DaytonDailyNews.com

COLUMBUS — Jantel Lavender had 20 points and Ohio State scored its final 10 points on free throws to beat Mississippi State 64-58 Monday, March 23, in an NCAA second-round game.

The Buckeyes (29-5) advance to the Berkeley regional to meet the San Diego State-Stanford winner on Saturday.

Star Allen added 12 points and 10 rebounds, saving her best for last. She rebounded a missed free throw with 15 seconds left and then added two clinching free throws for Ohio State, which has won 10 in a row and 15 of 17.

Tysheka Grimes scored 20 of her 22 points in the opening half for Mississippi State (23-10), which was seeking the school's first trip ever to the Sweet 16. Alexis Rack added 19 points for the Lady Bulldogs.

Lavender hit two foul shots for a 60-58 lead with 2:56 left, and the Buckeyes held the Lady Bulldogs scoreless for the final 6:43 to secure their eighth trip to the regional semifinals.

The teams traded baskets and the lead for much of the second half before the Lady Bulldogs put together several big possessions.

Down 54-53 after Lavender followed her own miss, Armelie Lumanu drove the right baseline for a layup with 7:12 left. After Allen missed a spinning jumper at the other end, the Lady Bulldogs gave the ball to Rack. She sprinted past a high pick and hit a layup in traffic while being fouled. The free throw put Mississippi State ahead 58-54 with 6:43 left.

But that was to be the end of the offense for the Lady Bulldogs.

Ohio State clawed back, prompted by a large proportion of the 4,842 in attendance.

Maria Moeller hit two foul shots and Sarah Schulze added one. The Lady Bulldogs missed two shots and had two turnovers. After Grimes missed a shot, Prahalis drove the length of the court and was fouled by Grimes with 3:35 left. She hit the second to tie it again at 58.

Ohio State led 33-31 at the half on Schulze's tip-in at the buzzer. Before that there had been five ties and seven lead changes, with neither team leading by more than five.