By Danielle Daniels

3 7 2025

The Buckeyes advanced to their third semifinal game in the past four seasons

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INDIANAPOLIS – The No. 13/12 ranked and No. 3 seeded Ohio State women’s basketball team (25-5, 13-5 B1G) held off No. 11 seeded Iowa (22-10, 10-8 B1G) by a 60-59 margin in the Big Ten quarterfinals.

Ohio State got off to a quick start and led by a 14-9 margin after a defensive first quarter. Iowa took its first lead of the game late in the second quarter, but OSU headed to the locker room with a 29-28 lead. The third quarter featured four lead changes and Eboni Walker beat the buzzer to give the Buckeyes a 48-46 lead heading into the final quarter. Iowa used back-to-back three-pointers to take the lead with 1:18 remaining in the game but a pair of free throws from Cotie McMahon and the Buckeye defense sealed the one-point victory.

Cotie McMahon was the first Buckeye in double figures and finished the game with 18 points. Taylor Thierry (14) joined McMahon in double figures and five total Buckeyes scored at least six points apiece. Ajae Petty finished with 12 rebounds – her ninth game of the season with 10 or more rebounds.

How it Happened
McMahon made a triple on the opening possession before Iowa matched it. The Buckeyes put together a 7-0 run to take a 10-3 lead with 6:39 remaining in the quarter. Ohio State held a 12-5 lead at the media timeout following a Jaloni Cambridge jumper. The Buckeye defense held the Hawkeyes scoreless for more than four minutes and without a field goal for more than six minutes. OSU led by a 14-9 margin after 10 minutes of play.

Iowa opened scoring in the second quarter before back-to-back layups from Ohio State. The Hawkeyes scored the next seven points to tie the game at 18 with seven minutes to play in the quarter. The Buckeyes responded with a 6-0 run of their own to take a 24-18 lead midway through the quarter. OSU’s defense held Iowa scoreless for nearly four minutes, but the Hawkeyes strung together an extended 10-2 run to take their first lead of the game at 28-26 with 43 seconds to play. Taylor Thierry wrapped up the first half’s scoring with a three-point play to send the Buckeyes to the break with a 29-28 lead.

McMahon was the first on the board in the third quarter before back-to-back Hawkeye baskets gave Iowa a 32-31 lead. McMahon regained the lead for the Buckeyes, but the Hawkeyes scored the next five to take a 37-33 lead with just under six minutes to play in the third. Kennedy Cambridge tied the game at 39 with her second triple of the quarter. Thierry scored five straight points on the floor to give Ohio State a 46-43 lead with two minutes remaining in the quarter before Iowa tied the game with a triple on the ensuing possession. Eboni Walker beat the buzzer to give the Buckeyes a 48-46 lead after 30 minutes.

Iowa tied the game at 48 on the opening possession of the fourth quarter. Thierry made her second triple of the game to break the Buckeyes’ scoring drought with 6:48 remaining and the Buckeyes held a 53-51 lead midway through the quarter. Thierry made a third three-pointer to increase the OSU lead to 57-51 with 4:10 to play. Iowa used back-to-back triples to take a 59-58 lead with 1:18 remaining. McMahon made a pair of free throws with six seconds to play to give the Buckeyes a 60-59 lead and the Buckeye defense held strong to earn the victory.

Highlights

• Q1: McMahon three-pointer
• Q1: Gray cutting layup
• Q2: Thierry steal, Greene layup
• Q2: J. Cambridge fastbreak
• Q2: Petty offensive putback
• Q2: Thierry and-one
• Q3: K. Cambridge three-pointer
• Q3: Thierry three-pointer
• Q3: Walker buzzer beater
• Q4: Thierry three-pointer
• Q4: Thierry three-pointer

Match Notes 

• Ohio State moves onto the semifinals for the third time in the past four seasons.
• Eight total Buckeyes scored in the game.
• Cotie McMahon scored in double figures for the 24^th time this season and finished with 18 points.
• Ajae Petty recorded double-figure rebounds for the ninth time this season, totaling 12 rebounds tonight.
• This is Taylor Thierry’s 15^th game of the season scoring in double figures as she had 14 points tonight. She was a perfect 3-of-3 from long range.
• Q1: The Buckeye defense held the Hawkeyes to only nine points – the 17^th quarter of the season that an opponent has scored less than 10 points. OSU’s defense held Iowa to just 3-of-17 (.176) from the floor and 1-of-6 (.167) from long range.
• Q2: Six different Buckeyes scored in the quarter.
• Q3: The quarter had four lead changes.
• Q4: Iowa took its lone lead of the quarter with 1:18 to play.

Up Next
Ohio State will face the No. 2 seed UCLA in the Big Ten semifinals on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. ET.

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