No. 12 Ohio State women’s basketball erased a 15-point first-quarter deficit Thursday night, rallying past Indiana for an 81–67 victory at Value City Arena. Playing without injured forward Kylee Kitts, the Buckeyes leaned on defense, pace, and lineup adjustments to secure their second straight Big Ten win.
Indiana came out firing, opening the game 7-for-9 from the field with five early three-pointers to build a commanding lead. Ohio State struggled offensively in the opening minutes, but a spark from Ava Watson—who started in place of Kitts—shifted momentum. Watson knocked down the Buckeyes’ first three of the night and recorded three first-quarter steals during a run that cut the deficit to four by the end of the period.
Despite continued defensive pressure, Indiana’s Lenée Beaumont and Shay Ciezki carried the Hoosiers in the first half, combining for 30 points as Indiana took a 10-point lead into halftime.
Ohio State responded with its trademark third-quarter surge, forcing turnovers and speeding up the game. With center Elsa Lemmilä sidelined due to foul trouble, the Buckeyes turned to a five-guard lineup that ignited a full-court press. Back-to-back steals and three-pointers in under 30 seconds gave Ohio State its first lead of the game late in the third quarter.
The Buckeyes carried that momentum into the fourth, flipping their halftime deficit into an eight-point advantage midway through the final period. Key baskets and defensive stops down the stretch sealed the comeback, as Ohio State pulled away to hand Indiana its seventh straight Big Ten loss.
