UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Conference play tips off Sunday night inside the Bryce Jordan Center as the Penn State men's basketball team hosts RV/RV Ohio State to open Big Ten action at home for just the third time in the last 13 years. Tipoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network. The Penn State men's basketball season is presented by Highmark Health.
FOLLOW ALONG
- TV: Big Ten Network – Jeff Levering (pxp) & Len Elmore (analyst)
- RADIO: Penn State Sports Network (PDF) with Steve Jones and Dick Jerardi – 103.7 FM & 1450 AM
- NATIONAL RADIO: Sirius XM – XM Ch. 389 | SXM App Ch. 979
- LIVE STATS: Live Stats
- GAME NOTES: Penn State Notes | Ohio State Notes
- TICKETS: Tickets
PROMOTIONS
- Free Legion of Blue t-shirts for first 1,500 students.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Basketball Game Day Parking
Stadium West, Jordan East, Porter North – Basketball parking map
- No charge with a valid Penn State parking permit
- $5.50 prepaid through ParkMobile (season packages available for each team for $5 per game) - https://psu.parkmobile.io/bryce-jordan-center
- $10 day-of-event without a valid permit or prepayment
- Higher rates may apply when athletics events coincide with non-athletics Bryce Jordan Center and Pegula Ice Arena events. Rates will vary and will be announced prior to each event.
ParkMobile prepayment availability ends at 11:59 p.m. the night before each event. Events will not be selectable on the site after that time, and payment must then be made on-site upon arrival to event parking staff (cash only). $1 per hour parking will also be available at the East Deck for most games. Non-football event parking is managed by Penn State Transportation Services. For more information on parking for this event, please email parking@psu.edu or call 814-865-1436.
Mobile Ticketing
Penn State Athletics has converted all tickets for the 2021-22 seasons to mobile tickets. As was the case during the 2019-20 season, print at home PDF tickets will no longer be issued or accepted for entry at the Bryce Jordan Center. Fans can access Penn State Athletics mobile ticket guide at GoPSUsports.com/mobiletickets.
Bryce Jordan Center Bag Policy
The Bryce Jordan Center has implemented an updated bag policy for all events including the 2021-22 men's basketball season. Fans attending events in the Bryce Jordan Center will not be allowed to bring any large bags, backpacks, totes and coolers into the facility. Small clutch purses & wallets, clear totes or (1) one gallon, zip-close style plastic bags may be carried into the arena. Limit one bag per guest. View the full bag policy HERE.
Mask Policy
In alignment with University guidance, all fans will be required to wear masks in indoor areas and venues, including the Bryce Jordan Center.
OPENING TIPS
- Big Ten play begins at home Sunday night when the Nittany Lions host Ohio State inside the Bryce Jordan Center.
- Penn State looks to bounce back from a tight loss to Miami in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge Wednesday night.
- Junior Seth Lundy leads the team with 15.1 points per game, while senior Sam Sessoms follows closely with 14.3 ppg. Graduate student John Harrar is averaging a double-double with 10.6 points and a Big Ten-best 10.9 rebounds per game.
IF PENN STATE BEATS OHIO STATE
- Penn State would win its conference opener for the first time since the 2017-18 season.
- The Nittany Lions would move to 4-1 at home this season.
SCOUTING THE BUCKEYES
- The Buckeyes are ranked as one of the top receiving votes teams in both major polls and come to Happy Valley fresh off a 71-66 upset of No. 1 Duke Tuesday night in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.
- Ohio State used a 14-1 run over the game's final five minutes to knock off the top-ranked Blue Devils in Columbus.
- The Buckeyes are 5-2 overall on the season, with another notable win over Seton Hall (79-76). Ohio State's two losses have come at the hands of Xavier (65-71) and Florida (68-71).
- E.J. Liddell leads the team with 21.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per contest.
- Zed Key is the only other Buckeye averaging double-digit points with 10.9 per game.
AGAINST OHIO STATE
- Ohio State owns a 41-19 lead in the all-time series, but Penn State has faired far better at home, sitting at 10-15 all-time when playing the Buckeyes in Happy Valley.
- OSU has won four of the last five meetings, and six of the last 10.
- The Buckeyes swept last year's regular-season meetings.
B1G OPENERS
- Penn State opens Big Ten play at home for just the third time in the last 13 years Sunday when the Nittany Lions host Ohio State at the Bryce Jordan Center.
- Penn State is 7-22 all-time in Big Ten Conference openers.
- The Big Ten Conference was the first to move to a 20-game league schedule and began the new format for the 2018-19 season. The first year of early December Big Ten Conference games in 2017-18 sent Penn State to Iowa and gave the Nittany Lions their first conference-opening win since 2010.
BATTLES AGAINST THE BUCKEYES
- Penn State is 4-6 in its last 10 meetings with the Buckeyes.
- Of those 10 contests, one was a 32-point loss on the road, but the other nine contests were decided by an average of just six points.
- The Nittany Lions' last win over the Buckeyes came on Jan. 18, 2020, a 90-76 win inside the Bryce Jordan Center.
STIFLING DEFENSE
- Penn State's defense has held each of its last four opponents 10 or more points under their season scoring averages.
| Team | Scoring Avg. | Points vs. PSU |
| Miami | 73.3 | 63 |
| Oregon State | 69.2 | 45 |
| LSU | 85.4 | 68 (OT) |
| Cornell | 87.8 | 74 |
THE BIG THREE
- Penn State's returning veteran trio of John Harrar, Seth Lundy and Sam Sessoms lead the way for the Nittany Lions through the first seven games of the season.
- The trio of returning Nittany Lions has combined for 59.4 percent of Penn State's scoring production (280 of 471 points) while shooting a combined 53.5 percent (106-of-198) from the field.
- Harrar, Lundy and Sessoms are also contributing 58.7 percent (152 of 260) of Penn State's rebounding.
B1G JOHN
- Graduate student John Harrar currently leads the Big Ten and ranks 10th in Division I with 10.9 rebounds per game through the first seven contests.
- Harrar is averaging a double-double with 10.6 points and 10.9 boards per contest. The Wallingford, Pa. native has tallied three double-doubles thus far, pulled down double-digit rebounds in five of seven contests, and is shooting a blistering 75.0 percent (30-40) from the field.
- Harrar is coming off a 2020-21 season that saw him earn All-Big Ten Honorable Mention laurels as he led the team with 8.8 rebounds per game and a 54.9 field goal percentage.
UP NEXT
- Penn State hosts Wagner in a mid-week non-conference game Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Bryce Jordan Center before returning to conference action next Saturday afternoon at Michigan State.