Preview: Penn State Visits Ohio State in Big Ten Matchup COLUMBUS, Ohio (Interstat) — The Ohio State Buckeyes look to rebound from a road loss when they host the struggling Penn State Nittany Lions in a Big Ten Conference men’s basketball game Monday night at Value City Arena. The Buckeyes (13-6 overall) fell 74-62 at Michigan last Friday, snapping a two-game winning streak. They will be heavily favored against a Penn State team mired in a six-game losing skid. The Nittany Lions (9-10) are coming off a 98-71 home defeat to Wisconsin on Thursday. Ohio State’s success has been fueled by guard John Mobley, who has been on a scoring tear. Over his last six games, Mobley is averaging 22.2 points, including 28 in a win over UCLA and 26 in an overtime victory against Minnesota. He scored 22 in the loss to Michigan. Penn State will counter with guard Josh Reed, its most consistent offensive threat during the slide. Reed has averaged 13.8 points over the last six contests, with a high of 18 points against Wisconsin. The Nittany Lions have allowed an average of 86.2 points per game during their losing streak, a defensive vulnerability the Buckeyes will look to exploit. The teams last met in the 2024-25 season, splitting the series with each winning on its home court. This begins a home-and-home set for this season, with the rematch scheduled for March 4 in State College. For Penn State, the game opens a tough two-game road trip, with a visit to Northwestern looming on Thursday. Ohio State continues a stretch of four games in 10 days, traveling to Wisconsin next Saturday. Tipoff is set for 9 p.m. EST Monday. The game will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.