Penn State men’s basketball (12-18, 3-16 Big Ten) fell to Ohio State (19-11, 11-8 Big Ten) 94-62 in its final home game of the season on Wednesday night.

The Nittany Lions went over 13 minutes without a field goal in the first half, and that essentially doomed them before the final frame even got underway. It was an underwhelming Senior Day performance and the cherry on top for Penn State at home in 2025-26.

How It Happened

Mike Rhoades rolled with the starting lineup of Freddie Dilione V, Dominick Stewart, Eli Rice, Ivan Jurić, and Josh Reed.

Ohio State drew first blood behind a quick layup from Amare Bynum. Bruce Thornton added to the early Buckeye lead with a 3-pointer from the corner. Stewart popped off a jumper, but couldn’t get it to fall.

Jurić got Penn State on the board with an and-one opportunity after another Ohio State score in the paint. He missed the free throw. Jurić converted from the top of the key. Bynum turned the ball over on the other end and the Nittany Lions were in business.

Stewart forced a stop and seemingly got poked in the eye in the process, but he helped lead Penn State the other way nonetheless. The Buckeyes led 7-6 at the under-16 timeout.

Jurić knocked down two free throws out of the timeout as Penn State took its first lead of the game. Melih Tunca missed a wide-open layup on a fast break. Dilione intercepted a pass and led it up the court, but the Nittany Lions came up empty after another Tunca miss.

The Nittany Lions played the Buckeyes all the way down the shot clock. The defensive stand harvested some early energy from the crowd. Penn State also failed to get a shot off on the other side before the under-12 timeout.

Penn State worked Ohio State all the way down the shot clock once again, but Thornton pulled the trigger from deep and converted. Devin Royal scored an and-one as Penn State’s scoring drought reached over four minutes. The two teams exchanged two more misses before Rice turned the ball over after stepping out of bounds.

John Mobley Jr. sank a 3-pointer to make it a 21-9 at the under-8 timeout. Penn State hadn’t scored for the last 6:07. Mason Blackwood airballed a three out of the timeout. Tunca hit two free throws to finally end the Nittany Lions’ scoring drought, but their field goal drought remained alive and well at over 10 minutes.

Penn State continued to miss from near, far, and wide. Its new scoring drought reached 3:04. Ohio State led 33-11 with 3:43 remaining in the first frame. Penn State’s last field goal to that point was at 16:54.

Stewart laid one in to finally break Penn State’s curse. Mobley drained his fourth triple of the night to take Ohio State up 40-15. Christoph Tilly also etched his name into the 3-point column. Dilione cashed in his first trey before Tunca knocked down two more foul shots.

Stewart forced a turnover on the opening play of the second half. Dilione tested his hand from deep again and converted, but Royal knocked one of his own down in response.

Dilione notched a highlight block high off the glass, but was called for a foul to the dismay of the Legion of Blue and especially Rhoades, who had a lengthy conversation with the official after the play. The student section chanted “bulls—”.

Mobley made a deep three almost from the logo to make it a 60-31 game with 15:07 remaining in the contest. Some Penn State fans chose to call it a night at that point.

Jurić reached up to stop an Ohio State layup, but was called for goaltending. Justin Houser checked in and immediately made an impact by threading the needle to Tunca underneath for a quick two points. Houser made a 3-pointer.

Houser tried another triple, but it rattled in and out of the cup. Dilione knocked one down after another quick Ohio State score. Mobley scored his seventh 3-pointer of the night.

Stewart notched a 4-point play, which the remaining Bryce Jordan Center patrons greatly appreciated. That high was short-lived after another Mobley triple, but Blackwood returned the favor with his first of the night.

The game ended 94-62 in Ohio State’s favor.

Takeaways

• Penn State had two separate long scoring droughts in the first half, with one eclipsing the 6-minute mark. It also went over 13 minutes without a field goal. The game was lost by the time Stewart got Penn State back on the board again late in the first half.
• Senior Day was quiet for Reed after scoring a career-high against Iowa. He scored three points and notched two rebounds.

What’s Next?

The Nittany Lions close out the regular season at noon on Sunday, March 8, at Jersey Mike’s Arena against Rutgers. The game will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.