After the No. 23 Ohio State Buckeyes women's basketball team secured its third straight victory against the Michigan State Spartans on Jan. 12, OSU sophomore guard Rikki Harris didn't know what to expect when coaches called her out in the locker room postgame.
"It was nerve-wracking ... it was out of nowhere, so I was definitely scared, at first," Harris told ESPN.
Turns out, she was the first recipient of the "Dub Chain," a new tradition for the team. The striking piece of jewelry is awarded to the Buckeyes' player of the game after each victory, giving the winner a chance to flex and celebrate.
"Women's basketball -- actually college basketball, in general -- really has nothing like it," Ohio State junior guard Jacy Sheldon said.
The chain is the brainchild of assistant coach Jalen Powell and video coordinator Ryan Murray. It is stored in a chest located in the Schottenstein Center, the Buckeyes' home arena in Columbus. The Dub Chain also travels with the squad for road games.
Buckeyes going off the chain‼️🥶 pic.twitter.com/L1nC8Mjlru
— Ohio State WBB (@OhioStateWBB) January 18, 2022
The team drew inspiration from the Miami Hurricanes football team's "Turnover Chain."
The celebratory prop is made out of foam board and Czech glass rhinestones. The chain is gold-plated metal. Alyssa Poe, creator of the Dub Chain, has created jewelry like this for three years. Powell contacted Poe via her Etsy store to have the necklace made.
"I place each stone by hand, one at a time," Poe told ESPN via email. "This chain is definitely one of my favorite creations. ... it makes me happy to see how proud they are to wear them, and it gives them the motivation to go above and beyond."
Ohio State fell out of the top 25 in the Jan 3. AP poll. Then the Buckeyes won two straight, beating Illinois and Northwestern. The Dub Chain only added to their recent success, with the team racking up four more wins since its inception. One was an upset over then-No. 12 Maryland, helping the Buckeyes reenter the top 25.
"I think it's a unifying experience ... it makes everything more fun. Lightens the mood," Buckeyes senior guard Taylor Mikesell said. "It's just pretty awesome."
Although the Dub Chain is a fun, celebratory prop, Buckeyes players understand they have to play well -- and win -- to wear it.
"As long as we keep taking care of business, we know the chain is going to be there," Sheldon said.
Ohio State's win streak was snapped at six on Thursday against rival No. 6 Michigan, but the team bounced back against No. 21 Iowa on Monday. The 92-88 victory helped the Buckeyes gain ground on the Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Conference standings.
"We don't plan on losing any more games for the rest of the year," Harris said, quickly knocking on wood. "I think it'll always be special, as long as we do what we're supposed to do."