Lavender sends OSU to date with Lady Vols
AP
Ohio State's Brittany Johnson, right, drives to the basket against Georgia Tech's Alex Montgomery during the first half of a second-round NCAA women's college basketball tournament game Monday, March 21, 2011, in Columbus, Ohio.
OHIO STATE 67
GA. TECH 60
Next: Ohio State vs. Tennessee, Sunday
Associated Press
COLUMBUS
Jantel Lavender almost went to Tennessee. Four years later, she’ll test herself against the Lady Vols.
Lavender scored 17 of her 21 points in the second half to set an NCAA record with her 135th straight double-figure scoring game, leading Ohio State past Georgia Tech 67-60 Monday night in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
Lavender, who had been tied with Oklahoma’s Courtney Paris with 134 consecutive games of 10 or more points, also grabbed 11 rebounds. She dominated in the paint as the Buckeyes advanced to a regional semifinal Saturday against top-seeded Tennessee in Dayton.
“I went on a visit to Tennessee,” Lavender said. “I know a lot of their players and what they do.”
Georgia Tech coach MaChelle Joseph said when Lavender got untracked, the game shifted.
“She is the best post player in the country, and one of the top three players,” Joseph said. “She was aggressive in the second half. In the first half, she was a little passive, setting picks outside away from the basket. But then they started getting the ball to her on the block.”
It took a star turn in the second half for the decorated senior — she received her diploma on Sunday — to carry the Buckeyes into the regionals. The Buckeyes have often been criticized for failing to get past the second round in six of the last eight years under coach Jim Foster.
“First, I’m really happy we got past this round,” Lavender said. “Second, to do that we had to really compete in the second half.”
Samantha Prahalis added 16 points and eight assists, and Ashley Adams scored 11 for the fourth-seeded Buckeyes (24-9), who have won 11 in a row.
The game took on all the aspects of hand-to-hand combat at times. The officials twice went to the video to review plays involving players being hit in the face or neck. Once, they assessed a double intentional technical foul.
“They were physical,” Prahalis said.