COLUMBUS, Ohio (Interstat) — The Ohio State Buckeyes used a dominant second-half performance and a stifling defensive effort to pull away from the Rutgers Scarlet Knights for a 71-49 victory in a Big Ten women’s basketball game Sunday at Value City Arena.

A crowd of 6,201 watched the Buckeyes improve to 13-2 overall, while Rutgers fell to 8-7.

The game’s pivotal stretch began late in the second quarter. Rutgers, which had started strong and led 17-14 after the first period, saw its offense stall completely. The Scarlet Knights managed just nine points in the second quarter on 3-of-15 shooting. Ohio State closed the half on a decisive 17-2 run over the final 4:45, turning a 26-23 lead into a commanding 31-26 halftime advantage. The surge was fueled by transition opportunities and defensive pressure, with Kennedy Cambridge and Ava Watson hitting three-pointers and Chance Gray converting a three-point play during the burst.

That momentum carried into the second half. Ohio State opened the third quarter with a 13-5 run, extending its lead to 44-31 and effectively putting the game out of reach. Rutgers never got closer than 11 points the rest of the way as the Buckeyes continued to capitalize on Scarlet Knight miscues and controlled the glass.

Ohio State’s defense was the story, holding Rutgers to 39.3% shooting from the field and a dismal 1-for-5 performance from the free-throw line. The Buckeyes also forced 16 turnovers, converting them into 24 points, and dominated the offensive boards with a 14-4 advantage, leading to 14 second-chance points.

Finnish center Elsa Lemmilä anchored the Buckeyes’ interior presence with a stat-stuffing performance of 10 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and five blocked shots in 30 minutes. Jaloni Cambridge led all scorers with 18 points, adding four assists and three steals. Chance Gray added 17 points.

For Rutgers, Imani Lester scored 14 points and grabbed six rebounds, while Faith Blackstone contributed 15 points and five boards. The Scarlet Knights’ offense struggled with efficiency, scoring just 49 points on 70 possessions.

Kennedy Cambridge, named the top star for Ohio State, filled the box score with nine points, eight rebounds, seven assists, a steal and a block, orchestrating much of the Buckeyes’ offensive flow and defensive intensity.

Ohio State next travels to face Illinois on Wednesday. Rutgers will host Maryland on Thursday.