Buckeyes/Penn St On ESPN - Noon Sat

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Date Jan. 21, 2006
Opponent Penn State (10-5, 2-2)
Site Bryce Jordan Center (15,261)
Game Time 12:17 p.m. EST
Television ESPN Regional/ESPNU
Local TV WBNS 10 TV
TV Talent Tom Hamilton (P-by-P), Greg Kelser (Expert Analysis)
Radio OSU Radio Network (59 stations)
Local Radio .WBNS FM-97.1 AM-1460
Radio Talent Paul Keels (P-by-P), Ron Stokes (Expert Analysis)

BUTLER STEADY AT THE POINT
Sophomore guard Jamar Butler is tied for the Big Ten lead with a +3.83 assist-to-turnover ratio in all games. In league games only, Butler has handed out 27 assists with just two turnovers in five games for a +13.5 ratio. Butler averages 5.4 assists and 0.4 turnovers a game in league play. In all games, Butler is sixth with an average of 4.93 assists a game. In five league games, he is fourth.

BUCKEYES FACE FOUR RANKED TEAMS IN SIX GAME STRETCH
Wisconsin traveled to Ohio State rated No. 13 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll and No. 15 in the Associated Press media rankings. No. 23 Iowa, a triple-overtime winner vs. Minnesota Wednesday, will make four ranked opponents in six games for the Buckeyes when the teams face off Jan. 28 in Iowa City. The Buckeyes are set to face ranked opponents in at least four more games. After Iowa the Buckeyes play host to Illinois (7 in AP/5 in coaches poll) Feb. 12 and are at Wisconsin Feb. 15 and Michigan State (11/12) Feb. 22. Michigan is receiving votes for Top 25 consideration in both polls this week. The Wolverines host Ohio State Feb. 9 and travel to Columbus Feb. 25.

OHIO STATE VS. THE NITTANY LIONS
Ohio State has won its last five meetings vs. Penn State, including all three meetings a year ago and the game earlier this year in Columbus. The Buckeyes have won eight of the last nine meetings including the most recent meeting in State College, a 66-56 win Feb. 12, 2005. Ohio State owns an 12-4 advantage in games played in Columbus. Ohio State is 5-2 vs. the Nittany Lions when ranked among the Associated Press Top 25.

FOSTER LEADS VETERANS OFFENSIVELY VS. PSU
In four games vs. Penn State, Ohio State senior Je'Kel Foster averages 12.3 points. He has made 11 of 18 3-pointers (.611) vs. the Nittany Lions while connecting on 57 percent of his field goal attempts (16-28). Foster also averages 4.8 rebounds in games vs. PSU. Terence Dials has the most experience vs. PSU with seven games played. He averages 6.6 points and 5.7 rebounds. J.J. Sullinger has scored 62 points in six games (10.3 ppg.) vs. PSU. Junior Ron Lewis scored 26 points in his first game vs. the Nittany Lions earlier this season in Columbus.

SULLINGER'S SHOOTING EFFORT VS. PSU ONE OF OSU'S BEST ALL-TIME
J.J. Sullinger connected on all eight of his field goal attempts in the win vs. Penn State on his way to 18 points. He connected on both of his 3-point tries and eclipsed the 1,000-point plateau as well. In addition, Sullinger is now one of just four Ohio State players all-time to make eight or more shots in a game without a miss. Sullinger joins Brian Brown (9-9 vs. Florida State Nov. 23, 2000), John Havlicek (9-9 at Michigan Feb. 4, 1961) and Jerry Lucas (8-8 vs. Wisconsin Feb. 27, 1960).

DIALS' PRODUCTION HEATS UP
Senior Terence Dials is connecting on 61 percent of his field goals (31-51) in Big Ten play and is the team scoring leader overall (14.9 ppg.) and in league only games (15.4 ppg.). Dials has reached 20 or more points in three of the last seven contests. He played just 13 minutes in a 104-69 win vs. Penn State Jan. 5 in the Big Ten opener, scoring five points. He tallied 19 vs. Tennessee State Dec. 23. Dials is a career .560 shooter from the field (497-888) and is scoring at above that percentage this season (87-153/.569). His 1,302 career points rates No. 22 all-time at Ohio State and his 726 career rebounds rate ninth all time.

NOTING THE BUCKEYES...
* Sophomore Jamar Butler is shooting 46 percent from the field (39-84), up from 31 percent (36-108) as a freshman ... 22 of 47 (.468) 3-pointers made this year--(14-61/.230 a year ago) ... rates No. 7 among Big Ten players in 3FG pct. ... averages 4.9 assists per game and has seven or more in five games ... scoring average up to 9.1 ppg. from 3.6 ppg. as a freshman ... 27 assists and just two turnovers in Big Ten play (+13.5 ast./TO ratio) ... three games vs. Big Ten with 0 turnovers ... just one TO for every 23.7 minutes played this season (426 minutes/18 TOs) ... overall +3.83 ast./TO ratio best in Big Ten ... nearly 3-to-1 ratio for career (143 asts./49 TOs, +2.92).

* Senior Terence Dials scored 19 points vs. MSU to pass Clark Kellogg on the all-time scoring list last Sunday ... Kellogg was the expert analyst in the game vs. the Spartans ... needs three FGs to reach 500 made as a Buckeye ... connecting on 69 percent from the foul line (50-72), his best single season percentage as a Buckeye and an improvement from his .617 effort a year ago (113-183) ... double figures in eight of last nine games ... leads team in league play with 15.4 ppg. ... has connected on 50 percent or better from the field in 12 of 15 games and in nine-consecutive contests ... 11 career double-doubles ... his 7.1 rebound averaged rates No. 6 among league players, .569 FG pct. rates seventh.

* Senior Je'Kel Foster is one of just four Buckeyes all-time to record six or more steals in a single game ... Troy Taylor (1982-85), Curtis Wilson (1984-88) and Scoonie Penn (1999-2000) are the others ... Foster recorded six thefts vs. both Gardner-Webb and Purdue this season ... a career 49 percent shooter from the field (155-319) ... foul shooting pct. has improved from 65 pct. as a junior (17-26) to 76 pct. this year (34-45) ... made one 3-pointer to reach 100 for his career (100-223/.448) ... career pct. from long range is best in OSU history.

* Senior J.J. Sullinger reached 500 career rebounds (504) with six vs. Wisconsin Jan. 18 ... reached 100 career steals with one theft vs. MSU last Sunday ... working on a third-consecutive 300-point season at Ohio State, (145 pts./9.7 ppg.) this year.

* Senior Matt Sylvester has made a last second 3-pointer to win games in each of the last two seasons ... his trey with 5 seconds left gave OSU a stunning 65-64 win vs. then No. 1 Illinois last March ... another triple at the 5 second mark gave the Buckeyes the come-from-behind win vs. LSU earlier this season ... working on 600 points as a Buckeye (599/6.2 ppg.) ... has 10+ points in last three games, a career-long streak.

* Junior Ron Lewis gives the Buckeyes 12.7 points a game off the bench ... third leading scorer this season, his first as a Buckeye ... team's best foul shooter (.808/63-78) ... his .478 FG pct. is best of his career ... shot .396 (145-366) as a sophomore at Bowling Green in 2003-04.

LEWIS GIVES BUCKEYES OFFENSIVE SPARK OFF BENCH
In the first 15 games, Ohio State has had 55 double figure games for an average of 3.7 players per game with 10 or more points. Terence Dials and Ron Lewis have scored double digits in 12 of 14 games this season to lead the Buckeyes. Lewis has scored 10 or more off the bench 10 times this season.

FOSTER ON PACE TO SET OSU 3-POINT SHOOTING RECORDS
Je'Kel Foster is on pace to become one of just three Buckeyes all-time to knock down 50 or more 3-pointers in a single season twice during their Ohio State careers. Foster made 62 as a junior and has made 38 to date this season. Scoonie Penn (1999-2000) made 88 in 1999 and 65 in 2000. Tony Stockman (2004-05) knocked down 73 as a junior and 66 a year ago. Foster is one of just 11 players in history to make 50 or more in a season. The feat has been accomplished 13 times since 1986-87 when the 3-point shot was introduced in NCAA Division I. Foster also is on pace to become the single season and career leader in 3-point shooting percentage. He is making 48.7 percent of his treys this season and will qualify for the all-time lead officially with a minimum of 50 makes this year. Foster's one made 3-pointer vs. Wisconsin gave him 100 for his OSU career. He is the OSU career leader in 3-point field goal percentage. He has made 44.8 pct. (100-223) for his career.

MATTA OUT TO TOP 3 START AT OHIO STATE
Thad Matta will coach his 50th game of his OSU career Jan. 30 against Florida A&M with a chance to be one of the top three coaches all-time at OSU in winning percentage after the first 50 games at Ohio State. Matta has 47 games under his belt with a 33-14 record to date (.702). The Buckeyes will need to win the next three games for Matta to tie for the top spot from Fred Taylor (1959-76) and Randy Ayers (1990-97), who both won 36 of their first 50 contests at Ohio State for a winning percentage of .720. Matta is out to a 13-2 start in this his second season with the Buckeyes. Ayers started 17-0 in year two (1990-91). Taylor guided the Buckeyes to a national title in his second season with a 25-3 record (1959-60).

1st 50 Gms at OSU

Coach (Yrs. at OSU) W L Pct.
Fred R. Taylor (1959-76) 36 14 .720
Randy Ayers (1990-97) 36 14 .720
Thad Matta (2005- present) 33 14 .702
Harold G. Olsen (1923-46) 32 18 .640
Lynn W. St. John (1912-19) 31 19 .620
Gary Williams (1987-89) 30 20 .600
Floyd S. Stahl (1951-58) 17 33 .515
George M. Trautman (1920-22) 24 26 .480
William H.H. Dye (1947-50) 24 26 .480
Jim O'Brien (1998-2004) 23 27 .460
Eldon Miller (1977-86) 21 29 .420

BUCKEYES LOOK FOR 9TH NONCONFERENCE HOME WIN
Since Value City Arena opened for the 1998-99 season, Ohio State has won at least seven home games vs. non-conference teams in seven of eight seasons, which includes the Buckeyes' 8-0 record vs. non-Big Ten foes at VCA this year with one game remaining on the non-conference schedule. Florida A&M travels to Columbus Jan. 30, 2006. The Buckeyes have been undefeated in home non-conference games at VCA twice. OSU was 7-0 in 1998-99 and 8-0 a year ago. The Buckeyes were 8-1 for three-consecutive seasons starting with 1999-2000 through 2001-02. Ohio State is 59-6 overall vs. non-conference foes at VCA. Thad Matta is 16-0 as a Buckeye head coach against non-league foes at VCA.

BUCKEYES WIN 100TH GAME AT VALUE CITY ARENA
Ohio State is playing in its eighth season at Value City Arena in 2005-06. Since the facility opened for the 1998-99 campaign, the squad has won 101 of 123 games (.815).

OHIO STATE VS. RANKED TEAMS AT VALUE CITY ARENA
Following the win vs. No. 15 Wisconsin Jan. 18, Ohio State is 16-8 overall vs. ranked teams at Value City Arena, including the 65-64 win vs. No. 1 Illinois that ended the 2004-05 regular season. When ranked Big Ten teams take the court at VCA, Ohio State is 16-5.