Monday, January 24, 2005
Eight players scored in Ohio State's 71-59 victory over Northwestern.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- With a team that has 10 players averaging at least 81/2 minutes a game, Ohio State coach Jim Foster is never out of options.
"We have weapons and we're going to use 'em," he said Sunday after eight players scored, nine had rebounds and seven contributed assists in a 71-59 win over Northwestern.
The victory was the eighth in a row for No. 3 Ohio State (19-2, 6-1 Big Ten), which had another eight-game streak earlier this season.
Brandie Hoskins scored 18 points as the Buckeyes won their 10th in a row over the Wildcats. Jessica Davenport added 14 points and Michelle Munoz had 11.
Caity Matter, averaging 14.2 points a game, scored six. She seemed content to move the ball around the perimeter or dump it inside to Davenport when she wasn't creating havoc on defense.
Outmanned and outmatched
"They continue to prove that almost anybody can step in and do the job. We were outmatched and outmanned today," Northwestern coach Beth Combs said. "They've got a big three that is always going to get it done. Then they can go 10 deep and hurt you. Their people off the bench know their roles and know how to win ballgames."
Ifeoma Okonkwo scored 20 points and Sarah Kwasinski had 12 for Northwestern (4-16, 1-6). The Wildcats have lost four in a row and six of seven.
If a big lineup doesn't do the trick for Foster and the Buckeyes, he can switch to a smaller, quicker five who can press all over the court.
"Through the course of a long season, it bodes well," Foster said of his team's depth. "Your players can stay fresh and make things happen. The other night, Brandie went 38 minutes and played very, very well. Today she gets 24 minutes and scores 18 points, has four offensive rebounds and a lot of energy."
Hot shooting
Ohio State, leading the nation in field-goal percentage at .517, hit eight of its first 10 shots from the field, including all four 3-pointers.
The Buckeyes scored 52 points in each of their last two wins -- 52-50 over then-No. 4 Rutgers a week ago and 52-30 over Indiana on Thursday night -- but passed that figure with almost 14 minutes remaining.
Substituting freely for most of the second half, the Buckeyes ended up shooting 48 percent from the field while going 7-of-16 from 3-point range.