Penn State men’s basketball snaps losing skid with dominating win over Ohio State
Penn State halted its three-game losing streak Saturday afternoon in the Bryce Jordan Center with a win over a ranked opponent. The Nittany Lions took down the No. 21 Ohio State Buckeyes 90-76 to get back on track and snap the skid
The Nittany Lions were the better team from early on in the game and some hot shooting from deep, along with a roaring crowd of 14,785 at the BJC, carried Penn State to a victory. The team made 9-of-19 from beyond the arc, including 6-of-13 in the first half, to take down the Buckeyes.
The shooting was aided by the Nittany Lions’ defense on their way to a 15-point first half lead. The team held Ohio State to 27 points along with blocking five shots and earning four steals in the first 20 minutes alone. That performance proved to be enough and the Buckeyes were never able to come back in the game.
Senior forward Lamar Stevens was once again the focal point for Penn State but had plenty of help from his teammates in the win. Stevens finished with 24 points in the game to go with two blocks on defense. He was helped by sophomore guard Myreon Jones, who finished with 20 points.
Penn State (13-5) inched closer to .500 in the conference with the win, bringing its record to 3-4 in Big Ten play. Ohio State (12-6) dropped to 2-5 in the conference after the loss. The teams won’t meet again in the regular season, with each earning a victory at home in their two matchups.
Player of the game
Seth Lundy: Lundy, a freshman forward, was inserted into the Penn State starting lineup Wednesday night and made his second career start Saturday against the Buckeyes. The freshman earned his keep and should continue to see a big role the rest of the season. He finished Saturday’s game with 12 points on 3-of-7 shooting, including three made 3-pointers on six attempts.
The spacing he provides on offense is vital and his shooting has provided a much-needed spark for a team that struggled from deep in its last three games. Lundy made his mark on defense as well, tallying two blocks in the game and providing energy and hustle on that end of the floor. He’s carved out a role for himself and can be a key piece for Penn State down the stretch.
Turning point
Tip-off: Penn State never let Ohio State get too close in the game and coasted to its big victory. The Nittany Lions were the better team from the opening tip and made life difficult for Ohio State on both ends of the floor for most of the afternoon’s 40 minutes of action. Anytime Ohio State crept close on the scoreboard, the Nittany Lions had an answer and made sure they stayed out in front. Penn State took care of business from start to finish in a must-win game.
Stat of the Game
Penn State makes 9-of-19 from 3-point range: The Nittany Lions have struggled from beyond the arc recently, making 17-of-67 shots from 3-point range in their three-game losing streak. That cold spell came to an abrupt halt at the Bryce Jordan Center Saturday afternoon. The team made 47.4% of its shots from deep and it propelled the Nittany Lions to an easy victory. Whenever a team shoots as often as the Nittany Lions do from beyond the arc, they’re subjected to cold and hot streaks. Saturday’s shooting display marked the end of the former and could mark the beginning of the latter.
Quotables
Penn State head coach Pat Chambers on the impact of role players:
“We’re all-stars in our roles. We need to be all-stars in our roles. I’ll go to Trent Buttrick. He gave us a heck of a minute, a heck of a minute and a half, whatever it was. (He) blocked a shot, did some good things for us. That’s what you’ve got to be.”
Penn State’s Lamar Stevens on Seth Lundy:
“He’s a guy that can guard multiple positions and just plays so hard. Being a freshman he has a Big Ten-ready body. He’s able to come in and impact the game with rebounding and he can shoot He’s a super confident kid. He stepped up in big situations. Coach put him (as a) freshman in a tough spot starting his first game in Minnesota. He just stepped up and did what he does. He’s a special kid. I haven’t met many freshman as confident or as ready when his number was called.”
Ohio State head coach Chris Holtman on Lundy:
“He was a big part of the scouting report. He’s a good player.”
Up next
Michigan: Penn State won’t get much of a break in its next matchup. The Nittany Lions will travel to Ann Arbor to take on the Michigan Wolverines Wednesday night. The Wolverines have lost two in a row, including 90-83 Friday night to Iowa on the road. The Wolverines are the No. 19 team in the country according to the KenPom rankings.
Ohio State will head home to Columbus for its next matchup. The Buckeyes will take on Minnesota Thursday night.
This story was originally published January 18, 2020 at 3:50 PM.
