How to watch Penn State basketball vs. No. 4 Ohio State: Live stream, players to watch & key matchups
Penn State men’s basketball will need to pull off an upset Thursday night if it wants to keep its NCAA Tournament hopes alive. The Nittany Lions are staying home to take on the No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes. The Nittany Lions are 7-10 overall and 4-9 in the Big Ten.
Here’s everything you need to know about the home game against the Buckeyes.
Player to watch
Izaiah Brockington: Penn State needs a secondary scoring option to step up behind junior guard Myreon Jones, who has only failed to hit double figures in scoring twice this season. The junior has been the team’s most reliable offensive option because of his three-level scoring ability and his shot-making from beyond the arc. Brockington, a fellow junior, is the most likely candidate to step up and fill the secondary scoring role against the Buckeyes. He finished the Nittany Lions’ 83-79 road loss to Ohio State with 18 points and has a chance to have the same kind of impact Thursday night.
Brockington has been hesitant as to drive to the hoop with the ball in his hands and has been more valuable making cuts when he doesn’t have the ball. He has the ability and athleticism to attack in transition with the ball and will need to be more aggressive for Penn State to have a chance to upset the Buckeyes.
Key matchup
John Harrar vs. Ohio State’s bigs: Harrar feasted on the offensive glass in Penn State’s first matchup with Ohio State. He pulled down six offensive rebounds to go with four defensive rebounds in the four-point loss and made a major difference in the game. The senior big man was one of the primary reasons the Nittany Lions were able to keep the game close and he’ll likely have a large role if they can do it again Thursday night. He has a size advantage over an Ohio State team that relies on its collective rebounding effort rather than a single player pulling down boards. Harrar should be able to have his way as a rebounder once again and will have chances to clean up his teammates’ misses.
If he can replicate his performance from Columbus in the Bryce Jordan Center, Penn State could have a chance to keep its NCAA Tournament hopes alive as the season winds to a close.
How to watch
Who: No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes (17-4) at Penn State Nittany Lions (7-10)
When: 8 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 18 | Where: Bryce Jordan Center
TV: BTN
Live stream: FoxSportsGo
Online radio stream: GoPSUSports (university-run)
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This story was originally published February 17, 2021 at 11:49 AM.
