Young’s basket lifts Buckeyes to victory

Kyle Young scored the goahead basket with 63 seconds left and host Ohio State held off Penn State, 74-70, in a Big Ten game. The Buckeyes lost three times to Penn State last season.

COLUMBUS, >> Kyle Young scored the go-ahead basket with 63 seconds left and Ohio State held off Penn State 74-70 in a Big Ten game on Thursday night.

Penn State’s Josh Reaves stole the ball from Andre Wesson in the backcourt and scored on a slam with 1:34 left for a 70-69 lead with 1:34 left.

Young drew the foul while making a layup but missed the free throw, putting Ohio State up 71-70.

Lamar Stevens thought he gave Penn State a 72-71 lead with 32.2 seconds left but he did not beat the shot clock off the inbound play.

After Wesson made one of two free throws for 7371 Ohio State lead with 29.7 left, Rasir Bolton missed an open layup. Penn State fouled and C.J. Jackson made a pair of foul shots before Penn State missed its final two attempts.

Luther Mohammad had 20 points for the Buckeyes

(15-7, 5-6 Big Ten).

Stevens and Reaves had 20 points each for Penn State (8-15, 1-11).

Big picture

PENN STATE >> Hoping to build some momentum from their first conference win, the Nittany Lions instead retreated and lost an opportunity in a winnable

game to put more heat on coach Patrick Chambers, whose overall coaching record in his 10th season fell to 163-164. He is 121-136 in eight seasons at Penn State. OHIO STATE >> The Buckeyes are in a stretch where they can make up ground in the standings and improve their chances to make the NCAA Tournament for a

second straight season.

Up next

After consecutive road games, the task doesn’t get much easier for the Nittany Lions, who host No. 7 Michigan on Tuesday.

Ohio State plays at Indiana on Sunday looking for its second road win in the past three games.

JAY LAPRETE — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Penn State’s Lamar Stevens, left, looks for an open pass as Ohio State’s Andre Wesson defends during the second half of a game on Feb. 7 in Columbus.