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No. 8 Ohio State begins week-long slate vs former Pac 12 teams UCLA, USC, Washington
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- No. 8 Ohio State begins week-long slate vs former Pac 12 teams UCLA, USC, Washington
It has been a week since No. 8 Ohio State's last game , and the time off has only built the anticipation: On Sunday, the Buckeyes host Washington in the first of a stretch in which they'll face three of the four former Pac 12 teams who joined the Big Ten at the beginning of the season.
Ohio State hits the road following the Washington matchup, traveling to compete against No. 1 UCLA on Wednesday and No. 4 USC on Saturday.
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"Three new teams, we get to play against new players and play against really good teams," Ohio State point guard Madison Greene said. "So, it is exciting. Think it's going to be really competitive games, and I think we'll be ready."
More: Madison Greene reflects on possible 'last season playing basketball' with Ohio State
Washington is the lowest ranked in the conference of the four new teams. They own a 4-5 Big Ten record.
Five spots ahead of the Huskies, Oregon is 7-3 in Big Ten play with one of its conference losses coming against Ohio State 69-60 on Jan. 12. UCLA and USC sit atop of the conference, both undefeated in the Big Ten.
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The Buckeyes (8-1) sit behind the Bruins and Trojans. OSU's only loss of the season came against Penn State on Jan. 19, 62-59.
It's clear to the Buckeyes that their more challenging opponents are further into the week, but coach Kevin McGuff has emphasized avoiding the trap of overlooking Washington, especially coming off a week-long break.
"That's where all of our focus is right now," McGuff said. "We certainly will put our best forward to try to win. And whatever happens either way, then we'll move on to the next and prepare for the next game. But I don't really want to lump all three games together."
Ohio State's most recent matchup was a 72-66 road victory over Nebraska on Jan. 26, a game in which the Buckeyes failed to hold a lead until the third quarter.
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In the week since, Ohio State capitalized on having plenty of practice time and focused on their weaknesses.
"We kind of worked on the smaller things that we probably don't usually get to work on or emphasize when we have two games a week," Ohio State guard/forward Taylor Thierry said. "Just fundamentals like finishing, breaking down our press, just working on different scenarios that we probably don't execute well during games."
What to expect from Ohio State vs Washington
A majority of Washington's 11-player roster stands below 6 feet, allowing the Huskies to run out lineups that only include guards on certain occasions.
Ohio State point guard Madison Greene brings the ball up the court against Maryland a week ago.
With Washington leading the conference in 3-point percentage at 36.3%, McGuff said he's prepared to play a shorter lineup for a strong perimeter defense. There could be a situation where Thierry, 6-foot-1, slots in as the Buckeyes' five against the Huskies.
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"I'm pretty comfortable (there). I mean, we've had to do it a few times throughout the season," Thierry said. "So, I'm kind of used to it by now. But having just five guards, I feel like that's just helpful sometimes when we play against other teams, even if they do have a big."
Ohio State tip off against Washington is set for 5 p.m. at Value City Arena.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State women's basketball prepares to face UCLA, USC, Washington
