Simmons' suggestion helps OSU

2/25/2009
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel cheers for the Buckeyes during the second half Tuesday night in Columbus. Ohio State defeated Penn State 73-59.
Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel cheers for the Buckeyes during the second half Tuesday night in Columbus. Ohio State defeated Penn State 73-59.

COLUMBUS - Jeremie Simmons went to Ohio State's coaching staff on Sunday and suggested that P.J. Hill start in his place.

It ended up being an ingenious move for Simmons, for Hill - and for the Buckeyes.

Simmons came off the bench to score 14 points and Hill added a career-high 13, and the two also led a second-half surge as Ohio State beat Penn State 73-59 last night to end a three-game losing skid.

"I'm a real person. I understand that P.J., he works hard every day," Simmons said of his selfless act. "I knew he would start us off strong on the defensive end so I wanted him to start."

Simmons scored the last five points of the first half to give Ohio State a lead, then hit three 3-pointers as the Buckeyes (18-8, 8-7 Big Ten) took control by scoring 25 of the game's final 35 points.

"It was basically they were collapsing on ET [Evan Turner]," Simmons said. "I had good looks and was able to knock them down."

Hill, making his first start in his 49th game at Ohio State, gave the Buckeyes some energy at both ends. So did freshman center B.J. Mullens who also had 13 points. Another freshman, Libbey's

William Buford, added 11 points, all in the first half.

Turner, second in the Big Ten in scoring at 17.2 points per game, did not score in the opening 32 minutes and finished with just six points. But he had a career-high eight assists to go with six rebounds.

"Our plan was to take Turner out," Lions coach Ed DeChellis said. "We were trying to make somebody else beat us and Hill and the other kid [Simmons] did."

Jamelle Cornley had 11 points in a return to his hometown, with Stanley Pringle, Talor Battle and Andrew Jones each scoring 10 for the Nittany Lions (19-9, 8-7).

The game was a critical showdown between teams who may end up vying for one of the last spots in the NCAA tournament from the Big Ten.

"We were on a three-game losing streak by 10 points," Mullens said. "That hurts us, but tonight was a big win for us. It gave us our confidence back."

Cornley was disappointed with the outcome - particularly since Ohio State AD Gene Smith is on the NCAA selection committee.

"We didn't really get what we wanted, but all year we've been trying to prove to not just us but the entire country that we're a good team," he said. "I think the committee has seen that we're a pretty tough team."