March 11--Ohio State played some ugly basketball in the first half. The Buckeyes hit 11 field goals and assisted on just two of them.
But then something clicked, embodied by a multi-pass sequence that led to an open 3 for Marc Loving. Then came another from Loving. And one from Keita Bates-Diop.
Ohio State rode that 14-0 run to a 79-75 victory over Penn State that sends the Buckeyes into the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals against No. 2 seed Michigan State.
It's a must-win game for a 20-12 team trying to snag a berth in the NCAA tournament. The Buckeyes are in ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi's "Next Four Out" group -- not the "First Four Out."
Penn State, meanwhile, fell to 16-16, a likely end to the season.
Loving scored an efficient 24 points, needing just nine field-goal tries. He hit 13 of 15 from the foul line.
Ohio State assisted on seven of 23 second-half baskets.
tgreenstein@tribpub.com
