Minnesota upsets No. 15 Ohio St.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ashley Ellis-Milan scored 17 points, including two tiebreaking free throws with 17.3 seconds left, leading Minnesota to a 59-56 win over No. 15 Ohio State on Thursday for its first win on the Buckeyes’ home court.

The Golden Gophers (12-5, 4-2 Big Ten) never trailed after the 9:31 mark of the first half, although the Buckeyes (14-3, 5-1) pulled even twice in the second half.

Minnesota was 0-23 at Ohio State.

Katie Ohm added 15 points for the Golden Gophers.

Jantel Lavender, the Big Ten’s top scorer and rebounder, had 20 points, Samantha Prahalis 16 and Brittany Johnson 11 for Ohio State.

After Prahalis tied it with two free throws with 35.1 seconds left, Ellis-Milan hit three foul shots down the stretch. Lavender failed on a last-second shot between two defenders at the finish.

The Buckeyes were playing without starting point guard Shavelle Little, out with a left knee injury. Little, the defensive player of the year in the Big Ten last season, was on crutches. She is listed as day-to-day and may be available for Ohio State’s next game on Jan. 22.

Minnesota, ahead 26-20 at the half, watched as the Buckeyes pulled even with an 8-0 run fueled by Prahalis’ drives and passes into the paint for power moves by Lavender.

But Ohm ended that drought with a 3 for a 40-37 lead with 11:18 left — the Gophers’ seventh 3-pointer in eight attempts.