Women's Basketball
Buckeye Fast Starts, Fast Breaks, Too Much for Hawkeyes
By John Porentas

The No. 5 Buckeyes (21-1, 10-0 Big Ten) opened the first half with a 16-2 blitz, then followed up with a 14-0 run to open the second half to enable themselves to embarrass visiting Iowa (11-12, 3-7 Big Ten) by a final of 85-49 in front of 9,799 fans at Value City Arena.

Iowa was without the services of regular starting center, 6-5 Megan Skouby who broke a bone in her hand in practice on Friday and is expected to be out of action from two to four weeks. Without Skouby the Hawkeyes could not match up with 6-5 OSU center Jessica Davenport. Davenport capitalized with a game-high 22 points and also added five rebounds.

"It was obviously a big loss when we lost Megan in practice yesterday," said Iowa Head Coach Lisa Bluder. "We didn't have time to have a practice to prepare for this either."

Davenport's fifth rebound of the game, which came early in the second half, was a record-setter. It was her career-1,000th rebound. and with it Davenport became the first player in Big Ten history to reach 1,000 rebounds, 2,000 points and 300 blocked shots in a career. Only one other player in Big Ten history, Minnesota's Laura Coenen, has totaled 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in a career. Coenen totaled 2,044 points and 1,029 rebounds from 1981-85.

Davenport was able to capitalize on Skouby's absence, but it was OSU's defensive pressure that really turned the game into a rout. The Buckeyes forced 23 Iowa turnovers and outscored Iowa 41-17 in points off turnovers, most of those points coming on fast break opportunity layups. Between the layups and Davenport's play down low, OSU outscored Iowa by a whopping 38-4 in the paint.

"I think we played a real good defensive game," said OSU Head Coach Jim Foster. "I thought we were very intense and focused. I think this team has gotten a lot better defensively in the last three or four weeks," Foster said.

After Ohio State dashed out to a 16-2 lead to open the game the game settled down some and the Buckeyes led 45-32 at the half. The Buckeyes ended any Hawkeye hope of a rally when they scored the first 14 points of the second half to take a 27-point lead at 59-34. The final score of 85-49 represented Ohio State's biggest lead of the game of 36.

"I think we came out and (Iowa guard) Kristi (Smith) missed that layup and it really deflated our team," said Bluder commenting on her team's lack of success in the second half.

"Obviously Ohio State played very, very well. We turned over the ball and they capitalized on all those opportunities. They scored 41 points off of our turnovers alone," Bluder said. "Ohio State ran the ball really well in the second half."

The Buckeyes had three players join Davenport as double-figure scorers. Star Allen had 11, Brandy Hoskins 16 and Marscilla Packer 10. Hoskins also registered a game-high six assists for the Scarlet and Gray.

Iowa was led by Wendy Ausdemore with 12 points. The Hawkeyes managed to stay close to the Buckeyes in the first half on the strength of six-of-10 shooting from three point range, but cooled off to two-of-eight in the second half.

"We were more aggressive (defensively) and started our defense a little higher," said Foster of Iowa's reduced effectiveness from three in the second half. "I think our players defended their cuts a lot better. Their offense sort of has to flow, and I think when you take away a couple of options it just makes it easier to guard them."

Iowa scored just 17 points in the second half after scoring 32 in the first.

Box Score

Game Photos

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