No. 12 Ohio State (17-3, 8-1) extended its winning streak to seven games with a 71-68 win at Purdue (10-10, 3-6) on Sunday, holding onto the win despite the Boilermakers having a chance to tie the game on the final possession.
The Buckeyes held the Boilermakers to just 42.6 percent shooting and forced 17 turnovers that resulted in 20 points in the road victory, though they were outscored 22-18 in the fourth.
Ohio State jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead behind a pair of baskets from junior guard Taylor Thierry and a three-pointer from fifth-year guard Celeste Taylor. Purdue responded with a 10-6 run and remained close throughout the rest of the opening quarter, even tying the game up at 17 with 47 seconds left in the frame.
But a late three-pointer from fifth-year guard Rikki Harris – her fifth point off the bench in the first quarter – helped give Ohio State a 20-19 lead going into the second. Harris continued her momentum to begin the second, connecting on another three-pointer to put the Buckeyes up 23-19.
Purdue responded with a three-pointer from guard McKenna Layden, but it was one of just three made shots for the Boilermakers during the second quarter in which they shot 3 of 12 from the field and 2 of 6 from three. Purdue also scored a triple from guard Mila Reynolds with 5:42 left, though it was answered by a pair of baskets from Ohio State sophomore guard Emma Shumate, and then a jumper by Reynolds with 1:52 left to make it 32-27 in favor of the Buckeyes.
The only other points of the half came on a free throw from Ohio State forward Taiyier Parks, giving the Buckeyes a 33-27 lead going into the break. Ohio State outscored Purdue 13-8 in the second quarter, and the Buckeyes were led in the first half with nine points from fifth-year forward Rebeka Mikulášiková.
Purdue started the second half off with a triple from guard Abbey Ellis, starting a 7-0 run that gave the Boilermakers a 35-34 lead – their first of the game – with 7:38 left in the third. Ohio State regained the lead after a pair of free throws from McMahon, and a layup from Thierry following a steal by fifth-year guard Jacy Sheldon put the Buckeyes up 37-34.
The Boilermakers were able to tie the game twice – once at 39 and then at 41 – but the Buckeyes were able to hold onto the lead, eventually going up 53-46 entering the fourth after a triple from Sheldon with just 11 seconds left in the third.
Ohio State maintained its lead to begin the fourth, getting an early layup from McMahon and a three-pointer from Taylor to go up 58-50 with 7:47 left in the game. But the Boilermakers responded with a 7-2 run to make it just 60-57 with 5:10 left. McMahon then converted an and-one opportunity to make it a two-possession game, and Sheldon turned her own steal into a basket to put Ohio State up 65-57 with 4:36 left.
But following Sheldon’s basket, the Buckeyes were held without a point for over two minutes, during which the Boilermakers cut the deficit to 65-61. Ohio State got back on the board with a pair of free throws from Thierry to go up 67-61 with 2:10 remaining, but Purdue responded with four free throws to make it 67-65 with 21 seconds left.
The Boilermakers fouled the Buckeyes on their next two possessions – with a three-point miss by Purdue in between – as Sheldon and Thierry knocked down all four free throws to take a 71-65 lead with 10 seconds left. Ellis then hit a triple for the Boilermakers, and after Taylor missed both free throws following a foul, Purdue’s final shot came up short to secure the win for Ohio State.
Mikulášiková led the Buckeyes with 15 points, while Thierry (14 points) and McMahon (10 points) also reached double digits. Ellis led the Boilermakers with 14 points.
Ohio State will return to the court on Thursday, set to host Wisconsin for a 6 p.m. tip on Big Ten Network, followed by a home matchup with Indiana on Sunday at noon on FS1.
