Jan. 23, 2005
Box Score
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Despite a game-high 20 points from Ifeoma Okonkwo, Northwestern fell short at third-ranked Ohio State, falling 71-59 to the Buckeyes in Columbus. Brandie Hoskins scored 18 points to lead OSU (19-2, 6-1 Big Ten), which has won eight straight for the second time this season. Sarah Kwasinski added 12 for the Wildcats (4-16, 1-6).
Jessica Davenport added 14 points and Michelle Munoz had 11 for Ohio State.
The Buckeyes, leading the nation in field-goal percentage at .517, hit eight of their first 10 shots from the field, including all four 3-pointers to go with four free throws. They then missed nine field goals in a row and Northwestern fought back to cut the lead to 24-19.
But Ohio State scored 11 of the half's final 13 points, including Hoskins' bucket while falling down as the buzzer sounded, for a 35-21 halftime lead. Davenport scored five points in the spurt.
Northwestern trailed 40-25 after Kwasinski hit a turnaround jumper less than two minutes into the second half. But Ohio State scored on 11 of its next 12 possessions to push the lead to 64-32.
The Buckeyes scored 52 points in each of their last two wins -- 52-50 over then-No. 4 Rutgers a week ago and 52-30 over Indiana on Thursday night -- but passed that figure with almost 14 minutes remaining.
Substituting freely for most of the second half, the Buckeyes ended up shooting 48 percent from the field while hitting 7-of-16 3-pointers.
Northwestern battled back against the Buckeyes, cutting a 32-point lead down to just 12 over the final 10 minutes of the second half.
(The Associated Press contributed to this story.)