Evan Mahaffey Leads Ohio State Past Penn State

Originally posted on FanNation Buckeyes Now
By Caleb Spinner | Last updated 1/20/24

The Ohio State Buckeyes are back in the win column.

The Buckeyes defeated the Penn State Nittany Lions 79-67 on Saturday, snapping a three-game losing streak they carried into the contest. This triumph over the Nittany Lions was the first win for Ohio State since January 3 against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.

Sophomore guards Evan Mahaffey and Roddy Gayle Jr. led the Buckeyes with 16 points each. Mahaffey's total was a new season high, while Gayle recorded his 13th game with double-digit points over Ohio State's 18 contests this year.

Aside from Mahaffey and Gayle, two other Buckeyes players posted double-digit scoring totals. Senior forward Jamison Battle scored 11 points in the weekend affair, and senior forward Zed Key dropped in ten points over his 12 minutes of action.

Ohio State held a lead on the scoreboard for the entire game, starting off with a 16-point run following the opening tip-off. A majority of the Buckeyes' scoring came in the post, as they outscored the Nittany Lions 40-24 in points in the paint.

Despite earning its 13th win of the season, there is still much to be fixed for Ohio State as they dive deeper into Big Ten Conference play. The Buckeyes shot just 17 percent from three-point range against Penn State, and allowed the Nittany Lions to almost fight back from being down 23 points at one point in the second half.

One issue seems to have been fixed in Saturday's game, however. The Buckeyes posted one of their best clips from the free-throw line, dropping in 88 percent of their attempts.

Ohio State hits the road to battle the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Tuesday, January 23. Tip-off from the Tree Planters' State is scheduled for 7 p.m. eastern on NBC's streaming service, Peacock.

This article first appeared on FanNation Buckeyes Now and was syndicated with permission.

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