Ohio State sophomore point guard Jaloni Cambridge continued her excellent 2025-26 campaign in the Buckeyes’ 88-83 win over USC on Sunday. The superstar guard scored 33 points on 12-21 shooting and added six rebounds and three steals.
After the game, the former McDonald’s All-American and her teammates received high praise from USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb.
“I am proud of our team and the fight. I think it’ll make us better,” Gottlieb said. “I think they’re legit. I think Jaloni Cambridge is as good a guard as there is, and probably doesn’t get talked about enough.”
Against the Trojans, Cambridge was at her best when the lights were brightest. In the fourth quarter, which Ohio State entered trailing 64-61, Cambridge went 4-5 from the field and 7-8 from the free throw line to score 16 points and help her team outscore USC 27-19 in the final ten minutes.
Cambridge is well-known for the speed she has with the ball in her hands, which Gottlieb said was difficult to prepare for in the lead up to the game.
“She’s elite with (her speed), and the way that they play is elite with that,” Gottlieb said. “And I would still say it wasn’t necessarily that she scored, but it obviously puts you under duress the whole game.”
Cambridge’s 33-point performance only increased her points per game average. Now averaging 23.1 points per game, Cambridge is the sixth-leading scorer in the country and is just above Indiana guard Shay Ciezki as the leading scorer in the Big Ten.
And in addition to being one of the best scorers in the country, Cambridge is averaging 5.7 rebounds per game, 4.4 assists per game and 2.0 steals per game. Against USC, Cambridge continued that trend by tallying six rebounds and three steals. Ohio State head coach Kevin McGuff appreciates the variety of ways his star point guard is able to impact the game
“She’s an incredible player and just a great competitor,” McGuff said of Cambridge after the USC game. “She loves to win, and she’ll do anything for this team to put us in position to do that. And I thought tonight was another great example. She obviously scored a lot of points, but she had a lot of great defensive plays… She is an incredible player, and we’re certainly fortunate to have her.”
