Belmont Falls To Ohio State 68-58 At Baha Mar Pink Flamingo Championship
Belmont gave the Ohio State women a good game. However, Ohio State women’s basketball prevailed against Belmont 68-58. Ohio State and Belmont basked in the sun of the Bahamas at the Baha Mar Pink Flamingo Championship. Ohio State entered the tournament hoping to continue its undefeated streak in this Thanksgiving Week showcase.
Ohio State used a fourth-quarter surge to win over the Belmont Bruins. But they needed to do that. Belmont took advantage of the fact that the Lady Buckeyes had some injured players. Do you think the recent struggles of the Lady Buckeyes will cause problems for them down the road?
Belmont Falls to Ohio State 68-58 Summary
In the first quarter, Belmont and the Lady Buckeyes traded the lead five times before Belmont went on a seven-point run to end the first 10 minutes of play. Jaloni Cambridge, who had 26 points in the game for the Lady Buckeyes, looked determined to take the team on her shoulders.
For only the second time all season, she hit a three-pointer, and she added a second in the second quarter. The sophomore, with the help of senior guard Chance Gray, carried the bulk of the scoring. The two combined for 24 of Ohio State’s 30 points in the first half.
Gray came up especially clutch for the Buckeyes at the end of the first half. She could be important for the team this season. Down seven points, she hit two three-pointers in the final 2:11 of the second quarter. Nevertheless, Ohio State was losing by one at halftime.
The first half was a comedy of errors. The Lady Buckeyes forced thirteen turnovers, but could not keep possession themselves. They committed 12 turnovers in the first half, which accounted for 10 of Belmont’s 31 first-half points in transition.
The Pivotal Second Half
The Ohio State women are known for coming out strong in the second half. They were able to do that in this game against Belmont. The Buckeyes scored eight of the first nine points of the third quarter.
The Lady Buckeyes scored the final seven points of the first half to score fourteen of fifteen. Defensively, Ohio State held Belmont to no made field goals for 8:45 of game clock, and the Ohio State women built a six-point lead.
Then the Ohio State women missed nine straight shots over 4:25 of the third quarter. Belmont responded with three three-pointers. Jaloni Cambridge and freshman guard Bryn Martin helped the Buckeyes keep the pace. Cambridge started with a layup that included a defensive foul on guard Sanaa Tripp while Martin hit Ohio State’s lone three-pointer of the third quarter.
However, Belmont’s offense continued to stay hot through the end of the third quarter. They scored nine of the last eleven points of the period, which included a last-second shot by center KK Brodie. The game would be a neck-and-neck fourth quarter.
Starting Ohio State forward Kylee Kitts, who had a double-double, the first one of her career, had four points and two rebounds in the first 2:25 of the fourth quarter. The Lady Buckeyes then pulled away. The Lady Buckeyes held on in this game, thanks to two blocks by Kitts and stout half-court defense. Ohio State held Belmont to 17.6% shooting from the floor in the final ten minutes.
Conclusion
A game with a team as weak as Belmont would usually mean the Lady Buckeyes could continue nonconference adjustments before Big Ten play, but the uncertainty of the Buckeyes’ roster made the Monday afternoon game an even game. This happened because the Lady Buckeyes went down to 10 players due to Dasha Biriuk’s absence.
Center Elsa Lemmilä, who missed the Wednesday victory over Kent State with a day-to-day leg injury, came back to the Lady Buckeyes in a bench role. Next up for the Ohio State women is a matchup against the winner of No. 21 West Virginia and McNeese State on Wednesday; such is life in Thanksgiving Tournament play.
