Iowa torches defenseless Ohio State, 103-89

IOWA CITY — Just when you thought the Iowa Hawkeyes were on the brink of collapse, they came up with this.

'They continue to amaze me,' Coach Lisa Bluder said after the 25th-ranked Hawkeyes toppled No. 14 Ohio State, 103-89, in a Big Ten women's basketball game in front of 6,012 Thursday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

'I'm incredibly proud of this group. They never lost faith, and they never lost belief in each other.'

The Hawkeyes (16-5 overall, 4-4 Big Ten) ended a three-game losing streak, thanks to two double-doubles, neither of which were recorded by Megan Gustafson.

Kathleen Doyle recorded 25 points and 11 assists, and Chase Coley picked up 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Gustafson scored 29 points, but managed just five boards. She didn't mind a bit.

'I didn't get my rebounds,' Gustafson said, turning to Coley and Doyle. 'But they filled in, so thanks, guys.'

Coley and Doyle responded, in unison:

'We got you.'

Actually, it would be a Gustafson double-double if 'drops of blood shed' was a statistic. She collided with Ohio State's Sierra Calhoun with 2 1/2 minutes left, and both were down for a good length of time.

'I turned to run, and we just collided,' said Gustafson, who suffered a mere bloody nose.

'If I got hit in the face every game and we'd get a win, I'd do it.'

The difference in the game came in the first quarter, when Iowa scored 14 consecutive points for a 20-6 lead. Then it was a matter of answering every run the Buckeyes (16-5, 5-3) could muster.

Ohio State got within three points twice in the first half, but Iowa righted itself and took a 53-44 lead into the locker room.

It was 58-44 before the Buckeyes made another charge. Asia Doss' steal and layup got Ohio State within 66-64, but the Hawkeyes pushed it back to 77-69 by the end of the quarter.

Kelsey Mitchell's three-point play made it 82-77 with 8:38 to go, but that was the Buckeyes' last hurrah.

The eighth-highest scorer in NCAA history, Mitchell finished with 27 points Thursday to push her career total to 3,075.

'She had 27, but she had to work for them,' Bluder said.

Makenzie Meyer shot like her pre-injury self, hitting 4 of 6 shots from behind the arc and scoring 18 points. Hannah Stewart added eight points, and Cedar Rapids native Amanda Ollinger continued to trend upward with a solid six-point, five-rebound outing. Iowa collected 26 assists, compared to five for Ohio State.

Coley is the only remaining member of Iowa's Sweet 16 team of 2015. She was asked how Thursday's win compared to some of the victories she shared with Samantha Logic, Melissa Dixon, et al.

'It's really fun playing with this team,' Coley said. 'They're different teams, with different players.

'I had some great experiences with that team, and now I'm making more memories with this team.'

Iowa hosts Nebraska at 2 p.m. Sunday.

IOWA 103, OHIO STATE 89

At Iowa City

OHIO STATE (89): Stephanie Mavunga 5-7 5-5 15, Kelsey Mitchell 10-26 4-6 27, Sierra Calhoun 4-11 0-0 9, Linnae Harper 8-20 1-2 17, Asia Doss 6-9 2-2 14, Alexa Hart 0-2 0-0 0, Makayla Waterman 2-9 2-2 7, Jensen Caretti 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 35-86 14-17 89.

IOWA (103): Chase Coley 6-8 0-0 12, Megan Gustafson 9-14 11-14 29, Makenzie Meyer 4-11 6-6 18, Alexis Sevillian 1-3 0-0 3, Kathleen Doyle 9-19 3-4 25, Hannah Stewart 4-8 0-0 8, Carly Mohns 1-1 0-0 2, Amanda Ollinger 3-4 0-0 6. Totals 37-68 20-24 103.

Halftime: Iowa 53, Ohio State 44. 3-point goals: Ohio State 5-23 (Mitchell 3-11, Calhoun 1-6, Harper 0-1, Doss 0-1, Hart 0-1, Waterman 1-3), Iowa 9-17 (Meyer 4-6, Sevillian 1-3, Doyle 4-8). Team fouls: Ohio State 25, Iowa 17. Fouled out: Mavunga, Waterman. Technical fouls: Ohio State bench. Rebounds: Ohio State 47 (Harper 12), Iowa 40 (Coley 11). Assists: Ohio State 5 (Mitchell, Doss 2), Iowa 26 (Doyle 11). Steals: Ohio State 10 (Harper 4), Iowa 3 (Doyle 2). Turnovers: Ohio State 10, Iowa 14.

Attendance: 6,012.

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com