Ohio State women's basketball beats Howard, advances to Round of 32

The Buckeyes will face No. 6 Notre Dame on Monday in the next round of the NCAA Tournament.

Mar. 21, 2026 at 8:20pm

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The third-seeded Ohio State women's basketball team defeated No. 14 seed Howard 75-54 in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. Star point guard Jaloni Cambridge led the Buckeyes with 21 points, while four players finished in double figures. Ohio State will now face No. 6 seed Notre Dame in the Round of 32 on Monday.

Why it matters

This win advances Ohio State to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, keeping their hopes of a deep postseason run alive. The Buckeyes are looking to make their first Sweet 16 appearance since the 2022-23 season.

The details

Jaloni Cambridge paced Ohio State with 21 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals, 3 assists and 2 blocks. Ava Watson, Chance Gray and Kennedy Cambridge each added 11 points, while Elsa Lemmilä grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds. The Buckeyes led wire-to-wire, building a double-digit lead in the first half and cruising to the 21-point victory.

  • The game was played on Saturday, March 21, 2026.
  • Ohio State will face Notre Dame on Monday, March 23, 2026 in the Round of 32.

The players

Jaloni Cambridge

The star point guard for Ohio State, who led the team with 21 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals, 3 assists and 2 blocks in the win over Howard.

Elsa Lemmilä

The Buckeyes' starting center, who grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds in the victory.

Kevin McGuff

The head coach of the Ohio State women's basketball team, who is looking to guide the Buckeyes to their first Sweet 16 appearance since the 2022-23 season.

Hannah Hidalgo

The star guard for Notre Dame, who Ohio State will have to defend in the Round of 32 matchup.

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What they’re saying

“We must defend our home court and take care of business against Notre Dame on Monday.”

— Jaloni Cambridge, Ohio State Point Guard

What’s next

The winner of the Ohio State-Notre Dame matchup will advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

The takeaway

Ohio State's dominant win over Howard sets up a highly anticipated second-round showdown with Notre Dame, as the Buckeyes look to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament and reach their first Sweet 16 in several seasons.