Jaloni Cambridge’s return to 100% health necessary with upcoming Ohio State stretch

It was a night and day performance from Cambridge’s first game back to Sunday’s Ohio State win

Before anyone rang in the New Year, point guard Jaloni Cambridge returned from a right shoulder injury in a matchup for No. 9 Ohio State women’s basketball against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. The Dec. 29 game was the first time Cambridge played since Dec. 10, after taking a rough fall against the Ball State Cardinals that left the freshman out for three games.

Although Rutgers hasn’t been a force in the Big Ten for a few years, the matchup between Cambridge and Scarlet Knights’ freshman star Kiyomi McMiller made it a potential main event — a game highlighting the future of the Big Ten.

It was not.

At the end of the first half, the two combined for six total points and an equal amount of fouls. Cambridge especially struggled, going 1-of-13 in the game, but still made an impact with seven assists and four rebounds.

Sunday was different for the No. 1 ranked point guard in the 2024 class of prospects, leading the Buckeyes with 20 points, six rebounds and three assists in a 92-62 win over the Northwestern Wildcats.

After a four-point first quarter, Cambridge hit another level with 18 points in 13 minutes. Cambridge was the catalyst for a strong third quarter where the Buckeyes held the Wildcats to nine total points.

In the first three minutes of the third, Cambridge had seven points, two steals, two rebounds, an assist and even a block.

“That’s just the work and preparation that this whole team and staff has just put in towards me just to be back on the court,” said Cambridge. “The last game I played wasn’t my best but I did what I could and just being here I just feel more comfortable being out there.”

The two Big Ten performances show what happens when Cambridge is 100 percent, or at least close. Cambridge and her fellow starters didn’t play for the last 13:42 of the game but on the bench the point guard wore a cloth brace on the injured right shoulder.

What’s important for the Buckeyes is that the injury is at a place where it isn’t taking away from Cambridge’s ability in games, because this week Ohio State will need Cambridge and then some in their next two games.

On Wednesday, it’s a matchup with a trio of outstanding freshmen on the 24th-ranked Michigan Wolverines, including No. 4 ranked prospect Syla Swords who’s coming off a 30-point game against the UCLA Bruins Saturday.

Then, on Sunday, the Oregon Ducks travel to Columbus where North Carolina transfer Deja Kelly’s leading the new Big Ten side in somewhat of a resurgence. The Ducks are 11-4, already matching their win total from last season. Kelly leads the Ducks with 3.8 assists per game and is second in both points (10.6) and rebounds (5.0). In the NCAA Tournament’s second round in 2023, Kelly scored 22 points against the Buckeyes in a game won by Ohio State in the final seconds.

Look further ahead in the schedule and the Scarlet and Gray also have matchups with the No. 8 Maryland Terrapins and Nebraska Cornhuskers before the end of January, plus games against the No. 1 UCLA Bruins and No. 4 USC Trojans in the first eight days of February.

Cambridge brings something to the Buckeyes that can’t be taught.

“We have one of the fastest point guards in the country, and so we want to challenge everybody to keep up with her,” said head coach Kevin McGuff. “Jelani puts a lot of pressure on the defense to get back and guard.”

That was on display Sunday. That three minute burst of energy out of halftime meant nine points for Ohio State out of the first 12 scored, and all nine of them were created by either a Cambridge steal, rebound or assist.

Cambridge also benefits from having players like Cotie McMahon and Chance Gray around the freshman on the perimeter. When Cambridge runs the ball down the court, defenses have less time to get set, and with a whole starting five of offensive outlets Cambridge has plenty of options to choose from. The freshman can run a play, find an open teammate if opponents are slow to return on defense or the third, and most exciting, option — going to the rim.

“I go until someone stops me,” said Cambridge. “There’s no right or wrong time for me to go. If no one’s stopping me I’m just going to keep going until I get stopped and then get into the offense then.”

Ohio State’s trip to Ann Arbor on Wednesday is the toughest opponent ahead of the Buckeyes as it inches towards the halfway mark of the season. If a healthy Cambridge is part of that journey into rival territory, it will give the Scarlet and Gray a shot of momentum as the difficulty of opponents continues to rise.