Ohio State women's basketball eliminated from Big Ten Tournament by UCLA

No. 5 seed Buckeyes fall short against No. 1 seed Bruins in semifinals

Published on Mar. 7, 2026

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The Ohio State women's basketball team saw its run in the Big Ten Tournament come to an end with a 72-62 loss to UCLA in the semifinals. Despite holding their own on the boards and forcing 12 UCLA turnovers, the Buckeyes were plagued by 15 turnovers of their own and struggled to capitalize on defensive stops, allowing the Bruins to maintain their lead throughout the game.

Why it matters

Ohio State's loss to UCLA means the Buckeyes will now have to wait to learn their NCAA Tournament fate during Selection Sunday on March 15. The team had been looking to secure an impressive win over the top-seeded Bruins to bolster its tournament resume.

The details

Point guard Jaloni Cambridge, one of the Buckeyes' best players, had an off night, scoring just 12 points on 4-of-14 shooting. The Buckeyes had a chance to close the gap late in the fourth quarter but Cambridge missed a pair of layups that could have cut the deficit further. While Ohio State held its own on the boards, finishing even with UCLA at 34-34, the team's 15 turnovers proved costly as the Bruins converted them into 13 points.

  • The game was played on March 7, 2026 during the Big Ten Tournament semifinals in Indianapolis.

The players

Jaloni Cambridge

Ohio State's starting point guard who struggled offensively, scoring just 12 points on 4-of-14 shooting.

Lauren Betts

UCLA's Big Ten Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, who recorded 14 points and 9 rebounds.

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What’s next

Ohio State will now wait to learn its NCAA Tournament fate during Selection Sunday on March 15.

The takeaway

While Ohio State put up a strong effort against the top-seeded Bruins, the Buckeyes' inability to capitalize on defensive stops and Cambridge's off night proved too much to overcome, ending their run in the Big Ten Tournament.