At this point, Penn State’s yearly display of unbelievable shooting against Ohio State has essentially become inevitable.

Since the Chris Holtmann era began in Columbus, the Nittany Lions have connected on at least nine 3-pointers in six of seven meetings with the Buckeyes.

Before Thursday night, that potent outside shooting had held Holtmann winless in State College.

“The two times we’ve played here, they have not been close. So obviously, you’re aware of that as a coach,” Holtmann said. “I have not done a good job getting our guys-- for whatever reason-- ready for the offensive onslaught and physicality here.”

In 2018, it was a Tony Carr buzzer-beater from just inside half-court in a game where Penn State hit 11 of its 14 attempts from distance. That was part of a three-game stretch in which Carr and his side finished 29-for-43 from 3-point land against Ohio State.

Last season, Myreon Jones, Seth Lundy, and Lamar Stevens each hit multiple attempts from the great beyond in a Penn State blowout.

Earlier this January, it was Lundy again leading the way-- the junior went for 26 points and found the basket on seemingly every shot in a tight loss in Columbus.

On Thursday night, it was a little bit of everything leading to much of the same for Penn State.

Jamari Wheeler, a 32.6 percent 3-point shooter this season, canned three early shots from distance. Jones and Lundy each took turns hitting big shots, combining for 30 points and seven 3-pointers.

When all was said and done, Penn State had connected on a season-high 12 3-pointers.

Same old, same old.

After four consecutive outings in which it failed to put 65 points on the scoreboard-- including a loss to previously-winless Nebraska on Sunday-- everything was clicking at once for Penn State against a seemingly helpless Buckeye defense.

“I thought we were not playing with enough force, and we did not close airspace quickly enough,” Holtmann said. “But I also thought that they made some tough shots. I did. I felt like they made some really, really hard shots.”

And yet, as has consistently been the case over the past two seasons, it was a fruitless result for the Nittany Lions-- Ohio State escaped with a 92-82 win that marked its seventh-straight Big Ten victory.

Whether it was in the form of a Duane Washington four-point play, a C.J. Walker drawn charge, or an E.J. Liddell offensive rebound, Ohio State had an answer for every Penn State shot to the face.

After Jones and Lundy pushed the home side's lead to seven midway through the second half, Holtmann and company went on a 15-0 run, capped by a Eugene Brown III 3-pointer.

For every improbable Penn State basket in the second half, Ohio State had at least one (and usually more than one) answer. The Buckeyes were the deeper, more experienced team on Thursday night, ready to turn every Nittany Lion mistake into points on the other end.

“I’ve been in college basketball for a long time,” Walker said. “I know it’s a game of runs. So, I just kinda gathered my team together and told them to take it one possession at a time. Just keep fighting. I feel like that’s what our team does really well.”

Make no mistake about it-- this was one of Penn State’s most impressive offensive showings of the year. But when things mattered most, the slow-drip effect of the fourth-most efficient offense in the country surpassed the Nittany Lions’ slew of baskets.

Liddell finished with 23 points on 8-for-12 shooting. Washington posted 21 on nine shots. Walker tallied 13 points and seven assists on his most efficient night of the season. As a collective, Ohio State shot 56.6 percent from the field and connected on 11 3-pointers on 20 attempts.

That’s why this team is among the best in the country-- the attack never stops coming, from every angle imaginable.

There are no breaks against this Ohio State offense.

Even Penn State’s yearly display of heroic shooting wasn’t enough against a Buckeye side operating at its absolute peak.

“I thought our offense carried us," Holtmann said. "Our bench, and our offense. And that’s not always gonna happen; we’re not always gonna get that production offensively. We’re gonna play teams that present different challenges. Our offense carried us tonight.”