Jacy Sheldon leads Ohio State to Sweet 16 in win over North Carolina

On Mar 20, 2023

Mar 20, 2023; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes guard Jacy Sheldon (4) makes the game winning shot against North Carolina Tar Heels guard Deja Kelly (25) during the fourth quarter of the NCAA second round game at Value City Arena.

In last year’s NCAA Tournament, the Ohio State women’s basketball team was a No. 6 seed that upset the host team in the second round to advance to the Sweet 16.

On Monday afternoon at Value City Arena, the No. 3 seed Buckeyes were on the other side of the equation, hosting No. 6 seed North Carolina. Ohio State held the lead from the beginning, all the way until the 2:04 mark of the fourth quarter, but the Tar Heels were always within striking distance.

After North Carolina took the lead, it was senior point guard Jacy Sheldon who made a transition layup to put the Buckeyes back ahead. And after the Tar Heels tied the game with 9.8 seconds left, it was Sheldon again who made the go-ahead basket — this time with 1 second remaining to send Ohio State to its second consecutive Sweet 16 with a 71-69 win.

Mar 20, 2023; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes guard Jacy Sheldon (4) tries to steal the ball from North Carolina Tar Heels guard Kennedy Todd-Williams (3) during the first quarter of their NCAA second round game at at Value City Arena.

Needing a strong start after facing double-digit deficits in their past three games, the Buckeyes leapt out to an early lead, fueled by two 3-pointers from senior guard Taylor Mikesell and a defensive effort that held North Carolina off the scoreboard until the 5:55 mark of the first quarter. But the Tar Heels, led by junior guard Deja Kelly, didn’t stay quiet for long.

Kelly went on a solo 6-0 run late in the first quarter to cut North Carolina’s deficit from 13-6 to 13-12, and after Ohio State freshman forward Cotie McMahon completed a three-point play to stretch the lead back to four points, Kelly added another basket at the end of the quarter to make it a two-point game through 10 minutes.

Both teams used balanced scoring efforts in the second quarter to keep the game close at halftime. Kelly and Kennedy Todd-Williams each scored five points for North Carolina, while Alyssa Ustby added four. For Ohio State, six players scored two or more points, with none scoring more than Sheldon and senior forward Eboni Walker, who each contributed four points.

The Tar Heels, who entered the game averaging 18.6 turnovers forced per game, turned the Buckeyes over 12 times in the first half, and Kelly’s speed in transition off those turnovers made her almost impossible for Ohio State to stop. Despite several open layups she missed at the rim, Kelly still contributed 13 of North Carolina’s 28 first-half points.

The Buckeyes stretched their lead to double-digits for the first time early in the third quarter, but once again, the Tar Heels didn’t fade away.

After Todd-Williams brought North Carolina within one point after making two free throws, as the Tar Heels shifted the momentum in their favor, Sheldon extended the lead on a drive to the basket, and Mikesell completed a three-point play to end the quarter with Ohio State up 51-46.

Just 36 seconds into the fourth quarter, North Carolina coach Courtney Banghart called timeout after a quick 4-0 run by the Buckeyes, but the Tar Heels again pushed back after the Buckeyes built another double-digit lead, but this time, it was short-lived.

Mikesell’s fourth three of the game, a quick release shot in the corner after Sheldon grabbed the rebound from her own missed 3-pointer, looked to be the dagger, as Ohio State went up 62-50. But North Carolina went on a 9-0 run over less than two minutes to get back within three points, still not content to go away quietly.