Feb. 24, 2010
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; Jan. 21, 2010 - Penn State used a 9-0 run midway through the second half and a 13-4 run late to nearly erase a 17-point Ohio State lead, but the ninth-ranked Buckeyes held on behind 20 second half points from Evan Turner to escape with a 75-67 victory in the Bryce Jordan Center Wednesday.
A quick start to the second half for Ohio State (22-7; 12-4) was too much for the Nittany Lions (10-17; 2-13) as the Buckeyes used a 19-6 run over the opening six minutes of the second half turn a four-point halftime edge into a 17-point lead, 49-32, with 13:50 to play.
Turner helped hold off the Nittany Lions by scoring eight straight points for the Buckeyes after their lead was diminished to two with 5:15 left. Turner posted a game-high 25 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and three steals. David Lighty added 18, Jon Diebler 16 and William Buford 12 for the Buckeyes who won their eighth game in their last nine outings and posted their 13th straight win over the Nittany Lions.
"We just couldn't guard (Evan) Turner off the dribble, and [David] Lighty had a heck of a game," Penn State Coach Ed DeChellis said. "We just couldn't get two stops in a row, and when you get it to a three-point game, that's when you have to suck it up and defend and make it really hard for them to score. Turner backed us in and shot over us and he's a very special player, but we had a chance."
Talor Battle led Penn State with 22 points in 40 minutes, his Big Ten leading 14th 20-point game of the season and 30th of his career. Battle added three rebounds and three assists as he joined Jesse Arnelle and Joe Crispin as the only Lions to post consecutive seasons with 500 or more points. Battle's 515 points on the season moved him into seventh all-time on the Nittany Lions scoring charts with 1,467 points passing Tom Hovasse (1,459) on the night.
David Jackson logged his 15th double-digit outing of the year and his eighth in the last nine games as he added 13 points and six boards. Andrew Jones added eight points and a team-high eight rebounds and Jeff Brooks had eight points and six boards.
"You have to give credit to our fans for coming out and really supporting us," Jackson said. "That run, I remember looking around and seeing everyone on their feet and screaming for us. I wish we could've pulled it out for them."
The Nittany Lions shot nearly 52 percent in the second half to close the gap, but allowed Ohio State to hit nearly 54 percent in the final 20 minutes. The Buckeyes finished at 48 percent from the floor, but hit just 4-of-17 from three, including a 2-of-10 night from Diebler. Penn State hit 44 percent and 5-of-17 from three.
Two threes from Diebler, who was 0-4 from behind the arc in the first half, sparked Ohio State as the Buckeyes went 6-6 from the field over the first five minutes of the second half to claime a 17-point lead.
The Nittany Lions came to life when Jackson and Battle combined to hit three consecutive threes, two coming from Jackson and one from Battle to get the Lions within eight, 49-41, with 11:51 to play.
After a foul on the other end, Battle knocked down a lay-up and got fouled for a three-point play with 11:25 left, closing the margin to six, 50-44.
Ohio State brought the lead back to 11 getting a three-point play from Lighty and jumper from Turner. The Nittany Lion forwards helped Penn State go on a 13-4 run led by three straight field goals from Jones and an and-one finish by Jackson that sent the crowd roaring as the Lions pulled within two, 59-57, with 5:15 to play.
Turner drove for a big lay-up. Battle had an open look at a three that would have cut the lead to one, but it came up just long. Turner drew a foul from Battle on the other end and sank both free throws, part of a 9-of-9 showing at the line on the night. Jackson converted on an assist from Jones to get the Lions back within four, 63-59, but Turner hit a pair of jumpers in transition for eight straight points from the junior that gave the Buckeyes a 67-61 lead with 1:45 to play. Turner took total control of the game scoring 10 of OSU's final 16 points.
Penn State got back within five on a Chris Babb three with 40 seconds to play, but Diebler converted a lay-up on the other end and the Lions never threatened again.
The first half was full of missed opportunities and missed shots for both teams, as they went a combined 2-of-16 from three. Turner and Battle, the Big Ten's two leading scorers, struggled in the first half shooting a combined 3-17 from the field.
Penn State took its largest lead of the game, 13-9, on a Brooks jumper but Ohio State came back with a 13-4 run ignited by several highlight dunks to take a 22-17 lead. Turner ignited the run first training a pair of free throws then driving baseline and finishing with a dunk and a foul. He hit the free throw for a three-point play. Lighty followed a Turner miss with a two-handed jam and Diebler capped the run finishing with a dunk off a Turner steal.
A Bill Edwards jumper stemmed the Buckeye run, but the Lions turned the ball over on their next two possessions and the Penn State bench received a technical foul after a battle for the ball between Turner and Jones with 5:42 remaining in the first half.
Penn State was in foul trouble most of the first half, putting the Buckeyes in the bonus with 6:08 remaining in the half.
Despite the run, the Lions were able to keep the game close. The half ended as Tim Frazier put in a reverse lay-up to pull the Lions within four heading to the locker room.
Penn State will host Northwestern on Sunday in 12:00 p.m. on the Big Ten Network. The Lions earned their first Big Ten win of the season against Northwestern on February 17th as five players scored in double figures. Penn State leads the overall series 22-12 and has won seven of their last nine games against the Wildcats
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