Ohio State Rebounds and Steals Force UIC Into 81-34 Defeat
The Buckeyes converted 25 turnovers into 36 points in Monday night's season opener, relying on defensive pressure to offset a poor shooting night from beyond the arc.
By Evelyn Henderson ·
Ohio State defeated the University of Illinois Chicago 81-34 on Monday night to open its basketball season. The Buckeyes dominated the glass and forced turnovers, scoring 36 points off 25 UIC mistakes. They also secured 25 offensive rebounds, a stat that coach Craig McGuff identified as a key offseason priority.
The game started with a 7-7 tie early in the first quarter. Ohio State then closed the period on a 20-0 run. During that stretch, the defense forced six turnovers. McGuff noted that the team's intensity increased and disrupted the Flames' rhythm. "We sped them up and got them out of rhythm," McGuff said.
The Buckeyes maintained that pressure in the second quarter. They held UIC to six points and entered halftime with a 50-13 lead. In the second half, Ohio State outscored the Flames by 10 points to seal the victory. Senior guard Kennedy Cambridge recorded three steals, a game-high total. Just before tip-off, she had been recognized for breaking the program's single-season steals record during the 2025-2026 campaign.
Despite the defensive surge, the offense struggled from long range. The team made only 6 of its 31 three-point attempts. The offensive rebounding effort kept the scoring alive, generating 23 second-chance points. McGuff said the team has emphasized becoming a better rebounding unit throughout the offseason. "Offensive rebounding is a part of that, and I was happy to see us get in there," he said.
Freshman Sydney Mobley provided the primary offensive output with 14 points in her collegiate debut. She credited her teammates for giving her the confidence to play aggressively. "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 noted that the team still needs to improve its on-court communication, a focus of recent practices.
Ohio State will return to the Schottenstein Center on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. to face Central Michigan.
Source: The Lantern
