Penn State Shows Fight, But Turnovers and First-Half Woes Doom Comeback Bid vs. Ohio State
For a moment, it looked like Penn State might pull off the kind of comeback that defines a season. Down 18 at halftime on the road against Ohio State, the Nittany Lions clawed their way back into the game with a second-half surge that had the Buckeyes sweating in Columbus. But as has been the story too often in Big Ten play this year, the hole was just too deep, and the miscues too many.
Penn State fell 84-78 on Monday night, remaining winless in conference play. The loss marked their seventh straight and 10th in their last 11 games. Despite the final score showing a competitive contest, the first 20 minutes told a different story.
Another First-Half Collapse
The Buckeyes came out firing, dropping 50 points in the first half while shooting a blistering 66.7% from the field. That’s not just hot - that’s scorching. Guards John Mobley Jr., Amare Bynum, and Devin Royal all reached double figures before halftime, and Penn State simply couldn’t keep pace.
This wasn’t an isolated issue either. It was the third consecutive game in which the Nittany Lions allowed 50 or more points before the break.
Maryland hung 56 on them last weekend. Wisconsin dropped 50 last Thursday.
That’s a concerning trend, and it’s putting Penn State in a position where they’re constantly playing uphill.
Turnovers didn’t help. Ten giveaways in the first half - already above their season average - handed Ohio State 10 points and helped build that 50-32 halftime lead.
Second-Half Spark
To their credit, Penn State didn’t fold. They came out of the locker room with energy and execution, opening the second half by hitting eight of their first nine shots - including four straight from deep. Eli Rice was the catalyst, continuing his breakout night with his fifth three-pointer to cut the deficit to 58-54 with just under 12 minutes remaining.
Josh Reed added a highlight-reel and-one that brought the Nittany Lions within a single point at 60-59. Momentum had clearly shifted, and for a few minutes, Value City Arena felt the tension.
But then Mobley took over.
The Ohio State freshman, quiet to start the second half, erupted with five straight points to push the Buckeye lead back to six. That spurt sparked a 14-4 run, capped by a Mobley three that stretched the lead to 11 with 6:30 left. It was the turning point - the moment when the comeback began to slip out of reach.
Too Many Mistakes, Not Enough Time
Penn State kept swinging. Melih Tunca, who had reached double figures in Big Ten play just twice before, scored 11 of his 13 points in the second half to keep the Lions within reach. Rice wasn’t done either, hitting his sixth triple in the final 30 seconds to cut the lead to four.
But the Nittany Lions simply ran out of time - and clean possessions. They finished with a season-high 18 turnovers, and while only two of Ohio State’s 12 points off those came in the second half, the damage had already been done.
Standout Performers
Rice was the bright spot for Penn State. The redshirt sophomore delivered a career-high 20 points on 7-of-14 shooting, including 6-of-11 from beyond the arc. He played with confidence and rhythm, and his shooting helped fuel the second-half rally.
Ivan Jurić also made his presence felt with a double-double - 14 points and 14 rebounds - while Reed and Tunca each added 13. But the collective effort couldn’t overcome the early deficit and the turnover issues.
For Ohio State, Mobley was the engine. He finished with 25 points, going 5-of-11 from deep and adding five assists. Bynum (15 points), Royal (14), and Taison Chatman (11) all chipped in to give the Buckeyes a balanced attack.
Looking Ahead
Penn State’s next chance to break into the Big Ten win column comes Thursday night on the road at Northwestern. It’s a matchup between two teams struggling to find their footing in conference play, and for the Nittany Lions, it might be one of their better opportunities to finally get over the hump.
To do that, though, they’ll need to fix what’s plagued them all season - slow starts, defensive lapses, and turnovers. The second-half fight is there. Now it’s about putting it together for 40 minutes.
Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. ET in Evanston. The Nittany Lions will be looking to turn effort into results - and finally put a "1" in the Big Ten win column.