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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — E.J. Liddell scored 22 points, including the tiebreaking free throws with 59.7 seconds left, and No. 13 Ohio State held off Penn State 83-79 on Wednesday night.
The Buckeyes (13-4, 7-4 Big Ten) squandered a 12-point first-half lead but rallied from a seven-point deficit in the second for their second consecutive victory and fourth in five games.
Liddell hit four clutch free throws in the final minute, sealing it with two from the line with a second to play. Zed Key went 5 for 5 from the field and converted his only free throw to finish with 11 points for Ohio State.
Kyle Young also had a perfect shooting night for the Buckeyes, scoring 10 points on 3 for 3 from the field and the free throw line before fouling out with 5:01 left.
Seth Lundy paced Penn State (5-7, 2-6) with 26 points.
Penn State, whose season has been peppered with COVID-19 related postponements — including this game, originally set for Jan. 6 — dropped its fifth straight road game. Rust showed through from the opening tip, as the Nittany Lions had two airballs among their first nine shots.
But sloppy Ohio State play and scrappy defense helped Penn State grab the momentum at the end of the first half, as Jamari Wheeler notched two steals within the final 30 seconds, getting the Nittany Lions within four to end the half down 43-39.
The Buckeyes committed 17 turnovers that led to 23 Penn State points.
Penn State hung tough throughout the second half, off the shooting of its lone sophomore, Lundy, whose 26 points were his most ever in a Big Ten game. Izaiah Brockington added 18 points and John Harrar had 15 points and 10 boards, his eighth game with double-figure rebounds.
Top scorers were shut down at both ends of the court. Buckeyes leader Duane Washington Jr., averaging 15.3 points, was held to just eight points on 2-for-11 shooting. Penn State’s top scorer, Myreon Jones, who averages 15.9 points, was held to 10.
BIG PICTURE
Ohio State’s early dominance dissipated with sloppy play and shutdown defense by Penn State, but Liddell rallied the Buckeyes in the final minute for a tough Big Ten win.
UP NEXT
Purdue hosts Wisconsin on Saturday.
Ohio State hosts Michigan State on Sunday.
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More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/College-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
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