 20.8 points per game this season, the third-most in the Big Ten behind Northwestern’s Grace Sullivan and Indiana’s Shay Ciezki. Her performance came hours after she was named to the Wooden Award’s Midseason Top 25 list, recognizing her as one of the top 25 players in the country.
The Buckeyes, whose only losses this season have come against No. 1 UConn and No. 4 UCLA, will have another shot to earn a top-10 win on Sunday when they face No. 8 Maryland on the road. Sunday’s game in College Park tips off at 4 p.m. and will be broadcast on Peacock.
