Elsa Lemmilä Goes 7 for 7 as No. 18 Ohio State Shoots 65 Percent in 91-57 Win Over Mercyhurst

COLUMBUS, Ohio. Elsa Lemmilä did not miss. Lemmilä went 7 for 7 from the field and 4 for 4 at the line for 19 points, grabbed a season-high 12 rebounds and blocked a season-high four shots, and No. 18 Ohio State stayed unbeaten with a 91-57 win over Mercyhurst on Sunday, Nov. 8, at the Schottenstein Center.

All five Ohio State starters scored in double figures, and Sydney Mobley made it six with 11 points off the bench. The Buckeyes shot 35 of 54 from the field, 64.8 percent, which Ohio State said was the program's best shooting performance since November 2023. In front of 4,726 fans on season ticket holder appreciation day, the Buckeyes moved to 3-0. Mercyhurst fell to 1-2.

Here is the ESPN box score (opens in a new tab) and Ohio State's recap (opens in a new tab).

Four layups in a minute

The Buckeyes set the tone in a hurry, scoring four layups in about a minute to take an 8-2 lead. Jaloni Cambridge started the burst with a fast-break layup.

The lead was 14-4 at the 6:54 mark and 19-7 by the middle of the first quarter. Ohio State made 12 of its 16 shots in the period and led 29-18 after 10 minutes. Ava Watson was the driving force on defense, collecting four steals in the first four minutes of the game.

The one thing Ohio State did not do in the first quarter was put Mercyhurst away. The Lakers scored 18 points in the period, more than UIC or Central Michigan managed in any quarter against the Buckeyes this season.

The second quarter breaks it open

That changed after the first break. Ohio State scored the first 11 points of the second quarter to stretch the lead to 40-18. Jaloni Cambridge hit a jumper to make it 51-29 at halftime.

The third quarter brought more of the same. A 6-0 run that included free throws by Lemmilä made it 59-32 with 6:44 left in the period, and a three-point play by Kylee Kitts later pushed the lead to 71-45. Ohio State scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter for an 80-50 cushion, and the Buckeyes closed the game with the final five points. Adriana Diaz hit a free throw for the 91-57 final.

Lemmilä and Watson lead the way

Lemmilä's perfect day was the headline. In 27 minutes, Lemmilä made all seven shots, including a 3-pointer, and turned it over just once. According to Ohio State, the 12 rebounds and four blocks were both season highs, and the double-double was Lemmilä's second of the season after the 15 and 11 against UIC in the opener.

Watson's line was just as impressive in a different way. Watson scored 15 points on 6 of 9 shooting, made two 3-pointers and handed out three assists, but the number that stood out was seven steals, which tied a career high according to Ohio State. Four of them came before the game was four minutes old.

Jaloni Cambridge added 17 points on 8 of 11 shooting with seven assists, four rebounds, two steals and a block. Kennedy Cambridge, Jaloni's sister, scored 11 points, went 4 for 4 at the line and grabbed eight rebounds to go with four steals. Kitts finished with 12 points on 5 of 8 shooting and five rebounds.

Mobley continued a strong start to a college career. After scoring 14 in each of the first two games, Mobley added 11 against Mercyhurst on 5 of 6 shooting in 13 minutes, including a 3. Diaz scored six, going 4 of 6 at the line, with two steals, and Atlee Vanesko handed out three assists in eight minutes. Bryn Martin played 21 minutes without scoring but contributed a block, and Seini Henry added a steal in eight minutes.

The defense was again the constant. Ohio State finished with 16 steals and eight blocks, and Mercyhurst committed 21 turnovers. Through three games, the Buckeyes have forced 25, 44 and 21 turnovers.

The Buckeyes were also disciplined. Ohio State committed only seven fouls all game, and Mercyhurst attempted just five free throws. The Lakers made all five. Ohio State assisted on 19 of its 35 baskets and outrebounded Mercyhurst 40-20.

There were a few untidy moments. The Buckeyes committed 18 turnovers of their own, with Jaloni Cambridge and Kitts accounting for four apiece, and the 3-point volume was low, with just five made. On a day when Ohio State was scoring at will inside, neither cost anything.

Mercyhurst's 3-point plan

Mercyhurst lived on the 3-pointer. The Lakers attempted 35 3-pointers and made 10 of them, which accounted for 30 of their 57 points. The problem was everything inside the arc, where Mercyhurst went 11 of 27, and the 21 turnovers.

Sofia Wilson led the Lakers with 16 points, going 4 of 6 from 3-point range, and dished out five assists. Wilson also committed six turnovers, a sign of how much pressure Ohio State put on the ball. Erica Hall scored 15 in 38 minutes on 6 of 14 shooting. Cici Hernandez and Alena Fusetti added eight apiece, with Fusetti making 2 of 3 from deep off the bench. Maya Aguilar led Mercyhurst with five rebounds but went 1 of 10 from the field. Hall and Wilson carried the heaviest workloads of anyone in the game, at 38 and 34 minutes.

The Lakers shot 21 of 62 overall, 33.9 percent, and did not block a shot. Fifteen Mercyhurst players got into the game, but only three reached double digits in minutes off the bench.

Three games in, by the numbers

Sunday's win also rounded out a revealing first week. Ohio State won all four quarters against Mercyhurst, 29-18, 22-11, 20-16 and 20-12, and took the halves 51-29 and 40-28.

Across the three games, Lemmilä has made 18 of 19 shots from the field: 5 of 6 against UIC, 6 of 6 against Central Michigan and 7 of 7 against Mercyhurst. Jaloni Cambridge has scored 22, 23 and 17 points, an average of just under 21 a game. Mobley has added 39 points off the bench, and Watson's steal totals have climbed from one to three to seven.

The team defense tells a similar story. Ohio State has piled up 49 steals in three games, 10 against UIC, 23 against Central Michigan and 16 against Mercyhurst. No opponent has shot better than 34 percent from the field. UIC shot 24.1 percent, Central Michigan 29 percent and Mercyhurst 33.9 percent, and the Lakers' 57 points were the most any of the three managed.

What it means and what is next

Three games, three wins by an average of more than 49 points. The opening stretch was soft, but Ohio State used it well. The rotation is taking shape, Mobley has emerged as a reliable scorer off the bench, and the defense has created turnovers in bunches every night. Lemmilä's efficiency inside gives the offense a dependable option when the 3-pointers are not falling.

None of that prepares a team fully for what comes next. Ohio State hosts No. 2 UConn on Thursday, Nov. 12, at 6:30 p.m. on FS1. The Huskies will not commit 21 turnovers, and the Buckeyes are unlikely to shoot 65 percent. What Ohio State can carry into that game is the defensive habit it has built over three games and a frontcourt that has been close to perfect.

For more on the Buckeyes, read our recaps of the 81-34 win over UIC and the 103-36 win over Central Michigan, and visit our Ohio State team page.

Sources: ESPN box score, Ohio State Athletics.

Photo: Ohio State Athletics.