Ohio State holds off Minnesota in Big Ten tournament

Buckeyes force 21 turnovers to overcome rebounding deficit against Gophers

Published on Mar. 7, 2026

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Elsa Lemmila posted a double-double and Jaloni Cambridge capped her 17-point effort with a win-sealing layup in No. 11 Ohio State's 60-55 quarterfinal defeat of No. 19 Minnesota at the Big Ten tournament in Indianapolis. The fourth-seeded Buckeyes forced 21 turnovers to overcome a 44-27 deficit on the glass, which included Sophie Hart's 19 rebounds to lead the fifth-seeded Gophers.

Why it matters

The win sends Ohio State into Saturday's semifinals to meet No. 1 seed UCLA, while Minnesota's tournament run comes to an end. This was a closely contested matchup between two ranked Big Ten teams vying for a spot in the conference tournament semifinals.

The details

Lemmila had 17 points and 11 rebounds for Ohio State. Cambridge added six assists, five rebounds and three steals. Chance Gray scored 13 points for the Buckeyes. For Minnesota, Hart had a double-double with 12 points and 19 rebounds, while Grace Grocholski led all scorers with 18 points.

  • The game was played on Friday, March 7, 2026 in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament in Indianapolis.

The players

Elsa Lemmila

A player for Ohio State who posted a double-double in the game.

Jaloni Cambridge

An Ohio State player who scored 17 points, including a game-sealing layup.

Sophie Hart

A Minnesota player who had a double-double with 12 points and 19 rebounds.

Grace Grocholski

A Minnesota player who led all scorers with 18 points.

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The takeaway

Ohio State was able to overcome Minnesota's rebounding advantage by forcing 21 turnovers, showcasing their defensive intensity and ability to win a close, hard-fought game against a ranked conference opponent.