No. 18 Ohio State kept its perfect start rolling Sunday afternoon at the Schottenstein Center, easing past Mercyhurst 91-57 behind a dominant double-double from Elsa Lemmila. Lemmila finished with 19 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks, according to the Associated Press report of the game, as the Buckeyes improved to 3-0 on the young season.
The Buckeyes set the tone immediately, making their first six field goals and 10 of their first 11 shots to build an early 23-9 lead, the Associated Press reported. Mercyhurst then missed its first 10 shots of the second quarter, and an 11-0 Ohio State run stretched the margin to 40-18 on the way to a 51-29 halftime lead.
Jaloni Cambridge added 17 points and seven assists for Ohio State, while Ava Watson supplied 15 points and seven steals, according to the Associated Press. The Lakers, to their credit, connected on 10 three-pointers in the game, Mercyhurst’s athletics department reported, but the Buckeyes’ lead never dropped below 21 points in the second half.
Sofia Wilson led Mercyhurst (1-2) with 16 points, four three-pointers and five assists, according to the Associated Press. The Lakers had kept the first quarter respectable, scoring 18 points in the opening frame, before Ohio State’s defense tightened and the game tilted decisively toward the home team.
The win continues a commanding opening stretch for the Buckeyes, who surpassed the century mark in a 103-36 rout of Central Michigan on Thursday. Sunday’s performance showed a different kind of control — a fast start, a smothering second quarter and balanced scoring that let Ohio State manage the second half without drama.
Lemmila’s interior presence anchored both ends of the floor. Her four blocks set a defensive tone in the paint, and her work on the glass helped Ohio State dictate possessions against a Mercyhurst team that relied on perimeter shooting to stay within reach.
What happens next is a considerable step up in competition. Ohio State hosts No. 2 UConn on Thursday at the Schottenstein Center, a matchup that will test the Buckeyes’ unbeaten start far more severely. Mercyhurst, meanwhile, travels to St. Bonaventure on Wednesday.
Photo: JonRidinger, CC BY-SA