The No. 13/12 Ohio State Buckeyes women’s basketball (23-6, 12-5 B1G) came up just short in a dramatic regular-season home finale, falling to No. 8/8 Michigan Wolverines women’s basketball (23-5, 14-3 B1G) in an overtime battle Wednesday night.
Ohio State stormed out of the gate, using two separate 7-0 runs in the first quarter to claim a commanding 28-14 lead after 10 minutes. Michigan responded with a surge of its own, briefly grabbing the advantage before the Buckeyes regained control and carried a narrow 40-39 lead into halftime.
The Wolverines seized momentum in the third quarter, building a 61-53 edge heading into the final period. Down four in the closing minutes of regulation, Ohio State clawed back once again. With less than a second remaining, Jaloni Cambridge calmly knocked down three clutch free throws to force overtime and ignite the home crowd.
In the extra period, the Buckeyes appeared poised to secure the win, building an eight-point cushion. But Michigan answered with a decisive 10-0 run to close the game. Ohio State’s final attempt came just after the buzzer, sealing the heartbreaking defeat.
Jaloni Cambridge led the Buckeyes with 22 points, reaching double figures early in the third quarter. Chance Gray added 19 points, while Kylee Kitts contributed 11. Elsa Lemmilä delivered a standout performance in the paint, recording a career-high 15 rebounds along with 11 points for her fourth double-double of the season and her third straight game with 10 or more boards. Cambridge also dished out a career-best nine assists.
Despite the loss, Kennedy Cambridge etched her name in program history, tying the single-season record with 115 steals.
