Aaliyah Patty finishes a layup

Ohio State junior forward Aaliyah Patty (32) goes in for a layup during the Ohio State-Miami game on Dec. 10. Ohio State won 104-65. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor

Ohio State earned its second consecutive Big Ten win in wire-to-wire fashion in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. 

The No. 16 Buckeyes (6-0) used a suffocating defensive performance to top the Illinois Fighting Illini (2-5) 78-55. As this was the first time the Buckeyes left Columbus this season, head coach Kevin McGuff said the team reacted well to the new environment. 

“[It] was certainly a different environment,” McGuff said. “I think, overall, our kids handled the travel and the game pretty well.” 

Ohio State put the clamps on the Illini offense in the early goings, holding Illinois to just eight first quarter points on 21 percent from the field. 

Illinois finished the game shooting 34 percent from the field and an abysmal 26 percent from three-point range. The Illini were also careless with the ball, finishing with 25 turnovers which the Buckeyes scored 29 points off of.

McGuff attributed the Buckeyes’ ability to create turnovers to their press scheme and their ability to slow down Illinois’ offensive possessions. 

“We kinda made them go deep into the shot clock and I thought that made them a little anxious and created some turnovers as well,” McGuff said. 

Senior forward Braxtin Miller led the Ohio State defense as she collected a team-high 3 steals, while adding 8 points on the offensive end. 

The first quarter was controlled by sophomore guard Jacy Sheldon and junior forward Aaliyah Patty — who combined for all 18 of Ohio State’s first quarter points. Sheldon contributed 11 first quarter points, while Patty added 7. 

Patty remained consistent throughout the game, contributing a season-high 18 points while adding a team-high 11 rebounds. The Illinois native also added a lift on the defensive end with a block and a steal.

Despite putting together a stellar performance in her homecoming, Patty said her return to her home state felt a little different than it usually does. 

“My family is usually here, so that kinda was disappointing,” Patty said. “But, you always gotta come and do what you gotta do.”

Patty’s strong performance inside of the paint helped lift the Buckeyes to a 34-24 advantage in the painted area. 

Sheldon also continued her stellar play throughout the contest, finishing with a team-high 20 points on 7-of-15 from the field. 

The Buckeyes were without junior forward Dorka Juhasz for the second straight contest as Tanaya Beacham filled in for the Hungarian star. 

Beacham struggled to get into a groove due to early foul trouble and finished with 2 points and 5 rebounds. 

Ohio State was also without key bench pieces in junior forward Rebeka Mikulasikova and redshirt freshman guard Rikki Harris. However the shorthanded bench held up, finishing with a 21-7 advantage over the Illinois bench squad. 

Freshman forward Gabby Hutcherson led the way for the Buckeye bench squad, finishing with a career-high 12 points and 2 steals.

Hutcherson has seen an increased role in the last two games due to the absences of Juhasz and Mikulasikova and said that has served as a motivator for her to step up her play. 

“I just knew having Dorka, Rikki and Rebeka out these past few games, I’d really have to step up,” Hutcherson said. “My mentality going in is that I would have to be super aggressive and just get after it, especially rebounding and finishing around the rim.” 

The Illini were led by sophomore forward Kennedi Myles, who finished with a team-high 15 points on 6-of-12 from the field. 

Sophomore guard Jeanae Terry also added 12 points on 4-of-12 from the field.

As it has been a tumultuous season for the Buckeyes with postponements and a postseason ban, Patty pointed to the team’s togetherness as a reason for their early season success. 

“I think we just all come together, we’ve faced so much adversity,” Patty said. “But it’s just coming together as a team, playing for each other. We want to win, we want to keep fighting, we just want to keep going hard for each other.” 

Ohio State’s Sunday matchup with Rutgers was postponed, so the Buckeyes do not return to action until Wednesday against Iowa at 4 p.m.

This story was updated on Jan. 7, 2021 at 9:53 p.m. with quotes from Kevin McGuff, Aaliyah Patty and Gabby Hutcherson