When the Buckeyes couldn't shake pesky UNC-Wilmington, they knew exactly who to call on.
Jantel Lavender scored 17 of her 25 points after halftime and Samantha Prahalis had 21 points and 10 assists, leading No. 7 Ohio State to an 88-69 win over UNC Wilmington on Sunday.
Lavender outscored the Seahawks 9-0 on her own to balloon a seven point lead to 16 with just under five minutes to play.
''We started running the floor really well,'' Lavender said. ''We started reversing the ball and making the extra pass.''
Prahalis scored the first seven points of the second half after having just five in the first as the Buckeyes built on a 32-27 advantage.
Lavender also had 11 rebounds and the Buckeyes (5-0) eventually wore down the Seahawks (4-1).
''We were outmanned and outlasted,'' UNCW coach Cynthia Cooper-Dyke said. ''Against the No. 7 team in the nation you can't blow layups and miss defensive assignments.
Brittany Johnson added 17 points for the Buckeyes (5-0), who play Virginia on Thursday before a high-profile matchup against No. 11 Oklahoma next weekend.
Kristen Hanzer had 14 points for the Seahawks (4-1).
Lavender became Ohio State's career leader in field goals with 879, breaking the mark set by Jessica Davenport.
''Jantel hit the ground running as a freshman. She hasn't stopped running yet,'' Ohio State coach Jim Foster said. ''If you win a lot of games you've got to have good players and records are going to fall. Jantel is setting a standard that's tough to beat. We're talking November and she's already broken a four-year record.''
