By Okon Ekpenyong

On Friday, the Ohio State Buckeyes and Tennessee Lady Vols secured spots in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament Second Round with dominant wins in front of a packed Schottenstein Center, home of the Ohio State Buckeyes Basketball Arena in Columbus. 

Buckeyes Defeat Montana State:

The No. 4 seeded Ohio State women’s basketball team demonstrated their dominance by defeating Montana State by twenty points, with a final score of 71-51 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus. This victory highlighted the team’s consecutive appearances at this stage, showcasing their consistent performance.

Ohio State’s starting five all scored in double figures, with Cotie McMahon leading the way with 15 points; Chance Gray added 15 points, including five three-pointers, while Jaloni Cambridge, Taylor Thierry, and Ajae Petty contributed 12, 16, and 11 points, respectively.

Nationally ranked No. 20 & #5 seed Tennessee Lady Vols Birmingham region made history in their NCAA first-round matchup, delivering a resounding 101-66 victory over the University of South Florida at the Schottenstein Center. This year marks the team’s 43rd consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, reminding everybody that there is still one historic program in the Women’s College basketball environment. The team has won eight NCAA tournaments under its former legendary coach, Pat Summitt. 

The Lady Vols’ offensive display broke records and made history. They made 16 three-pointers, surpassing the SEC season record for three-point shots. This achievement also established a program NCAA Tournament record and is now ranked second in the school’s history. Redshirt sophomore guard Talaysia Cooper scored 20 points, collected six rebounds, and recorded two blocks and two steals to lead the team, demonstrating the Lady Vols’ prowess.

Second Round Showdown:

On Sunday, this highly anticipated matchup between the two teams will mark their fourth meeting, promising to be thrilling. Ohio State won the last two games against Tennessee, including a contest held in Tennessee during the regular season of 2023-2024 in December.

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