How to watch Penn State basketball vs. No. 15 Ohio State: Live stream, players to watch & key matchups
Penn State men’s basketball will try to win its third game in a row when the Nittany Lions take on the No. 15 Ohio State Buckeyes Wednesday night on the road. They’re coming off home wins against Rutgers and Northwestern in the last week after starting out conference play 0-5.
They were set to take on the Michigan Wolverines, but the game was replaced with a matchup with the Buckeyes after Michigan’s athletics programs were shut down due to several student-athletes testing positive for a faster-spreading COVID-19 variant.
Here’s everything you need to know about the home game against the Buckeyes.
Player to watch
Izaiah Brockington: Penn State has gotten plenty of scoring from Brockington in their past two wins, and will need more of that against Ohio State. He has a skill set that is difficult to match up with unless a team has a true defensive stopper on the wing. The redshirt junior is an explosive athlete who can use his quick first step to blow by defenders. He excels when the team is running in transition and is particularly efficient around the rim, where he can use his athleticism to finish through — and over — contact.
He’s a streaky shooter, and steps into long mid-range shot when 3-pointers are available, but Brockington is an important piece of Penn State’s offense. His 38 points have pushed the team to victory in the past two games and he’ll have an opportunity to excel against a Buckeye team that doesn’t excel at protecting the rim.
Key matchup
Myreon Jones vs. Duane Washington Jr.: Tuesday night’s matchup will feature two guards willing to launch from beyond the arc without a second thought. Jones and Washington combine to attempt 13.5 3-pointers per game and both are making more than enough to justify their volume. The Penn State guard is making 41.2% of his 6.2 3-point attempts per game while Washington Jr. is making 38.5% of his 7.3 attempts per game from deep. Both lead their respective teams in 3-point attempts and can change the course of a game with a few made 3-pointers.
Jones has been especially important offensively for Penn State because he can create his own open shots off the dribble, but also gets plenty of looks from the natural flow of the offense. He’s the team’s leading scorer at 15.9 points per game and could stand to increase that output by shooting even more from deep. If he matches Washington Jr.’s scoring, the Nittany Lions will have a golden opportunity to pull off the road upset Wednesday night.
How to watch
Who: Penn State Nittany Lions (5-6) at No. 15 Ohio State Buckeyes (12-4)
When: 7 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 26 | Where: Value City Arena
TV: Big Ten Network
Live stream: FoxSportsGo
Online radio stream: GoPSUSports (university-run)
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This story was originally published January 26, 2021 at 1:49 PM.
