For the second straight year, Penn State basketball will return to Rec Hall on Thursday to host the Ohio State Buckeyes. This will be the fifth game played at the former arena for the Nittany Lions since moving to the Bryce Jordan Center in 1996. Last season, PSU upset No. 12 Illinois in Rec Hall 90-89 in its first game back since 2015.
Penn State and Ohio State will meet for the only time this regular season Thursday. The Buckeyes own a 44-22 advantage in the all-time series, but the Nittany Lions have won three of the last four meetings. Last year, the two teams split the season series, with Ohio State winning the most recent matchup in Columbus, Ohio.
GAME DETAILS
Date: Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025
Time: 6:30 p.m. EST
Site: Rec Hall
City: University Park, Pa.
Network/Streaming: FS1
GAME ODDS
Odds presented by DraftKings Sportsbook:
Odds: Penn State (-162), Ohio State (+136)
Spread: Penn State (-3)
Over-Under: 149.5 points
GAME NOTES
PENN STATE (13-8, 3-7), 44th KenPom, 48th NET
The Nittany Lions are coming off two straight road losses to Iowa and then-No. 21 Michigan. While Penn State has struggled on the road this season (1-5, 0-5 in conference play), it is 10-2 in home games. Its most recent win came against Rutgers at the BJC, where four players scored double digits led by Ace Baldwin Jr.’s 22 points and eight assists.
With 10 games left on the schedule, Penn State must find ways to win close games. In seven of its eight losses, PSU has either been within four or had the lead in the final two minutes:
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.- 1:58 left — PSU 64, Clemson 67
- 1:56 left — PSU 75, Rutgers 77
- 1:43 left — PSU 71, Indiana 73
- 1:29 left — PSU 78, Oregon 76
- 0:56 left — PSU 80, Michigan State 84
- 0:53 left — PSU 75, Iowa 76
- 1:50 left — PSU 72, Michigan 67
OHIO STATE (12-8, 4-5), 28th KenPom, 28th NET
The Buckeyes come to Penn State riding a two-game winning streak and winners of six of their last 10. Their two previous wins came against No. 11 Purdue on Jan. 21 and Iowa on Monday. Ohio State is 2-3 in away games and has gone 1-1 at Penn State over the last three years.
Key Players (bold indicates leads team)
Bruce Thornton, 6-foot-2, Guard
- 17 PPG (ninth in B1G), 4.3 APG (tied for seventh in B1G)
- 52.7 FG%, 42.9 3P%, 83.3 FT%
- 97th percentile in pick-and-roll efficiency and 95th percentile in isolation efficiency
Devin Royal, 6-foot-6, Forward
- 13.8 PPG, 7.4 RPG
- 54.1 FG%, 60.3 2P%, 75 FT%
- 69.7% on at-rim field goal attempts
John Mobley Jr., 6-foot-1, Guard
- 12.3 PPG, 2.1 APG
- 40.6 FG%, 41.3 3P%, 90 FT%
Micah Parish, 6-foot-6, Guard/Forward
- 11.5 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 1.2 SPG
- 45 FG%, 37.6 3P%, 76.7 FT%
- 43.3% on pull-up 3-pointers, 87th percentile
KEY STAT
Ohio State averages the second most turnovers (13.6) during Big Ten play. Penn State is 25th in the nation in turnovers forced per game (15.48), but that number has dropped to 13.1 in league play.
