Penn State Basketball: Nittany Lions Can’t Handle Buckeyes, Fall, 78-54

Penn State couldn’t handle Ohio State’s defensive pressure and struggled to find its shot on the road, falling to the Buckeyes, 78-54, Wednesday night.

The loss marked the ninth-straight contest that the Buckeyes have won against Penn State.

Tim Frazier led the Nittany Lions with 16 points and was part of a three-player effort of Cammeron Woodyard and Jermaine Marshall, who combined for 40 of Penn State’s 54 points while shooting 15 of 44 from the field.

Penn State missed its first seven shots of the game and started 1-of-13 from the floor in the opening minutes. Frazier and Marshall scored the Lions’ first 13 points of the game as the rest of the Nittany Lions started 0-of-10 from the floor.

‘Ohio State had a lot to do with that,’ Penn State coach Pat Chambers said. ‘We have been playing hard on the road and competing on the road. We have been struggling scoring on the road. I said earlier today even though they (Ohio State) don’t have the shooters they did a year ago, collectively, as a unit, they play hard and they defend.’

Ohio State was led by Jarred Sullinger’s 20 points, key in opening a 24-6 Ohio State lead early in the first half. The Nittany Lions were able to get no closer than 29-13 before a trailing at halftime, 38-18. Ohio State shot 50 percent from the field in the first half and were able to convert on multiple second-chance opportunities.

‘You watch it on film and tell your guys to out-work and front (Sullinger) and make him work even harder. He is a big-time player; there is no question about it,’ Chambers said after the game.

Penn State, which entered the game in the top half of the conference in rebounding, couldn’t handle Ohio State physical presence inside losing the battle on the board, 25-16, in the first half. Ohio State was able to extend its 38-18 halftime lead to as much as 29.

Penn State falls to (9-12, 2-7) on the year and will head back to Happy Valley to face Wisconsin on Tuesday at the Bryce Jordan Center. Tip-off for that game is scheduled for 8 p.m.

Related coverage

• StateCollege.com’s Penn State basketball poverage

• Pat Chambers Reflects on Visiting Paterno Viewing (Jan. 24, 2012)