Syracuse Orange at Ohio State Buckeyes

No. 8 Ohio State edges No. 11 Syracuse, 77-72

Kelsey Mitchell wasn't bothered whatsoever.

Mitchell scored 24 points, including 3-pointers on consecutive possessions early in the fourth quarter after her team fell behind, and the Buckeyes held off No. 11 Syracuse 77-72 on Saturday night in the semifinals of the Gulf Coast Showcase. The Buckeyes (5-1) led by 15 points early in the second half before needing to rally.

"They just came in the rhythm of the offense," Ohio State coach Kevin McGuff said of Mitchell's two big 3-pointers late. "She's such a great player and makes a lot of big shots."

The Buckeyes (5-1) will meet No. 5 Baylor on Sunday in the championship game.

"They've got a great team, talented, well-coached," McGuff said of the Bears, who rolled past DePaul in Saturday's other semifinal. "They're the biggest team in college basketball and we've got a great challenge on our hands. But that's why we came to this tournament."

Sierra Calhoun scored 19 points, Stephanie Mavunga had 13, and Shayla Cooper grabbed 10 rebounds for Ohio State.

Peterson's 3-pointer from the left wing with about 40 seconds left tied the game at 72. But she was called for a blocking foul as Mitchell dribbled near the sideline on the next Ohio State possession, and the Buckeyes' star coolly hit both to put her team back up by two.

Another free throw made the lead 75-72, and Peterson's deep 3-point try from the right wing in the final seconds was short. A pair of free throws then closed the scoring.

"We played really well in the second quarter and the start of the third quarter," McGuff said. "Then our defense really started breaking down and you can't give a team like Syracuse open 3's."

Syracuse needed only 1:49 of the first quarter to put together an 11-0 run, with four different players doing the scoring and the last three baskets in that stretch all coming from 3-point range.

But the Buckeyes controlled much of the rest of the half, taking a 44-34 lead into the locker room and pushing the margin out to 15 early in the third quarter.

Syracuse wasn't done.

A 7-0 run got the Orange within two late in the third, and Sykes' layup with 7:37 left put Syracuse back on top 62-60. That's when Mitchell answered with the back-to-back 3-pointers, and Buckeyes would not trail again.

BIG PICTURE

Ohio State: Both of the Buckeyes' games in the tournament so far have been close in the fourth. ... Ohio State outscored Syracuse 32-16 in the paint.

SPLIT DECISION

Peterson went 1-1 on Saturday.

UP NEXT

Syracuse: Faces No. 18 DePaul on Sunday in the tournament consolation game.

Ohio State: Faces No. 5 Baylor on Sunday in the tournament championship game.

How can I watch Orange vs. Buckeyes?

• TV Channel: Orange vs Buckeyes 2021 College Basketball, week 3, is broadcasted on .
• Online streaming: Sign up for Fubo.

Venue: Hertz Arena

Location: Estero, FL
Capacity: