Dec. 9, 2012

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COLUMBUS, Ohio - For the second consecutive game, Ohio State turned up the pressure defensively en route to an 81-41 win over visiting Lafayette Sunday afternoon at Value City Arena.

The win is 28th consecutive home victory for the Buckeyes (6-2) while the loss drops the Leopards to 3-7.

Tayler Hill led three Buckeyes in double figures with 19 points on the strength of four 3-point field goals. Amber Stokes added 15 points and three assists while Ashley Adamschipped in with 10 points, six boards and three assists.

The Buckeyes held Lafayette to 26.9 percent shooting and forced 25 turnovers. Ohio State was efficient on the offensive end, shooting 56.4 percent for the game and assisting on 24 of 31 field goals. Ameryst Alston, who made her second straight start at point guard, had five assists as did Martina Ellerbe, who also had seven points and six rebounds off the bench.

Ohio State put the game out of reach early, closing out the first half on a 16-3 run over the final 9:25 to lead 38-16 at halftime. Lafayette shot just 23.1 percent in the first 20 minutes, making just one of its final 10 shots.

Raven Ferguson added eight points for the Buckeyes while Maleeka Kynard and Aleksandra Dobraniceach scored six.

Danielle Fiacco led the Leopards with 10 points and eight rebounds.

Ohio State will have the rest of the upcoming week off to finish final exams before heading west to face Washington State and Gonzaga Dec. 15 and 17.

Postgame Notes
• Ohio State has won 28 consecutive home games dating to the 2010-11 season, the longest active streak in the Big Ten and third longest in the nation behind Stanford and Baylor. Ohio State's last loss at home was Feb. 6, 2011 to Northwestern.

• Ohio State has hit at least one 3-pointer in 127 consecutive games.

• Since the start of the 2009-10 season, Ohio State is 73-3 when scoring at least 70 points. They are 6-0 this year when scoring at least 70.

• Ohio State, which ended the first half vs. Lafayette on a 16-3 run, shot 50 percent from the field in the opening half. The Buckeyes improved that percentage to 63 percent in the second half.

• The Buckeyes were 6-for-9 from 3-point range for a 66.7 percentage in the second half. Ohio State shot 52.9 percent from behind the arc for the game.

• Ohio State outscored Lafayette, 40-10, in the paint and scored 28 points off turnovers.

• The Buckeye bench contributed 29 points.

• Senior Tayler Hill has scored in double-figures in 42 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the Big Ten.

• With 19 points, Hill moved to 13th on the Ohio State all-time points list. For her career, Hill has 1,539 points. Courtney Coleman is 12th with 1,540.

• Junior Martina Ellerbe tied her career high in rebounds with six.

• Freshman Ameryst Alstonrecorded a career high five assists.

Postgame Quotes

Jim Foster, Ohio State head coach
On competition during finals week
"I love the fact we stayed together between the ears. That's a coach's biggest fear at exam time - the concentration being in other places. I think one of the ways you can judge the maturity of your team is how they handle that situation. In my mind we did a very good job of that today."

On Ohio State's performance
"We were sound defensively and we moved the ball very well offensively. There was a bit of time in the first half where we could have been a little more patient and if we had waited a beat or two, something better would have risen. We picked up on that."

On Ohio State's defensive strategy
"I think that's way good teams are going to need to play - move the defense. Coaches will tell you at any level the more the ball is reversed, the closer the defense gets to their responsibilities in terms of their person, and that's what opens the floor. When you're taking quick shots often times you're playing into the hands of the defense. If you reverse the ball a number of times, they're playing into your hands."

Tayler Hill, Ohio State senior guard
On progression of Ohio State's ball handling
"We are getting better with ball movement. In these particular games, we try to focus on the weakness of our team, so in the future we know what our weaknesses are."

On the team's focus during non-conference games
"The coaches make sure we stay focused during practice. Even if we do not have a game until Saturday, Monday's practice will be just as intense as practice on a Friday."

Amber Stokes, Ohio State senior guard
On the Buckeyes' growth from the first game to the game today
"We have grown a lot. I see it in practice and on the court. We are staying focused and doing what we need to do to finish out our games."

On the upcoming trip to Washington
"We are really excited about traveling west and playing some more competitive teams. It will be a challenge but we are ready for it."