Ohio State Women’s March Madness Moments: Buckeyes Defeat UConn
In 2023, freshman Cotie McMahon stunned UConn’s legendary coach Geno Auriemma during the Sweet Sixteen.
Back in 2018, Central Michigan shocked Ohio State women’s basketball in Columbus during the second round of the NCAA Tournament with a 95-78 rout against the No. 11 seed Chippewas. The Buckeyes had to wait five years for another opportunity to host the tournament at Schottenstein Center, which finally happened in 2023.
Senior point guard Jacy Sheldon made the game-winning shot against North Carolina in the second round, propelling the Buckeyes to their first Sweet Sixteen appearance since 2017.
For Ohio State, Sheldon and backcourt partner Taylor Mikesell were the leaders in the previous season, contributing to nearly half of the team’s 78.2 points per game and sharing the Big Ten regular-season title.
The victory over North Carolina came amidst a season plagued by injuries, with Sheldon missing 23 games due to a foot injury and redshirt junior Madison Greene tearing her ACL for the second year in a row.
Despite these setbacks, the season was filled with underdog moments. After a three-game losing streak in conference play and a blowout in the Big Ten Tournament final against Iowa, the Buckeyes proved they were far from an underdog.
Coach Kevin McGuff’s squad began the regular season with 19 consecutive wins, including notable double-digit comeback victories over Tennessee, USF, and Illinois. In the Big Ten Tournament semifinals, Ohio State erased a 24-point deficit to defeat Indiana, ending a two-year losing streak against them.
Still, Ohio State’s win over the Tar Heels earned them a trip to Seattle to face the UConn Huskies, the dominant force in college basketball. Auriemma’s UConn had won 11 national championships, and in 2023, the team reached its 16th consecutive Elite Eight. In six previous matchups, the Huskies had beaten Ohio State by an average of 26.3 points, with five of those games coached by McGuff.
None of this fazed freshman forward Cotie McMahon, a player known for her boldness.
“I’m excited,” McMahon said. “I want to play UConn so bad.”
UConn had been the dominant force in women’s basketball, winning four consecutive national titles twice. The 2023 team was without guard Paige Bueckers, sidelined by an ACL injury, but still boasted top players like Azzi Fudd, Aaliyah Edwards, and transfers Lou Lopez Senechal and Dorka Juhász, the latter a former Buckeye.
The Huskies entered the game as 10.5-point favorites, and much of the focus from fans and media was already on potential Elite Eight matchups. It seemed like Auriemma’s team had not fully prepared for Ohio State.
UConn scored 10 of the first 12 points in the opening quarter, but Ohio State quickly responded, even though the Huskies’ offensive depth kept the Buckeyes trailing by eight with two minutes left in the first. However, Ohio State then rattled off 18 consecutive points, holding UConn scoreless for over seven minutes between the first and second quarters.
In the first half, senior forward Eboni Walker contributed four points and three assists, while McMahon tallied 14 points and two assists. McMahon’s first basket came from a defensive rebound, where she raced down the court and scored a layup around Edwards. This play set the tone for the rest of the game and the eventual Buckeye victory.
Ohio State flipped an eight-point deficit into a nine-point lead by the second quarter, reaching an 11-point advantage at halftime. Although McMahon only added four points in the second half, other players stepped up. Mikesell, who played through injury, scored nine points after the break.
Guard/forward Taylor Thierry led the team with four steals, contributing to UConn’s 25 turnovers. Sheldon scored 17 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and dished out five assists. The Buckeyes didn’t just beat the Huskies—they dominated them, sealing a 73-61 Sweet Sixteen victory, their second in 26 NCAA Tournament appearances.
McMahon finished as the game’s top scorer with 23 points, hitting two three-pointers, marking just her third time doing so that season.
Afterward, McMahon’s excitement from the UNC victory was clear.
