With only one senior starter, one might expect the Ohio State women’s basketball team to be happy with its recent hot streak. Coach Jim Foster, however, was quick to dispel any thoughts that the Buckeyes, who have won seven of their last eight games, would rest on their laurels.
“We don’t have any laurels,” he said. “That’s the good thing about coaching young teams – no laurels.”
Even if OSU had laurels, this would not be the time for the No. 25 Buckeyes (17-8 overall, 9-5 Big Ten) to entertain thoughts of resting on them. They travel to Minneapolis to take on No. 12 Minnesota tonight and finish off the regular season slate Sunday against Wisconsin.
The Buckeyes have beaten both teams in Columbus, beating Wisconsin 65-46 on Jan. 2 and crushing Minnesota 75-57 on Feb. 12. The Golden Gophers came into the Schottenstein Center ranked 10th in the country and left embarassed, as OSU led 43-18 at halftime on their way to the blowout victory. The win started the Buckeyes’ four-game winning streak, during which time Foster said the team has gotten better in all facets of the game.
“We’ve gotten better at the foul line, we’re making shots with more consistency now, we’re guarding better, we’re running better and our half-court offense has improved,” he said.
During the game against OSU, Minnesota lost its leading scorer, senior guard Lindsay Whalen, to a broken hand late in the first half. Whalen has not played since the injury and will not play this weekend. Without Whalen in action the Gophers will depend on junior center Janel McCarville, who is averaging 15.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game.
“They’re fortunate they have a player as talented as McCarville,” Foster said. “The more often she has the ball in her hands, the better that basketball team is going to be.”
The Buckeyes’ hot play has put them in a four-way tie for third place in the conference, sharing their 9-5 conference record with Minnesota, Iowa and Michigan State. With the Big Ten Tournament looming next weekend, the Buckeyes have picked the right time to play their best basketball.
“I think we’re playing really well right now,” junior guard Caity Matter said. “We’re starting to peak, and that’s obviously what you want in a team going into the postseason.”
One of the hallmarks of OSU’s recent success has been its performance at the start of games. During the winning streak the Buckeyes have averaged a 15.5 point halftime lead, effectively ending the games after 20 minutes.
“I think we’re coming out a lot more focused,” sophomore guard Kim Wilburn said. “You have to take the first five minutes as if they’re the last five minutes of the game.”
Matter has seen her play improve lately. Whereas she mainly used to be a three-point threat, she has become more aggressive in her last four games. Matter is getting to the basket more often, and as a result is shooting 72 percent (18-for-25) on her shots in the two-point range. She is also bringing down over four rebounds per game in that span.
“I know I can have the ball in my hands and I can go get a shot,” she said. “Early on in the season, if I wasn’t shooting well, I kind of wasn’t in the game. This last month and a half, if I’m not shooting well, I’m involved in other aspects of the game.”
Matter has continued to play well despite the death of her brother Ricky in a Valentine’s Day car accident. Any time spent on the court has become a blessing to her.
“Basketball is a release to me,” she said. “Those hours that I’m on the court during the day, it’s a break from life. I don’t have to think about anything, I come in and have fun with my teammates.”
