STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) -- Matt Sylvester scored 15 points off the bench as Ohio State defeated Penn State 66-56 on Saturday.
It was the fifth win in six games for the Buckeyes (17-8, 6-5 Big Ten), who got a 3-pointer from Sylvester with 3 minutes remaining to put them up 58-47, effectively sealing the game.
Ohio State also got 13 points from Je'Kel Foster and 12 from Terence Dials.
Geary Claxton and Travis Parker scored 14 each for the Nittany Lions (7-16, 1-9) and Aaron Johnson chipped in 10 points.
The Lions kept things close for most of the second half, repeatedly pulling within one basket, but were unable to get a stop when they needed it most. After Danny Morrissey hit two free throws to pull the Lions within two at 42-40, the Buckeyes countered with 3-pointers on three consecutive possessions to go ahead 51-42 with just under eight minutes to play.
Scoring was at a premium early on for both teams, and they combined on 21 straight possessions without a field goal over an eight-minute stretch spanning both halves.
The Lions had chances to pull even or take a lead in the first half, but were unable to hit a field goal in the final 6:26 before halftime. Penn State shot just 8-of-27 in the opening frame but only trailed 27-22 heading into the second half.
