Mobley Jr. Shines Again as Ohio State Fends Off Penn State, 84–78
1/26/2026 11:13:00 PM | Men's Basketball
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State’s John Mobley Jr. topped 20 points again as the Buckeyes were able to fend off Penn State 84–78 on Monday night in a Big Ten matchup at the Schottenstein Center.
The Buckeyes improve to 14–6 overall and 6–4 in conference play, while the Nittany Lions fall to 9–11 and remain winless in Big Ten action at 0–9.
Mobley Jr. finished with a game-high 25 points, connecting on five three-pointers. He also added five assists and three steals, recording his fourth consecutive game with at least 20 points.
Freshman forward Amare Bynum continued his strong play with 15 points and five rebounds, while junior guard Devin Royal added 14 points and three rebounds. Senior guard Bruce Thornton finished with nine points, five assists and three steals, making key plays down the stretch as the Buckeyes held off a late Penn State push.
Ohio State built its advantage early, using efficient offense and aggressive defense to take a 50–32 lead into halftime. The 50 points marked the Buckeyes’ most first-half points in Big Ten play this season.
Penn State responded with an aggressive start to the second half, trimming the deficit to one point midway through the period. Ohio State answered with timely baskets, including back-to-back three-pointers from Mobley and key finishes from Bynum and Royal, pushing the lead back to double digits. The Buckeyes closed the game at the free-throw line, with Mobley and Taison Chatman combining to seal the win in the final 30 seconds.
The Buckeyes played in support of Coaches vs. Cancer, wearing special sneakers that were designed by cancer patients at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Puff Johnson provided a spark off the bench and scored his first basket as a Buckeye, while Ivan Njegovan earned the first start of his career and had eight points and two blocks.
Penn State was led by Eli Rice, who finished with a career-high 20 points. Ivan Juric added 14 points and 14 rebounds for a double-double, while Josh Reed and Melih Tunca chipped in 13 points apiece.
Ohio State shot 55.6 percent from the field and outscored Penn State 34–24 in the paint. The Buckeyes also forced 18 turnovers while committing just eight of their own, helping them control the game despite being outscored in the second half.
Up Next
The Buckeyes will hit this road this weekend for another FOX weekend showdown, this time at Wisconsin. Tip-off from Madison on Saturday is set for 2 p.m. ET.
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