The Buckeyes improve to 15-0 on the season, and have won five of their last six against the Wolverines after overcoming a 16-point deficit.
In Ann Arbor, Michigan, Jaloni Cambridge had an impressive performance, scoring 29 points with 22 of them coming in the second half, to help No. 9 Ohio State secure an 84-77 comeback victory over No. 25 Michigan on Wednesday night.
The Buckeyes (15-0, 4-0 Big Ten) are off to their best start since opening 19-0 two years ago.
Michigan, with a record of 10-5 overall and 1-3 in their conference, started strong and held a 16-point lead in the first half. They maintained their lead after each of the first three quarters but ultimately fell short, missing out on what would have been their first win over a top-10 team this season after five previous attempts.
Ohio State’s Chance Gray scored 16 and Cotie McMahon had 13 points.
Michigan’s Olivia Olson scored 20 points, Greta Kampschroeder scored all of her 13 points in the first half and Jordan Hobbs also scored 13.
Despite the effort of Syla Swords, a talented freshman player from Canada, who was limited to 13 points in this game, Michigan could not replicate her outstanding performance from the previous week when she scored a career-high 30 points in a loss against top-ranked UCLA.
Takeaways
Ohio State: Cambridge has bounced back with 20-plus points in consecutive games. The 5-foot-7 guard scored a team-high 20 points in last Sunday’s win over Northwestern after being held to two, four and eight points the previous three games.
Michigan: It’s tough being tested more than coach Kim Barnes Arico’s team. The Wolverines faced the top-ranked Bruins and then-No. 1 South Carolina in November. They also have played No. 4 USC and No. 10 Oklahoma.
Key moment
Ohio State’s Taylor Thierry blocked Olson’s shot in the lane with 1:56 to go, denying Michigan in its last shot to tie the game.
Key stat
Cambridge and Gray each scored nine points in the pivotal third, helping Ohio State outscore Michigan by nine points to spark the comeback.
Up next
Ohio State hosts Oregon on Sunday and Michigan plays at Purdue on Saturday.
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