Ohio State women’s basketball coach Beth Burns faces a challenge that many coaches would consider a nightmare as she and the Ohio State Women’s basketball team travel to Ann Arbor tonight to take on No. 22 Michigan. That challenge is having only seven dressed players.
After Sunday’s game against Northwestern, Burns lost two more starters to injury. Senior guard Tomeka Brown suffered a sprained MCL in her left knee along with a bruised bone and junior forward Courtney Coleman has a concussion.
Brown is expected to be sidelined for approximately four weeks and Coleman is scheduled for an MRI Friday to determine her return.
“Sunday was a bittersweet day,” said Burns. “ACL (injuries) has been a curse of what we are trying to do here. I was really proud of the way we competed and finished. Tomeka dodged a bullet in some respects in that she didn’t tear her ACL, she sprained her MCL.”
Despite the fact that the Buckeyes (8-7, 3-1 Big Ten) are on the road and have little to work with in terms of giving relief to the seven players, one advantage they do have is coming off a three-game winning streak while Michigan has suffered three recent losses in Big Ten competition.
Ohio State’s win over Northwestern and their previous victories over Iowa and Penn State have given the injury-prone team a spark of confidence going into their game tonight.
“We are a little small, but we can’t change anything we have been doing,” said junior forward D’wan Shackleford. “It helps that we are on a three-game winning streak, and we are going to have to keep playing the basketball we have been playing.”
Michigan, led by coach Sue Guevara, has had a tougher time in conference play. Their recent loss to Wisconsin dropped their league record to 1-3. The Wolverines (11-4, 1-3 Big Ten) were victorious against their in-state rival, Michigan State on Jan. 3, but lost back-to-back games against Purdue and Illinois.
Two freshmen will step into the lineup tonight against Michigan – forward Charisse Crews and guard Ashley Allen. While this is not the first time these two players have seen their names on the roster as starters, their teammates are counting on them to play their position well.
“I have been practicing hard,” said Allen. “You are going to start so you have to come out with a lot of intensity. I can’t get into foul trouble, I just have to play smart ball.”
Burns carries a career record of 3-4 against Michigan and hopes her team brings home another win from Ann Arbor, just as they did last year. Last season the Buckeyes were 1-1 against Michigan, losing at home 76-63.
“The biggest thing for us whenever you go on the road, you really have to band together,” said Burns. “Our fans are wonderful and Michigan does not draw as well as the majority of teams in the Big Ten.”
Michigan was the preseason top team in the Big Ten. One major concern for Burns is their size. Two Wolverine starters are over six-feet tall. Add that some some strong outside shooting and it forms a deadly combo. Their point guard, Alayne Ingram, shoots 44 percent from beyond the arc.
“There is not really one specific player, they are all that good,” said Burns. “What sets them apart is their size. We are going to be giving up about four or five inches and probably 40 or 50 pounds. We are going to have to shoot the ball well and do the best we can to control the boards.”
In the Wolverines’ last game against Wisconsin, three players scored in double figures with center LeeAnn Bies leading the way with 27 points. Forwards Tabitha Pool and Jennifer Smith contributed 14 and 13 points, respectively.
“Our biggest challenge right now without C.C. (Courtney Coleman) being able to play is their size,” Burns said, “but I can guarantee we will play our guts out.”
