Buckeyes extend home win streak

Associated Press

DATELINE

Tayler Hill scored 27 points and No. 9 Ohio State never trailed in handing Indiana its 13th straight loss, 75-54 on Thursday night, even with the Buckeyes playing without Big Ten scoring leader Samantha Prahalis.

Prahalis, averaging 21. 8 points in the conference, was battling the flu. She was on the bench at the outset but then went to the locker room.

“She tried,” said Buckeyes coach Jim Foster. “She didn’t participate in shootaround this morning. She did some things throughout the course of the day to try to be ready. She was just drained and didn’t have enough juice to play.”

Amber Stokes added 14 points and a career-high seven assists, with Kalpana Beach matching a career high with 13 points.

Ohio State (23-3, 10-3), which has won the last nine meetings with Indiana, never trailed while staying in a tie for the top spot in the Big Ten.

“The No. 9 team in the country showed up tonight,” said Indiana coach Felisha Legette-Jack. “This is a team that knows how to win and understands what winning feels like. We’re a team that is trying to figure out what winning feels like and hasn’t won in a long time.”

Boardman High graduate Darryce Moore scored two points to go with four rebounds in 13 minutes off the bench.

“Beach was terrific,” said Foster. “In fact, the post players in mass: Sasha [Dobranic], Martina [Ellerbe], Emilee [Harmon] and Darryce did good things.”

Aulani Sinclair had 23 points and Quaneisha McCurty 11 for the Hoosiers (5-21, 0-13).

Ohio State improved to 18-0 at home, which bests its 17-0 home mark from 2004-05 and 14-0 mark in 2002-03 under Jim Foster. The Buckeyes won a Foster-era best 19 games in Columbus during the 2009-10 season.

Overall, OSU has won 21 consecutive games at home. It is the longest home winning streak in the country.