COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Taylor Mikesell and Rebeka Mikulasikova each scored 18 points and No. 2 Ohio State beat Northwestern 84-54 on Thursday night to push its program-best, season-opening winning streak to 19 games.
The Buckeyes (19-0, 8-0 Big Ten) led wire to wire and closed the first quarter on a 10-1 run, with eight of the points from Mikesell. Ohio State led by 38 points in the fourth quarter and didn’t allow Northwestern (6-12, 0-8) to come closer than nine points after the first two minutes of the second quarter.
Ohio State held a 14-point halftime advantage and pulled away after scoring a game-best 27 points in the third quarter. Mikesell scored 15 of her points in the first half and had three steals.
Paige Mott scored a career-high 16 points for Northwestern. Caroline Lau added 13 points.
BIG PICTURE
Northwestern: The Wildcats have lost seven in a row. Four of those losses have come against ranked opponents, including two to the Buckeyes.
Ohio State: Ohio State forced 19 turnovers, its most in nine games, and scored 25 points from those giveaways.
UP NEXT
Northwestern: Hosts No. 21 Illinois on Sunday.
Ohio State: Hosts No. 10 Iowa on Monday night.
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AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll
