Hoosiers lack firepower to ignite comeback

IU Coach Curt Miller said he fears opponents going on scoring runs because his team simply doesn’t have the offensive firepower right now to fight back.

Miller’s nightmare came true for the second-straight game Thursday night when IU (10-7, 1-3) lost to Ohio State (11-7, 1-4) 68-45 at Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio.
After trailing just 27-24 with 1:41 to go in the first half, the Hoosiers found themselves trailing 42-28 with 16:45 to go in the second half.

The Buckeyes grew their lead to as large as 25 points on two separate occasions in the second half.

“We were genuinely energized at halftime, but, in the first two minutes of the second half, we had three turnovers,” Miller said. “Our transition defense lacked, and they picked up the tempo. The game got away from us, and we didn’t have the firepower to answer their offensive runs.”

Senior guard Tayler Hill led the Buckeyes with 15 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Buckeye junior forward Darryce Moore added 14 points and six rebounds.

The Buckeyes also received 19 points, of which 10 came from junior center Aleksandra Dobranic, from their bench players.

Ohio State controlled the entire second half as it increased its 30-24 halftime lead with a 12-4 run in the opening minutes of the second half, essentially putting the game out of reach. IU’s defense seemed to crumble in the half, as it allowed Ohio State to shoot 50 percent from the field and was out-rebounded 26-15.

The Buckeyes shot 47 percent on the night to overmatch the Hoosiers’ 32.8 percent from the field.

Senior guard Jasmine McGhee reached double figures for the fourth time in the past five games, leading the Hoosiers with 17 points and eight rebounds.

Senior forward Aulani Sinclair scored five points, coming three short of joining the 1,000-point club for her career.

“(Sinclair) got some looks that she is capable of making in the first half,” Miller said. “She didn’t shoot well in practice this week. She makes shots, and she hasn’t been making them lately.”

It is IU’s second-straight loss despite competitive first halves. IU lost to Nebraska 67-38 Sunday in a game where it trailed by just four with six minutes until halftime.

Thursday night, IU’s last lead at 17-16 came with 8:39 left in the first half. Ohio State finished the half on a 16-7 run after IU carried a 17-14 lead before that point.

The Hoosiers couldn’t help but foul in the first half, giving up 17 free throws to the Buckeyes, who converted 12 of those shots into points. IU had 11 fouls in the half, as opposed to Ohio State’s two. IU did not record any foul shots in the first half and did not make any in the game.

Miller used his fifth different starting lineup of the season, replacing junior center Milika Taufa, who had started all 16 games this season, with junior center Simone Deloach.

It was Deloach’s first start of the season and the eighth of her career. She scored four points and grabbed six rebounds.