Ohio State Crushes UIC 81-34 in Season Opener
Defensive pressure and offensive rebounding fueled a dominant first half for the Buckeyes, while freshman Sydney Mobley scored 14 points in her college debut.
By Luca Harrison ·
The Ohio State women’s basketball team defeated the University of Illinois Chicago 81-34 on Monday night to open the 2026-2027 season at the Schottenstein Center.
The Buckeyes controlled the game through physical play, forcing 25 turnovers from the Flames and capturing 25 offensive rebounds. Ohio State scored 36 points off those turnovers and added 23 second-chance points. Despite the margin of victory, the team struggled from beyond the arc, making only 6 of 31 three-point attempts.
Head coach Cori McGuff noted that the team’s intensity from the opening tip was a key factor in the outcome. "I thought we had a good start," McGuff said. "Our focus and intensity were good from the tip." The Buckeyes were tied 7-7 early in the first quarter but closed the period on a 20-0 run. They forced six turnovers during that stretch and held UIC to just six points in the second quarter, leading 50-13 at halftime. Ohio State outscored UIC by 10 points in the final two periods to seal the win.
Senior guard Kennedy Cambridge, who recently broke the program’s single-season steals record, recorded a game-high three steals in the contest. Freshman Sydney Mobley provided a scoring spark in her collegiate debut, finishing with 14 points. "My teammates gave me confidence, and just telling me to get out there and do what I do really helped me be comfortable out there," Mobley said.
Junior center Elsa Lemmilä acknowledged that the team still needs to refine its execution. "We could have still played better," Lemmilä said. "Something that we have put an emphasis on in practice a lot is communication, and it’s something we still need to get better at." McGuff also pointed to the team’s rebounding efforts, which she identified as a primary focus during the offseason. "It’s been an emphasis for us to be a better rebounding team in general," McGuff said. "Offensive rebounding is a part of that, and I was happy to see us get in there."
The Buckeyes will remain on home court for their next contest, facing Central Michigan at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday.
