Defense leads OSU women past Purdue

Staff report

COLUMBUS

On Thursday night, the Ohio State women’s basketball finally looked like the team people expected to see this season.

Behind swarming defensive pressure and a potent offensive attack, the Buckeyes raced to a 90-67 win over visiting Purdue in front of 4,611 fans downtown at Nationwide Arena.

“I thought our defensive intensity was very good,” said Buckeyes coach Jim Foster. “Collectively we have people doing some good things and we were very active.”

Senior Jantel Lavender led five Buckeyes in double-figures with 21 points, Tayler Hill and Brittany Johnson each scored 17 and Samantha Prahalis added a double-double with 12 points and 12 assists as Ohio State (14-9, 5-6 Big Ten) snapped a three-game losing streak.

“I think the fun part about it was the fact we played well out there,” Lavender said. “I think everyone was on the same page defensively. When we started to get runs, it was fun. It’s something I want to get used to, so we have to play every game like that.

“It feels like who we are, like how we’re supposed to feel.”

The Buckeyes forced a season-high 22 turnovers and hit 22-of-28 from the line while committing just nine turnovers.

Already up 48-32 with 18:16 remaining, the Buckeyes wasted no time putting the game away with a 15-4 run, capped off by a Hill three-pointer to put Ohio State up by 27 with 13:34 to go. A Johnson three-pointer 5 minutes later gave Ohio State its biggest lead at 77-47.

Freshman Ashley Adams had another solid game with 10 points, six boards and three blocks. Classmate Martina Ellerbe chipped in off the bench with eight points while Lavender just missed her 14th double-double of the season with nine boards.

Boardman High graduate Darryce Moore, a freshman, scored two points.

Purdue fell to 16-9 and 6-6.