Men's Basketball
Buckeyes Find a New Way to Win in Victory Over Penn State
By John PorentasOhio State (18-8, 8-7 Big Ten) ) broke out of a three-game losing streak wth a 73-59 win over Penn State (19-9, 8-7 Big Ten) at Value City before a raucus crowd of 18,170 and a national audience on ESPN. As it turned out, the cat and mouse game between the coachs made a big difference in the eventual outcome.
Each team came into the contest with a very specific defensive game plan. The Nittany Lions were intent on taking away OSU leading scorer Evan Turner. The Buckeyes wanted to slow down Penn State leading scorers guard Talor Battle and forward Jermelle Cornley.
The Buckeyes won the first round in the battle of the strategies when they opened the game with P J. Hill on the court as a starter in place of Jermie Simmons. Hill is a very capable one-on-one defender, and the OSU coaching staff took advantage of that by playing a triangle and two defense with Hill guarding Battle while Jon Diebler matched up with Cornley. The rest of the Buckeyes played a triangle zone. The strategy befuddled the Lions.
"They played a triangle and two early and it had us sidewise," said Penn State Head Coach Ed DeChellis.
The Buckeyes took advantage and got out to a 19-2 lead before Penn State knew what hit them. Eventually, however, they figured it out. DeChellis brought another shooting guard into the game, Chis Babb, and the Buckeyes were unable to get to Babb on the perimeter out of the triangle and two defense. Babb hit three consecutive threes to not only put nine quick points on the board but completely swing the momentum in favor of the Lions.
"We had to get another guy in offensively who could make some shots and we did that, then I thought we were fine," said DeChellis.
The Lions went on 16-0 run fueled by Babb's three triples and one each by Battle and Danny Morrisey. They eventually led by three late in the second half, but a scoring flurry by OSU as the half ended allowed the Buckeyes to take a 32-30 lead to the halftime locker room.
OSU's junk defense held Battle to just four points in the first half but Cornly put nine on the board. Penn State's strategy of double or triple teaming Turner kept him off the scoreboard completely.
"We were trying to run at him (Turner). Our plan was to try and take Turner out and make somebody else make some shots," said DeChellis.
"We were trying to make somebody else beat us and not Turner because I think he can. He can get to the basket and get fouled and make shots," DeChellis said.
The Lions were successful in neutralizing Turner in the first half, but paid a price when they continued to dog him in the second. Early in the second half it was Hill who picked up the scoring slack for Turner and eventually scored a career-high 13 points. Later in the half it was Simmons who did the damage, particularly when Turner began handling the ball at the top of the key effectively becoming OSU's point guard. When he did, Simmons went to the corner. When the Penn State defense ran at Turner at the top of the key he was able to get the ball to Simmons who had all day to spot up from three point range from the corner. He torched Penn State from long range going four of seven from three on his way to a team-high 14 points.
"Simmons made some big shots for them," said DeChellis.
"We were trying to make somebody else beat us and Hill and Simmons made the shots tonight to beat us. We hadn't seen that consistency throughout the year from those two guys."
The Buckeyes made a defensive adjustment in the second half that also worked. Kyle Madsen logged 16 minutes in the second half in place of William Buford. Matta decided to go big, teaming the 6-8 Madsen on the floor with 7-0 B. J. Mullens primarily for defensive reasons. The added size made life miserable for Cornley in the paint and he managed just two points in the second half. Mullens also got going on offense and contributed 13 points.
"Kyle Madsen had a great feel for what was going on defensively. Kyle is one of those guys who is going to do exactly what he is supposed to do," said OSU Head Coach Thad Matta.
Penn State was able to hang with the Buckeyes for around 11 minutes in the second half and owned a one point lead at 49-48 with 9:01 remaining, but OSU outscored Penn State 25-10 from that point on to put away the game. The Buckeyes, who have not been a particulary good rebounding team this year, outrbounded Penn State 34-25 and scored 13 second chance points as compared to just five for the Lions.
"I thought we did a better job defending (in the last nine minutes of the game). I thought we rebounded the ball tonight better," Matta said.
OSU's defensive strategy and adjustments as the game went on were a key to the outcome of the game as was Penn State's refusal to pay less attention to Turner and more attention to Hill and Simmons.
"Penn State I think part of their game plan tonight was they weren't going to guard those guys," said Matta.
"They were giving tremendous help off Evan and that had a lot to with it.
"I thought both guys did a nice job. P. J. had some drive and kicks out of that same position. I thought that was very effective for us."
Turner, meanwhile, found ways to contribute other than scoring. He ended up with just six points but dished out a game-high eight assists and pulled down a team-high six rebounds.
Ohio State shot 52 percent from the field, Penn State 43.4 percent. The Buckeyes also made 78 percent of their free throws (11-14). Ohio State made 45.5 percent of their three points attempts (10-22), Penn State 38.5 percent (10-26).
Both teams took care of the ball well, each committing just six turnovers. OSU registered three blocked shots, two by Mullens and one by Lauderdale, Penn State none.
Game Notes:
* OSU point guard P. J. Hill made his first career start as a Buckeye against Penn State and responded with a career-high 13 points. In an era when players actually transfer if they are not starting or feel they are not getting enough playing time, it was the man that Hill replaced, fellow guard Jeremie Simmons, that suggested that Hill should replace him in the starting lineup.
"I gave him my job," said Simmons. "I went to Coach Matta and told him I wasn't playing well, and P. J. works so hard in practice that he deserved to start."
"I was very impressed," said Matta. "Jeremie came to me yesterday and said 'Coach, I'm not playing well, but I will. Lets see if it helps if I can come off the bench and lets lit P. J. start."
As noted, Hill scored a career high, but Simmons also performed well, scoring a team-high 14 points in his new-found role coming off the bench.
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