Is Indiana Women’s Basketball Better Than Ohio State?

In this series, Hoosiers On SI examines where Indiana basketball stands against its Big Ten foes. Today, we look at how the Hoosiers stack up against the Buckeyes.

Ohio State Buckeyes forward Cotie McMahon (32) shoots over Iowa Hawkeyes guard Kylie Feuerbach (4) as Caitlin Clark (22) looks on during the second half at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. / Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

Nine categories were chosen. There will be no ties in individual categories. Think of it like you would the Supreme Court.

The categories: point guard play, free throw shooting, inside scoring, perimeter shooting, rebounding, perimeter defense, rim protection, how much proven Power Five talent is on the roster, and intangibles.

The daily series will cover both the men’s and women’s basketball teams, and it will alternate between the teams.

The Ohio State women’s basketball team is the focus of this edition.

Lest anyone forget, for all of the hype that was around Caitlin Clark and Iowa in 2024, the Buckeyes were the Big Ten regular season champions with a 16-2 Big Ten record.

Unlike Iowa, or Indiana for that matter, the Buckeyes flamed out in the postseason. The Buckeyes were eliminated in the second-round of the NCAA Tournament with a loss to Duke on their home floor. It’s reminiscent of Indiana’s home loss to another ACC team – Miami – at the same stage of the 2023 NCAA Tournament.

Three starters are gone, but the Buckeyes aren’t going anywhere. Coach Kevin McGuff had embraced the transfer portal and used it to keep Ohio State among the expected Big Ten contenders.

Here’s how the battle between the Hoosiers and Buckeyes shakes out.

• Point guard play – Ohio State’s two most productive distributors – Jacy Sheldon and Celeste Taylor both ran out of eligibility. Both played in the WNBA in 2024.

McGuff turned to the portal and plucked Chance Gray from Oregon. Gray (13.9 ppg, 3 apg) was a solid scorer for the Ducks. Indiana’s Chloe Moore-McNeil (10.2 ppg) doesn’t score at the same clip as Gray, but she averaged more assists (5 apg) and is a superior 3-point shooter and has better underlying defensive stats. Edge: Indiana.

• Free throw shooting – Among returning starters, guard-forward Taylor Thierry (75.7%) is the only one who shot better than 70% at the line. Gray (81.1%) was very good at Oregon. Shay Ciezki (90.2%), Sydney Parrish (79.2%) and Moore-McNeil (76.1%) exceed the averages of the Buckeyes’ regulars, but Ohio State has reserves Madison Greene (78.6%) and Eboni Walker (76.9%) who shot it better the line than Indiana’s reserves did. Edge: Ohio State.

Kentucky forward Ajae Petty (13) wheels to the basket as she is defended by Alabama forward Essence Cody (21) and Alabama guard Loyal McQueen (0) at Coleman Coliseum Sunday. / Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News / USA TODAY NETWORK

• Inside scoring – One half of the Buckeyes’ frontcourt – Rebeka Mikulsikova – graduated, but forward Cotie McMahon (14.4 ppg) is back. Mikulsikova was replaced by Kentucky transfer center Ajae Petty (14.2 ppg). Both McMahon and Petty shot 50% from the field in 2024 and could be formidable together. Indiana is working in a new frontcourt. The Buckeyes have more proven talent. Edge: Ohio State.

• Perimeter shooting – Thierry is an elite 3-point shooter at 44.7%, but Greene (34.5%) and Gray (33.7%) are the only other two Buckeyes who converted above 30% in 2024 … and Greene was a reserve. Indiana’s Yarden Garzon (42.2%), Moore-McNeil (40.9%) and Parrish (40%) remain nearly impossible to top. Edge: Indiana.

• Rebounding – Petty (10.6 rpg at Kentucky) helps the Buckeyes in a major way. Combined with McMahon (6.3 rpg), they form a duo that will be tough to overcome on the glass. Edge: Ohio State.

Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark (22) controls the ball as Ohio State Buckeyes guard Taylor Thierry (2) defends during the game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. / Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

• Perimeter defense – Ohio State lost a lot when Sheldon and Taylor graduated. They were the only teammates on the All-Big Ten defensive teams in 2024. Thierry is a plus-defender, but the Hoosiers have Moore-McNeil, Parrish and Lexus Bargesser, all of whom are plus-defenders in their own right. Edge: Indiana.

• Defense at the rim – Neither team has a proven shot blocker. McMahon had good underlying defensive stats, but Petty did not at Kentucky. Indiana’s Lilly Meister and Karoline Striplin both have good underlying advanced defensive numbers, but neither was a starter in 2024. Tough call. McMahon and Petty’s starting experience get the nod. Edge: Ohio State.

• Proven Power 5 ability on roster – The standard here is whether a player averaged 25 minutes or more at the Power Five level at their current or former school.

We have a deadlock in this category. Ciezki, Garzon, Moore-McNeil and Parrish make the cut for Indiana. Gray, McMahon, Petty and Thierry qualify for Ohio State. Tie goes to the school with the next-most experienced player. In this case? Bargesser (21.6 mpg) breaks this category in the Hoosiers’ favor. Edge: Indiana.

• Intangibles – Not yet mentioned is Ohio State’s talented freshman class. Guard Jaloni Cambridge is a McDonald’s All-American from Monteverde Academy. She was a top 5 national recruit in the Class of 2024. Forward Ella Hobbs and guard Ava Watson were both top 100 recruits too. It’s a talented group and Ohio State is just experienced enough so that they can play and learn without much pressure on them.

McGuff has a track record developing freshmen – McMahon was Big Ten Freshman Of The Year in 2023 – so if these freshmen develop quickly, Ohio State will be in a great place. Edge: Ohio State.

• Verdict – Ohio State wins this by a hair at 5-4, decided by a very close decision in the free throw and interior defense categories. This nearly aligns with the Big Ten preseason poll where the Buckeyes were picked third and the Hoosiers fifth. Both teams have talent and should battle with one another to the conclusion of the Big Ten season.

Previous Is Indiana Better Than Women's Basketball Results

Oregon – Indiana 5-4.

Rutgers – Indiana 5-4.

Maryland – Maryland 7-2.

USC – USC 6-3.

Penn State - Indiana 8-1.

Minnesota - Indiana 6-3.

Michigan - Indiana 9-0.

UCLA - UCLA 8-1.

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