Throughout the season, Chris Holtmann has preached patience with his team.
A group full of moving parts and unique pieces, the No. 13 Buckeyes (12-4, 6-4 Big Ten) have pushed through injuries, chemistry issues, blown leads, and suspect losses.
They seem to be hitting their stride at the perfect time.
With a rescheduled home contest against Penn State (5-6, 2-5 Big Ten) looming on Wednesday, Ohio State has slowly worked its way into a top-five position in the Big Ten.
The Nittany Lions ended an extended COVID-19 pause two weeks ago and have played four games in just over a week, scrambling to make up for lost time. Following an 0-5 start in conference play, wins over Rutgers and Northwestern last week pushed Jim Ferry’s team back on course.
"We've got great respect for Penn State," Holtmann said on Tuesday. "They're tough, old, well-coached. Jim's done a great job with this team."
Following a topsy-turvy preseason marred by a coaching change just weeks before the season, Ferry has done an admirable job with a team many predicted to tumble into noncompetitive territory in the Big Ten.
Junior Myreon Jones is the engine of this Penn State team; the 6-foot-3 guard averages 15.9 points per contest, tops on a squad that boasts four double-figure scorers this season.
Jones is joined by fellow junior Izaiah Brockington at the top of the scoring column. The pair of starting guards have accounted for 40 percent of their team’s scoring output this season.
The Nittany Lions’ offense has posted top-30 numbers nationally, scoring well from 3-point range (36.1 percent this season), limiting turnovers, and snatching a Big Ten-high 35.8 percent of available offensive rebounds in conference play.
“Penn State leads the league in steals, they lead the league in offensive rebounds. They attack you different ways, defensively and offensively," Holtmann said. "They’ve got a really good shooting team, really good offensive team. And then they’re disruptive defensively. That’s completely different, in terms of disruption, than say a Wisconsin, who we just played.”
Though those numbers haven’t translated to many wins, Penn State has been competitive in nearly every one of its losses this season. It fell in overtime to Seton Hall and Indiana and gave Michigan everything it could handle before losing by four.
According to Holtmann, Ohio State's opponent on Wednesday has taken large strides since its originally-scheduled matchup with the Buckeyes was postponed.
“They won at Virginia Tech, who’s near the top of the ACC. I think they won by 20," Holtmann said. "They’re an NCAA Tournament team, and I believe that. We had prepared for them, but we had to tweak some things given that they’ve had a few more games under their belt.”
It's the defensive side of the ball where this team struggles to keep up.
The Nittany Lions have allowed more than 75 points in five of seven Big Ten contests, sending teams to the free throw line at an alarming rate and struggling to defend the interior (opponents are shooting 56 percent inside the 3-point line) all season long.
Penn State has relied mightily on its ability to turn teams over at a high rate, a tendency that won’t get the job done against an Ohio State offense that shoots well from every area of the court, gets to the free throw line at the highest clip in the Big Ten, and does not turn the ball over.
In fact, the Buckeyes boast one of the most efficient offenses in the country this season, one that utilizes a deep array of weapons and has improved with each game, torching an elite Wisconsin defense on Saturday.
Holtmann and company are inching their way towards a top-tier finish in the Big Ten-- and national recognition as a serious contender come March.
It all starts against Penn State at the Schottenstein Center on Wednesday night.
“The challenge is stay in the moment, stay committed to trying to get better for all of us, don’t get swayed by anything," Holtmann said. "Because in this league, it’s just the reality: Teams are gonna beat you when you’re at your best, so try to be your best every night."
Catch Ohio State vs. Penn State at 7 p.m. on Big Ten Network.
