Guard Kennedy Cambridge (3) goes up for a layup. No. 18 Ohio State beat the Flames 81-34 on Nov. 2, 2026. Credit: Cassandra D'Angelo | Sports Photo Editor.
Just minutes before tip-off, senior guard Kennedy Cambridge was recognized for breaking the program’s single-season steals record in the 2025-2026 season.
Once the game got underway, Cambridge picked up where she left off on the defensive end recording a game-high three steals, as the Buckeyes’ defense caused problems for the University of Illinois Chicago’s offense Monday night.
Ohio State scored 36 points off 25 Flames turnovers and grabbed 25 offensive rebounds to cruise to an 81-34 season-opening victory over UIC Monday.
“I thought we had a good start,” head coach Kevin McGuff said. “Our focus and intensity were good from the tip.”
The teams were tied 7-7 early in the first quarter, but it was Ohio State’s game from there.??
The Buckeyes closed the period on a 20-0 run, forcing six turnovers during the stretch.
McGuff credited the team’s defensive pressure for disrupting UIC’s offense.
“We picked up our intensity and started to bother them a little bit,” McGuff said. “We sped them up and got them out of rhythm.”
The defensive effort continued in the second quarter, as the Buckeyes held the Flames to six points and took a 50-13 lead into halftime. Ohio State outscored UIC by 10 points in the second-half en route to the win.
Despite the dominant defensive performance, junior center Elsa Lemmil? emphasized that the team still has room to improve.
“We could have still played better,” Lemmil? said. “Something that we have put an emphasis on in practice a lot is communication, and it’s something we still need to get better at.”
While Ohio State struggled from beyond the arc, connecting on just 6 of 31 of its 3-point attempts, its offensive rebounding helped keep the offense afloat. The Buckeyes scored 23 second chance points.
McGuff said improving on the offensive glass was a point of emphasis for the team during the offseason.
“It’s been an emphasis for us to be a better rebounding team in general,” McGuff said. “Offensive rebounding is a part of that, and I was happy to see us get in there.”
Freshman Sydney Mobley provided an offensive spark, scoring 14 points in her collegiate debut.
Mobley credited her teammates for giving her the confidence to play aggressively from the start.
“My teammates gave me confidence, and just telling me to get out there and do what I do really helped me be comfortable out there,” Mobley said.
Ohio State will return to the Schottenstein Center to face Central Michigan Thursday at 6:30 p.m.
