The Buckeye star listed out before playing the MAC side, though no reason for her absence has been announced.
On Wednesday, the No. 12 Ohio State women’s basketball team will take to the court in Athens to face the Ohio University Bobcats. However, Kevin McGuff’s squad will be without its best player as forward Cotie McMahon has been deemed inactive for the game. As of publishing, there’s no word as to why the forward is out.
McGuff listed McMahon as out on the official availability report which was released three hours before Wednesday’s 7 p.m. ET tip. McMahon has been remarkably consistent for the Buckeyes, since earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors for the 2022-23 season. Wednesday’s matchup against the in-state Bobcats will be the first that she has missed in her collegiate career.
McMahon is one of two returning starting players for Ohio State and has been key to the start of the season. Against Belmont, McMahon scored 21 points in a close 67-63 win where the Buckeyes needed a nine-point comeback with five minutes remaining.
Fortunately, McGuff has a number of options at the forward position in McMahon’s absence. Eboni Walker is the closest like-for-like swap and also has the benefit of having started numerous games in the past. Instead of inserting another forward into the lineup, McGuff could opt to start Kennedy Cambridge as a third guard. This would necessitate Taylor Thierry sliding down into a forward role but would give OSU a different look.
Whatever McGuff decides to do, the Buckeyes’ plan will be evident soon as the two Ohio sides will tip off at 7 p.m. ET in a game broadcast on BTN+. Ohio comes into Wednesday with one win on the season, a 52-40 victory over George Washington last weekend. Ohio State is undefeated at 3-0 on the young season.