Jan. 24, 2016
COLUMBUS, Ohio ââ'¬" Having a great road attitude is something head coach Patrick Chambers repeatedly says to the Nittany Lion basketball team.
Heading on the road is relatively straightforward. Trips include a routine of travel, scouting, practice and meals. The core members of the team and staff are together from start to finish. And the distractions are limited if the group remains focused on the task at hand.
"As Coach always says, we need to bring everyone closer together," said senior Devin Foster. "When you are on the road, everyone is against you. You have to make the (circle) tighter because you know that you are going into battle."
Approaching a road environment with a great attitude is a big piece of the battle. Walking into a different environment with confidence pays big dividends in how a team plays when the lights come on.
On the heels of a road victory at Northwestern, the Nittany Lions (11-9, 2-5) will meet Ohio State (12-8, 4-3) in Columbus on Monday (7 p.m. on BTN) in the lone matchup between the two teams this season.
Foster has been a big spark for the Nittany Lions during the past two weeks. The senior guard has averaged 9.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 27 minutes of action during the last four games. He's coming off a 10-point, three-rebound effort against Wisconsin.
"I'm just trying to be what Coach calls a hunter of the ball, grabbing offensive rebounds, defensive rebounds, deflections, and I just try to stick the open shot when I can," Foster said.
Hailing from just west of Columbus in Dayton, Foster will have a big cheering section in Value City Arena on Monday night when the Lions battle the Buckeyes. He said that upwards of 40 friends and family will be in attendance to cheer on the Nittany Lions.
Ohio State enters the game having lost three of its last four games, including its last two outings at Maryland (100-65) and at Purdue (75-64). The Buckeyes are 3-0 in Big Ten home games this season. Junior Marc Loving leads the Buckeyes in scoring at 14.6 points per game. He is one of four players averaging double-figures.
Ohio State's size is a big factor in its success. The Buckeyes are No. 8 in the nation with 117 total blocks this season. Ohio State is No. 3 in the Big Ten in field goal percentage defense at 39.4 percent.
"They are young, but they are really, really talented," said Chambers. "They have a lot of different options, and they have a lot of length. It's Thad Matta. He's a great coach, and it's going to be a challenging game.
Freshman JaQuan Lyle comes into the week ranked No. 2 in the nation in assists by a freshman (101). Lyle recorded Ohio State's fifth triple-double with a 16-point, 12-rebound, 11-assist effort against Rutgers on Jan. 13. Fellow freshman Daniel Giddens is No. 4 nationally in blocks by a freshman with 38.
Ohio State leads the all-time series against the Nittany Lions, 31-14. The two teams have split the last two meetings, which includes a Penn State win in Columbus on Jan. 29, 2014 when D.J. Newbill drained a game-winner in overtime.
After the rare Monday night game, the Nittany Lions will have a brief break before a trip to Madison Square Garden on Saturday during the first Big Ten hoops-hockey doubleheader in Manhattan. Penn State meets Michigan at noon in basketball and 7 p.m. in hockey.
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