UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. Ohio State extended its winning streak to three games with a dominant 83-64 victory over Penn State on Thursday at Rec Hall.
Freshman John Mobley Jr. led the way for the Buckeyes (13-8, 5-5 Big Ten) with 19 points, three of which came from beyond the arc. He also contributed eight assists and six rebounds. Bruce Thornton added 17 points, shooting an impressive 5 of 7 from 3-point range. Devin Royal had a solid performance, putting up 15 points and grabbing eight rebounds, while Micah Parrish chipped in with 12 points.
The Nittany Lions (13-9, 3-8) struggled despite Yanic Konan Niederhause’s 21 points. Zach Hicks contributed 13 points, including three 3-pointers, while Ace Baldwin Jr. and Nick Kern both scored 10, with Baldwin also dishing out six assists.
Ohio State took control early, leading 43-33 at halftime. Mobley’s strong first-half performance, which included 13 points, helped the Buckeyes build a 15-point lead at one point. Penn State made a brief push in the second half, with Hicks hitting two 3-pointers in the first 86 seconds to cut the lead to 45-39. However, Ohio State responded with a 5-0 run and maintained at least a three-possession lead throughout the rest of the game. A dunk from Parrish sealed the Buckeyes’ largest lead at 82-62 with just over a minute remaining.
In addition to their offensive output, Ohio State dominated the rebounding battle, outrebounding Penn State 41-23, including a 13-3 advantage on the offensive boards. This translated into an 18-4 edge in second-chance points for the Buckeyes.
Ohio State will next face No. 18 Illinois on Sunday, while Penn State will return home to host Minnesota on Tuesday.
