Indiana Women’s Basketball Falls to No. 14/13 Ohio State

Saturday, December 31

Bloomington, Ind.

3 PM

Indiana University

11-4, 1-1B1G

No. 14/13 Ohio State

12-4, 2-0B1G

Ohio State

Indiana

Indiana Women’s Basketball Falls to No. 14/13 Ohio State

12/31/2016 6:58:00 PM | Women's Basketball

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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – A season low day from the field and a fast attack by No. 14/13 Ohio State led Indiana to a 92-82 loss on Saturday afternoon inside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

Junior guard Amanda Cahill was the bright spot for Indiana, scoring a new career-high 28 points to go along with nine rebounds. She was joined in double figures by senior guard Alexis Gassion, who poured in 14 points on 6-for-9 shooting and junior guard Tyra Buss added 13 points and a game-high nine assists. In addition, Buss picked up three steals and officially moved herself into the top 10 in all-time steals (175).

Senior guard Karlee McBride also hit double-digits for the fifth time this season with 11 points, including a 6-for-6 performance at the line. Despite four players in double-figures, Indiana struggled on offense, shooting a season-low 39.1 percent (27-for-69) compared to Ohio State's 50.7 percent (36-for-71). The Hoosiers (11-4, 1-1 B1G) also struggled from 3-point range, going just 5-for-22 (22.7 percent) in the loss. It was no match for Ohio State, who shot 50.7 percent on the day.

IU struggled early with getting shots to fall, going just 5-for-19 (25 percent) in the opening quarter as the Buckeyes (12-4, 2-0 B1G) posted 60 percent clip in the frame to counter. Senior center Jenn Anderson tried to keep IU in it as she grabbed the offensive board for the putback with 7:40 to play. OSU would answer with a 10-0 run before Cahill countered for the Hoosiers as she drained it from the right elbow with 3:51 to play. Ohio State would take advantage of fastbreak opportunities scored nine points in transition in the first quarter to take a 29-14 lead.

It was much the same in the second quarter, as Indiana found itself in a 19-point hole headed into the locker room at halftime. IU would get within as few as 12 in the quarter after one of Cahill's four 3-pointers on the day made it a 39-27 game with 4:14 remaining. The Hoosiers would end up going without a field goal in the last 3:06 of the half, allowing Ohio State to close it on a 7-0 run.

The Hoosiers were able to build some momentum in the second half, outscoring the Buckeyes in both the third and fourth quarter. A pair at the line for Buss – who was kept off the board for the entire first half - sparked an 11-2 run for IU, closing on a pair of jumpers by Gassion and a layup by Anderson with 5:53 left in the third. But Ohio State kept the game at an arm's length, leading 71-54 entering the fourth quarter. Not letting up in the fourth, Indiana posted a 28-21 advantage in the final quarter as it capitalized on 11 points off turnovers and trimmed the Buckeyes win to just ten.

NOTES

Junior forward Amanda Cahill led IU with a career-high 28 points. It marked the eighth game of her career with 20 or more points and the third time this season including back-to-back games.
Junior guard Tyra Buss secured her 52^nd-straight double figure scoring game
Indiana has posted three or more players in double figures in 13 of 15 games this season including in Saturday's loss. Cahill (28), Gassion (14), Buss (13) and McBride (11) all scored in double figures.
The loss breaks a 20-game win streak inside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall – which was the sixth longest active streak in the NCAA. The loss also snaps a current seven-game win streak.
• Indiana has tallied at least 15 assists in 13 of 15 games this season.
Indiana outscored Ohio State 53-44 in the second half.
Indiana forced Ohio State into 19 turnovers and held a 20-6 advantage in points off turnovers.
Senior guard Alexis Gassion posted her 60^th career game in double-figures with 14 points. She added four rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Buss added nine assists and has 311 career assists, which ranks 10 in IU history on the all-time career assist list. Buss tallied three steals and now has 175 steals, ninth on the Hoosiers all-time list for career steals.
Buss went a perfect 7-of-7 from the free-throw line and is 83-of-100 (83 percent) for the season. Buss moved into sixth on the Hoosiers all-time list for career free-throws and now has 381. She is 381-503 all-time (75.7 percent).
All-time scoring update:
- Tyra Buss – 1,278 (14^th)
- Alexis Gassion – 1,130 (19^th)
- Amanda Cahill – 1,048 (21^st)

UP NEXT
Indiana returns to Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Wednesday, Jan. 4 when it hosts Minnesota in Big Ten play. The Hoosiers and the Gophers will tipoff at 7 p.m. live on BTN Plus and the IU Radio Network.

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