When things get dicey Turner carries Buckeyes

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Cold-shooting starts don’t faze Evan Turner.

Ohio State’s All-American candidate can rebound and find teammates for shots when his own shot isn’t falling.

And, then, when his team is in a bind, Turner comes through in the clutch.

It happened again Wednesday night in the ninth-ranked Buckeyes’ 75-67 win over Penn State. Turner overcame shooting 1 for 7 in the first half, and scored eight straight points for the Buckeyes after the Nittany Lions had cut a 17-point lead to two with 5:15 left.

By the time Turner’s mini-run was done, it was 67-59 with two minutes left.

“When you start making points, you start getting more confident about it and that was it,” Turner said about his cold start. “I felt like the shots I missed should have gone in and it was no problem.”

David Lighty scored 18, including an open 3 from the left wing that put the Buckeyes (22-7, 12-4 Big Ten) up 49-32 with 13:50 left before Penn State answered with three straight 3s.

David Jackson’s three-point play off a layup with 5:15 left got the Nittany Lions (10-17, 2-13) within 59-57, sending the Jordan Center crowd longing for an unlikely upset into hysterics. Jackson finished with 13 points and six rebounds, while Talor Battle had a team-high 22.

Enter Turner, who hit an array of jumpers and athletic leaners and made 7 of 10 shots in the second half.

“The shots he hit, I honestly think you really can’t guard them,” Battle said. “It’s pretty hard to guard him.”

The top two scorers in the Big Ten, Turner and Battle are buddies from their days playing together on the U.S. national team last summer at the World University Games.

On Wednesday night, Turner had the edge in their friendly rivalry.

But he had help as Ohio State’s balanced offense proved too much for Penn State to handle early in the second half when the Buckeyes opened with a 19-6 run capped by Lighty’s 3.

That’s when Penn State finally found its range, hitting three straight 3s over the next two minutes in a 9-0 run. Jeff Brooks’ jumper and Jackson’s three-point play drew Penn State within two with 5:15 left.

But the Nittany Lions would get no closer, thanks to Turner’s athletic play. He showed again why he’s a candidate for national player of the year.

“What you saw tonight, he’s done that several times,” Ohio State coach Thad Matta said. “A lot of people forget he’s 6-foot-7. He’s long ... he was able to get up over the guards, a couple pull-ups.”

Turner also hit all nine of his foul shots.