No. 14 Ohio State opens Big 10 with 87-62 win over Minnesota

Dec 28, 2016, 09:27 pm

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Kelsey Mitchell hit five 3-pointers and scored 23 points and had six assists to lead No. 14 Ohio State to an 87-62 win over Minnesota in the Big Ten opener on Wednesday night.

Mitchell had four 3s in the first quarter, when the Buckeyes opened a 29-18 lead, to become the fifth player in conference history with 300 3-pointers. The junior has 303.

Linnae Harper had 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Buckeyes (11-4), who are 26-3 against the Gophers in Columbus but had lost the last two. Stephanie Mavunga added 10 points and four blocks.

Minnesota (9-5), which has lost to all five Power 5 opponents it has faced, was down 46-33 at the half and then scored just 10 points in the third quarter, missing all six of its 3-pointers, falling behind 65-43.

Kenisha Bell had 14 points for the Gophers, who shot just 29 percent (20 for 70), including 3 of 20 from 3-point range. Bryanna Fernstrom, a mid-year transfer from Iowa State, had 12 points and 10 rebounds in her Minnesota debut.