Ohio State’s women’s basketball team opens a schedule filled with fierce competition tonight at the Value City Arena in a 7:30 contest against High Point University.

Coach Beth Burns, who carries a 32-24 (16-16 in the Big Ten) career mark into her third season at the OSU helm, has guided her team to a split in the two preseason tune-ups for the Buckeyes. The Bucks defeated EOS Malbas, a club team from Sweden, 66-46 in a contest played Nov. 14 and then dropped a toughly contested game to the USA National Team Sunday, 88-53.

“We have an intense but comfortable learning environment,” Burns said. “Our expectation is to get better each and every day. These two games have really prepared us for the task that is at hand.”

Michaela “Mixu” Moua, a 5-foot-10 senior from Vantaa, Finland, who is averaged 8.5 points and 5.5 rebounds through the exhibition set, agreed with Burns.

“Practices are filled with a lot of teaching,” Moua said. “Coach Burns keeps the intensity up to better prepare us.”

Moua, along with senior Courtney Bale, a 6-foot-2 forward from Vista, Calf. have the task of being mentors for this year’s freshman class.

“We can improve as a team only as the veterans help me at practice,” Burns said. “Mixu and Courtney Bale have excelled at helping me and I attribute the development of (D’wan) Shackleford and Courtney Coleman to my two seniors.”

Shackleford, a 6-foot forward from Newark, Ohio, and Coleman, a 6-foot-2 forward from Cincinnat,i are just two of the members of a recruiting class that was ranked second in the nation this year, exceeded only by the Lady Volunteers of the University of Tennessee.

The freshman class also includes Tanya McClure, a 5-foot-6 point guard from Gahanna, Ohio, LaToya Turner, a 6-foot-4 forward/center from Pickerington, Ohio, and DiDi Reynolds, a 6-foot-1 forward from Bascom, Ohio.

The two exhibition games showcased the abilities that these inexperienced, but highly skilled freshmen have. Shackleford and Coleman combined to average four and two points per game, respectively and have collected three and 6.5 rebounds per game. McClure (2.5 ppg with three assists per game) and Reynolds (four ppg) have also provided a lift off of the bench. Turner has not seen action yet due to rehabilitation of an injury sustained last year.

The remainder of the roster is comprised of five returning letter-winners. These five players helped to carry the Lady Bucks to a 17-12 (9-7) record that saw them finish fourth in the Big Ten and earn a birth in the NCAA Tournament. Those players are: Tomeka Brown, a 5-foot-9 sophomore guard from Columbus who provides defensive quickness; Jamie Lewis, a 5-foot-4 junior guard from Oak Hill and Mandy Stanhope, a 5-foot-5 junior guard from Chillicothe, Ohio.

Lauren Shenk, a 5-foot-10 sophomore guard from Minster, Ohio and Laura Ingham, a 5-foot-4 sophomore guard from Anchorage, Alaska have come into their own as leaders on the floor. Shenk led the team in scoring throughout the exhibition with an average of 19 points per contest. She shot six of nine from behind the three-point line against the USA National Team on her way to leading all scorers with 22 points.

“I consider it a team effort,” Shenk said. “I owe it to the post players that set great screens for me to get open.”

Ingham, the Buckeye floor general, leads the team with eight assists in exhibition play. She also brings other intangibles to the court.

“We needed Laura on the court,” Burns said after the game with Team USA. “When Laura was not out there on the floor, we could not slow down the U.S. attack.”

Expectations are a part of any season. With the level of inexperience her squad has, Burns has one expectation in mind.

“Our expectation is to get better every day,” she said. “We expect to get better one day at a time.”

Moua agreed and added that consistency on both the practice and game courts needs to stay the same, if not improve throughout the season.

“For our young team, consistency on defense, and, in general, all aspects of our game will be the key to success,” Moua said.

Defensive consistency was evident in both exhibition games.

The Buckeyes, though the score does not reflect it, made great strides on defense in their second game.

Lisa Leslie, the 6-foot-5 star player for the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks, was made aware of the Buckeye’s defense.

“They made it hard for all of us to get inside and make a shot,” Leslie said. “They were better than we thought they would be because of how young they are.”

In their first game, the Buckeyes held EOS Malbas to 38 percent shooting on the game while allowing only 46 points.

“If you step up your defense everyone around you gets pumped and ready to play, and that, helps everyone play a better game, McClure said. “Defense is the key to success.”

Burns also added that there are a few other keys to success.

“Preparation before the game and rebounding, along with defense, are the keys,” Burns said. “Working will win. Wishing won’t.”

After their season opener tonight, the Buckeyes will travel to the Harvard Invitational in Boston with games Friday and Saturday against host Harvard and Sacred Heart, respectively. The Buckeyes will then return home to face nationally ranked Rutgers University on December 5 at 7:30 p.m