Penn State’s Second-Half Surge Falls Short as Winless Big Ten Skid Continues
Penn State’s search for its first Big Ten win will stretch into February after another frustrating night on the road. Despite a spirited second-half comeback, the Nittany Lions couldn’t claw all the way back from an 18-point halftime hole, falling 84-78 to Ohio State in Columbus.
Mike Rhoades’ squad showed plenty of fight after the break, but the early damage proved too much to overcome. Now sitting at 9-11 overall and 0-9 in conference play, Penn State is still looking for answers in a Big Ten season that’s been unforgiving from the jump.
A Tale of Two Halves
The first half was a struggle, plain and simple. Penn State gave the ball away 10 times-more than their season average of 9.1 per game-and couldn’t find a rhythm offensively, shooting just 41% from the field.
Meanwhile, Ohio State came out firing. The Buckeyes shot a blistering 66.7% from the floor and connected on 54.5% of their threes before halftime.
That type of efficiency is tough to match, and it showed on the scoreboard, with the Nittany Lions trailing 50-32 at the break.
Ohio State used a 14-2 run midway through the half to build separation, and even when Penn State cut the deficit to 10, the Buckeyes responded with a 12-4 burst to reassert control.
Second-Half Push Shows Grit
But credit to Penn State-they didn’t fold. The Nittany Lions came out of the locker room with energy and purpose, opening the second half on a 27-10 run that completely flipped the momentum. Josh Reed capped that stretch with an and-1 jumper that cut the Buckeyes’ lead to just one, 60-59, with 10:46 to go.
Eli Rice also played a key role in that surge, trimming the deficit to 58-54 with under 12 minutes left. For a moment, it looked like Penn State might finally break through and take its first lead of the night.
That’s when John Mobley Jr. stepped up for Ohio State. The freshman guard halted the Nittany Lions’ momentum with a quick five-point burst-a pair of free throws and a dagger three-to push the lead back to eight.
Mobley wasn’t done either. With 6:38 left, he buried another triple to give the Buckeyes a 74-63 cushion, just as things were getting tense.
Still, Penn State kept coming. Melih Tunca hit some timely buckets late, and Rice knocked down a clutch three with 23 seconds left to bring the game within four, 80-76. But Ohio State sealed it at the line, and the comeback effort came up just short.
Offensive Bright Spots for Penn State
Despite the loss, there were encouraging signs on the offensive end. Rice led the way with 20 points, continuing to grow into a go-to scoring role.
Ivan Jurić turned in a strong all-around performance, finishing with a double-double that included 14 rebounds. He helped Penn State win the battle on the glass, 31-21-a rare bright spot in a tough game.
Tunca and Reed also hit double figures, rounding out a balanced scoring effort. As a team, the Nittany Lions shot 50% from the field, 40% from deep, and a sharp 86% from the free-throw line. That kind of offensive efficiency is usually enough to win, but the first-half defensive lapses and turnovers proved too costly.
Mobley Leads the Way for Buckeyes
Mobley was the difference-maker for Ohio State, pouring in 25 points and hitting big shots whenever Penn State made a push. He was flanked by forwards Devin Royal and Amare Bynum, who both finished in double figures. The Buckeyes shot 56% from the field overall and converted at a 76.2% clip from the line-just enough to hold off the comeback.
Monday’s game also featured a familiar face in Puff Johnson, the former Nittany Lion now suiting up for Ohio State. Johnson logged 14 minutes and contributed two points and three boards in his second appearance of the season.
Injury Notes
Penn State was once again without forward Tibor Mirtič, who remains sidelined with a knee injury suffered earlier this month against Michigan. Freshman guard Reggie Grodin is redshirting this season and is officially listed as out for the year.
What’s Next
The Nittany Lions will try to snap their Big Ten skid on Thursday when they head to Evanston to face Northwestern. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m.
ET, with the game streaming on Peacock. Like Penn State, the Wildcats are also 9-11 overall and struggling in conference play at 1-8.
It’s a matchup between two teams desperate for a breakthrough-and for Penn State, it could be the best shot yet to finally get in the Big Ten win column.