Big Ten tournament roundup: Ohio State holds off Minnesota

Elsa Lemmila posted a double-double and Jaloni Cambridge capped her 17-point effort with a win-sealing layup in No. 11 Ohio State’s 60-55 quarterfinal defeat of No. 19 Minnesota at the Big Ten tournament in Indianapolis.

Lemmila had 17 points and 11 rebounds. Cambridge’s clutch bucket with 16 seconds left punctuated a strong all-around game with six assists, five rebounds and three steals. Chance Gray added 13 points in the victory.

The fourth-seeded Buckeyes (26-6) forced 21 turnovers to overcome a 44-27 deficit on the glass, which included Sophie Hart’s 19 rebounds to lead the fifth-seeded Gophers (22-8). Hart added 12 points and Grace Grocholski tallied a game-high 18 points.

Grocholski also dished four assists, including setting up Mara Braun on a 3-pointer that pulled Minnesota to within 58-55 with 1:32 remaining. Grocholski had a look at a potential game-tying triple with 43 seconds to go, but could not convert.

The win sends Ohio State into Saturday’s semifinals to meet No. 1 seed UCLA.

No. 2 UCLA 78, Washington 60

Lauren Betts finished with 26 points and eight rebounds and the top-seeded Bruins rode a late run to overwhelm the eighth-seeded Huskies in Friday’s first quarterfinal.

UCLA (29-1) clung to a one-point lead with 2:33 remaining in the third quarter before going on a 7-0 tear to close the period. The All-American Betts then went to work, scoring six points in a 13-3 run spanning almost four minutes of the fourth quarter.

The two spurts created breathing room after Washington (21-10) put a scare into the Bruins for three quarters-and-change. The Huskies built a 10-point lead in the first half behind hot starts from Avery Howell, who scored a team-high 18 points, and Sayvia Sellers.

Sellers scored half of her 10 points early in the second period as Washington extended its advantage to 22-12. UCLA responded when Kiki Rice ripped off seven of her 18 points to fuel a 15-0 Bruins run, giving them a lead they held the rest of the way.

No. 9 Iowa 64, Illinois 58

Ava Heiden scored 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting and the second-seeded Hawkeyes never trailed, leading by as many as 22 before fending off the 10th-seeded Fighting Illini.

All five starters for Iowa (25-5) finished with at least nine points, with Hannah Stuelke going for 13, Chazadi Wright adding 12, Kylie Feuerbach adding 10 and Taylor Stremlow contributing nine points and six assists.

Heiden’s interior presence helped Iowa outscore Illinois in the paint, 36-26. Iowa finished 4-of-14 from deep, while the Illini (21-11) went just 5-of-22. One of Illinois’ made triples came during a furious but futile closing stretch, as the Illini scored the last 15 points of the game before running out of time. Jasmine Brown-Hagger led Illinois with 22 points.

No. 8 Michigan 80, Oregon 58

Syla Swords scored 17 points and swiped three steals, part of a stout defensive performance for the third-seeded Wolverines as they raced past the 11th-seeded Ducks in the final quarterfinal of the day.

Olivia Olson chipped in 16 points and six rebounds for Michigan (25-5) which forced 17 turnovers and cashed them in for 18 points. Ashley Sofilkanich scored 14 points with six rebounds and three blocks, helping the Wolverines advance to a Saturday semifinal vs. Michigan.

Katie Fiso scored a game-high 22 points for the Ducks (22-12). Ehis Etute recorded her fourth consecutive double-double – and third of the tournament – with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

–Field Level Media