STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) -Evan Turner had 25 points and seven rebounds, David Lighty scored 18 and No. 9 Ohio State nearly lost a 17-point lead Wednesday night before holding off Penn State 75-67.
Turner overcame shooting 1 of 7 in the first half by going 7 of 10 in the second, including an array of leaners and drives in the lane.
Lighty's open 3 from the left wing 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 a Jordan Center crowd longing for an unlikely upset into hysterics. Jackson finished with 13 points and six rebounds.
But Turner scored Ohio State's next eight to help put the game away.
Ohio State entered the night tied for second in the conference, a half-game back of Purdue.
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