IU drops third game in a row

With 1:05 left on the clock and IU down 69-57, junior Jenny DeMuth has already labored for 39 minutes and is on the free throw line. She sinks both free throws and goes on to score seven points in the final minute of the game.\nBut DeMuth's efforts weren't enough, as IU fell to Ohio State 71-65. The loss drops IU to 3-5 in the Big Ten and 10-10 overall, while OSU improves to 4-4 in conference action and 12-7 overall. \nThe first 15 minutes of the contest was back-and-forth, with neither team gaining more than a four-point lead. However, the last five minutes of the first half were all OSU, with the Buckeyes going on a 15-0 tear to bring the score to 29-17. \nFreshman Jessica Davenport led the way in the Buckeyes' effort with 10 points. \nOSU then capped off the first half with a 9-6 run to bring the score to 38-23 in the Buckeyes' favor. The 6-foot-5 Davenport and 6-foot-3 senior LaToya Turner ruled the block for the Buckeyes in the first half. Davenport and Turner finished the half with a combined 24 points, 10 rebounds, three steals and five blocks. \nThe duo continued their tear throughout the entire game, as Turner finished the contest with 19 points and nine rebounds, while Davenport finished with 18 points and eight boards.\nPrior to the game, 6-foot-7 freshman center Sarah McKay cited an intent to stop Turner and Davenport, but her efforts weren't enough.\n"I'm really going to work on my defense," McKay said prior to the game. "They have two strong post players, and I want to do whatever I can so they don't go off on us."\nIU fought to make things interesting in the second half, finally bringing the lead down to 10 with 10:50 to play. The Hoosiers were able to cut the lead down to single digits with 23 seconds left in the game on a jumper by DeMuth. IU went on a 9-2 run to end the game, but it wasn't enough.\nIn total, IU outscored the Buckeyes 42-33 in the second half, good for the team's second-highest second-half scoring output of the season. \nDeMuth led IU's crusade with 23 points, nine rebounds and two steals, while sophomore Cyndi Valentin followed with 20 points, three steals and one assist. McKay was the only other Hoosier to break into double digits with 12 points, six boards and two blocks. \nDeMuth, Valentin and McKay created the lion's share of IU's offense, as no other Hoosier scored more than four points. \nDeMuth said she was happy with IU's second-half effort but cited the team's defense for the loss.\n"We need to get better defensively," said DeMuth. "We did some good things to come back in the second half, but we have to play a complete game if we are going to win."\nFoul trouble also affected the Hoosiers' performance, as IU finished the game with 29 total fouls. IU's foul trouble allowed the Buckeyes to finish 24 of 39 from the charity stripe. Despite the foul trouble, IU coach Kathi Bennett was also happy with the team's second-half performance. \n"We are not going to win if we allow the other team to make 24 free throws," Bennett said. "I feel like our first-half post-defense was poor, but we made adjustments in the second half to give ourselves a chance to win." \n-- Contact senior writer Dan Patrick at djpatric@indiana.edu.