If Penn State thought the first three games of its five-game stretch against ranked opponents were tough, it's in for a whole new level of skill and intensity Saturday night when it travels to Columbus to take on No. 2 Ohio State.
The Buckeyes (17-0, 4-0) will likely become the new No. 1 in both polls if they beat the Nittany Lions (10-6, 3-2). They're led by old stars David Lighty, Jon Diebler and William Buford, but also freshman phenom Jared Sullinger, averaging a double-double this season for Ohio State.
Penn State will be looking for its third straight win over a ranked opponent after beating then-No.19 Michigan State last Saturday and No. 16 Illinois on Tuesday night.. Andrew Jones has been huge for Penn State in that run, posting double figures in both games and showing up big on the boards. The Lions will also be looking for another big performance from Talor Battle, who's 26 points against Illinois were huge in the Penn State upset.
The Lions are No. 60 in the RPI and have the No. 11-ranked schedule in the country according to RealTimeRPI. Now, Penn State needs wins, and a victory over what could be the top ranked team in the country will go a long way for toward helping it into the NCAA Tournament.
For more, check out Black Shoe Diaries.