Ohio State women's basketball looking for deep March Madness run

A season full of heart palpitations for the Ohio State women's basketball team continues this weekend in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Why it matters: The Buckeyes spent the first two months of the season undefeated, then lost five of seven conference games before getting to the finals of the Big Ten Tournament — only to get blown out by Iowa.

• The highs have been high and the lows have been low.
• The journey continues at 1:30pm tomorrow against James Madison on ESPN2.
• Schottenstein Center tickets start at $20.

State of play: No. 3 seed OSU made the Sweet 16 a year ago, but injuries have forced a fresh cast of characters into important roles.

• Sophomore forward Taylor Thierry has blossomed into a double-double threat while freshman Cotie McMahon could become a contender for Big Ten player of the year before leaving Columbus.
• At the helm is fifth-year senior guard Taylor Mikesell, who leads the team in scoring.

What we're watching: The return of senior guard Jacy Sheldon, a Dublin Coffman High School graduate who missed most of the season with a lower leg injury.

• Sheldon only played limited minutes in the Big Ten Tournament, but the sharpshooter averaged almost 20 points per game last season. Any return at all could be the boost to get this team back to the Sweet 16.