When the Ohio State men’s basketball team travels to Penn State today, they’ll look to escape the Lions’ den with one thing — a victory.
The Buckeyes (11-10 overall, 4-6 Big Ten) are in the midst of a three-game road trip that ends at Michigan next Saturday. After a 76-57 thrashing from Illinois Saturday, OSU needs a win to keep its NCAA Tournament hopes alive as its enters the final stretch of conference play.
“We need to bounce back,” Buckeye coach Jim O’Brien said. “They’ve played very well at home. There’s no question we were embarrassed at Illinois, but I’m convinced we’ll have a real good effort.”
Penn State (5-14 overall, 0-8 Big Ten) is struggling to claim its first Big Ten win and the Buckeyes appear to be the perfect target.
“We know going into this game they’re definitely hungry for a win, just like we are,” forward Zach Williams said. “We know it’s not going to be a cakewalk, but we feel like this is a game we need to win.”
The Buckeyes have put the disaster in Champaign behind them and are ready to make a late-season run.
“You put it in the back of your mind and use it for motivation to never put yourself in the situation again,” Williams said.
OSU will regain two previously injured players tonight — center Velimir Radinovic and guard Sean Connolly. Connolly, who has been pestered by a sore ankle, is just 10 points shy of reaching 1,000 career points.
A strong offensive output tonight may be what the Buckeyes need to get them going, but the contest is sure to be an uphill battle.
“We’re both struggling and it’s not going to be an easy game for either team. We’re not looking past anybody right now,” Radinovic said. “We’re just taking one game at a time.”
The Buckeyes know a win is a win, even if it is against the bottom-feeders of the Big Ten.
“It seems like gloom and doom, but we don’t feel that way,” O’Brien said.
We’re trying like crazy to win the very next game,” O’Brien said.
