After a long layoff of two weeks in between games , Ohio State (26-7) will finally be back in action on the biggest stage in the NCAA Tournament on Saturday. The Buckeyes will square off against Howard at 11:30 a.m. (ESPN2) on Saturday, and the Buckeyes’ best player, sophomore point guard Jaloni Cambridge, is ready to make a difference.
Cambridge, who became the seventh Associated Press All-American in program history yesterday, is very excited to play in her third NCAA Tournament game.
“It’s been weird because we’ve been off for so long, just not having to play a game in weeks, but we’ve been in the gym,” Cambridge said, “we’ve been locked in, we’re ready, very excited, especially because we get to host, so it’s just another opportunity to go out and do what we do best.”
Cambridge said she was actually late to find out about the honor of being named an All-American, and was only vaguely aware of its significance.
“I didn’t know, I had to ask my coach, I was like, ‘I don’t know what any of this stuff means,’ and she was like, ‘It doesn’t matter, it’s really good.’ I don’t really get into all of that media stuff, and I’m not saying that,” Cambridge said. “I’m grateful, I just want to go out there and have fun.”
Considering how much she likes her teammates, it comes as no surprise that Cambridge is only focused on winning. The Buckeyes’ point guard said her team is as tight-knit as any team she’s played on.
“The bond that we share is like no other,” Cambridge said. “It’s one of the best teams I have played on. And it’s not just from the basketball standpoint, it’s off the court, and we share so many great moments together, and I love them all. I’ll do anything for them.”
Cambridge said the bond that Ohio State has shown up in the way that players respond from adversity. The Nashville, Tenn. native said the Buckeyes are quick to pick each other up after mistakes regardless of the result of the game.
At least on paper, Cambridge wasn’t at her best in the Big Ten Tournament. Although she was averaging over 23 points per game heading into the postseason, Cambridge failed to score 20 or more points in a single game in the Big Ten Tournament. In Ohio State’s 72-62 loss to UCLA in the semifinals of that tournament, Cambridge scored 12 points on 4-14 shooting.
She said that in the past, she would have let that sort of performance negatively affect her, but she was proud of the way she got her teammates involved in the loss. Her five assists were the third-most in the game.
“There’s more than just scoring that I can do for this team, whether it’s getting a defensive stop, getting my teammates open, whether they miss or make the shot,” Cambridge said. “There was a comment that was made. I’m not going to tell you who said it, but someone said that I wasn’t playing my best game when we played UCLA, but I told myself that I was doing everything I could. I got my teammates open, whether they missed or made shots. I was doing everything I could. I was just very proud of myself to stay level-headed and not get too low on myself.”
McGuff said he simply wants Cambridge to play aggressively in the Buckeyes’ first NCAA Tournament game.
“We’re at our best when she’s creating pace and tempo for our team,” McGuff said. “And she does that generally. She creates shots for herself, but also makes it easier for her teammates.”
