Bentley, Lucas lead Penn St. past Ohio St., 76-66 (The Associated Press)
HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. (AP) — Alex Bentley scored 20 points, Maggie Lucas added 18, and No. 8 Penn State beat Ohio State 76-66 Friday in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament. The top-seeded Lady Lions (25-4) had their difficulties in this one after earning a first-round bye and their second straight regular-season title with a 14-2 conference record. But they went on a big run early in the second half to break a tie and earn a spot in Saturday’s semifinals against the Michigan-Michigan State winner. Bentley was 8 of 13 from the field. Lucas, the Big Ten player of the year, hit three 3-pointers. Nikki Greene scored 17, and the Lady Lions shook off a slow start to shoot just over 49 percent in the game. Tayler Hill scored 23 for Ohio State (18-13) and became the fifth Buckeyes player to hit the 2,000-point mark. She now has 2,015 in her career, but it was a tough night overall, even though she tried to inject some suspense as the game…
Special prosecutor to probe Penn St. grand jury
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A special prosecutor has been appointed to examine whether secrecy rules were violated in grand jury proceedings that investigated Jerry Sandusky and three former Penn State administrators who are currently facing criminal charges. Lawyer James M. Reeder was given six months to look into the matter, according to a Feb. 8 order from Judge Barry Feudale first reported on Wednesday by The Associated Press. The order relates to the 33rd Statewide Investigating Grand Jury, which issued reports in 2011 and 2012 that led to molestation charges against Sandusky and perjury charges against former Penn State president Graham Spanier, former athletic director Tim Curley and retired vice president Gary Schultz. Pennsylvania investigative grand juries often work on more than one matter, and it was unclear from the document whether the possible secrecy violations were related to the Penn State cases or other cases before the panel. The order also applies to a Dauphin County grand jury investigation that in January 2008 reported on a casino license investigation. But Feudale has recently been trying to sort out a legal dispute involving whether …
Ohio St.-Penn St. Preview (The Associated Press)
Ohio State wasn’t exactly thrilled with how it played in its latest game, needing to hold on at the end after blowing most of a 24-point lead. It hasn’t had much to complain about for nearly a decade when it’s faced Penn State. The 14th-ranked Buckeyes head to Happy Valley on Saturday looking for their 18th straight win against the Nittany Lions, who are still searching for their first Big Ten victory. Ohio State (14-4, 4-2) had scored 56 points or fewer in three of its last four games heading into Iowa’s visit to Columbus on Tuesday, but it seemed well on its way to an easy win up 24 with less than 13 minutes remaining. But an eight-minute stretch without a field goal made things interesting, and the Buckeyes’ lead was cut to four before they held on to win 72-63. “We have been this way before in terms of searching for an identity,” coach Thad Matta said. “I have been in games like this before, where we have our moments. We are searching for consistence. I’ll take consistency over…
Ryan Shazier Named B1G Co-Defensive Player Of The Week After Penn St. Game
Ohio State sophomore linebacker Ryan Shazierwas named today as the Big Ten Conference’s co-defensive player of the week for his efforts in the Buckeyes’ 35-23 win over Penn State this past Saturday. Playing…
Miller and No. 9 Ohio St beat Penn St 35-23
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Braxton Miller was his usual self, running for 134 yards and accounting for three touchdowns a week after getting knocked out of a game, leading No. 9 Ohio State to a 35-23 victory against Penn State on Saturday. Ryan Shazier returned an interception 17 yards for a score early in the third quarter that gave the Buckeyes (9-0, 5-0 Big Ten) the lead for good, and the Nittany Lions (5-3, 3-1) and coach Bill O’Brien had their five-game winning streak snapped in a matchup of the Big Ten’s bowl-banned perennial powers. Miller missed the fourth quarter against Purdue after a hard tackle sent him to the hospital with a case of whiplash. He declared himself good to go by the midweek. Was he ever. The Heisman campaign can resume. The sophomore quarterback reached 100 yards rushing for the sixth time this season, carrying 25 times, and only avoiding contact when it was convenient. He also passed for 143 yards. Matt McGloin and the Nittany Lions had turned an 0-2 start…
Ohio St.-Penn St. pregame ponderables
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Greetings from Beaver Stadium. The last time I was here was during the worst and weirdest week in Penn State history, as the Jerry Sandusky scandal enveloped the community…
Amid changes, No. 9 Ohio St, Penn St still rolling
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — The Big Ten won’t hand out a championship trophy to the winner of the Ohio State-Penn State game Saturday night, so bragging rights will have to do. The ninth-ranked Buckeyes and surging Nittany Lions just might be the class of the conference at midseason, but neither team can win the league title or play in the postseason because of NCAA sanctions. Saturday’s meeting then, has turned into a virtual midseason bowl game, complete with a national television audience and plenty of hype. About 107,000 rowdy fans are expected to pack Beaver Stadium, which would be the first sellout of the season. Welcome to the ”Ineligi-Bowl.” ”We only get the chance to lay it on the line 12 times, 12 Saturdays. So every game for us is a very, very big game,” Penn State coach Bill O’Brien said. ”And we’re playing probably the best …
Ohio St.-Penn St. Preview
The Big Ten’s two best teams might not meet in December’s conference championship game. Instead, they could be playing this weekend. While neither No. 9 Ohio State nor Penn State is eligible to represent the conference in Indianapolis, Saturday’s game in Happy Valley may determine which team winds up on top of the Leaders Division. NCAA sanctions have left the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions unable to play for the Big Ten title, but the conference said last month it would acknowledge either school as the division champ despite that ban – and Saturday’s winner will have the inside track to do just that. Wisconsin, with one conference loss, is the only other Leaders Division team with a realistic chance of finishing ahead of Ohio State or Penn State. The Buckeyes are 8-0 for the first time since 2007 and 4-0 in the conference, while Penn State (5-2, 3-0) is riding a five-game winning streak …
QB McGloin on roll as Penn St braces for Big Ten
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Matt McGloin ‘s game-day scowl was wiped away by a sly grin as he walked into Beaver Stadium. In the crowd greeting the Penn State team at the tunnel entrance was a giant cutout bearing the image of his smiling face, with McGloin’s family and friends among those frantically waving the cutout. Finally entrenched as the starter at Penn State after two roller-coaster seasons, McGloin has a lot to smile about as the Nittany Lions (2-2) prepare for tougher competition this weekend when they visit Illinois (2-2) to open Big Ten play. ”I don’t like the picture at all. It’s not a good one at me,” McGloin joked after last week’s 24-13 win over Temple. ”It’s all supposed to be fun. College football is supposed to be fun.” Entering conference play, McGloin leads the Big Ten in passing yards (251.5 per game) and is tied with Nebraska’s Taylor Martinez with a league-high nine touchdown passes. McGloin also has the only two rushing touchdowns of the season…
1st road trip awaits Penn St in season of change
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Penn State’s season of change has arrived at another milestone. The first road game comes Saturday when the Nittany Lions visit Virginia, and fullback Michael Zordich is prepared for anything. ”We’ve said since Day 1 that road games are going to be brutal for us,” said Zordich, one of Penn State’s senior leaders. ”That’s something you’re going to have to deal with … If anything, you have to let it motivate you.” A media microscope has focused on the program since retired defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky’s arrest last November on child sex abuse charges plunged the university into turmoil. Since then, the NCAA has levied landmark sanctions including a four-year bowl ban and significant scholarship cuts. A passionate fan base rallied around the players who had nothing to do with the scandal during last week’s emotional season opener, a 24-14 loss to Ohio. This week, Zordich and linebacker Michael Mauti led a players meeting to…
