NCAA News Wire
Penn State 65, Ohio State 63
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Guard D.J. Newbill scored 17 of his 23 points in the second half, and Penn State knocked off No. 22 Ohio State for the second time this season, winning 65-63 Thursday in the Bryce Jordan Center.
Guard Tim Frazier added 16 points for the Nittany Lions, including a free throw with 6.8 seconds left that gave his team a two-point lead.
Ohio State guard Lenzelle Smith Jr.’s 3-point attempt at the buzzer was off the mark, giving Penn State (14-14, 5-10 Big Ten) its third home Big Ten win of the season. The Buckeyes (22-7, 9-7) suffered just their second loss in eight games.
Forward LaQuinton Ross led Ohio State with 19 points, and guard Aaron Craft, who played only 19 minutes due to foul trouble, had 10 points.
Penn State was clinging to a slim lead in the final minute before the Buckeyes forced a turnover and Trey McDonald’s layup cut the deficit to 64-63 with 27 seconds left. Penn State forward Ross Travis missed two free throws, and the Buckeyes rebounded and called timeout with 15 seconds left.
Smith fired a 3-point attempt that bounced over the backboard, giving the Nittany Lions another chance. After Frazier made one of two foul shots, Ohio State pushed the ball up quickly. Smith caught the ball inside the arc, took a dribble and a step back. He had a good look but couldn’t get the shot to go.
Ohio State finished 5-for-17 from 3-point range, making only one of seven tries in the second half. Smith missed five of his six long-range shots.
Penn State used a 10-2 run to take a 36-35 lead in the opening five minutes of the second half, and the Nittany Lions led 47-42 with 8:54 to play. Ohio State came back to tie the score at 49-49 on a McDonald free throw with 6:50 left. The Nittany Lions, who had defeated Ohio State 71-70 in overtime in Columbus on Jan. 29, led the rest of the way.
Ohio State used a hot start to build a big early lead and held on for a 28-26 halftime advantage.
The Buckeyes made their first four shots from the field and six of their first nine, building a 22-11 lead. However, after Craft went to the bench with his second personal foul at about the midway point, Ohio State lost some of its offensive rhythm and Penn State, with the help of Frazier, got back in the game.
Frazier, who had nine points in the half, knocked down an open 3-pointer to pull the Nittany Lions within 28-26 with 2:19 left. Those were the final points of the half for either team.
Ohio State missed 17 of its last 21 shots from the field in the first half. All nine Buckeyes who played in the half scored, led by forward Sam Thompson with six points. Newbill had six points at the half for Penn State.
NOTES: Ohio State had not lost twice to a regular-season opponent since the 2008-09 season, when Michigan State and Illinois both defeated the Buckeyes two times. … Ohio State G Aaron Craft and Penn State G Tim Frazier rank fourth and fifth, respectively, on the Big Ten career assist chart. … Penn State junior G D.J. Newbill entered the game leading all Big Ten players in made field goals (163). He made five of nine attempts Thursday.
