Sheldon leads balanced No. 17 Ohio State women attack to hold off Michigan State 70-65

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- — Jacy Sheldon scored 18 points and Taylor Thierry posted a double-double and 17th-ranked Ohio State held off Michigan State for a 70-65 win on Sunday.

Thierry scored 13 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, reserve Rikki Harris and Cotie McMahon each scored 11 points and Rebeka Mikukasikova added 10 points and five rebounds for the Buckeyes (13-3, 4-1 Big Ten).

Reserve Tory Ozment led Michigan State with 18 points and Moira Joiner scored 13.

With the score tied at 50-all entering the fourth, Celeste Taylor made a pair of foul shots, Sheldon and Mikukasikova made layups and Thierry made a jump shot — all in succession — and Ohio State banked the 8-0 outburst and led the rest of the way.

Ozment made a jumper with 4:51 left and Jocelyn Tate made 1 of 2 foul shots 41 seconds later to bring Michigan State within 60-58. But after the teams failed to score in a 1:30-span, Thierry made a layup, McMahon made 1 of 2 foul shots and Mikulasikova made a short jumper to extend the lead to 65-58.

Joiner made a 3 with seven seconds left to reduce the deficit to 68-65 before Taylor made two foul shots to end it.

Michigan State (12-4, 2-3) hosts Northwestern on Wednesday. Ohio State faces Maryland on the road on Wednesday.

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