People usually think they know how a Big Ten season goes. You grind through December, survive the January cold, and hope you're standing in March. But if you've been watching the Schottenstein Center lately, you know this year feels different. The current lady buckeyes basketball schedule isn't just a list of dates; it’s a gauntlet that is currently defining the Kevin McGuff era.
Honestly, looking at the calendar right now is a bit stressful for any Ohio State fan. We just came off a massive 108-84 win against Penn State where the team literally tied the school record for three-pointers.
That's the high. Now comes the hard part.
The Coretta Scott King Classic and the Big Ten Grind
If you’re looking for the next big circle on your calendar, it's Monday, January 19, 2026. This isn't just another game. The Buckeyes are heading to Newark, New Jersey, to face No. 10 TCU in the Coretta Scott King Classic.
It's a high-stakes neutral site game on FOX. It basically serves as a mid-season litmus test for a team that has already shown they can hang with anyone (well, except maybe that early November trip to UConn, but we don't need to talk about that).
The lady buckeyes basketball schedule for the rest of January looks like this:
- Jan 19: vs. No. 10 TCU (Newark, NJ) – 12:00 PM on FOX.
- Jan 22: vs. Indiana (The Schott) – 8:00 PM on Peacock. It's a "PJ Party" night, so show up comfortable.
- Jan 25: at Iowa (Iowa City) – 2:00 PM on Peacock. Carver-Hawkeye is never easy, even in the post-Caitlin Clark era.
- Jan 29: vs. Wisconsin (The Schott) – 8:00 PM on BTN. This is "Sneakerhead Night," for those who care about the kicks as much as the blocks.
February doesn't get any easier. You've got Nebraska coming to town on the 1st, and then a brutal West Coast road trip to see the Big Ten's newest members: Washington and Oregon.
Why Jaloni Cambridge is the Name You Need to Know
You can't talk about the schedule without talking about why people are actually buying tickets. Jaloni Cambridge. She’s a sophomore. She’s a star.
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Just this past week, she was hauling in National Player of the Week awards. She’s the engine. When she’s on, the Buckeyes' up-tempo style—the one Kevin McGuff has been perfecting since he got here in 2013—is basically unstoppable.
Watching her lead the break alongside veterans like Chance Gray and T'yana Todd is something else. They play fast. They score a lot. In fact, they’re averaging way up there in the 80s and 90s most nights.
The "New" Big Ten Reality
The lady buckeyes basketball schedule looks weird this year, right? Seeing "at Oregon" or "vs. UCLA" on a conference schedule still feels like a typo.
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But that’s the reality of the 18-game conference slate. Ohio State only plays Maryland twice this season. Everyone else? You get them once.
This puts a massive premium on home games. If you drop a game at the Schottenstein Center against a team like Indiana or Nebraska, you don't get a "revenge" game later in the season. You just have to live with the loss.
How to Actually Watch the Games
Gone are the days when you could just flip to a local channel and find the game. You basically need a spreadsheet to keep track of where the Buckeyes are playing.
Most games are on the Big Ten Network (BTN) or B1G+. However, the "big" games are increasingly moving to Peacock or FOX. If you’re a die-hard, you probably already have the Peacock subscription for the Indiana and Iowa games this month. If not, you’re going to be staring at a live-score app while your friends text you about Jaloni's latest crossover.
Key Matchups to Watch
- The Michigan Game (Feb 25): It’s at home. It’s the rivalry. Enough said.
- The USC Showdown (Feb 22): This is going to be a massive test for the Buckeye defense.
- The Regular Season Finale (March 1): At Michigan State. This could easily decide a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament.
The Big Ten Tournament starts March 4, 2026, in Indianapolis. Based on how they're playing—specifically that 89-76 win over Maryland recently—this team is gunning for a top-four seed.
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What You Should Do Next
If you’re planning on heading to a game, check the promotions. They do a lot of "theme" nights that are actually pretty fun, like the upcoming Sneakerhead night or the PJ party against Indiana.
Check the official Ohio State Buckeyes website for ticket availability because the lower bowl has been filling up fast lately. If you're watching from home, make sure your Peacock and B1G+ logins are actually working before tip-off so you don't miss the first quarter.
The most important thing to watch for in the next three games is how they handle the size of TCU and the atmosphere in Iowa City. If they come out of January with only one or two conference losses total, we are looking at a potential Deep March run. Keep an eye on the turnover margin; when this team protects the ball, they are almost impossible to outscore.