Dec. 13, 2011

Box Score | Game Highlights

Box Score

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Tayler Hill had 21 points, four assists and five steals in 29 minutes to lead No. 12 Ohio State to an 83-49 victory over Southern University on Tuesday night.

Hill, who is 11th nationally in scoring at 21.3 points per game, had five steals in the first 15 minutes and converted all of them into layups to help the Buckeyes to a 44-24 halftime lead.

With the win, Ohio State moves to 9-0 -- the best season start under head coach Jim Foster. The Buckeyes can match the 2000-01 team for the program's best start in the NCAA era since (1982-83) with a win Saturday at California (5 p.m. ET).

Kendra Coleman had 14 points for Southern (1-5), which has lost five straight. The Jaguars had allowed 60 points per game but the Buckeyes reached that mark with 12 minutes to go on a layup by Hill off one of seven assists by Samantha Prahalis, who had 17 points.

Sophomore Darryce Moore made her second consecutive start in place of Kalpana Beach. Moore finished was efficient with 12 points and six rebounds in 20 minutes while Ashley Adams and Amber Stokes both finished with seven points.

All in all, 10 different Buckeyes reached the scoring column as the Buckeyes won for the 20th time in the last 21 games dating to last season.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Postgame Notes

• With the win over Southern, the Buckeyes are off to their best start (9-0) under head coach Jim Foster. Previously, under Foster, Ohio State began the season 8-0 in 2009-10 before losing at Duke in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. (The program’s best start since the start of NCAA play in 1982-83 is 10-0 set during the 2000-01 season. OSU started 14-0 in 1972.
• Ohio State scored 70 or more points for the eighth time this season. The lone game when the Buckeyes did not score at least 70 points was at Oklahoma Dec. 4.
• Jim Foster is now one win away from his 750th career victory. Foster would become just the ninth Division I women’s coach to reach 750 career wins.
• Under Foster, Ohio State improves to 148-13 all-time in Columbus.
• The Buckeyes improved to 2-0 vs. Southern. Prior to Tuesday night, Ohio State faced Southern once before, a 79-38 win Nov. 19, 2007 in Columbus.
• For the third consecutive game, Ohio State shot 50 percent or better from the field. Tuesday night, the Buckeyes were 32-of-60 (53 percent).
• With five steals vs. Southern, junior guard Tayler Hill now has 17 in her last four games. Hill also led all scorers with 21 points. It is the fifth consecutive game Hill has scored 20 or more points, including a 31-point outing vs. Florida State Nov. 30, a 78-75 Buckeye overtime win.
• Senior guard Samantha Prahalis added 17 points and seven assists.

Postgame Quotes

Tayler Hill, junior guard

On the game

“In the second half we lost our focus a little bit. In games like this we need to come out and work on the things we need to. Overall I think we did okay. Everyone played and touched the ball.”

On the upcoming game against California

“I think in games like tonight we need to work on our weaknesses, like boxing out. I think games like this we can use to get better. We can use these games to better prepare for a game like Cal.”

Samantha Prahalis, senior guard

On Ohio State’s focus

“We need to stay focused. You know it’s a team win when everyone gets some playing time. We need to stay focused and keep our intensity up.”

On the upcoming game against California

“That’s going to be a little hectic, but we have to handle it. We’ll be good. We know they’re really athletic. We heard they rebound the ball really well.”

Jim Foster, Head Coach

On putting Samantha Prahalis back in the game

“When I looked up in the huddle, she was standing there and she’s not going to be standing there if she’s injured, so I put her back in.”

On expectations of Kalpana Beach’s return

“[Darryce] Moore is a pretty good player.  I’m sure that will help Beach’s return.  When you look out there and you’re not out there, you get competitive quickly.  I think she’s a lot closer to being ready, but we need to wait and see.” 

On Tayler Hill’s steals

“Some of it is on Amber [Stokes], when the pressure on the ball is significant, the passes get longer and when passes get longer there are more chances to get a pick. I’m still convinced she had more picks than she had credit for.”

On the upcoming California game

“To be competitive we need to box out.  We have prepared all year to box out. It’s something we’ve emphasized from day one.  We run drills and talk to them.  We talk until we’re blue in the face, but I think when we watch film on Cal, they will get the urgency.”