GOPHERS WOMEN'S BASKETBALL GAMEDAY

8 p.m., Thursday vs. Ohio State at Williams Arena

TV: None. Streaming: Peacock. Radio: 96.7 FM

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Kent Youngblood's preview

Opening bell: No. 5 Ohio State (19-3 overall, 10-1 and tied for first with Iowa in the Big Ten Conference) is the hottest team in the conference, having won nine consecutive games. That streak includes victories over top-10 teams Iowa and Indiana. The Buckeyes have four wins against ranked teams, are 5-1 on the road and have risen into the top five in the national polls. Ohio State is coming off a statement win over Indiana in which Jacy Sheldon scored 25 points and Cotie McMahon 20. … The Gophers (14-8, 4-7) have the longest active losing streak in the conference, having dropped four in a row, the past two without leading scorer Mara Braun. The Gophers are coming off a 76-65 loss at Michigan State in a game they trailed by 23 at the half but got within eight points in the fourth quarter.

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Watch her: Ohio Sate is led by Sheldon, a graduate guard (17.9 points), McMahon, a sophomore forward (14.2) and junior wing Taylor Thierry (12.3). ... Gophers guard Janay Sanders has started for Braun in the past two games and has back-to-back season highs. The graduate transfer guard has made 15 of 24 shots in those games and scored 36 points, including 23 at Michigan State. Gophers sophomore forward Mallory Heyer is coming off a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double.

Forecast: It will be difficult for the Gophers to stop their losing skid here. Ohio State is one of the hottest teams in the country.