{"id":95483,"date":"2024-02-21T21:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-02-21T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swishappeal.com\/ncaa\/2024\/2\/21\/24076555\/ncaa-women-bball-big-ten-iowa-ohio-state-indiana-mcmahon-sheldon-thierry-holmes-scalia-moore-mcneil"},"modified":"2024-02-21T21:00:00","modified_gmt":"2024-02-21T21:00:00","slug":"big-ten-update-the-buckeyes-are-rolling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gamefootballmobileanimeiphone.com\/index.php\/2024\/02\/21\/big-ten-update-the-buckeyes-are-rolling\/","title":{"rendered":"Big Ten update: The Buckeyes are rolling"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n \"Syndication:
Taylor Thierry, Cotie McMahon and Jacy Sheldon have been at the center of Ohio State\u2019s in-season ascension. | Adam Cairns\/Columbus Dispatch \/ USA TODAY NETWORK<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Iowa Hawkeyes might be the Big Ten\u2019s highest-profile team. However, the Ohio State Buckeyes are the conference\u2019s hottest team, while the Indiana Hoosiers remain in contention for the conference crown. <\/p>\n

With two weeks remaining in conference play, the Big Ten has become a three-team race, with No. 2 Ohio State<\/a>, No. 4 Iowa<\/a> and (barely) No. 14 Indiana vying for the regular season conference championship. <\/p>\n

Since our Zachary Draves closely chronicles the favored Hawkeyes<\/a>, we\u2019ll focus on the Buckeyes and Hooisers here. What are their chances of finishing the regular season at the top of Big Ten, winning the conference tournament and advancing far in the NCAA Tournament?<\/p>\n

The Buckeyes keep getting better<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n \"Syndication:
\n Adam Cairns\/Columbus Dispatch \/ USA TODAY NETWORK<\/cite>
The Buckeyes\u2019 bench goes wild during a recent win. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It was a disappointing start to the season for the Buckeyes. Ranked No. 7, Ohio State was upset by then-No. 21 USC, 83-74<\/a>, on opening night. A little more than a month later, OSU was felled by the other LA squad, with then-No. 2 UCLA beating the Buckeyes, 77-71<\/a>. Big Ten play also began with a thud for Ohio State, as they suffered a nine-point loss<\/a> to rival Michigan. <\/p>\n

But since those speed bumps, the Buckeyes have been cruising, riding a 12-game winning streak that includes dropping 100 points on then-No. 2 Iowa in an eight-point overtime victory<\/a> on Jan. 21. This stretch of success has allowed Ohio State to claim that fateful No. 2 ranking<\/a>, while also rising to the top of the Big Ten. <\/p>\n

The win over Iowa looks like a pivot point, when Ohio State, possibly buoyed the belief instilled by the upset, went from a good team to a great team. A big reason for this leap? The star in the win over the Hawkeyes, Cotie McMahon<\/a>. Until then, it had been an up-and-down season for the sophomore forward. But since her 33-point breakout, McMahon has scored in double figures in six of seven games. Four of those games also have been double-doubles. Critically, McMahon has been more efficient, with multiple game making more than half of her field goal attempts. <\/p>\n

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Q3 | OSU regains the lead thanks to @cotiemcmahon23<\/a> \ufe0f#GoBucks<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/8R7yT8MOx8<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Ohio State WBB (@OhioStateWBB) February 4, 2024<\/a>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n