Ohio State University is once again preparing for the NCAA Women’s Tournament, aiming to surpass its recent second-round exits, despite having home court advantage at the Schottenstein Center. The Buckeyes, seeded third, will face 14th-seeded Howard on Saturday. The victor will compete against either Notre Dame, seeded sixth, or 11th-seeded Fairfield on Monday as part of the Fort Worth 1 Regional.
Under Coach Kevin McGuff, Ohio State has shown significant improvement throughout the season, climbing from an unranked position to finishing 11th in the final Associated Press Top 25. McGuff emphasized, “Our attention to detail and focus on preparation have been as good as they’ve been in years. I think that’s what we’re going to have to hang our hat on this week.”
Historically, the Buckeyes have faced challenges, such as last year’s second-round defeat by Tennessee and the previous year’s loss to Duke, despite being a second seed. The current draw poses another tough challenge with Notre Dame’s consistent Sweet 16 appearances in its last 14 tournaments.
Ohio State’s Jaloni Cambridge, reflecting on a recent close game, expressed optimism, “The last home game (an 88-86 overtime loss to Maryland), we didn’t get to pull it out the way we wanted to. Hopefully, we get the next two opportunities to make it a good one and just go out and have fun.”
Focus on Guard Performances
Columbus will be the stage for impressive guard play, featuring standout players like Ohio State’s Jaloni Cambridge and Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo, both named AP second-team All-Americans. Hidalgo, noted for her scoring prowess with 25.2 points per game, also leads Division I in steals. Cambridge ranks seventh in scoring, with her sister Kennedy Cambridge also excelling defensively with 128 steals.
Fairfield’s Kaety L’Amoreaux claimed the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference player of the year honors with her scoring average of 17.6 points and 73 3-pointers. Meanwhile, Howard’s Ariella Henigan earned recognition as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference rookie of the year, scoring 9.0 points per game.
Notre Dame’s Late-Season Surge
Notre Dame has gained momentum, winning nine of its last 11 games. Despite playing away from home for only the second time since 2015’s first weekend, the Fighting Irish have overcome midseason projections of a ninth or 10th seed. Their success includes victories over four NCAA tournament teams, averaging 74.8 points and a 45.9% field goal percentage.
Notre Dame’s Cassandre Prosper remarked, “I think this year we’ve faced a lot of adversity, and now being in a different environment, we just get to showcase how more resilient we are as a team.”
Howard’s Homecoming
Leading Howard’s team is Zennia Thomas, the MEAC player of the year and a native of Cleveland. Thomas, who averages 15.2 points and 8.0 rebounds, looks forward to playing close to her roots. “It will definitely be a family reunion, I can say that,” Thomas shared. Howard aims for its first NCAA Tournament victory in its seventh appearance, boasting strong 3-point defense.
3-Point Expertise from Fairfield
Fairfield leads the nation in 3-pointers made per game, with a season total ranking 14th in NCAA Division I history. The Stags feature three players, Janelle Brown, Kaety L’Amoreaux, and Meghan Andersen, each surpassing 1,000 career points. Coach Carly Thibault-Dudonis highlighted their unique offensive capabilities, stating, “We are a unique matchup in that all five on the floor can score, and we have so many weapons, especially from the 3-point line.”
For further details on the NCAA Women’s Tournament, visit the AP NCAA Women’s Bracket and March Madness coverage.
